Now that Fayette Pavilion's third phase is being developed in large retail stores, Fayetteville's plan for the west side of Ga. Highway 314 has to change, says developer Bob Rolader.

City officials have repeatedly called for offices on the east side of 314, with the west side reserved for homes. But Fayette County commissioners last year approved heavy commercial zoning for Pavilion's 50-acre third phase, and that changes things, Rolader told the city Planning Commission last week.

"Fayette Pavilion's construction and continued growth toward 314 has changed the flavor of north Fayette," Rolader said in defending his plan for a 17-acre office park on the west side of the highway, directly across from the Pavilion.

"I don't see any need for commercial to go west of 314, but I do see a need for offices as a buffer between the commercial [at the Pavilion] and residential," said Rolader. "And this at least would be a nice, traditional brick type product."

Rolader is asking the city to annex 144 acres, including the office park and a 163-home subdivision on the remaining 127 acres.

Planning commission members said they agree with Rolader's logic concerning the offices, but they do have problems with the idea of 163 homes on 127 acres.

A vote on the plan is scheduled for the commission's next meeting, this coming Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The Planning Commission's recommendation will then go to City Council for a final decision.

The property in question is directly across from the Pavilion at 314 and New Hope Road, and the proposed subdivision would be on both sides of New Hope.

"It would be unreasonable to expect anybody to buy a one-acre lot fronting on 314," said commission member Allan Feldman. "But the density [of homes] is a problem. We're going to get saturated before we're built out.

"Go with one-acre lots and I like the overall project," Feldman added.

Rolader is asking that the neighborhood be approved as a planned unit development with R-22 zoning, which allows a minimum lot size of 22,000 square feet, just over a half acre. He said the density is justified if the city annexes the property, because the homes would be served by city sewerage.

"On sewer, 163 homes would be a lot less damaging than 123 homes on septic tanks," he said, adding that his plan is to put one-acre lots anywhere his development joins surrounding neighborhoods with one-acre lots.

"And this would take [the property] off the market for future commercial speculative development," he added.

No one from the public attended the commission's recent work session to comment on the proposal.

Commissioners reviewed 14 proposals during the session, including a request from the Stonebriar Homeowners' Association to allow them to build six-feet high fences across their rear yards.

The problem with that request, said city planner Jahnee Prince, is that the homes along one side of the neighborhood have frontage on both a subdivision street and Lester Road. Under city laws, any yard with road frontage is a front yard, and the only fences allowed are ornamental fences no more than four feet high. "Legally they have two front yards," she said.

Residents say they need the fences to make their yards safer for their children. Commission members said they might vote in favor of a variance to allow the higher fence if all the neighbors who want one can agree on a consistent style. "I'd like to help you if you could get some consistency with all your neighbors," commission member Myron Coxe told neighborhood representative Larry McMichael.

Commissioners will vote on the request Tuesday. Among other items on the agenda will be:

Annexation and rezoning request for Ryan's Steak House and an as yet unnamed restaurant on a site between Fayette Pavilion and Rent-All Plaza on Ga. Highway 85.

Development plans for an addition to GTO's restaurant, south of town on Ga. Highway 85. Owners want to add indoor seating to the restaurant, currently a drive-in only, so business is not so dependent on the weather.

Development plans for a Tara Credit Union branch on Gingercake Road just off Ga. Highway 54 west.

Development plans for a third phase of Main Street Square, next to the old Fayette High School building on Lafayette Avenue.