By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

Southern Community Bank can move ahead with its plans for a two-story, 14,000-sq. ft. headquarters building at the corner of North Jeff Davis Drive and Jefferson Avenue, but the bank will be lacking 11 parking spaces that were part of its original plans.

Fayetteville's Planning Commission last week voted unanimously, with one abstention, to approve the latest development plans for the bank. The new plans satisfy commission insistence on saving as many large oak and pecan trees as possible.

Saving five more large trees at the front of the 2.08-acre site will require moving the building farther south than architects originally had planned, encroaching on the required 40-foot buffer between the bank and Carriage Chase, a neighborhood next door on Jefferson Avenue.

Not knowing exactly how much the building and parking lot would encroach on the buffer, planners had asked the commission for a reduction in the buffer from 40 feet to zero. Last week, armed with more information, the commission approved a variance in the buffer, reducing it by five feet at one point and 30 feet at the rear of the bank property, though that portion won't be paved.

Commissioners also approved a variance to allow some of the parking in front of the building, along North Jeff Davis, but disallowed 11 parking spaces right next to the street.

The Planning Commission also approved two new office complexes, one on Devant Street and one on Jeff Davis.

Approval of Executive Park, a 57-unit complex at Devant and Ginger Cake Road, carries the condition that a dumpster enclosure be masonry rather than wood. Johnson Properties will build the complex of 10 buildings on 7.6 acres. The 67,368 square feet of offices will be divided into units ranging from 1,200 to 5,100 square feet.

Robert Rolader's plan for the Ted Brown Office Park, five new office buildings on Jeff Davis across from Kathi Avenue, will be phased in, depending upon how fast tenants are found for the units.

Planning Commission members said that's fine, but they conditioned their approval on landscaping the first phase so that it has a “finished” appearance.

When completed, the project will have 23,000 square feet of office space in five two-story buildings on a 2.77-acre site.

During their regular business meeting last week, commissioners also approved:

” A special exception to allow Dave Dail's Tire and Auto Service at 105 Banks Station. Dail will build the facility in the open space next to Stevi B's Pizza at the south end of the shopping center.

” Development plans for a 4,143-sq. ft. addition to Wal-Mart's garden shop. The plan would require relocating a landscaping island and moving the fire lane.

” A preliminary plat for Argonne Forest, a 152-home subdivision and 17-acre office park at New Hope Road and Ga. Highway 314 north of town.

City Council last month approved annexation and rezoning for the 144-acre project, with the stipulation that the site plan submitted with the rezoning application be used as the actual plat for the subdivision. Developer Bob Rolader said at a recent work session that the plan being presented is unchanged from the one presented to council.

” Development plans and elevations for Shops at Fayette Pavilion, including a 5,000-sq. ft. Men's Wearhouse. The freestanding building will finish up phase two of the center with Men's Wearhouse and four additional shops, one 3,500 square feet, one 1,500 and two 1,200 square feet.

The building will match existing buildings at the Pavilion, said Mike Brown of Powers and Merritt, architects.

” Revised development plans for an addition to the BellSouth building at Lee Street and Glynn Street. The Planning Commission had previously approved a plan that would match the roof line of the old section to that of the new section.

Architects asked to revise that plan to allow a wing wall separating the old and new sections, with different roof materials for the two. Approval passed 3-2, with commissioners Kevin Bittinger and Myron Coxe opposed.