The Peachtree City Planning Commission Monday night gave the go-ahead for RAM Development and Eckerd to proceed with the construction of a new drug store on Ga. Highway 54, next to Ruby Tuesday and near the intersection of Peachtree Parkway.

The commission voted 3-1 to approve the conceptual site plan for the project, with acting chairman Wes Saunders voting against.

The proposed store will be 12,738 square feet, about 50 percent larger than the Eckerd at City Circle, and with 60 parking spaces, far fewer than what is currently at the site, surrounding the old Morrison's Cafeteria building.

A representative of the developers said that the site remained empty for well over a year because of a deed restriction held by Ruby Tuesday which did not allow anyone to sell alcohol beverages on the premises.

Since it appeared no one wished to use the building as a restaurant, he said, Eckerd decided to change the use for the property and fill the empty space, moving across the street from the Peachtree Crossing shopping center.

Work began on the project in April, and the finished product will reclaim about 3,000 square feet of green space and reduce the number of delivery trips as well as the amount of sewer impact from what would have been used by a restaurant at the same location, the developer said.

With the number of parking spaces being reduced, all 60 will be put in the front portion of the property, keeping the cars as far away from the nearby residential area as possible.

There were several public comments about the project, specifically the size of the familiar blue Eckerd sign which will be on the front of the building. There was also concern expressed about the size of the building, trucks coming in and out of the property, and the vacant storefront Eckerd will be leaving across the street.

City staff emphasized that they do not want the old store vacant for an extended period of time, saying that Fayetteville has a great deal of sites like that with new retail spaces opening up in various places and merchants moving into them.

In other Planning Commission business, conceptual site plans for First Union Bank at Kedron Village and the Riley Field track and football complex were unanimously approved.

Also approved unanimously was the landscape plan for the Peachtree City Distribution Center at Ga. Highway 74 and Dividend Drive.

The landscape plan for the McIntosh High School practice fields was tabled until the Sept. 27 meeting.8

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