By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

With 62 new office units already approved last month, Fayetteville's Planning Commission is contemplating a proposal for 66 more this month.

Commission members last week said they aren't opposed to plans for an office park on 17 acres next to the Board of Education offices on the south side of West Lanier Avenue, but they would be more comfortable with the project if developers had the property rezoned to match its intended use.

They asked developer Sunflower Properties Inc. to consider a zoning change before bringing their proposal to the commission for a vote next Tuesday. The vote is scheduled for 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The proposed Magnolia Park complex is right across the street from the master-planned McElwaney property, and commissioners said they want to make sure nothing in the area detracts from plans for a Charleston-style neo-traditional neighborhood on the 110-acre McElwaney tract.

“In my opinion, the engine that's driving this train is the McElwaney property,” said commission Chairman Bill Talley during last week's work session. The city recently hired consultants to master-plan the McElwaney tract in order to set the tone for the area, which is near Fayetteville's historic downtown.

What concerns the planning group is that the property is currently zoned C-2 (commercial). Although Sunflower Properties plans to build residential-style office buildings and offer them to small professional entrepreneurs, future tenants could alter the units for more intense commercial activity, said commission members.

Billy Brundage of Integrated Science, engineers for the project, mentioned the possibility of putting rear storage spaces in some of the buildings, and commission members said that intensifies their concerns. Commissioner Allan Feldman said one office complex nearby has deteriorated into almost industrial activity because of loading docks and storage space in the office buildings. “Anytime you have an office building with a roll-up door it kind of triggers the memory of that thing,” he said.

Brundage said Sunflower hopes to create a pleasant, residential-style office park, with a lake and large green areas if the firm can get federal approval to use a portion of a wetland on the property for the lake.

Having the property rezoned from C-2 to O-I (office-institutional) would alleviate their concerns, commissioners said.

A vote on the development plan is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Among other items on the agenda:

” Development plans and a special exception for a National Tire and Battery shop in Fayetteville Retail Center on Banks Road between Ga. highways 314 and 85. An Eckerd super store and Applebee's Restaurant are already slated for the eight-acre site, and developer JDN had planned a Chuck-E-Cheese restaurant as well, but withdrew the plan when commissioners objected to the proposed number of parking spaces.

The NTB would occupy the site planned for the Chuck-E-Cheese, but commissioners said at last week's work session that they don't like the idea of mixing auto repair work with restaurants.

“It was presented to us as restaurants,” said commission member Myron Coxe. “I think personally that's the way we ought to go with it.”

” Development plans for the Fayetteville Church of Christ on Redwine Road between Ramah and Price roads. During the work session, commissioners asked church representatives to consider decorative fencing at the front of the site, and turning a water runoff detention area into a water feature.

” Revised development plans for an addition to Main Street Square shopping center at Ga. Highway 85 and LaFayette Avenue. Plans for the addition were approved in May, but owners now want to add a 20- by 36-foot covered patio.