Where will all the visitors to downtown Senoia’s new businesses park?

If the Senoia Planning Commission has its way, it won’t be in a residential lot on Seavy Street. On Tuesday, the Planning Commission rejected a request from Historical Development Ventures to rezone the 1.103 acre lot from Residential-40 to General Commercial. But the group did leave the door open to try and find a solution to the parking dilemma the city will soon face.

Historical Development Ventures representative Scott Tigchelaar told the Planning Commission that the group’s first building on Main Street would open in december with a variety of businesses including a radio station, a doctor, chiropractor and two restaurants.

Also, his group owns the building at 18 Main Street and a restaurant is planned for that location.

“We’re talking three restaurants with 60-100 capacity and those folks have to park somewhere,” he said.

But many residents suggested that a residential area was not the proper place for a parking lot.

Reynolds Allen, who lives across the street from the property, summed up his feelings by quoting Joni Mitchell.

“I hope we don’t say, ‘They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.’”

Tigchelaar said parking issues were usually handled by municipal governments, but he was trying to be proactive by handling the issue now.

Many of the Planning Commissioners sympathized with the developer’s plight, and said the city should do a parking study, and also work on creating a zoning category for parking. Some of the members had problems with rezoning the property to commercial, but indicated a less intensive zoning category could work.

login to post comments