Sun City is planning to build a retirement community in Spalding County, but is still pursuing building a community in Fayette County.

McRae Communications’ Phil Corley confirmed that Pulte Homes has started the approval process, but said it is still looking at all options in Fayette County.

According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the homebuilding giant plans to build 3,400 units on 1,500 acres in eastern Spalding County near the Henry County line. The name of the community will be Sun City Peachtree and will be aimed at residents 55 years and older.

Last April, the Fayette County Commission rebuffed a request to change an ordinance to allow the community to set up shop in this county.

Commissioner Linda Wells said the county could be setting a dangerous precedent by asking staff to start working on a text amendment for a Planned Age Qualified Community, a zoning category that does not currently exist in the county’s zoning rules.

“Most developers make a point of trying to follow our ordinances. If we do this, we’ll be inundated with requests for people wanting to write their own ordinances,” she said.

Del Webb, a division of Pulte Homes, had assembled more than 1,200 acres along Sandy Creek Road to build just over 3,000 homes, an 18-hole golf course, along with a 25,000 square-foot amenities clubhouse for seniors 55 and over.

The development would have featured homes from 1,100 to 3,000 square feet.

Commission Chairman Greg Dunn said it would be like placing the population of Tyrone in the middle of the county.