A rezoning that would have allowed seven additional lots on a 9-acre tract in north Peachtree City’s Kedron Hills area got a thumbs-down vote from the city’s Planning Commission Monday night.

Commissioners noted that it was determined in a similar 2005 city rezoning denial that rezoning the property on Greenwood Lane was against the city’s land use plan. The matter ultimately will be decided by the City Council at its Aug. 20 meeting.

Piedmont Homes is seeking an R-22 rezoning for property that was zoned R-43 with minimum lot sizes of one acre and ER for minimum lot sizes of three acres. The R-22 zoning category allows lot sizes of half an acre.

The tract was annexed into Peachtree City in 1999; previously it had been incorporated as part of the town of Tyrone and as such it sits on Peachtree City’s northernmost boundary.

Piedmont Homes owner John Higgins said the rezoning is needed in large part due to the dwindling market for homes with larger lots, as many new homebuyers don’t want to have to care for them. The rezoning also would allow the land to be designed as a subdivision instead of having six separate driveway access points on Greenwood Lane, Higgins said.

Although some neighbors were for the rezoning and others were against, most everyone agreed it was beneficial to all to see the property appropriately developed as soon as possible to rid the area of the vacant lot eyesore.

Beth Pullias, president of the Kedron Hills Homeowners Association, which opposed the project, pointed out that the Piedmont Homes parcel was not contiguous to any other property zoned R-22. Pullias said rezoning the property to R-22 would allow other adjoining parcels to seek the designation.

Several opponents of the rezoning said they worried that would happen, creating a major traffic issue in the neighborhood.

The commission unanimously voted to recommend denial of the rezoning petition.

Commissioner Lynda Wojcik said the city doesn’t have the responsibility of marketing the property through rezoning.

Several commissioners suggested Higgins could meet his goal of making the development more like a subdivision under the current ER and R-43 zoning for the parcel.

Commissioner Larry Sussberg said he felt the rezoning request was a “lose-lose-lose” for Piedmont Homes, Kedron Hills and the city.

“The longer the property stays vacant and overgrows, the more detrimental it will be to people in Kedron Hills,” Sussberg noted.

Commissioner Theo Scott agreed that the lot appeared “desolate” when he visited it recently.

“Y’all probably look for snakes in there,” Scott said.