UPDATED for print version 03-23-11 — The Peachtree City Council has agreed to consider selling Line Creek Court to Trinity Development to make way for a 134,000-square-foot shopping center at the southwest intersection of Ga. Highway 54 and Planterra Way. At a workshop meeting Monday night, it was made clear that council was not committing to such a deal at this time.
Without Line Creek Court, the city’s road setback rules would trim down Trinity’s ability to make the development happen as proposed.
Mayor Don Haddix argued that it is illegal for the city to abandon Line Creek Court since it has a public use. He said it could be used as part of a road to connect the new shopping center to the existing Shoppes at the Village Piazza shopping center further west.
City Attorney Ted Meeker said it is up to the council to determine if the road has a public purpose or not.
“Case law … says you cannot abandon a road to enable a developer or a private individual,” Haddix said.
Council members Eric Imker and Vanessa Fleisch said they also wanted to explore selling Line Creek Drive to Trinity. Doing so would allow the grade of the site to be reduced significantly, thereby improving the impact on the adjacent residents in Cardiff Park. Trinity did not ask for Line Creek Drive but is open to the possibility.
Trinity’s plan includes four “junior box” retail stores ranging from 20,000 to 28,000 square feet each on the 14.3-acre site. There is also a plan for a restaurant that would have an outdoor dining area overlooking a picturesque view of the Line Creek Nature Area.
Instead of a fully-functioning traffic light on Ga. Highway 54 and Line Creek Drive, a “pedestrian and golf cart blinking light” is being proposed. Trinity is proposing to add a mid-block crossing feature to the intersection, which would provide a “safety area” in the median for pedestrians crossing from the other side of Ga. Highway 54.
The development’s only connection to Planterra Way is via a golf cart path.
This is the same 14.3-acre site that won approval for a larger shopping center, which never came to fruition, and that approval has since expired.
The property is zoned for general commercial development and is currently owned by a bank, city officials said.
Trinity has agreed to building berms along the rear of the development with landscaping on top to help screen the stores from the adjacent Cardiff Park subdivision.
Cardiff Park resident Tim Lydell said that Trinity has committed to limiting deliveries between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to limit noise problems for Cardiff Park residents.
Lydell said he preferred the grade of the shopping center to be reduced, which would help improve the view of Cardiff Park residents whose homes are adjacent to the property.
City resident Phyllis Aguayo said that the rest of the commercial development along Hwy. 54 hasn’t turned out as nice as she had hoped. She added that she wanted to see what the city was getting in return for the road swap.
Aguayo said she wanted to see enhanced buffers, great pedestrian access, upgraded trees in the parking lot, “something that makes us want to do more than just shop there.”
Resident Phil Mahler said he didn’t understand why the city should keep Line Creek Drive if it will abandon Line Creek Court. Mahler said abandoning Line Creek Drive would be a benefit to the Cardiff Park residents.
“I’m not sure I understand why the city wants to retain control of that road,” Mahler said.
Although no retailers have yet been courted for the site, city Economic Development Director Joey Grisham told council that a number of companies he spoke with at a recent retail trade show expressed interest in coming to Peachtree City.
“This is our retail sweet spot, so that makes a lot of sense,” Grisham said.
Resident Caren Russell said she thought a Container Store is a good example of a potential tenant for this site.
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First online version
The Peachtree City Council has agreed to consider selling Line Creek Court to Trinity Development to make way for a 134,000 square foot shopping center at the southwest intersection of Ga. Highway 54 and Planterra Way.
At a workshop meeting Monday night, it was made clear that council was not committing to such a deal at this time.
Without Line Creek Court, the city’s road setback rules would trim down Trinity’s ability to make the development happen as proposed.
Mayor Don Haddix argued that it is illegal for the city to abandon Line Creek Court since it has a public use. He said it could be used as part of a road to connect the new shopping center to the existing Shoppes at the Village Piazza shopping center further west.
City Attorney Ted Meeker said it is up to the council to determine if the road has a public use or not.
Councilman Eric Imker said he preferred to also sell Line Creek Drive to Trinity. Doing so would allow Trinity to significantly reduce the grade of the site, thereby improving the impact on the adjacent residents in Cardiff Park. Trinity did not ask for Line Creek Drive.
Trinity’s plan includes four “junior box” retail stores ranging from 20,000 to 28,000 square feet each on the 14.3 acre site. There is also a plan for a restaurant that would have an outdoor dining area overlooking a picturesque view of the Line Creek Nature Area.
Instead of a fully-functioning traffic light on Ga. Highway 54 and Line Creek Drive, a “pedestrian and golf cart blinking light” is being proposed. Trinity is proposing to add a mid-block crossing feature to the intersection, which would provide a “safety area” in the median for pedestrians crossing from the other side of Ga. Highway 54.
The development’s only connection to Planterra Way is via a golf cart path.
This is the same 14.3 acre site that won approval for a larger shopping center, which never came to fruition, and that approval has since expired.
The property is zoned for general commercial development and is currently owned by a bank, city officials said.
Trinity has agreed to building berms along the rear of the development with landscaping on top to help screen the stores from the adjacent Cardiff Park subdivision.
