An annexation request to add 90 homes and two office buildings to the southern limits of Peachtree City off Ga. Highway 74 got a 3-to-2 approval from the Peachtree City Planning Commission Monday night.
The commission’s vote is one of recommendation only as the City Council has the final say on whether the 77-acre property is annexed and, if so, what it would be zoned for.
The two planning commissioners who voted against the annexation, David Conner and Frank Destadio, said they were concerned about the potential negative effect the subdivision would have on sales of existing homes in the city that are in the same price range. Voting in favor of the recommendation to annex and rezone the property for office and residential uses were commissioners Patrick Staples, Lynda Wojcik and Aaron Daily.
The subdivision, now called The Gates, would be located at the intersection of Hwy. 74 South and Redwine Road. The property is already zoned in Fayette County for a mix of retail and office uses on a scale similar to The Avenue shopping center, city officials have said, but has gone undeveloped at that zoning for several years.
The latest plan from Southern Pines Plantation included a new location for two pocket parks and eliminated one of the driveway access points to the entry road for the two office buildings, which will total no more than 20,000 sq. ft. combined.
Part of the proposed restrictions on the development is a requirement that at least three canopy size trees be on each lot. SPP has committed to individually grading each lot to save as many trees as possible.
SPP Attorney David Kirk also pointed out that the company would be making approximately $292,000 in contributions to the city as part of the development, including the cart path that would be extended through the adjacent Meade Field recreation complex, the land for the greenbelt surrounding the property, the land donated for a city entrance sign and $34,000 toward the city entrance sign and landscaping maintenance for a 20-year period.
City Planner David Rast noted that a financial analysis conducted by staff showed that when the subdivision was built out in four or five years it would cost the city an additional $23,000 to provide services above the taxes collected from the various properties.
Planning Commissioner David Conner said he liked the plan being presented by SPP, but he thought the land would be better as a corporate headquarters. Planning Commissioner Aaron Daily said the land should not be zoned for industrial use since it is surrounded by residential development.
