By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizen.com
Peachtree City’s biggest residential development in years is coming under intense scrutiny from the City Council.
During Thursday’s City Council meeting, the council tabled the developer’s request for major text amendment changes to the city’s LUR-14 Limited Use Residential zoning ordinance.
Kolter Homes wants to build 650 homes on the city’s west side in what is now called Wilksmoor Village. The development, coupled with John Wieland’s plan for a nearby subdivision with 200 homes, would reactivate the city’s nearly dormant development, but also has the potential to bring more traffic to an already congested part of the city.
Senior planner David Rast told the council that staff had no problem with minor amendments to the ordinance, such as all homes would be detached homes, instead of 111 courtyard homes approved for the previous developer, Levitt and Associates. The staff also agreed that no more than 10 percent, or 65 homes would be 1,350 square feet each, The rest of the development would have a minimum size of 1,500 sq. ft.
But, Rast added, “staff is not in favor of major text amendments.” The issue that drew the most discussion involved the developer’s request to allow up to 200 certificate of occupancies before the extension of MacDuff Parkway is complete. Wieland and Kolter Homes are on the hook for paying the cost of the extension of the parkway.
Brian Rochester, who represented the developer, said that was a key issue for the development to move forward, but the issue drew little support from the council.
“My concern is that 1,000 homes are going to be landlocked,” said Councilman Mike King.
Until Macduff Parkway is completed, King said, people would only have one way in and out of the development.
Councilman Eric Imker also could not go along with the issue and if the council approved it, he said, they would be betraying the trust of a previous council who stipulated no certificates of occupancy would be granted until road was finished.
Mayor Vanessa Fleisch said this was ultimately an $8 million project that taxpayers would have not to fund, and wants the road completed as soon as possible.
The other major sticking point was the developer’s request not to have a fire station within 1,000 ft. of the entrances to the subdivision. Fire Chief Joe O’ Conor said his department has been looking at an alternate site at Senoia Road that would actually service the city better than the one proposed near the subdivision.
Since there seemed to be questions on the major sticking points, the council tabled the request and asked staff to bring an ordinance to the Sept. 4 meeting for a vote.
