An Aug. 30 town hall meeting of the Fayetteville City Council came with an explanation of the approval of the Dollar General store proposal on Ga. Highway 54 East, neighbors’ concerns about the development and an overview of the development process.
Some among the 45 residents attending the meeting voiced concerns about the approval of the store in their immediate neighborhood.
Pertaining to the recent Dollar General approval, neighboring residents were most concerned about the additional traffic that would be generated once the store is operational.
Others questioned whether another “dollar” store is needed in the city. Both planners and council members explained that the highway commercial zoning in the area is appropriate for such a retail site, adding that the city cannot prohibit a business from establishing in an area zoned for those purposes.
“Legally, we can’t stop a business if its meets all the (zoning) requirements,” said Mayor Ed Johnson.
Other residents said a traffic signal and crosswalks would be needed, while others cited concerns that the development could impact property values.
An issue arising at the meeting, one that will require additional investigation, dealt with the a three-year moratorium that was presumably placed on more than 14 acres that was clear-cut in mid-2014 prior to obtaining the needed city permit. The Dollar General site is situated within that acreage.
A July 18, 2014 letter from city building official Greg Taliercio to property owner 54 Development and Perry Knight that penalties such as a three-year moratorium on development could be applied as a result of the non-permitted clear-cutting.
Planning Director Jahnee Prince said she would contact the city attorney for clarification on the issues.
The question was whether the development should have been allowed if the moratorium was in place.
One of a number of town hall meetings conducted by the City Council during 2016, the Aug. 30 meeting centered on the limited development along Hwy. 54 on the city’s east side. The meeting included an explanation by Prince and Senior Planner Julie Brown of the recent Dollar General store approval along with the overall planning process and the upcoming 20-year comprehensive plan review in which citizens were asked to participate.
