Peachtree City Council splits 3-2 to rezone Aberdeen Village Center

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A Google Earth top-down view of Aberdeen Village Center with north at top shows the building (circled) to be demolished and rebuilt as a 3-story period brick structure containing retail on the ground floor and residential condos on the second- and third-floors.
A Google Earth top-down view of Aberdeen Village Center with north at top shows the building (circled) to be demolished and rebuilt as a 3-story period brick structure containing retail on the ground floor and residential condos on the second- and third-floors.

Peachtree City’s original village center will be getting a dramatic makeover after the City Council last week approved a rezoning change by a 3-to-2 vote.

Unlike many such rezonings, the public input featured several citizen supporters of the request to demolish part of Aberdeen Center containing Partners II Pizza restaurant and rebuild it as a 3-story brick structure with 12 luxury condominiums with individual elevators comprising its top two floors. The center’s iconic pizza place would retain its ground-floor location. The other leg of the center would continue without change, housing bowling lanes and a bar.

Opposition voices worried about traffic and the precedent of rezoning for a mixed use development that might spread to other commercial areas.

City staff said the LUC zoning was site-specific and did not represent a legally binding precedent for any other areas of the city.

Council members Frank Destadio and Gretchen Caola opposed the rezoning, while Mayor Kim Learnard and councilmen Mike King and Phil Prebor supported the change to LUC.

Drawing shows a redeveloped Partners II Pizza in Aberdeen Center. Graphic/City of Peachtree City.
Drawing shows a redeveloped Partners II Pizza in Aberdeen Center. Graphic/City of Peachtree City.

20 COMMENTS

  1. It’s somewhat amusing that those opposed to any common-sense re-development and then associate this with increased traffic (Rts 54/74) … are the very ones that moved here and created it (traffic) in the first place.

  2. I moved to Peachtree City 39 years ago. There were 9,000 residents and nowhere to eat, except for 2-3 fast service restaurants, the police department was tiny, and even then, there were two types of people:
    1) I’m here and I like it way it is. Don’t change ANYTHING
    2) I like it here but we need at least some amenities, places to eat, and places to shop without going to Atlanta.
    I was in the second group. I think PTC is a much better place to live than in 1983. Yes, there’s lots of traffic and there are some prices to pay. I think it’s worth the price to not have to drive an hour to get EVERYTHING. Why, we even have a great hospital just down the road. “These are the good old days” –Carly Simon

  3. A wonderful start for turning our town into an actual community instead of a bunch of artificial isolated detached houses within walking distance of nothing. R1 only zoning across the country was one of America’s greatest mistakes. Mixed use zoning has been the natural state of towns for centuries; it is time we as a country return to our roots.

  4. Has anyone been over behind the NAPA store off HWY 54?
    There are $900 homes and live over work condos being built….and it ain’t purdy over their either….just dirt and a hill.
    Also, little cottages available for visiting guest if the resident lacks space for them.

  5. So many knew that the new mayor was all promises and smooth talk but was really sold out to development and urbanization. I’m guessing she will try to expand green space while stacking and racking the condos and apartments higher and higher.

    Elections matter and sadly any single council can ruin the the future by setting precedents the developers will leverage in court.

    I appreciate that some people will elect to live in these condos but that doesn’t mean it is good for the city long term. I’m ready to downsize myself and a condo is under consideration but never in that kind of location. And less and less likely in a city that is going urban.

    Lexington Circle was in the plan as a mixed-use location but past councils allowed the plan to be violated and ridiculous things like corporate headquarters and stand-alone junk was permitted. Redevelop that area like it was supposed to be.

    The owners can make plenty (if not as much) redeveloping this location to be nicer upscale shopping for our community. No one is depriving them of their property rights by holding them to the plan they knew they worked under. And, yes, I do sincerely appreciate them for not allowing the ridiculous proposal that floated a few years ago. It was worse but this is still very bad.

    I am thankful that I got some of the best 28 years PTC had to offer. I had hoped to have all if not most of my retirement here but I do not prefer to live like an ant on an ant hill.

    And I’m sure you all have noticed the trajectory of crime in our area. This will only make it worse in my opinion. The bubble is being popped by greed and opportunism.

    One comment to all those who argue we need this garbage to appeal to younger folks I call hogwarsh! My neighborhood of $700K to $3.5M is turning over to young couples with young children at a surprising pace. I assume they are the types that want the lightly suburban atmosphere that we did when we moved here with our kids and the market seems to be doing just fine without the zero property maintenance high density development that supposedly all the younger people want. While I know this demographic exists I believe it is a demographic that fundamentally wants a very different life than most of PTC residents.

    So be vigilant come election time. None of these three has earned another term.

    • I’m perplexed by your stance. You don’t want this small mixed use project, but just up the road at Lexington, you advocate demolishing stand alone businesses and putting mixed use there. Lexington is much larger and would accommodate many more units than the 12 at this location thus having a larger impact. I don’t see your logic at all.
      I have no problem with this project. It will have little impact and will give the area a much needed sprucing up. I’m not discounting your concern completely, I do hope someone with some fortitude will address the traffic at the 54/74 intersections. Fortunately, I live in the Kedron area and I don’t go down that way much. I do chuckle when I hear people complaining about traffic. You all don’t know how good you have it. I lived in Roswell/Alpharetta for 16 years and you have to mentally plan your trips by time and route. Here, not so much.

    • You say our mayor is “sold out to development and urbanization.” Good grief – this is an existing buisness property, they’re voting to allow improvement of an existing, aged structure with – heaven forbid – expensive condos that will bring in more property taxes and upgraded business units that will give businesses a new place to offer goods and services. Me thinks you over-react just slightly to a move to improve one of the oldest parts of Peachtree City. Or should we just let it rot and let undesirable tenants like massage parlors, tattoo joints, and Pawn Stores move in because the buildings are aging and lacking curb appeal that will bring in customers???

    • Al… not all “young people” fall into the same niche. Of course many are married with young children. Often, the Mom is a “stay at home” parent. For these folks, big houses on spacious lots make complete sense and will always be desirable and appreciated. But, many “young people” are single working professionals who put in long hours advancing their educations and careers. For these folks, single family residences don’t always make sense. My daughter and her circle are all in their early 30’s. They are single and include, among others, a oral/maxillofacial surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, a civil engineer, and an attorney. For them, a condo offers what a home cannot… time, convenience and security. Yes, someone else does the yard work. But, want a swim or a gym workout? Head to the facilities maintained by the H/O assn. No worry about porch pirates or not being home for deliveries, a property manager is on site 24/7 and secure areas are maintained for both mail and packages. The gate guarded underground parking provides security, protection from the elements and, even charging stations for those with electric or hybrids. Many travel extensively for business or pleasure and it is very comforting to know they can hop on a plane realizing their home and property are safe, and not worrying about mowing the lawn, cleaning the pool, and collect your mail. There will never be a “one size fits all”.

  6. Who in their right minds – in search of ‘luxury condominiums’ – would want to live cheek to jowl right on top of commercial activities and the all but INEVITABLE and NERVE WRACKING and WRECKING TRAFFIC, NOISE, LITTER, LATE NIGHT ‘DISTURBANCES’ and the like? THIS KIND OF NONSENSE, MONEY GRABBING and GREED DRIVEN REZONING is NOT what Peachtree City is all about for goodness sake! If you are in search of that kind of CHAOS, CRIME and CONFUSION then move to THAT THERE ‘BIG CITY’ UP YONDER! I’ll remember you three ‘Bubble Heads’ who voted to approve this ANTI-HUMAN REZONING come election – FOH SHO! 😡 🤬 🤯 🥵