Peachtree City has approved a six-month moratorium on rezoning applications for multifamily housing, a measure introduced by Councilmember Suzanne Brown and passed unanimously during the October 2 council work session.

The temporary ban prevents developers from submitting any new rezoning requests for apartments or condominiums while the city reviews its long-term housing policies. Mayor Kim Learnard said the move is intended to “let the city catch its breath” amid ongoing conversations about growth, infrastructure, and community character.

“I am supportive of the moratorium while we catch our breath,” Learnard said. “It doesn’t change any projects that are already in progress—it just gives us time to reflect before new proposals are filed.”

No new projects in the pipeline

According to Learnard, the city has seen only two requests for multifamily rezonings in recent years: a proposal for 12 luxury condominiums above Partners Pizza and other businesses at Aberdeen and an apartment project once discussed near the Crowne Plaza hotel site. The latter never made it to City Council for a vote.

“Nothing is in the pipeline right now,” Learnard said. “Since 2021, those are the only two applications we’ve seen, and one never even came before council.”

Under the moratorium, developers cannot submit applications to the planning department—the first step in Peachtree City’s rezoning process. That means any new multifamily proposal will be paused before city staff or the Planning Commission can begin review.

Senior housing the only multifamily built in two decades

Learnard also noted that the city’s existing multifamily units have primarily served senior residents.

“In the last 20 years, the only apartments that have come to Peachtree City are for seniors—Somerby on the south side and HearthSide between Target and Highway 74,” she said.

Those developments provide housing for retirees and lower-income seniors, a segment Learnard emphasized has not generated the same community concerns as market-rate apartments.

The broader discussion of multifamily housing has resurfaced during an election season when growth, density, and traffic are again major talking points. Brown’s motion to halt new multifamily rezoning efforts drew quick support from the rest of the council.

Preserving character while planning for the future

City leaders say the pause will allow Peachtree City to evaluate how different types of housing fit into its long-term vision. Learnard, who has previously opposed apartment proposals such as the former Kmart site redevelopment, said the council’s decisions reflect a desire to maintain the city’s unique layout and lifestyle.

“I do not support multifamily housing in Peachtree City,” Learnard said. “That’s why I turned down apartments at Kmart twice—and now that site is becoming Ace Pickleball and Altitude Trampoline Park.”

While no specific development prompted the moratorium, the discussion highlighted how zoning policies shape the city’s balance between residential, commercial, and recreational spaces. Supporters argue that growth decisions should align with Peachtree City’s established network of greenbelts, cart paths, and planned-community design.

What comes next

The moratorium is scheduled to remain in effect for six months, during which time city staff will study land-use data and prepare recommendations for future housing policies. After that period, councilmembers will decide whether to extend, revise, or lift the restriction.

Learnard said the coming months will give residents and officials space to engage in broader conversations about what kind of development belongs in Peachtree City’s future.

“It’s not about stopping progress,” she said. “It’s about making sure that what we build fits who we are.”