It was an idea whose time had not come. The Peachtree City Planning Commission on Monday night adopted a unanimous motion to deny a rezoning request that would have located two hotels on less than three acres at Wisdom Road near Ga. Highway 74.
The planners’ negative recommendation next goes for final disposition to the City Council.
Project representative Jasper Proctor representing Kassandas Properties had asked that the 2.86-acre property zoned GC (General Commercial) be rezoned to LUC-23 (Limited Use Commercial) so that the Fairfield Inn and Suites and the TownePlace Suites extended-stay hotel could be built on the property.
Both hotels, with a combined 146 rooms, would be five stories and would be under the maximum 60-foot height requirement listed in the ordinance.
The main sticking point with commissioners dealt with having two buildings situated on the property. A parcel zoned GC requires two acres for the placement of a hotel while LUC zoning has no such requirement. Even so, some on the commission felt having two hotels on a parcel of less than three acres was asking too much.
Commissioner Lynda Wojcik noted the belief that the logic used in limiting hotels to a minimum of two acres in GC-zoned property should not be “thrown out the window.”
City staff at the meeting referenced the current GC zoning that includes a maximum building height of 35 feet, adding that such zoning would not accommodate extended-stay hotel.
Concerns were also expressed about the number of parking spaces and if buses arriving at the hotels would have adequate space to pick up and drop off riders.
Though the commission voted unanimously to deny the request, some understood the future need of an extended-stay hotel with the upcoming development of movie and television industry in Fayette County.
Proctor said he would speak with the owner to determine if he would take the issue to the City Council on Aug. 1 or withdraw the request, modify it and return to the commission with a revised request.
