A proposal to rezone a 5.6 acre site off Newgate Road for a 100-unit age restricted senior apartment complex was denied Thursday night by the Peachtree City Council.
The vote to deny the rezoning came on a 4-1 vote with Councilwoman Kim Learnard the only vote supporting the rezoning. The proposal from Norsouth development company was for the apartments to be age restricted to persons 62 and older.
Learnard said she felt the proposal was a good fit for the city’s needs of the aging population and she felt the project, aimed mostly at seniors who have a retirement income around $30,000, did not quality as a “low income” category.
Councilwoman Vanessa Fleisch said she would rather see Norsouth target other appropriate sites in the city which already have the necessary rezoning for apartments as a redevelopment project; Councilman Doug Sturbaum said he agreed.
Councilman Eric Imker said he couldn’t support the density on the site increasing five fold.
Mayor Don Haddix said he was concerned if the project failed the site would remain vacant after it is built.
The parcel is located on Newgate Road directly adjacent to the Kedron Village shopping center and is currently zoned limited use residential for 21 luxury townhomes that never materialized.
Norsouth proposed the age restriction to become part of the property deed so if it changes hands later on down the road all future owners and managers will have to meet the age restriction.
But it was also made clear that the age restriction could be lifted by a future council if they decided to.