Fayetteville's population has almost doubled since 1990, rising from 5,868

to 9,679 in 1998, according to the city's chief planner, Jahnee Prince.

The city's maximum population, assuming no annexations and no

rezonings, will be about 16,000, she said, adding

it would be wrong to assume no annexations or rezonings.

Prince and a team of staff and elected officials are meeting regularly in an

attempt to reshape Fayetteville's future by reviewing and revising its land use

plan. Once finished, they hope to have two informal public hearings to gather

comment before turning the plan over to the Planning Commission.

The commission will have two formal public hearings, then pass the

document on to the City Council with its recommendation. Before adopting the plan,

the council also will have two public hearings.

Meanwhile, the city has placed a moratorium on new rezoning requests

through October to ensure that future zoning decisions conform to the revised plan.

When it is adopted, the plan, which anticipates future use of property so

that the city can plan services and infrastructure, will focus not only on the

current city limits, but also on areas the city might logically be expected to annex

in the future.

During a recent meeting of the land use plan committee, Prince said she is

working to get figures on future capacity of the city's sewer system, because that

will determine how much land might eventually move into the city to take

advantage of that system.

"And it's not just sewer capacity we have to determine what mix we are

going to use to determine the end game... residential, industrial and commercial,"

said Mayor Mike Wheat, who serves on the committee along with Councilman

Kenneth Steele, Planning Commission member Alan Feldman, Prince and city

engineer Don Easterbrook.

The group is discussing the possibility of setting aside some sewer capacity

for industry recruitment. "High technology industries all want to locate close to

colleges, and with Clayton State, Gordon and Griffin Tech nearby, we might have

something to offer," said Wheat.

Committee members said if the city annexes properties on its

borders, even with sewer service available, the land use plan

should call for low-density residential projects, with lots of two to

three acres.

"We have to have the political will to say no," said

Councilman Steele. "But your land use plan has to match what your

political will is," said Wheat.

Wheat suggested the plan also should include flexibility to

allow smaller lots for large developments with extra parks

and green space, but Steele warned, "Developers spell flexibility

d-e-n-s-i-t-y."

Consensus of the planners is to encourage

"pedestrian-oriented" mixed commercial and

high-density residential uses near the city's core, and planned

commercial centers along Ga. Highway 85 north.

"We don't want individual tenants with curb cuts," said Prince.

Professional offices and other light commercial uses are

ideal for Jeff Davis Drive, suggested Planning Commission

member Feldman.

"All in all, it's a good balance," said Wheat.

Fayetteville residents are invited to workshop

meetings on the city land use plan Aug. 18 and 26.

Those who attend will be treated to

computerized presentations on proposed future land use

and growth projections for the city, and will be asked

for comment.

The Aug. 18 meeting will be at 4 p.m., the Aug.

26 meeting at 7 p.m. Both will be at City Hall.

Public comment also will be taken when the plan

is presented to the Planning Commission Sept. 8 at

7 p.m. and Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. City Council will

then take up the matter at a workshop Sept. 30 and

meeting Oct. 5, both at 7:30 p.m.

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