The 88-acre office park planned for the Ga. Highway 74

corridor in Tyrone may sit closer to the road than the town ordinance

dictates, but the project's architects and developers must take another look

at reducing the amount of impervious surface, based on Tyrone's

Planning Commission's decisions Thursday night.

Developer Richard Bowers requested and was granted a

variance allowing a 120-foot setback from the road instead of the

required 200 to 250 feet. The commission voted three to one in favor of

the variance after viewing sketches of the project which depict one-

and two-story- brick and glass buildings situated along a winding

parkway within the office park.

Architect Roy Ashley called it a "pedestrian oriented campus"

and pointed out the narrow section of the tract which made the

setback alteration necessary. The total amount of land affected is about

4.5 acres.

Town Planner Bill Johnston said the narrow end of the

property "meets the test of extraordinary conditions" and Town Manager

Barry Amos told the commission that redesigning the project could

ultimately detract from the development by decreasing greenspace.

He recommended the developers increase the amount of landscaping

as a trade for the variance.

Commissioner Paul Letourneau motioned to grant the

variance, noting the office park was a better project than what could have

been built on the tract. The property was originally zoned for light

industrial, which would have allowed warehouses. Commissioners

Lyn Redwood, Letourneau and Chairman Tom Williams voted in favor

of the variance. Commissioner Mary Ann Letourneau voted against

it, citing the need to maintain the small town quality and pastoral

views associated with Tyrone. "This is what we are charged with; not

just abiding by the ordinance."

The second variance request was unanimously denied. Under

current law, no more than half the lot can be covered by buildings

or paved areas. The Bowers project is more in the 60 percent

impervious surface versus 40 percent greenspace range.

"I think they could achieve the 50 percent impervious surface

with a little fine tuning," Amos said. Williams suggested a decrease in

the number of buildings or more two-story structures.

A variance request of another type was tabled after a lively

exchange between the commission and Salim Ali, owner of the

town's only convenience store and Texaco station. He is seeking

exemption from the town's ordinance which prohibits internally lit signs.

While the lights have been in place, the Texaco Food Mart sign cannot

be installed under the current ordinance.

Ali threatened to turn on the lights without the cover sign if

the commission turned down his request. "I'm going to light it up

anyway," Ali said. "I'd rather see the sign than the lights,"

Letourneau told his fellow commissioners.

Amos and Johnston flipped frantically through the town's

ordinances searching for a clause prohibiting exposed lightbulbs but

came up empty-handed. "There might be something in the building

ordinances," Amos remarked.

About a half-dozen Ali supporters urged the commission to

allow the sign and complimented Ali on the store's continued

improvements. The need for legal counsel came up when the Redwood said a

text amendment rather than a variance might be needed to solve

their dilemma. However, the town currently has no attorney, an issue

which continues to simmer in controversy at the council level. The

commission chose to table their decision until the next meeting which will

be Aug. 27.

The issue of whether or not the planning commission should

have an attorney present came up again as an added agenda

item. Letourneau requested that the commission have an attorney at

the next meeting to advise them on the Ali sign issue as well as some

text amendments to the zoning ordinance. "This would expedite the

decision making process," he said. "I would encourage the mayor

and council to engage an attorney," Koerber said.

The town has not retained an attorney since July 1 when the

contract for John Mrosek, then town attorney, expired. It is up to

Mayor Richard Santiago to make a recommendation to council for an

attorney. Several candidates have not been accepted by council or

have turned down offers. It is expected that another candidate will be

proposed at council's meeting tomorrow night.

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