Developer

John Wieland said last week he will drop his

plans to add 77.5 acres and 40 homes to the

218-home Woodcreek subdivision on Redwine Road.

County

commissioners last week denied Wieland's request

to modify the Woodcreek PUD (planned unit

development) zoning to allow the addition, opting

instead to change the property's zoning to R-75,

which allows single family homes on minimum

two-acres lots. Under the approved zoning the

land, at Redwine and Bernhard roads, could have a

maximum of 29 homes after subtracting the lake,

flood plain and streets from the usable acreage.

"It's

not economically developable as R-75,"

Wieland told The Citizen following the unanimous

vote. "Let somebody else buy it."

Wieland

argued that PUD would be the proper zoning for

the land, currently owned by E.A. Brown. The

category is designed to allow flexibility in lot

sizes in exchange for creative use of green

spaces. Wieland said the presence of a lake on

the property makes two-acre lots difficult to

arrange.

But

commission Chairman Harold Bost pointed out that

PUD zoning requires a minimum of 100 acres and

said Wieland's request to add the property to

Woodcreek was merely a ruse to get around the

minimum acreage. "Adding to a PUD just so it

would have enough acreage is a back door

approach," he said.

Woodcreek

residents were split in their opinions on the

plan, in which Wieland would have paid for

improvements to the neighborhood's clubhouse,

pool and other amenities to compensate for the

additional users.

"It

just fits with what's currently there," said

William Leslie of Stonehaven Drive, one of four

residents who spoke in favor of Wieland's plan.

"It's just the completion of the

neighborhood in like-kind houses," agreed

Tom Oatney, also of Stonehaven Drive.

But

Carol Traetto of Woodcreek Lane said Wieland's

plan would put too many homes on the land,

contributing to overcrowding in local schools.

"I'm also concerned about the traffic on

Redwine Road," she said.

Five

other residents, including Traetto's husband,

Chuck, spoke in opposition.

Commissioners

agreed that Redwine Road is too heavily traveled.

"We're five to ten years away from building

any highways that would relieve the traffic

problems we've heard about tonight," said

Commissioner Glen Gosa.

And

Commissioner Greg Dunn backed up Bost's

contention that the plan to combine the property

with Woodcreek was improper because Wieland

refused to connect the neighborhoods by road.

"You truly don't want this to be a part of

your PUD," he told residents who favored the

plan, "because you don't want a road to

connect them."

County

officials said Woodcreek residents may end up

with a church for a neighbor. At least two

churches reportedly are considering buying the

land.

In

other zoning action last week, commissioners:

� Unanimously approved Joseph

Giovinco's request to remove a 10,000-sq. ft.

maximum restriction for 3.6 acres at Sumner Road

and Ga. Highway 54. The land is zoned for

offices, and architect Don Cobb, representing

Giovinco, said the owner needs to build a larger

medical office building than that. He promised

that the architecture will be in keeping with the

surrounding residential area.

� Allowed John and Charlotte

Hendershot to revise a subdivision plat on Busbin

Road, dividing a lot into two. The request was

approved unanimously.

� Unanimously approved Don

Galimore's request to change the zoning of 10

acres on Tillman Road from R-70, which allows

homes on lots of two acres or more, to A-R, which

requires a minimum of five acres.

Galimore

said he wants to put a home and farm on the land.

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