Peachtree

City is ready to step up the pace in the design

phase of the northwest corner of Ga. Highway 54

and Walt Banks Road, and that apparently includes

shelling out some money to get some things done.

During

its July 1 meeting, the City Council was

scheduled to address a proposal to approve no

more than $7,000 in city funds for costs incurred

in having a design firm put together a more

detailed plan for how residential, commercial and

office uses could be combined on the corner.

At

a meeting last week with all parties involved in

development of the site, Mayor Bob Lenox said

that plans should proceed so that there is as

little delay as possible due to the July 4

holiday weekend.

"After

all the money and time spent on this in the past,

this isn't much," he said.

Lenox

added that developing a central plan was of

utmost importance, and it would be very difficult

for any single party to convince anyone else of

what they wanted to develop there without one.

The

possibility of office-institutional land being

replaced with residential property on part of the

tract continues to be a sticking point with land

owner Bill Lassiter, according to Doug Dillard,

his attorney.

Dillard

said that when he told Lassiter, who was not

present at the meeting, of this development that

had been discussed at a previous meeting,

Lassiter instructed him not to go to any more

meetings, but Dillard convinced him to stay

involved in the process.

If

there is a residential alternative, it must have

enough density to be of compatible value with

office zoning, Dillard reported. "Why would

[Lassiter] want to do something less than what he

can do now?" he added, referring to the fact

that Lassiter can begin commercial development on

the site the way it is zoned now, with some

restrictions.

Dillard

said that Lassiter plans to refile with the city

for another shot at development very soon, and he

will probably just include the commercial portion

of his tract - about 13 acres.

The

request would include a reduction in the buffer

on Hwy. 54 from 100 feet to 60 feet, which is

what the city's ordinance requires, and ask for

right-in/right-out access to Hwy. 54.

As

for the plans to develop a master plan for the

entire 73-acre site, Dillard said he would

encourage Lassiter to participate and would be

surprised if he does not do so.

Two

firms were mentioned as candidates for the design

work - one in Dallas and another in Hilton

Head. City development director Jim Williams

pointed out that a great deal of study has

already been done on this property over the

years, so a lot of technical information is

readily available.

No

local firms were found that are interested in the

design job, Williams said, noting that none are

very experienced in this type of work.

The

initial design process could take about three

weeks, and whichever firm is selected would begin

the development.

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