After

nine months of wrangling, Fayetteville's City

Council Monday approved a plan for Apple Orchard

subdivision, 50 homes on 20 acres at Grady Avenue

and Beauregard Boulevard.

Charles

and Mary Alice Odom first presented a plan for

100 homes on the parcel, saying the high-density

senior subdivision would be just right for the

property, which is near the city's downtown.

But

neighbors protested the proposed density, and

after a series of meetings spanning two months,

the Odoms withdrew their rezoning request, saying

they wanted to come up with a plan that their

neighbors and the city would be comfortable with.

In

July, the Odoms came up with a plan that their

neighbors were comfortable with, but City Council

balked. Council members said the plan for 54

homes was still too dense, and suggested the

couple reduce the number of homes to 50.

Dan

Odom, speaking for his parents, said during a

council meeting two weeks ago that it would be

difficult for builder Bob Dixon to make a profit

with the smaller number of lots, and council

appeared ready to deny the request, but tabled it

instead.

At

this week's meeting, neighbors spoke in favor of

the project and berated council members for

sticking to their guns. "There is no

rational basis for the city to deny this

project," said Bob Lester, who lives nearby.

"Quality of life, not the [land use] plan,

must be the master."

Neighbors

said the Odoms' plan for a

"neo-traditional" neighborhood,

Charleston-style homes with rear-facing garages

served by alley ways, would enhance property

values in the area, and the family's enlistment

of Bob Dixon, one of the area's most respected

builders, gave them still more confidence in the

plan.

Since

the property in question, at the southeast corner

of the intersection, backs up to several large

commercial properties, the plan provides a

perfect step-down from the businesses to the

lower density neighborhoods to the west and

south, neighbors added.

"It's

going to be a magnet to the elements we want to

have in the community," said Randy Wiles of

Beauregard Court. "It's good for the city,

good for the neighbors, good for the developers

and good for the person that's going to be

selling the property."

Builder

Dixon offered to reduce the number of lots to 52,

saying the cost of the land and development would

make it difficult to make a profit with only 50

lots.

The

plan calls for a large central park and

preservation of a lake that's on the property,

adding to the costs, he said. "We find that

people are looking for smaller yards and they

love the park areas and the lakes," he said,

adding, "I've never been to a zoning where

I've had so much favorable response from the

community."

But

Mayor Mike Wheat pointed out that under its

current zoning, the property could have only

about 36 homes. And the land use plan for the

area calls for medium density residential, he

said, adding that council members have to hold

the line somewhere. "We started with 100

with a land use plan that calls for 36," he

said.

"I'm

going to have to stay with 50," said

Councilman Walt White.

Council

offered to table the matter again to give Dixon

more time to crunch numbers, but in the end the

Odoms and Dixon gave in and council approved the

project with 50 lots, scrapping a suggestion by

city staff that they require two entrances on

Beauregard Boulevard.

One

entrance will be adequate, Dixon argued, and

he'll be able to create a much nicer entrance if

there's only one.

Approval

of the project carries with it the stipulations

that the lake and park be preserved, the alley

ways be built as promised, the minimum house size

be 1,700 square feet and the minimum price be

$170,000.

Dixon

will have to go through the city Planning

Commission with more detailed plans for the

subdivision before starting construction. He said

Monday he hopes to have lots for sale by middle

to late summer 2000.