Coweta

County commissioners sent a strong message to developers

Tuesday morning.

During its

meeting, the board declined to allow Fayette County

developer Tom Reese to continued building houses at his

Westminister Village subdivision on Dr. Fischer Road

without another entrance to the subdivision.

The

county's regulations currently allow a developer to build

99 homes in a development with one entrance on a public

road. For 100 or more homes, the subdivision must have

another entrance.

Reese has

currently built 93 homes in his development and has plans

for 173 homes. He told the commissioners he has tried to

buy additional land on Fischer Road for a second

entrance, but the land owners refused to sell.

"That's

their prerogative," he said.

Reese has

now gone back to his original plan of crossing a creek to

use as his second entrance. But to cross the creek, he'll

have to receive a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers.

Reese

believes he'll have no problem in securing the permit,

but said it will take a few months. While the permit

process is taking place, he wants to build the remaining

74 homes in the subdivision and said he would put up a

$150,000 line of credit with the county as a show of good

faith.

"The

line of credit will ensure that the county has no

liability and is covered," he said.

But

Commissioner Jim McGuffey and commission Chairman

Lawrence Nelms were not so sure the permit process was a

sure thing and said the county could face legal problems

if it bent the rules for Reese.

Commissioner

Charlie Jones, who represents the district where

Westminister Village is located, said he could not

support additional building until the permit was

obtained, and the commissioners unanimously denied the

request.