Unless

the Tyrone Town Council overturns the town's

Planning Commission, Tyrone shoppers will still

have to drive to Peachtree City if they want to

shop at Publix.

Last

Thursday night, the Planning Commission voted

against developer John Callaway's proposed

shopping center at the intersection of Ga.

Highway 74 and Tyrone Road.

The

118,000-sq. ft. center would have been anchored

possibly would have served as the new "town

center" for the western Fayette town.

But

the town's planners said the traffic the center

would spawn and the feasibility of the center

were justifiable concerns for turning down the

center.

Callaway

told the planners the shopping center would be

the "jewel of the county" and would

actually help control sprawl by providing a

neighborhood shopping center that would keep

Tyrone shoppers from traveling the roads to get

their basic needs.

"It

will encourage people to stop and spend their

money in Tyrone," he said.

Callaway

added that center would attract quality

businesses and the location was not near any

residents, so it was a logical site.

If

the development is approved, Callaway pledged to

add a third lane to Tyrone Road to help ease the

traffic flow and to place a signal at the

four-way stop on Senoia Road.

While

the Planning Commission generally had praise for

the look of the development, members still could

not get past the impact it would have on the

city.

Town

manager Barry Amos said the decision reached by

the Planning Commission would set a precedent for

development in that area.

"I

don't know how much commercial Tyrone can

handle," he said.

Planning

commissioner Lyn Redwood also was concerned with

the out-parcels on the property, which Callaway

envisioned as gas stations and fast food

restaurants.

"That's

my definition of sprawl," she said.

Several

of the commissioners also disagreed with

Callaway's request for the large grocery store.

The town's ordinances set the maximum size for a

commercial building at 30,000 square feet.

"I

just have a problem with someone coming in here

and asking for four variances. They need to go

with our ordinances," said commissioner Mary

Ann Koerber.

Commissioner

Lee Wright was the only one who supported the

project and said it was unrealistic for the town

to assume the land would stay residential.

The

"no" recommendation is now forwarded to

the Tyrone Town Council for discussion later this

month.

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