Two

rezoning matters were postponed by the Peachtree City

Council at its regular meeting last Thursday ... despite

a request from Ravin Homes to withdraw its rezoning

application for the Cedarcroft area.

The

Cedarcroft rezoning request asks for the 63 acres in the

development to be rezoned as general residential (four

units per acre) instead of the current general commercial

designation. But Mike Rossetti, vice president of Ravin

Homes, asked council to withdraw the request so the

property could be developed commercially.

Lawyer Doug

Dillard, who represented Ravin Homes, argued that council

should allow the company to withdraw its rezoning

application. Rossetti spoke to council also, expressing

his frustration with the rezoning process and how the

city has handled it.

"I'm

going to withdraw and I think that is legitimate

considering the way I have been treated," Rossetti

said.

Mayor Bob

Lenox said the major holdup to the project's approval was

a noise and vibration study that was recently performed

in the area at the city's expense, which he estimated at

$1,500. The city had asked the developer to perform the

noise study, but it had not been done until the city took

it on, Lenox added.

The study

results were submitted to the city hours before the

council meeting, serving as another reason council cited

for wanting to postpone its decision until Thursday's

meeting.

The noise

concerns were over the nearby railroad tracks and whether

a proposed barrier to be erected by Ravin Homes would be

sufficient to block the noise, Lenox said.

It was

pointed out, however, that the city is required to rezone

the property as general residential because of a consent

order that was filed due to a lawsuit against the city.

Leaving the zoning as commercial would conflict with

Rossetti's indications that he wants to develop the

property commercially.

The

Planning Commission had suggested that the Cedarcroft

rezoning be approved.

The other

rezoning application, regarding the 101-acre Katz

property, was postponed until the Aug. 17 council

meeting. The application seeks to rezone the property as

general residential (four units per acre) from its

current status of general industrial.

The request

to postpone the rezoning came from the developer, John

Wieland Homes, which wants to wait until a decision is

made on the proposed West Village annexation before

seeking final approval for the rezoning. The 101-acre

site might be considered part of the 1,200-acre West

Village plan, which the city may annex in the near

future.

The

Planning Commission had recommended that the Katz

rezoning be denied.