Wal-Mart's

attempt to come to Peachtree City has hit a snag.

The

developer's proposed site plan for the superstore

was denied by the Peachtree City Planning

Commission at its meeting Monday night. The

denial came at the recommendation of city

officials who claim the store will violate the

city's traffic ordinance.

RAM

Development plans to appeal the decision to the

City Council, said Doug Dillard, an attorney

representing RAM Development.

Dillard

told the commission that the traffic ordinance

does not apply to the store since the plans were

first submitted in October, before the ordinance

was enacted.

Dillard

also said the company feels it has tried to work

with the city on making sure the additional

traffic brought on by the Wal-Mart won't get too

bad.

"We

feel we have satisfied the intent of the

ordinance and therefore should be approved,"

he said.

recent court case also upheld that traffic cannot

be the sole factor for turning down a project,

Dillard said. He added that the city has approved

all the other permits needed for the project.

The

traffic ordinance requires developers to make

traffic improvements if studies show the project

will degrade traffic flow in the area.

City

development director Jim Williams said he didn't

see the commission had a choice but to deny the

plan since it didn't meet the traffic ordinance.

"Our

traffic consultant advised us that the project

doesn't meet the requirements of the

ordinance," Williams said. "The city

attorney has assured me this is the position we

must take."

The

motion to deny the Wal-Mart conceptual plan was

unanimous.

Doug

McMurrain of RAM Development said the traffic

estimate numbers from the city's traffic

consultants and RAM's traffic consultants weren't

far off.

"We

were off by 5 percent," McMurrain said

Wednesday. "We're really very close on the

traffic estimates."

McMurrain

also pointed out that the state Department of

Transportation has approved the company's permits

for the additional traffic improvements. RAM's

consultants suggested two traffic improvements

for the development in addition to the

improvements planned for the Home Depot project,

which will be attached to the proposed Wal-Mart

store.

After

the meeting, Dillard said the company was willing

to compromise with council if it wishes.

"We're

hopeful we can resolve it," Dillard said.

"We have been committed to working with the

city and cooperating with them."