Retail centers with large stores won't be prevented from coming

to Peachtree City by revisions to the zoning ordinance that are

being considered.

But the new regulations, if they are eventually adopted, would require

stores to meet a list of requirements.

City staff have been preparing the zoning revisions, referred to

as "big box legislation," in response to a request from

Councilwoman Annie McMenamin for the city to try and regulate the

locations of large retail stores in Peachtree City.

A draft of the possible guidelines on the large retail stores was

presented to the city Planning Commission during its meeting Monday.

Among other requirements, the guidelines would limit store size

to 90,000 square feet if the store is in a shopping center with

100,000 square feet or more of total store space.

Jim Williams, the city's director of developmental services,

said the original size limit was 80,000 square feet but, because

the current Kmart in Peachtree City is around 90,000 square feet,

staff decided the size limit should not be less than that.

On developments with more than 100,000 square feet of gross area,

the ordinance changes would also require:

-All buildings

be designed to appear from the outside that no individual tenant

occupies more than 6,000 square feet;

- Any tenant occupying over 6,000 square feet must provide

enforceable assurances that it will not keep the space unoccupied

if it ceases business;

Land owners of possible retail centers over 100,000 square feet

also must prepare traffic management plans and water management

plans, the amended ordinance would require.

The traffic management plan must identify traffic problems the development

might generate and provide reasonable solutions to those problems,

the proposed ordinance amendment states.

The water management plan must address how water runoff from the

pavement on the site should be cleaned. Another environmentally

related requirement would allow no more than 75 percent of the entire

lot to be covered with impervious surfaces such as parking lots,

driveways and businesses.

The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on the big

box guidelines at its next meeting Monday, Sept. 11. The guidelines

must be approved by the City Council before they can officially

become part of the city's zoning code.