There's

one major problem with Fayetteville's proposed

873-acre annexation, according to two county

commissioners: it's not on the city's land use

plan.

"It

just blows out of the water all of the planning

that we have done," said Commissioner Linda

Wells as the county's governing body discussed

the proposal last week.

Commissioners'

comments were solicited as part of the annexation

process. A state law requiring cooperation

between counties and cities provides that cities

must ask their county governments for comment

before taking new property into the city limits.

In

general, commissioners aren't ready to say

"yea" or "nay" to the

proposal to annex the land, off Ga. Highway 54,

but they voiced several concerns and directed

interim County Administrator Chris Cofty to draft

a letter articulating those concerns.

Commissioners

Glen Gosa and Herb Frady said they like developer

Robert Rolader's plans for the property and

"have no problem" with the annexation

if city leaders decide it's appropriate.

But

Wells and Commissioner Greg Dunn said they do

have a problem.

"The

land use map of the city includes over 12,000

acres currently in the county, and the land

you're talking about isn't even on it," said

Dunn.

"We're

taking this way past any of the plans that

Fayetteville has for future development,"

agreed Wells. "It causes me

discomfort."

Annexing

the property also would open hundreds more acres

to annexation, none of them currently in the

city's future plans, Wells said.

Rolader

proposes to build 454 homes, with 16 acres used

for offices, 2.5 acres for retail businesses and

215.5 acres set aside as park land.

Both

Dunn and Wells said they like the plan itself,

and asked whether Rolader would consider building

the project in the county rather than requesting

annexation, but Rolader said he would be unable

to donate the park land if the project was in the

county. He would have to build houses on it

instead to get enough yield to make the project

economically viable, he said, adding that would

mean well over 500 homes instead of the 454

called for in the current plan, plus much less

open space.

Commissioner

Glen Gosa also pointed out that, if developed in

the county, the homes would be on septic tanks

instead of sewer. Since the land is in a

groundwater recharge area, sewerage is

preferable, said county planning director Chris

Venice.

Gosa

said he not only doesn't object, but actually

favors the annexation, for environmental reasons.

"It would be better if this were developed

in the city than in the county," he said.

Frady

added, "I have a high degree of confidence

that the city will develop the property

properly."

Commissioners

also voiced other concerns, including:

� The fact that almost all the

traffic into and out of the planned subdivision

would cross over a dam on one of several lakes

that are on the property. Roads over dams tend to

flood when it rains, and people could be trapped

while county emergency vehicles would be unable

to get in, commissioners said. Rolader said he is

open to providing additional access by improving

Huiett Drive.

� What will happen to the

215.5 acres that Rolader plans to donate either

to the city or to Southern Conservation Trust?

Rolader said he will have the property declared a

conservation easement, which will legally bind it

as undeveloped land forever, but commissioners

said they want details on how the city will

proceed on that.

� A traffic study purchased by

Rolader doesn't address traffic on Davis Road.

Rolader said the road was left out, even though

the current plan shows an entrance/exit to the

subdivision on that road, because he doesn't

think people would use it. "It's two miles

to pavement," he said. "I don't have

any intention of trying to bring any traffic out

on Davis Road." He added he would be willing

to do away with the Davis Road entrance.

Commissioners said they liked that idea.

� The plan will have to be

submitted to the Atlanta Regional Commission and

comment sought from surrounding counties as well,

because the project qualifies as a

"development of regional impact."

Commissioners said they don't feel comfortable

giving a formal approval or rejection of the

project until after that process has run its

course.

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