The game plan for restricting

the building of big box stores in Peachtree City has been dramatically

altered.

The latest draft of the zoning ordinance amendment to address the big

box stores was unveiled at Monday night's Planning Commission meeting.

This draft goes into more detail than previous versions.

One specific portion of the amendment is aimed at prohibiting the vacancies

that can occur when stores decide to leave for another building.

The ordinance requires that any tenant renting more than 10,000 square

feet must allow the property to be re-leased if the tenant voluntarily

vacates the store or otherwise ceases to conduct business.

City Attorney Rick Lindsey said that requirement would help assure that

stores don't remain empty for extended periods of time.

"We don't want what has already occurred in

Newnan and Fayetteville, where the rumor is that retailers are intentionally

paying rent [on stores they vacated] and not allowing the landlord to

rent to another store," Lindsey said.

If the amendment is eventually approved, it would cap the maximum size

of a commercial building at 32,000 square feet before a rezoning to limited

use commercial would be needed.

The new amendment would allow up to 150,000 square feet of retail space

on a zoning lot, provided that no three commercial tenants occupy more

than 80,000 square feet.

Peachtree City resident Steve Brown said he feels the new version of the

ordinance is better than the previous one. He added, though, that an incremental

approach to regulating retail growth would be ideal.

The Planning Commission voted to bring the big box amendment up at its

next meeting, scheduled for Monday, Sept. 25. Eventually, the amendment

will be offered for approval by the City Council.