Coweta shoppers

stand to get another shopping center as the Coweta County Commission reluctantly

approved a commercial rezoning at the intersection of Ga. Highway 34 and

Fischer Road Tuesday night.

The 25-acre

tract was zoned C-7 (commercial major shopping center) and is slated to

feature an anchor grocery store, auxiliary shops and retail stores, along

with four outparcels.

Several years

ago, the commission had unanimously denied the rezoning. But the matter

wound up in court and a judge ruled that residential zoning was not feasible

for the property. The judge ordered the property to be rezoned to a constitutional

use.

County Attorney

Mitch Powell said the judge did not say what zoning the property should

receive, but applicant Billy Cranford sought a major shopping center zoning.

The property

lies in the district of Commissioner Leigh Schlumper, who made the motion

to approve the rezoning with planner Robert Tolleson's recommendations.

Tolleson said

that the developer must improve sight distance along the project's frontage

on Fischer Road and build a left turn from Hwy. 34 into the western drive

of the project, along with a right turn lane into Fischer Road from the

westbound approach of Hwy. 34.

Commissioner

Vernon "Mutt" Hunter said he was supporting the project only

because of the judge's ruling. He added that Coweta County had spent enough

money improving the intersection and any right-of-way acquisition would

have to be done by the developer.

The zoning

passed the commission 4-1, with Commissioner Lawrence Nelms voting against

it.

Nelms said

he respected the court's action, but would have favored a lesser degree

of development.

Schlumper said

she had talked to residents in the area who said if development was coming,

they favored a higher end development, which the C-7 zoning represents.