Coweta residents

may soon have a place to shop for all their water garden needs.

The Coweta

County Commission voted 4-1 Tuesday to grant a 2.5-foot landscape variance

to Erik and Kimberly McGraw who want to open a water garden store at 2236

Ga. Highway 34 east.

The variance

allows the McGraws to plant a vegetative buffer of 2.5 feet off the property

line of the neighboring property on Hwy. 34. The neighboring property

also has a six-foot wooden fence separating it from the water garden property.

Although the

variance was just for landscaping requirements, the lengthy discussion

turned into an overview of water runoff from the property.

Frank Neely,

who owns the property next to the McGraws, asked the board to resolve

water runoff problems because he feared the water running from the McGraws'

parking lot would drain onto his property and affect his septic system.

Neely also

asked the board to examine the company's curb, which he claimed is already

cracked. He said if the variance is granted, he will have to seek other

remedies.

"This

is my first step toward litigation," he said.

But Commissioner

Leigh Schlumper said the variance was not about runoff, but landscaping.

She made the

motion to approve the request, and all the commissioners except Vernon

"Mutt" Hunter supported it.

Hunter said

he voted against it, because the board traditionally denies variances

when adjoining property owners voice displeasure over the situation.