Developer Michael

Faulkner said last week he hopes to develop a neighborhood that Fayette

will be proud of on Ga. Highway 85 south.

But he may

have to drop his plans if county commissioners reduce the number of homes

he can build, he said. Commissioners will consider Faulkner's plan during

their meeting tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the County Administrative Complex.

Members of

the county Planning and Zoning Commission seemed to like his plan for

73 homes on 124.4 acres on 85 at Christopher Drive, next to Whitewater

Elementary School, but the zoning category he seeks is too dense for south

Fayette, members said.

They voted

unanimously to recommend R-75, a two-acre category, for the property,

instead of the R-55 (one-acre) category Faulkner has requested.

Faulkner originally

asked to put 79 homes on the property, which actually would mean lots

averaging almost 1.5 acres, but during last week's Planning Commission

meeting he pledged to reduce that by six, leaving a green space park.

But the county

doesn't have a zoning category allowing 1.5-acre lots, pointed out commission

member Bob Harbison, and the one-acre category is too dense, members said.

South Fayette

soils are a major concern, since sewerage is not available. "I don't

feel comfortable with one-acre zoning in the south part of the county,"

said commission member Jim Graw.

Under R-75,

Faulkner would have to reduce the number of homes to fewer than 60. The

two-acre minimum would be applied after subtracting streets and common

areas.

Faulkner said

his request is reasonable, because the property is surrounded by subdivisions

with one-acre zoning. About 61 percent of the surrounding property is

zoned R-40, which allows homes as small as 1,500 square feet on lots as

small as an acre, with one R-70 (two-acre) subdivision taking up about

12 percent. Property with A-R (agricultural-residential) designation,

the same as the current zoning of Faulkner's property, covers about 18.5

percent of the perimeter, or 26.6 percent if you include two schools that

are in the area.

He pointed

out that R-55 zoning requires the homes be at least 2,500 square feet,

and said under his plan the homes would sell for $350,000 and more. "What

I like to create are neighborhoods, not just subdivisions," he said,

adding that the community would have sidewalks so children could walk

to school.

His plan, he

said, would be "the epitome of smart growth."

Faulkner said

if the Planning Commission's recommendation is upheld, he might not be

able to develop the subdivision at a profit. "I'll have to look at

it," he said.

In other planning

matters, commissioners will consider the Planning Commission's recommendation

that they adopt new rules requiring that developers make final plat information

available in digital form.