A large pile

of unfinished business, including a proposed "conservation subdivision"

ordinance, awaits the Fayette County Commission at its meeting this afternoon.

Commissioners

meet at 3:30 p.m. at the County Administrative Complex, 140 Stonewall

Ave., Fayetteville.

The concept

of conservation subdivisions, designed to encourage more permanent green

space, and a spate of minor changes to zoning ordinances and the county

Comprehensive Growth Management Plan were tabled from the commission's

Oct. 25 meeting to give the group more time to study the proposals.

Part of the

county's participation in the state's green space program, a new conservation

subdivision zoning category would allow developers more flexibility in

lot sizes in exchange for more creativity in designing subdivisions, and

setting aside permanent green space.

Under the state

program, metropolitan Atlanta counties are being urged to adopt a goal

of setting aside 20 percent of their land as green space, and Fayette

answered the call by adopting that goal and accepting more than $700,000

the first year, slightly less than that in the second year, to help facilitate

it.

The funding

is shared by the county and its cities.

Commissioners

in October said they like the goal of setting aside green space in subdivisions,

but don't want to create a situation in which developers can "average"

lot sizes and increase overall density.

Under the proposal,

recommended unanimously by the Planning Commission, developers who want

to take advantage of the concept would have to submit a "yield plan"

showing that their plans for "conservation" subdivisions would

yield no more homes than the current zoning would allow without the special

consideration.

Open spaces

could be used only for passive recreation such as trails and paths, picnic

areas and horse stables for the use of subdivision residents only, and

any improvements would be limited.

The green space

would have to be owned by a mandatory home owners association or donated

to a land trust, a conservation organization or the county.

In addition

to the new category, commissioners will consider numerous changes to county

ordinances and the Comprehensive Plan recommended by the planning staff

and Planning Commission in order to comply with the Atlanta Regional Commission's

Regional Development Plan.

New business

on the agenda today consists of two appointments to the Planning Commission,

two to the Zoning Board of Appeals and one to the Library Board.