Proposed zoning

changes in Senoia appear to be well on their way to fruition, if Monday

night's public hearing at City Hall is any indication.

City Administrator

Murray McAfee outlined the planned changes in the city's Zoning Ordinance

and Land Development Ordinance and repeatedly said that he had heard of

virtually no opposition to the changes. No one in the audience Monday

night spoke out against them, either.

The amended

Zoning Ordinance would eliminate the Planned Unit Development classification,

which McAfee said has not been used in about 10 years anyway. That would

get rid of the possibility of cluster homes and zero lot lines in Senoia,

he added.

Also set for

elimination is the R-20 zoning category, which allows for 1/4-acre lots.

Having lots that small would be "abnormal" in Senoia, McAfee

said, and removing that category would be more consistent with historical

lot sizes in the city. Existing developments with 1/4-acre lots would

be grandfathered in under the proposed amendment and would not require

any variances, he said.

The new Zoning

Ordinance, if accepted, would also set a one-acre minimum for lots utilizing

septic tanks, McAfee said. Also, Planning Commission sessions will be

clarified as "public meetings" rather than "public hearings,"

a move that should save the city a number of expensive public notice requirements,

according to McAfee.

Proposed changes

in the Land Development Ordinance include establishment of a conceptual

plat process, as well as giving mayor and City Council control of the

conceptual, preliminary and final plat processes.

A new procedure

is to be introduced for issuance of land disturbance permits, which would

be separate from development permits. Also to be introduced are performance

bonds, posted prior to development to ensure installation of project improvements

following preliminary plat approval, and maintenance bonds, to guarantee

all improvements dedicated to the city for two years following acceptance

and prior to final plat approval.

The first reading

of the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Land Development

Ordinance took place at the regular City Council Monday night just after

the public hearing. The second reading and adoption of the ordinances

is scheduled for July 1, which is also the date that the city's moratorium

on annexation and rezoning is to be lifted.