For months,

Senoia's Mayor Dianne Cleveland and the City Council have been looking

for a traffic fix at the intersection of Ga. Highway 74 and Rockaway Road.

The solution

may now come from a combined commercial-residential zoning for 125 acres

in Peachtree City off Ga. Highway 74.

The development

was approved unanimously by the city's Planning Commission Monday night

and could provide the impetus for fixing the dangerous intersection.

The developer,

Piedmont Properties, wants to build 124 homes on 37 acres along with two

commercial parcels on just over six acres directly off the highway. The

remainder of the property, which is in the flood plane, would be donated

to the city for use as a nature center.

Piedmont also

plans to realign Rockaway Road so it will line up with the new traffic

light at Holly Grove Church Road.

Peachtree City

and Senoia officials have talked about placing a traffic light at the

current intersection, but the new development could solve the problem.

The rezoning

cannot take affect unless it is approved by the Peachtree City Council,

which is slated to take the matter up at its October 17 meeting. The commission's

approval constitutes only a recommendation to council.

The property

is currently zoned general industrial. The two commercial parcels will

be on either side of the new Rockaway Road. A Fayetteville bank has already

committed to using one of those sites, said Marvin Isenberg of Piedmont

Properties.

Neither of

the two commercial parcels will have direct access to the highway.

The site is

to the south of Falcon Field Airport, and Isenberg agreed to note the

airport's proximity in both the final plat for the development and the

deed restrictions.

Airport officials

had expressed concern about the subdivision since planes taking off and

landing at Falcon Field could spark noise complaints from area residents.

Andrew Bolton,

the airport's assistant manager, said planes landing there will likely

be about 600 feet off the ground as they pass over the proposed subdivision.

Jet airplanes

make a "considerable" amount of noise when landing and although

there aren't many jets flying through Falcon Field, there could be more

in the future, Bolton said.

Piedmont Properties

also wants to provide a new access road to the city's Meade softball complex.

Although the

majority of the lots in the subdivision will be designed with seniors

in mind, it could also be attractive to younger families because of the

proximity to the Starrs Mill school campus, several commissioners said.

The commission

asked Isenberg to get an updated letter from Fayette school officials

to determine the potential impact the development will have on the school

system. The most recent letter on file was from last year when the plans

for the subdivision were different.

Piedmont Properties

is also asking the city to help it submit paperwork so it possibly can

be reimbursed for the cost of realigning Rockaway Road by the Georgia

Department of Transportation.

The road relocation

project may begin quickly to coincide with efforts from Georgia Power

to relocate its transmission lines along the new Rockaway Road, Isenberg

said.