In the next three to four years

Tyrone will feature a neighborhood comparable to Peachtree City's expensive

North Cove and Fayetteville's Whitewater Creek.

The Tyrone Town Council approved

an annexation request for 98 acres in Fayette County, a land use map amendment

and rezoning from Agricultural Residential to Conservation Residential

and a variance request to reduce front yard setbacks by John Wieland Homes

for an upcoming development.

John Gillespie spoke on behalf

of John Wieland Homes and discussed plans for the development.

The development will feature

120 lots on 369 acres and will have two entrances, one on Ga. Highway

74 and one on Sandy Creek Road. The homes which give the homeowners what

Gillespie described as "country estate living" will cost $500,000

and up. It will not be a gated community with a physical gate and there

will be a small clubhouse and swimming pool for the community to enjoy.

The development will be served by individual septic tanks, and will have

curb and gutter as well as sidewalks. When Councilman Michael Smola expressed

concern over a possible emergency in the development occurring while there

are traffic backups on Ga. 74 during the morning rush, Gillespie conceded

that an emergency exit may be possible.

Some citizens spoke in opposition

to the development, voicing concerns over the impact on the environment

and property taxes. One woman stated that she was not impressed with $500,000

homes, while another wondered how she and her neighbors would fit in with

people who could afford these homes. Gillespie returned to the podium,

assuring the council and the citizens that a Level Three Soil Study, the

most specific and costly soil study, had been done on every lot and had

been very specific.

Town manager Barry Amos gave

his assessment to the council, recommending approval. Amos stated that

the land featured in the annexation request would have to be annexed by

Tyrone because the only entrance points for emergency services to the

land are through Tyrone. Amos stated that he had discussed the matter

with Tyrone Police Chief Roger Spencer and that Spencer had concurred.

The rezoning request was so that the land in Tyrone would be zoned Conservation

Residential, which is the same zoning on the land that would be annexed.

Though John Wieland Homes had requested a reduction in the front yard

setbacks from 100 feet to 50 feet, a compromise of 75 feet was accepted.

Amos stated that with low residential

density, the development would protect the wetlands and the floodplain.

He also stated that the Tyrone Planning Commission had also recommended

approval.

"This will be the most

expensive residential development in Tyrone at this point," said

Amos. "It will be an asset to the area." Councilman Paul Letourneau

agreed, further stating that it was "the best use for the land and

answered the future question of what would go along Ga. 74."

Gillespie estimated that build-out

for the project would take between three and four years.

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