During Monday's Fairburn City

Council meeting, the council approved the Board of Education and Sheltering

Arms conceptual site plan for the development of a child care facility

and nature area on a portion of the Campbell Elementary School campus.

The area proposed for development

is currently zoned R-3 Residential and is east of the existing school

and north of the existing homes on Fairview Drive.

Primary access to the area

would be via an extension of Shaw Drive; a secondary access would be via

a pedestrian path from the school. The proposed building would be located

in about the center of the heavily wooded tract, with a series of nature

trails and outdoor classrooms surrounding the building on three sides.

The area between the developed

portion of the property and the adjoining residences would be left undisturbed

for a depth of at least 100 feet, with an additional 25-foot buffer area

reserved for landscaping.

Although the city does not

permit a child care facility to be used in this zoning district, the Board

of Education owns the property and therefore the city's zoning does not

apply to them.

The school board had rejected

a proposal to possibly rezone the property to a classification other than

R-3 to accommodate the proposed child care use. Also, they indicated that

if they do not proceed with the child care project, they may want to dispose

of the surplus land for development in accordance with the existing R-3

zoning.

Council approved the site plan

with access off Shaw Drive with the understanding that the Board of Education

will limit school bus traffic on Fairview and that Sheltering Arms will

provide firm assurances that the proposed 100-foot buffer will remain

permanently undisturbed.

According to City Administrator

Jim Williams, this recommendation is based on the premise that the Sheltering

Arms facility will be a much better alternative for the development of

the property than would a residential subdivision constructed in accordance

with the existing zoning.

He also stated that based on

the premise that the traffic on Shaw Drive that will be generated by Sheltering

Arms will be substantially less disruptive to the area than would the

traffic generated by the potential residential subdivision.

"Assuming the property

in question will be developed eventually," he said, "the Sheltering

Arms alternative would probably be superior to any other idea that may

be proposed. It would certainly be better than the residential subdivision

idea that appears to be most likely."