Fayetteville's plan to add a right turn lane onto Ga. Highway 85

north from north Jeff Davis Drive has hit a slight snag.

The Georgia Department of Transportation will require that the city close

off the first curb cut north of that intersection, according to city documents.

Doing so could open the city to a lawsuit from the property owner who

uses access to that curb cut for monetary compensation, City Attorney

David P. Winkle said in a memo to City Engineer Don Easterbrook.

The issue will be discussed at Thursday's City Council meeting,

which begins at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.

The curb cut serves as an entrance near the Hotlanta Wings restaurant

in the Hobby Lobby shopping center. The shopping center can also be accessed

a little further north at another curb cut near the Krystal restaurant,

which is also served by a traffic light.

City officials contend that adding a right turn lane onto Hwy. 85 from

North Jeff Davis will improve traffic flow in the area. Currently, motorists

going north on Jeff Davis wishing to turn right and head north on Hwy.

85 share the same lane with vehicles going straight onto Ga. Highway 314.

After a few vehicles stack up to go straight on Hwy. 314, it prevents

vehicles from accessing the modest turn lane currently offered for motorists

wishing to turn right onto Hwy. 85.

If a court ruled in favor of the landowner in a suit over closing the

curb cut, the city would be required to pay for the amount the property

value is diminished, Winkle indicated in his memo.

The council will also consider adopting an ordinance that gives churches

the same protection as schools and residences in the city's alcohol

ordinance. The ordinance states that the minimum distance between proposed

alcohol sales establishments of 100 feet must be measured for churches

the same way it is for schools and residences: from the nearest portion

of the church or home's lot line to the establishment.

The current rule for churches, however, is to measure the 100 feet "along

the nearest public route of travel" such as a road or sidewalk from

the establishment's front door to the church's facade.

In some cases, this could mean a business selling alcohol could be as

close as 50 feet from a church building, officials said.