Friday, Apr. 8, 2005

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Sun City plan nixed

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

The sun may be setting on Sun City’s plans to build a retirement community in Fayette County.

During Wednesday afternoon’s County Commission meeting, the commissioners cut off debate after five minutes on a proposal to change the county’s ordinance to allow the community to set up shop in the county.

Commissioner Linda Wells said the county could be setting a dangerous precedent by asking staff to proceed working on a text amendment for a Planned Age Qualified Community.

“Most developers make a point of trying to follow our ordinances. If we do this, we’ll be inundated with requests for people wanting to write their own ordinances,” she said.

Del Webb, a division of Pulte Homes, has assembled more than 1,200 acres along Sandy Creek Road to build just over 3,000 homes, an 18-hole golf course, along with a 25,000 square-foot amenities clubhouse for seniors 55 and over.

“We’ve been looking at the southside of Atlanta for more than a year and Fayette County is a perfect fit,” said Todd Terwilliger, vice president of land acquisition for Pulte Homes’ Georgia division.

The development would feature homes from 1,100 to 3,000 square feet. Terwilliger added the homes would be tailored to the active senior lifestyle.

The intent of a Planned Age Qualified Community (PAQ) is to provide adequate housing options as households decrease in size and increase in age.

But Terwilliger never got to make his presentation, because the commissioners made it clear they did not want to change their ordinances.

“This is a wonderful project for the people who sell it and live there. But it’s just way too dense,” said Commissioner Peter Pfeiffer.

Commission chairman Greg Dunn agreed and said it would be like placing the population of Tyrone in the middle of the county.

The chairman added the proposed text amendment would change at least 12 of the county’s existing ordinances.

But Commissioner A.G. VanLandingham thought the county needed to study the issue further.

“We haven’t given staff a chance on this,” he said.

But he was the only member of the commission who voted against Wells’ motion to not allow staff to further look at the text amendment.

After the meeting, Terwilliger said they would look at other options in the county, including filing a zoning request in the county’s PRD classification that allows 3-4 attached homes per acre with sewer available.

He also did not rule out heading to Fayetteville and asking to be annexed, but the city’s leaders at Wednesday’s meeting indicated they had no interest in the project.