Coweta County commissioners sent a strong message to developers Tuesday morning.

During its meeting, the board declined to allow Fayette County developer Tom Reese to continued building houses at his Westminister Village subdivision on Dr. Fischer Road without another entrance to the subdivision.

The county's regulations currently allow a developer to build 99 homes in a development with one entrance on a public road. For 100 or more homes, the subdivision must have another entrance.

Reese has currently built 93 homes in his development and has plans for 173 homes. He told the commissioners he has tried to buy additional land on Fischer Road for a second entrance, but the land owners refused to sell.

“That's their prerogative,” he said.

Reese has now gone back to his original plan of crossing a creek to use as his second entrance. But to cross the creek, he'll have to receive a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Reese believes he'll have no problem in securing the permit, but said it will take a few months. While the permit process is taking place, he wants to build the remaining 74 homes in the subdivision and said he would put up a $150,000 line of credit with the county as a show of good faith.

“The line of credit will ensure that the county has no liability and is covered,” he said.

But Commissioner Jim McGuffey and commission Chairman Lawrence Nelms were not so sure the permit process was a sure thing and said the county could face legal problems if it bent the rules for Reese.

Commissioner Charlie Jones, who represents the district where Westminister Village is located, said he could not support additional building until the permit was obtained, and the commissioners unanimously denied the request.

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