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JANUARY 24 - JANUARY 30, 2018
TIMES-HERALD
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local calendar
your weekly connection to local news & entertainment
Coweta’s guide of events in your community ➤ page 4
Rural integrity:
Public meetings, ordinance changes planned “As people migrate to Coweta County, we’re going to need more and more land for people to live on.” — Paul Poole
PHOTO BY WINSTON SKINNER
Large homes are being built in subdivisions in remote areas of Coweta. The County Commissioners are considering changes to zoning regulations to protect rural integrity. Developers can get permission to build more homes if the houses are larger.
Lidl backs out of Newnan, Coweta expansion plans BY CLAY NEELY
clay@newnan.com Worldwide supermarket giant Lidl has withdrawn plans to open a big-box store in Newnan and Thomas Crossroads. The grocery store was slated to open The Village Square at Newnan Crossing development – a new, multi-use development at Newnan Crossing Boulevard and Lower Fayetteville Road. According to conceptual site plans, the grocery store would have occupied just over 4.5 acres of the proposed development. Following an aggressive expansion into the U.S. market, the company is now pumping its brakes, according to Assistant City Manager Hasco Craver. Proposed locations across the state, including a location in Fayetteville, have also been withdrawn. However, Lidl’s decision isn’t likely to affect the ongoing construction of The Village Square, Craver said. The site remains in
BY SARAH FAY CAMPBELL sarah@newnan.com Coweta Cou nt y off icials will move forward with tweaking the county’s development regulations in an effort to protect “rural integrity” in areas of the county. Last week, the Coweta Count y Boa rd of Comm issioners expressed support for t he idea of put t i ng protec t ion s i n pl a ce , a nd a s er ie s of me et i n g s w i l l b e held to sol icit publ ic i nput. Me et i n g d ate s w i l l be discussed at the next commission meeting. “I would suggest maybe one each month for the next few months, just to have a couple of opt ion s for t hose t h at would wa nt to attend,” said County Administrator Michael Fouts. At t he Nov. 21 commission meeting, several residents of t he Bea r Creek Road a rea spoke to t h e c om m i s s i on e r s about their concerns over a subdivision being bu i lt on Fi ncher Road and how it could impact
t he r u ra l ch a rac ter i n the area. A t t he D e c . 9 m e e ting, Commissioner Bob Blackburn sa id t hat he gets m a ny phone ca l ls from residents who are worried that Coweta is lo si n g it s r u r a l i nte grity and character, and he asked county staff to c o m e up w i t h r e c o m mendations for changes to t h e z on i n g r e g u l a t ion s t h at wou ld help preserve those traits. Since that time, cou nt y st a f f h ave met and discussed the issue, Fouts said. “We’ve talked about a lot of options,” he said. “At this point we would seek some further direction from t he boa rd i n terms of what the board would like to see.” Cha irma n A l Sm it h s a i d h e ’d l i k e t o s e e something in the zoning ord i n a n c e t h a t wo u ld help keep a certain part of the county rural by having larger lot si z e s . T here h a s b e en
RURAL • 2A
e mor os t phopg. 3 ➤
PHOTO BY CLAY NEELY
Despite Lidl’s decision to pull out of Coweta, ongoing construction of The Village Square remains unaffected, according to Assistant City Manager Hasco Craver. The project, located at Newnan Crossing Boulevard and Lower Fayetteville Road, calls for 300 apartments, 35 townhomes, 140 senior housing units, office space and retail space.
the middle of one of the fastestgrowing areas in the community. Last February, the Newnan City Council approved the rezoning of 40.66 acres of the tract, with a proposal for 300 apartments, 35 townhomes, 140 senior hous-
ing units, office space and retail space. There are 21 acres designated for a city park, and plans for a 2-acre “community plaza.” “The developer (Turnstone)
LIDL • 4A
PHOTO BY CLAY NEELY
Perren Ragan slides down some fresh powder on Parks Avenue last Tuesday morning. Coweta Schools remained closed through Friday.