Work on City Property to Begin In September

While city officials are still reviewing three proposals for development of the 20.6-acre city-owned site across from The Forum on Peachtree Parkway, some site preparation work will begin as early as next month.

The city has reached an agreement with Bob Cheeley, owner of a four-acre site adjacent to the city-owned property, to begin stockpiling excess dirt from that property onto the city's property.  Plans for the Cheeley property call for a natural foods grocery store and several smaller stores.

Community Development Director Diana Wheeler said, the city’s property will need significant amounts of fill dirt when it is eventually developed and taking the excess dirt from the adjoining property while it’s under construction will save the city costs and eliminate hundreds of truck trips to bring in fill dirt later.

City officials were concerned about the impact that dump trucks filled with dirt would have on existing roads, traffic and air quality. 

"Not having to move the dirt twice -- off the developers site, initially, then back onto the city’s property later -- seemed like a win-win, " Wheeler said.

The excess dirt from the developer’s property will be stockpiled at the center of the city’s property and trees will remain along the perimeter to create a natural buffer to help mitigate the view of the stockpile until the property is developed.

City officials are reviewing proposals from the TPA Group, Fuqua Group and  Mccauley + Schmit. No time table has been set for their decision.