By Camie Young Staff Writer

LAWRENCEVILLE -- The Planning Commission proved it Tuesday night -- the recommendation is about use, not user. District 1 Planning Commissioner Lorraine Green rejected Market Development Corporation's request to table a decision in order to design a plan around a specific tenant. Bob Gautier of the development company said potential tenants had backed out of a proposed 17,090-square-foot commercial and retail center at the intersection of Pleasant Hill Road and Bob Hannah Circle. Gautier said he would like to present a final site plan, based on the tenants, to the homeowners before a decision is made. Green said there was no need to table the matter yet again just because the developer had lost its tenant. "This body recommends a basic use, not a basic user," Green said. "I think it's a win-win for everybody. In that way you can better market the property," she told the developer. "If the zoning doesn't allow for a convenience store, it would be silly to market it to a convenience store." His company had requested a general business zoning (C-2), while the county's planning staff said a neighborhood business district (C-1) -- which would restrict the businesses to specific, less intensive uses -- would be more suitable. "It's impractical to determine the impact to the businesses (at this point)," Gautier said of what he saw as an early decision. Quoting from the county's own definition of a general business district, Gautier said Pleasant Hill Road served as a major thoroughfare and, therefore, should allow for C-2. "Most of the uses we've identified to date would need a special use permit (if C-1)," Gautier continued. Although neighbors of the low-density area around Bob Hannah Circle said the area would best be used as offices, the planning commission recommended the neighborhood business classification. In other business, the commission took the developers recommendation to deny without prejudice a proposal by the Brookwood Soccer Association for athletic fields on Five-Forks Trickum Road. Questions of safety concerning a bridge over the Yellow River and the widening of the road have concerned neighbors, and the applicant said he would like to wait until the questions were answered. Camie Young can be reached via e-mail at camie.young@gwinnettdailypost.com.