Planning commission approves two landscape plans with requirement to use native trees

Peachtree City Planning Commission on March 10 approved landscape plans for the Primrose daycare at 110 Wilshire Village Drive and for an office building at 455 North Lake Drive, with conditions requiring substitution of non‑native plant species with native alternatives and additional tree sizing at the daycare site.

Planning staff told the commission the Primrose site contains 42,630 square feet of impervious surface and that city landscape standards produce specific caliper-inch requirements for canopy and understory trees. Staff said the applicant had planted as many trees as reasonably possible on the site and recommended approval under the city’s alternative compliance method for any remaining shortfall. “Staff is the opinion the landscape plan for Primrose School meets the requirements of the city ordinances and recommends approval,” a staff member said.

Jason Walls, the applicant’s representative for the Primrose plan with Highland Land Planning, explained playground areas on the site are turf and noted the plan includes five golf‑cart parking spaces added in an earlier approval. Walls said the applicant would work with staff on changes requested by commissioners.

Commissioner Chris pressed the applicant to increase the caliper size of several trees to give earlier shade in playground areas; the applicant agreed to work with staff on upsizing selected specimens. Commissioner Hammer and others requested that listed non‑native species — including Zelkova and Chinese pistache on the Primrose plan and Nellie Stevens holly and saucer magnolia on the North Lake plan — be replaced with species native to Georgia. Staff and the applicants said they would substitute native alternatives where practicable, suggesting American elm, winged elm, black gum and sweetbay magnolia as possible replacements.

For the North Lake Drive site, planning staff reported the final, built project impervious area would be 25,995 square feet and that the landscape plan as proposed met the city’s calculated canopy and understory requirements. Andrew Dean, the applicant representative for Tomco Construction, had no substantive additions to staff’s presentation.

Both approvals were voice votes. The commission recorded “ayes” for approval of the Primrose plan with conditions and “ayes” for approval of the 455 North Lake Drive plan with the condition to work with staff on native species substitutions.

Commissioners and staff asked staff to provide the commission with a report on the city’s tree fund balance before the next meeting so commissioners could weigh the impact of upsizing caliper specimens on available funds and on other city landscaping needs.

Votes at a glance: - Landscape plan, Primrose Daycare, 110 Wilshire Village Drive — Approved with two conditions: (1) applicant to work with staff to increase caliper size of trees on the sides and back of the site (including near playgrounds); (2) applicant to work with staff to replace listed non‑native species with native species to Georgia. Motion presented on the record and approved by voice vote. Mover/second not specified on the record. - Landscape plan, office building, 455 North Lake Drive — Approved with condition that applicant substitute non‑native plants with native species in coordination with staff. Motion moved by Commissioner Kenneth (recorded as “Ken”) and seconded; approved by voice vote.

The approvals require the applicants to finalize species lists and planting calipers in coordination with planning staff during permit review and prior to installation.