Peachtree City steering committee advances UDO work, staff to pursue consultant RFP

Unidentified Speaker 1, speaking as the EDO steering committee chair for Peachtree City, opened the meeting with an overview of the Unified Development Ordinance project and the committee’s progress to date. He said the steering committee has spent more than a year assembling a foundation for a single consolidated UDO that will fold zoning, land development, sign, building code and annexation rules into one accessible document.

"We set up the UDO for Peachtree City: consolidate zoning, land use, site development and building regulations to a single, accessible document to enhance clarity, improve efficiencies, and support sustainable growth," Unidentified Speaker 1 said, summarizing the committee’s mission and goals.

The committee approved the minutes from its July 28, 2025 meeting after an unnamed member moved and another seconded the motion; an 'Aye' vote was recorded and the chair declared the motion passed.

Unidentified Speaker 4, representing city planning staff, outlined why the city is seeking outside help. "This will be a minimum of 300 pages," Speaker 4 said, adding that some jurisdictions' UDOs run as large as 700 pages. Staff told the committee that consultants can provide illustrations, diagrams and code experience that would make the UDO easier for staff, applicants and the public to use.

Speaker 4 described an RFP-based procurement approach prepared with the procurement manager and said the draft scope of work would request illustrations, public engagement services, "smart code" elements, and final deliverables ready for council adoption. He said the procurement process could open in January, allow roughly 30 days for proposals, and lead to work beginning in the spring. "You’re looking at a May 2027 possible adoption if you go with that 12 month from the time of the project starting," Speaker 4 said.

Committee members asked questions about which ordinances will be consolidated; staff confirmed the list includes sign regulations, zoning, land development, building/construction, sidewalks and annexation rules. Speaker 4 emphasized the practical problem the UDO is meant to resolve: separately drafted ordinances sometimes conflict, making enforcement and permitting inconsistent. "One may say go left, the other may say go right," he said.

The committee agreed to review the RFP materials on the Teams channel once procurement posts them, and staff said they will add committee members to the Teams folder for comment. No formal vote to release the RFP was recorded at the meeting; staff will proceed with procurement steps and return with proposals for committee review and a recommendation to council.

The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn passed.

Next steps: staff will finalize the RFP with procurement, post it (target: January), collect proposals (target: roughly 30 days), and present recommended consultant(s) to the committee and council. A full draft and public hearings would follow under a roughly 8–12 month production and adoption schedule, which staff estimated could put formal adoption near May 2027, subject to the procurement timeline and consultant capacity.