The Lookout Mountain, Ga., Town Council voted at a special meeting Monday night to approve plans to allow property owner Scott Maclellan to proceed with ambitious plans for a new Town Center.

The new center would house city government offices and also include retail and condominium space and landscaped common areas.

Mayor Bill Glasscock's primary concern and reason for the meeting was to allow property owner Maclellan to proceed with his plans and begin the project. In order to do this the mayor said the council would have to approve a measure that would allow for the development of the Town Center site that would have specific guidelines for aesthetic appeal and proper development that would best suit the needs of the city and desires of the community.

The motion, which was approved unanimously by the council, pertains to the Town Center site only.

One of the original ideas conceived by Mr. Maclellan was a property swap with the city that would allow for the retail and condominium space to be constructed approximately where the current city hall and public works buildings stand. The city’s facilities would relocate to the site closest to Lula Lake Road, formerly the location of Mr. Maclellan’s Pyramid Studio and the Fairyland Style Center. However this plan required a greater amount of earth and rock removal from the site and legal procedures to transfer the property deeds.

Another possible plan will keep the two properties the same and the general location of buildings similar to what used to stand. Also there would be less rock and landscape demolition to do. The public works building that currently houses the fire department would also stay the same reducing some of the city’s construction costs.

While the motion that the city council passed allows for the planning phases to begin, Mayor Glasscock was quick to point out that the proposed plans are in no way final and that there will be changes, additions, and subtractions that will come. Optimistically the project would take 18 months to two years to complete, the mayor said, and pessimistically up to three years.

The council also voted to approve SPLOST funds for the purchase of a new back hoe to replace the city’s former one that no longer functions.

The cost for the new machinery is $25,000.