As expected after the city's approval of the proposed Home Depot on the west side of town, Peachtree City's traffic task force has ceased having regular monthly meetings for the time being.

The group met Wednesday afternoon, and Mayor Bob Lenox began the proceedings by asking the members right up front in which direction they thought things should go.

Planterra Ridge resident Robert Brown, an alternate on the Planning Commission, said that his impression after the City Council vote last month was that the city did not feel it needed any guidance from the task force, since the city insisted on hearing the issue and ruling on it when it did.

RAM Development Corp. appealed the Planning Commission's denial of the Home Depot site plan, and the City Council reversed that decision Dec. 16. Task force members at their Dec. 6 meeting urged the city to delay the appeal hearing so that all options could be considered.

Council members said repeatedly as the project was approved that because the property in question was zoned for retail use and had been for many years, denial or delay of the proposal would only invite legal challenges that the city would be very hard-pressed to answer.

Councilwoman Annie McMenamin, who cast the lone dissenting vote on the appeal, said at Wednesday's task force meeting that if the group was not going to have any influence in future discussions such as annexation of the West Village and the second phase of RAM's plan, which calls for a Wal-Mart, then there's no reason to waste any more time with these meetings.

Wynnmeade resident John Dillihunt said he has found the discussions educational, and by studying these issues more closely he has learned that things are not always done as easily as they appear to be in areas such as development and road improvements.

Brown pointed out that these discussions should have been conducted several years ago, but in all of metro Atlanta most decisions are made in a reactive mode. “Wait until the roads are packed, then do something,” was how he put it.

Lenox agreed with that assessment, saying that in most cases involving local government, “It's not a catastrophe, so we don't do anything.”

The task force will not meet on an as-needed basis. If anything comes up that a member thinks merits quick consideration, then Lenox advised that the member contact the city and get the wheels in motion so that the group can meet.

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