By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizennews.com

The Atlanta Regional Commission's proposed new policy on population density in the suburbs could put Fayette between a rock and a hard place, say Fayette's representatives on the ARC board.

Peachtree City Mayor Bob Lenox and County Commission Chairman Harold Bost will cast their votes on the proposal, along with elected officials from nine other metro Atlanta counties, in an ARC board meeting May 24.

Under the proposal, presented recently by ARC executive director Charles “Chick” Krautler, metro Atlanta counties would have 18 months to rewrite land use and zoning laws to conform with a regional emphasis on higher density in public transportation corridors.

“Density is a four-letter word to a lot of people,” said Lenox, adding that elected officials on the ARC board may have a hard time voting for the policy. “It could be real hard to choke this down,” he said.

“But there could be an awful price if they don't,” he added.

“It's going to be darned hard to swallow,” said Bost, though he predicted the ARC board will approve the plan. “I felt like from the very beginning that it's designed to give the federal government dictatorial powers as to how we're going to develop the area,” he said.

As stated, the proposal is not too burdensome, Bost said. It's expected to affect only the areas in western Fayette near proposed commuter rail stations, areas that will be mostly within the city limits of Tyrone and Peachtree City.

“But give the feds an inch and they take a mile,” he added.

Lenox said he is “conceptually” in favor of the proposed plan, but will have to see more details before deciding how to vote.

The Atlanta Regional Commission, state Department of Transportation and Greater Atlanta Regional Transportation Authority all are rallying behind a new $36 billion transportation plan designed to reduce air pollution and thus free up federal transportation dollars in the metro Atlanta area.

“Implicit in it,” said Lenox, “is smarter development with high density along the major transportation corridors.

“There is a certain logic to it,” he said, adding, “I don't by any means think that density means paving over the world.”

Smart governments will adopt policies allowing more density but at the same time requiring more green space, Lenox said.

Lenox warned that the metro Atlanta area is expected to grow by a million residents over the next ten years, adding that counties that “dig in their heels” and defy the ARC's growth policies will still get their share of the growth.

But they won't get federal dollars to build roads and other transportation facilities to keep up with the growth, he said. “We're going to get nothing except grief,” he said.

Bost reluctantly agreed. “I don't like it at all, but I'm afraid that's where it's going,” he said, adding that he will probably vote against the proposal.