It looks like it's going to be a long, hot summer for the Coweta County Commission and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority.

Earlier this week, Commission Chairman Vernon “Mutt” Hunter said his county was standing firm in opposition to a threat from GRTA to take over the county's land planning.

“Until the courts or the legislature tell us otherwise, it's business as usual,” Hunter said.

The chairman added the Georgia Constitution allows counties to handle land use issues and he's seen nothing to make him thing anything different.

Last week, the county received a letter from the agency that it intended to activate jurisdiction over Coweta County.

The agency was created by Gov. Roy Barnes to deal with the Atlanta region's air quality and traffic problems. In its second year, the agency is now flexing its political muscles and is requesting land use maps from the 13 counties in the area identified by the federal Environmental Protection Agency as falling short of clean air standards.

The commissioners said GRTA was being up front in its efforts to control local governments.

“It's a direct threat to local governments,” McGuffey said.

The commissioners have until July 5 to respond to GRTA's jurisdiction effort. GRTA is meeting July 12 and is expected to enact the jurisdiction then.

Hunter was complimentary of a recent letter from Atlanta Regional Commission Chairman Charles Kraulter asking Coweta County to evaluate the group's recent regional development plan for transportation.

“Their letter was not as prohibitive or invasive as the letter from GRTA,” he said.

In a letter back to ARC, Hunter said the county understands the plan, but cautions that it does not mean the county is happy with it.

“I must note, however, that understanding of the policies and moving towards their implementation does not constitute commitment to specific action on individual zoning issues which must be within the framework of the applicable local and state legal and constitutional framework,” he wrote.

While officials from neighboring Fayette County plan to meet with GRTA Chairman Joel Cowan, Hunter said his group has not scheduled a meeting yet.

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