By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@thecitizennews.com

At 3 p.m. today, the West Village Task Force will meet to decide whether to recommend annexing over 900 acres into Peachtree City, the largest addition since the city was founded more than 40 years ago.

Some are characterizing the decision to annex as insuring that area west of Peachtree City and next to Coweta County would be developed in a quality manner. But quality would come with quantity also, because if the land remained part of unincorporated Fayette County it would have fewer structures built on it, estimated at 900 or less.

One version of a detailed development plan presented to the task force last week called for approximately 1,700 residential units including 331 townhouses. The plan also included lots varying from 50 feet wide to 100 feet wide and up to one acre or more.

The task force also was presented with a “bubble” plan that was less detailed and didn't include the layout of lots in subdivisions.

Mayor Bob Lenox said Monday night that he would ask the task force how it wants to conduct the vote at Wednesday's meeting. Some people have suggested using a secret ballot, he said.

The Peachtree City Council will have the final say on the decision to annex or not. Lenox said he does not anticipate the issue being put on the agenda for the next council meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 17.

If the task force decides to proceed with the annexation process, Lenox anticipates beginning negotiations with the developers to see if they will accept the plan or if they recommend changes.

“I'm not naive enough to believe they (the developers) will swallow it whole,” Lenox said.

The mayor wants to keep the task force involved in the process even though its original goal — making a recommendation to council — will likely be accomplished as of Wednesday afternoon. Lenox said he respects the task force members for working hard to study the issue.

“Collectively, the group has done a lot of good work,” Lenox said. “If we press on, I'd like to have them involved. Everybody has listened carefully, and I don't think it's going to be an easy decision for anybody.”

The task force has been studying the annexation issue since March when Lenox appointed community members and representatives of the affected developers and landowners to the task force. The group was charged with preparing a recommendation to council by the end of July as to whether to annex the entire area to develop a fourth village for the city.

At last week's task force meeting, Lenox argued that annexation is the one way for Peachtree City to control growth in the area. If the city decides not annex the land, it would remain under the county's growth regulations, he said.

If the land remains part of the county, the projections are for a maximum of 900 units, including the area already in Peachtree City that is developed. The county requires minimum lot sizes of one acre.

Whether the West Village becomes reality, on paper it is both similar to and very different from Peachtree City as it exists today. The design plan submitted by Wood and Partners calls for stores to be built near the street (as opposed to the deeper setbacks required today). Parking at those stores would be in the rear instead of out front.

Approximately 30 percent of the land is devoted to green space to keep the area aesthetically pleasing. Included in that is a large central park and lake area which would take up 25 acres. Also included are smaller neighborhood parks.

Proponents of annexation have argued that any county residents who eventually locate in the area would use some city services anyway, but if the city didn't annex the property those people wouldn't pay the city for the services.

It has also been said that having the land inside the city would be better for the environment since the structures would be on sewer service. However, there are other environmental questions lurking such as the effect the development would have on wetlands in the area and also on Line Creek, which borders the proposed West Village to the west.

Another issue has been transportation, particularly the matter of how best to cross the railroad track that borders the east side of the property. The detailed plan for West Village provides for one cross-over bridge on the northern end of the property at Kedron Drive and an at-grade crossing near the location of the AT&T Cable Services building.

The at-grade crossing would have to be fully signalized, according to the recommendation from Wood and Partners.

The city's traffic consultants have recommended that the West Village not be connected to both Ga. highways 54 and 74 at the same time.

Noise from the railroad tracks also has been a key point focused on by the task force. The planning consultants recommended that a man-made sound barrier be established in addition to retaining a 100-foot natural buffer of trees and other vegetation.

The 100-foot buffer also was retained along the northern edge of the property, which is near a rock quarry where blasting occurs regularly.

At an earlier meeting of the task force, the possibility of annexing a portion of the proposed property was offered. But at last week's meeting, some task force members said it would be difficult to have the project developed on a piecemeal basis.

To control the development if annexation is approved, the city could limit the number of residences completed on a yearly basis to 350 or a similar number, Lenox has said. A special set of covenants and zoning requirements might also be added to make sure the property is developed the way the city wants.

Having more residential units is key to the plan, according to developers. That's the only way they can recoup the costs for the infrastructure needed such as the bridge over the railroad track and the road system, they claim.

The new plan also leaves a site for a school, with the facilities left open so they could be used by the public when school is not in session.