By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Members of the West Village Task Force came to Wednesday’s meeting ready to make their decisions on whether to annex ... and they were ready to defend their decisions.

Several task force members read prepared statements to support their “votes” on the annexation issue. One person even criticized how the process of studying the annexation was designed.

But after all the opinions were shared, Mayor Bob Lenox tallied the “votes” judging by the opinions shared by each individual.
The numbers came out 10 in favor and five against, with two members absent but “voting” by proxy through letters forwarded to the task force.

Armed with that support, Lenox plans to open negotiations with developers and landowners of the 900-plus acre tract that could become part of Peachtree City. Lenox said he might choose several task force members to assist him in the process.
Lenox said he wasn’t sure the plan would be economically feasible.

He also said the task force might go on “hiatus,” but it would likely reconvene further down the road.
Some critics of annexation during the meeting said the detailed plan for the area created by the city’s land planners was too dense.

Even some of the annexation proponents said they weren’t 100 percent in favor of the detailed plan in front of the task force, which calls for approximately 1,700 homes. But many in favor of annexation argued that the city could do a much better job of controlling the development than the county would.
“This is our one chance to have a plan for that area,” said task force member Debbie Condon. “We’re not going to get another chance.”

If the city doesn’t annex, the land would be “developed in a haphazard fashion,” Condon warned.

“I don’t want that area to be ‘the other side of the railroad tracks’ and right now that’s what it is.”

Todd Strickland said he also thought having the city control the development was important.

“This plan creates a village that’s as good or better than the ones we currently have in Peachtree City,” Strickland said. He added that the plan will include the Wynnmeade subdivision and help add value to those homes as well.

He also argued that a projected population of 3,500 residents for the area would only account for 7 percent of Peachtree City’s build-out population.

Lenox said he thought Peachtree City has done a good job of controlling growth. He added that the council’s job is to preserve the countryside.

“I believe it’s the job of cities to have the bulk of the population,” Lenox said.

It’s important for the area to have quality infrastructure, and it would help for the homes to be linked to sewer service instead of septic tanks, Lenox added.

“We’re going to control it now or not at all because events are already in motion,” Lenox explained.

Jim Steinbach said he thought the density should be more along the lines the project would have if it were in the county, which would have lots of one acre or larger. He added, however, that not annexing the land would be an “abdication of the city’s responsibility.”

After the vote, Lenox said he would like to see a lower density also, but “I don’t know what the right number is.”
Cele Eifert said her vote was “not now” on annexation, primarily because she’s worried about how the development would affect the school system.

“My main concern is I have a child who’s going to be in a trailer this year,” Eifert said. “... I just don’t see this annexation as being good for Peachtree City now.”

Phyllis Aguayo said there were many things about the plan that she liked. But she was also was afraid that the number of people living in the area would overtax the school system. But Condon, who is also chairperson of the Fayette County Board of Education, said the system would only need one more school to handle the load: an elementary school.

Aguayo was also concerned with the amount of traffic the annexed area would create.

“If the price is cramming people into the area, I do not support the plan (to annex),” Aguayo said.

Aguayo also read a letter sent by task force member Dennis Chase, who was out of town. Chase’s letter indicated that he opposed the annexation idea for a variety of environmental concerns.

One of Chase’s main beefs was the increased amount of impervious surface the homes and streets would bring. The plan that has been submitted to the county for development is better environmentally, his letter said.

Dan Fields, who works for John Wieland Homes and also sits on the task force, said the detailed plan for the area provides more affordable housing for Peachtree City. That way, instead of employees commuting to Peachtree City since they can’t afford to live here, they could actually live and work in Peachtree City, he said.

Fields also said the school site on the plan would not come to fruition if the land remains a part of the county. He also pointed out the amenities of a rail station and fire station that were also included in the detailed plan.

One of the property owners in the proposed annexation area, Lee Katz, is “ready to sell” his 100-acre tract, Fields said, adding “our time has run out.”

“We’ve got to make a decision whether to run the parkway through our property or not,” Fields said. “If the answer today is no annexation, we move forward.”

Jerry Peterson, who works for Pathway Communities, said task force members won’t like what happens if the land is developed as a part of the county.

“It won’t work for the west side,” he said. Pathway Communities is one of the developers that would be a part of the West Village project.

Willis Granger criticized the selection of two developers on the task force. He said they should have been made advisers though they were instead given voting power.

Granger said he also thought Mayor Lenox shouldn’t have served on the task force, either.

Those three people had too much influence with the city’s planning consultants that drew up the detailed plan for the task force, Granger alleged.

Granger also said he didn’t buy into “bogeyman” theories that the property would be developed poorly if the city doesn’t annex it.
“High density is good for the developers and landowners and the city to increase the tax base,” Granger said. But it would hurt traffic, the school system, the environment and citizens who already live in Peachtree City, he argued.

Granger also pointed out that the northern end of the parcel is too close to the rock quarry, and he brought a Coweta County resident who lives near the quarry to explain the problems he has.

That resident, Bill Elliott, said activities at the quarry have knocked pictures off the wall of his home. Other residents have had problems with cracked foundations and their paved driveways, Elliott added.

Granger said he thought leaving the land in the county would allow for better protection of the environment also.

George Kadel, who was not present for the meeting but also submitted a letter to the task force, was counted as having a “no” vote. Also voting against annexation were Aguayo, Eifert, Chase and Granger.