Wednesday, November 22, 2000
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Wednesday, November 22, 2000 |
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PTC Council may have acted legally on big boxes, but still irresponsibly [Editor's note: The following letter was sent to Peachtree City Mayor Bob Lenox.] Mr. Lenox, Thank you for your response, albeit after the fact. These plans and 25-year-old community design for Peachtree City, I understand. When all this began, why did you not explain? Why wait until the "boxes are in," then explain? I also do indeed have a few more questions. 1) What specifically and in detail will $800,000 of "interim road improvements" buy? I am not a traffic engineer, but I also am not so stupid as to not realize this is not very much money. This, at best, is a few stop lights. Road development is measured in millions of dollars! This amount would not change anything, just redirect the chaos. 2) Who are the "three highly respected traffic engineering firms" and much more importantly, who paid them for the research? Peachtree City? Or the developers? By the way, what happens if they are wrong? Do they pay to fix it? Don't bother to answer this one, I already know. 3) Please explain "significant improvements to the Highway 54 streetscape." Just what does that mean? 4) On point 5, halting of further development within Hwy. 54 corridor. That one I understand. No construction vehicle or for that matter, any other vehicle will be able to move for most of the working day in that area, so no further construction, of course. Okay, now on the second half of your letter. I understand the legalities of codes and property rights as well as the laws of Georgia. I too do not want the city to violate them. I do not think any resident and taxpayer, business or private, wants that either because it is we who will pay for any errors. I agree. But you speak of property code and penalties caused by illegal actions to prevent legal business development. Please consider the really expensive litigations. Wrongful death. Safety violations resulting in death or permanent injury. The inability of EMS reasonable response due to gridlock caused by poor planning and lack of city control to regulate traffic safely within it's boundaries. No, Mr. Mayor, now we are talking serious money. You made some estimates of potential costs to the city for code and building rights violations. Want to estimate the first wrongful death settlement? We, both you and I, are responsible to make sure all reasonable efforts are made for the safety of all individuals who enter the city. This is why we have police and fire departments. I am very familiar with the human spirit and determination to lay blame. With all of the legal and vocal as well as well documented discussion over this situation, a civil suit would be snap. I am sure you are well aware of the legal concept of prior knowledge. Finally, I agree with you that three "carefully situated, well-planned and well-executed big box stores will not be the end of civilization in Peachtree City as we know it." However, that is precisely the point many of us have been trying to make. We do not feel these are well-planned and are not going to be well-executed. Frankly, I own stock in both of the companies in this issue. I am not against them nor even their construction in the city. I am, however, very much against any community changes which threaten or potentially threaten my or your, or any other person's, life and pursuit of a reasonable lifestyle. Mr. Mayor, I still feel that only someone who has never been on Hwy. 54 at 3 to 7 p.m. on a weekday could even say that these additions to our community will have "no significant impact" on our traffic. You can place as many lights as you wish and as many turnouts as you wish. Hwy. 54 is still, and will for the most part, remain a two-lane country road for some time to come. Until the railroad bridge is widened to four lanes, or another exit to Hwy. 74 is made from this new development, everything else is immaterial and will be ineffective. I do not need a study to come to this conclusion. Sorry if I am "haranguing" you, but indeed you are personally responsible as are the other council bench members, and indeed, so are all city taxpayers. We are responsible for the safety of both life and property within our community. I am currently investigating personally the legality of having any business of the size of these which we are getting with only one entrance and exit. The regulations concerning fire protection are very specific in such circumstances. Also, EMS units must have reasonable access to all public areas. I am sure you are aware of this. If our planning, or lack of it, can be blamed for a death or injury, it will be. And the costs both morally and financially could ruin our community forever. That is how serious I feel this issue is. It's not about "big boxes," it's about safety, human life and property. Part of our taxes go to pay for fire and police protection. By the way, I think those guys do a wonderful job. But I do not envy them for what is to come. They know full well what is going to happen. Though politically they cannot officially voice their opinion on this issue, their experience provides them with a picture of the city and the future. They know full well when they cannot respond to a 911 call in a reasonable time, it is they who will be blamed. They know when there is an accident on Hwy. 54 they get to clean it up. Ask them, Mr. Mayor, what their opinion is. Out of a concern for job security, they will most likely decline any comment. But, that should be clear enough of an answer. Please refocus your efforts. Stop defending actions which are already done. Do something to prevent the potential accidents, deaths, property loss due to fires, and Peachtree City's responsibility to plan to prevent such events. We are morally responsible and will be held legally so in court. Mr. Mayor, please understand, most of the citizens are not against you. This is not, or should not, be personal. We are against poor planning and what appears to be a total refusal to recognize potential and already real traffic problems. We are against irresponsible builders who a year from now will be repeating the process elsewhere for dollars and care not about Peachtree City! We care about our children's safety. We care about reasonable access to medical facilities. We care about property protection. Yes, even Wal-Mart and Home Depot. The issue here is that the Council may well have acted legally, but irresponsibly. The Peachtree City "big box" issue is over. Let's direct efforts to try to save lives and property when they move in. (P.S. The very sign announcing the Home Depot is illegal by city ordinances. Why is it still there?) Rick L. Gauthier Peachtree City rickg4@juno.com
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