Friday, May 25, 2001
Friday, May 25, 2001 |
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Annexation moratorium lifted for 80-acre tract off MacDuff By JOHN
MUNFORD
Peachtree City's annexation moratorium has been lifted to discuss a request to annex 80 acres of a planned subdivision north of the existing Wynnmeade subdivision and west of MacDuff Parkway. The land, which is currently in unincorporated Fayette County, is bordered on three sides by the Peachtree City limits. It was part of the 900-acre annexation proposal for the West Village area that was denied by council last August. Dan Fields of John Wieland Homes said the company is not seeking a higher density than the current 350 homes council allowed for the entire 150-acre site, which includes adjacent property that's located inside the city limits. If the property remains in the county, John Wieland Homes will only be allowed to build 14 lots on the 80 acres, Fields said. Annexing the property would improve the public safety service for the land in addition to making sure those residents pay city taxes since they'll be using many city services anyway, such as recreation, Fields said. By annexing the property, more open space could be built into The Centennial subdivision, he noted. Mayor Bob Lenox said it would be ideal if the company would consider giving the city some land that could be used for a fire station since one will be needed to serve the West Village area anyway. Lenox also asked if the planned road improvements for a turn lane off Ga. Highway 54 and Huddleston Road could be sped up to alleviate traffic problems in the area. "We could do that," Fields said, later adding that the turn lane could be constructed after the permit is approved by the state Department of Transportation. Already, John Wieland Homes has committed to donating 20 acres to the Fayette County School System to be used for a school if necessary. Councilman Steve Rapson said he felt it was important for the current zoning for that subdivision to stay in place. The annexation request will be sent to the Planning Commission for deliberation. The commission would then forward a recommendation for action to council. Before the moratorium was lifted for this particular property, city staff was forbidden about discussing annexation possibilities with John Wieland Homes. Local resident Steve Brown spoke in favor of the annexation, saying "you can take this land planning lemon, squeeze it and make some lemonade. "We need to play our cards just right and make sure it's in the best interest of Peachtree City," Brown added. Fields said the safety concerns specifically related to road access to the property. The property would be accessed by the new MacDuff Parkway which begins on Ga. Highway 54 West near the new Summit Apartments. One safety concern about the school location is that it should also have access to Highway 74 North, which would likely require the extension of MacDuff Parkway through land to the north which is owned by others.
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