Sunday, April 21, 2002
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Sunday, April 21, 2002 |
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Lake Peachtree dredging options still being considered
By JOHN MUNFORD
With an estimated 22,000 cubic yards of silt to be dredged from Lake Peachtree this summer, the Fayette County Water System is looking for places it can access the lake. One of the access points being considered is the northernmost part of Drake Field, which is currently owned by the Development Authority of Peachtree City. That is not the only option, however, City Engineer Troy Besseche told the authority at its regular meeting Monday. Crews might be able to use the southern part of Drake Field to stage equipment, which is owned by the city, Besseche noted. Another option has crews using part of the Picnic Park area to perform their operations, which shouldn't affect users of the picnic shelter or the All Children's Playground, which is also located there. Those two options are more ideal since most of the silt that needs to be removed is in those areas, Besseche said. Development Authority Chairman Tate Godfrey said his main concern was that if the authority's property is used, it should be returned to its original condition after the project is complete. Besseche said that using the northern portion of Drake Field would allow the trucks used for the project to access the area directly off Highway 54 instead of going through the City Hall parking lot, which is used by many pedestrians. "We are still considering all of these options," Besseche said. "The county or the city may be approaching you in the near future," to seek use of the northern part of Drake Field. Development Authority member Scott Bradshaw suggested that the silt could be used to build another island in the lake. But Besseche noted that 22,000 cubic yards is a lot of silt to try and do that. "Plus, if it got too big, you might see a rezoning petition," Godfrey joked. Development Authority member Robert Brooks said since the dredging must take place on a regular basis, it would be smart to plan for that in advance so the same location could be used in future years. The water system is required to dredge the lake every several years as part of its contract with the city to use Lake Peachtree as a reservoir.
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