Wednesday, May 1, 2002
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Wednesday, May 1, 2002 |
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Dredging of Lake Peachtree still on hold while equipment staging area is sought By JOHN
MUNFORD
Fayette County water officials can't shore up plans to dredge Lake Peachtree without direction from Peachtree City representatives as to where they can stage dredging equipment. Several areas along Drake Field are among those considered along with the possibility of the adjacent Picnic Park. The Fayette County Water System, which is in charge of the dredging program since it uses Lake Peachtree as a reservoir, hopes to finish plans for the dredging as soon as a location is agreed upon. The project will remove an estimated 22,000 cubic yards of sediment from certain areas on the bottom of the lake. Water officials will meet with city representatives, including Mayor Steve Brown, Friday to discuss the issue. "I can't work on the plans" until a decision is made on the site, consulting engineer Jim Mallett told the Fayette County Water Committee at its regular meeting last week. If the northern end of Drake Field is used as a staging area, the city will likely require a road to be built to the area off Ga. Highway 54 so the heavy equipment won't conflict with pedestrian traffic at City Hall. That part of Drake Field is owned by the Development Authority of Peachtree City and would require its blessing, whereas the southern end of Drake Field is owned by the city. The Development Authority purchased the land last year and the city is purchasing it in increments with funds from the state greenspace program. Prior to the sale, the land had been zoned for commercial use and was not a city park as many residents had come to believe. It was previously owned by Pathway Communities. In a letter to the water committee, Peachtree City Engineer Troy Besseche said Drake Field is not the best place to stage equipment and materials for the project, although it may be cost-effective. "The staff's position is that great care must be used in utilizing this greenspace ... in order to protect adjacent wetlands, minimize erosion and sedimentation, minimize further land disturbance as well as to minimize traffic disruption in the municipal complex and on Hwy. 54," Besseche wrote. Mallett told the water committee that he thinks a solution should be sought from the Peachtree City City Council. "We need an acre or so to pump this stuff out and let it dry out," Mallett said. "It's not going to look pretty." If the water committee has to build an access road off Hwy. 54 for the northern portion of Drake Field, it could take 30 days just to get a permit from the Georgia Department of Transportation, said Tony Parrott, director of the Fayette County Water System.
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