Friday, June 20, 2003
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Friday, June 20, 2003 |
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Twin Lakes subdivison talks tabled after hot meeting By JOHN THOMPSON
The pressure between developers and City Hall exploded Monday night as tempers flared over a proposed development in Senoia. The City Council tabled approval of the preliminary plat for the Twin Lakes subdivision, but not before the city's staff, council and developers exchanged angry words. At the center of the controversy over the 381-home development on Rockaway Road is water storage. The city's staff, including city engineer Ben Turnipseed, maintains the development needs an above-ground water tank storage system. City administrator Murray McAfee said Turnipseed had forwarded a letter to the City Council saying the tank needed to be discussed before the plat could be approved. "You're a liar," said developer Chris Cooper. Mayor Dianne Cleveland tried to calm down the name calling. "You cannot call him a liar in public. Why should the citizens subsidize your development?" she said. Twin Lakes officials have agreed to donate land for the tank, but not pay for the cost of it. Cooper also said their engineers say a tank is not necessary. Another issue that clouded the discussion was the absence of Planning Commission meeting minutes on the development. The commission met four times on the issue, but did not have any approved minutes, which troubled the City Council. When Councilman Pat Tunnell commented that was the city's fault, Cleveland retorted with a sharp reply. "Maybe you should start getting involved more, instead of just showing up an hour early before the meeting," she suggested. Cleveland and Councilman Robert Hannah also had a problem with Cooper editing minutes of the Planning Commission. The mayor said Cooper had suggested any discussion involving the water tank be stricken from the minutes. But Cooper maintained he had not done any editing. He said the Planning Commission had sent him a copy of the minutes and wanted his opinion to see if the minutes reflected the meeting. Cleveland actually suggested a unique approach for the developers. "Have you thought of deannexation? We can't afford this new development," she said. The mayor was also upset that the original development was pegged at 663 homes, which would require a Development of Regional Impact study by the Department of Community Affairs. But the development was then carved into two sections, which would not require a review process. But Cooper maintained the developers were not trying to circumvent the process. Rather, the group that owned the property wanted to see the project move along quicker and start the development sooner. The City Council told Cooper and his group that they would provide them a list of concern before the July 7 council meeting and would also be willing to have a workshop with the group to try and resolve some of the problems.
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