Wednesday, July 9, 2003
|
Wednesday, July 9, 2003 |
|
PTC eyes new utility for runoff from storms By J. FRANK LYNCH
A new bill may one day be in the mail for the 33,000 residents of Fayette County's largest municipality. Peachtree City took the first step last week toward joining Griffin as one of the only governments in the state to address rainfall runoff and flooding issues by way of a stormwater utility. City Council authorized spending $12,750 to fund a feasibility study on the issue. [See related column on Page 4A.] City Engineer Troy Besseche suggested using the city's Public Improvement Project contingency fund to pay for the study, which itself will determine the best way of financing the proposed new city agency. If the city decides to go ahead, the new agency would function similarly to the water and sewer authority. "Is this money well-spent?" asked Councilman Dan Tennant. "Certainly," replied Besseche. Subsequent steps in the process will be to determine billing procedures and make recommendations based on priorities, infrastructure needs and maintenance burdens, Besseche told the council. In any scenario, it will take time to establish the utility, which would charge all property owners within the city certain fees depending on how much stormwater runoff their property creates. In neighboring Spalding County, Griffin, which has received widespread attention for its successful utility, spent five years getting it up and running. Columbia County outside Augusta and the city of Decatur recently joined Griffin by forming stormwater utilities. Several other governments across the state are considering the approach. In other business Thursday: ·The council approved a request from the county of lower the water level in Lake Peachtree in November and December for routine dock and shore maintenance; ·The council OK'd an intergovernmental agreement with the county for the reconstruction of Stallings Road, an unimproved, narrow gravel road adjacent to the CSX railroad tracks just south of Falcon Field. The city will be responsible for installing curbs and gutters, as well as relocating utilities, among other things. The work is being funded through the Airport Authority under an earlier agreement. · The Council approved a name change on the alcohol beverage license for Hangar 74 bar and grill on Ga. Highway 74 North at Wisdom Road.
|
||