Friday, July 11, 2003

Palmetto puts a halt to new development

By LINDSAY BIANCHI
Special to The Citizen

The citizens of Palmetto will not be seeing any bulldozers or lots being cleared for new development this year.

During Monday night's City Council meeting, the council put the brakes on any new residential development for the next year.

Right now the city's waste water and treatment plants are operating at full capacity, said city administrator Bill Shell.

The state of Georgia has requested the moratorium in order to study the town's sewer system and look for other methods to increase that capacity. This is being done mainly in the interest of public health, safety and welfare, Shell added.

The moratorium will be in effect through July 6, 2004.

Palmetto joins an increasing number of communities in the south metro area that have implemented moratoriums.

The city of Senoia is in a moratorium while it updates its city ordinances and studies the issue of impact fees to help pay for the explosive growth that's poised to occur in the area.