Friday, July 25, 2003
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Friday, July 25, 2003 |
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Meeting goes to great lengths, covers many issues By J. FRANK
LYNCH
Arriving at last week's Peachtree City Council meeting, it should have been obvious that this was destined to be much more than the usual twice-monthly assembly to discuss city businsess, debate rezongs, appropriate funds. Blocking the entranceway to Council chambers was a pack of dogs of all various shapes and sizes, some dressed for the occasion, others in their altogether. Beyond them was a row of women in all sorts of red, white and blue sparkly hats. And a row over from them, gaint hand-manipulated puppets were carrying on conversation with anyone who cared to listen. And all that was normal compared to the series of events about to unfold. It was enough to make the heads spin on the near 200 residents who packed the meeting. It was by far the largest crowd in months, and far larger than the dozen or so concerned citizens who came by on July 3 when the council was debating what to do about the limits placed on golf cart drivers. When it was all said and done, nearly four hours after two bathroom breaks and two visits to the law library by the city attorney the few remaining Peachtree Citians who stuck it out staggered from City Hall wondering what they had just witnessed. One was heard to ask, to no one in particular, if the meetings were "always like that." Not always. And that's good, because keeping up with this meeting required a scorecard, or maybe a librato, or at the least, a quick-link to the Official Code of Georgia. Among the highlights: · Residents of the Cardiff Park neighborhood on the city's westside turned out in droves to save their decks, which encroach on the setback due to a builder error. With little consideration, the council offered sympathy and granted a variance to about two dozen lots in the neighborhood. · The council OK'd variance request for 202 Doe Run, even though the homeowner, a Mr. Phillips, failed to show up to plead his case. City staff couldn't recall a precedent, and City Attorney Ted Meeker said it wasn't necessary for the applicant to be there. Said Councilman Rapson, "We can vote for it, we can table it, we can deny it." Since no one opposed the request, and it seemed unfair to deny it on a "no-show" technicality, it was OK'd. ·Presentations were made to the winners of the July 4th Parade. That's why the dogs were there, as well as the hats and the puppets. Mayor Brown emceed a slide show of the winners, who all seemed genuinely honored. Other honorees Thursday included Bill Lechner, a 20-year volunteer with the city's youth soccer association; Richard Ferry, an intern with the city's planning department who has finished his degree and plans to return to teach high school civics from the newfound perspective; Cpl. Terry Blackburn of the city police department, who has recently completed a long course of study on accident scene reconstruction; and three veterans of the Korean War, who were on hand to accept recognition of the 50th anniversary of that conflict. · In other business, the council reappointed Dennis Payton to a three-year term on the Planning Commission; Approved the city's share of funding about 20 percent of the total to build a new cart path bridge as part of the Ga. Highway 54 West widening project; Awarded a design contract for expansion of the library; OK'd various reinstatements of Limited Use Commercial zonings. (Editor's note: Two other issues covered at this meeting are addresses in separate stories in this edition.)
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