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Are Target developers
above the law in PTC?
Are we on or off Target?
It is amazing after weeks of reading the articles and opinions in The
Citizen newspapers that there really could be that many (600) ignorant
and uninformed people in Peachtree City.
The whole goal of building the road that circled around the Kedron Village
I shopping center was to be prepared to build up that area for commercial
use. Many of the people crying foul and fighting this development bought
in the Georgian area after the road and the plans for development in that
area for commercial use had already been conceived and planned for. Yet
they bought in that area anyway.
So who should really be crying foul? And against whom? For one, it should
be the citizens of Peachtree City as a whole. Secondly it should be the
commercial developers who bought the land and had it zoned properly through
the correct channels prior to many of the people now complaining! It should
be against those who bought in an area with the foreknowledge that the
area around them had been planned for commercial development.
Many people who live in Peachtree City like the planned development that
the city provides and I applaud the city in that respect for creating
it that way. However, I believe that we should not cater to a small minority
and penalize the city and county as a whole especially considering the
taxes, revenue and jobs that will be brought in to Peachtree City that
for now are going to Fayetteville or Newnan. Both of these cities have
a Target store and many people shop in these stores because of the quality
brands and competitive prices that they pass on to the consumer.
In times like these, during an economic recession that we as Americans
find ourselves in, we should be doing everything that we can to boost
our local and national economies through support for businesses who will
bring an influx of money. I am not advocating that we throw our planning
and zoning laws out. However, there has been many an individual who has
been granted an exception by the planning and zoning commission and they
are not going to inflate the local economy like the proposed Kedron Village
II and III projects would but to be able to live as they see fit on the
land that they own. So why are the zoning commission of Peachtree City
and those 600 people going to fight so hard to punish Peachtree City and
Fayette County as a whole? Good question.
Many people both in Peachtree City, Newnan, Fayetteville and the surrounding
areas are all complaining about the traffic situations on Ga. Highway
54 stretching from Ga. Highway 74 to the 54/34 split. Yet Peachtree City
says that they do not have the money to widen any of that stretch of highway.
What a great way to use the money that is brought in by the proposed development
to set aside a percentage of the revenue to widen the above mentioned
area. Many people who commute from the surrounding areas have found that
they are better served to take a more circuitous route via the interstate
than to ride through Peachtree City traffic, mainly the Hwy. 54/34 to
74 stretch.
This is possible revenue that is being drawn away from PTC’s economy
and tax base all because of one stretch of road and because the city does
not have the money to rectify the situation.
So are we as a whole willing to sit still and allow a few people (and
600 compared to 30,000 is a minute number of people) to 1) keep the city
from reaping the huge benefits that it would glean from the increased
revenue, taxes and jobs; 2) allow a considerable amount of possible revenue
to leave the city because of lack of money to repair or widen the life
lines of our city, the roads; 3) complain about a development that was
in the works and planned for some time prior to their purchasing of the
homes they claim will be considerably affected by this development?
This country was built upon what is best for the majority and not what
a few feel they are entitled to. Let’s send a message to those who
would like to derail this development that the squeakiest wheel may get
the most grease, but we are fresh out and are willing to ignore that wheel
in the name of cost efficiency.
Tyler Wells
Peachtree City, Ga.
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