Wednesday, November 5, 2003

City should have done more for Kedron

As a voting citizen of Peachtree City, I am very concerned about what will become a mini Fayette Pavilion, along with the multitude of safety risks that the proposed design poses.

Regarding the Lake Kedron area, I am concerned about the emergency response times, the safety of our children in the neighborhoods, the lighting and noise pollution, and the ability to safely enter and egress from our only access road. Even the chief of police has indicated that we do not have the resources to support the center as proposed.

Have you ever driven down Georgian Park? Have you ever tried to turn onto and off of Regent’s Park? Have you noticed the minimal vision distance? Have you noticed that cars, if they are bypassing Regent’s Park, sometimes zoom down there at 40 and 50 mph?

Now, if you have only a vision distance of 150 feet or so, you’re got about two seconds before you are T-boned. Now add 1,400 cars a day. Common sense only tells you where that will lead to.

What is planned for the cart path that crosses Regent’s Park approximately 15 feet to the east of the intersection? Imagine being on a golf cart and getting hit by a car going 40 mph. What an ugly sight that would be! This is not maintaining safety of a neighborhood and its citizens!

I am appalled that the Kedron Village plans were allowed to get this far. I am very disappointed that our own mayor, whose main platform was no big boxes, and our city [planner] Mr. Rast have sold us and Peachtree City out.

Faison is angry and now pursuing the city, at everyone’s expense, in court because they were led to believe, by Mr. Brown and Mr. Rast, that they had the go ahead. The major, illegal, big box plan should have been nipped from the beginning.

I was aware the area was slated for commercial development, but this development as proposed is not in keeping with the master plan of PTC. A law is a law, what makes Faison and Pathways exempt? Pathways developed this beautiful city; why would they now, as it is nearing completion, want to destroy it?

Mr. Mayor and council, I urge all of you, who are citizens of PTC, not Faison’s employers, to do what you were elected to do: represent the citizens of PTC and do what is best for the health, safety and welfare of them. That includes upholding the big box ordinance and finding a different entrance and exit into the center other than the extension of Regent’s Park.

Terry Paone

Peachtree City

Member of the Committee for the Responsible Development of Kedron Village