Wednesday, May , 2004
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Wednesday, May , 2004 |
Westside annexing request tabledBy JOHN MUNFORD Facing clogged traffic just about anytime they want to get anywhere in Peachtree City, several residents of the city’s west side urged the city council last week to consider an annexation that could provide some traffic relief. But since city staff was on the verge of presenting an alternative way to handle annexation proposals, council voted to table the request to lift the moratoriums for John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods. Dan Fields, vice president of Wieland Homes, said the company wants to schedule a public planning meeting to get input on what Peachtree City residents would like to see developed on the property. Fields said that input, along with help from the city’s “professional planners” would go a long way towards giving local residents what they want, Fields said. Wieland purchased the property from Pathway Communities in February with the intention of developing it according to the county’s R-70 zoning, which requires a minimum of two-acre lots, Fields said. But Mayor Steve Brown approached the company about a possible annexation in hopes of extending McDuff Parkway all the way to Ga. Highway 74 at the intersection of Kedron Drive south. Brown took some hits for his handling of the situation, particularly from a representative of the city’s soccer association who said the mayor hasn’t formally contacted the association to see if it needs the four soccer fields that would be given to the city as part of the subdivision. When Brown responded that “we” had previously talked informally with another member of the association, several council members corrected him, noting that it was Brown alone who had such conversations. Jim Whittle, president of the Peachtree City Youth Soccer Association, told The Citizen Monday that the group is in favor of lifting the moratorium to consider the annexation. The four fields proposed in the Wieland plan would help the association host state tournaments and the extra fields are needed, Whittle said. Also, using the new fields might free up other fields for sports such as lacrosse and field hockey, Whittle added. MacDuff Parkway currently ends at the city limits about a mile north of Hwy. 54. To extend it to Hwy. 74, an at-grade railroad crossing at the Comcast cable TV facility will be required to line up with Kedron Drive South on Hwy. 74. Under the moratoriums, city staff cannot get into detail over any proposed annexation or multi-family housing rezoning until they get the OK from council. Traditionally, when the moratoriums have been lifted, they have only been done so for one piece of property at a time. Merrilyn Arnold, president of the Wynnmeade Homeowner’s Association, said council should consider the residents who currently live in Wynnmeade, Cedarcroft, Ashton Way, Centennial and Summit Apartments who now suffer from difficulty with traffic. The only way into Peachtree City from the area is Ga. Highway 54. Arnold said she found herself in favor of the annexation, largely because of the traffic benefit it would provide. “We need that access,” Arnold said. Rich Parlontieri, a former councilman, asked council to consider lifting the moratoriums because his church, Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran, was considering relocating to property offered by Wieland officials. He also noted that the city was originally projected to have 80,000 residents, not just under 40,000 as it is almost fully developed. Phyllis Aguayo was the strongest voice against lifting the annexation moratorium. She argued that although some complained about the county’s zoning practices on land bordering Peachtree City, the county fought to uphold the zoning for the 2-acre minimum lot size in court. “The county stood their ground,” Aguayo said. “We now have assurances of what the density will be because the court has decided.” Aguayo said she thought Wieland would connect McDuff to Hwy. 74 whether or not the annexation and rezoning occur. |
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