The Fayette Citizen-News Page
Friday, October 2, 1998
PTC: More info needed before OK for Flat Creek golf course wetlands

By KAY S. PEDROTTI
Staff Writer

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A proposed wetlands area adjacent to Flat Creek Golf Course isn't wet yet, and won't be until the Peachtree City Planning Commission is satisfied that the plan for creation of the wetlands meets all city requirements.

The issue had been scheduled for discussion at a previous commission meeting but was postponed because golf course representatives could not be present. Last Monday, course manager Lee Burton was there to say that the development company "did not know we would have to come before the city."

The problem results from an effort by Patten Seed Co., owners of Flat Creek and several more courses including Canongate in Palmetto, to enlarge the Canongate course. Burton said that about two acres of wetlands would be "unavoidably" lost by the construction of the "badly needed" new 18 holes. The company sought a mitigation plan through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), and hired a firm called Eco-Tech/Eco-South Inc. to design a wetlands replacement plan using several parcels along the Flat Creek Course.

"We looked at other areas and alternatives," Burton said, "but these (at Flat Creek) were handpicked as the best places. It was an honest mistake that we didn't know that we'd have to get city approval."

Jim Williams, development services director for the city, said he believed that the golf course owners would "answer all our concerns to our satisfaction" if given another two weeks to form a "good substantive response." The staff recommendation for action at Monday's meeting was for denial of a land disturbance permit until eight questions or concerns were met by the golf course.

In documentation about the case, Williams explained that reports from adjacent property owners Steve and Marjorie Bachman, and from retired biologist Dennis Chase "present evidence of possible defects in the planning process that was followed and in the substance of the plan itself."

Marjorie Bachman and Chase spoke at the commission meeting to encourage the city to consider their objections to the plan. Their concerns were reflected in the city staff document, which addressed a "vegetative cover" for areas which are now bare dirt, effective erosion control, cleaning silt which may have already gone into ditches or streams, explaining the necessity for a "piecemeal" mitigation process, future management issues and long-term supervision, providing assurance that the mitigation will not increase flooding in the area, and presenting a revised plan "to the city and adjoining property owners for proper review and comment before proceeding any further."

Bachman's report said she was told by Jim Parker of ACOE that no public hearing was required, but she said regulations show that "nationwide permits" for land disturbance require giving notice to allow the public an opportunity to comment on or "request a public hearing regarding the proposals."

Based on the report by Butch Register and Eric Larsen of Eco-South Inc., the Corps granted a "nationwide permit" for the mitigation last spring, but noted that the permit did not "obviate the requirement to obtain state or local assent required by law for the activity." Work began on the project Aug. 29, according to Marjorie Bachman.

Chase said he questioned the motives of the golf course owners because of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's objections to the wetlands destruction at Canongate, he said the company had a history of environmental violations. Chase spent 26 years with the wildlife service, he said, was involved in dozens of wetlands mitigation projects, "and this is not a good plan."

Bill Foley, planning commission chairman, questioned Chase's remarks and said he did "not recognize Mr. Chase as an expert on wetlands ... he is a biologist with a reputation for being anti-development." He said the golf course company has been environmentally sensitive in its projects and he felt the company would negotiate in a good-faith effort to work out a successful solution.


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