Here we go again!

After over 10 years of developers' attempts to rezone the Ga. Highway 54 and Walt Banks Road property, resulting in several lawsuits which were ruled in favor of existing zoning, the citizens of Peachtree City are again being subjected to another developer trying to rezone and complicate this property.

[The city] has spent thousand and thousands of taxpayers' money to retain, protect and set numerous precedents in court not to change the current zoning. It would be contrary to disregard all that has been accomplished by the City Council and Peachtree City citizens in containing the growth of this already dangerous intersection since it already rates as one the city's top five accident corners and tied for first in October, according to police!

I personally have spoken to [developer John] Callaway and listened to his well-presented commercial development called the Mews. This development is well deserving to be somewhere else for several reasons (bear with me; I'll get to them soon).

First of all, the developer is attempting to take 53 acres commercial with several street cuts on Hwy. 54 and abutting Southern Trace and Parkway Estates. Mr. Callaway represents his shopping center as upscale and lists many impressive stores but nothing is definite!

He has increased the buffer adjacent to the residential areas to 150 feet from 50 feet and created a 5-acre park across from McIntosh High School but included a 12-to-14-screen movie theater designed "like none other," as stated by Mr. Callaway, directly behind the residential areas. In my meeting, we discussed four screens!

The additional 100-foot buffer Mr. Callaway is offering appears to already be in a watershed behind certain properties in Southern Trace and Parkway Estates which would seem to be unsuitable for building anyway.

Are the enhanced proposed buffers are an olive branch or a smoke screen? The residents of Southern Trace already feel that 50 feet of Office/Institutional is preferable to 150 feet of commercial with a 12-to-14-screen movie theater right in their backyards!

I have expressed my neighbors' and my concerns about this commercial development with Mr. Callaway and his representing real-estate agent. I was informed that Mr. Callaway was flexible in addressing the citizens' concerns about the incredible impact this 53-acre commercial development has on its neighbors and the city, but Mr. Callaway has not responded to these concerns to date. So much for flexibility!

Mr. Callaway represents his commercial development as upscale, with stores which have shown interest the like of Ann Taylor and Banana Republic, just to mention a few. But wait; the Atlanta Business Chronicle also lists those at the commercial development, The Avenue, at Hwy. 54 and Ga. Highway 74 by the developer, Cousins Properties Inc.

It must be a race to see who can sign them first.

In my opinion and others, let the development go where the least impact can be felt, not across from McIntosh High School, the Holy Trinity Church or adjacent to two of our residential areas.

Remember when I said bear with me and I'd tell you the reason this commercial development rezoning should and needs to be denied.

First of all, I don't recollect any 53-acre commercial development in Peachtree City abutting a high school, church and two residential areas.

Secondly, the Peachtree City police have already determined the intersection of Hwy. 54 and Walt Banks Road to be one of the most dangerous intersections in the city. Are we led to believe, by the developer and Street Smarts/Planning and Transportation Engineering, that this will become no less a danger with the addition of a 53-acre commercial development across from our high school and one of our largest churches?

Did we mention crime?

Finally, the precedent has already been set several times in court to maintain the current zoning!

Why would the Planning Commission, the City Council or the citizens of Peachtree City welcome a development of this magnitude with such an incredible impact upon our city?

I would hope that we could contain the relentless march of developers who leave us to deal the aftermath of traffic congestion, accidents, crime, diminished property values and more vacant commercial buildings. Look around!