Peachtree City is in good shape financially, but badly in need of millions more dollars to meet the city's governmental, health and safety needs for a "buildout" population, City Council members learned at the annual retreat last weekend.

A top priority for consideration likely will be rearrangement of city offices and the police department to make room for consolidation of the city's Developmental Services Department, and to separate the police department from the driveway and parking area shared with the library and Picnic Park. Three options for accomplishing the "facilities" needs were presented, with city staff favoring the proposal that calls for an independent police building which would provide secure areas for prisoner intake and transport, safe parking for officers' cars, and a fenced area for impoundment of confiscated vehicles.

While the most expensive of the proposals, the police relocation would make room for the city's Building Department, which is part of Developmental Services. At present the Building Department shares offices with Public Works on McIntosh Trail, several miles from City Hall. At both that location and at City Hall, offices are shared by multiple personnel, city staff reported.

Other needs for the city surfaced during the retreat, including more space for recreation programs and classes, library space, a peforming arts facility and especially for parking. City court every Wednesday forces visitor parking spillover into Graves Field, between City Hall and Lake Peachtree, an area not owned by the city. As the library meeting space is increasingly utilized, even for evening hours, parking is already a problem, City Manager Jim Basinger noted.

The Recreation Commission has asked that the city purchase the Braelinn Baptist Church property to meet needs for a performing arts facility and classrooms. The Development Authority of Peachtree City also proposed that the Tennis Center be expanded by six courts and two buildings, one of which would become a multipurpose facility offered for community meetings and classes. The new courts would be under a roofed pavilion provided with heavy fabric walls that could be rolled across fencing in inclement weather.

Water and sewer system improvements and expansions also are needed, as well as numerous road paving projects, traffic lights and other improvements.

There is no substitute for the retreat, Mayor Robert Lenox said, for providing a "real overview, the big picture" of where the city is and where it needs to go. He said "we have a lot to think about, but I want to commend all our staff, boards and commissions for doing such a good job of bringing us this information."