The “big box” debate is becoming fascinating. The Huddleston family wants their six or so million dollars and they do not appreciate the latecomers (anyone after 1965) asking for responsible development and a decent community. Of course, the Huddleston's have stated that the community was really decent before the latecomers arrived. The only problem is that their land would probably be worth about $175 an acre in the absence of the latecomers because, in Jim Minter's words, the area was “populated by rough and tumble folks partial to whiskey and fighting” (AJC, September 1999).

Home Depot tells the world that they “exercise good judgment by `doing the right thing' instead of just `doing things right.' We strive to understand the impact of our decisions, and we accept responsibility for our actions” (source — www.homedepot.com). Neither our citizens nor our Peachtree City Planning Commission members could view this as a truthful statement considering the proposed project would have a dubious impact on the city.

Why is the city's landscape architect consultant working for Home Depot? He actually told the planning commission that he was prepared to speak as both the city's landscape architect and Home Depot's landscape architect simultaneously! Can you smell the conflict of interest in the air? Who do you think will win - the city or Home Depot?

Why is the city's traffic consultant, Ed Ellis of Dames and Moore, asking that the Home Depot project be approved based upon highway mitigation that might violate federal law and the speculation that the ARC can win federal approval this coming spring? Mr. Ellis even admitted that the ARC's plan, if approved, would only be effective for about three years and then we would be right back to where we started. When a member of the board of directors of the Planterra Ridge Community Association asked to see the Dames and Moore data, why did city officials tell him that there was no data available?

The citizens and small business owners at the planning commission meeting were angry because they feel that our city government is suffering from deafness and a case of over-developmental complacency. The city has shown no command on the big box and traffic issues except for last-minute, seat-of-your-pants ordinances. The city has been discussing the problems for close to 15 years without any attempt to resolve the oncoming avalanche.

Is our city doomed forever? No, but we are at an extremely important crossroads in determining the Peachtree City of the future.

What is going to set Peachtree City apart? Take a historical look around the country and think about why some small- to medium-size cities that are such a great draw. Many small towns in New England and the Southwest were once consider dead economies and out in the middle of nowhere. Now, they are the place to be because they created a community niche. People are drawn to these areas because they are not overdeveloped, have a lower crime rate, and present a relaxed environment. Many of these same cities are either fighting the big boxes or have already defeated them.

Consider some of the coastal cities and islands along Georgia and South Carolina. These areas were once thought of as second-class, dull places to reside. Now they are considered jewels because of their expanses of green space, old architecture and relaxed feel.

Hilton Head Island is often compared to Peachtree City. Hilton Head Island allowed the big boxes to enter and the density has increased, with the result being intense traffic problems. In fact, our traffic impact ordinance was patterned after a similar ordinance in Hilton Head.

You absolutely have to set yourself apart in the present. You cannot tell the big boxes and all the traffic to leave once you allow it to enter. The cities with the big boxes see increases in crime, traffic and must continually pay to improve the overburdened infrastructure.

[Council member] Jim Pace stated, “I always thought build-out would be a cause for celebration” (The Citizen Review, Nov. 26, 1999). I contend that most of our citizens probably felt the same way. We never expected this final feeding frenzy from developers and their willingness to build oversized, high-traffic developments.

It is shocking that Pathway Communities wants to seal off Kedron Village with traffic from their proposed big box in Kedron. It was also shocking when Pathway tried to bring in more apartment buildings in years past. This same high-density, get-the-money-and-run attitude is also prevailing in the push for annexation by some large developers.

Will the city council place zoning restrictions on the big boxes? Time will tell.

Steve Brown

Peachtree City

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