Well Peachtree City has its first “big box” — Home Depot. Unless the City Council takes measures to restrict the dimensions of these developments, we can expect to see the next big box next to Kroger on Peachtree Parkway since the site is not impacted by the traffic impact ordinance. God forbid that Lowe's also comes to town as part of their rivalry with Home Depot and we end up with 400,000 square feet of home improvement retail in Peachtree City.

The vote on Home Depot by the City Council was the sum of legal expectations in addition to three of the council members thinking that big boxes are acceptable in Peachtree City.

Even though I believe that the votes were already in prior to the council meeting, I tried to give some legal justification for denial or at least tabling the appeal. I was ill-prepared and unable to condense my material into a short format (I majored in journalism management with a minor in computer science. Needless to say, constitutional law was not part of my core curriculum, which was quite apparent.)

The Huddlestons made their millions and I am happy for them. That is the American dream. It was unfortunate that they happened to be the ones with a site plan at the same time that we were experiencing a governmental traffic meltdown.

I have always agreed with Bill Huddleston's statement that the city should have taken the appropriate measures to cure the traffic problem a decade ago. We are all suffering from past city planning mistakes. It has been our past city councils, not the Huddleston family, who failed to place limitations on big box development in Peachtree City.

Mayor Lenox conceded that the “village” format in Peachtree City is washed out. Studies have shown that big box retail causes severe shifts in traffic that directly conflicts with a village type plan. The Mayor has regularly made reference to Peachtree City as a “city” and he believes that all types of commercial development found in other cities belongs in Peachtree City. He also pledged that the city would insure that all affected subdivisions would be protected by the city.

Of course, it is important to note that the three members of council who are most in favor of big boxes are all lame ducks (out of office in two years) and will not be around to back up their pledge. In all fairness, the mayor has also promoted recreational amenities along with other beneficial projects and he was elected by a majority of the voters.

It would be safe to say that council members Brooks and Pace also adhere to the same developmental philosophy. In fact, Councilman Brooks mentioned that the majority of the people that he spoke to were in favor of the big boxes in Peachtree City. In contrast, the people who collected over 1,600 signatures opposed to Home Depot found the opposite to be true.

Do we want a king-sized Wal-Mart next? One is on the way. Are we willing to handle the influx of traffic that will enter our city from the surrounding areas that are experiencing phenomenal double digit growth every year? They will come. Are we willing to regulate how big of a box can go onto our commercially zoned sites?

It is my sincere hope that we will have the wherewithal to make the necessary limitations on this type of development before Peachtree City becomes just another traffic-laden city without distinction.

Steve Brown
Peachtree City

Back to Opinion Home Page | Back to the top of the page