Beverly/ Logsdon/ Brown/ Pfeifer

Here is a blow-to-blow summary on Beverly, Logsdon, Brown and Pfeifer from the column entitled “OPINION: Point-Counterpoint on TDK, annexation, big boxes in PTC.”

The subjects listed in order are TDK, big box and annexation. Mayor Logsdon did not have much to say, but if you think I missed something, add it on.

Fayette Commissioner Pfiefer’s column was one big explanation, so I just took the summary points. Cal Beverly’s points come from “An Opinion: The dreamers vs. the dream, 25 years later.” Steve Brown’s big box points come from “PTC looking to sell our green space for big box.”

Logsdon: We’re also faced with meeting a lot of expectations of Peachtree City’s residents, old and new. Residents who moved here liking the safety, the paths, the huge variety in recreation, and the trees that line our streets, paths, and neighborhoods. Residents who don’t like the traffic on our highways.

Beverly: And then we have the hapless Peachtree City Council and the Peachtree City Planning Commission whose collective brain has a “vacancy” sign blinking in neon lights.

Logsdon: It will help employees reach our industrial park. I also think it is important to have an alternate route as the surrounding areas (Fayette and Coweta) grow so that Highway 54 does not become gridlocked. A two-lane (TDK) road will accomplish this without over-burdening Highway 74.

Brown: Everyone now knows the painful truth about TDK and how it will force Peachtree City’s roads to be used as a congested doormat for a new massive city-sized development in the next county. All the rhetoric about traffic relief, traffic reduction, alternative route to the industrial park and no large developments in Coweta were lies. TDK will specifically enable the development of a massive Pavilion-type shopping center drawing significant traffic onto our roads and depleting our Fayette County sales tax revenues.

Brown: Mayor Logsdon has only given two reasons for proceeding with TDK, a project which financial benefits for some of his campaign contributors. First, he says the plan to extend TDK has been on the planning books for over a decade; therefore, we must build it. Actually, what the mayor fails to tell everyone is that the comprehensive plan for the land in Coweta abutting the proposed road has always been zoned rural residential at a drastically lower density than what Coweta currently demands. In addition, there has never been 1 million square feet of retail and office space in the Coweta plans before either. Coweta County made radical changes and we should automatically reconsider the project based upon those changes.

Brown: Unfortunately, there are no funds in the roads SPLOST for modifying the intersection of hwys. 74 and 54, one of the reasons I opposed the referendum. Mayor Logsdon has no plan to resolve the extensive gridlock we will experience at the intersection of hwys. 74 and 54, Crosstown Road and beyond.

Logsdon: Finally, we are facing the question of big boxes in additional commercial development. I confess I am still not fully decided on this issue. We have some big box stores in this town that fit well into the developments they occupy. We have others that do not.

Brown: Look at the City Council’s desire for additional big box stores in our city. The City Council has made it very clear they are pursuing big boxes for the cash. The shortsighted vision of evading community standards for an infusion of ad valorem taxes is heartbreaking. We would be trading our principles for the dollar.

Logsdon: Finally, we now have a population that will support certain levels of retail, and many of these stores are determined to come to the area. We could certainly give a blanket refusal, but there is a large retail development planned on Highway 34 just outside our city limits.

Brown: Let us not forget it was our ability to adhere to our aesthetic and planning principles that created the success we have enjoyed for the last 30 years. Peachtree City’s success has come from being a niche product.

Brown: In a uncanny twist, our City Council is now looking to sell — I promise this is true — portions of our city-owned preserved green space (Line Creek Nature Center) on Hwy. 54 W. Even worse, the City Council is selling it to enable a big box store to be placed on the exact same site.

Logsdon: We collect significant tax revenues from commercial developments, both in property taxes and in sales taxes, that help to fund programs and service our residents expect, including recreation programs and facilities and public safety staff and equipment. The sales tax revenue increases based on the success of the businesses and centers with anchor stores generally perform better than those without them.

Brown: By the way, the TDK Extension into Coweta will enable a monstrous retail pavilion that will suck more tax dollars out of the city than we gain with more big boxes. TDK has majority council support.

Brown: In September of 2000, Planning Commissioner Jim Finney summed up the commission effectively voting down every big box proposal that came before them by saying, “The majority of the people in Peachtree City moved here to get away from that.” Even Police Chief Murray publicly opposed the big box stores.

Logsdon: That is where the annexation question comes into play. The developers should pay for the project, but the developers must be able to build enough homes to cover the costs.

Pfeifer: Some of the proposed land uses I have seen, or heard about, are high-density housing, schools, recreation and commercial. This will make current traffic and service issues worse, not better, than they are now, even if MacDuff is extended.

Pfeifer: I don’t see any reason to annex this property into Peachtree City. The short-term surge in income (taxes and fees) into the city will be outweighed, over time, if this area needs substantial service provision due to high density housing or commercial.

Beverly: And let’s suggest to our leaders that they develop some backbone and enough interest in the voters’ opinions to say, No.