Things might appear to be heading in the right direction in Peachtree City. The local citizens have awakened from a deep sleep, and now they are willing to protect the dream.

The traditional handful of citizens versus 15 developers, engineers and attorneys scenarios are difficult to win; I know this first-hand. However, when the future of Peachtree City began looking so garbled that it failed to resemble our comprehensive plan and our city of the past five decades, a grassroots movement was set in motion.

Homeowners associations have begun to unify under the premise if one area has a problem we all have a problem. The Peachtree City Civic Association is dissecting some of these looming land development proposals giving them the scrutiny they deserve.

People are speaking out.

The Super Lowe’s proposal on Ga. Highway 74 South was denied by the Planning Commission by a vote of 4-0. The homeowners residing in that local area showed up for the meeting, but so did the homeowners association representatives from all over the city.

Surveys had been conducted in many subdivisions and the answer was abundantly clear: No big boxes. The response average was running around 92 percent against such enormous and destructive growth.

The vast majority of these homeowners know the land will be developed in some fashion. All they are asking for is “appropriate development” which is not detrimental to our infrastructure, commutes and our overall quality of life.

I can tell you that the situation regarding the TDK Extension is also being turned by forces of local residents saying they are not going to take it anymore. Homeowners in the scattered subdivisions of eastern Coweta County are beginning to join hands and fight against the overly ambitious developers who want to ruin their rural residential lifestyle.

One Coweta gentleman called me and said he spoke to Coweta’s state Senator Mitch Seabaugh, an uncompromising supporter of TDK. He explained to me that Senator Seabaugh felt his constituents did not want him getting involved in the issue.

I explained to the nice gentleman that Senator Seabaugh and our Mayor Logsdon had received significant campaign contributions from the local TDK developers. After hearing my detailed explanation, he gave a deep sigh on the other end of the phone and said he would rally his neighbors.

The message I am hearing again and again is the people of Peachtree City love the village concept on which the city was developed and they do not want it ruined. Likewise, the residents of eastern Coweta County like their small-town charm and beautiful horse farms.

There are some elected officials in both jurisdictions who are taking an almost militant attitude toward forcing unwanted development on us. Some of those have built strong developer connections.

The involvement of your homeowners associations and neighborhood representatives is making a difference. Participate now so you will not complain about your quality of life later. Take a stand for high standards.

Steve Brown

Peachtree City, Ga.

[Brown served as mayor for four years before being defeated by Harold Logsdon in 2005.]