Below is the reply I sent directly to Mr. Soper last week in response to his letter that came directly to me and was also published last Wednesday in the letters to the editor [The Citizen, March 28, 2007].

My reply was an effort to indicate that Peachtree City has a process for all these requests, one that continues to work well. The Planning Commission meeting of last Monday night helps to reaffirm that. I encourage anyone, including you, who has questions about issues we are facing to contact me to discuss.

-------

Mr. Soper, thanks for your email. I remember meeting with you during the campaign and seem to recall we had a pleasant conversation that day.

It would have been impossible to address commercial development requests at that time as I had no way to know who was going to request what, and I certainly did not then nor do I currently have a vision for a regional retail center at the southern end of town. Because I do not yet have all the information on the proposal, I can only provide responses to some of the issues you brought up.

Regarding the financial analysis, I have yet to see any hard data. However, the economic development courses I have taken since taking office do not support your conclusion.

Traffic: I am not sure what you are implying about lessons learned from Planterra Ridge. I have looked at the traffic studies and they do not show any significant change in traffic before and after Wal-Mart opened. The studies show a significant increase during the Ga. Highway 54 construction, but returning to nearly the original, pre-construction levels once the widening was finished.

Our studies also show no increase in traffic on Peachtree Parkway after the Target Center opened. Again, maybe you have some facts that I have not been shown to support your conclusions.

Retail dominos (I’m not sure what you mean by dominos): Your statement that no one is foolish enough to believe the remainder of the existing land would continue to be small commercial or office/medical space indicates that you likely do not understand “Limited Use Commercial,” which is the zoning requested. With that type zoning, the city has great control over what can be built and its operational uses.

Regarding the annexation of adjacent land: Control of that land would allow us to tie Redwine Road into Rockaway Road, as well as some control of what is put there. Again this annexation is not my initiative, but that of the landowner.

A rezoning request is not that unusual an event for Peachtree City. Planterra was rezoned from General Industrial (GI) to Residential. Part of the Stephen’s tract that is now Wilshire was also rezoned from GI to Residential. The Wilshire Pavilion was rezoned from GI to Commercial. There have been numerous rezonings in the life of Peachtree City, and each was done with the concept of preserving and enhancing the city in mind.

Let me close by stating that Peachtree City has a land use plan that has been our roadmap for 50 years and has done a good job and will continue to be our roadmap as we complete the plan.

There is nothing that I have seen so far to suggest deviation from the plan; however, my vote will only be decided if the request gets before City Council. At that point, I will review all input from the developer, affected neighborhood, city staff, and the Planning Commission to make an informed decision based on facts.

There is one final issue that I would like to bring up for your consideration. On Jan. 4, 2006, I took an oath to support the charter of Peachtree City and care for all of its citizens.

A citizen and landowner came to City Hall and asked to have land rezoned. The owner/developer was advised of the process for such a request, which begins submitting conceptual plans to the Planning Department and meeting with the affected neighborhoods.

The developer for that land has, indeed, begun the process, but we are by no means at the point for Council to vote on the matter.

Unfortunately, it seems a lot of citizens now want me to cut short a process that has been used for years, the same one that has helped to make Peachtree City great.

While I have said that I think the plan looks good, I have never said that I think it is the right thing for Peachtree City. I will only make that decision based on the final plan and and the facts provided by to me by all parties, including city staff, developers, Planning Commission, and affected neighbors.

Thank you again for your email on this very important issue. If you would like to meet with me to discuss this in greater detail, please call Nikki Vrana at 770-487-7657 so she can arrange a meeting at City Hall or we could just meet again in the Eckerd’s parking lot.

Harold K. Logsdon, mayor

Peachtree City, Ga.