The Kohl’s non-decision: Beware the ‘power of 3’

Some people are cheering about the recent outcome regarding a big box developer withdrawing his proposal to purchase city-owned property to make his big box dream possible.

Please keep in mind that the proposal was merely withdrawn and can resurface again in the near future. Also keep in mind that, to date, the developer has not withdrawn the Kohl’s proposal either.

Apparently, Councilman [Mike] Harman recognized the developer proposal could be costly at election time. Thus, some last minute scrambling at the City Council meeting by Mayor Logsdon and the developer allowed Harman to neither vote for nor against the proposal by pulling it off the meeting agenda.

The adjacent property owner, Tree Top LLC, the developer of the nearby Shoppes at Village Piazza shopping center, opposed the city’s property sale to the Kohl’s developer. Since Tree Top LLC is building by our written standards, we ought to support their position.

A good point was made that Councilman Harman stated he does not like big box stores at the Rotary Forum, but he failed to say if he would vote against them.

Likewise, Harman has not given a clear position on whether – keep in mind he is the former Water and Sewer Authority chairman – he would ever be in favor of extending our sewer capacity outside of Peachtree City.

His past actions at WASA clearly show he would support such expansion actions.

On another subject, Mayor Logsdon, Councilman Boone and Councilman Harman made Peachtree City history at the last Thursday’s council meeting. They approved the first gated subdivision ever in our city.

Our long tradition of being an inclusive community where cart paths can cross boundaries and cart riders are free to roam was weakened.

We had always been viewed uniquely as an affluent community with small-town values, but we will need a pass code in the future.

Peachtree City’s “power of three” rule is coming into play a lot lately. The Logsdon, Boone and Harman coalition is looking like it could be a developer meal ticket.

Let me put it into perspective for you. From January 2002 to January 2006, the number of houses that could be constructed via existing zoning and city council rezoning/annexation, etc., increased by a mere five houses.

In contrast, from January 2006 to present, less than two years, the number of houses that can be constructed increased by almost 1,500 housing units (Harman accounts for 310 units in his short tenure).

Levitt and Sons, the future Peachtree City Westside developer, got caught in the “eyes are bigger than the stomach” housing crash and pulled out of town. We ought to get on our knees and thank God they bailed out now.

Levitt and Sons has left their development in Canton, Ga., without amenities or financing. The mayor needs to abandon the “good developer” talk and realize that careful planning and proper guarantees should supersede everything else.

The Levitt and Sons annexation should be completely re-examined and brought before the Planning Commission and City Council for new developer approval.

We should not rely on some new developer jumping on stage from behind the curtain telling us he’s going to do a wonderful job. The mayor working out the details behind closed doors with a new developer is unacceptable.

And since it is an appropriate time to bring the Levitt and Sons collapse back, the council also needs to address the adjacent 89-acre parcel of land which is still zoned industrial in the middle of residential property.

We now have an opportunity to do the planning and layout the right way by master planning the area, so let’s do it.

Gated Community

Submitted by secret squirrel on Wed, 10/24/2007 - 1:53pm.

Steve, do try to be somewhat accurate in your characterizations. Your polemical nature is well known and is certainly a compelling factor when it comes to some of the equivocations you make for the sake of an argument. The "gated subdivision" to which you refer is not one which has a similar peer in Peachtree City. You attempt to characterize it as just another subdivision when, in reality, it's a relatively self-contained development with a restricted population (those over 55 years of age) and one whose security is a natural concern for all of us.

You give the fallacious impression that they're throwing up gates around Southern Shore or Smokerise or Planterra. This is quite obviously not the case. I would argue that the approval of such a community, catering to a suspect class in terms of age, will bring to Peachtree City a demographic which might be de facto excluded elsewhere; we become more inclusive by providing a secure place for retirees. I seem to recall Peachtree City receiving yet another community accolade for being a wise choice for retirement. Yet somehow in your argument, this is exclusionary. I will, however, concede that this is exclusionary to one group which none of us in Peachtree City want: criminals. Providing a secure gate for a community which is often targeted by criminals is logically circumspect and will hardly lead us to a town in which "we will need a pass code in the future."

Your hyperbole, while perhaps compelling and appealing to those stimulated by bumper-sticker rhetoric, falls short of passing the factual litmus test.

login to post comments

Harman's Ethics in Question

Submitted by new2ptc on Tue, 10/23/2007 - 9:34pm.

I am of the opinion that Mr. Harman’s actions last Thursday night were both unethical and demonstrated a bias to developers at the expense of the residents.

Mr. Harman’s ethics come into question when he provided the developer an escape by informing the developer he was not going to vote in favor of the proposed land sale. By providing that information to the developer Mr. Harman essentially gave the developer the advantage to pull his request without a vote and wait until the political waters have calmed down and then pursue the request for the sale at a later date. Meanwhile the residents opposing the sale are left to fight the battle at a later date that is to be determined by the developer. Since the holiday season is almost here the developer will not have to wait that long.

The Council Meeting Agenda can be changed any time up to 24 hours before the meeting. Why did Mr. Harman wait to inform the developer the night of the meeting? Is this another ploy for Mr. Harman to capture headlines in the same manner when he was attempting to broker a secret deal with Tyrone on the water?

Mr. Harman you DO NOT have my vote and I am appalled at developer bias and a lack of consideration for your fellow residents.

login to post comments

Mr. Harman and "ethics" in the same sentence is a misnomer

Submitted by bad_ptc on Wed, 10/24/2007 - 2:53pm.

Mr. Harman did what he did so that he could have a better shot at winning the city council seat. That's it, end of story.

I would ask anyone on here if they can get a straight answer out of Mr. Harman on what his Kohl's vote in the future will be, BEFORE the election. Good luck.

When it comes to discussing the Kohl's, Mr. Harman has is doing his Fred Astaire impression by dancing all over the place. He will not, repeat NOT, tell a gathering of PTC citizens that he will NOT vote in favor of the Kohl's.

As a matter of clarity, Mr. Harman had to tell the Citizen reporter that he was 'not in favor of the Kohl's' only after there was no threat of a vote. Good timing.

Mr. Harman will indeed vote FOR THE KOHL's once he's safely elected to a four year term.

I would like to openly challenge Mr. Harman to be interviewed by Cal & Comp. and for him to finally answer the question of his support for the Kohl's. Don't anyone hold your breath for that to happen. I'm sure Cal would hold up his end but Mr. Harman can't be trusted to hold up his.

Mr. Harman will vote FOR THE KOHL's and any other big box developments he can get put into PTC as sure as the sun will rise, if he' elected.

At least Mr. Thompson has openly stated his support for the Kohl's.

Mr. Harman just keeps dancing.

VOTING NO FOR HARMAN IS A NO VOTE FOR KOHL'S!

login to post comments

Misnomer

Submitted by Tyrone Aries on Wed, 10/24/2007 - 3:03pm.

It is also an oxymoron.

login to post comments