I agree. Forget extending the path to the Avenue and get on with it. If the Avenue retailers are concerned then THEY will take it up with their landlord. The city is under no obligation to provide golf cart access to businesses, even though this is one of the things PTC used to be about.

This golf cart business is ridiculous. It sits there like a relic to bad government and inefficiency. Maybe it's not so ridiculous!

If the Avenue connection isn't made, the folks on the northside of 54 don't have any way to go south.

So even if you want to go to, say, the post office or the Waffle House, you couldn't.

In other words, The Avenue is not the only destination that would be served by the connection, though it would likely get most of the benefits.

... so maybe the memory is failing me. But I thought back in the day, PTC required businesses to connect to the cart path. I think I remember some hoopla over a funeral home that was not, could not, or did not want to connect to the cart path. At the time I wondered how many people would use a golf cart to go a funeral home. It was a long time ago and I can't remember which funeral home was involved.

If the Avenue wants to play hard ball on the cart path easement, how about the city enforcing the restrictions against the Avenue billboardettes?

I live south of 54, in Spyglass, I can get to Huddleston and from there I could get to Best Buy (actually, the tunnel is usable now under 54 from Huddleston to the other side) , and from there the Pike Nursery, etc. Get started.

Huddleston Rd? I thought the one on the west side of the rr tracks, under 54, goes to Petsmart/Walmart?

I never said I could get to Pikes etc, I say IF they would actually finish something, it's possible. But yes, the tunnel under 54, WEST of the tracks is fine, you just have to do a little off-roading.

Likewise, the people from the outhside of 54 don't have any way to go north. So, even if they wanted to go to, say, Smokey Bones, Staples or Walmart or Home Depot, they couldn't (easily.)

My underlying point was that if the city just continues to let developers come in and make all the rules, then we really just don't have a unified city at all. It sounds like Cousins wants a large premium paid just so they will "allow" PTC to remain
the community that it's supposed to be. Nobody wants the Avenue cut off, but many people want the city to stop bending over to every developer demand, no matter how ludicrous they are.

I agree with you; from a former PTC resident's standpoint it doesn't make sense to ostracize the golf carts.

Do you think people would be more upset if the city caved and cut the $73K check to Cousins instead of insisting on a fair market price?

Some people have asked how this project could have been sped up from the beginning. The answer: ditch the state grant. They end up being far more of a headache than anyone bargained for.

I do think people would be upset with the city paying $73K, especially when this should have been in the plans and settles $-wise long ago. But a precedence has recently been set where the city bends under pressure from developers over and over (McMurrain's shopping center and traffic light.) But...I really think citizens would be more upset if there is no golf cart access between the two sides of Hwy 54, as that was the original plan and proposal and probably needs to happen.

And I agree wholeheartedly with you about state grants. We have had far more problems in this community by having to work through the state, the fed, the ARC and the DOT. The golf cart bridge, Huddleston Pond, Highway 74 widening, traffic lights, traffic lights, traffic lights. Sorry. Not really complaining - just fed up with it all.

...disagree? All of us presumably see the convenience of the bridge and certainly the number of golf carts make the venture a plus for the city, but why do we need to have the project delayed again and again?

Certainly the city officials knew the requirements existed to coordinate with the DOT, the property owners, and others. After all, this is not the first such bridge built in Peachtree City. Our Mayor made it an initial priority of his administration as he saw it as an embarrassment. But times and priorities and perhaps competence have come to the fore and as it stands Harold will probably have to be reelected to have it completed during his watch.

My point being that all this "leg work" would have been completed had someone involved took the responsibility to take charge of the project. Now all we have is issues cropping up every so often that causes delay after delay adding to the embarrassment that should be felt by city hall.

On any issue of size, you would know their frustration. It sucks, but the State is probably to blame on this one. I say that because I don't see problems on our cart paths in areas NOT involving the State DOT.

Good to see you!

SouthernBelle, GRACE is a VIRTUE

Likewise, I'm sure.

The way professionals do this is they get the landowner/developer to commit to the easement in writing bedore you give them their rezoning or building permit. That way you get what you want (and in PTC's case it is required by law - cartpath connection, that is) and you get it for free and you get it ahead of time.

It is called planning ahead and complying with the law. It is also called doing your job if you are or staff or planning commission or city council or the city attorney. Anyone of you out there have the courage or the time to ask city hall for who was in charge when Cousins got their zoning and who dropped the ball? Whoever did has cost us plenty of money.

I hope somebody pursues this - I don't have the time with the economics fires I have to put out - but we can put the spotlight on whoever made the mistake and maybe even learn from our mistakes.

If I am interpreting your comments correctly, you believe that PTC should have "unlimited golf cart path easement rights" to every developed property in the City. Do you really think that is feasible?

before the bridge came about. Now, after the fact, my issue is to let everyone know that a very large property management property is not interested in the good of this City, where their tenants have enjoyed the profits that WE provide their retail businesses. I WANT to spend my money right here, if possible. Wasn't that the whole purpose of having the Avenue come here in the first place? Local shopping, as opposed to driving to Fayetteville or Newnan or Atlanta? Our quality of life here is, whether we use it or not, dependent on the path system and I want us all to stand up to any entity or corporation that chooses to ignore MY RIGHT to enjoy what we have here. Why can't Cousins take the high road and AGREE that this is a community quality of life issue that needs to be resolved for the benefit to the City that allowed them to build here?

For crying out loud, PTC - grow a pair and take the land for the public good. How hard is that?

no, but maybe that is what the 3 amigos have been trying todo with out walletts, at the BOE and don't know how to put it!

Eminent Domain! Isn't that so much like socialism?

"I can't wait until tomorrow, because I get more lovable every day."

Honestly, with all the bail outs going on I think we can forgo the "gasping" about socialism.
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Yes, but from mudcat?

This statement may bring it's own gasps, but I do not like using eminent domain. Too damm liberal.

"I can't wait until tomorrow, because I get more lovable every day."

you betcha and so were all these bail outs. Oh well. Hope to see you at the next gathering.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

And another excuse!

Just who checked out the right of ways for this project?
Was it Doofus McDingleberry?

Could it possibly be that Cousins, the "Avenue" developer, had anything to do with all this? Lot of tax money going to the town from these businesses!

A misplaced attempt at humor. No one who has invested in Fayette County is 'delighted' at hold-ups happening to citizens and business owners. We want a community where our children and we feel safe. We need to help our law enforcement so that criminals know better than to come to Fayette County. The news today throughout the nation has shown that 'criminals' come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Right?

I was obviously playing on your apologetics and ethnic sensitivity.

You know, the silly way you constantly try to level things out with comments like "The news today throughout the nation has shown that 'criminals' come in all shapes, sizes, and colors".

And if you didn't catch it ... there was no robbery.

Cousins should be donating this land as some of the major beneficiaries of this path would be the shops at the Avenue. I don't own a golf cart but if they are not more reasonable about this I will find other places to shop and the situation isn't what it was ten years ago. There are now many many places to shop that are not a long drive away and where you can get anything you can get at the Avenue and in many cases, at a cheaper price. Maybe we should start letting the shops there know how we feel about this situation.

Cousins is only "jacking up" the price so that when they work out a deal they will have a larger $ number to take off their taxes!

You ain't dealin with no amateurs here.

The Store owners are upset. We know that the golf cart owners in this town have buying power. We are golf cart owners ourselves and would appreciate easier access to the Avenue. We have talked with our management about this issue and have been told that Cousins is meeting with city officials this evening. They had safety concerns about how the cut in to their property would be handled, i.e. lighting and fencing for the safety of the people who would utilize the path to access the Avenue. They were concerned about loosing several parking spaces in an already difficult parking environment. They also said that there has been no delay on their part as they just received this a month ago from the city and apparently with a large company it takes time to put these things together. The representative that we spoke to say the delay has nothing to do with Cousins; a counter offer with in a month with a project like this is not uncommon. They want to accommodate the City and want the golf carts to have access. The financial concerns we as citizens of our city all have are valid to a point. However, as with any negotiation most companies start engaging in, two parties start worlds apart and meet somewhere in the middle. Our concerns as both business owners and citizens of Peachtree City have been expressed to our Landlord and they are working on a resolution that will be beneficial for the merchants, citizens and of course satisfy their interests as well. We hope that this helps to inform from merchant standpoint that we are expressing a need to get this done! We as tax payers hope that our thoughts expressed to management here has helped to show Cousins the value to them in the long term to do this in a generous manner. I am praying for an amicable and expedient resolution, please join me!