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PTC OK's annexation with no specific planThu, 11/06/2008 - 8:31pm
By: John Munford
City Planner envisions office use as future for 35 acres but it's rezoned for residential use The Peachtree City Council voted unanimously tonight to annex 35 acres on the northern end of the city near Ga. Highway 74 and Old Senoia Road. It was an ironic first for Peachtree City, as this is the city’s first-ever annexation to be approved without a specific land plan for the city, which is often touted as a “planned community.” The land was rezoned as agriculture reserve, which allows for a residential subdivision with minimum size of one acre each, but the property will be rezoned in the future once a plan is suggested by the property owners, said City Planner David Rast. If it had remained in the county under its previous zoning, the minimum lot size would have been five acres. Rast said he likely would recommend the site be rezoned in the future for office use instead of allowing for more residential development to take place in the Wilksmoor Village. But the city is amending its land use plan so this 35 acre site would be earmarked for low density residential use. The annexation was requested by Scarborough and Rolader Development, which doesn’t own or have a contract on all four of the parcels that comprise the 35 acre tract. The company owns a 400-acre tract to the west and north that has been zoned for an “active adult” community limited to residents 55 and over. Some residents have scoffed that the city would consider accepting land that is “unplanned.” Resident Frances Meaders, a former city clerk, said she was surprised the city was considering approval of the annexation without a specific plan for developing the site. “I worked here for 25 years and I don’t ever remember bringing an annexation without a rezoning or a plan,” Meaders said. “I’m surprised you as the city council would accept this without some idea of what is happening. We’ve got a developer making the request. Do I need to say more?” Councilwoman Cyndi Plunkett said one of the reasons to annex the property was because it’s already being served by city police and fire services, so the annexation would require those property owners to pay city taxes as their fair share. Plunkett said the annexation also “tightens up” the city’s borders by eliminating the “island” created by the annexations earlier this year to the north, west and southern boundaries of the 35-acre tract. Councilman Doug Sturbaum said this site was the first one considered to relocate Atlanta Christian College from East Point. Councilman Don Haddix said he learned recently at a training meeting for council members that state law requires cities to avoid creating islands by annexation, and also requires them to “get rid of” such islands when possible. City Attorney Ted Meeker said that prior to the rezoning earlier this year for more than 800 acres, that entire area had been considered an island because it bordered Coweta County, Tyrone and Peachtree City. login to post comments
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