Hee-haw, Hee-haw, the Donkey Brays, My Name is Tyrone is what he says

According to the Citizen News, new construction are down 78% in Fayetteville, 61% in the County and 59% in Tyrone. Tyrone’s income problem is more serious than other areas. Their permit problem was made worse by a restrictive zoning ordinance that took away commercial land uses. Dozens of businesses were forced to leave and an untold amount of new businesses were rejected over the past 4 years.

Go look at all the commercial vacancies; so many you can’t count them. One shopping center on 74 Hwy is 50% vacant. Another on Palmetto Road is 50% unoccupied. A 3rd shopping area on Senoia Road was 100% vacant at the beginning of 2008 until the council repented to reinstall a land use so a church could move in. The government could definitely use more religion, however the tax revenue is limited.

The restrictive zoning ordinance forced out 9 businesses on Palmetto Road in 2007. These businesses had been there since the 1970’s & 80’s bringing Tyrone a lot of revenue and serving citizens needs. They included auto repair, painting, electrical & sheetrock contractors & plumbing Co, who moved to Fayetteville saying he was disgusted with Tyrone’s government. These type of businesses permitted thousands of jobs in Tyrone over the years bringing in much now needed revenue.

The Town Mgr then got a developer to buy and tear down these buildings to get redevelopment grants along with co-conspirators on the council & planning commission. The developers started a new shopping center but the government’s grand plan for redevelopment backfired when the economy started collapsing toward the end of 2007. The developers put up two building shells, then abandoned the project which is now unkept and growing up in weeds.

The practical thing for redevelopment would have been to obtain grants for remodeling these active businesses on Palmetto Road like other towns have done. Then the revenue would have remained in Tyrone.

I could go on and on about the past stupidity and greed in Tyrone’s government, but I’ll just mention one more amusing commercial disaster. A larger medical center was started on Powers Court in early 2007. Grading, drains & curbing was put in, then the project was abandoned in Aug’07. The amusing thing is that over a year later, Tyrone’s inspection dept put up a stop work order on this property on 12-18-08, stating the property was unkept.

Do you think this order will get the developer going again to bring in more permit revenue? Hee-Haw, Hee-Haw, the Donkey brays, my name is Tyrone is what he says.