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Tell officials you oppose big-box light, bypass I am encouraged to see the people of Fayette County speaking up on a number of issues, voicing their dismay of shady projects like the big box center on Ga. Highway 54 West and the developer-friendly West Fayetteville Bypass, protesting the faulty fiscal judgment of the local City Council and the Board of Education. Successful cities, counties, corporations and human beings decline or end up in a total shambles by making a series of flawed decisions. In many cases, it is difficult for people to see how a series of events or decisions can elicit such a downfall. Consequently, we rely upon the forensic ability of history to teach us the lessons. Look at our current economic calamity, beginning with a change in the law, followed by a few decisions from the Federal Reserve, ending with banks pursing their mad desires. At the time, no one said, “If we change this law, things will come crashing down,” and so it is with Fayette County. An important thing to remember is principles are not cast into stone. Some enter positions of authority without recognizing a specific set of principles. Others fall prey to forces which cause interference in the name of personal advantage or profit over the public good. As a result, the community which rests on its laurels takes a severe beating in the end. Abraham Lincoln said, “If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem.” But the problem is the people who take their profits over the public good rarely care about the respect and esteem of their fellow citizens as long as they dredge up enough cash for their personal coffers. So let me ask those of you who live in Peachtree City, are you resting on our collective laurels, not paying attention, unwilling to take action, thinking someone else will act for you? We know the traffic signal at Hwy. 54 and Line Creek Drive (which does not even meet the criteria set forth by state and national engineering standards) will cause horrific traffic congestion. Are you willing to take five minutes and write the Commissioner of the GDOT and ask her not to approve the traffic signal? Take action to preserve the quality of life in your community. Give the commissioner’s email address to your neighbors and ask them to write a quick comment. That address is Gena L. Evans, Ph.D., Commissioner GDOT, gevans@dot.ga.gov. Now, let’s talk about Pathway Communities’ (Mayor Logsdon’s largest campaign contributor) proposed residential project called Callula Hill. Pathway wants to abandon our city’s comprehensive land use plan and build around 80 homes in the midst of the industrial area at the end of our Falcon Field airport runway. It’s a really bad proposal, period. Why have land plans if the city is not willing to follow them? Furthermore, if the city continues to abandon its ordinances and land planning instruments, we will have no legal standing in the courts to enforce our plans throughout the city. The Pathway Communities land is zoned industrial and is surrounded by industrial development, making a wonderful site for a corporate headquarters, bringing continued tax revenue, employing local residents for decades to come. Take three minutes and send an email to the planning commissioners and ask them to protect our local airport, follow our comprehensive land use plan, keep the village development concept and vote “NO” on Callula Hill. Their address is Peachtree City Planning Commissioners, planningcommission@peachtree-city.org. We end up in one calamity after another because we do not hold our government officials accountable. If the prospect of watching hours pass by in slow, gelatinous traffic at the intersection of highways 54 and 74 seem enjoyable to you, then, please, do nothing. However, if you want to avoid harmful development and continue to abide by the planned community’s land plan, then get everyone in your family, subdivision and civic organization to send emails in opposition. [Steve Brown is the former mayor of Peachtree City. He can be reached at stevebrownptc@ureach.com.] login to post comments | Steve Brown's blog
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