Is our new mayor and council looking out for all of us?

As Peachtree City Government and its citizens struggle to make ends meet we see the irrational decision that our Mayor and council has in store for us in the next few years.

I read last week in an article in this paper that the wishes of the council were to quash development of “Big Boxes” in Peachtree City because it was causing, local small businesses to close.
The new Council evidently feels that if they stop development of Big Boxes in Peachtree City then its Citizens will shop locally at the smaller stores. According to Mayor Haddix, the new east Coweta retail will have little effect on Peachtree City’s budget. “The residents of Peachtree City buy into our community, “They’re not going to go across the line to Coweta to do all of their shopping, he has stated.

This goes to prove the narrow mindedness of the new Mayor and Council. With the ability to go another few miles into Coweta County and get a better selection of goods and services will not keep shoppers in Peachtree City and we will loose those badly needed revenues from commercial development, who pay taxes and fees into the coffers of Peachtree City but do not take revenues out, such as paying for education, and the other services given to its citizens from their taxes.

At one time Peachtree City was kind of an oasis in the Region. Citizens had to shop here or drive long distances to regional shopping centers miles away but that is no longer the case. The Mayor and Council need to realize this, when we are blessed with a good company that wants to open a store in Peachtree City or annex land into the City. The Mayor and Council should work with them to improve the quality of shopping in Peachtree City and receive the rewards of the income from those businesses to help support the quality of life we have grown accustomed to here in Peachtree City.

Those people that are so upset about the traffic and the red lights on Highway 54 should pressure the new Mayor and Council to extend Crosstown Drive into Coweta County to relieve the congestion on Highway 54, because make no bones about it, people will continue to go to those Big Boxes in Coweta County and Coweta County will continue to allow development of new businesses because they can not stop development but can only dictate the quality of the development. This is what Peachtree City must do or its businesses will dry up including the Big Boxes as they seek locations that are where the majority of the shoppers go. We have already seen Big Boxes close in Fayette County’s Pavilion and move to Coweta’s newer Big Box developments because that is where larger and larger numbers of people are shopping and they pass right through Peachtree City on Highway 54.

The Annexation of additional land into Peachtree City is another area that additional tax revenue and other fees could be realized but the commissions continue to vote against annexation.

Where some feel, that with the new Mayor and council, they will get the change they have been advocating, it has been proven time and time again that government cannot dictate how people live, where they go, and what they do, so be careful what you wish for.

Steve Brown: hwancb is pro-traffic, pro-congestion, anti-village

Submitted by Steve Brown on Mon, 01/11/2010 - 1:11pm.

Hwancb: "We see the irrational decision that our Mayor and council has in store for us in the next few years."

If following the land use plan and obeying the city's ordinances is "irrational," then I do not want any part of hwancb's rational thought.

Hwanch: "This goes to prove the narrow mindedness of the new Mayor and Council. With the ability to go another few miles into Coweta County and get a better selection of goods and services will not keep shoppers in Peachtree City and we will loose those badly needed revenues from commercial development, who pay taxes and fees into the coffers of Peachtree City but do not take revenues out, such as paying for education, and the other services given to its citizens from their taxes.

There is not a "better selection of goods and services" across the border. And, yes, the big boxes do take revenues out because we end up paying to fight the crime and fix the congestion problems. We also lose the village feel that drew so many quality businesses and homeowners to our city. Just look at how bad the Fayette Pavilion is getting.

Hwanch: "At one time Peachtree City was kind of an oasis in the Region. Citizens had to shop here or drive long distances to regional shopping centers miles away but that is no longer the case.

The city was an oasis because it followed the land plan and ordinances. Do you really want us to look like Highway 34 all the way to Newnan?

Hwancb: "Those people that are so upset about the traffic and the red lights on Highway 54 should pressure the new Mayor and Council to extend Crosstown Drive into Coweta County to relieve the congestion on Highway 54."

Apparently, hwancb never read the article on the massive Coweta residential developments (plural) which would have created 60,000 car trips per day and depended upon the TDK Extension to flow traffic onto Highway 74. No way buddy!

Hwancb: "We have already seen Big Boxes close in Fayette County’s Pavilion and move to Coweta’s newer Big Box developments because that is where larger and larger numbers of people are shopping and they pass right through Peachtree City on Highway 54."

I think hwancb just answered why we should not have gotten involved with the big box stores in the first place. They are not good neighbors and will pick up and move whenever they want, leaving a ruined community in its wake.

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It's the choice of the community...

Submitted by FayetteFlyer on Fri, 01/08/2010 - 3:42pm.

whether or not to welcome or deny development. Just because PTC has opted not to participate need not bring a portend of gloom and doom. I don't live in PTC myself, but I shop many places there as well as neighboring counties. I'm sure others in and about the county do as well. Frankly, I applaud PTC's resolve to remain as it was originally founded.

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With all of this Ranting

Submitted by Dondol on Fri, 01/08/2010 - 3:17pm.

I thought I smelled a Developer. I won't use your name but I do know that your with Industrial Holdings, inc.. So give it up, we the Citizens of Peachtree City Don't want anything to do with what your selling.

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hwancb

Submitted by jevank on Fri, 01/08/2010 - 1:47pm.

You know, hwancb, it's very easy to google your name to see who you really are and why you are bombarding the blogs with your opposition to our new mayor. You get no sympathy here.

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