Parties still in talks over golf holes, price

Negotiations to acquire additional land for the extension of TDK Boulevard into Coweta County are still ongoing, officials said.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking: a $2 million federal grant to purchase the property expires July 31.

If an agreement on the TDK extension isn’t reached by then, the grant from the Federal Aviation Administration will go to another airport, said Jerry Cobb, chairman of the Peachtree City Airport Authority.

At a recent meeting, there were still differences between parties on the value of the land and how to relocate the two golf holes on the Planterra Ridge golf course that will be necessary for the project, according to Peachtree City Mayor Harold Logsdon.

This land, appraised at $48,400 per acre, will allow Falcon Field to preserve property to the north as a safety area, which is the impetus behind the FAA grant. Logsdon couldn’t recall the exact acreage needed, but he said it was in the “mid-20” range.

Another meeting between the parties is scheduled to occur in one week, Logsdon said, adding that he felt the deal would occur in time.

“I’m optimistic,” Logsdon said.

Even after the property is acquired, it could take a while before it can be used since the new golf holes will need about a year to go through a full growing season before they can be played on, officials have said.

In addition to the city, the airport authority and the golf course, a fourth party at the negotiating table is Pathway Communities, which owns other land in the area necessary for the project.

The previous design for TDK had the road being placed along the current border of the airport, which would have prevented the acquisition of any additional area for runway safety in the future. The FAA reviewed that road design and objected to cutting off the needed runway safety area, leading the city to redesign the road.

Although there are plans to extend the runway in both directions, it would not allow larger aircraft to land at Falcon Field. Instead, it would allow business jets to take off with a full load of fuel in summer months, when the hot weather makes it more difficult to take off on the current runway, Cobb said.

Peachtree City is responsible for land acquisition and design of the road, while construction of the project will be done by Fayette County, including its share of the bridge over Line Creek.

The road will link to McIntosh Trail on the Coweta side. Proponents say the road will help businesses on Peachtree City’s south side, particularly at the Braelinn Village shopping center.

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