Random Thoughts on Peachtree Corners

     With apologies to Thomas Sowell, here are a few random thoughts of mine on some current affairs in Peachtree Corners...

     The city council is planning an all day 'retreat' to Lake Lanier Islands this Saturday, May 4th, to work on the 2014 budget, trash service and other items. While not prohibited under Georgia's open meetings laws, it stretches the spirit of the law to hold a meeting 25 miles away at a resort that charges an $8 entry fee. Instead of using their nearly new 8000 sq ft city hall for their meeting and local businesses for catering and other meeting services, the council will be spending Peachtree Corners' money in Hall County.

     The newly appointed Downtown Development Authority (DDA) will have their first meeting on Monday, May 6th at 11:30am at Peachtree Corners City Hall. These seven people will be charged initially with buying and reselling the land across from the Forum on behalf of the city. But their powers are not limited to just this project. According to the city they will have "access to financing tools, grants and other resources that will help generate and promote business development". These folks will be the ones to carry out the city council's redevelopment plans and will serve terms of two, four and six years. We've seen a list of names but who are these people? On what basis were they selected? What experience do they have managing millions of dollars of public funds?  

     Last night the city held another in a series of meetings to get public input on the city's Comprehensive Plan. Required by state law, this plan purports to outline the city's vision for growth and development over the next 20 years. Despite the hype from city officials about how important this project is, turnout at these meetings has been meager. Reports from last night's meeting suggest an attitude of indifference, if not hostility, towards existing development, almost as if we are building a city from scratch on an empty piece of land. Some of those 'old houses' in Mechanicsville that some attendees 'master -planned' out of existence were here before Paul Duke had his dream of a live, work, play utopia for techies and they are lived in by real people.

     If you are unable to attend one of these planning meetings, you can still express your big government wishes to the city by taking the survey on the city's website. I say 'big government wishes' because nowhere in the eight pages of the survey does it mention Peachtree Corners being a limited service, 'city-lite', or ask how do we keep it that way? It is all about what more do you want the government to do for you.

     Speaking of the city's website, has anybody looked at it lately? Does that look like a limited service, 'city-lite', to you? Anywhere on the page you move your cursor is a link to another form or permit you need to submit to the city for everyday activities. Want to cut down a tree in your yard? Click here, get a permit. Want to have a plumber replace your old toilet? Click here, get a permit. Want to put up a sign congratulating graduating seniors in your subdivision? There's a permit for that too!  Have a warehouse in your business that uses storage racks or conveyor belts? Click here, there are compliance guidelines and inspection forms.  And on and on and on.

     If you were still under the illusion that we were a limited service, city-lite, you should have been at the townhall mtg at the YMCA on the evening of March 25th. The mayor and five of the six councilmembers were there, along with the city clerk, code enforcement officer and Director of Community Development Diana Wheeler. During her presentation, Ms. Wheeler informed the audience that while Peachtree Corners was only providing three municipal services, we were indeed a full service city. There you have it, right from the horse's mouth.