A request to explore the annexation of a 28-acre site off Ga. Highway 54 East got a soft “no” from the Peachtree City Council Thursday night.
While council members agreed they were interested in looking at adding the parcel to the city limits, the preference is to look at the bigger picture and what other parcels in the area might also be good candidates for annexation. Council voted 4-0 to deny a “step 1” annexation request, which formally denied the landowner, the Bradshaw family, from trying to work out a plan with city staff.
In the wake of the “no” vote, council members said they were interested in the annexation, but the lack of a specific land plan made it impossible to consider.
Later in the meeting, council approved a proposal for city staff to investigate “potential future growth areas” to both the east and the south.
City Manager Jim Pennington, who pitched the idea, said council may ultimately decide to avoid any future annexations, but it will help to at least look at the possibilities.
“We don’t want to change the character of Peachtree City. No reaching out and grabbing,” Pennington said.
Mayor Don Haddix said he supports the city exploring those areas for possible future annexations. The contrarian view from Councilman Eric Imker was whether it made sense for the city to consider future annexations if the landowners aren’t willing to cooperate.
Pennington explained that the process would allow the city to be proactive, which is different from the current procedure that has the city waiting around for proposals from individual property owners before city staff can become involved.
Haddix said he was concerned with the city of Fayetteville looking to extend its limits further west toward Peachtree City, adding that he was concerned about Fayetteville’s excess sewer capacity, which he said was similar in size to Peachtree City’s.
“It’s like one day we’re going to bump so we’ve got to ask the question, where are we going to bump,” Haddix said. “That’s a conversation we need to have.”
