It’s time for Fayette County to seriously look at impact fees on any new development in the county.
With all the concerns raised recently about the development onslaught heading our way, to not get ahead of the curve on infrastructure funding puts us into a catchup mode like too many other counties in the Atlanta metro area.
Even here in Fayette County, it will be interesting to see how the county and the city of Fayetteville handle the infrastructure requirements of Pinewood Forrest, a developers dream and an infrastructure nightmare for Fayetteville and Fayette County.
At a recent public hearing at the Planning and Zoning commission for a residential development, a developer wanted to rezone A-R land for a higher density development with the majority of the lots at less than one acre. The development would eventually have access onto Davis Road, which is currently unpaved.
The agent for the developer was smart enough to acknowledge that no one in the new development would want to live backed up to a gravel road. But his response when questioned about the gravel road was shocking in its audacity. He simply stated that after the development was completed (and he walked away with his profits to the next project), it would be us, the taxpayers of Fayette County who would be responsible to pave Davis Road. In other words, not his problem.
A great example of an infrastructure project tied to a development is underway in Peachtree City. Developers want to build a large new development on the north side of PTC with an outlet onto Ga. Highway 74. Peachtree City had the forethought to require the developers to build a bridge over the railroad tracks to access Hwy. 74. No bridge, no development.
Fortunately PTC stuck to their guns and the developers eventually agreed to fund the bridge construction, alleviating more traffic congestion through the center of town.
Also several years back, there was the planned development immediately west of Fayette County in neighboring Coweta County. That project couldn’t happen unless we here in Fayette county improved a road to give the development access to Hwy. 74. There was nothing in that project for Fayette County except for major traffic headaches. After loud and raucous public outcry, the road improvement was soundly rejected. So yes, we can stand up to developers.
So I ask the Fayette County Board of Commissioners to consider the implementation of impact fees for all new developments. These fees, assessed on every building lot, could be directed for road improvements (such as paving Davis Road) and stormwater runoff.
I’ll leave the ins and outs of impact fees to the legal experts. It’s the developers causing the problems, so let’s do whatever necessary to make those developers fund the solutions to those problems.
Larry Dove
Fayetteville, Ga.
