Applause echoed through Peachtree City Hall Thursday night as the City Council that will help the residents rebuild three units in the complex.
Above, Jim Williams speaks to the Peachtree City Council. Photo/John Thompson.
The Tinsley Mill Homeowners Association was seeking a variance in the city’s floodplain ordinance to allow them to rebuild the three units that were substantially damaged by a fire in January.
City Engineer David Borkowski said the city’s current ordinance would require the units to be built three feet above the 100-year flood plain. Borkowski said the city strengthened its floodplain ordinance and currently more than 80 residents pay lower flood insurance premiums because the standards exceed the state’s requirements. If the variance was granted, Borkowski said those residents could expect a 5 percent raise on their premiums..
Steve Harrelson, who represented the homeowners, said residents in the development have been doing things for years to mitigate flooding, such as building berms.
“If this variance is granted, this will put the three families back in their home,” he said.
He also offered a compromise solution. He said the three units had sunken living rooms, and if those were eliminated, the height of the units would actually be about one foot above the floodplain, but still occupy the same footprint.
Former Peachtree City Planner Jim Williams, who serves on Tinsley Mill’s board of directors, also asked the city to grant the variance.
“The variance will pay off for the community. This is the most well-designed and special architectural project in the city. If you cause them to raise the units up, it will look out of place,” he said.
Staff did note that more than 50 of the 80 property owners who would see an increase in the flood insurance lived in Tinsley Mill and homeowners in the audience said they would gladly pay it to see the people back in their rebuilt homes.
The variance passed unanimously, and the homeowners applauded and then left the council chambers as a steady rain began to fall.
