Council Meets This Thursday
The Mayor and Council will meet on Thursday, April 5, 7:00 p.m., at City Hall. The public is welcome, and the meeting will be streamed live at www.peachtree-city.org/video. The agenda intersection improvements on Peachtree Parkway North at Tinsley Mill and Loring Lane, Tennis Center upgrade and improvements, agreement with VC3 for IT services and upgrades, and direction on the repaving of Dividend Drive. The complete agenda and packet are available at www.peachtree-city.org/councilagenda.
Public Vehicle & Equipment Auction Underway at www.GovDeals.com
Peachtree City is accepting bids on Govdeals.com for a variety of vehicles and equipment (trucks, cars, trailers, pumps, sprayer, generator, mower, Bobcat skid loader, and more). Water pump, Chemical Sprayer, Centrifugal pump, Generator, Ford Flail Mower, 2002 Bobcat 773 Turbo Skid Loader, Miscellaneous Police Equipment, 1996 sewer jet trailer and other similar items. The auctions will continue through approximately April 13. Bid at www.govdeals.com (Search by QAL # 818).
Planning Commission Meets April 9
The Peachtree City Planning Commission will meet on Monday, April 9, 7:00 p.m., at City Hall. The public is welcome. The Commission will consider the landscape plan for the Southside Church parking lot expansion (Phase 1), Robinson Road.
Wild Peachtree City – Tis the Season for Foxes
Spring is here, and residents may see more of the variety of Georgia wildlife inhabiting our green belts and natural areas. Peachtree City has received a couple of reports of fox sightings, although none of aggressive or possibly rabid foxes. In these cases, the City does not trap or remove native species living in the natural areas of the community. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources provides the following information on foxes:
Because of the adaptability of both gray and red foxes to urban and suburban environments, as well as the abundant food and shelter associated with these areas, foxes are quite common in cities, towns, subdivisions, and even near rural home sites as well as in their natural habitat. Although foxes are primarily nocturnal hunters, it is not uncommon to see a fox during the day. If you see a fox during the day, either in the woods or in your yard, the best advice is to simply leave it alone. You may want to remove any bird feeders that may be attracting mice and birds to your yard, which in turn attracts foxes.
With that said, foxes can catch and carry rabies. If you see a fox that is not showing a natural fear of humans or is acting aggressively without provocation (such as approaching too close to a known den), call 9-1-1 immediately.
What Are Your Kids Doing This Summer? How About One of Our Summer Camps?
Peachtree City is holding a variety of weekly camps and programs for many age groups this summer. Check them out at www.peachtree-city.org/camp. Pre-registration for some of the camps is already underway, with early-bird specials through April 30.
Golf Cart Safety and Rules – NO Drivers Under 12
The Peachtree City Police Department reminds residents that no child under 12 years old is allowed to operate a golf cart. Children 12 – 14 must be accompanied by a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian. Those who are 15 with no Learners Permit must be accompanied by someone 18 or older with a license. Those who are 15 and have a Learners Permit must have the permit on their person when operating the cart and may drive alone (if unaccompanied by adult, may have up to three immediate family members/siblings OR a maximum of one person who must be 15 or older).
Penalties for violating the age restrictions are steep. Before the court costs and mandatory add-ons, the minimum fines are $250 for 1st offense, $500 for 2nd offense, and $1,000 and loss of cart registration for 3rd offense.
Driver Safety Reminder – Stop Now Required When Turning from Crosstown onto Hwy 74
Westbound drivers on Crosstown who want to turn right (north) onto Hwy 74 have seen some changes during and after the highway construction. With three lanes of northbound traffic, cars turning north from Crosstown have a dedicated lane for their turn. Until recently, drivers had a yield sign, technically allowing them to continue onto Hwy 74 without stopping, regardless of the traffic signal. However, the GDOT recently reevaluated the intersection and decided to take the yield sign down due to confusion it was causing. Although technically no other vehicle would legally be entering that lane at Crosstown, the presence of the yield sign confused who would actually be at fault if an accident did occur while someone was turning right into the dedicated turn lane and another vehicle came over into that lane across the solid line.
The yield sign has been removed, but now drivers are required to stop briefly at the crosswalk when the light for Crosstown is red. The law says that you can then make the right turn as long as you are yielding to pedestrians (and other vehicles on a normal intersection). On a green light, drivers keep moving through the lane without stopping at the crosswalk unless someone is approaching in the crosswalk within one lane of the turning vehicle.
McIntosh Presents Into the Woods, April 13 – 15
McIntosh High School Fine Arts Department presents Into the Woods, by Stephen Sondheim, on Friday & Saturday, April 13 & 14 (7:00 p.m.), and on Sunday, April 15 (2:00 p.m.), in the MHS Auditorium. Tickets are $7 in advance (at the MHS front office) or $10 at the door. Come see this wonderful musical as this amazing cast takes you on an incredible journey Into the Woods!
See Booth Performance of Annie, Jr., at Starr’s Mill High School – April 27 – 29!
The JC Booth Performing Arts will be performing Annie, Jr. this month. Join Annie, Daddy War bucks, and the whole cast as they put on a delightful presentation of this theater classic! All shows will be performed at the Starr’s Mill High School auditorium. Show times are Friday, April 27 (8:00 p.m.); Saturday, April 28 (2:00, 5:00, and 8:00 p.m.); and Sunday, April 29 (2:00 p.m.). Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for students. The *encore performance on Sunday is 1/2 price with a previous ticket stub. For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/a/mail.fcboe.org/j-c-booth-drama/.
George Benson at The Fred on June 1
The Smooth Jazz Cruise / Peachtree City Jazz Series presents George Benson on June 12 at the Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater. Opening guest will be the Joey Sommerville Group. Tickets are available now. Tickets are also available for individual shows in the Summer Concert Series. For more information and tickets, visit www.amphitheater.org.
Workshop for Aspiring & Accomplished Poets on April 28
There will be a poetry workshop for both aspiring and accomplished poets on Saturday, April 28, 10:00 a.m., at the Peachtree City Library. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, the workshop will cover topics including imagery, attention to sound, lines, and stanzas. The workshop will include a “working lunch,” and at about 1:30 p.m. The workshop is planned to be conducted by poets Chris Jansen, Active Dying: Poems about Loss, and Norman Minnick, To Taste the Water. Participation cost is $10. Register at the Library or request a form from ptc.library.friends@gmail.com.
ONE Peachtree City – Reserve the Date – April 15
Peachtree City is many things, but it is ultimately one community. The City is beginning a revision of our Comprehensive Plan to help blend what everyone loves and values about Peachtree City into ONE vision for our future. Check out www.ONEPTC.org to find out what is happening this spring and how you can participate, including the Kickoff Celebration on Sunday, April 15, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., in the new Community Room (downstairs at City Hall). To assist with scheduling, there will be two follow-up Open Houses on Sunday, April 22 and April 29, from noon to 5:00 p.m. in the same location.
Project Updates:
PATH DETOUR – Southside Church on Ebenezer Road – The path entering southern Peachtree City on Ebenezer Road is CLOSED April 2 – 6 (detour map at www.peachtree-city.org/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2045). The path will be blocked periodically due to construction at the Southside Church site. When the path is closed, path users going to/coming from Ebenezer Road, Strathmore Lane, Creekside Way, and Robinson Bend Trail should use Robinson Bend Trail to The Estates to Loghouse Road to access the path system by Oak Grove Elementary. The project should be completed by mid-April.
WASA / Red Zone Robotics Sewer Mapping & Video Project – ONGOING through July 2013. Red Zone will be accessing every sanitary sewer line in Peachtree City seven days a week, with most work performed between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Contractors will be in uniform, with marked vehicles and identification cards. Work begins in mid-April.
Wilksmoor Timber Cutting – MacDuff Parkway & Hwy 54 West – The contractor for John Wieland Homes has begun clearing timber (selective timbering, NOT construction clearing) from the property on north MacDuff Parkway (past Centennial / Cedarcroft / Wynnmeade / Chadsworth). Please watch for logging trucks in the area in the coming weeks.
Don’t Forget . . .
Peachtree City Water & Sewerage Authority Regular Meeting – Monday, April 2 – RESCHEDULED to Monday, April 9, due to Spring Break.
Fayette County Board of Commissioners Workshop – Wednesday, April 4, 3:30 p.m. at the Commissioners Offices at 140 Stonewall Ave W, Suite 100, in Fayetteville. For agenda information, visit www.fayettecountyga.gov/administration/BOC/county_commission_meetings.htm.
City Council Regular Meeting – Thursday, April 5, 7:00 p.m., in City Council Chambers. The public is welcome.
Optimists/Fire Department Annual Easter Egg Hunt – Saturday, April 7, at Shakerag Knoll near The Fred amphitheater. Registration will be from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. The Hunt will start at 10:30 for children ages 1 to 11. There will also be various games, activities, a moonwalk, the “Easter Bunny,” and a display of fire/rescue vehicles from 9:30 a.m. to noon. This event is free to the public. Come join in on the all the fun and games. No dogs please.
American Cancer Society Torch of Hope – Saturday, April 7, 2:00 p.m. at City Hall Plaza. The route for the run will circle Lake Peachtree. This is a pre-event for the 2012 Relay for Life on May 18 & 19 at Atlanta Regional Airport – Falcon Field in Peachtree City.
Peachtree City Water & Sewerage Authority Regular Meeting – Monday, April 9 (RESCHEDULED from April 2), 6:30 p.m. at the WASA offices at 1127 Hwy. 74 South. The public is welcome.
