An April 7 email by Preston Chase subdivision resident John Dufresne indicated that former Peachtree City Mayor Bob Lenox (1990-2001) recently attempted to “pressure” him into not opposing the Great Wolf Family Lodge proposal coming before the Peachtree City Council on April 16. Lenox disagreed with that perspective, saying he was trying to allay the negative concerns of 13 adjacent subdivision residents and would agree to a two-year window to purchase their homes.
Dufresne in the April 7 email said he met with the former Peachtree City mayor on March 26 following a request by Lenox, a statement with which Lenox agreed.
“He tried to pressure me into not opposing the rezoning,” Dufresne said in the email. “He only succeeded in stiffening my resolve to oppose it.”
Dufresne in the email said Lenox at one point during the discussion offered to buy 13 homes adjacent to the 38-acre Dolce property which is the potential Great Wolf site. Preston Chase subdivision is located immediately to the north of the property.
“He almost put a wedge into my subdivision by offering to buy the 13 homes abutting the Dolce property. I set up a meeting for him with those homeowners at my house,” Dufresne said. “I canceled the meeting when he sent me a draft letter for the homeowners to sign saying they supported the rezoning, were satisfied their home value was secure and they looked forward to having Great Wolf as a neighbor. (The letter) did not say they were selling their homes.”
Commenting on how the conversation went, Lenox said he looked at the Great Wolf proposal and called Dufresne.
“I was contacted by a number of concerned citizens after (the presentation at the Planning Commission) referencing the adamant outcry at the meeting in opposition to the Great Wolf proposal,” Lenox said, adding that he was “embarrassed and appalled at what happened at the meeting.”
Learning that the major concerns at Preston Chase were that property values would be affected, the appearance of the Great Wolf property within visual range of their homes and that the area would change, Lenox said he would meet with the neighbors.
Lenox said a point he made to Dufresne was that the neighbors’ properties would not go down in value.
“I told him I like buying properties. I said I was willing to pay for the appraisals and get an attorney to draw up individual option contracts for anytime in the next two years. No obligation, no pressure,” said Lenox. “That was my way of saying that the values aren’t going down.”
The draft letter did say that neighbors were okay with Great Wolf and that they believed their home values were secure, Lenox added.
“I would have made them an offer,” Lenox said. “I was willing to take the risk.”
Lenox said that, with or without the meeting, the offer to buy one or all of the 13 properties abutting the 38-acre site still stands.
“Yes, I would still make the offer,” Lenox said. “I’m not trying to buy houses. I’m trying to make them comfortable that their (home) prices are not going down.”
Lenox cited a comparative example of a house losing value after the appraisal or increasing in value.
“If the house goes up in value (the owner) doesn’t need me,” Lenox said. “(The owner) needs me if the house goes down in value. If it goes down in value, I’ll eat the loss.”
Pertaining to the portion of the draft letter indicating that neighbors looked forward to having Great Wolf as a neighbor, Lenox essentially agreed, saying, “That sounds like something I would have said.”
Lenox said he also offered to meet with each of the homeowners to see what they wanted from Great Wolf, such as plant material, to insulate their properties from the adjacent site. Lenox said he would have presented those items to Great Wolf.
“Since 2010 I’ve been in real estate investment in Peachtree City and Fayette County,” Lenox said, noting that he owns both commercial properties and 25-30 residential rentals. “I know the market in Peachtree City and Fayette.”
On another matter, Dufresne in the email said Lenox “told me he approached Great Wolf to come to PTC.”
For his part, Lenox said, “I had absolutely nothing to do with Great Wolf coming to Peachtree City. I learned about it in the paper.”
