Plans for southward expansion of Hartsfield Atlanta

International Airport will not "steamroller"

over south Fulton County, a determined group of more than 100

citizens told Airport General Manager Ben DeCosta last week.

At a Legacy Coalition community meeting last Tuesday in

College Park, coalition chairman Bill Edwards and several citizens

let DeCosta know that the airport expansion planners are in for

concerted opposition from south Fulton.

In opening remarks, Edwards challenged Atlanta Mayor

Bill Campbell's "disrespect" of south Fulton citizens. He vowed

that the coalition would seek legal remedies if necessary to prevent

a potential sixth runway which would wipe out about two

miles of the Old National Highway business corridor and about

10,000 homes.

Edwards also charged that airport officials have not

provided enough information to the community about expansion plans,

but "we found out anyway--you wouldn't give us a map, but

we got a map, and no one has stepped forward to say that map is wrong."

In addition to inviting Campbell, the coalition also

asked a south Fulton attorney and a relocation consultant to speak.

The attorney could not attend. DeeDee Hunt of the

mega-development firm of Moreland Altobelli, hired by the Atlanta Dept. of

Aviation to handle property acquisition and relocation issues, outlined

potential actions affecting those residents and businesses which

might be relocated by airport expansion.

"We don't for one minute accept that all this is going to

happen," Edwards said, "but we are being open with our neighbors,

to let them know what the possibilities are."

Hunt fielded numerous questions about how relocation

would be handled, citing the 1970 federal Uniform Relocation

Assistance Act as the basic guideline for the process. It starts with

surveying all properties, she said, to determine what kinds of

residents or businesses might have to move and where.

"I don't know if you've kept up with the news (about

property changes for the airport's fifth runway), but we have a

company with about 750,000 fish, and huge aquariums, to move," Hunt

said. Every effort is made to assure that residential relocations match

the homeowner's previous residence, "though there's no way to

move your memories ... we wish we could," Hunt stated.

Bill Skates, a senior citizen and resident of the Camelot

condominium complex off Old National, said he had spent "20 years

getting my home just the way I want it, and I'm nervous about

this situation." Edwards pointed out that many seniors may wind

up with mortgages in a relocation, though their present homes

are paid for. Richard Williams, who is wheelchair-bound, told

the group that he doubted whether a relocation process would

duplicate modifications made to his home to fit his needs.

Several people in the audience challenged De Costa to

spend some time in south Fulton. John Jones asked that DeCosta

"come straight with us" on whether there will be a sixth runway, where

it would be, and when.

Myrna Fleeman, a real estate broker who lives near the

area where the fifth runway will be built, said, "Without

knowing what the configuration (of new runways) is, the airport already

is a black cloud hanging over residential and business

development in south Fulton." Edwards noted that the Old National

Merchants Association is having difficulty replacing several major

retail stores in the corridor, "because the companies don't

know whether five, six years down the road they won't be here."

Fleeman told DeCosta that "we realize the airport is a

money machine, but we're not greedy we'll gladly share this wealth

with our north Fulton neighbors, with those counties further south

who need it."

DeCosta demonstrated some discomfort with tough

questions, but praised the group for its organization and ability to

"articulate your views." He said he

realized from the meeting that south Fulton residents are distrustful of the

airport leaders and motives, but "we'll just have to show you

that we care about this area."

DeCosta said he was asked by Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell

to appear at the meeting on the mayor's behalf. The coalition

had invited Campbell himself to speak, but was not notified

until the morning of the meeting, Aug. 4, that Campbell would not

be available. Coalition leaders said that no mention was made

of DeCosta's designation as the mayor's representative.

The Legacy Coalition was formed earlier this year to

bring together south Fulton residents and business owners to

oppose expanding Hartsfield at the expense of some 10,000

residences and more than 1000 businesses. Its chairman, Bill Edwards,

says the name comes from "trying to take care of the legacy that

we will leave for our children and grandchildren in south Fulton

... if their homes are covered over for runways, there is no legacy."

The information number for the Legacy Coalition is

404-766-3555.

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