The City

Council is continuing to hold fast against any annexation

into Peachtree City - sort of.

With a

unanimous vote last week to continue the annexation

moratorium and make it an ordinance, a lengthy discussion

ensued concerning the one area where the city could hedge

a bit, which is the West Village.

Actually,

the moratorium, which has been in effect since 1991, was

rescinded earlier this year with respect to that area,

which is landlocked by Peachtree City, Tyrone and Coweta

County. This was to give land owners there the

opportunity to consult with city staff if they had

annexation-related questions, according to Mayor Bob

Lenox, and none of them did.

Jerry

Peterson of Pathway Communities asked that the council

take no action concerning the west side, because it has

taken all this time to get an agreement in place with all

of the property owners in that area.

Peterson

specifically referred to the 900 acres north of Cedar

Croft and Wynnmeade and west of the railroad tracks. He

noted that 200 acres of that land is already in the city

and zoned industrial.

The land

owners have determined how they will share in the costs

of such things as traffic studies and wetland studies,

and they are ready to get started.

If they are

unable to act while working together, Peterson said, then

it will be much more difficult to get such projects as

bridges and collector roads done with each property owner

looking at his or her own access to and from a parcel.

Mayor Pro

Tempore Annie McMenamin questioned the timing of this

sudden show of solidarity, comparing it to the

Wal-Mart/Home Depot plan that appeared out of nowhere

when discussions began concerning the city's new traffic

ordinance.

Planterra

Ridge resident Steve Brown said that if the city annexes

property on its borders just because it does not like the

way it looks or could be developed, then annexations will

occur in every direction indefinitely. Brown suggested

looking into how Tyrone and the county are looking at the

West Village, adding that he is "very much in favor

of a moratorium on the west side of [Ga. Highway]

54."

Lenox said

that the council has been clear over the years that it is

not interested in annexation except for minor

housekeeping matters, and the only major area considered

has been the west side because of its geography.

"We're

not growing like an amoeba," said Lenox. "We're

done."

The mayor

also pointed out that the council can say yes or no to

any annexation, and that developers cannot sue the city

just because it denies an annexation request. The

moratorium's main purpose was so city staff isn't

bothered by annexation inquiries on an ongoing basis.

Councilman

Robert Brooks suggested having annexation issues come

straight to the council first, rather than through staff.

He said that there is no need for a developer's plans to

get far along just so the council can deny them later,

and this could be avoided if petitioners are encouraged

to come to council first and talk about it "in raw

form," as he put it.

Brooks

added that the moratorium exists solely at the pleasure

of the council, and the city is going to be affected by

what happens in the West Village no matter what. "If

there is a fire there, our department is going to

respond," he said.

Councilman

Jim Pace said that he would prefer that the West Village

be controlled by Peachtree City rather than Tyrone or the

county.

Lenox

pointed out that city staff is comprised of experts who

have often helped developers make plans that are good for

the city. He added that the real question in each council

member's mind concerning the West Village is: "How

many houses?"

McMenamin

moved to approve the moratorium ordinance, Brooks

seconded, and it passed with a 5-0 vote.

City

attorney Rick Lindsey noted that the move would codify

the city's existing policy and make it easier to handle

in the future from a staff standpoint. It is being added

to section 704 of the Zoning Code. )