Peachtree

City will receive more than $17,000 as one of 12 grant

recipients from the Atlanta Regional Commission for

studies on various ways to handle growth in the area.

The ARC

announced last week the awarding of 12 Livable Center

Initiative planning grants totalling $1 million in

matched federal funds to local governments nad

organizations in the Atlanta region, according to a

written statment released March 29.

"The

new Livable Centers Initiative program is intended to

promote greater livability, mobility and residential and

development alternatives in existing employement and town

centers throughout the Atlanta regions," according

to the ARC.

Other

municipalities receiving funds include Atlanta, Chamblee,

Conyers, Douglasville, Duluth, Marietta, Morrow,

Stockbridge and Sandy Springs.

In addition

to these grant awards, LCI will invest another $4 million

in matched funds over hte next four years for additional

"smart growth" studies. Beginning in the 2003

fiscal year, the ARC will contribute up to $350 million

to then help implement the various study projects.

Peachtree

City is expected to use its $17,360 for a study of the

Ga. Highway 54 corridor from its intersection with Ga.

Highway 74 to the western end of the city.

That

location has been the focal point for a great deal of

debate over traffic problems in Peachtree City during the

past several months, leading up to the traffic impact

ordinance approved by the City Council in November.

"The

tremendous response we've had to the Livable Centers

Initiative shows a commitment from the local governments

and individual communities to rethink the way we

grow," sai d ARC director Chuck Krautler.