With a June

1 deadline fast approaching, the task force studying the development of

the West Village area has agreed to forget about a potential transit station

at least temporarily.

The impending

deadline is to complete a study on how alternative transportation specifically

the golf cart path system will be configurated into the newly developed

area. The study is crucial to possible grant money that could come for

the path system from the Atlanta Regional Commission through its Liveable

Centers Initiative program.

The ARC needs

the study by June 1, and the City Council must sign off on it before then.

That means the task force has to act quickly.

The first two

meetings of the task force were bogged down in a consultant's proposal

for the location of a possible bus/rail station. It was the subject of

much debate among task force members before it was abandoned at last week's

task force meeting so the study could be completed on time.

An ARC representative

was also on hand at that meeting to insure the task force members that

ARC would not force the transit station, or any transportation improvements,

on the city. But the grant money available from ARC must be used on transportation

improvements since the funds are coming from the Department of Transportation,

he added.

Rast said the

funds could be used to construct another bridge over the CSX railroad

tracks to provide another link to the West Village area.

In the rush

to get the entire project done before the deadline, a planning charrette

will be held Saturday, April 28, as the task force breaks up into groups

to develop recommendations for the final version of the study.

The cart path

system is just one part of the West Village equation that the task force

is studying. It will also look at landscaping requirements and architectural

covenants to help make the area look more cohesive.

The West Village

is already burgeoning with new development, as the Summit Apartments are

essentially completed, while work is underway at the Cedarcroft subdivision

of modular homes north of those apartments. Also, John Wieland Homes will

have a subdivision in the area further north of Cedarcroft that will add

a maximum 350 homes to the area.

And there are

plans on the drawing board to expand the Wynnmeade subdivision.

But the path

system hasn't been fully developed in the area yet, pointed out City Planner

David Rast. The hope is to connect all those residents to the shopping

centers at The Avenue, the Marketplace development and the future Home

Depot/Wal-Mart stores, Rast said.

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