A preliminary

presentation of Peachtree City's golf cart and automobile transportation

plan for the West Village area was well received by officials at the Atlanta

Regional Commission.

The ARC could

help the projects through grant funding, although it depends on the plan

being approved by the City Council. At last week's council meeting, several

council members expressed displeasure that the plan includes a possible

site for a local commuter rail station, citing citizen opposition to the

station.

City Planner

David Rast, who has helped guide a citizen's committee that formulated

the plan, said the rail station was put near Clover Reach south of The

Avenue retail complex to give it less of a regional draw.

Mayor Bob Lenox

said in the near future local citizens will likely wish they had a commuter

rail station so they can work in Atlanta without facing crushing traffic.

"What

they will do to I-85 and Highway 74 will be frightening," Lenox said,

predicting future development and growing traffic in those areas.

Planning for

the rail station will also allow it to be implemented "on our terms"

if it ever comes to pass, Lenox noted.

"If we

end up having one, we had better plan for it," said councilwoman

Carol Fritz.

The plan to

have a cart path bridge spanning Ga. Highway 54 West as a "gateway"

to the city for motorists coming from Coweta County did draw favorable

comments from council, however. The plan also includes a possible cart

path tunnel under Hwy. 74 north to connect the area to the Westpark Walk

development and the rest of the city.

Also on the

plan are access roads north and south of Hwy. 54 West to allow residents

a second option to stay off the highway and still get around town.

The plan takes

into consideration the planned Wal-Mart and Home Depot retail center,

commercial development planned just off the north side of the highway,

and possible commercial re-development that could take place just south

of the highway.

The committee

is also working with the major commercial developer in the area, RAM Development,

to develop architectural guidelines for the area, Rast added.

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