Steve Brown has proposed that

a developer wanting to build an estate subdivision off Spear Road and

Ebenezer Road annex more than 200 acres of unincorporated county land

along the eastern city limits, rather than de-annex about 48 acres now

inside the city.

Builder Rod Wright of Peach

State Land Development Company wants to build 36 homes on five-acre minimum

lots in the proposed Platinum Ridge neighborhood. But about 50 acres of

one tract in the 250-acre development straddle Camp Creek and actually

lie inside the city limits.

Wright's solution was

to ask the city for de-annexation of the property now owned by Pathways

Communities, and it seemed logical considering Peachtree City has a moratorium

on new annexations prohibiting the alternative.

But Mayor Steve Brown wants

to persue the idea anyway, and convinced a representative appearing on

behalf of Wright to let the council table the de-annexation request until

Jan. 15, so that Brown can "look into it."

But that isn't as simple

or innocent as it appears on the surface, as City Attorney Ted Meeker

pointed out to Brown. The city's annexation moratorium doesn't

just forbid any new acreage being brought into the city proper, it bans

even consideration of projects that would require it. So strict is the

policy, city hall staff isn't allowed to look at plans or proposals

or make recommendations for the annexed land until after the council has

waived the moratorium, a situation that has never occured.

Brown halted discussion of

the de-annexation request Monday night, arguing that concerns that the

city maintain control over the Camp Creek watershed as well as public

safety response times were reason enough to at least consider bringing

the property into the city proper.

Brown convinced Donald Brandenberg,

representing Wright, to allow the council to table his request and take

it up at the next meeting, Jan. 15, even though Brandenburg was concerned

about the timing.

Requesting a de-annexation

is a much shorter process than one seeking annexation, considering the

moratoriium requirements. City Planner Davis Rast estimated it would take

a minimum of two to three months just to approve.

And Meeker warned Brown that

even talking with the developer about deannexation before the council

had agreed to lift the ban was walking on thin ice.

"Just let me look into

this," Brown implored of Brandenburg, who finally agreed.

Brown said the density of the

development is five acres, whereas the city's zoning in that area

is for three acres, and with just 36 houses the impact on the city would

be minimal.

"In a few years, those

houses will be worth more than $1 million and that will do a lot for the

city's tax base," Brown said as well.

The mayor said he would avoid

utiltizing city staff as he worked with Wright on a compromise. The issue

is scheduled to appear before the council again next Thursday.