It's very ironic that one of the reasons many voted for Peachtree Corners to become a city is to have more control over development and now we are getting something that most people do not want.

I'm more that disappointed...I'm outraged. Gwinnett is already littered with way too many reminders of how it became ruined by "stupid" planning over the past two decades, and yet HERE WE GO AGAIN with yet another developer ruining yet another piece of property with yet another example unneeded/unwanted/stupid growth. I was confident that the city wouldn't let us down by allowing this to happen...I am extremely disappointed.

If anyone wants to start a grass roots campaign to put a stop to this, I'm all on board.

Just last week, a plan was posted for more retail space - what happened to that plan?

That was approved by the Planning Commission last week and will come before the City Council for final approval in the near future.

The establishment of the city of Peachtree Corners, had given us all hope that we could make this a lovely place to live in a county that is already over run with apartments. Now we are in danger of turning into an area like that surrounding Gwinnett Place--apartments, apartments, apartments everywhere, over crowding our schools, raising the crime rates, dumping litter on the streets. And to tell truth, I think that type of development is killing Gwinnett Place Mall. It's just not a place I want to go anymore.
I'll join your grass roots effort.

And anyone who thought that incorporating would stop this land from becoming apartments was misguided. Simply by incorporating we were not going to be able to rezone that piece of land. Anyone who told you otherwise sold you on a promise that he or she could not keep.

Extremely disappointed..... This is exactly what the voters were told wouldn't happen if we voted for "Yes" to becoming a city. How on earth can this happen. And do we have any recourse to change this?

"Disappointed" would be an understatement. I had hoped we were beyond the point where shortsighted developers call the shots while the government functions as "Their" rubber stamp enabler.

Wow! Before we voted to become a city, I was specifically told by a person, who is now on the Zoning Board, that there are so many restrictions on that property it would not be feasible to develop it into apartments.

Will the so-called benefits of adding more residents to the area outweigh its liabilities? Indeed, more folks will flow into The Forum, thus expanding the city's tax base. There is no doubt that traffic will increase on both Peachtree Parkway and Peachtree Corners Circle. Equally, the schools will see an increase in their student bodies, further stressing out the teachers, administrators and support staffs.

The UPCCA fought to keep the land owner from developing it into apartments and even took him to court but the Gwinnett Superior Court ruled in the owner's favor.

I am very very disappointed. It is going to ruin this great area! I cannot believe this is going to happen. I thought when Peachtree Corners became a city we would have more control over this happening. This is not what we were told before voting on becoming a city.

I am shocked that so many of you have such a negative take on apartments. When I was first married I lived in an apartment. My son now lives in an apartment. In stead of complaining, lets work together to make sure that quality apartments are built. I believe this land was zoned prior to the city being approved. If you did not do your research and believed that it would not happen, we'll shame on you. Look how nice the Forum is because the community made sure of the quality that was built. I will be writing my representative to make sure my voice is heard.

There is a City Council meeting tomorrow night (Tues. Jan. 15 at 7 p.m.) and there is a period for public comment during the meeting. This might be an ideal time to let your City Council know your feelings on this development.

I hope that the developer foots the bill for all negative impact on the city. If Simpson Elementary or NHS need changes or additions, let the developer pay for it. If a traffic study shows the need for additional traffic signals or additional lanes on Peachtree Corners Circle or 141; let the developer pay for it. A surety bond covering maintenance of the development for the next thirty years guaranteed by hard assets should be required. Perhaps the development should be walled/screened with adequate setbacks to prevent an eventual eyesore.

There is a BIG miss in not utlizing some of that land for greenspace. Currently, Peachtree Corners does not have any central gathering spot or green space for its residents (think festivals, concerts, farmer's market, etc.). I was hoping we'd head in the direction of Suwane's townsquare, which is a mix of green space, retail, etc.

I'd like a real estate specialist to weigh in on how the apartments would potentially impact property values (Nancy Minor?) and how school zoning would impact the project increase in numbers of students at Simpson (Mary Kay Murphy)? Judy- perhaps you can reach out to Nancy and Mary Kay to write a voice piece addressing these topics. Thanks!

First of all I would like to say that Peachtree Corners becoming a city, had nothing to do with this apartment complex project. The fight against this land being developed into apartments was led by the United Peachtree Corners Civic Association (UPCCA) long before the City existed. Those working on behalf of the area included our present Mayor Mike Mason and various UPCCA members. Before becoming mayor he and other UPCCA members were advocates for the Peachtree Corners area.

UPCCA members did all they could to fight this development without any legal standing or compensation. Their voice was heard by the Gwinnett County Commission who took up the fight on UPCCA’s behalf. The Gwinnett County commission fought it to the Georgia State Supreme court and lost as the Patch article above states.

As far as this apartment development’s impact on the area from this Realtor's point of view is that adding 250 potential families to our schools, public services and roads can only be a detriment to the community.

Our driving force behind our property values is the strength of our schools.

Traffic issues, demands on services such as fire and police all lead to concern about the apartment complex being developed.

Some have stated that we should purchase this land for open space. To pay the going rate of fifty million dollars for the land would be well out of the budget of the City of Peachtree Corners..

On a final note. Had we been a city at the time this project was proposed we may have had more clout and the ability to fight it. We now control our destiny. We did not at the time this was approved.

There goes the neighborhood.

What if the city council refuses to approve the project?

Not only will Peachtree Corners have over 50% apartments, this does not include all the other rental property in our new, expensive city. Another lesson in under-regulated capitalism and politicians expanding government for no reasonable purpose. Along with the apartments, further reduction in school quality, and increased traffic, when your residential property values increasingly underperform compared to other areas, remind me about the freedom to use your property any way you wish and the reason for more government. Thanks, Charlie Roberts, for putting money ahead of the common good. Thanks, Mayor Mike Mason and your "Yes" followers for selling us a impotent, counter-cost-productive, additional layer of government. By the way, again, why did we need a new city government that takes over two million dollars a year from businesses and property owners? Last I checked, the city has accomplished nothing for about $2 million a year than to pad a few individuals' résumés, and provide them photo ops and public exposure, employ an attorney and a few government workers that are not authorized by the city charter, worth the pay or are underemployed, rent more space than is needed for the three employees, mayor and council, to purchase at our expense a middling logo, for city welcome signs on the perimeter of an apartment haven, and spend millions of our money to do what Gwinnett County was already doing (without any equivalent reduction in county taxes).

I am not only disappointed,but very,very disappointed about adding this apartments in our neighborhood. What can we do to let them quit?

"All plans will be subject to review by the city's Planning Commission with the ultimate approval falling on the Peachtree Corners City Council."

I believe the city actually has a lot of leeway in rejecting a development under current case law. We voted to create the city so that a legal entity could prevent this from occurring. The city must not capitulate before exercising all options. The city council must not give up, and if a lawsuit results, so be it. The result would likely be different than the County's case, since it would be repeated rejection of a proposed development, rather than a rezoning.

In the alternative, are there connections between any of our public servants and Charlie Roberts? Regardless, as it turns out, the city can't do what many promised, and apparently the mayor and council weren't so inclined, weren't able, or were too incompetent to have found alternatives early on. As such the city has turned out to be a multimillion dollar boondoggle we are paying for, and will continue to pay for as our schools suffer, traffic increases, single family residential property values fall below comparable homes elsewhere, and our quality of life suffers year after year in the future. Yes, adding more politicians to Peachtree Corners has really made a difference. Let's hope the lemmings that voted for our expensive city and a new crop of politicians wake up sometime.

That Gwinnett Transit bus stopping right in front of those apartments will certainly ensure the high-end apartment dwellers.

It's my understanding that the city cannot stop apartments from being built if that is what the developer is determined to do. The property had been rezoned for apartments some years ago after the property owner sued the county when the county turned down his rezoning request and he won in court. Perhaps Lennar (the company that is purchasing the property and developing into apts) is who you need contact. The company's headquarters are in Miami, Fla.

Wow, sure glad I moved to the City of Norcross! If anyone thinks this isn't going to negatively affect EVERYTHING about Peachtree Corners, he or she is a complete fool. Better get the City Attorney busy and fast. I know Lennar, and they could not give
a rat's behind about your "quality of life." It's all about the money and the revenue streamproduced by apartments. Wonder if they paid off your Council?!! LOL.

Yea, Peachtree Corners is headed downhill - lots more apartments with transient renters, more traffic, overcrowded schools, reduced student performance, and a city that is impotent but takes $2 million from property owners each and every single year for no purpose that the county didn't already fulfill, and without any reduction for county taxes. Sure, families wanting to buy nice houses will really want to move here. Wait for real estate agents selling in other areas to spread the word. Maybe some of the neighborhoods should secede or ask Norcross and Duluth to annex them.

what a bunch of fools....peachtree corners will be just fine, the sky is not falling...

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You have a great point there Judy. Its a crying shame the commissioners in Gwinnett County who were doing the land dealings didn't think the same way. They filled their pocket with their neighbors cash and none have gone to jail but one. Sad to see them still walking the streets among their Neighbors. Does seem to leave a little bad taste in your mouth. Especially at times like this and tax time. We hope that our city officials will remember they live among their Neighbors. Over a period of time things will change just look at whats in Washington. It doesn't usually start out bad but it sure has ended up very corrupt. Big money makes people do strange things. Just need to always keep the checks and balances in place. No one treats your money like you do. It seems once its given to politicians its forgotten where it came from. It comes from the people who put you in there. Funny how Amnesia sets in and makes it so easy to spend and remember where it comes from.

I for one do not want more appartment in Peachtree Corners. Our schools are over crowded with appox. 26 children per class room at Simpson already, How does this make any sence for the well being of our comunity. Life as we know it will change with the congestion alone. We need to put pressure on our elected city concil to do the right thing and fight to keep our comminity a wonderful place to live

If we want to keep apartments from being built their is only one sure fire way to do that. We need to get the funds together and BUY the property.Then the city can do with it as it pleases.

I am not sure but is there a zoning of Apartment or is it Multi Family - can the new city of ours require the multi family be Condo and not Apartment? - Not that i support multi family but condo has some investment by the occupant where apartment does not.