I support the city because I believe those of us who live in Peachtree Corners deserve the right to choose what the future of our community will be and not have that future decided for us by politicians we did not elect.
Peachtree Corners is a community of 38,000 people without legal boundaries and without legal standing. We are therefore subject to government by majority vote of the County Board of Commissioners. Many of their decisions are routine. Others, however, involve zoning and land development matters that can have profound and lasting impact on a community's future way of life and desirability as a place to live.
Peachtree Corners voters have the opportunity to elect only one commissioner. The practical result is that decisions about Peachtree Corners will always be made by a majority of commissioners not elected by Peachtree Corners voters.
Regardless of how comfortable we may be with our current Board of Commissioners, we must not bet our future on a status quo that is always subject to change with the next election. Our future is too important. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to become a city.
What does cityhood mean?
Cityhood for Peachtree Corners means limited government at a limited cost. It means legal boundaries and local control of only those things that make a difference to our quality of life - Planning and Zoning, Code Enforcement, and Solid Waste Pickup. It means these three services and no others without a vote of the people. It means we will decide our future, and it will not be decided for us. It means our elected city leaders will be neighbors who will share that future with us.
It does not mean another layer of government. Gwinnett County will not duplicate any of the three services. It does not mean unlimited government. The city charter is limited to the three services. It does not mean an unlimited ability to raise taxes. The city charter is limited to 1 mil for property taxes.
I support the city because I believe in my neighbors.
Editor's note: Wayne Knox is the vice president United Peachtree Corners Civic Association (UPCCA). His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Peachtree Corners Patch. We welcome your opinion. Please submit to the editor at judy.putnam@patch.com.
Tony Dwiggins
7:36 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011
Well said. Local control is crucial on quality of life matters. Believe me, it is no fun living in a large, ever changing metro- Atlanta county and trying to get them to enforce residential codes. I tried and this county bureaucracy could not handle or even coherently discuss local residential code enforcement, and, consequently, I had to run from there to Peachtree Corners several years ago. I do not want to repeat
that experience here. My vote is YES.
David Manley
10:12 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011
When the County Commission has made decisions in the past, specially concerning zoning and land use, it has taken the larger and countywide view rather than looking at Peachtree Corners as a politically cohesive area. This was not necessarily inappropriate, but resulted in decisions that were not tailored to our area's makeup, allowing lower residential and commercial property values than other areas with comparable structures, overbuilding of strip centers and multifamily housing, extended stay hotels, billboards, and zoning ordinances that could not prevent such things as garish adult bookstores. Voting "yes" for our new city will allow the control needed to have a unique family oriented community conducive to quality housing, schools and workplaces. Conversely, the failure to vote "yes" will send a resounding message that we are not interested in politically protecting our community and continuation of past affronts should continue.
Harry Dorfman
1:16 pm on Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Maybe the code enforcement people dont jump when whiners and kooks call.