Peachtree Corners Citizens Take First Step In Planning For Their Future

Thursday night represented the beginning of sorts for the residents of Peachtree Corners - a chance to speak out about the future of their city.

The first public meeting in developing a Comprehensive Plan for the City of Peachtree Corners was held Thursday evening at City Hall.

The process of creating a Comprehensive Plan, a requirement by the state of Georgia, is an opportunity for residents to look ahead into the next two decades and envision what the city and its residents will need for the future.

It's most difficult to envision ourselves as a community acknowledged Mayor Mike Mason who spoke at the beginning of the meeting.

He reminded the 75+ residents attending that they need to think of themselves as Peachtree Corners citizens.

"It's a challenge for us to think of ourselves as a city," he told the group, many of whom are long-time residents who have lived in the unincorporated area of Gwinnett County for much of their adult lives.

"The city has 38,000 residents and 20 years from now there will be 58,000. Where are those 20,000 going to live?" asked Mason bringing to light the challenges of creating a blueprint for the city's future.

That is just one of the issues facing the the citizens and city planners as it moves ahead and envisions life in 2033.

Transportation, energy needs, infrastructure, housing, those are just a few of the areas that citizens will need to provide their input to help city leaders plan the city's future.

"The Comprehensive Plan is an official document," explained Pond and Company's Michelle Alexander. The company has been retained by the city to help develop its plan.

Some interesting facts about the new city:

• Population: 39,027
• Number of households: 15,189
• Percent of residents who own their own home, 57%
• Number of Businesses: 2,658
• Number of Jobs: 42,915
• Households with children: 38.6%

The audience was asked what they'd like to see develop in Peachtree Corners in the next 20 years; there was a variety of suggestions from pedestrian bridges over S.R. 141, a community gathering place or town center, finding a way to tap into the Chattahoochee River as a natural asset that defines part of the city's border and walking and biking trails.

The next step in creating a road map for the city's future: Two identical meetings to be held April 24 and 25 at two different locations. The times and location TBD.

In the meantime visit the project website for more data on the city. There is also an online survey to complete as part of the process. Click here to take the survey, or visit the city's website and click on the link marked "peachtreecornersplan.blogspot.com

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