City buys property back from developer

Peachtree City has agreed to buy back land from a developer who was denied permission to build on it. The City Council approved the $300,000 price last week, almost a year after acknowledging that city staff made a mistake when platting the 4.3-acre site on Robinson Road opposite Avalon Park.

The city did not factor in a required 50-foot greenbelt buffer, and nearby residents complained when Zenco Development announced plans to clearcut the site to build four houses. project during a special called meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Jefferson Station Council Chambers, 1526 E. Forrest Ave., Suite 400. The purpose of the meeting is to give the council an illustration of what the Town Center and municipal center could look like once complete.

The council will get a presentation on the progress of developing the city’s downtown area. The council will also discuss the new City Hall project with the Sizemore Group, which is designing the municipal building.

Information: www.eastpointcity.org.

Agreement on trail project finalized

of the Panola Mountain Greenway Trail project. Once completed, the multi-use trail will stretch from Austin Road Middle School to Panola Mountain State Park.

The total cost, which includes the county’s cash and in-kind contributions as well as PATH funds and a state grant, is now at $1,865,000.

Information: www.henrycounty-ga.org.

Construction bid for fire station approved

A $2,282,000 bid for construction of a new fire station in the Kelleytown area was approved Aug. 16 by the Board of Commissioners.

The move was welcomed by Commissioner Blake Prince, who said some homeowners in his district have seen insurance costs triple in the past 10 years. Proximity to fire stations is a factor in determining homeowner insurance rates. The station, expected to be completed in July 2017, will be adjacent to the Bud Kelley Park.

UPCOMING

The Raleigh Ringers Handbell Choir Concert. 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday. $20. Peachtree City United Methodist Church, 225 Robinson Road, Peachtree City. 70-487-2962. Tickets: ptcumc.org/rr. rr.org.

Golf Fore Kids Classic. 9:30 a.m. registration, 11 a.m. shotgun start, 4 p.m. awards and reception, then dinner Monday. Eagle’s Landing Country Club, 100 Eagle’s Landing Way, Stockbridge. Fundraiser to benefit The Children’s Village at Christian City in Union City, for victims of child abuse. Register: Ashley Bonner at 678-4661093 or ashleyb@christian-city. org. ChristianCity.org.

Traffic perception worse than actual numbers

Recent statistics provided by the Georgia Department of Transportation indicate that Decatur’s traffic isn’t as congested as commonly perceived. Since 1996 the city’s population has jumped from roughly 18,000 to the current 22,000, an 18 percent increase. But over that same span, traffic counts have diminished practically throughout the city.

The numbers were presented recently during a city commission work session on Decatur’s comprehensive plan update.

Traffic in 2015 was down 9 percent from 1996 on College Avenue in the Renfroe Middle School vicinity. During that same duration it’s down 15 percent at College/Sams Crossing, down 8 percent on Ponce de Leon Avenue/ Sycamore Drive (near the MARTA parking lot), down 13 percent on Ponce near the St. Thomas More Church and down 23 percent on East Trinity Place where the Arlo development is finishing up.

The numbers, however, are more varied over the last five years (2011-15), down in some areas with an increase in others. Traffic is down 23 percent on Scott Boulevard near Westchester Elementary, though that school reopened two years ago. But in that same Renfroe region of West College traffic is up 35 percent.