Parcels for Peachtree Creek Greenway secured

With a unanimous vote, the city of Brookhaven agreed to purchase two tracts of land totaling more than 21 acres for the Peachtree Creek Greenway, according to a press release. The acquisitions are a very significant milestone in order to complete the Peachtree Creek Greenway that will ultimately become a 2.98-mile multipurpose linear park and alternative transportation system along the North Fork of Peachtree Creek.

The PCG Master Plan outlines a series of nature trails, paved multipurpose trails and paved promenade trails that will connect Brookhaven’s portion into the 12.3-mile Peachtree Creek Trail project from Mercer University in unincorporated DeKalb to the PATH400 trail, the South Fork Conservancy Trails and the Atlanta Beltline. The PCG will also provide connectivity to areas beyond as part of a larger network of multiuse trails to residences, offices, restaurants, bike rental stands, coffee shops and picnic areas.

The PCG is a High Performance Public Spaces initiative, similar to the Silver Comet Trail. A recent study estimates that for every $1 spent on the Silver Comet Trail expansion, Georgians received $4.64 in direct and indirect economic benefits. Another HPPS project, the Atlanta Beltline, generated $775 million in development within a half-mile of the Eastside Trail.

The 19-acre parcel at Briarwood Road has been target for greenspace, trailhead, parking and crucial ADA access. The second 2.6acre parcel is located behind Corporate Square and will serve as the launching area for the PCG bridge as well as provide more than two acres of community greenspace. Council authorized $2,186,000, or just under $100,000 per acre for both purchases.