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DEL.ICIO.US“An emerging war: rustic versus retail”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The issue is bigger, really, than strawberries and strip malls.
Crown Point Properties of Loganville wants to build a 94,200-square-foot strip center at Ga. 20, Willowwind Drive and Bay Creek Road. The project would eat up 10 acres of a popular pick-and-pay strawberry field at Washington Farms near Loganville.
Opponents jokingly call themselves the “strawberry people.” They have passed out fliers, rallied neighbors and implored the county to stop the project. They even have a blog (www.savethestrawberryfields.blogspot.com).
Last week, the “strawberry people” e-mailed an invitation for the Badie Tour to visit their little corner of Gwinnett. Even offered to serve coffee and a strawberry-themed treat. Given the holiday deadline for my Thursday column, though, a tour stop wasn’t possible before Nov. 27. That’s when the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners is to consider whether to grant a rezoning request that would pave the way for the paving over of the strawberry field.
The “strawberry people” are to be commended for their efforts. Democracy in action. They were given hope on Nov. 6, when the Gwinnett County Planning Commission recommended denial of the project. The drought and water consumption, the body said in a 7-1 vote, were reason enough to say no.
I don’t know how much weight county officials will give that recommendation. There are other factors to weigh, though. We live in a county whose modus operandi seems to be build-now, worry later. Quality-of-life suffers because of it. Some commercial and residential developments clog roads, pack schools and strain other segments of the infrastructure.
Ridiculously so.
Diane N. Bates, one of the “strawberry people,” says there’s evidence aplenty in the shape of empty buildings and vacant offices on Ga. 20 between Grayson and Loganville. She blames a “build it and they will come environment,” one that has prevailed in the county for years.
No matter where they live in Gwinnett, even the most aloof residents would have to say “amen.” Nail salons, sub shops, cleaners and wing joints rule the roost. Hard to make sense of it all. And because of that, some of us tend to see red when the county green lights certain projects.
Still, we can’t forget one pesky, pertinent factor. Landowners pretty much have the right to do what they please with their land. No, it’s not absolute. But as long as it’s in accordance with zoning classifications _ or in the case of the Loganville project, acceptable rezoning requests _ it’s allowable.
The Loganville issue highlights another issue, too, something District 3 Commissioner Mike Beaudreau calls an emerging “tug of war.” It pits development against rural, or semi-rural, enclaves. Rustic versus retail, if you will.
People like Diane and Lamar Bates were attracted to Loganville’s country flavor. Open space. Llama and horse farms. Tranquility. Two-lane roads. Bay Creek Road is so narrow that, when a car and truck approach in opposite directions, one has to stop so the other may pass.
Then, next thing you know, retail/office centers started popping up. One after the other. Keep this up, residents reason, and they’ll soon live near another Memorial Drive or U.S. 78. They don’t want that.
So the “strawberry people” fight.
Several years ago, the same parcel of property in Loganville was slated for a gas station. Residents raised up then, too. For whatever reasons, the developer pulled out.
Opponents of the current proposed project hope for a repeat.
That way, they can have their strawberry field a little longer, but it’s doubtful it will last forever.
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail rbadie@ajc.com.
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Comments
By Loganville Lil
November 17, 2007 7:20 PM | Link to this
Hopefully, our commissioners are finally realizing that the people in Gwinnett do “see red when the county green lights certain projects,” especially ones like this rezoning. The developer says he doesn’t even have any tenants lined up for this shopping center!
By Justin
November 17, 2007 9:34 PM | Link to this
Rick, if you, Bruce and Michael would just pick up the phone and talk to each other the AJC could save trees and money.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 17, 2007 10:36 PM | Link to this
But what would you drool on Justin?
By Michael H. Smith
November 18, 2007 1:26 AM | Link to this
I’ve read a few things from another news source published a couple of days ago that just has me wondering a bit. I would love to have Planning Commissioner Jose Perez elaborate on the “slippery slope” prospective that denying this rezoning based on non-existent infrastructure would place this county upon?
This quote is golden:
“We’re frustrated in a lot of cases where we felt the infrastructure was lagging behind,” Planning Commissioner Floy Jumper said. “We’ve seen a lot of zonings go not so well because we haven’t taken infrastructure into account enough.”
To Planning Commissioner Jose Perez and the entire Gwinnett Board of Commissioners we the taxpayers are already on a “slippery slope”. The county can’t even meet the operating budget and the drastically cut back lagging infrastructure funding needs now, without borrowing our money from the county reserves. Growth is flat and will be for some time. Mr. Connell’s little tax history lesson in the insider was nothing more than a prelude to softening up the old homeowners to the idea that a property tax increase is in order because our property is worth paying more taxes for. Lets reassess the value on property that lacks sufficient infrastructure to support its’ over-rated inflated value, shall we Mr. Connell? You know, like in California and other real estate markets around the country where the goods just didn’t support the over-appraised values?
One of these days and that day may not be far-off when the people of this county might just be willing to test the legal waters in a class action lawsuit against the county to stop all development, until the county builds the necessary infrastructure that can truly support our property values.
Nah, the strawberry fields probably won’t last forever but I’m not so sure the belligerence within the development community that I’ve depended upon to make my livelihood most of my life will ever end. As for the county commissioners, the irresponsibility that has allowed for an inadequate infrastructure to exist that cannot support its’ structural development has to end.
By Cerise Nape
November 19, 2007 10:33 AM | Link to this
If you hypocrites owned any land that was desirable for development, you wouldn’t spout your socialistic rant. You’d defend the rights of private property owners to sell land for the highest and best dollar. All of you anti-development losers need to experience some Eminent Domain.
By Katie
November 19, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this
We need another strip mall like we need another hole in our heads. Leave the strawberry farm alone.
By Michael H. Smith
November 19, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this
Like I said, the belligerence within the development community will never end. A few of us in the building trades have long realized business as usual can no longer be practiced as usual, if our industry is to thrive.
That my hypocritical friend is called being smart enough not to take a dump in your own capitalist coffee cup!
Sustainable development can only exist in a sustainable environment, think about it.