At Issue: Will Braves traffic plan keep peace among governments?

Proponents say the increase is needed to get people to rethink their wastefulness. Critics say many will form their own illegal dumping grounds creating a more expensive burden on Clayton taxpayers.

Here’s what some readers had to say:

I think the new price hike at Clayton County Landfill is ridiculous, these people that make decisions like that need to be run out of office. How easy would it have been to just charge non-county dumpers the $100 fee since county residence only comprise of less than 40 percent of the users. This decision is only going to promote illegal dumping around the county, which is going to cost the county even more money to pick that up and enforce the illegal dumping law. Now the landfill will fill up even faster. — Anderson Silverback

I'm a Clayton County resident. Any time I see where Clayton County is ostensibly the trash dump for the entire metro area I think a rate hike is exactly what we need. Atlanta dumped on us when they tore down their housing project before the Olympics so it's about time we stood up for ourselves about something. I'll gladly pay the increased fee and if I see anyone dumping trash where it's not supposed to be I will take pictures and call the police in a second. — Neil Farmer, Lake Spivey

I understand the concerns in regard to the sustainability of the current landfill, the rate increase to the home owner in Clayton County I find to be ludicrous. Restrict landfill use to Clayton County property and business owners only! I do support the commercial increase. — Rob Peterson, Clayton County District 4 resident

I think the $100 fee is exorbitant. While I have never had to use the Clayton County Landfill, I know people who have. What this price increase will cause is more trash being thrown on the sides of the roads-anything from mattresses, to electronics to other bulk items. There are no other options convenient for residents in and around Clayton County to dispose of waste. I hope the rate increase is rescinded. — Diane Dane

Yes, the rate increase at Lovejoy landfill is justified. It is about time a county landfill actually reflects the rea/true cost of land-filling trash. The Northeastern states have had tipping fees around $90 to $100 for decades. That is why recycling works in those states.There is a need to divert from your typical "throw and go," lazy ways of throwing out one's trash and realize that 60 percent of trash is recyclable. When it hits the pockets, people begin to pay attention to what they are actually throwing away and learn that they have been throwing valuable/commodities in a hole, to just pile up and not be of any use. Reduce (your trash), reuse (what you purchase) and recycle (paper, plastic, glass and metal). —Brandie Townsend

Rates could be raised for citizens of Clayton County only nominally, perhaps to $20 - $25 per load. Businesses with Clayton County tags would pay some increase as well. Out-of-the-county usage should bear the weight of the newly increased fees. Why was this ever allowed anyway? If the purpose is to keep from filling up the facility in two years, this plan would extend its life since $100 per truckload will be prohibitive for most people. — Judy and Wilton Marchman

Here’s a crazy idea. Why not let county residents (non-commercial only) use the landfill for free? Or if not totally free, some very small administration fee of say, $5.00? Just show identification of county residence and have at it. I know it’s not really “free” as there would have to be subsidies from each county to support the idea. But charging a typical resident who likely won’t use a landfill but 1-3 times per year a $100 fee is just going to transfer the trash burden elsewhere. We’ve all driven down small, secluded country roads and seen the results of this.

Sadly most counties will say that they can't take on such a expense. But can we afford to pass the buck on this issue ? Someone always pays for trash dumped illegally. Let's take a big picture approach and solve this problem. Establish a convenient and cheap way for people to place their trash in an approved location. And short of radioactive waste, allow them to bring everything/anything to a facility set up to take it! Had we done this decades ago we wouldn't see nearly as many areas full of debris that people couldn't afford to dump legally. — Joseph Saurini, Johns Creek

The trickle down effect of this decision will have a negative effect on the quality of life in the county for many years to come. There are energy grants and all sorts of options, so one must look at the landfill board are they proactive or engaged in the concerns of the landfill or just got a title? — Prince Timothy Vondell Jefferson

No! We already have too many people who won't pay $40, you'll definitely have less if you charge $100. If you look around Clayton County, you'll see hundreds of "dumping" sites that people use as their personal landfills. Homeowners, but mostly renters, burn their household garbage (which is illegal, but who stops them?) as opposed to paying for sanitation service. If they won't pay for sanitation service, what makes you think they'll pay $100 to use the landfill? Charging more will only exacerbate the trash problem we have in this county. — Carol Crooks

The only rate increase that would be justified is for out of county users since it has been reported that more than half of the waste dumped at the landfill comes from other counties. If the landfill is close to capacity, then the fee for out of county users should be increased enough that use would be discouraged or hopefully eliminated completely. In the future, if there is a need for an in-county rate increase, residents should be informed and public input solicited as to the amount of the increase. When word gets out about the July 1 rate increase, trash will be dumped on roadways, on vacant lots, in donation boxes, in the back of businesses, and along wooded areas. Trash will also be burned outside causing air quality issues. Reports of illegal dumping will greatly increase and when the trash is picked up it will then be taken straight to the landfill at taxpayers' expense. This rate increase definitely needs to be studied and reconsidered. — Judy Taylor

Things did not go well the evening of June 21 when a delegate from Cobb County dropped a bombshell on the Sandy Springs City Council: The traffic plan for the new Braves stadium would have motorists using Sandy Springs streets to get to the ballpark.

On game days, highway message boards along westbound I-285 would direct baseball fans to exit at New Northside Drive. At the top of the ramp, drivers would turn right and follow the street to Interstate North Parkway, a frontage road. A two-lane bridge over the Chattahoochee River would take them into Cobb County and to SunTrust Park.

The problem? I-285 at New Northside is on the Fulton County side of the ‘Hooch – in Sandy Springs. It’s a commercial district surrounded by residential areas.

Sandy Springs officials seemed aghast. Mayor Rusty Paul called the plan a “nightmare.”

“We’re going to have to sit down and have a long conversation about this,” he growled.

That conversation took place a couple of days later. A news release jointly issued by Cobb and Sandy Springs on June 23 said Paul, Cobb Chairman Tim Lee and their staff met that morning to talk about traffic. They promised to work together “in developing alternatives to address game day travel.”

Peace has been restored in the northern Perimeter – for now.

Possible solutions include a new interchange or slip ramp off westbound I-285 on the Cobb side of the Chattahoochee, giving motorists a direct shot to SunTrust without passing through Sandy Springs. But that could take years to happen.

What do you think? Will Cobb County, Sandy Springs and the Braves resolve the stadium access issue by Opening Day 2017 – or will they not even make it to first base? Send comments by email to communitynews@ajc.com