Proposed Peachtree Corners Planning District

From the September 14th, 2009 UPCCA meeting, Mike Mason, President of the UPCCA, introduces our Ga. State Representative, Tom Rice to discuss the proposed Peachtree Corners Planning District.



The UPCCA would like to give a very special thanks to Peachtree Corners resident Bob Howard for making the video!

What Is A Planning District? A Planning District must be created by the General Assembly, signed by the Governor, enacted by resolution of the Gwinnett County Commission, and then approved by a majority of the registered voters in Peachtree Corners. A planning district:

• Creates legally defined geographical boundaries (currently underway with the County).

• Prevents an adjoining municipality from annexing any property in the Planning District, except by the 100% method.

• Allows specific governmental services to be provided.

• Creates a special tax district to fund those services.

Why Should We Do This? A Planning District would give us local control of quality of life issues without the costly duplication of services found in a City.

• We believe this will help us improve and maintain the quality of life in Peachtree Corners.

• Becoming a City is an expensive duplication of services that Gwinnett County already provides.

• However, certain government services, specifically those related to land-use are essential to address quality of life issues. All other current governmental services would continue to be provided by the County.

What Are the Benefits? The Planning District would:

• Participate with the County in long range, comprehensive planning for land use zoning and development.

• Conduct hearings on zoning and land use issues, including enforcement of overlay district provisions.

• Limit the County Commission’s ability to overrule the Planning District, unless a super majority (80%) of the Commission votes to overrule.

• Spend tax proceeds on landscaping, maintenance, and beautification of roadways, rights of way, county owned green space, a portion of the operation and maintenance of county owned parks located in the Planning District and other incidental expenses as may be required.

What Does It Cost?

• The current legislative proposal would allow an ad valorem tax on real property not to exceed 0.5 mills.

• The annual dollar impact on property taxes for a home costing $100,000 is currently being calculated by the County.

• The County would collect the tax, keep up to 4% for administrative costs, and then remit the net proceeds to the Planning District.

How Would It Work? The County Commission would appoint a five member Board, four of whom must be residents and the fifth being a representative of the commercial properties

• The Board would conduct the business of the Planning District and provide to the County, and publish in the local newspaper each year, an accounting of monies spent.

• It would be subject to open meetings and open records.

• The Planning District would exist in perpetuity and the County could not make any material changes in the authorizing resolution (e.g., tax rate, boundaries, powers of the Board, etc.), without the approval of the voters in the District.