City Planning Commission - It's All About The Money $$$

The City of Johns Creek, Georgia - Government Planning Commission's vote this week to approve a zoning change to the property at 11085 State Bridge Road was sadly expected, but still both farcical in the voting members' reasoning and insulting to the intelligence of Johns Creek residents. You have one last chance, on June 17th at 7pm to ask the city commission to stop this project. 

Let's take a look at some of the absurd arguments made by the board members who voted in approval, while dismissing very legitimate concerns of actual residents who will be adversely impacted by this latest rubber stamp approval for even more in-fill development. 

1) Board member Chris Jackson argued, “If there [were] hopes for a park to be there, it’s not in the cards,” Jackson said. He said the plan just doesn't fit into the city's parks master plan". A plan that seemingly dismisses a petition of more than 800 residents who signed a petition asking for the land to be reserved for green space or a small park. So, a master parks plan that ignores the largest petition gathered to date for an actual park. Got it. 

2) Jackson argues a park would be 'too much work' and 'too expensive'. Yet, somehow, it's not too expensive for a developer to build homes starting at $1.2 million which will HAVE ITS OWN PRIVATE, GATED GREENSPACE. So, too expensive for general public use, but not too expensive to gate it off and leave it to the private use of just 4 families. 

3) Hundreds of families in several subdivisions and apartment complexes west of Jones Bridge Road off State Bridge will remain without park space within walking distance. But not four well-off families now. 

4) Jackson argues this plan is better than letting the lot remain a 'blight' with a run down, uncared for building on the property. So, Jackson and the other members play right into the hands of the land owner who WILLINGLY LET the building he owns become a blight. Now that landowner will be paid off handsomely because the zoning board is willfully blind or playing along with the game. It is quite obvious the landowner let the property become a blight so the city would be duped into thinking 'well, a new development is better than a blight...created by the person who will benefit financially from this approval."

5) The planning commission waved aside legitimate concerns from several residents that their property taxes will increase even more due to the new high-end properties being built next to their long-standing and affordable neighborhood. Not their concern I guess.

6) If the city's master parks plan is not a living document as Mr. Jackson argues, then why is the overall city master plan (which the city spent tens of thousand of dollars creating just a few years ago) not also considered 'unchangeable'? Because that plan identified this section of Ocee as needing to maintain its character and this specific piece of land needed to remain designated as a small business property. 

From the city's own community master plan on the Ocee area of Johns Creek: "The vision for the Ocee Community Area is to become the City’s premier western gateway from GA 400 by enhancing the quality of public infrastructure and roadway.....It is envisioned that the entire community will become more pedestrian- and bike-friendly...."

Show up on June 17th at City Hall at 7pm to let the City Commissioners know how you feel about this proposal.