Letters to the Editor, September 27, 2007

I enjoyed the cover story in the September 13 Roswell Beacon regarding the upcoming 2007 Roswell City Council elections. As a nearby resident of the Holcomb Bridge/Ga. 400 intersection, I was particularly interested in the candidates’ positions on funding the improvements of this intersection in preparation for redevelopment of the “Roswell East” area.

The candidates took the familiar positions, that Roswell/Georgia/the Federal Government needs to pay for the improvements as soon as possible. One candidate went so far as to recommend begging the GDOT for funding assistance. Still others sang the familiar tune of our mayor about “tax allocation districts” as the solution to our problem.

What was painfully absent from all of the candidates’ responses was the most obvious solution: have the developer pay a large share of the infrastructure improvement costs for this intersection. While nary mentioned by the City Council candidates, this method of funding is standard practice throughout the country. As a former executive of a large regional retailer, I know our company was frequently required by city and county governments to pay for improvements such as adding traffic lights, adding turn lanes, or improving water and sewer lines. These costs could be hundreds of thousands of dollars, on a site with less than $2 million in building costs.

Developer exactions, as these fees are commonly known, are frequently used by local governments as a strategy to offset the costs of infrastructure improvements made necessary by new development. Exactions are levied on developers in exchange for the approvals to proceed with a project. As an example, Cambridge, Massachusetts levies a $3.00/ft2 developer exaction fee on all new retail, commercial, and hotel property.  If this fee was applied in Roswell, it would collect $21.9 million from the developer for the 7.3 million ft2 planned for Roswell East. This would go a long way towards mitigating the estimated $50 million price tag for Holcomb Bridge/Ga. 400 improvements.

Tax allocation districts (TADs), much heralded by some Council members and the mayor, are hardly appropriate for this project. According to the Atlanta Development Authority, TADs are “established for the purpose of publicly financing certain redevelopment activities in underdeveloped areas … Typically, upon creation, TADs have vacant commercial and residential properties, blighted conditions and numerous vacant buildings or are in need of significant environmental remediation.” While this description applied well to Atlantic Station, it clearly does not apply to Roswell East -- “Underdeveloped areas” with “vacant commercial and residential properties” and “blighted conditions”? Hardly.

The Roswell East location is prime real estate and any developer stands to make millions by building on this property. Why in the world would the ordinary citizens of Roswell foot the entire bill, or be forced to beg the state or federal government for this project? Better yet, why are no City Council members or candidates or the mayor even talking about an obvious solution to this problem?

Martin Howell

[Regarding 200 Park Bridge Lane in Roswell]

For years this property has been an eyesore. Previous HOA Boards have filed liens (which have made no impact at all) and numerous violations have been issued to the homeowner for years. This has become a cat and mouse game with the homeowner, the HOA, and the city of Roswell.

I have worked diligently to pursue help from the city of Roswell Code Enforcement office for several years because the city laws are above the HOA Protective Covenants. As a result, there have been numerous citations, but really no enforcement. The city has also provided notice after notice and extension after extension to the homeowner who will then only clean up the property temporarily before the deadline of the notice or extension. Usually within days, the property is filled with junk again and the cat and mouse game begins all over again.  The Roswell Beacon paper recently ran an article on this very issue throughout the Roswell area and the City Code Enforcement office and the process.  I believe the Code Enforcement office is now trying to work on damage control from the recent articles because this concern is happening in neighborhoods throughout the city of Roswell and now it's been brought to the public's attention.

Should cat litter boxes, food containers, garbage and many other unsightly items strewn out all over the driveway and yard ever be acceptable?  From a property value concern, most homeowners I believe would probably say absolutely not. There is also the health concern with the litter boxes and the open food containers and rodents.  The HOA Protective Covenants are legally binding, but a community rarely has the financial resources to pursue enforcement.  We cannot afford the legal fees associated with this kind of problem.

If you are concerned … if you would take just a moment to send an e-mail to the following city officials to express your concerns about this long-term problem within our community and other HOAs just like ours who face the same problem. One voice alone often has little impact. Many voices are needed to make things happen.
 
Bradford Townsend (Planning and Zoning Director)  btownsend@ci.roswell.ga.us or 770-594-6176;

Vicki Barclay (Code Enforcement Supervisor)
vbarclay@ci.roswell.ga.us

Paula Winiski (City Council)
pwiniski@ci.roswell.ga.us
 
Lori Henry (City Council)
henry@ci.roswell.ga.us

Jerry Orlans (City Council)
jorlans@ci.roswell.ga.us

David Tolleson (City Council)                         dtolleson@ci.roswell.ga.us
 

Park Bridge needs people who are concerned about this, to voice their concerns.  I can't do this alone for it to be effective.
 
Denise Detamore

Thank you to you and yours for keeping us up to speed and plans for development in North Fulton and other nearby places. Perhaps a beachhead or breakwall has been reached/breached/broached for more reasonable and sustainable growth and according to the folks who live there. Here, too.

Keep the Beacon coming, it's a good read in so many ways/respects,

Tom Stanek