Code Enforcement if Peachtree Corners Becomes a City

I received the below email this morning.

Code Enforcement if Peachtree Corners Becomes a City

By The Peachtree Corners Ballot Committee


One of the 3 proposed services for a City of Peachtree Corners is “Code Enforcement”. What is a “service” in the eyes of UPCCA can quickly become a “horror” for the city’s resident.  Here are a few examples:
Code enforcement companies are contracted with the city.  Therefore, they will be out to fine, ticket and enforce violations that most of us will not realize we are committing, until it’s too late.
 In Roswell a new resident was fined $15.00 because their trash container was out front in the street, and it wasn’t collection day.
Do you have a dead tree in your yard? It’s a code violation.
 The charter will even make us responsible for sidewalk repair in front of our homes; we could be fined if they are not maintained.
 Code enforcement officers are encouraged by a salary that has incentives and is commission based.  The more tickets, they write the more money they make. Fines and Permit costs will be set by the city council, your “self determined” neighbors, and the people who are in office.
Permits
As a source of revenue, some small towns and cities throughout the United States have enacted an ordinance requiring the sale of homes within the city limits be inspected before the homeowner can put them up for sale.
A code enforcement officer will inspect your home at a cost that will be split with the city.  Some cities are charging as much as $500 for the permit.  Any violations will have to be corrected before you will be allowed to put your home on the market.
Examples:
Some homes in our area have smoke alarms that are not wired, but are battery operated.
Current code requires bigger ventilation ductwork for hot water heaters than the codes when many houses in PC were built
In Peachtree Station, most chimneys do not meet the required height according to the current code.
Today, any inspection repairs can be negotiated between the buyer and the seller.  If we have to get a permit we may no longer have that freedom.



. Many in John’s Creek were caught by surprise by the sudden need to acquire permits that were not necessary prior to becoming a city
When is a permit required in Johns Creek?
 "Any owner, authorized agent, or contractor who desires to construct,
enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a
building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove,
convert, or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system, the
installation of which is regulated by the construction codes, or to cause
any such work to be done, shall first make application to the Building
Official and obtain the required permit for the work. A permit shall not be
issued to an owner, who is neither a licensed contractor nor the occupant of
a residential structure being altered."—City Code, Chapter 105-52****

   Pretty encompassing language:
Want to have a plumber install a new water heater or toilets in your house- get a permit.
Want to change your fireplace to gas logs- get a permit.
Want to make some roofing repairs- get a permit
Want to change your electric cook top to a gas unit-get a permit.
Technically, if you bought a new water saving shower head at Home Depot and wanted to install it yourself in your shower, you would need to get a permit and hire a plumber.

  Note: in Gwinnett County, you do not need a permit for any of the above examples; except possibly having to run a new gas line or new electrical circuit for the stove, but not the stove itself.



In John’s Creek, a family wanted to enhance their backyard with a gazebo, fire pit, and seating. The permit was $750, while the entire cost of the project was less than $900.

In John’s Creek, a permit is also needed if your neighborhood wants to put up a graduation sign for your children.
In Dunwoody, hot water tanks have to be permitted along with heating and A/C unit replacements. Want to have a garage sale with your neighbor?  You will need a permit.


   And a real life situation from Jack Fox of Peachtree Station:
You are so right in advising people to find out what happened in Johns Creek. We owned a second home there when it became a city. Suddenly, you had to get city permits for everything from re-roofing your own roof to putting up "graduation signs" in your yard.  The city found more ways to raise money with ridiculous permits than you can imagine.  It made our selling that home very difficult.

    Making it harder to sell your home tends to lower your property values.


Code Enforcement Fines and Permit costs are a way for a city to generate income.   This is just a few examples of how the new city will be able to control you through code enforcement and permits.  You will have less “self determination” about so many things you might wish to do with your home or business.  The new city government will “self determine” for you. None of these permits and fees will go to a referendum for approval. It’s in the Charter.

Consider this when you vote on November 8th.

Vision for Peachtree Corners

I received the below letter and thought I'd share.


Vision for Peachtree Corners
By Jim Nelems and Jose R Perez


Peachtree Corners’ future remains bright and vibrant. However, like many other areas of our country, the community finds itself at crossroads facing political challenges imposed by an influential few attempting to create a city much larger than its community, and to increase taxes in a constrained economy. Peachtree Corners is the community within more or less 3 miles from the Forum, so why does the proposed city include Mechanicsville, parts of Doraville with boundaries extending from Buford Hwy to the River and Winters Chapel Rd? Nobody asked them (or us) if they wanted to be in the city before attempting to annex them. UPCCA has mounted a two minute drill offense pushing us into a decision, as if there is no tomorrow. But be very aware that come November 8th, voting YES, establishes a City for perpetuity, and then there is no tomorrow to undo that.

To move forward, the “real” Peachtree Corners (PC) needs a vision not a city. A vision of what the future holds, enabling the possibilities and allowing markets to determine what’s best for us, not government. Then and only then can our destiny become the “shining city on the hill”. Voting yes for an irreversible solution that creates a full-fledged city to address perceived zoning issues is not a rational decision, even if a powerful legislator claims personal comfort with it. At the end of the day on November 8th, each of us must live with that decision, regardless what politician endorses it, because it’s our future, our kids’ future.

By 2030 Metro Atlanta population is expected to reach 8.4 million, roughly the size of London and Chicago today, and PC is strategically positioned to benefit from that economic growth. To envision that future a focus on Metro Atlanta is important, because Gwinnett becomes the most populous county in Georgia and together with Fulton, DeKalb, and Cobb makes up more than 50% of the Metro population.

For a century the fundamentals of work have remained the same. What’s different about the information age of personal computers, mobile phones and Internet is its ability to reshape the social organization of office settings and empower workers with tools to actively participate without being physically there. In 2030 offices may not be rooms and business complexes may have a residential mix directly impacting the tax digest, thus local government funding. So, the real “Work, Live and Play” Paul Duke envisioned when creating PC will exist, but we won’t need a City to manage that. The residents and businesses will be able to collaborate and create to meet the challenges as they see best at the time. Central planning by an elite few will hamper this future. Gwinnett County already has zoning ordinances, and the economies of scale to cover the needs there. Let’s maintain the vibrancy, creativity, and freedom we now have to develop a bright future for PC.

The bottom line is that Peachtree Corners needs a community vision with strategies for business creation and job growth, not parochial government solutions limiting investment, and impeding progress. The Peachtree Corners Ballot Committee seeks market solutions facilitating commerce crossing county lines creating wealth and jobs. Let’s not circle the wagons. Let’s be bold, let’s welcome progress and position our community to benefit.

 Vote NO on November 8th.

Tasty and Makes My Tongue Sizzle - Sichuan House

My friend Adam Freedman, owner of Dunwoody PC, offered to take me out to lunch for my birthday yesterday. Well, it's been two and a half months since I turned 43, but hey, better late than never. I think I saw it on a fortune cookie once that although there is no such thing as a free lunch, you should never turn one down when a friend offers.


Years ago, when we worked together this usually meant a trip to a sushi buffet or, if we were going to be adventurous, an authentic Asian haunt on Buford Highway.

So, it was no small surprise when Adam let me know that he was in the mood for something Asian, but he had hit up a buffet last week - time for something new.

I suggested my new favorite Chinese restaurant Sichuan House at the corner of 141/Medlock Bridge and State Bridge Road. Since opening, I have been there a half dozen times. I told him it's the real stuff, and they have awesome hot and sour soup. Hook set, reeled in.

I like this place for a number of reasons:

1. Unlike many of the chinese eateries in Norcross/Duluth/Alpharetta named LuckyChinaGoldenHappyFlower or something like that, this one always has Asians dining there. Instant credibility. Think about it: Would you feel more confident about a NY deli if every time you went there you heard that familiar, some think annoying, accent. Same goes for barbecue and fried chicken purveyors. I want to hear that southern twang. Shows me these places have passed muster. Same goes for Chinese food for me.
2. I like that they have both a traditional exciting Chinese menu - in English - and an American Choice menu for the less ambitious. This way we can still go even though some in our party might want to go the safe (boring) route.
3. The Spices! If you like to sweat while you eat they can bring the heat. I don't, Adam does. If you want to experience the tongue-numbing sensation of Sichaun peppercorn or other mouth watering flavors, they have it. They'll dial it up for you or tone it down. Just make sure to ask.
4. The service is attentive, but not pushy or subservient. I've never felt rushed. But if you need to get in and out, they can do that, too.
5. The price is right!

So, Yesterday here's what we ordered both from the traditional Chinese menu:

Me:

Hot and Sour Soup - Just the right amount of gloopiness and pepper flavor served hot
Ma Po Tofu - Wow! - tons of Sichuan Peppercorn, etc. I wore out the waiter asking for water. I should have asked for a pitcher for myself. Very tasty and a large portion. I just love the way each chopstickful - if that's a word - made my tongue sizzle, but not in a hot, fiery way. Did you ever touch your tongue to a 9 volt battery to see if it still had a charge? DO you remember the small charge a good battery gave you? Imagine that sensation with taste. That's Ma Po Tofu.

Oh, and the tofu was smooth, yet firm. It held up well in the bowl of sauce.

Fried Rice -Health wise, should have just gone with white rice. But hey, it was my Birthday lunch. Would have been better off with Brown rice, but they don't serve it.

Adam:

Same soup.

Kung Pao Diced Chicken. Loaded with hot peppers, it was probably too hot for my tastes. Adam said it was good, on par with the sort of places we have visited on Buford Highway. I think I saw some beads of perspiration on his forehead.

Next time, I think I'll go for the Shredded Dry Tofu Stir Fry with Leek or Mustard Green with Ground Pork. You don't see those on the LuckyChinaGoldenHappyFlower menus.

So, it was an enjoyable birthday lunch. I highly recommend you try Sichaun House. They don't know me from, well, Adam. So, no, this was not a paid review.

Just a short dining episode from my Life in the Corners.