"BIG CREEK", "JOHNS CREEK", AND "SOUTH FORSYTH" Community parks--as promised for these Southwest Forsyth "Sub-Area" communities--have gone ignored!

The Forsyth County Comprehensive Plan 2004-2025 (FCCP) specifies "a Priority" with land acquisitions for GreenSpace and Parks to these specific communities procured in "Mitigation of the losses suffered to our community-quality, character, and natural resources" due to the "negative impact of its location within the Atlanta Urbanized Area" causing the pressures of rampant development...And this was supposed to happen in "Trend Scenario" before it became "Built Out" as it is today for just such pressure and demand!

Incredibly, none had been targeted for these communities by our Board of Commissioners...and now there's only one significant area of "GreenSpace" left: The undeveloped lands remaining of "the Estate of Arlene Harrision", and adjecent land located just North. Both are perfectly set upon the border where all three communities come together, and would satisfy that directive today, but the Estates "Stewards" applied for a zoning change (ZA-3468) to allow a "Development of Regional Impact" (DRI) development of 300+ SFD/townhomes, and well over half a million square feet of office & retail shops, plus their associated "Impervious Surfaces" for parking, etc...And isn't that just more Habi-Trail Housing and Strip-Mall Sprawl?

We already have enough of that to spare...Where are our Recreational Parks and GreenSpace then? Placed well out of proportion to what these South Forsyth sub-areas pay in tax revenues...Those monies assesed of Our Southwest Forsyth County Homes and Properties--Estimated @ $140/yr. per $350K valuation--will be charged to paying off the $100 Million Dollar Greenspace Bonds regardless of any park acquisition to these communities currently absent those community resources, and that's not fair!

These lands should be aquisitioned in an equitable purchase with OUR DEMOGRAPHIC SHARE of the $100 Million GreenSpace Bonds to at least save something for Us! Now, those "Stewards" have recently conceeded some measure of the proposed development toward becomming "GreenSpace", but the high-impact "Commercial Component" (CBD zoned) remains targeted upon the most environmentally sensitive areas, and until that changes we must then hold-out for the dozen reasons that follow:

1. The proposed "DRI" (Hi-Impact) development centers an already over-developed "Acquifer Recharge Zone" that--ignored or over-looked--should NOT be further developed as such in consideration of protecting our ground-water for its continued use in some households, and as an emergency resource to us all. The rains that recharge our groundwater is OUR water--NOT the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) to mistakenly waste--untill "Ground Saturation" causes it to become stormwater "run-off". All "Impervious Surfaces" such as buildings, roads, and parking lots impede this recharge of Our Aquifers, instead causing that water to become immediatly diverted into culverts, creeks, and streams. Those "Tributaries" then feed either Lake Lanier or the Chattahoochiee River regardless of what ACE lets out of the Dam! Can you now see the importance of maintaining clean and un-impeeded Groundwater Recharge Zones?

2. This "minor" one of nine ARZ (Groundwater Recharge) areas is located within the Big Creek "Small Watershed Overlay", which besides being a beautiful Nautural Resource, is an important Water Supply Source (Roswell, etc.)restricted to remain 75% free of Impervious Surfaces, which would be significantly contributing to the Chattahoochee River Watershed Basin as a local supply...further of which--for its ripple-impact upon FOUR STATES--it should NOT be developed upon as such for ALL our "interests" in preserving its waters quality and quantity as a local groundwater recharge area (GRA/ARZ).

3. This proposed "Harrison Park" dead-centers where artesian-fed springs converge with three run-off tributaries forming the Caney Creek "Riparian Corridpr", and would be determinable as a "Class 2 Trout Stream" under Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) eligibility criteria--which is alot differnt than a simple "drainage-swale" meandering through the woods--but the field biologists don't reccommend stocking it with Trout...

4. To garner that designation the waters must have flowed well and steady throughout the last two category 4 droughts (ending 09/02 and "present" ad nauseum!) while averaging 65 degrees F. How's about the 62 F. I measured during the last heat wave? OK, But...Why no trout? Because the Bass eat them!

5 This lands "Riparian Corridor" and its "Historical Sites" are identifed as "Natural Resources" targeted for "Preservation" within the FCCP 2004-2025...They may be destroyed if ZA-3468 is approved. That approval is also subject to "public dissent", and Friends of Caney Creek are in dissent.

6. The lands wooded areas meet the Unified Development Code (UDC) definition of "Natural Forest", and these lands are the last of any candidates that can qualify as any "GreenSpace" located anywhere within these three sub-areas.

7. These lands have a unique Historical value as both Native Indian and "settlers" grazing & trading post "Cross-Roads". And further still for its significance to each, the Bagley, Vaughan, and Harrison families namesake...Their legacies then too, as Pioneers to Forsyth County.

8. The "Conservation Classification" of all three Sub-Areas--in dictating the preservation (Avg.) of 8.4 ac. per 1,000 population demographic--actually finds this proposel "short", and wanting of more lands, but this is it...we'll have no further choices of significance! These three communities, consisting of three public schools, several retirement communities, child-care centers, and "Home Schoolers", will be within walking distance of this park and those business already present to support it...Otherwise?

The nearest alternatives are Sharon Park (8 mi. R/T), "South Recreation center" Soccer Fields (12 mi. R/T), or the $32 Million dollar (plus!) "Fowler Park" located well across Highway 400 north of the Midway community (14+ mi. R/T)...All, so far from the heart of our communities, where THIS beautiful forest, streams, and meadow-land IS!

9. The FCCP 2004-2025 dictates "Priority" of land acquisitions--specific to the community of this DRI--to be thus preserved as our remaining "Natural and Historical Resources" to "Mitigate" the "Atlanta Urbanized area" influence...This is the very important promise--in both the UDC and FCCP--that they've blatantly fail to comply with!

10. The Forsyth County Comprehensive Plan 2004-2025--as "Reviewed by the Georgia Mountains Regional Development Commission and the Georgia Dept. of Consumer Affairs and found to be in compliance of minimum standards" is thus appearing to be ignored!

11. The "sum" of all that above should have anyone of "resonable mind" realizing that any "proposed development" here--other than a park--is going to destroy those very "Regionally Important Resources" discribed as oh-so-worthy of protection within the missions statements of literally every governing body accountable to "We the People"...Exactly the ones "WE" are supposed to save!

12. Those drafting the FCCP posed us this question*: "Is this the future envisioned of your community? And I answer today a resounding "YES"...Because it's The Future we have paid for!

I've contacted every imaginable agency over the last several months now...with the same relative reply: "Your only real hope is to "Rally your Community" in a collective plea to your Board of Commissioners...They have the ultimate power to make this happen". And now You've read it too...

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!

It is literally up to us here in our community. But we must understand these issues, and then contact ALL of our Planning Commissioners AND Board of Commissioners to voice your concerns of these matters! I will speak to anyone about this community issue of ours, so please contact me for a presentation of this "Proposal" to your community or HOA.

Jack Gleason
Concerned Citizen
Forsyth County Dist. 2
jgleason@FriendsofCaneyCreek.org
Adopt-A-Stream/Adopt-A-Road (Keep Forsyth Beautiful)

*FCCP appendix Sub-Region "Trend Scenario" and "Vision" discussions Chapt. 2-E pg. 13