Writing Samples

Is a new downtown in Peachtree City's future?
By John Thompson - October 24, 2018

An idea before the City Council for the redevelopment of older parts of the city would be a dramatic departure from the original vision of multiple village centers and no central downtown.
Downtown could be in Peachtree City's future, according to Mayor Vanessa Fleisch and City Manager Jon Rorie in the City Council meeting on October 18. The first significant change area scheduled is Aberdeen Village Center, the city's original shopping center. Instead of a dated U-shaped strip of retail outlets anchored by the original Partners II Pizza restaurant, it could become a mix of 3-story housing units atop retail areas, as one presentation outlined. Mayor Vanessa Fleisch foreshadowed the redevelopment plans at the meeting when she said since Drake Field and the Lake Peachtree spillway was completed, the city would reveal its next project at the end of the session.
Rorie said one of the items citizens were concerned about during the comprehensive plan public input was a lack of a central gathering space. He said the city turns 60 years old next year, and it's time to focus on redevelopment potential. One of the areas ripe for a makeover is the Aberdeen Village Shopping Center, Rorie said. Historical Concepts' Jim Strickland said the center could become a mixed-use center with up to 165 housing units, such as apartments or townhomes, and 30,000 sq. ft. of retail. Strickland has lived in Peachtree City for more than 40 years and has had his business based here.
He called the opportunity of redeveloping the area "a dream." Strickland's renderings of Aberdeen show tree-shaded lanes with three-story residential buildings. Some would feature the retail on the bottom floor. "This could be a gathering spot, along with residential and commercial," he said. Tying into the issue of a city center, the current city hall and nearby environs could also be redeveloped to give the area more of a downtown feel.
Other areas that the city could redevelop could also feature commercial and residential use in a mixed-use development. "Lexington Village was ahead of its time," he said. The mixed-use concept would follow a trend already established in Senoia and Fayetteville, while Tyrone also has a mixed-use development in the planning process. Senoia has been the most successful in rebuilding its downtown. Nearly 20 years ago, Senoia had seven businesses.
Today, more than 50 businesses call downtown Senoia home, and the streets are filled with residents and visitors daily. As Peachtree City moves towards redevelopment, Rorie said he would also look for available public-private partnerships for potential funding sources. Rorie told the City Council that vision, inspiration, imagination, and dreams should aid their efforts in redeveloping the city. No vote was taken on the presentation.

Senoia councilman scolds opponents of 356-home complex
By John Thompson - October 25, 2017

The Senoia City Council voted unanimously on Oct.16 to approve a conceptual site plan for a large subdivision near the city's heart. The Keg Creek Landing subdivision sits on 248 acres on Seavy Street near its intersection with Ga. Highway 85. Developer Brent Scarbrough is planning on building 356 homes on the site. In addition, the development includes 106 homes for seniors that would be smaller in size. The staff review said it meets the city's requirements for a plat and includes several other items:
• Realigning Hwy. 85 and Seavy Street.
• Widening Seavy Street.
• Connecting golf cart access to Horseshoe Bend.
• Providing 27 acres across Hwy. 85 the city could use for its new sewer plant. Despite the City Council's unanimous approval, the subdivision was far from a home run for the nearly 150 people who packed the meeting room.
Everyone who chose to speak assailed the project as something that would not be suitable for the growing eastern Coweta city. Lu-Nations Miller said the new subdivision would result in more than 1,200 car trips per day and urged the City Council to stay its vote until after a traffic study was completed.
Shane Olsen, who recently moved to the city, said the development was too much for the city's existing infrastructure and also brought up another issue. "I don't want to smell a sewer plant," he said.
But City Councilman Jeff Fisher said he understood where the residents were coming from because he opposed the Heritage Lakes subdivision before serving on the council. Fisher then listed several Senoia subdivisions built during the last few years and said all of those were opposed for the same reasons: traffic and destroying the city's fabric.
"If the City Council had listened back then, many of you wouldn't be living here." he said. Fisher said opponents of the subdivision currently see their children play with the new residents and attend church regularly. Fisher said the new subdivision would have to provide the improvements listed in the upcoming traffic study to be a successful addition to the community. After the vote, the disgruntled crowd exited into the autumn air and grumbled about the city's decision.

From Peachtree City to Hollywood
By John Thompson - September 8, 2015 

A former Starr's Mill soccer playing is living his acting dream in Hollywood. Tyler Case, who first caught the acting bug when he was 5, is featured in the new film "90 Minutes in Heaven," which opens Friday. Case came back to Georgia last week for the film's premiere at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, and the 19-year old is thrilled to be part of such an intriguing film. The film is based on a book of the same name that sold more than seven million copies. According to Wikipedia, the true story is about Don Piper, who was involved in a horrific car crash and pronounced dead at the scene and covered by a tarp.
Ninety minutes later, he was brought to the emergency room and returned to life, claiming to have seen Heaven and visited with deceased relatives while there. "I'm just glad to play a part in such an inspiring film," Case said. He plays a character, Mark, that suffers a similar accident to Piper. Mark's physical therapy is excruciatingly painful, but Piper enters the picture and tells Mark his story to aid his mental and physical comeback from the accident.
While not yet 20, Case has acted in various projects from TV shows to short films, commercials, and feature films; his first role was at age 5 when he did a print ad for Fischer Price. Next followed a national career for Bounce Fabric Softener, and Case knew his passion and what career path he wanted to travel. In the second semester of his junior year, he moved to Hollywood to pursue his dream full-time, but Peachtree City was never far from his mind.
"I learned so many amazing lessons from playing soccer at Starr's Mill, and my parents have been nothing but supportive he said.
Case is also proud to be involved with the first film from a new production company called Giving Films. He said 100 percent of the profits from the film go to charity, and ticket buyers can choose one of eight charities that will receive their ticket money. He plans to remain in Georgia for the next two months here because of the exploding entertainment opportunities in the state. "I'm very fortunate that I can be bi-coastal, and do work closer to home," he said.