City Government

On-street Parking in Peachtree Corners – Be safe, be courteous

Published

3 years ago

August 22, 2022

On-Street Parking means designated spaces where vehicles can be parked on a temporary basis, located on a public highway, street, avenue, parkway, or similar type of road. On-street parking spaces often provide direct access to residential, commercial, office, and other facilities.

While on-street parking is legal on public roads, there are rules that must be followed. The State of Georgia requires that on any two-way road, all street parked cars must be parked with the right-side wheels parallel and within 12 inches of the curb.

Do not park against the flow of traffic. While it might seem safe when the car is parked, you would need to drive on the wrong side of the road to park. The same applies when you pull out into head-on traffic. This creates two potentially dangerous situations and sets up a scenario that is contrary to other drivers’ expectations. Most things contrary to typical driving behavior or driver expectancy are unsafe.

Additionally, double parking is illegal in all circumstances. Double parking is the term used for parking on the street side of any vehicle that’s stopped or parked at a curb.

Other violations include prohibitions against parking in the following areas:

In a space on public or private property marked for vehicle parking for the handicapped unless you have the legal authorization and the plates or placards to prove it.
Within 25 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, or sideline of a street or intersecting highway, except at alleys
Within 20 feet of a fire station without signs. If they post signs, you are not allowed to park within 75 feet of the station.
Between a safety zone for pedestrians and the adjacent curb or within 20 feet of the end of the safety zone
On the sidewalk or within 20 feet of a crosswalk
Within an intersection
In a crosswalk
In any tunnel
On railroad tracks or within 50 feet of a railroad crossing unless you are loading or unloading
Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
Within 30 feet of a stop sign, traffic light, or flashing signal
In a bus stop zone

In front of a public or private driveway
Near properly marked street construction

In addition to illegal parking, there are other things that should be done to ensure the safety of your parked vehicle as well as the surrounding community.

On limited-width feeder roads, cars should refrain from parking across from each other on opposite sides of the road. (See image). This is not only unsafe for pedestrians; it creates a bottleneck on the road that increases traffic conflict points.

Also, when cars are parked across from one another, the limited width of the road creates a safety hazard as it does not allow for the entrance and exit of school buses, sanitation trucks, construction vehicles, EMS and fire vehicles, or other larger vehicles into or away from the area.

If your car has mirrors that will push inwards, towards the driver’s window, always do this before leaving your vehicle. This will prevent your mirrors from becoming broken or dislodged due to being sideswiped by a passing driver.

Do not park your car on a street where no other cars seem to be parked. Even if there are no signs saying that you cannot park on the street, there may be a rule that the other drivers are aware of. If a street is completely devoid of parked cars, there is probably a reason why. Take the hint from other drivers and steer clear of it. Street parking that seems too good to be true probably is.

Do not block other cars. Leaving enough space ensures that everyone’s cars will stay free from dents and dings. If it doesn’t seem like drivers and passengers can move around freely once you park, find a different spot.

Don’t take up two spaces on the street. In residential areas where the parking spaces are limited and not marked, always park as close to the end of the open space as you can. Often there is room for two cars between driveways. If you park in the middle, you make it impossible for another car to park in that space.

Remember, safety is of the utmost importance. Street parking can be dangerous to vehicle owners, bicyclists, scooters, and walkers. Let’s all do our best to be safe and courteous.

Source: City of Peachtree Corners

City Government

Councilmember Eric Christ: 2025 Peachtree Corners Municipal Elections

Published

4 weeks ago

March 3, 2025

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

A white man with glasses, wearing a dark colored jacket walking in the road alongside a line of vintage cars.

Source: Peachtree Corners Post 2 Councilmember Eric Christ’s recent newsletter.

Peachtree Corners Municipal Elections Tuesday, November 4 in white font on a blue background.

On Tuesday, November 4, we will have municipal elections here in the City of Peachtree Corners for three council seats. [And] for the first time since 2013, there will be a state-wide election on the same day as our city general election.

The state-wide election is to fill two seats on the Public Service Commission, which regulates Georgia Power and other utilities.

For the PSC election, the Gwinnett County Board of Elections will have all 156 county precincts open on November 4. Historically, Peachtree Corners has had a single voting location for city elections — at City Hall.

If we do the same this year, citizens who want to vote in both the PSC and the City Council elections will need to go to two places to cast their ballots.

A few years ago, I convinced the County Board of Elections to remove their prohibition against the Gwinnett Elections Department managing city elections. (Every county surrounding Gwinnett already offered this service to their cities.)

This means there is the potential of adding our city council elections to the county ballot.

I would like to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of combining our city council races with the county’s for this year’s elections.

Please complete my brief survey by clicking here.

To sign up for Councilmember Christ’s newsletter or find him on social media, visit linktr.ee/votechrist.

You can read more from his latest newsletter updates here and here.

City Government

City of Peachtree Corners Receives Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

Published

2 months ago

January 31, 2025

Peachtree Corners Magazine staff

For the eighth year in a row, the City of Peachtree Corners has been esteemed with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. This award was presented by the Georgia Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the City’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget submission.

The award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. To receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity’s budget serves as a:

policy document
financial plan
operations guide
communications device

Budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories and in the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories to receive the award.

Certificate of Recognition

When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual(s) or department designated as being primarily responsible for having achieved the award.

“Congratulations to the entire finance team on receiving this award,” said City Manager Brian Johnson.

“This recognition is a testament to our team’s hard work, professionalism and commitment to excellence.”

There are over 1,700 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA’s website.

Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.

About the GFOA

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.

About the City of Peachtree Corners, Georgia

As the heart of what is being called #SiliconOrchard in the metro Atlanta region, Peachtree Corners is a vibrant municipality that’s home to more than 45,000 residents and an innovation hub that houses some of the world’s most disruptive technology companies.

As the United States’ premier smart city powered by real-world connected infrastructure and 5G, Peachtree Corners serves as the model for how government and private industry can better collaborate to create a better future for society and business.

From the world’s first deployment of teleoperated e-scooters to fully autonomous shuttles being utilized by actual residents, and from a solar roadway to the largest electric vehicle charging hub in the region, Peachtree Corners is where the most future-forward Internet of Things (IoT) and sustainable technologies come to life for the benefit of its people and the world.

For more information, visit peachtreecornersga.gov.

City Government

BRACK: How one city operates without property tax

Published

2 months ago

January 30, 2025

Courtesy of Elliott Brack's Gwinnett Forum

Peachtree Corners City Hall in the evening with flag display, signage and lights.

Some people lament paying taxes. They don’t understand that taxes allow us to live in a more civilized manner, helping and protecting us all along. That’s why I don’t mind paying reasonable taxes for the safety of everyday living.

Many don’t recognize it, but you are often paying a small tax without realizing it as you go about your everyday business….but it’s not called a tax.

White man with white hair and glasses wearing a suit with a red tie, smiling. Beside the image is the name Ellliott Brack in all-caps blue letters on a white background.

It’s called a “fee.” Each time you pay your power or utility bill and cable bill, your insurance premium, when you rent a hotel room or car…and other ways…you are providing a few cents or dollars to help fund mostly local government.

The newly-minted City of Mulberry (and previously Peachtree Corners) will run its government without taxing property owners paying a tax to fund its operations. How so? Entirely from fees.

Let’s visit what the other city without property taxes, Peachtree Corners, is doing.

White man with short brown hair and facial hair wearing a suit, smiling at the camera with an American flag behind him. — Salley

We talked with Cory Salley, who is the finance director for Peachtree Corners. He sent along a graphic which shows where Peachtree Corners gets its funding, as well as how it is spent. (See graphic.)

For the most part, Peachtree Corners is funded by fees. The biggest comes from Georgia Power Company, paying $2.8 million in fees for the city for 2025. Other utilities include $450,000 from Atlanta Gas Light Company; $250,000 from Comcast; $70,000 from Direct TV; and $42,000 from AT&T. (That last figure was interesting, in effect, showing how few people have land-line telephones anymore.) Altogether, utility fees brought in $4.3 million in Peachtree Corners for 2024.

Another bucket of fees include $3.8 million in insurance fees. This comes in one check from the Department of Revenue, which collects insurance fees for all cities.

Each business in Peachtree Corners pays an occupational business license tax. With lots of professional offices in the city, these businesses contribute $4.4 million to the city coffers.

Infographic of the FY2025 Budget at a Glance for Peachtree Corners

Other fee collections for 2024:

Alcoholic licenses and sales: $1 million.
Zoning and land development permits: $1.4 million.
SPLOST funds on sales within Peachtree Corners: $10 million.
Automobile and vehicle purchases: $1.7 million. This is interesting: no matter where you buy an automobile in Georgia, part of the sales tax reverts to the city where you live.

Then there are other funds coming to the city; stormwater fees, grants, solid waste, etc. Altogether, it added up to approximately a $40 million income to run the city.

Some specifics and the way they are figured:

Real estate transfer taxes: This tax is imposed at the rate of $1 on the first $1,000 and 10 cents on each additional $10 on any conveyance of real property when the value of the interest transferred exceeds $100.
Distilled Spirits—up to 22 cents per liter on package sales and up to 3 percent of the sale price of a drink on sales to the public;
Wine—up to 22 cents per liter; and
Malt Beverages—up to $6.00 per bulk container (no more than 15.5 gallons) to be paid by the wholesaler and up to 5 cents per 12 ounces when sold in bottles, cans or other containers.
A municipality may levy a business license tax on depository financial institutions (such as a bank.) The maximum rate of this tax is 0.25 percent.
Hotel-motel tax: a municipality may levy a hotel-motel tax at a rate of 3 percent or less or at a rate of 5, 6, 7, or 8 percent. (Yes, let the out-of-towner pay!)

Perhaps this gives you an idea of how a city, like Mulberry in the future, can operate without property taxes.

Have a comment? Send to: elliott@elliottbrack

Written by Elliott Brack

This material is presented with permission from Elliott Brack’s GwinnettForum, an online site published Tuesdays and Fridays. To become better informed about Gwinnett, subscribe (at no cost) at GwinnettForum.