When Peachtree Corners was incorporated in 2012, one of the first projects we took on as a new city was to develop a Comprehensive Plan. This was an important step for our community because the Comprehensive Plan is the centerpiece of local planning efforts. A comprehensive plan articulates a series of goals, objectives, policies, actions and standards that are intended to guide the day-to-day decisions of elected officials and local government staff.
In Georgia, Comprehensive Plans are required to include the five topical elements of economic development, natural and historic resources, community facilities and services, housing, and land use. Additionally, Comprehensive Plans are required to be updated every 10 years.
We came together in a series of community meetings to discuss what we wanted for Peachtree Corners’ future and what we needed to do to get us there. After a nearly year-long process, the final version of the Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2013.
And then the real work began.
Since that time, we’ve seen lots of ‘upgrades’ in Peachtree Corners. Most were developed in response to the vision and goals established in the Comprehensive Plan. For example, the desire to have a downtown with a central community space produced the Town Center and Town Green. The desire to revitalize and transform Technology Park produced Curiosity Lab, a world leader in innovation. And the desire to have safe, car-free places to walk and ride bikes throughout the community produced the Corners Connector Multi-Use Trail.
Many goals established in the Comprehensive Plan have been achieved over the past decade. Now, it’s time to focus on the next decade. Where do we go from here? What improvements do we need to make and what should we prioritize?
The answers to those and similar questions will be the focus of a series of community meetings leading up to the adoption of the next Comprehensive Plan. The process is expected to take about eight months and the first community meeting is scheduled for 7 PM, on February 23, 2023. It will take place in the Community Chest room at City Hall.
Broad public participation is essential to the success of any comprehensive planning process. If a plan is intended to effectively communicate a community’s values and meet its needs, the first step in the planning process should be to define what those values and needs are. This is the goal of the community engagement process, to understand what the city’s residents and neighbors think, feel, and believe about Peachtree Corners.
Topics for this first meeting will include Housing (Apartments, Single and Multi-family Homes, Rental Properties, etc.), Trails, Transportation, and Land Uses.
Come and be part of the city’s future by letting your voice be heard… or at least come by and chat with your neighbors and enjoy some refreshments!
The City of Peachtree Corners recently honored Assistant City Manager Brandon Branham with an official proclamation for his years of leadership and service to the city.
Branham began his tenure in 2013 as finance director and was later promoted to assistant city manager and chief technology officer. In each of those roles, he’s played an instrumental part in guiding Peachtree Corners’ transformation from a suburban community into an internationally recognized hub of technology and innovation.
A decade of accomplishments
Among his many accomplishments, Branham spearheaded the development of the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, a 5G-enabled living laboratory and innovation center located within a 500-acre technology park.
Under his leadership, the city also achieved numerous national firsts in public sector technology, including the launch of Georgia’s first driverless shuttle system, the country’s first citywide C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) deployment and the first solar roadway installed on a public street.
“Brandon’s vision and commitment to innovation have positioned Peachtree Corners at the forefront of smart city development not just in Georgia, but across the nation,” said City Manager Brian Johnson. “His leadership has shaped the future of our city, and we are deeply grateful for his service.”
Partnerships and collaborations
Throughout his twelve-year career with the city, Branham emphasized collaboration between the public and private sectors, creating partnerships with tech companies and academic institutions to pilot scalable, real-world solutions.
His efforts have garnered numerous accolades for Peachtree Corners, including multiple Smart Cities awards and recognition for urban planning and intelligent mobility technologies.
New opportunities
Now, as Branham prepares to leave his role and move on to new opportunities, the City of Peachtree Corners “extends its heartfelt appreciation and best wishes for his continued success.”
“Brandon has left a lasting legacy,” Johnson said. “We look forward to seeing the impact he’ll continue to make in the smart city space and beyond.”
Although crime isn’t on the rise, and the Gwinnett County Police Department (GCPD) is fulfilling its role in fighting crime, the City of Peachtree Corners is asking residents, business owners and city stakeholders if they believe the city should form its own police department.
With over 100 people in attendance, City Manager Brian Johnson led the discussion about the future of policing in Peachtree Corners. He presented the findings from a survey conducted by the Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM), a nationally-recognized law enforcement consulting and training firm, as well as information about patrol officer staffing, response times, costs to tax payers and a potential timeline.
Ensuring public safety
Johnson kicked off his presentation by explaining that it is the duty of the mayor and city council to ensure public safety, including reviewing law enforcement.
“Maybe it needs to grow, maybe it needs to change its focus. But city council is the one that has the decision-making responsibility,” he said.
He was also adamant that this isn’t a done deal.
City Manager Brian Johnson at the May 8 public meeting; photo credit: Rico Figliolini
“I hit this point already, but I want to hit it again. This is the start of a conversation, a community conversation and feedback to council. There hasn’t been a decision,” he said. “Council has not received this presentation from me. They’re here to watch and learn from your feedback of this.”
Mayor Mike Mason was present at the meeting, along with all of the city council members except Eric Christ who was out of town and watching remotely.
Issues and obstacles
Johnson explained that the grounds for the inquiry were based on issues about communication, access to information and enforcement of city-specific ordinances. He cited an example where a city rule that private residences can’t be rented on a short-term basis like Vrbo or Airbnb wasn’t enforced by GCPD. An owner tried to circumvent the ordinance by only renting the outside of the house. A loud pool party ensued, and frustrated neighbors dialed 911.
“Officers showed up and they said, ‘We can’t enforce the city’s noise ordinance,’” Johnson said.
The first stage to fix this problem was creating the marshal program to bridge the gap between code enforcement and GCPD.
photo credit: Rico Figliolini
“[We thought] they would be able to enforce both local ordinance and state law, since they are a function of the city, and they could maybe be a force multiplier for Gwinnett since [marshals] don’t have to respond to 911 calls,” said Johnson.
But other issues arose shortly after the department was formed.
“We were still working towards getting that good balance, but we have been faced recently with a couple of things that make it harder for us,” said Johnson.
Seeking shared access
Instead of GCPD giving PTC marshals read-only, quick access to incident reports, dispatch calls and other information, the marshals department was required to file open records requests through the same process as any civilian.
“They were denied, as well as the city of Sugar Hill, [when] asked for the ability to see, not change, but see the computer-aided dispatch information, so that they would know where Gwinnett County police officers were; so that they could avoid stepping on their toes or maybe looking to support their efforts, and they haven’t been granted that,” said Johnson.
City Manager Brian Johnson; photo credit: Rico Figliolini
He added that the GCPD has video cameras on certain roadways that are used for various reasons, and law enforcement can use them when there’s crime in the area. Peachtree Corners marshals were denied access to those cameras.
“Conversely, we have a couple hundred cameras in the city, and we definitely want them to have access to them,” said Johnson. “So the frustration out of not being able to get that symbiosis between the marshals and police made us start thinking, all right, you know, is there another option?”
Community feedback
CPSM utilized data from GCPD to discern if Peachtree Corners could feasibly stand its own force. It also took into consideration crime trends, costs and many other factors. It recommended a 55-officer department, costing $12.1 million annually, with a $2.2 million upfront cost.
Comparing the two options to “renting vs. owning” the primary law enforcement agency in the city, Johnson presented pros and cons for each. Once the question-and-answer portion began, there was no obvious choice. Men and women, young and more advanced in age, had both similar and differing opinions.
From Brian Johnson’s PowerPoint presentation
One young man, who identified himself as a local small business owner named Alexander, argued that with artificial intelligence increasing the efficiency of administrative tasks, perhaps the city wouldn’t need a full 68-man department of civilians and sworn officers.
Some accused the city of devising a solution in need of a problem. Others were concerned that paying approximately $100,00 for a study was throwing good money after bad.
But at the end of it all, the city is continuing to seek feedback and is encouraging everyone to make informed decisions. The meeting was taped and is available on the city website along with Johnson’s PowerPoint presentation, a copy of the study done by CPSM and a survey.
As far as a timeline goes, city officials would like folks to take the summer to mull it over and come back in the fall to take another look at the proposal.
The City of Peachtree Corners’ finance department has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its 2024 financial year-end comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR).
The GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
It is the city’s seventh year of receiving the award and represents a significant accomplishment by the city’s finance department and its leadership.
According to a GFOA release, “The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive ‘spirit of full disclosure’ to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.”
“We are pleased to again receive this honor,” said City Manager Brian Johnson. “Our finance department, and Finance Director Cory Salley, are to be commended for this achievement, as it is the highest form of recognition GOFA presents.”
A comprehensive annual report
The city’s finance department produces the CAFR each year and works with independent auditors to verify the city’s financial situation and standing.
“This prestigious award affirms Peachtree Corners’ dedication to exceeding basic requirements by producing comprehensive annual financial reports that reflect a strong commitment to transparency and full disclosure,” said Assistant City Manager Brandon Branham.
About the GFOA
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), founded in 1906, represents public finance officials throughout the United States and Canada.
The association’s more than 20,000 members are federal, state/provincial and local finance officials deeply involved in planning, financing and implementing thousands of governmental operations in each of their jurisdictions. GFOA’s mission is to advance excellence in public finance.