Resident raises concerns about political bias among appointed planning volunteers

A resident in the public comment period told the Peachtree City UDO steering committee they were concerned about the political tone of some appointed members and urged impartiality in land‑use deliberations.

The resident said the committee should avoid actions that could be viewed as politically motivated ahead of the 2026 elections and suggested that appointed members who plan to run for elected office consider resigning: “If you're running and you're holding an appointed post that makes vital decisions on matters like … land planning and zoning and variances and whatnot, you should probably resign from your post and run,” the resident said.

They cited a past decision they viewed as problematic, referencing setbacks and a variance matter described in the meeting as “section 12.04” and said earlier votes under a prior administration had given away “50% of the setbacks,” a result the speaker said would weaken zoning protections. The resident also alleged procedural problems with some past variance meetings, saying there were no agendas, no public votes and no minutes for those meetings.

The resident directly criticized statements by Chairman Hamner and others, and urged the committee to maintain an impartial tone in written material: “If you're going to have an appointed position … the citizens have no say in your appointment. And it's of the utmost importance that you try to be as impartial and nonpartisan as possible,” the resident said.

Committee members did not take formal action in response to the public comment. A staff member later reiterated that zoning changes will go through public hearings at the Planning Commission and City Council.

The resident’s full written packet was left for committee review and the speaker concluded by thanking the panel for the time to speak.