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Peachtree Corners council approves property acquisitions for Forum roundabout after appraisal questions
Summary
Council approved a resolution to acquire two parcels and construction easements near The Forum to build a roundabout; staff said the $372,300 figure reflects certified appraisals required under state right-of-way law after a public commenter questioned pricing and easement terms.
Peachtree Corners council on Monday approved a resolution authorizing the acquisition of parcels and construction easements tied to a planned roundabout near The Forum on Peachtree Corners Circle.
The measure, which staff said reflects minimum compensation set by certified appraisals under state right-of-way procedures, was updated in the packet to include a second parcel and carries a combined minimum acquisition amount of $372,300. The council approved the resolution by general assent after brief discussion and no recorded objections.
Why it matters: Staff told the council the acquisitions are needed to construct a roundabout intended to improve ingress and egress at the Forum. Because the city may need to rely on negotiated purchases or, if necessary, condemnation, Title 32 appraisal procedures and defensible commercial valuations guide offers, staff said.
Public comment and appraisal questions: Resident Don Gaspari raised concerns about the price and the role of an easement in the acquisition, saying he wanted more detail on how the figure was derived. "I just like to understand those details because it doesn't fly off the page," Gaspari said. Council members and staff acknowledged a packet discrepancy in the acreage and price language and said they would correct the exhibits.
What staff said: An unnamed staff speaker explained the legal process under Title 32 and said appraisals are based on market comps and impacts such as construction easements. The same speaker cautioned that commercial appraisals are limited to firms prepared to defend values in eminent-domain situations and acknowledged surprise at some results: "Sometimes the appraisal process is more voodoo than it is science," the speaker said.
Next steps and budget context: Staff said the roundabout is part of a larger, multimillion-dollar capital project with contingency funds and that additional parcels connected to the project (identified in discussion as adjacent properties including one owned by North American Properties and others referred to as the Creme de la Creme and Coward parcels) will come forward at future meetings. Councilmembers asked staff to verify whether the higher acquisition estimate will affect the land-equity portion of the project budget; staff said contingencies may absorb increased costs but final impacts remain uncertain until negotiations and construction begin.
The vote: The council approved the resolution authorizing the property acquisitions by general assent with no recorded objections. Staff promised to clean up the legal exhibit that referenced an earlier acreage figure and to provide any additional documentation to the council.
