Peachtree City Council approves stormwater fee increase, public art plan and zoning tweaks

Peachtree City Council voted to raise the city’s standard stormwater equivalent residential unit (ERU) charge to $14 and approved a set of additional ordinances and projects at its meeting. City staff said the increase is intended to address a backlog of stormwater projects that staff estimated at roughly $20 million.

The ERU increase was presented by City Engineer Dave Borkowski and consultant Hope of ISC, who told council the ordinance would update the billing rate now set at about $6.89 per ERU to $14 per ERU and that staff will return later with a revised credit manual. Councilmembers discussed ways to bill the charge (including an intergovernmental agreement with the tax commissioner to add it as a separate line on property tax bills) before voting to adopt the rate update.

Council also approved the public art master plan, an associated budget amendment and an ordinance to create a public art advisory group. Chris Hobby, who presented the plan, said the document was largely unchanged since the prior meeting but includes minor edits and replaces the term “golf cart paths” with “shared use paths.” Councilmembers discussed village-identity signage, geocaching of artworks and distribution of city bike racks.

Other approved items included a zoning text amendment (item 032503) narrowly permitting microblading — defined consistent with state standards — in specified commercial and light-industrial zoning categories while excluding full cosmetic tattooing. Planning staff presented the definition and said the change reflects prior Planning Commission recommendations.

The council adopted ordinance amendments to chapters 70 and 78 that clarify definitions for pedal-assisted electric vehicles (PAEVs), low-speed vehicles (LSVs) and related prohibition lists for certain electric bicycles. Staff said registered PAEVs will be treated like motorized carts and that unregistered PAEVs will be prohibited on shared-use paths. Councilmembers raised the question of requiring insurance for carts and similar vehicles and agreed to study an insurance requirement separately.

Council awarded a design contract for multiple police station renovation projects, including a new emergency operations center, to GM GMC for $406,090. Staff said the award may be accompanied by a future change order to separately identify work related to a specific building (107 Guthrie).

The council also adopted a text amendment modernizing the city’s lighting ordinance to make LED the preferred option and to require greater consistency in color temperature across sites.

Votes at a glance: - Item 032503 — Text amendment to permit microblading: Motion to approve adopted after rewording to limit the scope to microblading. - Item 32603 — Public art master plan, budget amendment and ordinance to create the public art advisory group: Approved. - Item 032604 — Chapters 70 and 78 ordinance amendments (PAEVs/LSVs/class-3 e-bikes and path rules): Approved; council agreed to consider insurance requirements separately. - Item 032605 — Stormwater utility rate update (ERU to $14): Approved. - Item 32606 — Multiple police station buildings renovation design contract ($406,090 to GM GMC): Approved, subject to possible change order. - Item 032608 — Lighting ordinance text amendment (section 731.2): Approved.

Why it matters: The stormwater rate change funds deferred infrastructure work staff identified as necessary to address erosion, flooding and failing pipes. The public art plan formalizes a multi-year program and a civic advisory group, while the micro-mobility and lighting code updates change how the city regulates devices and infrastructure used on shared paths and streets.

What’s next: Staff will return with a stormwater credit manual and the proposed intergovernmental agreement for billing with the tax commissioner; council asked staff to bring a focused discussion on insurance requirements for carts and similar vehicles at a later date.