'When the [Lanier] Golf Course issue got started, I didn't know an activity center from a workout room! I doubt if many people knew or cared.'...
When the [Lanier] Golf Course issue got started, I didn't know an activity center from a workout room! I doubt if many people knew or cared.
When I read what an activity center was, I couldn't believe it. A commercial urban village located on Buford Dam Road, in the middle of a low density residential community. I'd never seen anything so absurd in my 40 years in the real estate business. How could this be? Who in their right mind would propose such a thing?
Well, after months of investigation, I've learned that it wasn't the sub-area committee, who used the common sense and said this land is best suited as a golf course. It wasn't the steering committee, who used their business sense and said that it was best suited as a golf course. And it wasn't the planning department or the consultants, who used their experience to say this land is best suited as a golf course.
No, none of the above organizations suggested any use of this land other than as a golf course. The comprehensive plan that was submitted to the county in 9/25/03 showed Lanier Golf Course as a private parkland, a golf course.
Then how did it get changed?
The Board of Commissioners, under the leadership of Jack Conway, ignored and over-rode months of hard work these fine people of the sub-area committee, the steering committee, the planning department and the paid consultants had done for Forsyth County. Not only did they change this land's designation from private parkland (golf course) to activity center, they did it in such a way as to preclude any reasonable public input.
The first future land use map showing the change was printed on 11/24/03. Just before the Thanksgiving holidays. The public was not notified of a map change showing Lanier Golf Course as an activity center. And at the next regular meeting of the BOC on 12/08/03, the map changes were approved and sent to the state.
There was no public comment asked for or given.
This wasn't a minor change or a correction. It was a major property specific change that could result in harm to hundreds of residents and the betterment of a very few.
The burning question is 'why?' Why would our elected commissioners who are entrusted with the public's welfare do something that simply doesn't make any sense and could be so harmful to so many?
A number of residents have filed a lawsuit (likely the first of many) to see if we can have that question answered.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO VOTE ON JULY 18TH AND PROTECT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE:
CHARLIE LAUGHINGHOUSE for County Commissioner District 1
JIM HARRELL for County Commissioner District 3