Council Poised to Fill in Green Space with Concrete

I'm a peaceful blogger.  I write blogs with titles like "Top 10 Reasons I Love Plants" and "Let's Hear it for Compost!".  I write about Sandhill Crane's, shiitake mushrooms, kids doing science experiments, my dogs, walks I take, local history, searching for southern food.  Occasionally, I wax philosophical, as in

But lately, I've been on a tangent.  Indeed.  

Alpharetta has a fairly new and somewhat inexperienced Mayor, as well as several Council members.  Everyone has to start somewhere, so I don't begrudge them the inexperience. But in the short time this particular Council has been together, they have collectively: 

*Made developers out of themselves - a very tricky thing- especially when at least 2 members of Council could potentially have the appearance of a conflict of interest in such dealings.  

*Baited and switched us with one plan for a City Center that was quickly replaced with another distinctly different plan. 

*Made it clear that they have no interest whatsoever in our being a green city, an environmentally friendly city or a city that even gives a nod to making trees a part of a development plan.

 It is this latter subject that I have focused my attention upon because it is what I most understand and feel passionate about.  My blogs of the past 3 weeks explain in specific details why I think this way and what kinds of things this Council has done, both individually and collectively, to raise alarms and questions, from suddenly presenting us with a plan for a City Hall that sits right in the middle of the 5 acre park we voted for, all the way to the fact that we have a Mayor who took out every tree in his front yard.  I mean, what does this bode for his tenure and for us?  

These things are huge, enormous red flags to me and should be to you as well.  

Unfortunately, I've had to live in asphalt and concrete-laden suburbs and cities thick with strip shopping centers, few trees, and little beauty.  It takes away from your quality of life.  I don't want Alpharetta to come close to such a travesty.  But it will if you don't tell this Council that all future development done in Alpharetta MUST be done to the high standards we've always had.  This Council wants to change the high standards of the past.  Don't let them.   

And don't stand for the injustice of Council baiting us with one plan for a City Center and then switching to a 2nd plan that takes away the 5 acre park and cuts down the 60" diameter southern red oak behind the Publix.  Don't stand for it.   

You know that great phrase "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires?" Isn't it amazing to realize that real individuals - you and me- really can, with just a little bit of knowledge, prevent a raging forest fire?  

You also have a voice in this city.  Use it.  If you don't, you may start seeing more yards filled in with concrete, just like in the picture above.