Capitalism to clean up Green's Corners

This bit of news came out last week but I wanted to highlight it for a great point is makes about America's capitalist system.  Walmart will redevelop the Green's Corners shopping center at Jimmy Carter Blvd. and Rockbridge Rd. in Norcross.  That news, in and of itself, is not all that noteworthy.  Retail development, even in this economy, is hardly a earth-shattering event.  However, at a time when we consistently see attacks on private industry from the likes of the Occupy Wall Street protestors and even our President, this project highlights the benefit private industry offers us all the way down on the community level.  

Green's Corners used to be a significant shopping destination in Norcross.  Now, Green's Corners has become a "troubled shopping center."  It's previous anchor tenant, K-Mart, closed and the complex "has become a haven for litter and crime."  In the words of an attorney representing Walmart, Green's Corners is a "mess."  So Walmart, the "evil corporation" that so many liberals love to hate, is going to step forward and clean up the mess.  

Is Walmart going to undertake this project out of the kindness of its heart and solely for the good of the community?  Of course not.  They are going to do this in a dastardly effort to earn a...*gasp*...profit.  Walmart obviously sees an opportunity to make money by rehabilitating Green's Corners and opening one their often attacked SuperCenters there.  In the process, they will be tearing down two night clubs that have become a thorn in the side of Gwinnett police.

The point here is that, even if area residents never set foot into the new Walmart or spend one dollar at the store, they will benefit as a result of Walmart's effort to successfully compete and be profitable in a free market economy.  The next time you hear a quasi-socliast liberal railing about all the bad that corporations do, remember, that, while their record is certainly not spotless, corporations bring far more direct and indirect good to our society than they do bad.  Just ask residents near Green's Corners in a couple of years.

State legislators considers bill that pits trees versus billboards

The Georgia General Assembly is considering a bill that would allow "billboard owners could clear-cut state-owned trees from in front of their signs."  While this is not a Gwinnett specific issue, with major highways such as I-85, GA Highway 316, US 78, and US 29 running through the heart of our county, this legislation is absolutely relevant to Gwinnett County.  

I am a strong supporter of business, and I feel that government often goes too far in impeding the ability of companies to conduct business.  However, the need for empowering industry does not extend to allowing businesses to exercise control over property that is not theirs.  This bill would allow just that.  True, this law would not give sign owners rights over private property.  But if I live beside government property, I cannot just go walk on that land and destroy trees or other natural elements because they do not suit me.  

The bill does provide that an arborist would have to identify trees older than 75 years old which would be protected.  However, the arborist would be paid by the billboard owner.  Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia executive director Conner Poe notes that the arborists would be honest in doing their job.  The vast majority would.  However, being paid by a party with a financial stake in your decision does open the door to conflict of interest.

Both sides of this issue will cite a variety of reasons the bill should or should not pass.  Businesses will cite potential lost jobs, environmentalists will cite the negatives of losing swaths of trees.  Both arguments are immaterial.  This comes down to property rights.  You should have a right to do with your property as you see fit so long as that does not infringe on your neighbor's right to do with their property as they see fit.  However, regardless of the owner, you do not have a right to exercise your will on property that is not yours.

Unfortunately, the bill passed the House today.  I do not know which, if any, Gwinnett legislators supported this bill, but I intend to find out and publicize a list of those would have limited respect for property rights.  The lesgislation now moves to the Senate.

Mall of Georgia Borders to close

As part of its bankruptcy filing this morning, Borders Group, Inc. will close its Mall of Georgia Borders Book location.  In addition, its location in Johns Creek just north of Gwinnett will also close.  These stores are among five in metro Atlanta slated for closure.  The company cited "lost market share against online competitors" as the reason for the bankruptcy and chose the stores to be closed based on "economic conditions, cost structures, and their viability."

View Borders Store Closings in a larger map

The bankruptcy of a major book retailer is hardly surprising given the increasing competition from online resellers such as Amazon.com.  However, you cannot help but wonder what the impact of e-books have been on Borders and Barnes & Noble.  Will the time come that bookstores will go the way of the standalone music stores?

Check out Oyster Bay in Lawrenceville!

The AJC has reviewed my current favorite Lawrenceville restaurant.  Oyster Bay is on the square directly across the street from the historic Gwinnett courthouse.  I cannot recommend this place enough and the AJC seems to like it as well.  We stumbled across it back in February and I have taken others there a couple of times since.  I am glad to see that Lawrenceville has a quality seafood option aside from the big, national chains.

QualTex to bring 125 jobs to Norcross

Blood testing firm, QualTex Laboratories, has announced that it will expand its operations to Norcross.  The expansion will create 125 new jobs in Gwinnett.  According to CEO-designate Norman D. Kalmin, the company expects "to hire highly trained, expert clinical laboratory scientists, certified lab technicians, quality specialists, materials management personnel and general management personnel."

G-Braves stadium to be called Coolray Field

Well it is a year late in coming, but the Government-funded Gwinnett Braves have a naming sponsor for their ballpark near Mall of Georgia.  Coolray Heating and Cooling has agreed to a 16-year deal with the Atlanta Braves to place its moniker on the stadium.  That's fine and dandy, but here is the curious part:

Terms of the 16-year deal with Coolray Heating and Cooling were not revealed.

Excuse me?  Terms were not revealed?  Terms should be revealed immediately!  After all, the Gwinnett County Commission blew our tax dollars building a ballpark for a minor league team we did not need.  Then, in part because of the millions of dollars committed to the facility, the county had to then raise our taxes when the recession hit.  So, yes, the Gwinnett taxpayers have a right to know the terms of the deal post-haste!  We have a right to know the net amount of our tax dollars that have been sunk in financially propping-up an organization that can afford to pay exorbitant salaries to major league ballplayers but expecting Average Joe Citizen to fork over his hard-earned money to pay for their "place of business."  In a time on the national political scene where corporate executives - highly-paid employees who come much closer to being worth the money they earn than grown men playing a boy's game - the taxpayers of Gwinnett County should be fully informed just how much of our money will wind up subsidizing a professional sports franchise.

Starting April 8, the Government-funded Gwinnett Braves will officially play their home games at Coolray Field, but the facility will always really be Gwinnett Taxpayers Stadium.

Does Peachtree Corners really need to be a city?

The United Peachtree Corners Civic Association would like to make Peachtree Corners a city. The association is asking the Gwinnett delegation to the Georgia General Assembly to support legislation that would enable the residents of Peachtree Corners to vote on incorporation. This all begs the question: Why? Does Gwinnett County need yet another small city? Do the residents of Peachtree Corners need another layer of government to create additional cost and complexity for them and for those trying to do business and serve the residents of the city? I say resoundingly, no!

State Rep. Tom Rice said that the association wants to be a “city light” and have three main services: “planning and zoning; code enforcement; and trash service.” I must admit, after the Gwinnett County’s socialized garbage debacle, I can understand the desire to have greater control over trash service. However, the last thing Gwinnett needs is an addition to the patchwork of zoning jurisdictions and code enforcement authorities. This adds complexity and, in turn, cost for businesses that have to deal with yet another jurisdiction as they try to serve local customers. Given the reputation of many small-town zoning boards, this additional layer can result in desirable businesses being prevented from opening shop in these communities. If businesses cannot serve a community, residents suffer by not having sufficient local amenities.  Also, as happened in Milton, GA, potential revenue shortfalls are even possible if enough commercial taxpayers are denied access to the area.

Hopefully, the Gwinnett delegation will not give into another unneeded small city in metro Atlanta. It seems to me that these newly created small cities are primarily good for setting up a police department to generate revenue by running speed traps on the roads and highways in their city. Gwinnett already has Duluth and Lawrenceville engaging in excessive traffic enforcement. County residents and visitors who travel in the Peachtree Corners area do not need to deal with another.  Say no to Peachtree Corners, GA.

Commercial flights at Briscoe Field?

Last week, the AJC published an article about the possible privatization of Gwinnett County Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville.  The proposal by Propeller Investments would include expanding the airport's runway and beginning commercial airline service from ten gates in a new terminal.

On the surface, I love the idea.  I was encouraged by some of the initial indications of support from local leaders.  (I was pleasantly surprised to see Gwinnett Commissioner Mike Beaudreau speak favorably of the possibility!)  I favor getting government out of the airport business, especially if the proposal appears to be able to generate much needed revenue for the county government while allowing a private owner the opportunity to generate a profit while providing a very valuable service and economic boost to Gwinnett County.  However, the likely opposition of nearby residents, a response that most assuredly is in the offing, cannot be simply dismissed.

If you have read the Buzz for any period of time, you know I am a strong advocate for private property rights while being a fan of high quality development.  Thus, you might assume that I would be squarely on the side of Propeller Investments.  However, as college football commentator Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friend!” As I have discussed extensively on the Buzz, I view property rights issues between neighboring landowners as boiling down to material impact.  In other words, does one owner's use of his or her property pose a material negative impact to a neighboring landowner's ability to use and enjoy his or her property.  It is really a simple perspective.  You can use your property as you see fit so long as it does not keep me from reasonably using and enjoying my property.  As to how we define "material" and "reasonably", well, I will leave that up to the lawyers.  What you do not have to be a lawyer to see is that the commencement of commercial airline service from a previously general aviation only facility could very well pose a negative material impact to nearby residents.

Commercial aviation is going to generate noise.  That cannot be avoided.  Noise abatement procedures can be put in place to mitigate the impact of the noise, but there will be noise.  If a Boeing 737 is taking off over your house, you're going to hear it.  What must be determined in the consideration of this proposal is how much more noise will be generated than that from the private jets that currently use Briscoe Field?  What total amount of time will neighboring property owners experience elevated noise levels?  What hours of the day will such elevated noise levels occur?  These and other questions will have to be carefully considered to determine if neighbors' inevitable arguments about noise levels will have merit.  If they do, these concerns cannot be dismissed as mere NIMBYism.  Other potentially legitimate factors would include traffic, pollution levels and continued access to the airport by operators of general aviation aircraft.

This promises to be an interesting situation to watch.  I definitely like the idea of easier access to commercial flights for Gwinnett residents.  I am excited at the possibility for commercial development in the airport vicinity and along the GA 316 corridor.  However, we must ensure that the property rights of existing landowners who bought and developed property with the expectation of being near a general aviation airport rather than a commercial aviation airport are considered and protected.

Could the AJC move its headquarters to Gwinnett?

The Atlanta Business Chronicle posted an article today noting the possibility that the AJC could move its headquarters to Gwinnett.  According to AJC publisher, Michael Joseph, in an internal email:

The cost of operating the downtown building is very high. Since moving production out to Gwinnett, we occupy less than 30 percent of the facility. As a result, the expense to operate the building is exorbitant. No decision has been made at this time, but we are looking at options including maintaining our current downtown location or relocating to a new, smaller site in the greater Atlanta area. I will keep you informed and share any updates on this issue.

A couple of years ago, the newspaper located its new printing presses on Best Friend Road in Norcross.  Other locations outside of downtown but not in Gwinnett may also be under consideration.

Gwinnett residents continue to call for choice in garbage provider

The final community forum on Gwinnett's garbage service was held this past Saturday in Suwanee.  Continuing with a common theme that began late last year, county residents continue to demand freedom of choice in choosing their garbage service provider.  Just as Americans across the country are rising up and speaking loudly against Obamacare's government control of healthcare, Gwinnettians continue to loudly say no to government dictating with whom we must do business at the local level as well.  Gwinnett's commissioners are already on thin ice with voters after their poor stewardship of taxpayer dollars highlighted by the recent budget mess.  If they again try to cram socialized garbage down our throats after the overwhelming uproar against their solid waste ordinance, I would not be surprised if voters begin seriously exploring recall initiatives rather than waiting until the next election to bounce them from office.  To this point, the recall sentiment bubbling in Gwinnett has been fairly muted, but if commissioners continue to show callous disregard for citizens of this county, that bubbling could quickly rise to a boiling point.