Best Overall Neighborhood

Of all the towns we have studied this semester, I think that the best town overall was Peachtree City. This neighborhood has qualities of both a traditional and a sprawling area, and it works extremely well here. Peachtree City is home to some of the best schools in the state of Georgia and it is growing rapidly. In this town, there are over 90 miles of golf cart roads that can be used to run, bike, or teach a young and aspiring driver good driving practices. In addition, the city is full of public spaces like golf courses and parks for kids to get out and play.

In examining the many benefits of a sprawling neighborhood, it is hard to be completely against them. For example, most people get along better with their neighbor because there are few differences between them. Most of the citizens make roughly the same amount of money which removes the awkwardness of economical discrimination. Also, because of this all around higher income, the school districts are better and the schools have more money; therefore making them more up to date with technology and education standards. In addition, being in a different environment than one's place of business is pleasant because it allows one to leave work worries at the office. Granted, with all the driving that comes with the separation of work and home, there is a great need for cars to get to and from anywhere. But in a city with as many "green practices" as Peachtree City, this is a minor trade off.

Peachtree City also has some of the aspects of a traditional neighborhood. For instance, there are plenty of public spaces to meet and greet one's neighbors and enjoy the outdoors. In a city with as many outdoor attractions as this one, the desire to stay inside is greatly reduced as most kids want to get outside and socialize. While "walkability" isn't one of Peachtree City's bigger qualities, the environmentally friendly practice of driving golf carts is a major plus for the city and the cart paths are great for walking or jogging on. The city does take up a lot of space which is the biggest problem of sprawl, it is part of the American Dream to own a big house and lots of land. This city is the best example of an attempt to please everyone's values in terms of a neighborhood and effective land use standards.

-Michael Saunders