The View of a Generational Landowner
As I pondered how we could protect the greater area around Serenbe, my first conversation was with our neighbors, Janise and Ned Peek. Their son Rodney joined us at his parent’s kitchen table as we discussed the concerns of urban sprawl altering the landscape and lifestyle of the area. As we set about to engage the larger community of 500 landowners, the Peeks were very involved and reliable partners in the Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance. In the pictures I shared in the last post, the person to my right on the stage for that first community meeting is Rodney Peek. Following are Rodney’s reflections:
Life is full of surprises.
I never imagined that I could live such a rural lifestyle and walk to restaurants, events and shops. My name is Rodney Peek. I have never been happier living where I live, right now in 2022. I am the 7th generation to grow-up and live in Chattahoochee Hills. I grew-up at address: 10680 Hutcheson Ferry and now live at 10685 Hutcheson Ferry. I love my community. My parents still live at 10680 Hutcheson Ferry and have great-grandchildren that love coming out to the country to play at their house.
Growing up in this rural setting was like living in paradise. You knew all of your neighbors and they were like family. We shared lots of visits on front porches, swam in the ponds and shared life. To this day there is still a no-knock policy with some of my neighbors. Always welcome anytime. Relationships with neighbors are an important part of this community.
My great-great Uncle used to run Cochran Mill. Another great-great Uncle built what is now The Farmhouse at Serenbe. The land that I live on currently was once my Great Grandfathers. My parents moved into the house they now live in when I was 3 months old. My neighbors have known me all of my life…The Kearns, The Kordowskis' and 2 sets of Aunts & Uncles. Unfortunately, in 2019 I had three neighbors pass and for the first time in my life, I had new neighbors.
One day a friend came down for a visit, we went to Bradley’s Grocery (now Piggly Wiggly) for a few items and there was a power outage, no one could check-out. The manager just walked over and said have a good day & pay me later. He never looked in our basket and was nonchalant. My friend looked at me with surprise, “he doesn’t even know what you have in there.” How does he know you will be back? I told him in the small towns that you build trust. He knows that I will pay for everything and that’s how it works. He looked at me and said, ``I didn't know people still did business like that anymore."
Back in the early 90’s, I met Steve Nygren and his family. I would ask his permission to go to the waterfalls with the tractor and hay-rides, etc. We became fast friends. His daughters would watch my young children on occasion too.
One day, my next-door neighbor (Kordowski) had cleared land for an additional grass air-strip for his newer airplane. Most were not aware of what he was doing and thought, “Oh-no, is this a development coming to our backyard?” That got lots of attention from neighbors as to what “could” happen to this area. Bad development was highly visible in sections of neighboring cities and we would drive by that bad development & clear cut areas, as we had daily commutes to/from school or work.
Steve noticed the clearing, because it was adjacent to his property. That led to neighborhood meetings to discuss this area and the future. As previously described in an earlier post… I remember having several landowner meetings. Asking landowners what their goals were: To sell to the highest bidder, to keep the land in the family, etc. My Dad & I went to lots of meetings to talk about our community, the zoning overlay and then cityhood. We talked to neighbors publicly and privately. Occasionally it felt as if we had a bulls-eye target on our back. Overall, the feedback was positive and in the end we all recognized what we all had in common...Love for this land and community.
Looking back over the past 20 years, I am proud of what we have become and where we are going. I hope that this area remains a great place to live and raise a family. I hear some people talk about how much change there has been, traffic, growth etc. And I agree, there is a lot of change all around us. However, Hutcheson Ferry road has changed very little. It is very much like it was when I was just a boy.