Atlanta Zoning Ordinance Closes The Varsity Jr.

After 45 years on Lindbergh Drive, The Varsity Jr. closes tonight after a losing its zoning fight with the City of Atlanta.  The Varsity Jr. had wanted to build a new modern facility at its location, but could not meet the City’s zoning requirements.

You can read the open letter from the Atlanta landmark here.

Sandy Springs Opens Riverside Park

After a few million dollars and several years, the City of Sandy Springs opened the Overlook Park – 27 acres of green space, playgrounds, a 300-person public pavilion and a 170-year-old stone chimney, the last standing part of a home belonging to the settler Powers familyat the end of Morgan Falls Road on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. 

Fulton County Valuing Property At What Owed, Not Necessarily Its Fair Market Value

Foreclosures, short sales, declining values cause the fair market value of a property to sometimes fall below what the owner owes the bank.  Even though the property owner is under water or upside down with the mortgage greater that the property is now worth, the property owner may not get any relief from the tax assessor. 

Fulton County continues to consider the amount of the mortgage in assessing a property’s valuation for tax purposes resulting in valuations sometime double the fair market value of the property. 

Property owners have options and can appeal.  Contact GZB and the law firm of Williams Teusink Larsen to learn more.

Revival Of Snellville Development Authority

After twenty years of inactivity, the Snellville City Council intends to awaken the Snellville Development Authority to focus on economic development throughout the city.  Snellville Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer hopes to appoint members to the revived Council as early as August 23.

Lilburn Mosque Proposal Part Of Nationwide Controversy

From Wisconsin, Tennessee to New York, other communities across the country are in heated controversies over proposed mosques – just like Lilburn.  Religious schools, universities and campuses have long faced questioning and even challenging neighbors when planning a new project – parking, traffic, noise, even football stadium lighting are typical voiced concerns.  But, the recent controversies challenge the purpose of the proposed development – Islam itself.

In Lilburn, the City Council denied a rezoning request by the local Muslim congregation of Dar-E-Abbas for a 20,000-square-foot mosque, cemetery and gymnasium on about 8 acres at U.S. 29 and Hood Road.  The mosque filed a lawsuit appealing the denial.  However, the Court stayed the litigation at the request of both sides in January.