Archive for Georgia Cities
July 20, 2009
· Filed under Georgia Cities, Georgia Counties, Water & Coastal · Tagged Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Lake Lanier, Paul Magnuson, Water war
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson issued his long-awaited decision in the 18-year Georgia-Alabama-Florida water war ruling that Georgia can no longer withdraw water from Lake Lanier. The decision finds that Georgia’s current withdrawal of water for Atlanta’s water resource violates the intended purpose of Lake Lanier – hydropower and flood control. The ruling invalidates a 2003 settlement agreement that allocated 25% of Lake Lanier for Atlanta’s drinking water. Judge Magnuson allows the three states three years to reach an agreement or congressional action. Hereis a pdf of the Judge’s ruling.
Creative Loafing outlines local and regional reaction.
Georgia’s entire congressional delegation will meet Tuesday.
July 18, 2009
· Filed under Georgia Cities, Georgia Counties, Water & Coastal · Tagged Exemption, Stormwater, Thurbert Baker
Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker, who is running for Governor in 2010, issued an opinion that state agencies – particularly the Department of Transportation – do not have to comply with city and county storm water runn-off regulations.
Here is a copy of the Attorney General’s opinion.
The opinion troubles environmentalists and led the Athens Banner-Herald to call for some limits on the state.
June 10, 2009
· Filed under Georgia Cities · Tagged Andrew Wordes, chickens, Maurice Hilliard, Roswell
Roswell Municipal Court Judge Maurice Hilliard invalidates the City ban on backyard chickens for being “too vague and ambiguous for enforcement.” Andrew Wordes a/k/a The Chicken Outlaw can keep his pet chickens on Alpine Drive.
May 27, 2009
· Filed under Georgia Cities, Georgia Counties, Incorporation, Liquor Ordinances, Mixed-Use Development · Tagged DeKalb County, Dunwoody, Elaine Boyer, Kathie Gannon, Liquor Ordinance
The DeKalb County Commissioners again deferred a decision on whether it will sue Dunwoody. It was the eighth time in eight months that the Commissioners delayed making a decision about the lawsuit.
“I feel this is a positive step,” [Commissioner Elaine Boyer] said of the ongoing negotiations. “We have asked to continue mediation with the city of Dunwoody.”
The County and Dunwoody are in current negotiations over the transfer of county-owned property, including the multi-million-dollar Brook Run Park facility on North Peachtree Road.
The County also deferred a decision on changes to its liquor license proposed by Commissioner Kathie Gannon that would allow restaurants in mixed-use developments to serve alcohol despite their proximity to schools or churches.
The Commissioners will tackle both again next month.
May 26, 2009
· Filed under Georgia Cities, Mixed-Use Development · Tagged Aerotropolis Atlanta, Alan Hallman, Ford Plant, Hapeville, Jacoby Development
Jacoby Development Inc., the developer that turned an old steel mill into Atlantic Station — a live-work-play mini-city in Midtown — recently completed the initial demolition and site remediation of the 128-acre site of old Ford Motor Company plant in Hapeville along I-75. By fall, the development will enter Phase I – construction of light industrial and parking.
The $1.5 billion development will be called Aerotropolis Atlanta because of its close proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The 10-year development proposes office space, hotels, retail, restaurants, a light industrial business park and a 4,000-space airport parking facility.
More than 90 million passengers passed through Hartsfield last year, the world’s busiest airport. Aerotropolis Atlanta will be “a direct connection” to the international terminal under construction, Condra said. The terminal will be located just across Loop Road from the Jacoby property. Plans call for shuttle service to be offered on Loop Road, so travelers can eat and shop during layovers.
“I really think the reason this project is doing well when others aren’t is our proximity to the airport,” he said. “The location is a big, big selling point.”
Hapeville Mayor Alan Hallman says while the economy might slow the completion date, the project is moving ahead.
April 30, 2009
· Filed under Georgia Cities, Tax Allocation District · Tagged Atlanta, Shirley Franklin, Tax Increase, Property Tax
Mayor Shirley Franklin unveileda proposed budget that will raise the average homeowner’s property taxes $20 a month.
The mayor said the tax increase is necessary because the city is receiving far less money from sales taxes and other fees, which she blamed on the ongoing economic recession.
April 21, 2009
· Filed under Air Quality, Control & Rights, Georgia Cities, Greenspace · Tagged EPA, Fort Valley, Fort Valley State University, John Stumbo, National Priority List, Stimulus, Superfund, Woolfork
There are sixteen contaminated sites in Georgia on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priority List. The site of the former Woolfork Chemical Plant outside Fort Valley will receive $5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to complete its clean-up.
Fort Valley Mayor Dr. John Stumbo:
The Woolfolk Chemical Plant started operations there in about 1924. They made agricultural pesticides that were arsenic lace. In those days, of course, there was no air conditioning and because of the heat, most of the mixing of this dry material was done in sheds that simply had a roof and no side walls. So, as the winds blew through there, it would carry this contaminated dust all over the area. The second company came in there in the 1970s, they were called Canada in Georgia, and they were doing the same thing.
The 31-acre Woolfork site sits close to downtown Fort Valley and near Fort Valley State University. This site has long been seen as the hope for revitalization of downtown Fort Valley. The Woolfork site was deemed eligible for the Superfund program in 1990. Since then more than $27 million has gone in to cleaning up the chemical contamination.
In the early 1980s, citizen complaints prompted the Georgia environmental officials to investigate Woolfolk amid allegations of discharge of waste products into a drainage corridor heading away from the site. No injuries have been reported but one lawsuit forced a former Woolfolk owner to reimburse residents for declining property values.
Today, according to the EPA, all excavation of arsenic from residential soil is complete, as well as the removal of arsennic contaminated dust from residential attics.
Fort Valley hopes this latest cash infusion will complete the cleanup of Woolfolk, fulfilling its promise of downtown revitalization.
Mayor Stumbo offers his take on Life After Superfund here.
April 17, 2009
· Filed under Adult Entertainment, Georgia Cities, Liquor Ordinances · Tagged Crime, Diana Preston, Karaoke, Lilburn, Liquor Ordinance
In 2007, Lilburn tightened its liquor ordinance to counter Sports Fan Bar and Grill. Lilburn leaders linked karaoke, darts, pool, trivia, and other forms of “interactive” entertainment with crime. Lilburn banned all such entertainment in any establishment selling alcohol. Now two years later, Lilburn reverses itself changing its liquor ordinance to again allow such entertainment.
“Lilburn has matured, and we want to keep it vibrant,” said Mayor Diana Preston. “Our focus is keeping our business community strong and that means a diversity of businesses.”
And, she said, Lilburn — which bans bars — wants to accommodate its young adults, who enjoy pub atmospheres.
And the crime that will follow?
Preston said that’s no longer a concern given the number of police officers and the creation of the alcohol review board.
April 15, 2009
· Filed under Georgia Cities, Georgia Counties, Incorporation · Tagged Sandy Springs, Roswell, Fulton County, Eva Galambos, Johns Creek, Jere Wood, Mike Bodker, Milton County, John Sherman, Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation, John Eaves, Roger Bruce
April 15, 2009
· Filed under Georgia Cities, Liquor Ordinances · Tagged bowling alley, Karl Bostick, Larry Rutledge, Liquor, liquor-by-the-drink, Snellville, Snellville First Baptist Church, Tod Warner, winetasting
After refusing to allow restaurants to pour on Sundays, the Snellville City Council twice loosened its liquor ordinances. The Council voted 3-2 to allow local businesses to conduct winetastings and then voted 4-1 to approve a liquor license for a bowling alley. More than 150 Snellville residents filed into City Hall to see the vote and voice their opinions.
Councilman Tod Warner, who pushed the two measures Monday, said the intent of the wine tasting was to allow a struggling business owner to use his body of knowledge to stay afloat.
To allay fears of customers drinking in mass quantities, Warner said wine aficionados often sip the wine, swirl it in their mouths and spit it out.
The liquor debate is still hotly contested in Snellville.
Larry Rutledge, a deacon at Snellville First Baptist Church, pleaded with the council not to make alcohol more accessible.
“[Alcohol] is the most destructive substance we have in this country,” Rutledge said. “I would hope and pray that as Christians … you would stand up and be against this thing.”
That struck a cord with resident Karl Bostick, who collects wines.
“I’m a Christian, and I drink wine,” Bostick said. “They are small samples, so that you have the ability to taste a bottle of wine before you purchase it. This is not a license to party.”
