Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2023
BOC continued from 1A
Auburn tables
modifications to staff’s recommended conditions and de
nied the special use in a 4-2 vote with commissioners Joe
Goodman and Billy Brown opposed.
Concerns about the additional density of five dwelling
units per acre requested through the special use were ex
pressed by the BOC as well as the Board of Education.
Without the special use, the approved 53-unit develop
ment results in a density of 4.23 dwelling units per acre.
The property is off Hwy. 81 across from Ridgeland
subdivision. The property has road frontage onto Bethel
Bower Road, however the site plan only shows access
from Hwy. 81, which will require coordination from the
Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
The BOC’s approval was accompanied by 10 condi
tions, including a mandatory Homeowners Association
(HOA), a minimum of 2,000 square feet of heated gross
floor area, an additional parking space per unit provided
as guest parking and various landscape and architectural
design requirements.
The zoning buffer consisting of a four-foot landscaped
berm with an eight-foot-tall screening fence, for a total of
12 feet, is also required.
The development will receive sewer service from the
Barrow County Utilities Department and water and natu
ral gas will be provided by the City of Winder.
OTHER BUSINESS
The BOC also voted on the following items during its
Feb. 14 meeting:
• A request to rezone 5.545 acres from agricultural
(AG) to low density single-family (Rl) to subdivide into
five lots for five single-family homes, located on Flee-
man Road, was unanimously approved.
• A rezone of roughly two acres, located at 940 Tom
Miller Road, with an existing single-family residence
from agricultural (AG) to low-density single-family res
idential (R-l) was unanimously approved. The applicant
and property owners Ben and Mary Cronic are combin
ing the remaining 12 acres of AG property with the ad
joining property to apply for conservation exemptions for
the larger combined tract.
• The appointment of Dan Hafner to the Barrow Coun
ty Water and Sewer Authority District 5 seat for a two-
year term ending on Jan. 31, 2025.
• The reappointment of Wesley Skinner to the Narrow
County Water and Sewer Authority District 2 seat for a
two-year term ending on Jan. 31, 2-25.
• The reappointment of Teeny Allison to the Airport
Authority District 6 seat for a two-year term ending on
Jan. 31,2025
• Purchase of a full-size van to serve as the coroner’s
vehicle for a total of $48,794, which resulted in a $8,794
deficit to be funded by the general fund contingency
funds.
• Surplus of a 2007 Ford Escape from the planning de
partment.
• Approval of a contract amendment with KCI for
on-demand planning services.
• A budget amendment for Fire Station #3 construction
contract.
• Initiation of the abandonment procedures for the
right-of-way of an unnamed road requested by the owner,
The Carter-Jones Cumber Company.
• Authorized the Barrow County Water Authority to
move forward with the process of issuing bond financing
for water and sewer infrastructure improvements.
• Establishment of a new large volume water user rate
and adoption of a revised rate schedule.
• Refund the $500 sewer capacity application fee at a
total of $22,000 and adopt the revised rate schedule.
• Purchase of an easement from Regine Anefils for the
Auburn Area Sanitary Sewer Expansion Project at the
sum of $1,620 and execution of the agreement.
• Purchase of one Spin Doctor valve exerciser from
Carter’s Equipment and Specialty Products, LLC.
• Surplus of a 1980 homemade utility trailer from the
parks and recreation department.
• Auction of a confiscated 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer
on behalf of the District Attorney’s office.
BOE continued
from 1A
Brian Kemp.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business March 7, the BOE:
• recognized the district’s Partners
in Education (PIE) for their support of
students, staff, schools and programs.
• approved the purchase of HMH Into
Math Georgia curriculum for grades
K-5. The purchase will provide print
materials and digital access for six
school years beginning with the 2023-
2024 school year. HMH Into Math
Georgia aligns to Georgia’s new K-12
Math Standards. The total financial im
pact for the six years is roughly $1.44
million.
• Approved naming Republic Ser
vices as the waste disposal and recycle
vendor for the 2023-2024 school year
with the option to renew up to four
more years.
• Awarded a bid for data cabling for
BES to TechOptics in the amount of
$52,183, and an overage allowance
of $5,000, for a maximum total of
$57,183. As part of renovations taking
place this summer at BES, additional
data cabling is needed to support future
audio enhancement installation and
renovations to the front office.
• Awarded a bid for data cabling for
CLES to TechOptics in the amount of
$52,183, and an overage allowance
of $5,000, for a maximum total of
$57,183. As part of renovations taking
place this summer at CLES, additional
data cabling is needed to support future
audio enhancement installation and
renovations to the front office.
• awarded a bid for data cabling for
WES to TechOptics in the amount of
$21,678, and an overage allowance
of $2,000, for a maximum total of
$23,678. Additional data cabling is
needed at WES to support audio en
hancement installation, with work tak
ing place this summer.
• Approved the purchase of Aruba
network switches from MXN in the
amount of $53,733.
• Approved the purchase of Bench
mark Phonics Workshop consumable
print and digital materials for students
in grades 3-5 at all elementary schools
and the purchase of decodable texts
for Bethlehem, Kennedy, and Statham
Elementary schools. The financial im
pact is $250,000, with ARP funds being
used to purchase the print and digital
materials for grades 3-5. A combina
tion of ARP, L4GA and Consolidated
funds will be used to purchase the de
codable texts and writer’s workshop
consumables for individual schools.
• Approved a temporary waiver of
policy IHE: Promotion and Retention
through July 31, 2023, to waive pro
motion/retention consequences tied to
Georgia Milestones. Promotion/reten
tion decisions for the 2022-2023 school
year will not be based on performance
on the Georgia Milestones. The waiver
was also approved by the BOE in pre
vious years.
Paving on Midland Ave.
begins, delays expected
Water
continued from 1A
sold and assist with lower
ing cost per thousand gal
lons to the Upper Oconee
Basin Water Authority’s
Bear Creek facility.
The updated rate sched
ule for commercial and
industrial large volume
water users is priced by
meter size and separated
into three tiers of water
use, each with a set price
per 1,000 gallons.
For three-inch and four-
inch meters, the first tier is
100,000 to 300,00 gallons
per day (GDP), priced at
$5.70 per thousand gal
lons.
The second tier is for
300,001 to 600,000 GPD,
priced at $5.24 per thou
sand gallons.
The third tier is for
601,000-1 million GPD,
priced at $4.98 per thou
sand gallons. Barrow
County’s previous price
per thousand gallons for
all commercial/industrial
water users was $6.09.
For comparison, Gwin
nett County’s rate is
$5.53, Oconee County's is
$6.11, City of Winder's is
$6.75, Jackson County’s
is $8.38, and the Town of
Braselton’s rate is $6.71.
Those with a three-inch
meter will pay a base
charge of $175.
The BOC has also re
cently moved forward
with the process of issuing
bond financing for water
and sewer infrastructure
improvements to accom
modate the needed fund
ing. Over the next three
years, the Barrow County
Utility Department will
embark on a multi-mil-
lion-dollar capital im
provement program to
enhance and upgrade the
water and sewer infra
structure.
According to pub
lic works director Chris
Yancey, these improve
ments will be an econom
ic engine that increases
service capacity that will
support more business
es in the community,
improve the reliability
and sustainability of the
county's water and sewer
system
Considering
((TM*R) )) buying or
selling?
770-867-9026
www.maynardrealty.com
Paving along Midland
Avenue started Monday
as a part of two separate
construction projects—the
Grove Street water line
project and the Kimball
Street stormwater rehabili
tation.
The work will be com
pleted in two separate sec
tions:
BETWEEN 4TH &
5TH STREET
The section between 4th
and 5th Street will require
detouring traffic.
BETWEEN 7TH &
LANGFORD STREET
Flaggers will control
traffic at the section be
tween 7th and Langford
Street. Expect delays and
pay attention when passing
through as crew members
will be working in close
proximity to traffic.
This project improves
the city’s infrastructure by
removing and replacing
old portions of asphalt. Ac
cording to city engineer,
Gerard Brewer, department
leaders worked diligently to
complete these projects in a
coordinated manner to save
time and inconvenience.
“It is our goal to proac
tively coordinate projects
simultaneously to save
time, funding and driver
inconvenience. Rather than
spanning years between the
utility projects completion
and paving improvements
getting done, we’ve been
able to complete both proj
ects and get the paving done
soon after,” said Brewer.
This work represents an
estimated $167,000 invest
ment in road projects, and
weather permitting, is ex
pected to be complete by
the end of next week.
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decision on
107-lot townhome
development
By Morgan Ervin
morgan@barro wnewsj ournal .com
The City of Auburn re
ceived a rezoning propos
al from Rocklyn Homes,
requesting 13.6 acres at
the intersection of McCul-
ly Drive and Apalachee
Church Road, off Atlanta
Highway, be rezoned from
the city's agricultural dis
trict (AG) to residential
multifamily apartment dis
trict (RM-8) to allow for a
107-lot townhome devel
opment.
The townhomes are pro
posed to be a minimum of
1,450 square feet and fea
ture three bedrooms and
two and a half bathrooms.
The proposed density is
7.87 units per acre.
The development will be
accessed by two new road
ways - one on Apalachee
Church Rd. and one off
McCully Drive.
The townhomes will be
accessed via an internal
street network with no
proposed lots having di
rect access to Apalachee
Church of McCully Drive.
The site plan shows 20
feet of separation between
the front of the townhome
and the edge of the side
walk closest to the resi
dence.
The site’s road front
age will include a 10-foot
landscape strip for addi
tional screening from the
right-of-way. Over 20% of
the site, or 2.7 acres, will
be devoted to open space,
which will be accessible to
residents and maintained
by a mandatory Homeown
ers Association (HOA).
There will be an addi
tional 25 parking spaces
at the rear of the commu
nity, where a mail kiosk
and dog park will also be
included.
Existing commer
cial-zone lots, including
a convenience store, day
care center and shopping
center, abut the northern
property line and a large
portion of the west proper
ty line.
The Auburn City Coun
cil was first introduced
to the proposal during its
Feb. 16 meeting, after the
city’s planning commis
sion recommended denial
of the proposal.
During the Feb. 16 work
session, the proposal was
met with pushback from
seven residents, all who
voiced concerns related to
recent growth in the area
such as traffic, overcrowd
ing of schools and public
safety.
The council was set
to vote on the proposal
during its meeting March
2, however the applicant
requested the council table
its decision.
The council will vote
on the proposal during its
April 6 meeting.
OTHER BUSINESS
During its March 2
meeting the Auburn City
Council also discussed:
• The weekend rate for
the main floor board room
at the Perry Rainey Center
will be raised to $600 for
non-residents. For Auburn
residents, nonprofits and
educational use the cost
will be raised to $300.
The standard weekend
rate for the third-floor ban
quet hall will be raised to
$900, or $600 for Auburn
residents and nonprofit
and education. Entire fa
cility rental rates will be
removed. Additional hours
will remain the same.
• A contract for com
pressor and evaporator
coil replacement for the
Auburn Library.
Winder continued from 1A
The zoning ordinance is the implantation tool
for the comprehensive plan, and will be updated
alongside the comprehensive plan to address ex
isting needs and to implement the vision devel
oped in the comprehensive planning process.
The city needs the public’s input to make sure
this process reflects the community’s vision. To
get involved, visit the project website https://
planningatpond.com/WinderCP
Residents will be able to share input by visiting
the project map exercise and signing up for email
updates at key project milestones.
Key project documents will also be made avail
able on the website’s document library as they
become available.
The next open house is scheduled on Thursday,
March 30, from 4-6 p.m. at the Winder Commu
nity Center, located at 113 Athens Street.
The Barrow County
Democratic Party
Will be holding elections for
State Committee Members
on March 15th from 6:00-7:00pm
at Statham Public Library
1928 Railroad Street, Statham.
If you are interested or know
anyone who may be interested,
please contact your Barrow County
Democratic Committee at 678-837-
5519 or 678-332-7695. You may
also email:
barrowdems(5) barrowdems.org.
All Barrow County Democrats
are welcome to attend.