Newspaper Page Text
C ommunities continued from 1A
million square feet of
industrial space along
Kilcrease Road and S.R.
316 consisting of four
buildings ranging from
122,000 to 520,000 sq.
Ft.
• Braselton Crossroads
— a distribution center
recently purchased by
West
Other updates Graham
discussed include a five-
year comprehensive plan
update and a comprehen
sive transportation plan,
which aims to offer stra
tegic directions for future
transportation infrastruc
ture developments.
The county has also
recently finalized a com
prehensive Continuity
of Operations Plan, cre
ated to ensure county
resilience in the face of
disasters or unexpected
disruptions to daily oper
ations.
Finally, a rebranding
initiative with the Cham
ber of Commerce will in
clude modern logos and
website enhancement.
WINDER
Winder Mayor David
Maynard said the word
to describe the state of
Winder is “prepared.”
The city has been busy
at work on its Stormwa
ter Master Plan, updating
infrastructure on Gilm
er Street and the Center
Street underpass. Other
areas that will receive
new infrastructure are
South Broad Street, May
Street and Athens Street.
The city recently re
ceived a $100,000 grant,
which will be used to
design and reconfigure
the intersection at Mar
tin Luther King Jr. Drive
and E Midland Ave. to
alleviate traffic conges
tion. Plans for sidewalks
around town are also in
the works.
Water system upgrades
on Winder’s east side are
also underway. These
upgrades will increase
volume and fire flow to
serve new development
slated for the area.
For the first time in the
city’s history, it’s creat
ing its own comprehen
sive planning and zoning
plan, which will depict
what Winder will look
like in the next 20 years,
said Maynard. Revisions
to the city’s zoning ordi
nance are also underway.
While looking onward
and planning for the
future, the city is also
embracing its rich his
tory with the restoration
of Rose Hill Cemetery,
which is undergoing re
vitalization to become
a welcoming space for
the entire community.
A Friends of Rose Hill
committee made up of
local residents has been
authorized and the group
holds regular meetings to
discuss the master plan
ning effort.
The city has also kicked
off its Thank Goodness
it’s First Friday (TGIFF)
event series, which is
held each month on the
first Friday at Jug Tavern
Park. The next event will
be a Cinco de Mayo fiesta
on May 5 from 6-9 p.m.
In recent months, a
city engineer position
was created and filled.
Gerard Brewer, a profes
sional engineer with over
30 years of experience in
municipal civil engineer
ing was hired and to lead
the city’s major capital
projects. The city’s goal
is to create an engineer
ing department and is
currently recruiting can
didates.
A new contract for san
itation services is in its
final stages after the city
opted to use Waste Pro as
its new service provider.
The contract will take ef
fect July 1 once the city’s
contract with Waste Man
agement expires. New
rates are currently under
negotiation.
A “Celebrate Winder”
public relations effort
has been initiated by the
city to educate citizens
on city services, process
es and budgets. The city
has also enhanced and
improved its website, so
cial media presence and
project signage.
Many changes have re
cently been made to the
city’s website, including
a “New to Winder” page
for page for those who
have recently moved to
the area and need to con
nect with city services.
A monthly e-news
called “Eye on Wind
er” started in September
2022. Residents can sign
up by visiting Winder’s
webpage. What’s more, a
bi-monthly billing insert
called “The Ripple Ef
fect” began circulation in
January 2023.
The city recently re
ceived a $1 million Com
munity Development
Block Grant (CDBG)
to prevent flooding and
improve water and sew
er utilities along Stevens
Street and convert the lot
into a detention pond and
multi-use field.
A $10 million Gov
ernor’s Grant was also
recently awarded to the
city, which it will use for
a new reservoir.
The city has recently
submitted an application
for $2,146,500 to the
Georgia Outdoor Stew
ardship Program to fund
connectivity at City Pond
Park. In addition, the city
applied to the Georgia
Department of Transpor
tation’s Thriving Com
munities Program for
community revitalization
and technical assistance
in the Glenwood commu
nity.
AUBURN
The City of Auburn is
in the midst of multiple
major and exciting proj
ects.
Years in the making, a
raw water storage pond is
currently in its final stag
es of construction at the
city’s quarry site. At 179
feet deep, it will hold 1.1
billion gallons of water
when filled.
Since Auburn doesn’t
need that much water, it
has teamed up with the
City of Winder, which is
adding two intake sites
on the Mulberry River
and Little Mulberry Riv
er, 13.5 miles of water
mains and land/easement
acquisitions. Once com
plete, Winder will in
crease its daily withdraw
al from 5.1 to 8.1 million
gallons per day using this
raw water supply.
The increased capaci
ty will supply raw water
to the area for at least 40
years.
“We’re drought-proof
ing ourselves,” said
Auburn Mayor Linda
Blechinger.
A water treatment plant
is also underway and is
currently about one-third
completed.
The City of Auburn is
excitedly awaiting the
completion of its new
Municipal Complex,
which will serve sev
eral purposes. The new
building is located on
Atlanta Hwy. and will
house the Auburn Police
Department, city admin
istration, water service,
planning and zoning, the
city clerk and the finance
department. The second
floor of the building will
be used as council cham
bers and a courtroom as
well as additional office
space.
The basement of the
Municipal Complex will
be used as an evidence
room and workout area
for the police department,
complete with workout
equipment funded by pri
vate donations.
The complex will be
large enough to provide
“plenty of room to grow
over the years,” said
Blechinger.
Blechinger explained
that the city began look
ing for another home for
the police department in
order to move it off the
railroad tracks. The com
plex was purchased using
SPLOST funds.
In addition to serving
as the headquarters of
multiple city operations,
Blechinger said the city
is “paying homage to
our forefathers and our
history,” through the Mu
nicipal Complex as its
construction was inspired
by the original blueprints
of Perry Rainey College,
which once stood where
Auburn Elementary
School is located today.
Blechinger said the com
plex will replicate the
historical landmark upon
completion.
A grand opening is
forthcoming.
While the city hasn’t
yet confirmed “what
it is that’s coming,”
Blechinger said ideas
for a restaurant, farmer’s
market, family-friendly
brewery or a combination
of the three are being
tossed around.
In light of this upcom
ing relocation, a down
town redevelopment ini
tiative is in full swing to
repurpose the buildings
that currently house city
hall and the police de
partment, which will re
main open and ready to
be occupied by new busi
nesses.
“We plan on having
everything you can think
of,” said Blechinger of
the future use of the city’s
downtown buildings.
BRASELTON
Braselton councilman
Richard Harper discussed
some of the major proj
ects happening in town.
In March of 2023, town
council agreed to im
prove a section of Mul
berry Riverwalk with a
crush-and-run surface.
The Riverwalk continued
to be a popular recreation
option around town.
Harper also discussed
the major Hwy. 211
project underway by the
Georgia Department of
Transportation. The esti
mated $29.6 million proj
ect will widen Hwy. 211
from Tuscany Drive to
the 1-85 northbound ramp
terminals. North of Tour
de France Drive, the proj
ect will provide a four-
lane urban section with
a 20-foot-wide raised
median and 10-foot-wide
side path on the east side
of Hwy. 211.
The project will also
add multi-lane round
abouts on Hwy. 211 at its
intersection with the 1-85
southbound ramp and at
Tour de France Drive/
Braselton Parkway Ex
tension.
Additionally, the proj
ect will construct the first
phase of the Braselton
Parkway Extension. This
first phase will run about
halfway to the Mulberry
River. This project will
eventually connect Hwy.
211 to the existing Bra
selton Parkway at Jesse
Cronic Road.
Braselton’s library ex
tension is near comple
tion after breaking ground
in June 2022. The project
added 8,166 square to the
facility. When complete,
the two-story addition
will house a children’s
wing and study rooms
and allow for more circu
lation materials and pro
gramming. A children’s
garden with a story time
amphitheater and an en
vironmental education
al pier are also planned.
The construction project
includes $1.73 million in
state funds.
Meanwhile, the project
has netted about a dozen
donors. Improvements
to two roads adjacent
to the library are also
in the works as part of
the library project. The
town will widen Brassie
Lane and install 90-de-
gree parking, while also
placing a landscaped me
dian with street lighting
down the leg of Davis St.
west of Hwy. 53 running
to Hwy. 124. The proj
ect will include planting
street trees along the road
Considering
((TM*R) )) buying or
selling?
770-867-9026
www.maynardrealty.com
Auburn Wine &
Spirits coming soon
By Morgan Ervin
morgan@barro wne wsj ournal .com
An application for a
package store, which will
provide retail sales of spir
its, beer and wine, was
approved by the Auburn
City Council in a 3-1 vote
during its meeting April
20 with councilwoman Ja
mie Bradley opposed. The
approved application in
cludes Sunday sales.
The package store,
known as Auburn Wine &
Spirits, will be located at
1612 Atlanta Hwy.
The store will consist of a
10,500-square-foot show
room, which will include a
wine and tasting room, as
well as 1,000 square feet
of storage space.
The city added condi
tions with its approval to
ensure the development is
in accordance with stan
dards in the City of Auburn
Municipal Code regarding
development regulations
and the sale of spirits, beer
and wine.
A final condition re
quires the lighting for the
development to be non
spill and downward point
ing to preserve the night
skies within the city.
OTHER BUSINESS:
The Auburn City Coun
cil also approved the fol
lowing items on April 20:
• The hiring of Dena
Bosten as contracted per
sonnel to serve as interim
city accountant while the
city continues to search for
candidates for the full-time
position.
• The 2024 proposed
budget schedule presented
by city administrator Mi
chael Parks
• National Public Works
Week proclamation pre
sented by public works di
rector Iris Akridge
JAT Consulting Services
to do Stathaxn’s
accounting in interim
The Statham City Council approved a contract
with JAT Consulting Services, Inc., during a spe
cial called meeting on April 13.
JAT Consulting Services will do the city’s ac
counting until Statham hires another city accoun
tant.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Winder Housing Authority (WHA) leasing agent for Crescent Residential Properties of Winder,
LLC., and Innovation Crescent Properties, LLC. will begin accepting applications for the Project
Based Rental Assistance Program beginning May 15 th , 2023 at 8:00 am. Applications will be online at
www.winderhousing.com beginning on that date. Applications can be submitted for Zero (0), one
(1), two (2), three (3), and four (4) bedroom apartments.
Applications must be filled out and submitted online.
The waiting list will remain open until further notice, starting May 15 th, 2023
Persons with disabilities who require a reasonable accommodation in completing an application
may call the WHA to make special arrangements. Hearing impaired individuals may call our TDD
number at (770) 868-0675 (please note that this line will only accept TDD hearing impaired
calls/signals).
Once your application is submitted, you will remain on the waitlist as received. Once you reach
the top 10, you will receive an appointment to determine your eligibility and/or move in
information.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
PBRA housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. WHA determines your eligibility
based on: 1) annual gross income; 2) whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability,
or as a family; and 3) U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status. If you are eligible, the WHA
will check your references to make sure you and your family will be good tenants. WHA will
deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a
detrimental effect on other tenants or on the project's environment. All screening is done in
accordance with the Property's Tenant Selection and Assignment Plan.
The family's yearly gross income may not exceed the Barrow County, GA. low-income limits of:
1 person
2 person
3 person
4 person
5 person
6 person
7 person
8 person
$54,000
$61,760
$69,440
$77,120
$83,360
$89,520
$95,680
$101,840
Once applicant reach the top 10 and eligibility is determined, applicants will be offered an
apartment, in order of the preferences they certify to on their application.
This notice can be translated to other languages if needed.
OPPORTUNITY
We are an equal housing opportunity provider. We do not discriminate
on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability or
familial status (having children under age of 18).