Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2023
PUD
continued from 1A
Statham considers
rezoning proposals
Winder receives
Distinguished Budget
Award from GFOA
feet wide and 201 are at
tached single-family town-
homes ranging from 26-30
feet wide.
The community will in
clude amenities including a
clubhouse, pool, pickleball
courts, a dog park, commu
nity lawn, community gar
den and a multi-use path
with connectivity to Chim
neys Golf Course.
The proposed gross den
sity for the entire property
is 2.56 residential units per
acre.
The development will
feature two commercial
tracts as part of the overall
development, described as
“retail village neighbor
hood commercial” (B-l).
The largest of the two
commercial tracts is 20
acres and adjacent to Wind
er/Monroe Highway/Hwy.
211 and across from Pun-
kin Junction Road. The site
layout shows 20 commer
cial buildings and associat
ed parking around a central
community lawn.
Surrounding land use
includes Chimneys Golf
Course. Bethlehem Church/
Bethlehem Christian Acad
emy, Corinth Methodist
Chmch and single-family
residential homes.
The applicant requested
several variances from the
city’s comprehensive zon
ing ordinance to reduce
minimum requirements for
lot area, lot width, floor
area, porch depth, building
separation distance, win
dows and yard setbacks.
The site plan includes
four entrances along Hwy.
11 near Punkin Junction
Road and Harry McCarty
Road, and will generate
118 trips during the morn
ing peak hour and 139 trips
during the evening peak
hour. In total, the commu
nity will generate 2,056
daily trips, according to the
traffic study.
A 25-foot planted buffer
borders the eastern portion
of the commercial site, ad
jacent to the single-family
residential lots within the
development and the front
age along Monroe Hwy.
The development is con
sidered a Development of
Regional Impact (DRI)
and completed the required
processing and review for
DRIs in Nov. 2022 per state
statute.
By Carole Townsend
During Thursday council
work session public hearing,
Mayor Joe Piper and coun
cil members heard rezoning
requests from two different
property owners. First, JCD
Enterprises, Inc., asked to re
zone 4.99 acres at 2119 Atlan
ta Hwy. from manufactured
housing (MH) to highway
business (HB) to accommo
date the proposed use as an
office and storage facility and
possibly a parking lot.
Several citizens spoke in
opposition to the rezoning,
stating that the property in
question is surrounded by
homes and is a quiet, rural
area.
Martha Campbell, who
owns property adjacent to the
site, said that she has a stocked
pond and livestock and fears
that a commercial develop
ment would jeopardize both
the pond and her animals.
Other residents commented
that the traffic, noise and light
ing would pose problems for
the otherwise quiet, agricul
tural area.
A second rezoning request
was for a 0.4 acre property
located at 1835 Atlanta Hwy.,
SE. According to applicant
Robert White with R & D
Realty, the rezoned property
would be used as a second
law office for a Commerce
attorney.
Road paving projectCity
leaders are considering a road
paving project on Hayes Lake
Road, which has been patched
over several times in the past
few years. For a proposed
price of $21,293, the damaged
stretch of road would be fully
re-paved, not patched.
LOW INCOME WATER
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
City leaders will decide
at the next regular council
meeting whether to approve
the signing of an agreement
between the Georgia Depart
ment of Human Services,
Division of Family and Chil
dren Services, and the City
of Statham for the provision
of federal funds to cover or
reduce arrearages for house
holds that qualify for assis
tance with their water bills.
The council will vote on
these items Tuesday, June 20.
At the Winder City
Council’s June 6 meeting,
the city’s fiscal year 2022
(FY22) budget presentation
was recognized by the Gov
ernment Finance Officers
Association (GFOA) with a
Distinguished Budget Pre
sentation Award.
“The purpose of the
awards program is to encour
age and assist governments
to prepare comprehensive
and understandable budget
documents that we believe
will both improve transpar
ency and trust in govern
ment,” said Chris Morrill,
GFOA executive director.
The pre-recorded video
message was presented to
council and attendees at the
beginning of the meeting by
Rachel Bembry, CPA, who
serves as the city’s chief fi
nancial officer.
Bembry said, “Preparing
these presentations is a col
laborative effort between
the city’s leadership and the
elected officials. For FY22,
the city gained momentum
and worked to meet the
goals set forth in the budget
document. This award is a
testament to leadership and
stewardship of city officials
and staff.”
The rubric of criteria for
the award is both intricate
and robust with 25 mandato
ry items.
“I am so proud of Rachel
and the finance department
for presenting the city bud
get in an award winning
manner. In fact, I am proud
of all our team members for
contributing to this effort,”
said Mayor David Maynard.
Governments must pro
vide a coherent statement of
organization-wide, strategic
goals and strategies, a bud
get message and articulate
an overview of significant
budgetary items and trends.
To read the full Distin
guished Budget Presentation
Award Program criteria see
the Government Finance
Officers Association web
site: www.gfoa.org/bud-
get-award.
340-lot subdivision on City Pond Road gets green light
By Morgan Ervin
A new subdivision was approved by the
Winder City Council at a property owned by
the Robinson John W III Trust and The Marga
ret Robinson Martin Trust, located at 982 City
Pond Road.
The roughly 147-acre property will be an
nexed into the City of Winder and rezoned from
Barrow County’s medium-density residential
zoning district to the city’s R-1A zoning dis
trict to allow for a community of single-family
detached homes called Sycamore Reserve.
The applicant, D.R. Horton, proposed a 340-
lot single-family residential development with
an overall density of 2.31 dwelling units per
acre. The project will include 178 lots with a
minimum lot width of 50 feet and 162 lots with
a minimum lot width of 60 feet.
Of the 340 units, 178 will have a minimum
lot area of 6,250 square feet, a minimum lot
width of 50 feet and a minimum gross heated
square footage of 1,634.
The remaining 162 units will have a mini
mum lot area of 7,500 square feet, a minimum
lot width of 60 feet and a gross heated square
footage of 1,991.
All homes will feature a two-car garage and
driveway lengths will be 27 feet at minimum.
The gross density for the development is
2.31 units per acre.
The applicant requested variances from the
city’s zoning ordinance, seeking to reduce the
required minimum lot area, lot width, yard
setbacks, minimum floor area, porch depth,
garage door width maximum, road length max
imum and street lighting.
The community will include amenity areas,
open space areas, a walking trail, a dog park
and connectivity to a local city park.
A traffic study was conducted on State Route
211 at Carl Cedar Hill Road/Rockwell Church
Road and Rockwell Church Road at Chicken
Lyle Road/City Pond Road.
The traffic study concluded the new devel
opment will generate 3,257 new daily traffic
trips, with 255 added during the morning peak
hour and 342 added during the evening peak
hour.
The study also projected construction will
worsen traffic conditions at the northbound ap
proach of the intersection of Rockwell Church
Road at Chicken Lyle Road/City Pond Road.
The study recommended the development
provide a northbound and eastbound right turn
lane and a westbound left turn lane along City
Pond Road. It also recommended an eastbound
right turn lane along Rockwell Church Road.
OTHER BUSINESS
The following are other voting items during
the council’s June 6 meeting:
• A conditional use per the City of Winder’s
Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance to operate
a used car dealership in a general commercial
(B-2) zone for a property located at 186 W.
May St. was denied 4-2 with councilmembers
Jimmy Terrell and Stephanie Brit opposed.
According to Councilman Travis Singley, who
made the motion to deny, the property is within
feet of the housing authority and the requested
use of the property would reduce the quality
of life for nearby residents due to noises and
other distractions typically created by a car lot.
He also mentioned a very thin lot would limit
customer parking.
• A conditional use to operate a vape store in
a general commercial zone (B-2) for a property
located at 830 Loganville Hwy. was denied 5-1
with Brit opposed.
• A conditional use to allow for the sale of
packaged beer and package wine at the Fam
ily Dollar located at 208 N Broad St., Ste. G,
which is in a neighborhood commercial zone
(B-l) was denied unanimously due to the re
quest not meeting proximity requirements per
the city’s code regarding proximity to schools
and churches. The property is 43 yards from
the nearest church, Christ the King Ghana
Methodist Church, and 1,400 yards from the
nearest school, Holsenbeck Elementary.
• A variance requesting relief from the 500
sq. ft. garage requirement in a high density sin
gle-family residential zone (R-1B) for property
owned by Habitat for Humanity located at 70
E. Wright St. The applicant seeks relief in or
der to be able to add an additional room instead
of a garage was approved unanimously.
• A variance requesting to reduce the required
lot area from 15,000 sq. ft. to 11,761.2 sq. ft.,
reduce the lot width from 100 ft. to 65.31 ft.
and reduce the side yard setback from 10 ft.
to 8 ft. in a medium density single-family res
idential zone (R-1A) for a property located at
0 W. Midland Ave. was approved unanimously.
• A variance requesting to reduce the lot area
from 10,000 sq. ft. to 8,698.93 sq. ft., reduce
the lot width from 75 ft. to 50 ft., reduce side
yard setback from 10 ft. to 5 ft in a high-den-
sity single-family residential zone (Rl-B) to
allow for four detached single-family homes
on property located at 85 Williamson St was
approved unanimously.
• A variance requesting to reduce the lot
area from 10,000 sq. ft. to 8,685.86 sq. ft.,
reduce the lot width from 75 ft. to 50 ft. and
reduce side yard setback from 10 ft. to 5 ft in
a high-density single-family residential z (R-
1B:) at a property located at 0 Williamson St.
was approved unanimously.
• A variance requesting to divide the parcel
into two identical lots and reduce the lot area
from 10,000 sq. ft. to 8,712 sq. ft., reduce lot
width from 75 ft. to 50.12 feet and reduce side
yard setback from 10 feet to 5 feet in a high
density single-family residential Zone for a
property located at 79 Williamson St. was ap
proved unanimously.
• A variance requesting relief from the mini
mum front yard setback requirement of 35 feet
to 20 feet in an R-l: low-density single-family
residential zone for a property located at 270
Cora Lou Lane was denied 4-2 with Terrell
and Brit opposed.
• The final plat for 317 N Broad St in ac
cordance with Chapter 28 of the city’s code of
ordinances was approved unanimously.
• Amendments to Appendix A of the City of
Winder Zoning Ordinance, Article 11 were ap
proved unanimously.
An architectural review as required by the
conditions of zoning for a PUD being devel
oped at 0 Lays Dr. was approved unanimously.
• A utility easement
• Execution of a task order with Dickerson
Group, Inc. for the rehabilitation of a sewer
main in Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, in the
amount of $394,827.50 with a 10% contingen
cy for a total of $434,310 was approved unan
imously/
• A lease agreement with SPRINTCOM
LLC, for the use of the Thrall Car elevated wa
ter storage tank for cellular equipment, for a
term of an additional three years, in the amount
of $3,400 per month was approved unanimous
ly-
• Execution of a • design-build memorandum
of understanding with the Georgia Department
of Transportation for the natural gas relocation
work at the intersection of SR316 and Barber
Creek Road was approved unanimously.
• The issuance of a purchase order in the
amount of $55,347 to Gene & Matt, for the
purchase of a Kubota KX040-4R1A Excavator
was approved unanimously.
• Revisions to the previously approved Lan
guage Access Plan (LAP) for the City of Wind
er were approved unanimously.
• Execution of a grant award from the Gov
ernor’s Office of Planning and Budget, in the
amount of $1,725,500, for the “Improving
Neighborhood Outcomes in Disproportionally
Impacted Communities Grant”, for the con
struction of 1.34 Miles of 12’ sidewalk con
necting East Midland Avenue to the Wimberley
Center Campus was approved unanimously.
• The execution of a purchase order (PO) in
the amount of $69,907.88 for the purchase of
a 2023 Chevrolet 3500 service body track for
the utilities department was approved unani
mously.
• Surplus of a 2008 Chevrolet 1500 that
needs a replacement engine, a 2006 Ford FI50
that needs a transmission and power steering
and a mini excavator that needs a hydraulic
pump replacement was approved unanimous
ly-
• A resolution to submit a pre-application
for funding the Land and Water Conservation
Fund through the Georgia Department of Nat
ural Resources for 5-% of the $250,000 pro
jected cost for a greens replacement at Chim
neys Golf Course was approved unanimously.
• Authorization of the city administrator to
deviate from the standard employee benefits
package and to negotiate the elimination of
waiting periods and the banking of sick and
vacation leave as is appropriate for tenured
contractor employees who may be offered
positions as full time city employees for the
newly formed public works department was
approved unanimously.
The Barrow County Board of Education does hereby announce that the millage rate will be set at a meeting to be held at Board of Education (PDC), 179 West Athens St., Winder
on July 11, 2023 at 6:00 PM, and pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A. 48-5-32, does hereby publish the following presentation of the current year's tax digest along with the
history of the tax digest and levy for the past five years.
BARROW COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CURRENT 2023 TAX DIGEST AND FIVE YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY
CONSOLIDATION AND EVALUATION OF DIGEST (In Thousands)
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Real & Personal
Motor Vehicle
Mobile Homes
Timber 100%
Heavy Duty Equipment
$
2,484,615
49,876
5,989
44
$
2,656,210
47,695
5,989
44
$
2,816,153
44,488
6,766
53
$
3,090,292
37,060
6,871
189
269
$
3,809,253
35,277
6,917
294
$
4,736,905
28,944
7,464
202
268
Gross Digest
$
2,540,524
$
2,709,938
$
2,867,460
$
3,134,681
$
3,851,741
$
4,773,783
Exemptions
$
_
$
_
$
_
$
_
$
_
$
_
Net Bond Digest
$
2,540,524
$
2,709,938
$
2,867,460
$
3,134,681
$
3,851,741
$
4,773,783
M & O Exemptions
$
389,522
$
423,115
$
430,586
$
492,689
$
550,817
$
603,155
Net M & O Digest
$
2,151,002
$
2,286,823
$
2,436,874
$
2,641,992
$
3,300,924
$
4,170,628
PROPERTY TAX RATES AND REVENUES
(In Thousands)
Bond Millage Rate
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
M & O Millage Rate
18.50
18.50
18.50
18.50
17.88
15.298
Total Millage Rate
18.50
18.50
18.50
18.50
17.88
15.298
Bond Taxes Levied
$
-
$
-
$
_
$
_
$
_
$
_
Bond Tax $ Increase
$
-
$
-
$
-
$
-
$
-
$
-
Bond Tax % Increase
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
M & O Taxes Levied
$
39,794
$
42,306
$
45,082
$
48,877
$
59,024
$
63,802
M & O Tax $ Increase
$
3,126
$
2,513
$
2,776
$
3,795
$
10,147
$
4,778
M & O Tax % Increase
9.8%
6.3%
6.6%
8.4%
20.8%
8.1%