Newspaper Page Text
Forsyth J "Hometown CountyNews Paper" Your Since 1908
Vol. 99, No. 89
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Land-use could
Commissioners look at revising plan
By Frank Reddy
Staff Writer
Forsyth County commissioners
have scheduled a public hearing today
that could determine whether they
make changes to a section of the coun¬
ty’s comprehensive plan.
Some say the changes, which
involve combining aspects of the
future land-use map with the as-built
and zoning maps, could upset property
More room to wait
New facility
for drivers is
authority’s
first project
By Frank Reddy
Staff Writer
John Harris of Forsyth
County took time off from work
on a recent Wednesday morning
to get a new driver’s license at
the Department of Driver
Services building.
This place is tiny,” Harris
said of the facility that shares
space with Georgia State Patrol
Post 37 off Ga. 400 in north
Forsyth. “I mean, it serves the
purpose, but the waiting room
could probably be bigger.”
Department of Driver
Services spokeswoman Susan
Sport couldn’t agree more.
We appreciate the partner¬
ship with the state patrol, but
we’ve certainly outgrown the
building,” Sport said.
Average customer wait time
during March at the Cumming
Department of Driver Services
was 11 minutes and 12 seconds.
The facility served 5,232 cus¬
tomers that month, Sport said.
a On the busy days, cus¬
tomers have to stand out in the
rain and the elements,” she said.
“And we want to be sure our
customers have a comfortable
place to wait when they have to
wait.
They may not have to wait
much longer for a new facility.
Last month, the Forsyth County
commission approved an agree¬
ment with the Department of
Driver Services for a 20-year
Michael
Hughes
processes an
information
sheet for D.K.
Patel while her
husband, K.D.
Patel, waits.
Behind them a
line of people
forms to have
their pictures
taken at the
Department of
Driver
Services,
Missed paper policy:
For a replacement paper, call
8:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m. Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
( 770 ) 887 - 3126 .
Copyright © 2007 Forsyth County News
THURSDAY June 5,2008
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owners, while others say the changes
are minor.
Commissioner Linda Ledbetter said
she thinks “it’s illegal ... because com¬
bining the maps could bring down the
densities of property owners.
v. Changing future land use to as
built is wrong unless you have all your
interested [parties] come out to voice
their opinions,” Ledbetter said. “I’m
not completely against it, I just want
the process to be more transparent.
U That little facility they use is too small. People are having to wait
,outside in the summer sun because they can't all fit in the building. 99
-Sen. Jack Murphy of Cumming
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Photos/Emily Saunders
Annice Steinhart fills out the information sheet at the Department of Driver Services as oth¬
ers wait for their numbers to be called on a recent afternoon.
lease on a new 8,000-square
foot building.
The building, which will be
built across County Way from
the state patrol post, is the first
project for the newly created
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INDEX
Abby.................. 6A
Classifieds....*. 3B
Deaths.............. ,.2A
Horoscope...... Kids .6 A
Page........ 4A
Opinion............ ,7A
Sports............... 5B
V
You’re supposed to get state approval
for this kind of thing. ■'
Vanessa Bernstein, the county’s
senior long-range planner, said the
proposed changes are considered
minor and do not warrant state
approval.
In a previous work session,
Bernstein presented the board with a
draft proposal of the future land-use
map that included changes based on
approved rezonings or residential den
See PLAN, Page 2A
Forsyth County Public Facilities
Authority.
The authority can provide
revenue for projects immediate
ly, instead of having to wait for
funding to trickle in through
a
Friends, former
students come to aid
of drama teacher.
Page8A
4
Lake holds sway
Businesses
on Lanier are i
seeing more ■
customers this 71
summer despite a ,:it B
the drought
and lower water
■
levels. ; ;
■-<v SB*..,...
For more, see
Business Page IB. jf.
other income streams. It cannot,
however, issue bonds for more
than $20 million.
Customers waiting for
license renewals and driver tests
on a recent spring day at the
local driver services said they
could appreciate a new building.
“I think it’s been a long time
coming,” Theresa Fowler of
Forsyth County said.
Fowler took an early lunch to
renew her license.
tt This building's pretty
cramped,” she said. “It wasn’t as
crowded last time I was here. I
think it’s gotten worse over the
years.”
Sport said there will be less
customer confusion after the
move.
.. They’re still finalizing some
details, but these things usually
take less than nine months to
finish,” she said.
State Sen. Jack Murphy of
Cumming said he feels the new
facility will be an improvement.
. > It’s going to be a lot better,
he said. “It will be a nice facili
See DRIVER, Page 2A
Business
Focus is on tun at
DiBona Designs
art studio.
Page IB
Board
denies
requests
for relief
Fines for erosion
violations remain
By Julie Arrington
Staff Writer
The Forsyth County Zoning Board
of Appeals on Tuesday denied two
requests for relief from fines for erosion
control issues.
The five-member panel voted unani¬
mously night on both measures, which
the county engineering department had
levied.
The first request, made on behalf of
KAG Properties, was to overturn
$24,000 in fines placed on property in
the Pleasant Manor subdivision in north
Forsyth.
Homer Parr, a soil erosion inspector
with the county engineering depart¬
ment, explained that the fines began
accruing April 1 when a stop work
order was issued.
The order came after a warning on
March 25 when an inspection turned up
various problems, including a downed
silt fence, unmaintained sediment traps
and large areas of eroding bare soil and
slopes.
See BOARD, Page 2A
YMCA
festival is
Saturday
Event stresses health,
offers a good time
By Frank Reddy
Staff Writer
When children and parents are fin¬
ished running laps around the Vickery
neighborhood Saturday, they can stop
by the third annual Healthy Kids Day
festival at the YMCA.
YMCA Membership Director
Kerry Carithers said this year’s event
will feature the mainstays of past fes¬
tivals: carnival games, snacks, a moon
walk and train ride. And this year will
feature a special visit from a local
See YMCA, Page 2A
Sunny
#7
High in the low 90s.
Low in the low 70s.
SPORTS, 5B
Youth sports highlighted
LAKE LANIER LEVELS
Date Level
May 30 1057.71 ft
May 31 1057.70 ft
June 1 1057.70 ft
June 2 1057.68 ft
Full 1071.00 ft.