Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 7A
County comprehensive plan update under way
FUTURE LAND USE DEVELOPMENT
Jackson County residents view a map of the county and decide what’s important to
them at a meeting focusing on the future of the county’s development.
Photo by Katie Huston
First large business jet uses
new runway at county airport
BY KATIE HUSTON AND
ANGELA GARY
WEST JACKSON County
residents would like more
parks, maybe a high school and
most importantly, to ensure
their area does not begin
to develop into a Gwinnett
County hyper-growth area.
As for county residents in
the Jefferson area, they want
future growth to include
closely monitored develop
ment, buffers along 1-85 and
Hwy. 441, a reservoir and
protection of greenspace.
Jackson County residents
were able to give input on the
comprehensive plan update
at two recent meetings. A
meeting was held in Jefferson
Tuesday, Sept. 15, and an
earlier meeting was held in
Braselton on Tuesday, Sept.
8.
The remaining two meet
ings will be held on Sept. 28,
at the Nicholson Community
Center at 7 p.m., and on Sept.
29 at the Commerce Civic
Center at 7 p.m. The meet
ings are open to all citizens in
Jackson County.
The comprehensive plan
covers a timeline of 20 years
and will provide a commu
nity assessment, community
participation program and
a community plan. It cov
ers population, housing, eco
nomic development, natural
and cultural resources, land
use, community facilities and
services and intergovernmen
tal coordination. The goal is
to use the plan as a guide
in rezoning decisions, capi
tal improvements and new
program initiatives after it
is approved by the board of
commissioners. The dead
line to complete the update
of the comprehensive plan is
October 31, 2010.
At the meetings, residents
are put into groups to discuss
what kind of development
is important to them. Each
group has a map of the county
and is asked to present what
they discussed to the rest of
the meeting's attendees.
BRASELTON MEETING
At the Braselton meet
ing, a major point was not
allowing West Jackson to
become overdeveloped like
other areas nearby have, in
particular, Gwinnett County.
Most residents want commer
cial development, however,
they’d like it to stay mainly
near intersections and major
roads. However, one citizen
did express his desire to see a
little more commercial devel
opment in residential areas.
Several people at the meet
ing mentioned the need West
Jackson may have by 2030 to
have a high school on that side
of the county. West Jackson is
already home to the largest
and newest elementary school
in the county, Gum Springs
Elementary.
Also a point brought up
repeatedly, perhaps in part
from the recent new develop
ment projects in the area, is
that West Jackson needs less
sport-oriented complexes.
The consensus was that more
parks are needed, or perhaps
simply expanding Sells Mill
Park in Hoschton.
Other ideas involving future
development in Jackson
County included the follow
ing:
•roadways should be devel
oped so as to handle poten
tially congested traffic areas
around locations that might
experience commercial
growth.
•traffic should be moved
away from Highways 53 and
124.
•a recreation area near Bear
Creek on the south side of the
county is desired.
•preserve agriculture land
use in south Jackson area.
•the addition of a medical
facility.
•no new exits off Interstate
85.
•West Jackson area is
underserved by weather
sirens and service should be
improved.
JEFFERSON MEETING
At the Jefferson meeting,
a common theme was that
growth be closely moni
tored so that the county does
not develop like Gwinnett
County.
Other issues included in
the discussion were:
•residential development
with a sewage treatment
plant.
•walking trails and side
walks throughout the county.
•’’smart development”
along the business corridors
of Hwy. 441 and Hwy. 129.
•protect the river corridors,
•locate industrial develop
ment along 1-85.
•improve the tax base,
•change Nicholson area’s
land use from rural residen
tial to residential growth.
For more information on
the comprehensive plan, con
tact Department of Public
Development Planner Toni
Smith at 706-367-1832 or
by email at tsmith@jackson-
countygov.com.
THE JACKSON County
Airport saw its first large
business jet operate at the
airport last week. A Cessna
Citation 10 Business Jet
belonging to Universal
Forest Products, Grand
Rapid, Mich., utilized the
new 5,000 foot runway to
bring their company man
agement team for a visit to
their Jefferson facility.
The Citation 10, an inter
continental capable aircraft,
arrived at mid-morning and
departed at around 4 p.m.
“The crew of the Citation
stressed the importance of
having a business length
runway to support their
company operations and
expressed their appreciation
for the new runway and hos
pitality they received here,”
airport authority chairman
Shannon Sell said. “Being
able to land in Jackson
County made their trip
much more convenient and
saved them both time and
money. A fact not lost on
business travelers in these
tough economic times.”
Sell added that the Jackson
County Airport Authority
is committed to the devel
opment of “a state of the
art, safe airport to support
Jackson County’s economic
growth, while being sensi
tive to its citizens and the
environment.”
LOOKING OVER MAPS
Shown looking over maps at the meeting in Jefferson
Tuesday night are: (L-R) Jim Dove, Doug Martin, Ed
Adams and Robert Bowman.
Photo by Angela Gary
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LARGE JET AT AIRPORT
The Jackson County Airport saw its first large busi
ness jet operate at the airport last week. A Cessna
Citation 10 Business Jet belonging to Universal
Forest Products, Grand Rapid, Mich., utilized the
new 5,000 foot runway to bring their company man
agement team for a visit to their Jefferson facility.
Letters Policy
All letters-to-the-editor must be signed by the writer with a
phone number provided for verification.
Letters may be mailed, faxed or emailed. The deadline for
letters is noon Monday.
The Herald reserves the right to edit or reject any letter
submitted.
Write us about your thoughts or local, state or national
issues at:
The Jackson Herald
P.O. Box 908
Jefferson, GA 30549
FAX: 706-367-8056
E-mail: editor@mainstreetnews.com
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Jackson County
Board of Commissioners
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY
OF PROPOSED BUDGET
AND BUDGET HEARING
A public hearing to receive comments on the
proposed Fiscal Year 2010 Budget for
Jackson County Government will be held at
6:00 P.M., Monday, September 21, 2009, at
the Jackson County Courthouse, 5000
Jackson Parkway, Jefferson, Georgia. The
meeting will be held in the Jury Assembly
Room, Suite 130, on the first floor of the
Courthouse.
Copies of the proposed budget are available
for public inspection at the Commissioner’s
office, located on the upper floor of the
Administrative Building, 67 Athens Street,
Jefferson, Georgia.