Newspaper Page Text
THE
ACKSON
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H Wednesday, September 6, 2017
ERALD
VOL. 143 NO. 14
32 PACES 3 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS
Merged in 2017 with
The Commerce News
A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549
75c COPY
Art in the
Park nears
The 27th annual Art in the
Park Festival will be held
at Hurricane Shoals Park on
September 16 and 17.
The times are Saturday
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and
Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to
5:30 p.m.
“There will be great blue-
grass bands entertaining
throughout the afternoons,
wonderful southern gospel
groups performing, the 5K
Mill Race that begins at 8
a.m. on Saturday, a kids zone,
Heritage Village with living
history, food and bar-be-que,
an operating grist mill with
corn mill for sale, Civil War
Battle re-enactments, beau
tiful arts and crafts and a
hilarious duck dash to end the
festivities on Sunday after
noon,” said Sandra Fite.
Vendors for food booths
and craft booths are being
sought.
“If you, or someone you
know, would like to have a
booth, contact 706-654-6548
for registration information
or vendor questions,” Fite
said. “You can also find
forms and information on the
website at www.hurricane-
shoalspark.org.”
Non-profit organiza
tions are also welcome to
have booths and educational
exhibits and demonstrations
are also welcome with some
stipulations involved.
Forms and registration are
also on the website for the 5K
Mill Race.
The Art in the Park Festi
val is an annual event of the
Tumbling Waters Society and
the Jackson County Parks
and Recreation Department.
Jeff, mayor
candidates to
speak to GOP
Jackson County’s Republi
can Party plans a forum for
Jefferson mayoral candidates
Roy Plott and Steve Quinn.
The event is set for Thurs
day, Sept. 14, at 6:30 p.m. at
the Jefferson Clubhouse.
Incumbent Ward 4 coun
cilman Mark Mobley and his
opponent, David Wortham,
have also been invited.
Those with questions for
the candidates can email them
to wjjc@windstream.net or
write them down on index
cards provided at the event.
The forum will be live-
streamed, according to an
email release.
Help for Harvey victims
ytjrtUNG****** A
COMMUNITY MAKES
DONATIONS
TO HURRICANE VICTIMS
Jackson County residents donat
ed items to Hurricane Harvey
flood victims at the Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office. Pictured:
(LEFT) Jennifer and Katherine
Sanders from Sanders Furniture in
Commerce donated several boxes
of items to Hurricane Harvey flood
victims at the JCSO; and (ABOVE)
Jackson County inmates lent a
helping hand as the JCSO collect
ed donations for Hurricane Harvey
flood victims in Texas. See more
photos on page 12A.
Photos by Wesleigh Sagon
Hurdles remain for proposed Dry Pond truck stop
By Alex Pace
Developers of a new truck stop in Dry Pond have a few more
hurdles to clear before they get the green light.
Circle K Atlanta has filed a development permit to construct a
Circle K truck stop, convenience store and restaurant in Jefferson.
The proposed 7,200-square-foot building would sit on 7 acres
at 1750 Dry Pond Road, Jefferson. The project includes a 2,200
sq. ft. restaurant, 5,000 sq. ft. convenience store, a truck stop and
fuel pumps.
But developers still have a few more steps to take before they’re
cleared for construction.
Jefferson staff are currently waiting on the results of a Develop
ment of Regional Impact request, which the Georgia Department
of Community Affairs requires for truck stops. Those results
could be released as early as Sept. 14.
Jefferson city planner Jerry Weitz said developers must also
go through architectural and site design review. Circle K has not
begun that process.
Additionally, the Georgia Department of Transportation
requested an intersection control evaluation for the site. During a
meeting in early August, the Jefferson City Council discussed its
concerns with the lack of a traffic light in the area. City leaders
fear the new truck stop could exacerbate the problem, according
to an article in The Jackson Herald.
The council won’t rule on the permit, though. City staff will
decide whether to grant the permit and Weitz said he sees noth
ing “insurmountable” in the application that would prevent its
approval.
Nixed warehouse applies for Braselton annexation
By Alex Pace
A large warehouse recently denied approval in Jackson County
has applied for annexation and rezoning into the Town of Braselton.
The Braselton Planning Commission will consider Ridgeline
Property Group’s rezoning request at its September meeting.
Developers plan to construct a 1 million square foot distribution
center on 76 acres at 6275 Hwy. 53.
The site sits close to FedEx and Carter’s and “has been zoned
industrial in (Jackson County) since the mid 1970s,” according to
Ridgeline’s application.
But the property is located in Jackson County’s West Jackson
Overlay, which restricts building size to 150,000 sq. ft. and controls
other construction and aesthetic specifications. The Jackson County
Board of Commissioners recently denied Ridgeline’s requests for
variances to allow a larger building and concrete tilt construction.
Developers will now try their luck with the Town of Braselton.
Mike Gray, a developer with Ridgeline, said Braselton staff has
spoken favorably about the project.
“They did say they would support the project as a staff,” Gray
said, at the Jackson County BOC’s August meeting.
But commissioner Ralph Richardson Jr. said he doesn’t think
the Braselton Town Council has “an appetite for a million-footer
(building).”
Recent warehouse requests — including one off Hwy. 124 and
another off Jesse Cronic Road — have brought major opposition
during Braselton council meetings.
Commerce gets $ 1 million grant for Diana Food project
By Ron Bridgeman
Commerce got a boost last week when it was notified it will receive
a $1 million grant to help pay for a pre-treatment sewage facility at
Diana Foods in Banks Crossing Business Park.
The Economic Development Administration awarded the grant to
the city.
The low bid on the pre-treatment facility was $1.6 million more than
a loan the city received to pay for the cost.
The city has a loan of $5.35 million from the Georgia Environmental
Finance Authority to help pay for the construction. The EDA grant will
help with the cost.
Commerce City Manager James Wascher said he did not expect to
approve a construction contract for the plant at Tuesday’s city council
meeting.
“We’re still going to have to change some things” on the plant spec
ifications to reduce costs, Wascher said.
He said the city faces a balancing act in getting technology into the
plant and in meeting the company’s schedule.
Wascher said some of the parts for the pre-treatment plant have “a
long lead time” for production and delivery.
Diana Food has said it wants to begin testing the new facility in June.
The company expects to be in full production by August or September
2018.
The city manager said city officials expected to meet with Diana
Food representatives most of the day Tuesday.
Wascher said last week he anticipates making recommendations for
changes in the specifications to the pre-treatment facility that would
lower the cost.
continued on page 2A