Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Volume 133 Number 51
Jasper, Georgia
22 pages in two sections
Published Weekly
Apartments and multi-family
developments tabled in Jasper
Council approves
events at Lee
Newton Park
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
With a controversial apartment
development proposal, ongoing
mold issues at the fire station and re
ports on the storm damage repairs on
the agenda, the Jasper City Council
may have surprised people by hold
ing a calm and relatively brief meet
ing Monday.
Several residents of the Geor
gians Street area turned out to see
how the rezoning/permitting for a
proposed 96-unit apartment complex
would play out. But as the meeting
began, Mayor Steve Lawrence an
nounced that the developer had with
drawn the request. No further details
were provided. The apartments that
would have been located in the midst
of an established residential area had
met opposition from neighboring
property owners. Questions had also
been raised on which roads would be
used to serve the apartments at ear
lier meeting.
A second rezone request to allow
a multi-family development on West
Church Street was also tabled at the
request of an applicant. No further
details were offered.
A third rezoning to allow multi
family residences was approved at
855 North Main Street. In his discus
sion with council, City Manager
Brandon Douglas said this would
allow up to 39 units with lots there
being differing sizes but less inten
sive than was permitted under the R-
3 zoning. Council said this approval
allows the development to move
from conceptual plans to engineer
ing work, but they must seek addi
tional approvals if they deviate
substantially from the plans already
presented.
De-annexations
In a move not seen often, two
property owners are de-annexing
from the city. One at 677 Lumber
Company Road was given final ap
proval to leave the city jurisdiction.
A second property owner’s re
quested to de-annex a 12-acre tract
on Burnt Mountain Road saw a first
reading by the council. Two readings
are required to make it final.
City Manager Douglas explained
that these de-annexations are possi
ble as both are on the periphery of
the city See Council on 11A
There’s
a new
marshal
in town
Burnt Mountain Rd. to close
daily for storm repairs
Pickens County commission
ers introduced the new marshal,
Cole Connel, at their April work
session. Connel replaces Jim
Harvey who retires April 16th
after 12 years in that position.
Connel moves to the marshal
post after 15 years in the local
sheriff’s office reaching the rank
of lieutenant. The native of Abi
lene, TX began as a jailer and
has worked in most areas of op
erations, including uniformed
patrol.
Connel said he is excited to
move to the marshal post as he
wants to continue advancing his
law enforcement career and this
will give him a chance to head an
agency.
Connel said initially illegal
dumping and litter will fill most
of his time along with some work
with the planning and develop
ment office in code enforcement.
The new marshal said he will
bring a philosophy of stopping
problems that he sees, such as lit
ter blowing from one home to
others, but not ride around look
ing for code violations. Most
cases for the marshal result from
calls from homeowners.
Section of key thoroughfare to close daily from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m. — Beginning Monday, a section of SR
136/Burnt Mountain Road between mileposts 13.6 and
15.2 will be closed while Georgia Department of Trans
portation crews address two drainage pipes and damage
following the massive rain storm last week.
According to GDOT’s District 6 Communications
Officer Joe Schulman, beginning Monday, April 12
through Thursday, April 22 State Route 136 (known lo
cally as Burnt Mountain Road) will be closed from 9
a.m. until 4 p.m. daily for crews to conduct the work.
Officials say traffic heading east on 136 will detour
to Burnt Mountain Road to Cove Road and then turn
north on Steve Tate Highway back to SR 136.
Commission Chair Kris Stancil said this was com
pletely a state project and he couldn’t add much. He said
several people had already called his office to find out
what homeowners along the closed section should do
but he didn’t have any insight, though he recognized the
few options there for detouring and the problems a clo
sure will create.
Drugs blamed in Hwy. 108 head-on collision
Staff Reports
Two people were transported via
lifeflight helicopter to Kennestone
Hospital in the early morning of
Thursday, April 1st following a
head-on collision on Hwy. 108.
According to Sargeant Frank
Zepeda of the local Georgia State
Patrol Post, the accident occurred at
5:47 a.m. on Hwy. 108 approxi
mately 4/1 Os of a mile west of Can
ton Hwy.
The driver of a black Ford
Ranger, Angelique Lusk, 57, of Ball
Ground was driving eastbound on
Hwy. 108 when she crossed over
the centerline, striking a red Toyota
Tacoma pickup travelling west
bound.
“It was a driver headlight to
driver headlight (strike),” Sgt.
Zepeda said. “This caused a rotation
of the vehicles and they rotated
counterclockwise, overturning and
sliding off their respective embank
ments.” See Collision on 11A
Commissioners’ meeting addresses road cleanup
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Pickens Road Director Kirk Anderson gave an
update about cleanup and repairs after severe
storms and widespread flooding overnight
Thursday, March 25 into Friday.
While several roads suffered damage, there
were only two roads still closed at the time of the
meeting - Hobson and Evans.
Twin Mountain Lakes Road at the upper lake
was in the worst shape, Anderson said.
“We had a shoulder that kicked off into the
lake, and it’s something that’s beyond me and my
crews to do.”
The county is getting prices for repairs on that
portion of road.
Anderson asked that members of the public
who have clogged culverts and drains be patient
with them as they get those remaining roads fixed
and opened, then they can shift gears to other
cleanup efforts.
“We are working towards that,” he said. “But
we’ve got to get our roads back open. We’ve not
forgotten about you. Just be patient with us.”
Anderson applauded the work of road crews
for their long hours after the storm hit, and said
as his first time in that position during a natural
disaster he was amazed at all the work that goes
on behind the scenes. See County on 11A
Damon Howell / Photo
A county road crew was on Old Burnt Mountain Road Tuesday morning to clean out culverts
after storms last week flooded nearby yards.
Inside:
Ham radio
operators
conduct
countywide
emergency test
Page 3B
Food Safety
Restaurant
reports from
Feb. 26-Mar. 26
Page 3A
Awards
Mini-grants
awarded to
organizations for
helping children
and families
Page 2A
Jasper Farmers
Market opens for
season Saturday,
April 10th
Page 5A
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Obituaries - 10A
• Katherine Taylor
• Helen Cagle
• Samuel Morally Jr.
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