About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 12, 2020)
LOCAL The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition - August 12-13, 2020 7A OAKWOOD Student housing complex OK’d for UNG campus A 259-unit student housing complex at the Uni versity of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus was approved Monday, Aug. 10, by the Oakwood City Council. Johns Creek-based bSide Partners is planning 259 units for a total of 378 bedrooms in a complex bounded by Thurmon Tanner Parkway, Mathis Drive, Landrum Education Drive and Frontage Road. The complex also would feature a clubhouse and 205-space parking deck. Amenities include pool, dog park, trails and green spaces. The developer has said the apartments could reach “substantial completion” by June 2024. The 12.5-acre site is Thurmon Tanner’s entrance to the campus. “With the growth in UNG enrollment, the ongoing redevelopment of the old Lanier Tech campus and the imminent development of (other nearby student housing), this part of Oakwood will truly serve as a welcoming gateway to the city and the university,” bSide Partners says in its application. 172-unit apartment complex off Mundy Mill Road approved A proposed 172-unit apartment complex off Mundy Mill Road was approved Monday, Aug. 10, by the Oakwood City Council. The developer, The Ritchie Group, has submitted renderings for the project but hasn’t released other details, including potential amenities. Renderings show a pool and clubhouse. “It’s kind of early still. It’s hard to say exactly what’s going to be in the plan,” said Jonathan Ritchie of the Salt Lake City-based company. The apartments at 4309 Mundy Mill Road will be near the Mundy Mill subdivision in Gainesville. Vote paves way for possible extended-stay hotel Plans for an extended-stay hotel have a better shot at becoming reality in Oakwood, after the city made a change in its land-use plan to allow that use. Oakwood City Council voted Monday, Aug. 10, to change the area including the proposed site on the land-use plan from residential to commercial so that developer Detroit Lender LLC can move forward with requesting a commercial project. Detroit Lender has proposed building a 5-story, 87-room Candlewood Suites at 3783 Mundy Mill Drive, behind Best Western Plus Lake Lanier Gainesville Hotel & Suites and near Mundy Mill Road and Interstate 985. Oakwood City Council voted in February to deny rezoning for the hotel because, at the time, officials said the project didn’t fit the comprehensive land- use plan’s “character area,” or vision for how an area could develop. The city’s 2017 land-use plan gives a look at how different areas of the city might look in 20 years. The company hasn’t indicated whether it would still pursue the project or if so, when. Jeff Gill County to hear public comments, vote on erosion rules Thursday Hall County Board of Commissioners When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13 Where: Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville m Wr, V t 'll TOV-VVA it ”, 1 ■ •r4i \ u L* IV \ V\ V' t 1 Photos courtesy Dale Caldwell of the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Water filled with sediment rushes from a construction site in Hall County into Lake Lanier. A rule change could allow more dirt to be disturbed at a time, which Lake Lanier advocates worry could further harm Lanier. BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com The Hall County Board of Commissioners is set to vote Thursday on new rules regulating erosion and sedimentation on construction sites, rules that have drawn concern from environ mental groups. Under current county rules, only 20 acres of a construction site can be disturbed at any given time. The proposal would remove that restric tion, instead deferring to state rules that allow for up to 50 acres to be disturbed at once. Commission Chairman Richard Higgins said Monday commissioners were still discussing the proposal and were hoping to find an option that would benefit “all sides.” County officials have said the update will bring Hall in line with other counties’ regula tions. Gwinnett and Forsyth counties, for exam ple, do not have more restrictive rules than the state measures. Officials from Forsyth, how ever, have been meeting with stakeholders and considering possible changes to that county’s ordinance, according to a county spokesperson. The proposal drew concerns from local non profits Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and the Lake Lanier Association. “(The current rules are) a critical protec tion against runoff from large acreage sites of open exposed soil during rain events. EPD sets their standards for what is best for the state as a whole,” Jennifer Flowers, executive director of the Lake Lanier Association, said at a previous public hearing on the matter. “However, many places in the state don’t have the resource that we have here, Lake Lanier.” Brian Rochester of Rochester and Associates, which does land surveying, project management and civil engineering, said the state already requires developers to control their erosion, and many manufacturers in Hall need larger sites. “We need to always make sure there’s a bal ance between development and environmental concerns, and this isn’t throwing things out the window and not having any of that,” he said at the July 23 hearing. Commissioners will hear more public com ments before voting at their 6 p.m. meeting Thursday, Aug. 13. GAINESVILLE Planning board approves rezoning for 25 midtown properties The Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board approved rezoning Tuesday, Aug. 11, for 25 properties, most of which are city-owned. The Gainesville City Council will have the final vote Sept. 1. There is no proposed change in use for the properties, which include the Public Safety Complex, Fire Station No. 1, the city’s new skate park and a building being renovated into office space. The new zon ing would be office and institutional. Gainesville owns 22 of the properties, and owners for the other three parcels have given permission to rezone, accord ing to the staff recommendation report for the request. “It is expected that the strategic public investment that has occurred within the Midtown area will continue to encour age further investment as desired by the applicant,” the report states. “Rezoning the subject properties to a more appro priate zoning that reflects the exist ing uses will only help to support this effort.” Megan Reed Lula reports employee has COVID-19 An employee of the city of Lula has tested positive for COVID-19, City Manager Dennis Bergin said Monday, Aug. 10. The employee is isolating at home, Bergin said. People who were in contact with the employee have been tested. Bergin said another employee stayed home from work Monday because that employee was not feeling well. Megan Reed Roslyn Bynum Strickland Died August 7, 2020 Roslyn Bynum Strickland died August 7th. A memorial service will be announced in the near future. The service will be live-streamed to allow extended family the ability of participating. Arrangements by Habersham Crematory, Cornelia. Catherine Marie Shirley Stumpf Died August 10, 2020 Catherine Marie Shirley Stumpf, age 87, of Habersham County, formerly of Sautee, died Monday, August 10th. A gathering will be held from 3-6 RM. on Friday, August 14th at Barrett Funeral Home. Arrangements by Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland. Bobbie Jean Thomas Died August 7, 2020 Bobbie Jean Thomas, age 85 of Gainesville, died Friday, August 7th. Private graveside services are scheduled for Monday August 10th in Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements by Memorial Park Funeral Home, Gainesville. Millard Walters Died August 7, 2020 Millard “Big John” Walters, 93, died Friday, August 7th. Visitation was held Tuesday, August 11th at 3:00 p.m. at McDonald & Son Funeral Home. A Memorial service followed. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home, Cumming. Patricia Hope Welborn Died August 10, 2020 Patricia “Pat” Hope Welborn, age 70, of Cleveland, died Monday August 10th. Funeral services are scheduled for 11 A.M. Thursday, August 13th at Fairfield Baptist Church. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2-4 RM. and 6-8 P.M. Wednesday August 12th at the funeral home. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, please adhere to social distancing guidelines. For your safety and theirs, we ask that there be no physical contact with the family. Arrangements by Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland. Rebekah Whelchel Died August 6, 2020 Rebekah Whelchel 86 of Gainesville, died Thursday August 6th. Mrs. Whelchel’s Celebration of Life will be Saturday August 15th at 1 lam at WL. Whelchel Family Life Center. Arrangements by Wimberly Funeral Home, Gainesville. Caleb Shane Womack Died August 5, 2020 Caleb Shane Womack, age 19, of Pendergrass, died Wednesday, August 5th. Funeral services will be announced soon. Arrangements by Memorial Park Funeral Home, Gainesville. Clinton James Yarbrough Died August 3, 2020 Clinton James Yarbrough, 48, died August 3rd. The family will receive friends on Saturday August 15th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Arrangements by Memorial Park Funeral Home, Gainesville. NOTICE: NEW DEADLINES Death notices are printed free as a public service by The Times. More information can be provided in paid obituaries. The rate is $100 for the first 100 words in print, and $50 per additional 100 words (or any part thereof). This includes an online notice where friends and families can post condolences for 30 days. Deadline for publication is as follows: To run Wednesday, submit by 3 p.m. Monday. To run Saturday, submit by 3 p.m. Thursday. Death notices and obituaries are accepted only from funeral homes. They should be emailed to obits (S gainesvilletimes. com. We no longer accept death notices or obituaries by fax. All submissions will appear in The Times and online at gainesvilletimes. com. For additional information regarding obituaries or death notices please email obits (o> gainesvilletimes. com, or call 770-718- 3419. P °i db HEALTHY AGING Health System VIRTUAL EXPO SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 Wednesday, starting at 10 a.m. 1 HOUR ZOOM HEALTHY AGING FORUM Format: Introduction • Northeast Georgia Health System • Medicare Man/Insurance Source (Open Enrollment) • Five Seasons Health (Take Control ot Your UJellbeing) • Question & Ansuuer Period • Prize Draining for Attendees • Closing Comments Go to gainesvilletimes.com/healthyaging to sign up. QN! W TtDMY WB Ml §> m? ©I mm She Stmes Megan Lewis gainesvilletimes.com 770-535-6371
