Newspaper Page Text
Page 2A
iReporter
July 28, 2021
Neighbors eye gate as cheaper homes go up
By Will Davis
publisher™ my mcr.net
Some North Rivoli Farms
residents want to erect a se
curity gate in front of their
neighborhood as cheaper-
than-expected homes are
now under construction
at the new nearby Boling-
broke Manor on Sanders
Road.
The homeowners associa
tion (HOA) of North Rivoli
Farms in Bolingbroke is
asking county commis
sioners what it would take
to install an automated gate
at their entrance offHwy.
41. County attorney Ben
Vaughn said the county
would have to formally
abandon the subdivisions
two roads to gate it. He also
recommended the county
ask for an agreement to
ensure that the HOA will
repair any roads them
selves if they take owner
ship. Vaughn did not rec
ommend allowing them to
erect a security gate while
the county still owns the
roads. Last year heavy rains
washed out a culvert in the
neighborhood that county
workers labored overnight
in the rain to repair. Dr.
Frank Casey of the North
Rivoli Farms HOA asked
the county how much the
repair costs so they know
what to expect.
The county had already
approved 68-lot Boling
broke Manor on Sanders
Road in January. Developer
Matt Gilbert of New Atlan
tic Realty had built roads
Burruss
inmate
charged
in riot
A former inmate at Bur
russ prison has been charged
with inciting a riot that sent
four inmates to the hospital
in Febura-
ry, attack
ing fellow
inmates
with a bro
ken broom
stick and
being
involved
in a prison
gang-
Ar
mando Gabriel Martinez,
34, of Columbus is charged
with rioting in a penal
institution and aggravated
assault among other felonies.
The warrant says Martinez
caused significant injury to
another inmate by strik
ing him on his back and
neck with a broken wooden
broom handle while other
inmates also attacked the
victim. He is also charged
with acting with known
gang members to commit
violent acts of aggravated
assault with the use of weap
ons. Martinez is also charged
with possession of a phone
by an inmate.
The Georgia Department
of Corrections said the
February riot was over stolen
property. Ambulances were
used to take the four injured
inmates to the hospital for
treatment of non-life-threat
ening injuries and prison op
erations returned to normal
soon after the altercation.
Law enforcement sources
said the GDC didn’t plan on
charging Martinez but that
the district attorneys office
saw the prison video of the
incident and decided to
press charges. Martinez was
serving time for shoplifting.
The A1 Burruss Correctional
Center on Indian Springs
Drive houses 650 inmates.
MARTINEZ
in the subdivision and had
said the homes would be
in the 3,000-square-foot
range and sell for around
$400,000. He said the
homes would be brick or
hardy board.
But Gilbert has now sold
the property for $3 million
to Liberty Communities of
Stockbridge. The company
put up a sign that homes
start in the $200,000 range.
And some neighbors say
the company’s website
indicates the homes won’t
be as nice as Gilbert had
promised.
“Our neighborhood is
quite disappointed with
plans for low cost tract
housing going up just
across 41 from our neigh
borhood,” Casey wrote to
his county commissioner
John Ambrose. “We are
concerned not only about
obvious effect on home
values but also likelihood
for increase traffics and
crime.”
After hearing the com
plaints, Liberty Communi
ties put out a statement
that commission chairman
Greg Tapley read aloud at
last Tuesday’s meeting.
“We at Liberty Com
munities are humbled and
excited for the opportunity
to build new single-family
homes in Monroe County.
At Bolingbroke Manor,
we will offer 2-story plans
with up to 5 bedrooms, full
front brick elevations and
fiber cement siding on the
sides and rear.”
Later on, the letter states:
“Over 60% of our homes
are purchased by teachers,
firefighters, police officers,
EMT/paramedics and
nurses. We look forward
to providing homes to the
heroes who serve and live
in Monroe County by pro
viding them with a quality
house they can afford and
make their home.”
In response to the letter,
Hilltop Circle resident
Deborah Carpenter, who
has lived in the nearby
Loraine Woods subdivision
for the past 37 years, told
Commissioners that the
Bolingbroke Manor homes
were initially projected to
be sold for about $350,000
apiece but were now be
ing marketed at about
$200,000. Carpenter said it
was even stated in the Re
porter that Liberty intends
to build its homes for $45
per square foot.
Carpenter said, “I can’t
build a dog house for $45
per square foot.”
District 3 Commissioner
John Ambrose, who rep
resents Bolingbroke, said
$200,000 is just the lowest
starting cost being adver
tised to entice interested
buyers. He said he expects
the homes in Bolingbroke
Manor to sell for much
more than $200,000.
District 1 Commissioner
Lamarcus Davis added that
2,400 square feet is the least
amount of square footage
that Liberty Communities
has applied for thus far on
building permits.
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