The Douglas County Sentinel (requires registration) is reporting today that the Douglasville City Council received an update on both the Dog River and Bear Creek Reservoirs by WSA Executive Director Pete Frost. More water is being pulled from the Bear Creek Reservoir, which has been out of service for 13 years, allowing the Dog River Reservoir to pool more reserves. However the majority of Douglas County’s water is being purchased from the Cobb County Water Authority.

The WSA is hoping that this action will the Dog River Reservoir to reach 80% capacity by the end of the year. November is historically a wet month, yet very little rain has fallen this winter with the trend to continue. Drought conditions are expected to reach through the spring season into summer. If the Army Corps of Engineers force Cobb County to cut back on the amount of water sold, Douglas County could be in more trouble.

From CelebrateDouglasCounty.com

Douglas County government, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has completed an enhanced Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map and Flood Insurance Study for Douglas County, including the municipalities of Austell, Douglasville, and Villa Rica. The Flood Insurance Study includes elevation profiles, charts, and a narrative report of local flooding.

The enhanced Flood Insurance Study and the preliminary Maps will be presented during an Open House for the Public to be held:

Thursday, November 29th
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority Board Room
8763 Hospital Drive
Douglasville, Georgia 30134

During the Open House, representatives from Douglas County, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide the most current information regarding:

• flood risks in Douglas County
• flood insurance availability
• floodplain development regulations
• floodplain mapping
• proposed timeline for the adoption of the Maps (displayed during the Open House)

Property owners, individuals living in or near the 100-year floodplain, Realtors, lenders, and insurance agents may find this Open House informative. All interested persons are welcome.

For information concerning the Open House and the information being presented, please call Mark Teal, P. E., Development Services Director, Douglas County, at 770.920.7242.

The Douglas County Sentinel (requires registration) is reporting today about how Douglas County will be going about realigning the Timber Ridge Drive/Prestley Mill Road intersection. Timber Ridge Drive will move east to line up with Prestely Mill Road. All approaches will have turn lanes and a new traffic light will be installed. Costs come out to be GDOT $500,000, State funds and Douglasville $200,000, and 2002 SPLOST $600,000.

Below is a diagram of the realignment from GDOT files that illustrate the I-20 HOV Project.

The Douglas County Sentinel (requires registration) is reporting today that the new detour bridge on Fairburn Road that crosses Interstate 20 is now open. The bridge allows work for the anticipated 8 lane bridge that is intended to relieve traffic at the infamous intersection. Expectation is that when the final bridge is complete, the Highway 92 Relocation Project should be underway and tie into it.

Check out a previous post on the detour bridge and view the plans from GDOT in Google Earth.

COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA
NOVEMBER 20, 2007
10:00 A.M. – CITIZENS’ HALL

INVOCATION – by Scott Spencer, Fire Chief

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

CITIZENS’ INPUT

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

1. Regular Commission Meeting of November 6, 2007.

PRESENTATION
2A. Recognizing Greystone Power for lighting of the Chestnut Log Soccer Fields. (Gary Miller) (Commission Meeting)

2B. Recognizing of guest(s) from Japan – (Scott Spencer)

PUBLIC HEARINGS TO CONSIDER
3. Pawn Broker License (New) (Beverly Storm)
County Line Trading & Pawn LLC
6140 Veterans Memorial Highway, Austell, GA 30168
(Licensee: Steven R. Walton)

4. Beer/Wine License (New) (Beverly Storm)
BFJ & Associates, LLC - CS Domino Club
560 Thornton Road, Suites 112 & 113, Lithia Springs, GA
(Licensee: Courtney James)

CONSENT AGENDA
5. Approval of employment agreement with Erin Kathleen Donlan as Assistant Public Defender.

6. Authorization for Chairman to execute employment agreement with Migdalia Román-Ortiz for Guardian Ad Litem position.

7. Authorization to create a new contract position for a Family Drug Court Assessor. Position and benefits will be funded by the grant.

8. Authorization for Chairman to execute agreement with Georgia Department of Transportation for intersection improvements - Timber Ridge Road @ Prestley Mill Road - PR000-S007-00(678).

9. Approval of Change Order #1 to Hogan Construction Company for completion of construction on Fire Station #8.

10. Authorization for Chairman to execute FY’08 Aging Services Contract Amendment with ARC (Atlanta Regional Commission).

11. Approval of agreement with ASI to administer run-out claims subject to legal review.

NEW BUSINESS
12. Approval of Resolution regarding Revenue Bonds for A.L. P. Lighting and Ceiling Products, Inc

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please plan to attend the Design Charette for the Livable Centers Initiative for the Highway 92 Corridor. These public meetings will take place December 4, 5 and 6, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm at Sunset Hills Baptist Church. Community input is a valuable tool for this study, please plan to attend.

COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS

ADJOURN

Word on the street is there are at least two major developments that are in disarray, meaning that they might not actually manifest into a completed project. These developments may sound familiar depending on what part of the county you live in. First is the Douglasville Depot that has been graded at the intersection of Highway 92 and Lee Road.

In a previous post about the Highway 92 corridor, there was speculation that Kroger or Wal-Mart would become the anchor store for the Douglasville Depot development. As of the latest news, it sounds that Wal-Mart was going to become the anchor but has decided to opt out of the development.

Wal-Mart has been looking around Douglas County to build another facility near Riverside Parkway for a few years. A source knowledgeable of the development suggested that the Lee Road extension would not be completed due to the fallout of the anchor store. This causes a bit of complication since the newly proposed roadway was part of the LCI application.

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The Douglas County Sentinel (requires registration) is reporting today that Board of Commissioner’s Chairman Tom Worthan will be hosting “chats” at fire stations throughout the county. Meetings will be held on every third Monday of the month, lasting one hour from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., to allow residents to voice their opinions and concerns. Below is the schedule of the proposed chats.

• Nov. 19, 2007, Fire Station No. 11, North Douglasville, Highway 92-North
• Jan. 21, Fire Station No. 1, Lithia Springs, South Sweetwater Road
• Feb. 18, Fire Station No. 2, Winston, U.S. 78
• March 17, Fire Station No. 3, Kilroy Lane, off Georgia Highway 5
• April 21, Fire Station No. 4, Fairplay, Georgia Highway 166
• May 19, Fire Station No. 5, Chapel Hill Road at Central Church
• June 16, Fire Station No. 6, New Manchester, Riverside Parkway
• July 21, Fire Station No. 7, Beulah, U.S. 78
• Aug. 18, Fire Station No. 8, Mirror Lake, Tyson at Connors Road
• September chat at the courthouse September Saturdays
• Oct. 20, Fire Station No. 10, Downtown Douglasville, West Church Street
• Nov. 17, Fire Station No. 11, North Douglasville, Highway 92-North

The Douglas County Sentinel (requires registration) is reporting today about the city of Douglasville Police Force preparing itself for traffic congestion of the coming holidays. Ten extra officers will be on duty during the holiday season to aid in the flow of traffic. Also traffic lights in the vicinity of Arbor Place Mall have been finally synchronized. The first test comes on Black Friday, the shopping bonanza that is the day after Thanksgiving.

There was no mention of the road construction south of the mall on Chapel Hill Road, which oddly are enough city projects.

CITY OF DOUGLASVILLE
CITY COUNCIL

Regular Meeting

November 19, 2007
7:30 p.m.

AGENDA

1. Call to Order

2. Invocation

3. Pledge of Allegiance

4. Minutes of regular meeting of November 5, 2007, executive session of November 5, 2007, and legislative session of November 1, 2007.

5. Consent Agenda:

Public Safety Committee/Dennis McLain
a. 20-07-63 - Authorize the Mayor to sign a new Memorandum of Agreement with the Douglas County Task Force on Family Violence, Inc., and various other local agencies for DV-ALERT services.

b. 20-07-64 - Adopt an ordinance to amend Articles I and IV of Chapter 22 - Buildings and Building Standards, and Article II of Chapter 24 - Fire Prevention and Protection of the Douglasville City Code in order to relieve the requirement to install sprinkler systems in existing buildings within a portion of the City’s Historic District where normal water pressure is inadequate for effective use of sprinklers as a fire safety measure.

Community & Economic Development Committee/John Schildroth
a. 21-07-53 - Appoint Charlotte Wagner to the Post 2 position as a retail business representative on the City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Board to complete a term which extends through December 31, 2008.

b. 21-07-54 - Authorize the Mayor to sign an Amended and Restated Contract with the Douglasville Convention and Conference Center Authority for refurbishing of the City’s Downtown Conference Center.

c. 21-07-55 - Authorize the Mayor to sign an agreement with Robert Beluk of Beluk Construction for construction of a stage canopy on O’Neal Plaza at a cost not to exceed $68,700.

Planning & Zoning Committee/Michael Carter
a. 22-07-112 - Refer to the City Zoning Board a proposed amendment to the text of the City of Douglasville Zoning Ordinance enacting Subsection 3.34.05, permitting certain outdoor accessory uses for Automotive Parts and Supply Stores and prohibiting all other outdoor repairs.

Information Technology Committee/Henry Mitchell III
a. 25-07-20 - Authorize the Mayor to sign a contract amendment with T-Mobile South, LLC, to install and enhance telecommunication equipment located within its leased premises on the City’s radio communications tower at 6740 Spring Street.

Maintenance & Sanitation Committee/Charles Banks
a. 26-07-24 - Authorize the City Sanitation Department to purchase 280 90-gallon containers and 155 65-gallon containers for residential sanitation services customers.

Transportation Committee/Michael Carter
a. 27-07-26 - Authorize the Mayor to sign a Request for Traffic Signal at the intersection of Georgia Highway 5 and Rose Avenue/Bright Star Road Connector, to be submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation as part of the Rose Avenue Relocation Project.

b. 27-07-27 - Authorize the Mayor to sign Agreements to Purchase Real Estate and all necessary documents for closings on parcel 1 and parcel 19 for the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Rose Avenue Relocation Project.

c. 27-07-28 - Accept dedication of right of way to the City of Douglasville from the Douglasville Public Purpose Corporation of a portion of the property at 8473 Duralee Lane, subject to approval by the security interest holder, in order to facilitate the Douglas County Board of Commissioners’ project to widen and improve said street between the Douglas County Courthouse and Fairburn Road (Georgia Highway 92).

d. 27-07-29 - Authorize the City Attorney to give appropriate notice of the City government’s plan to abandon a small section of right of way adjacent to the property at 8523 Duralee Lane, since it is not needed for the project to widen and improve said street between the Douglas County Courthouse and Fairburn Road (Georgia Highway 92).

6. Public Safety Committee/Dennis McLain
a. 20-07-65 - Request for a change in the agent outlet manager for the alcohol beverage license for Hooters of Douglasville for the on premises sale and consumption of wine, malt beverages, and spirituous liquors at 7010 Concourse Parkway. Application by Hooters of Douglasville, Inc.

b. 20-07-66 - Request for a change in ownership, a change in the agent outlet manager, and a transfer of alcohol beverage license for the retail package sale of wine and malt beverage at Dallas Highway Texaco at 7620 Georgia Highway 92 (Dallas Highway). Application by Krishna & Urmi, Inc.

7. Community & Economic Development Committee/John Schildroth

8. Planning & Zoning Committee/Michael Carter
a. 22-07-113 - Request for a variance from the requirements the City Zoning Ordinance subsection on Freestanding Signs, Height Restrictions in order to increase the height limitation for said sign from the maximum allowed 70 linear feet up to a maximum of 100 linear feet in a CG (General Commercial) District of approximately 2.3392 acres on Concourse Parkway. Application by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

b. 22-07-114 - Request for a change in zoning from CG (General Commercial District) to CG (General Commercial District) with a Special Land Use Permit for a church on approximately 1.06 acres at 6544 Malone Road. Application by Light and Salvation Outreach Church.

c. 22-07-115 - Request for a change in zoning from R-2 (Single Family Detached Residential District) to R-2 (Single Family Detached Residential District) with a Special Land Use Permit for a day care center on approximately .92 acre at 6304 Fairburn Road (Georgia Highway 92). Application by Vision for Souls Family Worship Center Church.

d. 22-07-116 - Request for a change in zoning from R-2 (Single Family Detached Residential District) to R-2 (Single Family Detached Residential District) with a Special Land Use Permit for a funeral home on approximately 1.8 acres at 8312 Dallas Highway (Georgia Highway 92). Application by Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home of Douglasville, Inc.

e. 22-07-117 - Appoint Councilman Michael Carter as the elected official to attend the court-ordered mediation in Michael Lee v. Sun Suites of Douglasville, LLC, et al v. City of Douglasville, et al, in DeKalb Superior Court on December 5, 2007, with Mayor Pro Tem Henry Mitchell III as the alternate.

f. 22-07-118 - Refer to the City Zoning Board an application for rezoning of tax parcel 162-2-5-24 from R-2 (Single Family Detached Residential District) and CG (General Commercial District) to CG (General Commercial District), consistent with a Development Agreement with CP Douglas Place I, LLC, dated June 11, 2007.

9. Parks & Recreation Committee/Roy Mims

10. Finance Committee/Henry Mitchell III

11. Information Technology Committee/Henry Mitchell III

12. Maintenance & Sanitation Committee/Charles Banks

13. Transportation Committee/Michael Carter

14. Personnel & Organization Committee/Roy Mims

15. Ordinances & Intergovernmental Committee/Callye B. Holmes

16. Other Business
a. Publish in the City Council minutes the results of the City of Douglasville election held November 6, 2007.

17. City Attorney/Joel Dodson

18. Chief Assistant City Attorney/Suzan Littlefield

19. City Manager/Bill Osborne

20. Comments from Citizens and Delegates

The Douglas County Sentinel (requires registration) is reporting today that the Douglas County Fire Department has new NFPA required gear through monies allocated from the 2002 SPLOST. New gear included lighter helmets with drop down shield, leather boots, jackets with drag hooks, and reflective lettering on the back of the jackets.

The cost of the equipment was at $280,000 to provide equipment for the 162 firefighters in the system.