Hunter Park Damaged By Flood

This is the first Sentinel article that I know of that has discussed damages to Hunter Park.

Hunter Park lake dam damaged by flood
by Helen McCoy

The dam at the Hunter Memorial Park Lake was damaged by September’s heavy rains and flooding.

According to Tracie Ivey, director of parks and recreation for the city, water rose some three inches over the top of the 15-20 feet high natural earthen dam, causing significant erosion of the dam and surrounding area.

It also washed away vegetation, the ballast around the kids’ train tracks and spilled water all over, forcing the closing of the walking track, the lower pavilion and the large playground.

Some fish may have even washed away, although Ivey said there was no real way of telling how many since park officials don’t stock or keep track of the fish.

“We hope that when the water flowed over the dam and went downstream that the fish went with it,” she said. “We don’t know how many fish technically are in there.”

City Manager Bill Osborne said that the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) was contacted and felt there was significant damage to the dam. The city is now working with FEMA to see if it is eligible for recovery funds and to see what steps to take to alleviate stress on the dam, he said.

One suggestion and subsequent action was to drain the lake.

“In the interest of safety first, we needed to reduce pressure on the earthen dam by lowering the water level,” Osborne said.

The city rented equipment from a company that handles such projects and used pumps to reduce the level, he said.

Ivey went as far as to place an ad in the newspaper to see if anyone wanted to be involved in removing fish from the lake so it could be drained.

There weren’t many takers.

It took two six-inch pipes running 24 hours, seven days a week, to drain the lake.

“We wanted to prevent further damage to the city property and loss of property and even life downstream,” Ivey said.

The priority, she said, was to keep people safe. Draining the lake was a precautionary measure, she added.

After draining it down, the city issued permits for people to come in and seine the lake using nets.

Upon closer inspection, FEMA doesn’t think the problem is as severe as once thought, Osborne said. But he added that there are still repairs to be made to the dam.

He said that at some point, the mayor and council will have to decide what to do with the lake long-term. At a council committee meeting this month, talk turned to draining the lake and turning it into green space or a ball field, but Sgt. Randy Rider, of the Douglasville Police Department, told council members that the lake was created for drainage purposes because the area was somewhat swampy prior to then.

Tuesday, Ivey held her breath as more rain fell, thinking of the potential of more damage to the dam. But then her thoughts turned toward what will happen to the fish and other water life, the ducks and the geese once the park closes for reconstruction.

“No one will be coming in to feed the ducks,” she said.

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If you’re looking for a good alternative to Hunter Park, try Clinton Nature Preserve in Winston.  It is still accessible.  There is a playground for all ages of children, a couple of log cabins (one is down near the powerlines–I’m not sure if it’s accessible at this time because one of the main trails is closed due to flood damage), a pond, and several large fields.  There are also ruins of two other log cabins–you can still see the fireplaces that were carefully built.  They are near the Clinton House and in the field across from the parking lot.

GDOT: Local Government Can’t Tell Us What To Do

Apparently Douglas County requested this, and they claimed to be “exempt” and asked for a second opinion from the Attorney General, who then stated that local government has no business telling the state what to do.  If this isn’t installed…will it cause flooding??  From an article in today’s AJC:

“Douglas County, part of the 15 county Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District that seeks to protect and conserve the region’s water, requested GDOT apply for a storm water permit for construction of a park-and-ride lot in Douglasville near a creek.

GDOT said it was exempt from the district’s regulations and asked the Attorney General for an opinion.

“Local governments, hav(e) no inherent power to regulate the state,” the July 9 ruling stated.

Pete Frost, executive director of the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority, sees something of a double standard in the AG’s ruling.

“If water quality standards are good for everybody else, shouldn’t they at least be good for the state?” he asked.

Builders are required to prevent runoff from leaving construction sites via silt fences, hay bales, rock filters, detention ponds and other low-tech devices.

Environmentalists wonder if taxpayers and developers upstream or downstream from any state construction project may have to shoulder heavier storm water mediation costs to maintain the health of a stream or river.

“The opinion has serious implications for where the burden of managing storm water lies,” said Juliet Cohen, general counsel for the Riverkeeper.”

Six Jobs Cut At Sweetwater Creek State Park

This was not on the Sentinel’s section of the website, it was in the Times-Georgian’s.  I have to argue with Hatcher’s quote that “most visitors” won’t notice the change–they will if they happen to go to the park on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday and discover the visitor center and gift shop are closed.  Seems like they would want to keep it open to get that revenue from the gift shop.  Supposedly operating costs of the visitor’s center were to be pretty low, according to this article (an excerpt is below, before the Sentinel article).  I guess the DNR thought they could save money by cutting jobs.

Many of the building’s design features will also reduce operating costs as follows:

• The rainwater collection reuse/wastewater system will significantly reduce water use. The siting of the building with a south facing and glass and glazing placement with sunshades will reduce heating and lighting costs.
• Interior photocells and occupancy sensors will contribute to the energy savings for lighting.
• The high efficiency HVAC system will cost less to operate than a standard system.

Six jobs cut at state park

by Bobby Moore

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced May 27 a restructuring of state parks which includes six jobs being cut at Sweetwater Creek State Park and a reduction in days of service for the park’s visitor’s center and gift shop from seven to four days a week.

Officials said the announced changes, which include an elimination of 12 percent of the state parks work force and furloughs for some employees, are the result of a nearly 39 percent reduction in state appropriations and a 24 percent projected loss of revenue.

Kim Hatcher, public affairs coordinator for the DNR, said six positions have been eliminated from Sweetwater Creek State Park, including two that were already vacant.

Of the four filled positions cut, only the bait shop manager was a full-time employee, said Joseph Bello, assistant park manager.

“These decisions were heart-wrenching but were made using a business case analysis,” said DNR Commissioner Chris Clark in a press release. “We are exploring every avenue to manage budget reductions and revenue shortfalls, to properly care for our state parks and historic sites, and to minimize the impact on Georgia citizens and communities.”

Hatcher added she is unsure how the staff cuts will affect Sweetwater Creek State Park, though she did say no changes are expected to be made that will limit the services currently available to the public, including the walking trails and picnic shelters.

“Most visitors will not notice any changes to park operations at Sweetwater Creek outside of an increased parking fee,” Hatcher added.

Parking fees at all state parks increased May 20 to $5 daily and $50 annually.

According to a DNR press release, officials hope to generate an additional $1.2 million with the increase. Additionally, state parks and historic sites will begin charging for many services that used to be free, such as interpretive programs and guided hikes.

Bello said the gift shop will now be closed Mondays through Wednesdays because of the statewide budget crunch.

According to the park’s Web site, www.gastateparks.org/info/sweetwater, the visitor’s center is “the most environmentally responsible building in Georgia.” The center employs composting toilets, rainwater collection and re-use systems and other envronmentally-friendly features that make it a platinum certified facility by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

The Department of Natural Resources operates 48 state parks and 15 state historic sites. A wide range of overnight accommodations, outdoor activities, historical programs and group facilities draw 11 million visitors each year.

For more information or to make reservations, visit www.GeorgiaStateParks.org or call 1-800-864-7275.

Damage?

Anyone have any fallen trees, etc?  I remember waking up around 8am, I think, by a HUGE clap of thunder, and I believe the digital cable has been off since then.  That’s the least of most peoples’ worries, however–I’ve heard a few people in Douglasville on Twitter say their power is out.  Thankfully Fox5 webcasts their news.

P&Z Meeting Tonight

Of course they have to mention the tax revenues from the resort, like a huge ton of money will somehow make it okay to build a huge resort.  Have they figured out the potential impact on schools?  There’s not a high school near the resort, so they’ll have to go to Alexander.  Then the younger kids will go to Fairplay and South Douglas.  All three of these schools are already overcrowded, and (I think) have trailers.  And they’re building 910 single family homes.  If each person who moves in has two kids, that’s 1,820 kids.  There is no retail to speak of on Capps Ferry, so of course the resort will want to bring in a grocery store, a bank, a gas station, etc so people won’t have to drive to Douglasville.  In addition, they say they don’t plan on widening Capps Ferry, so if they get a lot of traffic, there’s nothing the County will be able to do to ease the traffic flow.

Opposition expected

Presentation on proposed resort is tonight

By Winton Jones
Staff Writer

An Atlanta developer, Merrill Trust Communities and Resorts, LLC, will present its case tonight for building the 1,092-acre Foxhall Resort and Sporting Club on Capps Ferry Road in southeastern Douglas County.

Some Capps Ferry Road residents are expected to attend the joint 6 p.m. Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board and Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting at Citizens Hall in the county courthouse to register their opposition to the project. The P&Z Board makes recommendations for approval or denial of the requests and the BOC makes the final decision.

Brook Cole, who will be presenting Merrill’s application to the boards tonight, declined to comment Monday when contacted by the Sentinel. He said he would answer any questions after his presentation.

The proposed mixed use development will be located along the Chattahoochee River and will include 910 single family homes, 900 resort units, 600 hotel rooms, 140,000 square feet of retail space, a worship center and a public safety site, according to information filed last fall with the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC).

The report estimates the total value of the development at $921,633,037 and the expected annual local tax revenue to be $12,243,711.

The build out date for the project is 2020, according to the ARC final Development of Regional Impact (DRI) report, dated Nov. 10, 2008.

The application filed with the Douglas County Planning and Zoning Department indicates the developer is seeking a special use permit for a mixed use master planned development. The department is recommending approval, with conditions.

The ARC’s final report on the project found that it “is in the best interest of the region, and therefore, the state.” However, the report noted that its finding didn’t address whether the project is in the best interest of local government.

However, the ARC did note some concerns, including the effect on road traffic and nearby jurisdictions.

“No transportation projects are currently funded to improve the area roads,” the ARC report concluded.

“Potential additional development, which will be encouraged by the proposed project, will likely result in overburdening the local road network.”

On the project’s effects on local jurisdictions, the ARC report noted, “Comments attached from the city of Chattahoochee Hills Country state that the proposed development is not consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan which calls for the area adjacent to the Chattahoochee River to remain rural and agricultural. The city of Chattahoochee Hill Country also expressed concern over the traffic impacts to the existing transportation network, especially those road and intersections within the city.”

In its promotional literature, the developer pledges to preserve the site’s sensitive natural areas and create “a world-class luxury resort hotel and associated community.”

The land has been used as a private family equestrian estate for many years and was once the site for the National Riding Event Championships. Numerous stables, barns, riding arenas, paddocks, trails, polo fields and utility sheds are still located on the property.

Other agenda items for Tuesday’s P&Z meeting include:

• a request by Blanche Ayers for rezoning from R-LD (low density residential) to C-C (community commercial) for 4.48 acres on South Sweetwater Road to rent for commercial uses such as an antique shop;

• a request by Russell Wallace, LLLP, to remove the zoning conditions on 18.95 acres located at 1356 Trae Lane and the corner of Bob Arnold Boulevard and Linda Lane;

• a request by Rufuge and Salvation Outreach Ministries, Inc. for a special use permit renewal to allow a church in a planned center on 4.71 acres at 2818 Fairburn Road, Suite C;

• and a request by Word Christian Broadcasting, Inc. for a special use permit to allow four AM radio towers on 10.2 acres on McKown Road.

The boards will also hear proposed amendments to the Douglas County Code of Ordinances on the time limits for containers at streetside.

Industrial Park May Be Built Near Tributary

From today’s Sentinel:

Council eyes rezoning bid for Tributary

By Bobby Moore
Staff Writer

The Douglasville City Council Thursday discussed a potential rezoning change to the Tributary which will allow an industrial park to be built at the New Manchester development.

Assistant City Attorney Suzan Littlefield said the rezoning would be limited to certain types of industries that do not require heavy truck traffic.

Numerous Tributary residents spoke Thursday in support of the rezoning since it will help protect property values by keeping cheaper housing away from the development.

Residents also said an industrial park would stay true to the Tributary’s “live, work and play” concept.

In other news, the council discussed the formation of an ad hoc committee which will oversee pre-construction activities for the Douglasville Police Department’s proposed new public safety and municipal court facility. The committee will be composed of city staff, elected officials and police department representatives.

During committee meetings, Finance Committee Chairman Roy Mims agreed to step aside and let Councilman Terry Miller take his spot on the ad hoc committee because Miller is a local architect. An earlier resolution stated that the Finance Committee chairman would become of three councilors on the committee.

The City Council also discussed a potential $14,500 agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group for changing the timing on traffic lights near Arbor Place mall to help prevent holiday traffic congestion.

According to City Manager Bill Osborne, a similar agreement has been struck in recent years and has aided the traffic situation near Chapel Hill Road.

“The chief (Joe Whisenant) will tell you how beneficial this is to our police force and our motorists,” Osborne said.

Officials from Jacobs Engineering said this year’s agreement costs more than it has in recent years because there are three new traffic signals on Chapel Hill Road near the mall.

The council is scheduled to vote on these issues at its regular meeting Monday night at 7:30 p.m.

Douglasville Plans To Renovate Hunter Park

When I emailed the city last year, they told me they had no money to renovate Hunter Park…so what I’m wondering is this: what was planned in the 2002 SPLOST that hasn’t been completed yet (and that may NEVER be completed)?  I’ll have to look this up.  And also: it’s about TIME.  I’ve actually stopped going to Hunter Park because it looks so run-down.  Clinton Nature Preserve doesn’t have a recreation center, but it has a lot of advantages over the city’s Hunter Park.

From the Sentinel:

$7M facelift

SPLOST would fund upgrade at Hunter Park

By Bobby Moore
Staff Writer

Breedlove Land Planning unveiled Monday a potential master plan for over $7 million in improvements to Hunter Park.

According to Douglasville Mayor Mickey Thompson, SPLOST funds from 2002 will pay for an estimated $7,335,500 in improvements and renovations which will include rebuilt tennis courts, a new recreation center, an adult softball facility and a youth baseball/softball complex,

“If this plan is passed, Hunter Park will be reconfigured to better serve the public,” Thompson said.

The recreation center will cost $3 million based on a 2004 bid updated to current construction costs.

According to Thompson, a larger facility would have been built and would have been staffed by the YMCA had the 2007 SPLOST referendum passed.

The new-look Hunter Park would also include 11 ball fields, including a new special populations field which would be designed for children confined to wheelchairs and others who would not want to use a traditional baseball field. This field will also be near adequate handicap parking.

Other fields would include youth and adult softball fields.

Based on the current proposal, a playground area will be located near the special populations and youth tee ball fields.

“That’s the best location for a playground, because when parents bring children to ballgames, not all of them are playing ball,” Thompson said.

Bleacher improvements for Webb Field, which is used by Douglas County High School’s baseball team, are also in the proposed plans.

Changes to the plan suggested Monday by the City Council will be considered by Breedlove and an updated proposal will be presented to the council in the coming weeks, Thompson said.

If the council approves the next proposal, Thompson said Breedlove will formulate construction plans, and the council will then bid out the plan’s construction projects.

Thompson said the city will work hard to plan the perfect time to start construction, which will likely affect some youth sports since there are leagues playing year-round.

“There will be some inconvenience, but the end result will certainly be worth waiting for,” Thompson said.

Thompson added that the city’s proposed park on 137 acres of city-owned land on Bright Star Road will be on hold until additional funds are available.

However, Thompson does not regret the city’s 2007 purchase of the proposed park land.

“It was the only large tract of land that was close to where a majority of our citizens live,” Thompson said, adding that the land gives future mayors and councils options if they consider developing a new park.

Rebate

Here’s one rebate most of you probably wish the county had.

Right now a lot of areas–City of Atlanta, City of Dallas, City of Hapeville, City of Roswell, Cherokee, Clayton, Coweta, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Henry Counties, are offering a toilet rebate.  If you replace your old toilet, which uses a lot of water per flush, you, depending on which toilet you buy, get either a $50 credit or a $100 credit on your water bill.  Unfortunately, the county has not chosen to participate in this program.  I emailed the people in charge of the rebate program and they said the county MIGHT participate if they get a lot of emails about it–so email the Douglasville-Douglas County WSA at askwsa@ddcwsa.com. 

You can find out more information about the rebate at http://www.northgeorgiawater.com/toiletrebate/

City, County Have Differing Views On Transportation Plan

From today’s Sentinel:

City, BOC to work on differences over 25-year transporation plan

By Bobby Moore
Staff Writer

The Douglasville City Council Monday unanimously passed a resolution opposing the draft of the Douglas County Transportation Plan presented in a June 26 public hearing at the Douglas County Courthouse but also announced a meeting with the county to work on a resolution of the city’s complaints.

The 25-year plan, presented at a June 26 public hearing at the Douglas County Courthouse, is a blueprint for county wide transportation development for the next quarter century. The plan looks at current and future needs based on projected growth in Douglas County, including the cities of Douglasville, Austell and Villa Rica.

Wilbur Smith Associates is the agency preparing the plan with Steve Brown as project manager.

According to the resolution, city officials feel city road projects outside of Interstate 20 interchanges were either given low priority or not listed at all in the proposed plan.

City Manager Bill Osborne said Monday city officials and the City Council will meet with county officials and the Board of Commissioners Monday, July 28, to work on possible solutions to the city’s complaints.

If a compromise between the county and city is not reached by early August, Osborne said the city may pursue having its own transportation plan constructed by an outside firm.

In other business, the council granted a 7.5 percent adjustment to Waste Industries for commercial front-load waste collection services in the city. The increase will help cover the rising cost of diesel fuel.

The council accepted by a 5-1 vote a recycling trailer, portable bins and promotional materials from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) as part of an Away-from-Home turn-key recycling grant.

The lone opposing vote was cast by Councilor Callye B. Holmes.

There was some debate over accepting the grant prior to Monday’s meeting because all artwork options for the trailer depict people sporting pro-recycling tattoos.

Douglasville Smog Levels High Today

This was at AJC.com:

Metro area’s violated air standards 13 days

By STACY SHELTON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/25/08

By 1 p.m. Wednesday, smog levels had started creeping toward the red zone, when the air quality is considered unhealthy for most people.

The highest eight-hour measurement of ground-level ozone, an ingredient in smog, was 56 parts per billion in Douglasville. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers ozone unsafe at levels above 75 parts per billions. Smog enters code red at 96 parts per billion.

At that level, public health officials advise people to confine their workouts to indoors, or do their outdoor exercise in the morning or late evening. Ground-level ozone, a colorless gas formed when manmade emissions mix with the heat, can be particularly bad for people with asthma and other lung and heart diseases.

The state’s air quality forecasters had expected Tuesday’s air quality to enter the red zone. While smog levels did violate the EPA’s limit in Conyers, south Dekalb County, central Gwinnett County and McDonough, they did not reach the red zone.

Forecasters issued an orange alert for Thursday’s air quality, which would be another violation of the EPA standard. As of Wednesday afternoon, the region had violated the EPA standard on 13 days, starting May 6.

Note: I have a link to the current smog levels for Douglasville on my blogroll, which is in the right-hand column of my blog.  Currently the one hour average is 65 (just 10 parts per billion BELOW unsafe levels) and the eight hour average is 61.