Sewer the key to success. Commissioners trying to lock the door?

By By Auveed Bagheri-Cawthon

Posted 9:39AM on Monday 5th May 2003 ( 22 years ago )

"We do not have the infrastructure in place to handle the growth and we don't have money," says Chairman Gary Gibbs. Sales taxes, state and federal funding, and other revenues are down. "We will need to severely cut back on capital expenditure programs, cut back on providing county services, raise taxes or a combination of all three to get by," says Gibbs. Recently tax assessments went out with many taxpayers averaging increases between 120% and 150%. The Commission claims that by minimizing lot sizes to 1 acre residential growth will slow and promote commercial/industrial development. In reality, business growth will not come until South Hall has sewer which will lessen the residential tax burden on Hall County residents. The cities of Flowery Branch, Buford, Oakwood, and the Town of Braselton have the capacity to provide sewer which has helped attract new commercial development. This commercial growth contributes positively to the tax digest and local sales contribute to the penny sales tax (SPLOST) that the voters approved for road improvement programs and infrastructure. Clearwater Community, a Chateau Corners Development, includes Clearwater Plantation subdivision and 100 acres of commercial and office space. Clearwater Community will be a livable and walkable community when completed. The first phase of commercial development to open is Clearwater Crossing which includes a new Kroger. Kroger is expected to open June 15th. The total expected buildout is not expected until 2006. Clearwater Community in cooperation with the Town of Braselton, will provide sewer for some 220 homes, over a hundred acres of commercial property and take back enough reuse water, at build out, to free up another 100,000 gallons of capacity for the town to use on another project. Braselton is unique in that they do not collect any property taxes so 100% of these improvements will go to the Hall County tax digest. At build out, the estimated value will be 1.2 billion in taxable property with an excess of 220 permanent jobs. The project is being coordinated through the Georgia Department of Transportation and is anticipating the traffic needs for this area. The project has over 35 acres of non-disturbed green space and a 5-acre wildlife habitat. Reunion, a John Wieland mixed use project, continues to flourish with the ability to take back a majority of the reuse water for their golf course despite efforts by the Commission to shut down the Spout Springs road sewer plant. Providing sewer to South Hall has been an ongoing struggle between Hall County and its municipalities. "The county has no authority or responsibility in South Hall to provide sewer. We will not support the authority," says Chairman Gibbs. Not only will the county not support bringing sewer to South Hall, their proposal for 1-acre minimum lots may be an attempt to thwart the Lanier Technology and Wastewater Development Authority's efforts in providing sewer. In an email from Commissioner Roger Cole to Chairman Gibbs, Cole writes, "The difference in density between sewer and septic should pretty much take care of the Lanier Authority's marketplace". "For all intent and purposes, ignore sewer in all of the charts. It is only shown for comparison purposes should you be interested." A copy of this email can be found on our website at www.hallcitizen.com/proof.html The Lanier Technology and Wastewater Development Authority, a joint development authority under Flowery Branch and Oakwood; authorized under state law, is seeking funding to provide sewer in unincorporated South Hall to attract commercial development. According to one Technology official, "It (sewer) will serve to inhibit sprawl and encourage business to locate in south Hall, they would not locate without. This is not a new idea this is the same idea done again and again in commercial districts throughout the nation. This idea of quality of life is working and living close to home with minimum of environmental impact. This is the epitome of the American Dream." Any attempts to sabotage sewer development in South Hall only increases and prolongs a tax burden on residential taxpayers. By Auveed Bagheri-Cawthon Editor, The Hall Citizen

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/5/179325