BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – At a special called Fannin County Board of Education (BOE) meeting held March 22, the board unanimously agreed to purchase commercial land located on Highway 515.

This one-acre plot of land, which will serve as a connector to the school system’s new agricultural development located off of Ada Street, was purchased by the board for an agreed upon price of $250,000.

A statement released by Fannin County School Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney explains the circumstances behind this purchase: “If you hear that our school system paid $250,000 for an acre of property, it is true; however, there is more that you need to know about this purchase, and I want you to have the facts.”

The district currently has an easement beside the site of the new Fannin County Fire Department Fire Station 1 (off of the Windy Ridge Connector) that has been utilized to access the 31+ acres of land located off Ada Street.

“This new tract will connect our existing acreage and provide us with a continuous piece of property connecting directly to Highway 515,” Gwatney explains.

“This second Highway 515 access will be a safer and quicker way to enter our agricultural facility, and it will alleviate the need for visitors to travel to the Windy Ridge Connector,” Gwatney said in his statement.

The new tract of land is located along Highway 515 between the Windy Ridge Connector and Josh Hall Road.

Gwatney pointed out that district personnel, including himself, has already met with the Georgia Department of Transportation, and it has been determined that a deceleration lane may be placed ahead of the existing entrance to the property on Hwy. 515.

Gwatney explained, “This deceleration lane will help safely ease the transition off Highway 515 for our buses, student drivers, and large vehicles that may be towing trailers.”

The property is owned by AAH Properties of Blue Ridge, LLC. who purchased the tract in 2006 for $380,000. According to Gwatney, it is also important to note that “all usable commercial frontage on Highway 515, especially with an access road already in place, is quite valuable.”

This tract of land has buildings that are currently being used commercially and these buildings along with signage will become property of the Fannin County School System.

The terms in the selling contract states that closing on this property will occur within 90 days of the termination of current tenant leases. The purchase of this property will come from Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) funds allocated to the Fannin County School System.

 

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