Commissioners hear State Route 5 updates from GDOT
Board of Commissioners March 24, 2022
FANNIN, Ga. — The Fannin County Board of Commissioners heard updates on State Route 5 construction projects and approved purchases for the county’s jail and recreation center at their latest meeting
State Route 5 Projects
District Engineer Grant Waldrop, along with others involved in the project, spoke to the commissioners about current and future construction along SR 5. The board was presented with a map that detailed the six projects that will take place in the coming years.
District Six Project Manager Sonja Thompson explained “The purpose of the project is to provide improvements between Blue Ridge and McCaysville … to construct a truck alternate route around McCaysville and Copperhill downtown areas … and we are also making operational and maintenance improvements along the state route,” and that the project will widen SR 5 from a two lane road to a four lane road with a center turn lane until Old Flowers Road.
She also noted that the project is divided into six sections, and briefly described what each project section entailed:
Project 0017040, an approximately 1.23 mile stretch of SR 5, will include upgrades to the Progress Circle traffic signal and a designated bike lane.
Thompson noted that Project 0017039 is the largest section of project at approximately 5.55 miles of State Route 5, beginning at Pineview Lane and ending near Wash Wilson Road. She told the board “It’s going to take approximately about two years to acquire [the right of way] because there’s over 200 parcels in this section of roadway,” emphasizing the size of the project section.
Project 0017038, approximately 1.52 miles of SR 5 between Wash Wilson Road and Old Flowers Road, is already under construction. “It’s exciting to come provide this update for the Highway 5 widening project, especially now that we’re actually into a phase where you can start seeing some of that heavy civil construction,” Waldrop told the board. In further conversation, the board was informed that the contractor intends to shift traffic when the project starts.
Thompson said Project 0017782, at a length of approximately 1.83 miles, is commonly referred to as the “side walk roundabout section.” It will include new sidewalks, curbing, a roundabout at School Street, and a signal at West Tennessee Avenue.
Project 0017784 will bypass downtown McCaysville and Copperhill. It will veer off from the School Street roundabout and stop at the state line. On the Tennessee side, Project 620490 will continue and loop into Ocoee Street, said Thompson.
Costs and Letting Dates
In an email, District 6 Communications Officer Joe Schulman shared the estimated letting dates and costs of each project: “Cost for the projects are updated each year as a minimum, along with any major changes and are estimated using the current design.” Letting for Project 0017040 will begin at the start of 2024 with an estimated approximate cost of $17 million. Project 0017039 letting begins in the summer of 2024 at an estimated cost of $53 million. Letting for Project 0017782 is mid-2022 with a $14 million cost estimation. Project 0017784 and 620490 both have an estimated letting date of mid-2024 but an approximate cost of $5 million and $15 million respectively.
Other Business
Recreation Director Eddie O’Neal presented the bids for security cameras at the Fannin County Recreation center. The commissioners compared three bids and approved the bid from Mountain Valley Systems LLC. At a total cost of $8,278.25, 15 new cameras will be purchased for the recreation center.
At Sherrif Dane Kirby’s request, the commissioners approved the purchase of dual view X-ray equipment for the Fannin County Jail. The purchase, a total of $165,250, will come from SPLOST Public Safety funds, and will include the installation and calibration of the equipment, operator training, and two years of warranty. In addition, the board considered a potential purchase of an additional three years of warranty at a later date.
The board also approved two appointments during the meeting. Both Angelina Powell and Anita Weaver were unanimously appointed to the Tax Assessors Board and Fannin County Water Authority Board respectively.
Zoning request for Hastings Development tabled
Community, Downtown Blue Ridge, News January 17, 2021
Blue Ridge, Ga. – A development that has drawn the attention of many in Fannin County has once again come to a temporary halt as the developer seeks to have land rezoned in the City of Blue Ridge to accommodate the plans.
What has become known locally as the Hastings Development is a residential development set in the City of Blue Ridge with access points to Highway 515 and College Street. The 14 acre property sits adjacent to Overlook Subdivision.
The proposed development itself has seen a number of changes based on community feedback and most recently the city zoning board gave approval for an 83 town-home high density site. The Blue Ridge City Council has final say on whether zoning of the land will be changed for the development to take place.
Developer Johnnie Hastings addresses concerns of the citizens and presents a revitalized plan for the development.
The Hastings Development has been met with concerns ranging from the possibility of high volume traffic on narrow College Street to whether the city’s infrastructure can handle the additional stress of the new units.
A vote was expected to take place at the Jan. 12 Blue Ridge City Council meeting but with last minute changes to the proposed plans, a motion was made to table the decision until next month’s meeting.
“We listened,” Johnnie Hastings, the developer of the property, spoke to the council and citizens, “What is the need in the community? What is it that you guys need in terms of housing?”
Hastings explained that the original concept for the development dating back to Jan. 2020 was for affordable housing in the $250,000 range, but after gathering further community input the design was changed to upscale town-homes in the $450-500,000 range.
“I want to do something…that’s good for the community, that we can all get around,” Hastings said as he revealed the revised plan based on community push back to the suggested 83 town-homes, “Believe it or not but that’s my heart.”
Hastings’ new plan consists of 56 freestanding family homes at 4 homes per acre. The price will still be in the range $500,000 per home.
“We’re here to compromise and bring a little unity to this project,” Hastings said, adding, “At the end of the day you’ll be very pleased with what I did up there.”
Citizens who had come to the meeting to speak in opposition or at least express concerns over the development were taken off guard with the proposed changes to the site.
The main concerns echoed by the citizens present was the need for the new changes to be approved by the planning commission or flow through proper channels, whether the city’s infrastructure could handle the added usage and traffic coming onto College Street.
“It concerns me that you would vote on this when the planning commission has not,” one citizen spoke.
“The sewer system won’t handle it. The water system won’t handle it,” another citizen voiced.
Utility Director Rebecca Harkins addressed the concerns of city infrastructure stating that the city has more than enough capacity remaining in their system to handle the proposed development.
“I don’t have a position on this development,” Harkins stated adding that she simply wanted to present the public with the facts.
Harkins confirmed that the city did have capacity to handle the additional units to the system and that there are issues that need to be fixed and updated throughout the city’s infrastructure, but that those issues would have to be addressed regardless of the development adding on.
“I agree that it needs to be worked on and it needs to be worked on diligently,” Harkins said of the city’s current infrastructure and reassured residents that the development would cost nothing to the city: “The city does not fund any portion of the water and sewer system for a new development.”
Harkins also pointed out that the developer would be financially responsible for any impacts on the system from the development to the plant caused directly by their connection.
Mayor Donna Whitener confirmed that City Attorney James Balli had sent in writing that council could vote on the rezoning if Hastings had lowered density but that it would need to go through proper channels before coming to council if the density had increased.
Council member Mike Panter made a motion to table the vote until the next regular meeting in Feb. giving the council more time to look over the proposed changes.
All council members voted in favor of tabling the vote with the exception of Council member Rhonda Haight who stated her reason as “I think we’ve kept people waiting long enough”.
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