June 1, 2020 — Commission Chairman Phillip Beard called the June 2020 Buford Commission meeting to order at 7 p.m. at the Buford City Arena. This meeting was the first since March due to COVID-19. The meeting was held at the Arena to ensure social distancing precautions could be maintained. Following the pledge, the agenda and previous minutes were approved. The Commission approved a date change for the July meeting. The new date is July 20, 2020.
There were several withdrawn business items. Below is a listing of the withdrawn items.
- Oakmont Pacolet Acquisitions, LLC – Gravel Springs & Sunny Hill Road – 31.058 acres – Rezoning request C-2 to M-1
- Revive Land Group – Gravel Springs Road – 2.58 acres – Rezoning request RA-200 to C-2
- Revive Land Group – Gravel Springs Road – 17.278 acres – Rezoning request RA-200 to RM
- Waffle House, Inc. – 2800 Sawnee Avenue – 0.844 acres – Rezoning request M-1 to C-2
- All Georgia Towing – 3932 Sudderth Road – Special Use Permit to allow RV/Boat storage and auto impound lot and auction site
Jeff Henderson requested that 0.422 acres located at 85 South Alexander Street be rezoned from C-2 to R-100. The rezoning was approved. Hillgrove Homes, LLC requested that 2.122 acres located at 3659 Carter Road be rezoned from RA-200 to R-100 to build two single-family homes. The Commission approved the rezoning.
A special use permit to allow for townhomes for CGH A & D, LLC for 100 Wiley Drive was tabled. The Commission approved a special use permit to allow a church for RCCG – The House of Prayer located at 5161 Bellewood Court. Cesar Galvis/Benton Green, The Hertz Corp., Delaware Corp. is moving locations and has requested a special use permit for the new location at 4125 Highway 20, Suite B. The special use permit was approved.
Michael Parker requested that his property located at 2630 Buford Dam Road consisting of 0.470 acres be annexed into the City of Buford. His request was approved. The Commission approved the annexation request for 0.950 acres located at 2200 Shoal Creek Road by Samuel & Rhonda Tulumello. Also requesting annexation is Laura Steffe for 0.700 acres located at 5445 Shadburn Ferry Road. Her request was approved. Richard & Betsy Garner asked for their property of 0.82 acres located at 440 Thunder Road to be annexed. Their request was approved. The request by Rhett Thornhill for 5.27 acres located at 3544 North Bogan Road to be annexed was approved by the Commission. He plans on dividing this tract of land into five residential lots.
The Commission approved the amendment to Development Regulations code #ZA-20-02 (City of Buford Development Regulations Article 9, Section 9.10.1.2(3)(a-d) and Article 9, Section 9.10.2 – Definitions). The change provided for consistency in the Development Regulations with regard to stormwater requirements in subdivisions. James & Sheila Brown Croft asked that their property of 9.328 acres located at 3041 Gravel Springs Road be de-annexed from the City of Buford. Their request was approved. Sherri Denise Brown has also requested to be de-annexed from Buford for 9.196 acres located on Gravel Springs Road. Her request was approved. A zoning modification request for Alex Roshan for 2830 Gravel Springs Road to modify zoning condition approved at the April 2, 2019 commission meeting to reduce the undisturbed buffer from 55 feet to 35 feet and to eliminate the berm requirement was denied by the Commission. The Commission stated that Mr. Roshan had agreed to the requirements previously and the residents originally opposed to the development were not there to be heard.
The Commission approved for the City Manager to continue operating under the 2020 operating budget until the adoption of the 2021 operating budget. A resolution and an amendment to the City of Buford Policy for Competitive Negotiation Qualifications Based Selection for Projects Using Federal Aid Highway Program (FAHP) funding was passed. Upon completion of the marina construction at Lanier Harbor Marina, dedication of Pinetree Drive as a public road and installation of regulatory signage, the City Manager has been authorized to open Lanier Harbor Marina located off Buford Dam Road. The Commission authorized the City Manager and City Attorney to enter into an agreement to purchase property on Main Street and the City Manager was authorized to issue a donation letter. Stacy Rolin was approved as the voting delegate with Bryan Kerlin serving as an alternate for the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) Power annual board election.
The following payments were approved by the Commission: Moreno Street sewer annual contract, Moreno Street water annual contract, Legion Fields improvements project, Buford parking deck project, Buford multi-use trail project located at Harris & Garnett Street, Southside Wastewater Plant Flow Diversion Structure, and Dacula Road/SR 8 gas relocation project.
Todd Cleveland with the Buford Community Center said that they are now able to hold meetings and events so long as they follow all guidelines and follow capacity limits to account for social distancing. Their first wedding since the pandemic began is scheduled for July 12. Live music events have been postponed for now.
City Manager Bryan Kerlin gave his report. Crews are catching up on picking up yard debris and larger items that they were not able to pick up during quarantine. The tennis courts at Buford City Park are open, however, the playground located on East Shadburn Avenue is still closed. The downtown parking deck project has the drawings on the bridge complete and streetscaping still needs to be done. The estimated completion date is July 17. Design is underway for the Waterworks expansion project and divers recently inspect the underwater structure. The Moreno Street project has had a minor setback as grant funding has been delayed due to COVID-19. The Gas, Water, and Electric departments all have various projects in different stages of completion, as well as, general maintenance and repair items. The Legion Fields 1-4 are expected to be completed on June 19 with the Concession stand set to be ready on July 10. The next phase of the Legion Fields renovations project has been delayed due to the city anticipating a decrease in revenues due to the pandemic. The tennis courts had repairs completed, new paint on the bathroom doors, and new trash cans.
Chairman Beard stated that the School Board meeting would also be held at the Arena on June 8 to allow for social distancing. He thanked Tommy Lingerfelt, the Buford City Schools Operations Manager and his staff for setting up the Arena for the meeting.
A meeting attendee asked if gas would be sold at Lanier Harbor Marina like in the past. Chairman Beard replied that it would not be sold at the marina any longer. The city lease with the Army Corp of Engineers does not allow for gas tanks.
— Staff Reports
