March 2, 2020 — Commission Chairman Phillip Beard brought the meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at Buford City Hall. Following the pledge, the February 3 minutes and the agenda were approved.
A rezoning request by Oakmont Pacolet Acquisitions, LLC for 31.058 acres located at Gravel Springs and Sunny Hill Road was tabled until the April meeting. Also tabled until April were rezoning requests by Revive Land Group for 2.58 acres and 17.278 acres located on Gravel Springs Road. A special use permit was approved for Milton Morera to allow an automotive repair shop at 1085 Parkway Industrial Park Drive. Frantz Goldman was granted a special use permit for an emissions testing station located at 4780 Friendship Road. CGH A & D, LLC requested a special use permit to allow single-family attached fee simple townhomes for 100 Wiley Drive. The request was tabled.
An amendment to Buford Zoning Ordinance Article VII, Section 702 Substandard Lots of Record was approved. Another Zoning Ordinance amendment was approved for City of Buford Development Regulations, Article 9, Section 9.10.1.2 (2) (a). A zoning modification was approved to allow a Taco Bell on an out parcel located at Holland Point and to have a flat roof. EpiCity, Inc. was granted a zoning modification that eliminated the traffic signal on Buford Highway at Oakbrook Drive and South Church Street. Instead, an R-cut installation will be allowed with the developer to contribute monies to the city for the traffic improvements. An amendment to the Solid Waste Management Plan for the landfill was approved and provides for adequate solid waste collection and disposal in Buford for the next ten (10) years.
The City Manager was given the authorization to sign documents dedicating .334 acres of city property as right-of-way. The ROW will be located at the end of Oakbrook Drive. The Commission also voted to give the City Manager the authority to sign documents dedicating the sanitary sewer easement to the City on abandoned Jones Road. A large industrial electric rate was approved for Wellmade Industries MFR. N.A. LLC. This proposed project is located at 1720 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. An amendment was approved to the Pole Attachment License Agreement for Distribution Poles with MCImetro Access agreement originally adopted on September 3, 2019. The Board granted authorization to the City Manager to proceed with the financing of the new City of Buford Waterworks facility, as well as, using Stephens, Inc. as the underwriter. Approval was given for the holiday antique market special event to be held on the BCC lawn on November 5-8, 2020.
The low bid was approved for the Buford Southside Wastewater Treatment Plan diversion structure. The Commission approved payments for the Southside Trunk Sewer Improvements – Phase II, SR 316 at Harbins Road gas relocation project, SR 324 at SR 124 gas relocation project, City of Buford parking deck project, and the Legion field improvements.
Todd Cleveland with the Buford Community Center said that the ballroom carpet replacement has been delayed until the first week in April due to a manufacturer’s defect in the initial carpet. He said 1,400 tickets were sold for the performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
City Manager, Bryan Kerlin gave his update which included the parking deck project. The project has experienced numerous delays including rain delays, designing the pedestrian bridge, and the retention pond. The City is going ahead and replacing the water line on Moreno between Garnett and Harris Street while Moreno Street is closed. The final design for Buford Waterworks is underway. The Buford Highway widening project has also experienced numerous weather delays pushing it’s estimated completion date to early summer. The gas department has projects in various states of completion. The street and sewer departments have been undergoing general maintenance and repairs. Various projects are in the works for the electric department. Parks and Recreation had a slow last month for tennis due to the weather. The weather has also impacted the renovations to the Legion fields. Over 300 kids participated in the youth recreational basketball league. A youth soccer league for Buford just got started, All In Futbol Buford.
Two citizens voiced concerns with the first being about the speeding issues on Main Street. The Commission stated that all possible solutions were being done. The second was a citizen who had issues with the grading company for the Holland Point Publix. The Commission advised the lady to leave her information so that the City could address the issues with the developer to get it fixed.
This concluded the March 2020 Buford Commission Meeting.
