Staff Reports
December 3, 2018 – The City of Buford Commission Meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. by Commission Chairman, Phillip Beard. The agenda and minutes from the November 5th meeting were approved.
The first bit of planning and zoning business was for 1.92 acres located at 2715 Brown Road. The request was to rezone from RA-200 to C-2 with a special use permit to allow for a future convenience store. The Commission denied a proposed car wash that would be on the same piece of property as the convenience store. Brad Weeks abstained from voting. Request was approved by Burge and Beard.
An annexation request was approved for 3.767 acres located at 3665 South Bogan Road. The applicant states that they will be building one family home that must have a minimum heated floor area of 3,000 sq. ft. The second annexation request was approved for 6.58 acres that the City of Buford owns at 3370 North Waterworks Road. The zoning will change from ARIII to Public. The City says it’s for their Water Plant.
An amendment to Section 1308 C-2 General Business District Special Uses for tattoos was approved. Amendments were also approved in regards to density and recreation areas.
The final plat for Olde Town Estates f/k/a Bailey Tract – Phase II was approved. A third one year extension was approved to allow for a church at 4560 Atwater Court, Suites 101-102. An exemption was approved for the requirement to install curb and gutter and sidewalks at 4020 South Bogan Road. The County will eventually widen the road and would not approve it.
The election results from November 6th was certified. Citizens voted to allow Sunday liquor sales to start at 11 a.m. An agreement was approved which allows the City to buy excess reserve power from MEAG Power on the behalf of the City of Thomasville. A lacrosse event to be held at the Buford Youth Sports Complex was approved.
An amended contract to be signed by the Chairman with Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC to remove abandoned and no longer active gas receipt locations was approved. The Commission authorized the City Manager to sign a settlement with Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company. The settlement was to reimburse the city and citizens the expenses incurred when Transcontinental put too much Mercaptan into the gas mix causing residents to believe they had a serious gas leak. An amendment to the Gwinnett County and City of Buford Service Delivery Strategy Sewer Service District map was approved.
Todd Cleveland from the Buford Community Center stood up to tell about the 2019-2020 theatrical season, concerts, and performances set to take place at the BCC. It will include nine musical performances, four Theatre Buford performances, three outdoor concerts, three movies, and the large outdoor concert in the fall. The Commission approved the line up. Todd also reported that the Christmas Traditions event was a sold out event and went extremely well. A Christmas Carol opened to rave reviews and is being considered for awards.
The City Manager was authorized to amend the budget to include partial funding of the Buford Community Girls Chorus trip to Austria. The girls are responsible for fundraising for the other funds needed. An amendment to the budget was also approved to fund pay raises to city employees. Majority of the raises will go to raising the pay for hourly employees.
Two payments were authorized. Those were for Jackson Street Stormwater CDBG project and Hamilton Mill Road gas relocation project.
The Commission voted to accept the City of Buford 2040 Comprehensive Plan as submitted. This authorizes the City Manager to submit the plan to the Atlanta Regional Commission for approval.
City Manager, Bryan Kerlin gave his report which included an update on the downtown parking deck. The construction on the deck is behind schedule because of the nonstop rain. The City Gym is reaching it’s one year mark and the city is going over any issues. These issues will be addressed as part of the warranty on the building. South Lee Street has been repaved and striped. The contractors are still working on a punch-out list. Plans for road improvements on Thompson Mill Road at 985 are being reviewed by GDOT. Water plant has undergone normal maintenance. One pump went down at the lake and had to be repaired. The new BHS construction was coming along well. The outside has experienced delays due to the rain but the inside was progressing on schedule. The Interim Superintendent and her staff are in the process of getting all of the furniture ordered.
City staff will begin submitting applications for funding for the Moreno Street project. Various gas, sewer, storm water, and electrical projects were progressing well. The gas department saw record sales for November. Parks and Rec saw record sign ups for basketball. The 50 teams will have their first game on December 8th. Alta tennis tournaments went well. Brad Weeks was asked to tell about Sugar Hill Mayor Steve Edwards approaching him. Weeks said that Edwards asked him to bring up to the city about funding rec league soccer at Buford. Edwards said that ⅓ of the kids that play in their league at Gary Pirkle Park are actually Buford kids. Weeks reported that the high school coach was willing to assist in the program. The city is interested in bringing soccer to their rec league and will continue research on this.
Beard asked the Commission and staff if they had anything further. With nothing further, he went to the floor to ask for further business. A new businessman to the city stood up to tell about opening up in the city. His name was Nigel Gray with Energy Management Consulting located near the library. The City and attendees welcomed him to Buford. Ms. Mary Ingram stood up to tell about water flooding her property after a ditch was taken out by a nearby developer. Beard and Kerlin assured Ms. Ingram that since they were now aware that they would put the developer on notice to find a solution. They also said that future plans to improve her street would help greatly with any water issues.
With nothing further, the meeting was adjourned. The next City of Buford Commission Meeting will be on January 7, 2019 at 7 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at City Hall. All Commission meetings are open to the public.
