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SNELLVILLE – On Friday, the City of Snellville rolled out several new online portals to keep citizens up-to-date on the progress being made on the city's planned Towne Center and to encourage public feedback as the project moves forward.

Snellville's new webpage, http://www.snellville.org/the-towne-center-snellville will serve as an online hub for Towne Center updates and residents can visit www.snellville.org/the-conversation to ask questions or provide feedback in real-time.

In addition, the city has launched new social media feeds on Facebook (www.fb.com/thetownecenter), Twitter (@TheTowneCenter), and Instagram (@TheTowneCenter) - all devoted to Towne Center updates.

"As we turn the Towne Center @Snellville proposal into a reality, citizen engagement remains our top priority. In addition to participating in our Town Hall meetings, we urge local residents and business owners to find us online and offer their feedback on new developments of this community-driven project," Mayor Tom Witts said.

Snellville's planning for the Towne Center began in 2007 and the city recently unveiled updated plans for the vision after soliciting input from citizens across the city.

Within the last year, the Snellville Mayor and Council have taken significant steps to make the Towne Center vision a reality.

The city rolled out their proposal for a re-location of the Elizabeth H. Williams library to a new state of the art facility that will include a City Market in the Towne Center. The library is proposed to be funded by 2016 Special Local Option Sales Tax dollars when approved by county leaders.

Late last year, the Council passed development code updates that were formed with citizen input that would guide the development standards of the Towne Center. This was the most vital step yet in moving the Towne Center plan forward. Code updates will continue in 2017.

SNELLVILLE – The final step of planning for Oak Road Passive Park was completed Monday as the mayor and council approved $281,000 in Special Local Option Sales Tax funds for its construction.

The park is designed to accommodate walkers from nearby neighborhoods who can access the greenspace from a new sidewalk, which stretches from Scenic Highway and Mountain View Road.

The contract with Zaveri Enterprises, Inc. calls for the neighborhood park to be completed in four months.

The park will feature a pavilion, a community green, a .25-mile walking trail with a pedestrian bridge and a playground.

SNELLVILLE – Several city services will be affected due to the winter storm projected for this weekend.

There will not be front load service for commercial waste customers Saturday, Jan. 7. The city's Recycling Center will also be closed Saturday.

Public Works crews will work alongside city police to ensure access to Eastside Medical Center, nursing homes and other public health facilities is still possible. Special attention will be paid to steep roadways to ensure they are passable.

T.W. Briscoe Park will be closed Saturday and Sunday.

City officials are urging residents to avoid any unnecessary travel.

For more information on city closings and weather-related information, check www.snellville.org regularly.

SNELLVILLE – On Thursday, the Snellville City Council unanimously approved modifications to the city's development code that removes inconsistencies, simplifies content, increases flexibility and encourages desirable redevelopment efforts. Most importantly, the code serves as another vital step in moving the Towne Center vision forward.

After approving funding for the process to make updates to the city's Planning and Development Code, the Mayor and Council engaged Snellville residents and requested input for future development projects like the Towne Center.

In the last six months, the city has held numerous town hall meetings, focus groups and one-on-one meetings with citizens to ensure that changes made to the development code reflect the desires of Snellville citizens, businesses and stakeholders. Additionally, a new website was launched at www.snellvilledevelopmentcode.org to give citizens yet another way to voice their opinions.

"Thanks to the input of hundreds of citizens, we are taking an important step toward turning the Towne Center vision into a reality," Mayor Tom Witts said. "With these development updates, the city will be able to encourage and guide the development we want — and where we want it — while better protecting the character and needs of existing neighborhoods."

Snellville's planning for the Towne Center began in 2007. After soliciting input from citizens across Snellville, the city unveiled updated plans for the project. The city recently announced a proposal to move the Elizabeth H. Williams Library to a new facility in the planned Towne Center, and if approved by Gwinnett County, the library would be funded with 2017 SPLOST dollars. The library concept would also include a new city market.

SNELLVILLE – Cathy Rickman has been named Senior Center Senior Center Volunteer of the Year.

The more than 30-year Snellville resident accepted the honor from Mayor and Council at Monday's council meeting.

Rickman is often found at the front desk of the Senior Center and frequently calls Bingo games.

"Her willingness to be wherever she is needed has been such a contribution to the success of the Senior Center," Senior Center Director Kathi Gargiulo said. "If not for volunteers like Cathy, we would not be able to provide the amount and the quality of programs that we currently offer."

Rickman also volunteered regularly at her church as a youth advisor, a counselor, in the woman's club and as part of the annual craft auction. She enjoys making wreaths, cards, scarfs and other crafts. She also enjoys cross-stitching, scrapbooking and painting.

"She has often come at the last minute and shows up with a smile on her face," Gargiulo said. "Cathy has done an exceptional job in going above and beyond to help our community and we truly appreciate all of her hard work and dedication."

PHOTO CAPTION: From left are Snellville Senior Center Director Kathi Gargiulo, 2016 Senior Center Volunteer of the Year Cathy Rickman, Mayor Tom Witts and Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Platt.

SNELLVILLE – City officials took part in a strategic planning retreat Wednesday, continuing the effort to make the city's Towne Center project a reality.

The joint strategic planning board retreat with the city's Development Authority and the Downtown Development Authority brought project leaders together to discuss progress and next steps to create a walkable and livable downtown, something city officials have been working toward for nearly a decade.

"We are soon going to be making some critical decisions," said City Manager Butch Sanders. "And this planning effort will keep all partners – the Downtown Development Authority, the Development Authority and Mayor and Council - moving forward together."

After receiving information about the city's demographics and commercial and retail stability, those who attended the meeting heard about development agreements, financing and the ins and outs of real estate acquisitions needed to make the Towne Center vision come true.

In the upcoming months, city officials will meet with developers and lenders to determine a financial strategy for the project, including finalizing a budget and identifying necessary funding sources. Project leaders will also create a strategic plan to secure available funding and address transportation issues. There is also a plan to have another in a series of Town Hall meetings early next year spotlighting the activities of the DDA as they reach out to business owners in the Towne Center area, keeping them abreast of the plan.

The city will also unveil a new social media and website strategy to keep residents informed about the plan's progress in the near future.

PHOTO CAPTION: Snellville Economic Development Director Eric Van Otteren speaks to those gathered at a strategic planning retreat of the Downtown Development Authority and the city's Development Authority.

Upcoming Senior Center Events

Upcoming Parks and Recreation Events

SNELLVILLE – The Mayor and Council approved a 201-unit senior housing development to be located behind Eastside Medical Center last week.

The project by Senior Lifestyle Corporation and Griffin Fine Living calls for a 201-unit, mixed-senior housing development for those 62 and older, consisting of 24 independent living cottages (duplexes and triplexes), 64 assisted living units and 32 memory care units located in a three-story, 75,000-square-foot building. Also included is a 81 independent living units located in a three-story, 89,000-square-foot building as part of Phase I of the master-planned development with the option to add up to 192 additional senior type units and not exceed 51,500 square feet of medical offices in Phase II of development.

The council approved the project 5-1 with Councilman Bobby Howard voting no.

As part of the approval, developers were asked to make changes to the plan by neighbors concerned about the proximity of the development near Tree Lane and New Hampton Drive.

The developer agreed to a 50-foot non-disturbed buffer along the adjacent residential property line and Waterford Township Community development. The buffer will be enhanced with evergreen landscaping and plantings, subject to the City's review and approval, with limited access for utilities and landscaping maintenance, where necessary. The buffer also includes a row of evergreen plants where necessary to create a visual screen. The building may also not exceed 60 feet in height.

SNELLVILLE – City officials welcomed new City Planner Genevieve Bigner earlier this month.

Bigner, who graduated with a Bachelor's degree in landscape architecture and a Master's degree in environmental planning and design from the University of Georgia, fills a void in the city's Department and Planning and Development after Jason Thompson was promoted to department director earlier this year.

"We are excited to welcome Genevieve to the City of Snellville team," Thompson said. "Her background will have her well prepared to help forge the city forward in its planning endeavors, more specifically the implementation and construction of the city's Towne Center Masterplan."

The New Orleans native worked with Archway Partnership and the Center for Community Design and Preservation during her time at UGA on various planning and design projects throughout the state. Through these organizations, she said she's had the opportunity to collaborate directly with community members to create spaces and facilitate positive change within their neighborhoods by providing high quality design work produced by faculty, staff and outside professionals.

Bigner's passion for city planning came at UGA during hearings for a proposed Walmart in Athens. She said it was fascinating to hear different points of view and how they could affect the city, positively or negatively.

"After that, I decided to pursue planning for my master's degree so I would have the skill to contribute valuable input at all stages of the design and development process by not only being able to identify issues and areas of potential growth at the larger scale but also provide viable and appropriate solutions at the smaller scale," she said. "I greatly look forward to becoming a part of the City of Snellville and doing my part to help the community grow and evolve in a way that further promotes the city's goals as a whole. In my short time here, I've heard nothing but great things and I'm excited to see everything Snellville has to offer."