Growth plans rock status quo crowd in Ball Ground

Many in Ball Ground want the city to remain a small town that has been overlooked by developers.

However, the installation of a new sewer system and funding from the state Department of Transportation to update Gilmer Ferry Road may entice developers.

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Wal-Mart in Forsyth up for review

On November 29, 2005, Wal-Mart will go before the Forsyth County Planning Commission to propose a 203,000 square foot Supercenter on Highway 9 in the Highland Ridge area.

Wal-Mart hopes to start construction next summer and open in the Fall of 2007.

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Gainesville under construction

City renews itself with spate of road work, new buildings

An abundance of road construction, city development and private development has everyone in Gainesville asking "what's up"?

Commercial development on Mundy Mill Road, a possible industrial on Howard Road off of GA 365 and a possible 750 senior home community on Brown Bridge Road near McEver Road are just a handful of projects planned for the city.

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Survey shows desire to join city

Although surveys are still being counted, the general trend shows that more Newtown residents prefer to join Roswell instead of forming a new city, Johns Creek.

Some predict residents of Newtown will be divided with residents nearer to the Roswell border will join this city while residents furthest away from Roswell will form Johns Creek.

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Fulton delays Beltline vote

On Wednesday the Fulton County Commission decided to defer a proposal for the new Beltline until December 7th.

The Atlanta City Council has already approved the proposal, however, it is contingent upon the Fulton County Commission and the Atlanta School Board approving the funding plan.

The Atlanta School Board is also expected to consider the proposal in early December.

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Hall County to unveil new flood plain map

Hall County residents are welcome to come to the Gainesville Civic Center on Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. to see the new Federal Emergency Management Agency flood plain map.

The maps are updated approximately every five years. There will be a 30-day review period and a 90-day appeal period.

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Forum to weigh cityhood choices

Joining Roswell is another possibility

Residents of the Newtown area in Northeast Fulton County will learn more on Wednesday about the possibility of joining Roswell or creating a new city - Johns Creek.

The decision has become more urgent since Sandy Springs incorporated as there are fewer tax dollars for parks, planning and police and fire services in unincorporated areas of North Fulton County.

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Newtown gets sales pitch on choices

Residents of the neighborhoods of the Newtown section of Johns Creek must decide whether or not to stay part of unincorporated North Fulton County, become part of Roswell or create a new city - Johns Creek.

Legislation creating the city of Johns Creek is expected to be introduced after the General Assembly convenes in January.

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Snellville-area village could grow

The Gwinnett County Planning Commission will decide on Tuesday if it will allow expansion of Brookwood Village, a 40 acre mixed-use development on Highway 78 in Snellville.

The developer wants to add 15 acres to the project for 61 small-lot homes.

The project would include commercial space, office space, cluster homes and townhomes.

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Gwinnett developer to purchase biggest building in Georgia

A Gwinnett County developer plans to purchase Atlanta City Hall East - the former Sears & Roebuck warehouse on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta.

The space will be turned into 1,580 lofts and 300,000 square feet of retail space. The project will take about seven years to complete and will also include 400 residential units and a 2 acre park.

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Sugar Hill officials eager for downtown to sprout

The City of Sugar Hill has created a master plan that will transform West Broad Street into a live-work-play district.

Developers are sought to build shops, cafes, restaurants and residences to help transform the downtown area.

Plans include burying utilities, installing sidewalks and creating on-street parking, traffic turnabouts and a pedestrian tunnel.

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Specific plan under way for South Forsyth area

A draft plan for mixed-use development along Ronald Reagan Boulevard will be presented at a public meeting on Monday, November 14, 2005.

The 2,000 acres located between Majors Road and McGinnis Ferry Road could become the future home to low-rise and mid-rise office parks, mixed residential types and pedestrian-friendly retail shopping areas.

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Americans Support Housing Tax Incentives

According to a national survey of 800 likely voters, Americans overwhelmingly support retaining federal tax incentives that support homeownership.

73 percent of those surveyed believe the mortgage interest deduction and the medical expense deduction are the most important federal tax incentives followed closely by the deduction for state and local taxes including propety taxes.

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Developers bank on fish tank

29-story condo tower, sports restaurant, retail and hotel planned

Approximately 2 million visitors per year are expected to visit the Georgia Acquarium and developers are hoping to cash in on this opportunity.

A 29-story residential tower, hundreds of parking spaces and retail shops and restaurants are going to be developed.

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Report slams school funds tax proposal

The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute released a report Monday indicating that eliminating school property taxes and increasing the state sales tax would help well-to-do landowners while hurting the poor.

Supporters of the amendment believe that funding K-12 public education would be a more equitable burden since everyone pays sales taxes.

Presently about 900,000 property owners fund the education of approximately 8 million Georgians.

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Beltline clears first big hurdle

$2 billion intown revitalization wins City Council's OK

The Atlanta City Council voted Monday, November 7, 2005, to create a special tax district to raise nearly $2 billion to pay for parks, trail, transit and affordable housing along the proposed Beltline.

The proposal will go before the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and the Atlanta Board of Education prior to the end of the year.

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Deal could mean revival in Norcross

OFS Brightwave is close to a deal to sell much of its land on the corner of Jimmy Carter Boulevard and I-85.

Builders are anxiously awaiting the close of this deal as they have plans for mixed-use developments including high rise condos.

This is all contingent upon the decision of the proposal before the Gwinnett County Commission this month to allow high-rises in the county.

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More details to come Thursday on toll-lane project

The Department of Transportation will discuss the latest version of a proposal to add privately funded toll lanes to I-75 and I-575 this Thursday.

The new proposal provides for truck toll lanes, rapid transit toll lanes and toll lanes where anyone can pay to avoid congestion.

The existing lanes of I-75 and I-575 cannot be converted to toll lanes.

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Council urged to approve Beltline

Backers say project cannot afford delay in tax district creation

Supporters of the proposed Beltline are urging members of the Atlanta City Council to vote today to create a special tax district for the project.

Property taxes collected in the district would help fund the cost of buying and developing land for the 22 mile Beltline which would include trails, parks, transit and affordable housing for rank-and-file workers.

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Tax panel could shrink mortgage benefits

In an effort to make a simpler and fairer tax system, the President's tax advisory panel has recommended that the popular mortgage interest deduction be eliminated and replaced by a tax credit equal to 15% of the amount of interest paid by a homeowner during the year.

Mortgages eligible for the tax credit would be limited to an amount calculated as a regional housing value. In addition, mortgage interest for home equity lines and second homes would not be eligible.

State and local property tax deductions would also be eliminated.

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Developer proposes high-rises in Roswell

Charlie Brown, the developer of Atlantic Station in Midtown, wants to build a mixed-use project featuring several high-rise towers on 107 acres in Roswell.

The proposed mixed-use development would be located on the east side of GA 400 between the Chattahoochee River and Holcomb Bridge Road bordering the Chattahoochee River, the Riverwalk trail system and Martins Landing.

There are currently no high-rises in Roswell and no zoning for them. This should prove to be a political battle.

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Eminent Domain: House swipes at land seizure

On Thursday, November 3, 2005, the House approved a bill to block the court-approved seizure of private property for use by developers.

Under the bill, federal monies would be withheld from state and local authorities that use powers of eminent domain to force business and homeowners to give up their propeties for commercial uses.

The bill now moves to the Senate.

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Planners frown on subdivision in North Gwinnett

Suwanee-based Touchstone homes hopes to build a 967 home community near the Barrow County line, however, the Atlanta Regional Commission may attached a negative recommendation to the project.

The Commission feels the project is to far from shopping, offices and other commercial development.

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Buford voters can lower property taxes

On Tuesday, November 8, 2005, Buford voters will have the opportunity to lower homeowner's property taxes.

Voters will decide if they want to increase the current $2,000 homestead exemption up to $22,000 over the next five years.

In addition, voters will have the opportunity to vote "yes" for a 100% homestead exemption for Buford residents that are 70 years and older.

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Realtors® raise alarms over real estate tax proposals

As President Bush’s advisory Tax Reform Panel completes its work, the board of directors of the National Association of Realtors® formally voted to oppose proposals under consideration by the panel that NAR believes would drive down real estate values, have a devastating effect on the nation’s housing economy and negatively impact the nation’s economy.

The panel is considering recommending that Congress convert the mortgage interest deduction from a deduction to a tax credit; is also considering reducing the $1 million cap on mortgages to the local FHA loan limit; repealing the deduction for property taxes, as well as other state and local taxes; and raising the amount of gain to be excluded on sale of a principal residence but reducing the frequency in which the exclusion can be taken.

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Planning Commission: Things looking up for condos

The Gwinnett County Planning Commission recommended approval for proposals to allow high-rise condominiums at a meeting Tuesday, November 1, 2005.

A vote by the Board of Commissioners is scheduled for November 22, 2005.

The new zoning rules allow high-rise condos and mixed-use developments near Gwinnett Place Mall, the Mall of Georgia, the Sugarloaf area and Jimmy Carter Boulevard near I-85 and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

The Commission did not recommend such development in the Hamilton Mill area or near Lawrenceville by the Georgia Gwinnett College north of Highway 316.

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Gwinnett ends secret land deals

On Monday, October 31, 2005, the Gwinnett County Commission announced that it will no longer vote in secret when purchasing land for public facilities.

In the past the county has purchased millions of dollars worth of land without public input. The commissioners will now vote in public meetings about the purchase of land.

Although commissioners may still discuss a proposed land purchase in private, basic details of the discussion will be published including why the land is needed and how the commission will pay for the land. The property's location and price would remain private during negotiations.

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City grapples with Beltline housing prices

What started as a plan for trails, green space, mass transit and other redevelopment near the inner city is now focusing on affordable housing for rank-and-file workers.

The proposed 22 mile Beltline will travel through intown neighborhoods as far north as Buckhead and as far south as south of Turner Field.

As the Atlanta City Council attempts to refine a plan to pay for the proposed Beltline, the cost of housing is still up for debate.

The goal is to subsidize households with annual income from $27,000 to $40,000.

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