SNELLVILLE – Snellville Tourism and Trade has suspended all events through October with the exception of the Farmers' Market and Food Truck Friday events due to the spike in COVID-19.
"Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases and rise in hospitalizations, we feel it is important to keep the health and safety of our citizens and visitors first and foremost," STAT Executive Director Kelly McAloon said. "We feel that we cannot properly social distance at our concerts and larger events and are taking the advice of Gwinnett Newton Rockdale Health Department doctors who suggest not to have large gatherings of people, which can spread the virus, even outdoors."
The following events will be canceled until 2021:
Snellville Concert Series (Aug. 22, Sept. 26 and Oct. 10)
Star Spangled Labor Day (Sept. 5)
Taste of Snellville (Sept. 12)
Fall Festival (Oct. 24)
"Please do your part, wear a mask, social distance and wash your hands," McAloon said.
SNELLVILLE — Three key measures affecting the future of The Grove at Towne Center were approved by Mayor and Council Monday.
The first established the boundaries of the Snellville Towne Center Entertainment District where alcohol can be consumed outdoors. The District includes all areas in The Grove except the areas surrounding City Hall, the Snellville Police Department and the Snellville Senior Center. Once The Grove is completed and restaurants begin serving alcohol, visitors will be able to drink outside if the beverage is bought from an establishment in The Grove. The beverage must be in a paper or plastic cup no larger than 16 ounces and only one drink at a time per person may be carried out of an establishment. Alcoholic beverages must be served in the designated Snellville Towne Center Entertainment District and cannot be carried outside of the designated area or into any vehicle.
Alcohol may not be carried onto any street except during the temporary period of crossing a street inside designated crosswalks, or if the Snellville Police Department closes a street to vehicular traffic specifically for the purpose of accommodating an outdoor event. Alcoholic beverages served in the designated Snellville Towne Center Entertainment District may be carried on the sidewalk.
Mayor and Council also approved the payment of $15,000 to Winter Construction to develop a construction plan, select a contractor and provide quality control practices on the 750-space parking deck planned for The Grove. The deck, which will also have spaces for hybrid and electric vehicles has an estimated cost of $11.6 million, 3.5 percent of that cost will also go to Winter Construction.
Demolition of the current U.S. Post Office is slated for November which will make way for the parking deck. Construction on the 250-unit housing development will begin in spring. The U.S. Post Office will move to the former SunTrust Bank on Wisteria Drive which is currently being renovated.
"The city's leadership is working hard together to make sure the Towne Center is being built with quality and expediency," said Economic Development Director Eric Van Otteren.
Mayor and Council also approved a $1.1 million contract to the Dickerson Group for Phase 1 of the Greenway Trail which will creates a walking and bicycle path around The Grove at Towne Center. City Manager Butch Sanders said about $400,000 of that money will go toward stormwater improvements in the Towne Center. Mayor Barbara Bender called it "major milestone for the city."
The UDO is a consolidation of most City of Snellville ordinances and regulations related to the development and use of property into one user-friendly document. Rather than have separate ordinances affecting such things as land use, subdivision, flood and environmental protection, building standards; all of these have been consolidated into one document.
"We encourage all residents to visit the website, review the proposed codes and let us know what they think," said Planning and Zoning Director Jason Thompson said. "This document will help us guide development in the city for decades to come so it is imperative to have the input of residents."
City officials said the current rules that guide development in Snellville are confusing, unclear and sometimes conflicting. The UDO revision makes them very user-unfriendly for both the public and city officials. Additionally, many of the rules successfully supported the development of undeveloped land for decades but are now poorly suited to encouraging much-needed redevelopment.
City staff and their UDO consultants will consider all comments in preparing the official draft UDO that will be introduced for adoption later this year. During the adoption process, the public can continue to submit comments for consideration, however, once the UDO is adopted by the Mayor and City Council it can only be changed by that body.
The city Planning Commission is scheduled to have a public hearing on the UDO Sept. 22 and the Mayor and Council will have a public hearing Oct. 26. Adoption will take place after the public hearings are completed.
Chanel Stephens, of Snellville, will serve as coordinator for the Snellville Youth Commission.
SNELLVILLE — A U.S. Navy veteran has been tapped to head up the Snellville Youth Commission.
Chanel Stephens, of Snellville, will serve as coordinator for the Commission which is charged with teaching students about civic engagement. She replaces former SYC Coordinator Chris O'Donoghue.
"I am interested in this position assisting high school students because I can remember being in high school and needing guidance," Stephens said. "I remember everyone I was able to turn to in search of answers and I would like to be able to be that guidance for current students and return that favor. I understand the need for students in that age range to feel connected to those working with them in order to effectively reach them and encourage engagement."
Created in 2016, SYC is the brainchild of South Gwinnett High School teacher and Councilwoman Cristy Lenski. SYC welcomes rising sophomores, juniors and seniors to apply to gain unique experiences that will expand their insight into the growing multigenerational and multicultural aspects of Snellville, city leadership and south Gwinnett County as a whole. The selected ambassadors from South Gwinnett, Shiloh and Brookwood High schools will increase their civic knowledge and develop their understanding by engaging in numerous civic activities.
"Chanel is an impressive, charismatic leader and role model," Lenski said. "As a Navy veteran, she possesses the discipline, maturity and resourcefulness needed to take the Snellville Youth Commission to the next level."
The City of Snellville has tentatively adopted a 2020 millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes of 2.41 percent.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this tax increase to be held at Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, GA 30078 on Monday, July 27, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.
Times and places of additional public hearings on this tax increase are at Snellville City Hall on Monday, Aug. 3, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. and Monday, Aug. 3, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.
This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 4.588 mills, an increase of 0.108 mills over the rollback rate, but no actual millage rate increase from last year. Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate would be no more than the rollback rate 4.480 mills. The proposed tax increase for a home with fair market value of $200,000 is approximately $8.64 and the proposed tax increase for non-homestead property (commercial) with a fair market value of $550,000 is approximately $23.76.
The City of Snellville announces its intention to increase the 2020 property taxes it will levy this year by 2.41 percentage over the rollback millage rate. Each year, the Gwinnett County Tax Assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the Gwinnett County Tax Assessors is required by law to re–determine the value of such property and adjust the assessment. This is called a reassessment. When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year's digest that last year's millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred. The budget adopted by the City of Snellville requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate, therefore, before the City of Snellville sets a final millage rate, Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the increase. All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, Georgia on July 27, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. and on August 3, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. and at 6:30 PM.
T.W. Briscoe Park will be the site of a major lacrosse tournament – the largest event since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down normal operations in early spring.
The Georgia Southern Shootout Lacrosse Tournament is expected to draw 1,000 players and family members.
"We are very happy that Briscoe Park will be the host site for the Georgia Shootout Lacrosse Tournament put on by Monkey Up LLC this coming weekend," said Parks and Recreation Director Lisa A. Platt, CPRP. "The Snellville Parks and Recreation Department is here to serve our citizens and visitors and with the COVID-19 pandemic, that has been very hard to do with the standard programming we have done in the past. All of us, no matter the age are struggling to remain both physically active and mentally positive with all that is happening in the world today. Sports has always been a great way for the youth to grow and learn about themselves and those around them."
The event will bring visitors to the city, many of whom are staying at Hampton Inn and Suites off of Highway 124.
The two-day tournament will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the park, 2500 Sawyer Parkway.
Safety will be a priority at the event, Platt said.
"Whether it is a Snellville Parks & Recreation program or in this case, another group using our facilities, we are implementing strict regulations to adhere to current Centers for Disease Control, state and federal guidelines relating to pandemic precautions."
An example of the precautions? To name a few - Teams will not be allowed to bring tents to gather between games; one team cannot get onto field until previous team leaves area; and games have been scheduled to allow no overlap with more time between.
"We want people to use our great facilities, and in my opinion organized youth sports are a great equalizer and teacher for our youth to learn how to interact with others, to see and feel diversity, to learn to loose gracefully and the adrenalin rush or reward of being a part of the winning team," Platt said. "We will continue to serve our community as best we can while trying to ensure all are as safe as possible during these unprecedented times. This tournament is just one example of how we can serve our community and with over 50 teams involved it is obvious there is both a need and a desire for organized sports and programs. We welcome all of the players, families and spectators to our great park this weekend and hope they will return again after the tournament to enjoy the facilities."
Snellville started strong in the fight against COVID-19, but as cases continue to rise, your part in slowing the spread of the virus is still needed.
On June 24, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp urged residents to "remain vigilant" in the fight against COVID-19 following a recent spike in confirmed positive cases and said that while Georgia continues to "make solid progress" in stopping the spread of the virus, the battle is far from over.
"While I'm proud of our swift response and measured steps forward, we cannot grow complacent. This virus is deadly and remains a threat to our great state," Kemp said.
Snellville residents must answer his call.
Gwinnett County is now No. 1 in the state for infections.
Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed there were close to 8,000 new cases reported over a seven day stretch from June 15-22. The state broke a record on June 20 with 1,800 new confirmed cases, the largest number of positive cases reported in a single day.
Why? The Georgia Department of Public Health said widespread testing across the state leads to more cases, but so does people getting lax regarding wearing a mask and social distancing. To help stop the spread, county health officials are urging people to wear masks indoors in places like stores and to stay six feet apart whenever possible.
In his message, Kemp urged each Georgian to wear a mask and continue to practice social distancing guidelines provided by public health officials.
"Let's stay vigilant in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19. Wear a mask, practice social distancing, and continue to follow guidance from public health officials. If you have a chronic medical condition, don't skip your doctor's visit," Kemp said. "Reschedule any procedures you put on hold, get a test if you want one. If the Department of Public Health reaches out, we hope you will answer the call. Contact tracing is key as we work to defeat this virus."
The Senior Center workout class at T.W. Briscoe Park.
Though the Snellville Senior Center is still closed due to COVID-19, the Parks and Recreation Department is finding ways to keep its members healthy in mind, body and spirit.
Parks and Recreation has unveiled new senior programming which keeps seniors safe while they get a chance to interact with friends from the Senior Center and get fresh air and exercise.
An exercise class, led by Jane Moore and Staci Dye, takes place Monday and Thursday mornings, while a walking group meets Wednesday and Fridays. Both activities start at 8:30 a.m. at T.W. Briscoe Park in the parking lot behind the Park Office.
Social distancing guidelines are practiced.
"With the COVID pandemic, one of the hardest hit groups was our Senior Center members as far as interacting with others and being social," said Parks and Recreation Director Lisa A Platt, CPRP. "Socializing is very important, since many of our members live alone, for them to have the social stimulation. Our programs at the Center - and part of the SPRD philosophy - has always been based on mind, body, spirit. Our goal is to help our members keep all of those parts of their lives healthy. With the Center being closed, with no known opening date at this time, the Parks and Recreation staff knew there had to be some program we could provide and still maintain the CDC/State guidelines."
Members of the Snellville Senior Center walk near the fountain at Pate Lake at T.W. Briscoe Park as part of the Center's walking program.
Senior Program Supervisor Kathi Gargiulo said staff called the more than 400 members of the Senior Center to inform them about the programs. The response has been overwhelming, she said. "
"We've definitely seen an increase from those who weren't involved in our exercise class before, now wanting to participate in these new outdoor classes," Gargiulo said. "We've even had several people at the park that were just passing by, see our group in action and then asked to join in. Our Center was where our community would come and meet new people and make friends. Everyone has missed coming and seeing their friends on a regular basis. So we are thrilled that this has turned out to be such a successful program. Our staff is continually told by our senior members just how very thankful they are to be getting out again."
Providing "outside of the box" programming has also brought Senior Center members to Briscoe Park – a place many of them have never been before.
"We have had many make comments like, 'This has been here for years and I never knew it was right around the corner.' Many did not even know that the Center was part of the Snellville Parks and Recreation Department because the Center is over by City Hall," Platt said. "Now many of the members are being exposed to all the great facilities and opportunities that are offered through SPRD at Briscoe Park."
The new venture has pleased Senior Center members and Parks and Recreation Department staffers alike.
"We are so very pleased to serve our Center members and citizens and to continue to grow and expand the way we think and move forward in executing recreation programming to everyone as we move forward thru these unprecedented times of the pandemic," Platt said. "We will continue to challenge ourselves to service our community and to stimulate everyone to have a healthy mind, body and spirit.
For more information on the programs and to learn more about the Snellville Senior Center, call 770-985-3580.
Mayor and Council approved the city's Fiscal Year 2021 Budget June 8, one that tries to predict the economic hardships coming in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Residents will not see a millage increase for the sixth straight year.
The balanced budget of $13,063,295 shows it is actually higher than last year's due to additional revenue streams and offsetting, mandated expenditures. FY 2021 net spending is up by 3.2 percent or $414,431.
While there is a salary freeze for city employees, a "once-in-a-decade" 27th bi-weekly paycheck will result in a $221,392 budget increase.
Two other revenue increases are due to $385,000 in Community Development Block Grant revenue for the city's proposed Greenway and a projected $300,000 from School Zone Traffic Cameras.
Without these expenditures, FY21 would actually be down by $491,961 or 4 percent.
Capital needs are being met with $721,000 for street resurfacing and $800,000 in stormwater projects.
Negative pandemic impacts can be seen across all revenue items including a projected decrease of 40 percent in hotel/motel room tax, a drop of almost 20 percent in the Title Ad Valorem Tax and a 25 percent reduction in intangible taxes and the sanitation subsidy has increased to $773,192.
