| Board approves grant request for sidewalk, bike path project
By Julie Arrington Staff Writer Walking and riding a bicycle in southern Forsyth County may become easier. The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners approved a motion 4-1 Thursday night to apply for a grant from the Livable Centers Initiative Transportation Project to fund pedestrian and bicycle facilities along McFarland Parkway, Shiloh Road and Cabot Parkway. The motion included an amendment to appropriate $6,400 for the project's required concept study. The grant also requires that the county provide a 20 percent match in the amount of $709,077. The concept study can be paid for with funds from sales tax proceeds and the match could be paid for through future sales tax funds. District 4 Commissioner David Richard cast the dissenting vote. "We're talking about taking, if this grant is approved, $709,000 of taxpayer money in order to build some sidewalks. Sidewalks are important, but intersection improvements are, I think, more important," Richard said. "We've got to move people from point A to point B in this county." If awarded, the concept study must be completed within one year of the county receiving grant funds or the county will lose the federal Department of Transportation funding for the project. Richard also moved to withdraw an agenda item to rescind and reconsider the approval of a request by John Wieland Homes for a building separation variance. Two homes in the Weston subdivision on Georgetown Circle were built only 6 feet apart, 4 feet short of the 10-foot requirement, and the developer had requested a variance for the distance. After investigation of the homes Thursday morning, Richard said requirements such as heat-tempered windows, the replacement of a porch on one of the homes and the installation of residential sprinkler systems in both houses had been satisfied. Commissioners Charles Laughinghouse and Linda Ledbetter voted against the withdrawal but the motion was approved 3-2. The following agenda items were approved: # Acceptance of a bid from North Cherokee Electric not to exceed the amount of $50,491 for the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Union Hill and Mullinax roads. # A proposal by Sharp Residential LLC to change property located approximately 1,800 feet west of the intersection of Matt Highway and Wallace Tatum Road on the south side of Wallace Tatum Road from an agricultural district to a single-family residential three units per acre district. # Requests from 369 Bannister Associates LLP to amend zoning conditions and a variance to the Unified Development Code for property at the intersection of Matt Highway and Bannister Road. # Requests from 369 Bannister Associates LLP to amend zoning conditions for property located approximately 600 feet north of the Matt Highway and Bannister Road intersection. # Approval of maintenance and support from Tyler Works for the Tax Assessor's software. # Authorization to pursue the purchase of two additional Class A pumper trucks for the Fire Department under the existing agreement. # Acceptance of a bid from T&T Uniforms not to exceed the amount of $126,853 for clothing such as dress uniforms and Nomex pants and shirts for the fire department. # Acceptance of the installation of a 12-foot pipe extension to the Bagley Creek Gravity Sewer not to exceed the amount of $578,982. # Acceptance of a bid from Newco Sports and Outdoor Lighting not to exceed the amount of $222,900 for replacement of sports lighting at Midway Park. # A request from CRM Development, LLC to rezone property at the southwest and southeast intersections of Atlanta Highway and Fowler Road to a single-family residential four units per acre district with variances to the setback requirements and a variance to allow 10 feet between structures. # A request by Dr. Jason Holbrook to rezone property located at the west side of Sanders Road to an office and institutional district with a variance to the setback requirements, a variance to the buffer requirements and a variance to the parking requirements. # A request by Maplewood Development LLC to rezone property located on the northwest side of Crystal Cove Trail to a single-family residential district allowing two units per acre. # A request by William L. Gentry to rezone property located approximately 1,200 feet north of the intersection of McFarland Road and Atlanta Highway on the west side of Atlanta Highway to a master planned district. # A request by Yellow Creek Investments LLC to rezone property on the east side of Heardsville Road and on the north side of Watson Road to a single-family residential district allowing three units per acre with variances to the setback requirements. # A request by American Proteins to rezone property located on the west side of Keith Bridge Road to a commercial business district. # A request by Phillip J. Burruss to rezone property west of Dahlonega Highway near the State Barn Road intersection to a single-family residential district allowing one unit per acre. # A request by Faith Development Group to rezone property located on the west side of Settingdown Circle to a multi-family residential district allowing six units per acre. # A request by Faith Development Group LLC to rezone property located on the east side of Hopewell Road and northeast of the Tallant Road intersection to a single-family residential district allowing three units per acre. # A request by Raymond Bini to rezone property located approximately 700 feet west of the Gilbert Road and Trammel Road intersection to a single-family district allowing two units per acre. |