The Gwinnett Advisory Meeting was held on September 22nd 2015. Those in attendance were informed about the results of the Great Exchange on Transportation Campaign and development occurring in the City of Peachtree Corners and the City of Snellville. They also had the opportunity to hear from guest speaker, Commissioner Tommy Hunter, on what the future of Gwinnett may look like and what is being done to facilitate development in the County.
According to Ms. Alyssa Davis of Gwinnett Village CID, the week-long Great Exchange on Transportation was a success. Organizers received more than 4,000 responses via text and online sites calling for a range of local and regional infrastructure investments. The findings of the campaign will be released in a white paper to be completed in the upcoming months. Ms. Davis confirmed that primary take away from preliminary data review is that people want a combination and variety of ways to get around Gwinnett.
As regards city development, the City of Peachtree Corners is getting ready to launch a business incubator in Tech Park to serve as an engine for local and regional economic growth. The City will use the next 45-60 days to finalize the details of its partnership with Georgia Tech and to select the executive directors to head up the project. The City is also closer to getting its Town Center flipped to developers across the Forum and is in the process of designing aspects of the Town Greene.
Also at the advisory, the City of Snellville spoke on the recent investments made to its City Hall, Senior Center, and Police Department as part of plans to create a walkable Towne Center that supports a strong sense of place. Snellville has also begun to make investments to a 10.3 acre site acquired in 2011. The site, to be called Wisteria Village, will be home to a small neighborhood park, low-rise residential, and some very limited commercial uses.
Finally, Commissioner Tommy Hunter shared that County officials are working hard to create a future Gwinnett whose urban fabric is walkable and sustainable. Towards that aim, the County will enact policies to help level the playing field between Greenfield and redevelopment projects. Such policies include establishing precise character area standards and doing more to enable zoning by right.
Gwinnett’s Commissioners are also looking at a number of sites, including Jimmy Carter Road at I-85, Gwinnett Place, and the controlled access portion of US-78 to Stone Mountain, as possible areas for public investment. To gain public’s buy-in for investment in these areas, however, Commissioner Hunter emphasized the importance of informing voters how the benefits of these investments will outweigh their upfront costs.
The Council for Quality Growth thanks Commissioner Hunter and all who participated the Gwinnett County Advisory Meeting. We look forward to seeing you all at the next Gwinnett County Advisory Meeting on October 27th.