Walton County Quality Growth Committee

Minutes - June 17, 2008

Attendees:

Holli Bolander, Councilman Chuck Bagley, Relma Sharp, Margaret Street, Ross Street, Karen Paul, Michael Paul, Vonn Sieber, Dick Hoffman, and Laura Templeton

Meeting was called to order at 6:35 pm. Agenda and minutes from previous meeting were approved.

Election of Officers

Holli moved for Karen Paul for Chairman for 2008-2009 term. Motion was seconded.

Holli moved for Laura Templeton to continue as Secretary for 2008-2009 term. Motion was seconded.

Holli will meet separately with Karen to hand off historical information. She will also set appointments to introduce Karen to Chairman Kevin Little, Candidate Michael Turner, and Robbie Schwartz of the Walton Tribune.

Old Business

Landscape Ordinance / Blight

• Margaret Street reported on some successes in forcing businesses at Highway 138 and Spring Street to clean up unsightly areas.
• Dick Hoffman to check with Keep Walton Beautiful for cards to report litterers.
• Holli provided update on Highway 11 corridor coming into Monroe from Highway 78. The city is currently working to rewrite zoning ordinances to prepare for implementation of LCI which included this area. Link to view the LCI proposal is: http://www.tunspan.com/monroe/docs.htm#REPORTS
• Holli noted that there is a landscape ordinance for the county, but not for the cities. Both city and county governments post their agendas and minutes online. Committee should monitor these agendas for issues that concern landscape ordinances and quality growth and plan to attend pertinent meetings.

New Business

• 138 Expansion is a DOT project extending 138 to Highway 11 at approximately Double Springs Church Road. Holli read project details and statement of purpose. She will pass information on to Karen.
• In response to a question by Vonn Sieber regarding Committee successes and purpose, Holli read the mission statement and seven principals. She cited smart growth planning in both Walnut Grove and Loganville (where Councilman Bagley provided smart growth information to the city planner) as successes.
• Councilman Bagley described Lakeview Villages, a mixed use development at Meridian Lake in Loganville which includes amphitheater, townhouses.
• Karen thanked Holli for her years of service as Chairman.
• Karen stated plans to update the Committee website and design new brochures as soon as possible. She also cited plans to form alliances with the Chamber of Commerce and other groups, to reach out to the business community, to provide speakers for social studies classes, and to push for a Quality Growth Day for the county.
• Councilman Bagley cited Early County’s successful marketing of its smart growth plans. He suggested that Walton County could borrow from the Early County model.
• A suggestion was made to hold the next meeting prior to the July 16 elections and invite officials and candidates expressing concerns about quality growth. Tentative meeting date set for July 8, 6:30pm. Karen will finalize date and notify committee members.

Karen adjourned the meeting at 8:05pm.