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SNELLVILLE — The city has been awarded $385,000 in Community Development Block Grant Program funds for the Briscoe Trail sidewalk construction project which will link The Grove at Towne Center with T.W. Briscoe Park.

"As our city is moving closer each day to accomplishing a long-term goal of constructing a new Snellville Towne Center, the Mayor and Council approved, as a part of the Towne Center design, plans for making our community more walkable," said City Manager Butch Sanders. "One key component of our efforts toward achieving the City's walkability goal is the construction of interconnected sidewalks and trails as recommended in the Snellville Greenway Master Plan adopted by Mayor and Council in December 2017."

The Briscoe Trail sidewalk, will be a 5,000-linear-foot connection between T.W. Briscoe Park, Highway 78, nearby neighborhoods and the planned Towne Center trail system which will run through the Historic Cemetery and behind the office parks on Wisteria Drive. The City will be providing at least $68,000 for engineering design and construction supervision. The Briscoe Trail sidewalk will connect with the planned trail system to be constructed in the Towne Center area via an existing sidewalk which begins at the Snellville City Hall and Senior Center complex on Oak Road. The path the park will travel from Oak Road to Main Street in front of First Baptist Church to Church Street to Freemont Street. It will then connect to a path off Fremont Street into the Briscoe Park public use area. The path will include signage, landscaping and paved paths and is one piece of our Greenway Master Plan available to view here.

Construction on the highly anticipated The Grove at Towne Center is scheduled to begin this summer. When completed, The Grove will offer high-quality apartments, a parking deck, City Market, the Elizabeth Williams Public Library and numerous dining and shopping options.

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Dear Snellville Residents,

Because the Snellville Recycling Center requires much personal contact between employees and customers and it is also not deemed an Essential Service under Gov. Brian Kemp's Executive Order regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, our facility will remain closed until further notice.

However, we are still providing Snellville residents this service through the option of placing yard debris out for curbside pickup. Simply place your yard debris in the City of Snellville brown paper bags that can be bought at Kroger or Publix, call 770-554-0455 and schedule a Wednesday pickup.

We appreciate your patience during the COVID-19 pandemic and are working to find a way to re-open the Recycling Center soon.

Thank you,

City of Snellville

Snellville residents looking for exercise and fresh air during the days of the COVID-19 quarantine don't have to look further than T.W. Briscoe and Oak Road parks.

Snellville's two city parks offer miles of safe and clean walking trails through scenic terrain, the perfect way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors.

Snellville Parks and Recreation staff members are still hard at work during the Coronavirus shutdown to keep the parks clean and safe.

SPD Director Lisa Platt said while the park offices, playgrounds and pavilions have been closed, the walking trails are open to visitors and are quite popular. From 5 – 9 p.m. over a 10-day period since the state's Emergency Order has been put in place, more than 100 people enjoy the trails each weeknight. That number doubles on weekend nights.

"And those numbers are only people using the sidewalk/fitness trail," Platt said. "Some are in parking lots with their kids riding bikes. Those are pretty large numbers and just shows that people still need to get out. Our staff is present to make sure people are keeping the social distancing rules. We will of course continue to serve our citizens in any way we can, even in these unprecedented times."

Even though visitors have access to the trails and open fields, they should still follow CDC guidelines and remain six feet or more apart.

T.W. Briscoe Park is located at 2500 Sawyer Parkway. Oak Road Park is located on Oak Road near Mountain View Road. Both parks are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

SNELLVILLE – Last week the Community Garden @ Snellville was awarded a 2020 Food Well Alliance Community Garden Improvement Grant of $1,500.

"We are extremely appreciative to the Food Well Alliance for their financial backing to community gardens throughout the Atlanta metro area," said Master Gardner Wes Nettleton, who was instrumental in securing the grant. "Through this effort we can support the local area and expand our opportunities to educate both young and old about the environment."

The garden, sandwiched between T.W. Briscoe Park and the city's Recycling Center on Marigold Road, will use the funds needed for equipment, such as hoses, hose nozzles, shovels and another wheelbarrow. It will also be used to add gutter, a downspout and rain barrel to pavilion for water conservation; for lighting in the greenhouse, including general illumination and LED grow lights; for temperature sensors to monitor and maintain temperatures needed in the winter for cold-intolerant plants; to supplies needed to grow plants in the greenhouse, including seeds and organic fertilizer; and to build another demonstration bed in the garden to be used for teaching purposes.

While the garden is on city land, it is fully self-supporting through garden rental fees from users and twice annual plant sales. The $1,500 will go a long way to help promote urban gardening and a strong Snellville community, according to garden organizer and Councilwoman Gretchen Schulz.

"We have many neighborhoods in the city that are quite wooded, which means those homeowners have a difficult time growing vegetables and flowers that require full sun," Schulz said. "The garden provides a place where those homeowners who enjoy gardening can grow sun-loving plants. The garden also provides a source of physical exercise as well as a relief for the stresses and anxiety of daily life. People are often happier when in a surrounding with plants and nature. It's hard not to feel happy when at the Community Garden surrounded by colorful plants as well as bees and butterflies flying from plant to plant. I feel the garden is one of Snellville's hidden jewels."

The Community Garden @Snellville was created in 2012 when the City Council took a former all-purpose field and installed 10 garden beds. Today the Community Garden has expanded to 48 raised beds rented on an annual basis and manages a 40-by-20-foot greenhouse. The garden grows vegetables, flowers and herbs in their greenhouse and offers them for sale at nominal rates at both spring and fall plant sales in conjunction with the Snellville Farmers' Market. The garden grows and donates vegetables on a weekly basis to the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op. The garden also provides educational seminars and events for young people, including classes from South Gwinnett High School.

The Food Well Alliance is a collaborative network of Atlanta area metro leaders working together to build thriving community gardens and urban farms. Since 2015, the Alliance has invested $185,000 directly into 90 community gardens across Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties through its Community Garden Grant.

For more information on the Community Garden @Snellville visit www.snellvillecommunitygarden.com/

Gov. Brian Kemp's Shelter In Place FAQ. Click here.

Gov. Brian Kemp's Executive Order - April 3, 2020. Click here.

On Thursday, April 2, 2020, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed an Executive Order issuing a Statewide Shelter in Place to Stop the Spread of COVID-19. The Order will become effective at 6 p.m. on April 3, 2020 and stay in place at least through Monday April 13, 2020. The Order can be extended at any time by the state. The Governor's Order specifically suspends all City Emergency Orders which the Snellville Mayor and Council had previously put in place. The specific guidelines of the State Order will, as long as it is in effect, now govern the actions of all businesses and individuals throughout the state of Georgia.

We have attached a link to the full State Order for your review and guidance. You will also find an informative information sheet, also put out by the state, that will hopefully help to answer many of the questions you may have concerning what is and is not allowed under the Order.

The interpretation and enforcement of these new restrictions and guidelines is now the responsibility of the State of Georgia. The Governor just this afternoon has authorized County Sheriff Departments to enforce critical portions of his Order. There are still numerous clarifications we as a City are seeking from the state and we are certain you will have further questions also. In that regard, you may contact the Office of the Governor at:

gov.georgia.gov,

covidcomments@georgia.org

or call at 404-656-1776

We hope this helps explain where we as a citizenry now stand with respect to critical public health measures that will undoubtedly keep us all safer and healthier. As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to increase at an accelerated rate, it is essential that we all follow the recommended guidelines. With a statewide order, we are now bound together with people from all over Georgia and have an even greater responsibility to follow the guidelines to Stay Home, Stop the Spread and Save Lives.

SNELLVILLE – Snellville Tourism and Trade's first Food Truck Friday and Beach Blast have been canceled due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Sadly, with the unknown nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision has been made to cancel the first two Snellville Tourism and Trade events of the season," STAT Executive Director Kelly McAloon said. "However, when the risk to our vendors, staff and residents is over, our family friendly events will be back for everyone to enjoy. We look forward to putting on these events and are excited to do so as soon as possible."

Food Truck Friday was originally planned for May 1 and the Beach Blast was scheduled for May 9. All COVID-19 health recommendations have ended large gatherings such as the thousands that visit Snellville for these events. Given the long-term planning and complex logistics needed to stage the events, a back-up date for both is not feasible for 2020.

The next Food Truck Friday event is still planned for June 5 on the Towne Green from 4 to 8 p.m.

Visit SnellvilleEvents.com and Snellville.org for information about other event cancellations and COVID-19.

SNELLVILLE – The city's popular two-day event Snellville Days has been canceled due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

"With so many festival vendors and participants closed or limited due to virus-related restrictions it became unlikely we would be able to stage a festival with the normal number of activities we like to offer at Snellville Days," said City Manager Butch Sanders. "At this point in time, April 1, we have no idea how much longer citizens will be impacted by COVID-19 and we cannot take any chances with putting people at possible risk. That is why the city had to make the unfortunate decision to cancel Snellville Days for this year."

The Festival was originally planned for May 2 and 3, but all COVID-19 health recommendations have ended large gatherings such as the thousands that visit Snellville for the festival. Given the long-term planning and complex logistics needed to stage the event, a back-up date is not feasible for 2020.

Visit Snellville.org for information about other event cancellations and COVID-19.

One Snellville company has revamped its business model during the COVID-19 pandemic, a move that could potentially save lives and the business itself.

FAM USA is a local manufacturer of fashion and athletic apparel, located on Fountain Drive in Snellville, has supplied athletic uniforms and manufacturing needs for large- and small-scale fashion brands for more than 29 years. But once the global pandemic of COVID-19 began to reach the U.S. and the large-group athletic events FAM USA would normally supply with apparel were postponed, the leadership at FAM USA immediately began thinking of ways to switch gears and help fight the pandemic.

In less than 24 hours, FAM USA created prototypes of medical masks using a material that filters particles similar to N95 masks and fabric. FAM USA CEO Torey Rose reached out to several people in her network and was put in contact with U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

"After working with Sen. Loeffler, she helped to move forward the (Centers for Disease Control) and (Food and Drug Administration) approval of their mask prototype for emergency use," Rose said. "Over the past week our production has completely shifted to focus the majority of the work flow on creating these masks. As a small business and onshore manufacturer, FAM USA is striving to keep our staff working through the difficulties of the pandemic."

FAM USA have sold more than 3,000 masks and receives new orders every day including inquires for orders of 35,000-plus masks.

Many medical establishments are requesting donations and the demand is great.

"It's a blessing that local manufacturing company, FAM USA in Snellville, can keep doors open and employees working, while helping to produce the much needed medical masks for hospitals in need," said Snellville Tourism and Trade Executive Director Kelly McAloon.

For more information on FAM USA's effort, email info@yssathletics.com or call at 770-982-9913.