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SNELLVILLE – The Snellville Police Department is proud to announce it has been awarded the Governor’s Cup from the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety Challenge. This achievement marks the third time the department has secured the overall cup and the fifth time it has placed first among agencies of similar size in the past six years.

The Governor’s Cup recognizes exceptional efforts in traffic safety, community engagement, and proactive law enforcement initiatives. This year’s award highlights the department’s commitment to reducing traffic incidents and promoting safe driving practices within the community.

“We are honored to receive this recognition,” said Chief Greg Perry. “This achievement reflects the dedication and hard work of our officers and staff, as well as the support of the Snellville community. We remain committed to making our roads safer for everyone.”

The Snellville Police Department has implemented a variety of successful programs aimed at enhancing roadway safety, including educational outreach, traffic enforcement, and community partnerships. The department’s consistent performance in the Highway Safety Challenge underscores its commitment to excellence in law enforcement.

The award ceremony took place on Oct. 25, 2024, at the Macon Marriott City Center, where the Snellville Police Department was recognized alongside other outstanding agencies across the state.

SNELLVILLE — In an effort to safely discard unused and expired medication, there will be a Drug Enforcement Agency Drug Take Back hosted by the Snellville Police Department Oct. 26.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Snellville Police Department, 2315 Wisteria Drive.

Participants can drive or walk up and drop discarded medication into the drop boxes. Medication may be left in its original containers with or without the labels as all items discarded are burned.

Please do not bring needles or sharp objects for disposal.

Contact Lt. A. Sullivan at asullivan@snellville.org or 770-985-3555 for more information.

September 12, 2024

Dear Snellville Residents,

In 2008, the City instituted a Stormwater Utility to create a dedicated funding source for the operation and maintenance of all stormwater infrastructure in Snellville. Previously, funding for these projects came from the general budget with no specific allocation to maintain the infrastructure.  

In recent years, the cost of labor and materials has increased significantly, straining the Stormwater Utility budget. Consequently, the City contracted with Integrated Science & Engineering to conduct a rate study to determine the necessary base rate for the utility. Though great strides have been made in updating many of the failing pipes and culverts, there are still more than 200 sections of existing pipe that have severe corrosion and need replacement.

In order to address these issues, and based on the rate study, the recommended base rate used to calculate the stormwater fee for each property will increase to $125 annually. This equates to an approximate $5.64 monthly increase for most residential properties.

Since its inception in 2008, the City has increased the base rate only once – in 2016. The updated base rate will go a long way toward replacement of the pipe sections that are most in need of repair.

The new rate for stormwater fees will be reflected on the 2024 property tax bills to be mailed at the close of this week. 

Sincerely,

The City of Snellville

Update September 16, 2024

To add further clarification on the application of stormwater fees:

Residential properties are charged a stormwater fee using a rate within a tier relative to the base rate, which is $125.00. The rate that is applied to the property is based on the square footage of the impervious area of the property. 

The tiers are as follows:

Tier 1 (Residential < 2850 sq. ft.) = $93.75

Tier 2 (Residential 2851-4750 sq. ft.) = $125.00

Tier 3 (Residential > 4750 sq. ft.) = $156.25

The City of Snellville does offer options to receive a stormwater bill credit for certain qualified actions to reduce stormwater runoff. For more information about participating in this program, review Code Section 62-93 and contact the City of Snellville Public Works Department at 770-985-3527.   

SNELLVILLE - A 64-unit single family townhome development will be built just off of Highway 78 following a vote by Mayor and Council Monday.

Parkland Communities, Inc. will build “Brookwood Green” on the 8.174-acre site next to the Towne Center Office Park.

Developers agreed to move the location of a dumpster closer to Fountain Drive and will include a gate to Crescent Drive to prevent vehicle traffic from accessing the development at the rear of the property.

Each townhouse will have 1,600-square-feet of floor area and include three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms with high-end finishes throughout. The homes will also include a two-car rear-entry garage and a two-car driveway. Being rear entry, each townhome will front a landscaped courtyard which accesses a pedestrian path.

Access to the development will be through the drive of the Towne Centre Office Park which has an existing declaration lane off of Highway 78 and provides right-in right-out access to and from Stone Mountain Highway. There will also be an entry on Fountain Drive created by extending a street behind the existing O'Reilly Auto Parts store. Fountain Drive is at an existing signalized intersection with full movement onto Stone Mountain Highway.

The City of Snellville Police Department is offering the 35th session of the Citizen's Police Academy in order to strengthen the bond of friendship and cooperation between our citizens and our police department. 

The class runs 9 weeks and takes place Thursdays from 6 - 8 p.m. beginning on Sept. 19 and ending Nov. 7. The class will not meet Oct. 31 for Halloween. 

The course helps citizens gain a better understanding of the risks and responsibilities of our police officers. Some of the classes included in this training will be traffic stops, building searches, driving under the influence and firearms safety. This program also includes a ride along opportunity with a Snellville police officer.

The program is open to all Snellville area residents, 18 years and older. The academy is free and attendees do not have to live in city limits. An application can be found at www.snellville.org/sites/default/files/uploads/police/scpa-application-revised.pdf or pick one up at the Snellville Police Department, 2315 Wisteria Drive. A background investigation will be conducted on all applicants prior to acceptance in the academy.

For more information, contact Sgt. Scott Smith at 770-985-3545 or ssmith@snellville.org.

Applications must be returned no later than Sept. 13. Space is limited and your application must be filled out completely and must be notarized.

SNELLVILLE – City officials are proud to announce the Fourth Friday Outdoor Movie Series coming to The Grove at Towne Center beginning Aug. 23.

The series of three popular children’s movies will kick off with “Kung Fu Panda 4” on Friday, Aug. 23 on the lawn of The Grove at Towne Center, located in the heart of downtown Snellville. 

The event is free and the movie will start at dusk. Beginning at 6 p.m., attendees are invited to enjoy the Splash Pad, check out King of Pops, and visit food trucks before the movie.

“We are excited to bring family entertainment to The Grove at Towne Center,” said City Manager Matthew Pepper. “We want to showcase The Grove and get families and visitors accustomed to coming to downtown Snellville for entertainment and soon, new restaurants and other businesses and activities.”

The outdoor movie series will run through October with “Elemental” playing Sept. 27 and a special Halloween-themed event with “Hocus Pocus” showing Oct. 25.

Attendees are encouraged to bring folding chairs or a blanket to sit on during the movie.

For more information and updates on the movie series, visit the city’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CityofSnellville. 

SNELLVILLE — Mayor and Council approved a millage rate of 4.00 mills Monday, the same levy as the past three years, meaning most homeowners will not see a property tax increase.

With a stable millage rate, homeowners can expect to pay the same in property taxes as they did the prior two years if their home’s assessed value remained the same.

The 4.00 millage rate is significantly lower than the previous rate of 4.588 mills, which was the rate from 2014 - 2022.

“I appreciate the hard work of the Council and staff to keep the millage rate stable at 4.00 mills,” said Mayor Barbara Bender. “It has been a priority of this Council to keep property taxes stable while increasing services to our residents.”

The average home value in Snellville is $350,000 and a homeowner would pay would pay $560 in taxes this year not including storm water fees and not including exemptions.

Mayor and Council recently approved the city’s FY’25 operating budget of $16.4 million and this millage rate will meet the tax revenue projection included in that budget.

Taxes collected from this millage form the largest revenue source the city has and are necessary to balance the new budget. 

Overall digest growth has been strong due to increased commercial property growth, like that seen at The Grove at Towne Center.

Mayor and Council have approved the construction of a 171-unit family residential complex that will take over the space that has been inhabited by the dilapidated remains of Ryan’s Steakhouse. 

The former restaurant has been shuttered for about 20 years and has been deemed an eyesore. Now, in its place, the five-story complex is slated to occupy 2380 Wisteria Drive.

The 2.76-acre site was rezoned from General Business to Towne Center Residential at the request of property owner Shifa Real Estate Investments LLC, of Duluth.

Plans call for one-, two- and three-bedroom “flats” to be located a quarter of a mile southeast from the $140 million mixed-use development The Grove at Towne Center at the intersection of Wisteria Drive and Hugh Drive, across from the Snellville  Post Office. 

Developers hope to provide 71 onsite ground‐level surface parking spaces, as well as 177 spaces on the first level podium‐parking garage. 

An 11,000-square-feet amenity area with pavilion is centrally located within the U‐shaped building.  

Access to the development is through a two‐way driveway at Wisteria Drive and two‐way driveway at Hugh Drive. A proposed  10-feet wide pedestrian sidewalk along Wisteria Drive will connect to the existing 10‐feet wide sidewalk along Hugh Drive. 

The existing 12‐feet wide Snellville Greenway Trail located on the eastern portion of the site will remain. 

Renowned Food and Beverage Vendor to Occupy New Market Building at The Grove at Towne Center

SNELLVILLE — The City of Snellville along with their public-private partners CASTO, one of the country’s leading real estate companies, and MidCity Real Estate Partners, announces Crooked Can Brewing Company has signed a long-term lease at the recently completed signature Market Building within The Grove at Towne Center. Located in the growing Atlanta suburb of Snellville, The Grove at Towne Center progresses toward final completion of the nine-building town center amidst exciting announcements, such as the award-winning brewery to call the $140 million town center home. 

“From the beginning, our commitment has been to create a vibrant and dynamic gathering space for our community,” said Mayor Barbara Bender. “Having an amazing operator like Crooked Can decide to bring their first location in the state to Snellville and The Grove at Towne Center is so exciting to witness and be a part of.”

Crooked Can Brewing Company was founded in 2014 and strives to consistently create quality craft beer while cultivating a social gathering place for friends and family with a free-spirited, laid-back approach to the art of brewing. The company has two other established locations offering its unique brewery and market/food hall concept in Florida and Ohio and looks forward to expanding its reach to the Peach State. 

“We are so excited to be a part of this wonderful new development and to position ourselves at the heart of the community of Snellville,” said Andy Sheeter, founder of Crooked Can Brewing Company. 

Crooked Can prides itself on producing distinctive craft beer with consistent quality and unparalleled taste, as monitored by its award-winning brewmaster. As a testament to the company’s craftsmanship and fan-favorite reputation, Crooked Can beers are now sold in Publix supermarkets regionally. 

“We are so pleased to announce this milestone addition to the signature Market Building,” said Kirk Demetrops, president of MidCity Real Estate Partners. “We see The Grove as a community hub where people can come together and socialize. Crooked Can shares our enthusiasm for fostering this atmosphere, and we're excited for them to join the city and us at The Grove!” 

Plans call for Crooked Can to open the brewery by the end of the year, followed shortly thereafter with several food vendors in the market/food hall.

“Our taproom and food hall concept has been a key part of the community redevelopment of Downtown Winter Garden in Florida over the past 10 years, and we are excited to have a similar impact on the City of Snellville in the years to come,” said Alan Delahunt, managing partner of Crooked Can Brewing Company. 

For more information on The Grove at Towne Center, visit Snellville.org/grove-towne-center. 

About CASTO 

CASTO, a fully integrated real estate organization since 1926, is a recognized leader in the ownership, management, acquisition and development of multifamily residences, commercial shopping centers and office buildings. CASTO’s growing portfolio currently includes over 6,200 multifamily units and over 26 million square feet of commercial property located throughout the midwestern and southeastern United States. CASTO is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and serves a variety of clients from five offices in Ohio, Florida and North Carolina. To learn more about CASTO, visit castoinfo.com.

About MidCity Real Estate Partners 

Founded in 2009, Atlanta based, MidCity Real Estate Partners acquires, repositions, and develops office, and mixed-use properties. MidCity is known in the Atlanta market for their work on Alpharetta City Center, which was named a 2018 Development of Excellence for Exceptional Merit for Context-Sensitive Town Center Development, by the Atlanta Regional Commission. Through MidCity Realty Corporation, an affiliate real estate brokerage company, MidCity offers a full range of advisory services. MidCity is the successor company to The Griffin Company, a 35-year-old full service commercial real estate development and construction company headquartered in Atlanta, GA. To learn more about MidCity, visit www.midcitypartners.com. 

About Crooked Can Brewery

Founded in 2014, Crooked Can Brewing Company has established itself at the heart of the local community at its original location in Winter Garden, Florida. Having won several national awards, including medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup, along with being named best large format Craft Brewery in Florida in 2022 by the Florida Brewers Guild. Crooked Can Brewing Company continues to grow at a hyper local level and share their laid back but purposeful approach to beer with their many loyal fans. Crooked Can prides itself on offering exceptional quality beers in an environment that strives to bring people of all ages together. Always operating within a food hall environment, allowing people to gather over great beer, great food and great times. To learn more visit www.crookedcan.com or check us out on our social channels. 

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More About The Grove at Towne Center:

• This 18-acre Project recreated a City Center for the 100-year-old City of Snellville that had lost most, if not all, of its original buildings/structures.
• $140 million public-private partnership between MidCity Real Estate Partners, CASTO, City of Snellville and Gwinnett County. MidCity and CASTO served as master developers and owners of The Tomlin (multi-family housing) and retail.
• The project centers around “The Grove” symbolic of a Chestnut Oak Grove, where businessmen met in the City of Snellville over 100 years ago, today a Central Park for Snellville, including outdoor tables/chairs, splash pad, pavilion, and a grove of mature trees.
• Nine new buildings plus a 750-space parking deck
• The Grove serves as the destination for the completed 1st Phase of the Snellville Greenway
• Designed as a walkable/sense of place project, over 1,000 parking spaces discreetly serve the project

Uses/Tenants include:

• The Tomlin (www.thetomlin.com), 288 luxury apartments, 26 of those units constructed in separate buildings as “townhome” units over retail
• Retail and Restaurants
• Parkside at The Grove
• The Grove Taqueria
• Great American Cookies and Marble Slab
• More to be announced
• Market Building (Crooked Can Brewery/Food Hall 1st Floor, Event Space 2nd Floor)
• Gwinnett County Elizabeth H. Williams Library (www.gwinnettpl.org)
• Thrive Coworking (www.workatthrive.com/snellville)
• Northside Medical Snellville (www.northside.com)

• Significant public investment including road improvements (parallel parking, traffic circle, etc.), parking deck, master detention, shared common areas with private partners, and the first phase of the Snellville Greenway.

   

SNELLVILLE — The city is proud to announce a new partnership with Peach State Cornhole to bring the popular recreational game to The Grove at Towne Center.

“Peach State Cornhole is thrilled about the new partnership with the City of Snellville to host social cornhole leagues in The Grove at Towne Center in downtown Snellville,” said PSC co-owner Nick Boyers. “This space is poised to become the heart of the city and we look forward to drawing in the community to friendly competition on Thursday nights. We welcome all levels of players for a chance to toss bags, meet new people, and enjoy local restaurants and vendors.”

Peach State Cornhole hosts cornhole leagues throughout the state of Georgia offering multiple skill levels in the favorite tailgate game. At the end of each eight-week season, top teams gather for a state tournament. 

Registration is now open for the upcoming Fall League in Snellville at peachstatecornhole.com/snellville through Aug. 19. Players can register as a team or free agent in their skill level of choice. 

To receive a $20 discount at signup use code: NLSNVL.

The first night league night is Aug. 29. The season ends Oct. 17.