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SNELLVILLE – The city's Towne Center will have its first new development after the Mayor and Council gave the go-ahead to an 88-unit affordable senior housing development adjacent to Snellville United Methodist Church.

Wendover Housing Partners' 55-plus age restricted housing project is also the first development approved under the new 2040 Comprehensive Plan regulations.

The 111,412-square-foot building will be located on the southwest corner of the SUMC campus on the corner of Henry Clower Boulevard and Pate Street. The development will be on existing church property, mostly in an existing parking lot.

"The proposed … age restricted community will not only add value to the nearby properties. It's very close to the Senior Center in the Towne Center and Wendover's residents will frequent that facility often," Wendover officials said in the project's letter of intent. "The Comprehensive Plan/LCI Study does have a need for affordable senior housing and that's what we're proposing to develop adjacent to the Snellville United Methodist Church."

Named Asbury Pointe, the L-shaped development will have one- and two-bedroom living quarters. The building will feature two elevators, interior air conditioned hallways, and clubhouse amenities may include a hair salon, social gathering room, an exercise room and/or business center. Some of the outdoor amenities may include a gazebo, a garden area and a shuffleboard court.

"As the rapid increase of senior-oriented development in Snellville and the Atlanta metro will attest, there is a large and growing need for housing for an aging population other than detached single-family homes on large lots, which is by far the most common development type in Snellville," city officials said. "Not all present and future residents wish to give up that lifestyle, but more and more are expressing a desire to at least have other options, so that they do not have to make the choice between an unsustainable lifestyle or leaving their city. The hope is that these would produce development that is walkable, human-scaled, and less dependent on automobiles as the primary method of transportation."

SNELLVILLE – Drivers travelling through the intersection of highways 124 and 78 can expect changes to the traffic pattern in the near future.

The changes are tentatively planned for May 1 as construction crews on the state project need to shift traffic flow to work on parts of the intersection.

Lanes heading westbound on Highway 78 will shift two lanes to the north to make room for new paving and drainage in the center of the road.

Drivers heading north on Highway 124 wanting to head westbound on 78 will need to take a left turn at Henry Clower Boulevard to travel toward Stone Mountain. This left turn at Highway 78 will be permanently eliminated.

The signal bridge, which will span the intersection and support traffic signals, should also be erected in May.

Businesses will still be open in Snellville Plaza throughout further construction, but will be right in/right out only.

Project officials hope to have major construction completed by the end of November.

For more information on the project and for updates visit www.snellville.org/highway-78-and-124-intersection.

The Police Department is selling two vehicles as well as miscellaneous items that were released via a court order. Please visit our legal ad page for more information.

SNELLVILLE – The Snellville Police Department is hosting a National Prescription Drug Take Back Day April 27.

The event, which allows residents to drop off unwanted or expired prescription drugs, will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the police department, 2315 Wisteria Drive. Residents can pull up to the police department and hand off the drugs from their vehicle.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency sponsors the event twice a year. The SPD partners with PCOM School of Pharmacy at Georgia Campus - Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine during the event. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day allows police to foster relationships with future pharmacists that will work in the community and educate citizens in the proper disposal of prescription medication.

"The Snellville Police Department will continue to host and support this event as we recognize the importance of providing a safe method to discard prescription medication in an attempt to prevent and deter the abuse of medication that may otherwise be converted to use by others for whom the medication is not prescribed," said SPD Lt. A.L. Sullivan. "We ask for the community's continued support in this endeavor."

SNELLVILLE – Snellville Days, the city's largest festival for more than 40 years, is back for another family fun-filled weekend May 4 and 5.

And event organizers are excited about this year's attractions.

"Our 2019 festival will once again have many new entertainment options that will certainly please every member of your family," said Snellville Parks and Recreation Director Lisa A. Platt. "New this year we will have the Weinermobile, a Touch-a-Truck area and an Air National Guard interactive exhibit just to name a few. Make sure to save the dates and come spend the day with us."

Snellville Days will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 4 and 12 to 5 p.m. May 5. The event is at T.W. Briscoe Park, located at 2500 Sawyer Parkway. Parking and admission is free. There is a free shuttle to the park from the parking lot of First Baptist Church Snellville, 2400 Main St. East, on Saturday only.

There will be more than 200 craft, food, sponsor and civic vendors, kids' activities and continuous live entertainment both days. Other event highlights include a classic and custom car exhibit, performances from groups from eight local elementary, middle and high schools, and classes by the Master Gardeners of the Community Garden @ Snellville.

Presenting sponsors for the event are: 94.9 The Bull, News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB, 640 WGST Talk Radio, the Air National Guard, Stone Mountain Volkswagen, 104.7 The FISH

Silver sponsore are: AT&T, Delta Community Credit Union, E R Snell, Walton EMC, State Farm, First Baptist Church of Snellville

For more information visit www.snellvilledays.org.

SNELLVILLE – The first cleanup day for Snellville Clean and Proud collected 31 bags of litter on a mile stretch of Oak Road Saturday.

City staff, councilmembers and residents from the community gathered at City Hall Saturday morning to begin a clean-up initiative planned for years to come.

"Snellvillle Clean and Proud is off to a great start," said Mayor Pro Tem Dave Emanuel. "Our team of volunteers showed what can be done in just a few hours to improve the appearance of our city. I hope other groups will join our effort and adopt other roads."

The volunteers used supplies from Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful and wore high-visibility shirts from Big Frog Custom T-shirts of Snellville. Three more cleanup dates will take place in the near future so the City of Snellville can officially adopt Oak Road to clean regularly from Highway 78 to Mountain View Road.

Emanuel created Snellville Clean and Proud after he saw a need to bring the community together to keep roadways litter free. Emanuel said he was inspired by Chad Livsey, who took it upon himself to clean area roadways as well.

"Chad is the inspiration that led to the creation of Snellvillle Clean and Proud," Emanuel said.

If you would like to join the Snellville Clean and Proud initiative, contact Emanuel at demanuel@snellville.org.

SNELLVILLE – Former councilman Tod Warner returned to the dais Monday after being sworn in to his second stint on council following the March 19 election.

Voters chose Warner over Antonio Molina in the Post 5 council race and approved a referendum calling for the earlier sale of alcohol on Sundays. Warner defeated Molina 844-641. The "Sunday Brunch Bill" was approved 1,023-471. The results of both votes were ratified by the Mayor and Council Monday.

"It says a lot, that during a special election … that we were able to get the vote out that we did. So thank you very much," Warner said Monday. "Good luck to Mr. Molina. I look forward to doing work for you, the citizens of Snellville."

Warner returns to council after serving his first term from 2007 to 2011. He has also served on the city's Planning Commission, the Urban Renewal Agency and the Development Authority of Snellville.

The Post 5 seat was vacated by now-Mayor Barbara Bender who left her post after she was named mayor earlier this month following the resignation of Tom Witts.

Mayor and Council also ratified the "Sunday Brunch Bill" which was signed into law on May 8, 2018 by the state, authorizing counties and cities to permit and regulate Sunday sales of distilled spirits or alcoholic beverages from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Restaurants will be allowed to sell alcohol on Sunday at 11 a.m. as of April 12 once Mayor and Council approve the change in city ordinances at its next meeting to do so.

SNELLVILLE – Mayor Pro Tem Dave Emanuel wants the city to be "Clean and Proud."

Emanuel's new initiative calls for the creation of city cleanup crews that will operate as part of the Snellville Clean and Proud team. The city crew, which is made up of councilmembers and city staff, will adopt a 1-mile portion of Oak Road and keep it litter free. The first cleanup will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday in front of City Hall.

"Individual litter cleanup efforts by local residents were what inspired me to come up with the Snellville Clean and Proud program," Emanuel said. "My intention isn't just to clean up our streets, but to make fighting litter a community building initiative. Along the way, we'll build awareness of the problems litter cause and hopefully inspire more people to get involved in cleanup efforts. And we're not just talking about litter, we're doing something about it."

Armed with cleanup supplies from Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful and shirts from Big Frog Custom T-shirts of Snellville, Clean and Proud members will also be hitting other streets in the future.

Emanuel said residents can form their own cleanup crews under the Clean and Proud program. Anyone interested in more information about helping to make Snellville "clean and proud" should contact him at demanuel@snellville.org.

SNELLVILLE - Mayor Barbara Bender said the city's police department is "the best police department in the state" Monday.

So when Snellville Police Department Chief Roy Whitehead had to name the winners of the annual SPD awards at Monday's council meeting, he said he had tough choices to make.

"Each of them deserve an award," Whitehead said.

However, Whitehead was able to pair the list of winners to 11.

Here they are:

Not pictured are Lt. Rob Pendleton – Citizens Police Academy and Sgt. Philip Poole - Explorers.

SNELLVILLE – Council approved a five-year update of the Livable Centers Initiative Monday, which outlines key strategies and a work program for the Towne Center area.

The LCI is a grant program funded by the Atlanta Regional Commission to incentivize cities to re-envision part of their communities as vibrant, walkable places that offer increased mobility options, encourage healthy lifestyles and provide improved access to jobs and services. Snellville joined the LCI program in 2003 with a plan for the Towne Center area and last updated the plan in 2013.

The LCI update was developed along with the Snellville 2040 Comprehensive Plan which was approved by council last month. Community members provided input through stakeholder interviews, the Comprehensive Plan Community Task Force, a booth at the Snellville Farmers' Market and Public Safety Night, an online survey, street engagement and an open house. This update included information from an existing conditions assessment, a market analysis and a transportation analysis, among other components.

The Towne Center at Snellville includes .78 square miles of land centered on City Hall at the crossroads of Main Street (US 78) and Scenic Highway (SR 124).

Several goals of the update were included in the report. These goals were: to improve connections within and around downtown; to foster a unique and memorable neighborhood environment; attract and sustain local businesses and non-profits; to create a mix of housing so a diverse group of neighbors can call the Towne Center home; to integrate educational and family-friendly activities; and to build strong relationships with thoughtful development partners.

To learn more about the LCI update, or view the complete document, visit 2040 Comprehensive Plan.