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Making sure walking and biking opportunities for residents are safe and plentiful, the city is taking part in new initiatives to accomplish that goal.

City officials and residents were proud to take part in the Atlanta Regional Commission Workshop for Walk and Bike Friendly Communities in April.

The workshop was part of the ARC's effort to make Atlanta-area cities more walkable and bike friendly.

While Snellville has more work to do to better walking and biking conditions, the Livable Centers Initiative sidewalk project downtown was cited as a major achievement toward reaching that goal.

The city will now take recommendations collected from the workshop and begin to implement them.

Also "Share the Road" signage has been set up at various points in the city and bike racks have been put in place on the Towne Green and in front of City Hall.

SNELLVILLE – City officials are proud to announce the hire of new City Planner Austin Shelton.

Shelton has bachelor's degree in Sociology from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Ga. and a master's degree in City and Regional Planning (MCRP) from Georgia Tech.

For the past year he's been a GIS and research analyst at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Before graduating from Georgia Tech, he worked in real estate and marketing for a real estate team in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"I've always been fascinated with history and architecture, and I loved looking at buildings and towns and learning about who built them and how places got started and grew up," Shelton said. "I first got into planning after working with affordable housing and LEED construction developers and being involved in some historic preservation projects in my neighborhood while working in Chattanooga. I started wondering how people got jobs working on cool projects that help shape cities."

Shelton was born in Columbus, Ga. and lived in Cataula, just outside Columbus, until he moved to Chattanooga for college.

"Like the rest of Gwinnett, Snellville is growing and changing," Shelton said. "My goal is to help guide the city's growth by helping it better connect to the rest of the metro area and stand out as a welcoming and exciting place for individuals and families to live and work."

SNELLVILLE – City officials are proud to unveil a promotional video highlighting the vision of the Towne Center @Snellville.

The video, created by Blue Rose Media Solutions and city staff, gives just a taste of what is to come to Snellville in the near future as part of the city's downtown redevelopment project.

"We are excited to release this new video that highlights the vision of Snellville's future Towne Center," said Mayor Tom Witts. "We are working every day to move this plan forward to create the place to make Snellville proud. The future is exciting and we hope you will check out the video and continue to engage in the process as we move our Towne Center Plan forward."

The Towne Center will be a destination Snellville leaders envision as a place where residents and visitors alike can shop, enjoy entertainment, live and work. The project will be located around the area of City Hall and several plans are in the works which will turn this concept into reality in the near future.

Go online to watch learn more about the Towne Center and this exciting promotional video now at http://www.snellville.org/the-towne-center-snellville.

SNELLVILLE – The city's Youth Commission has a new leader.

Snellville resident Christopher O'Donoghue was tapped to lead the commission designed to promote high school student participation in local government.

O'Donoghue will oversee all activities related to the Snellville Youth Commission, including the student recruitment process, records management and promotion of the SYC, according to the job's description.

"In order to be a productive citizen, it makes sense to make sure you know how the world works around you," O'Donoghue said. "The idea for (students in the Youth Commission) is to bridge the gap between them and elected officials and see it play out – at least understand why things (in government) happen."

O'Donoghue, who is a systems analyst for human resource company Aon Hewitt, will serve as Youth Outreach Coordinator on a part-time basis.

The Snellville Youth Commission is the brainchild of Councilwoman and South Gwinnett High School teacher Cristy Lenski who created it as a way to get students more involved in the city.

SNELLVILLE – The Mayor and Council approved an overall budget of $11,344,770 Monday, keeping the millage rate at 4.588 mills, the same as last year.

"The new budget keeps the same millage rate and allows us to stay on track for our three-year plan to be salary competitive for all our employees," said City Manager Butch Sanders. "We also continue to meet our capital needs in street paving and storm water system repair."

Overall, the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget is up 4.9 percent or $549,000 over the 2017 FY Budget. A bulk of the increase comes from a lengthy renovation of the city's Unified Development Ordinance which will pave the way for future development in the city. The renovation will cost $120,000.

Capital needs are being met with $680,000 for street resurfacing and $662,000 in stormwater improvements.

Positive local economic growth is shown in several strong city revenue items including four years of positive Occupational Tax growth, a 40 percent increase in building permits in the past three years and a 20-percent increase in recreation programs in the last two years.

There will be millage rate hearings at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. June 30 and at 7:30 p.m. July 10 in Council Chambers in City Hall.

SNELLVILLE – The Rotary Club of Gwinnett Sunrise has begun a concerted effort of community involvement with the completion of two successful projects.

The first was a clean-up effort at the house of a local resident who, due to poor health, could not meet the city's Code Enforcement guidelines. A team of Rotary members assembled at the property recently and went to work cleaning and beautifying the property to bring it into compliance and put smiles on the faces of the homeowner and the neighbors. Snellville Public Works helped with power equipment and the use of a truck and the Rotarians provided the time and effort to improve the property.

The club's second project was a clean-up and landscaping effort at one of Snellville's busiest intersections: Wisteria Drive at Highway 78. Accomplished the morning of June 10, a group of club members collected litter and debris, weeded and dressed up all sides of the intersection helping the town to look better and making travel safer and less unsightly. The Snellville Police Department provided traffic control to make the whole worksite a safe one.

The intrepid Sunrise Rotarians plan to continue their community efforts on a regular schedule with another property clean-up scheduled for July 8. The city appreciates all the volunteers and thanks the Rotarians for their efforts and for their dedication to carrying on the community spirit of the Rotary organization.

Upcoming Senior Center Events

Upcoming Parks and Recreation Events

CITY OF SNELLVILLE
PUBLIC HEARING
FY-2018 BUDGET

On Monday, May 22, 2017 the Mayor and City Council will hold a Public Hearing at 7:30 p.m. to give its citizens the opportunity to provide written and oral comments on the proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget. All citizens are urged to attend this Public Hearing on May 22, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Snellville City Hall, located at 2342 Oak Road, Snellville Georgia.

The proposed budget is available for inspection at Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, Georgia during regular business hours from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. or on the City website at www.snellville.org.

The Mayor and City Council will consider adoption of the Fiscal Year 2018 budget on Monday, June 12, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, Georgia.

Melisa Arnold, City Clerk
City of Snellville

SNELLVILLE – If you cut down a tree without permission in the city, expect to pay a heavy price in the near future.

That's the word from city officials who, following two tree-cutting sprees committed by shopping plaza owners, are in the process of adding more teeth to an already existing ordinance designed to prevent unwarranted tree removal by commercial property owners.

"In spite of Snellville's long-standing ordinances prohibiting the arbitrary removal of trees, we have recently had some violations of those ordinances," said Councilman Dave Emanuel. "While some violators plead ignorance, I believe they were in fact subscribing to the philosophy that it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. It may be easier, but it will become a lot more expensive."

Currently the fee for cutting down trees without permission is a minimum of $356 per tree per day. Under the new measure, which still awaits formal review and approval, violators would pay $995 per tree per day. Also under the proposed ordinance removal of any tree without the approval from the city's Planning Director is prohibited.

"I've proposed raising the fine to $995 per tree per day, for any tree removed prior to the Planning Director approving a tree removal permit," Emanuel said. "We will also be updating all business property owners of our revised tree removal requirements and fine amount. Our intent is not to raise revenue, but to preserve our trees."

If you think a commercial business is cutting down a tree without permission, call the Snellville Planning Department at 770-985-3513.