Further back in this month’s issue of Chatt Hills News you’ll find an article that includes outtakes from our most recent City Town Hall meeting. A great deal of the conversation in that meeting focused on development – what’s happening around us (and
creating impacts on us), what is happening in Chattahooch ee Hills already, and several projects we anticipate may be coming. I wanted to use my space this month to add some additional context to that conversation.
First of all, there’s just no denying that the pressure for development has hit our part of town – hard. Anyone who has lived in Atlanta for any length of time has seen this pattern before: a formerly bucolic rural suburban area is "discovered" and within 10-20 years, it’s been totally covered in suburban sprawl, with no hint of the original character (or people) left.
The pressure here is unmistakable and inexorable; you can see the signs all around us. The map a little further back shows some of this, the dozens of planned, currently building, and already-built subdivisions in Coweta County to our south; the 30,000,000 square feet of warehouses already approved in Union City on the Parkway and in Palmetto; the first of the many planned mixed-use projects both to our north and east in South Fulton, along the Parkway in Union City, and in that piece of Palmetto that projects deep into Chattahoochee Hills; Foxhall and the huge wellness retreat across the river in Douglas County, and so many more. Those developments will create huge impacts for us, but no tax base to deal with their conse quences. And unfortunately, the quality of much of what is coming around us is low-value, the kind of development that doesn’t improve quality of life or property values for its neighbors.
The pressure also exists inside of Chattahoochee Hills; we have folks looking at land in town for development proj ects constantly. There are people that bought thousands of acres along the parkway to develop, and neighbors who want to be able to cash out. And the fact is that we can’t just say no to development – that was never the plan. We can and are shaping what’s going to happen, though, and the good news is that the shaping process has been going on for 20 years – and the plans are well honed.
Several thoughtful processes preceded the foundation
of the City itself – the process that led to our original protective overlay with Fulton County, and then the City has facilitated three Comprehensive Plan processes, where hun dreds of families in Chattahoochee Hills have participated over time in painting that picture of Chattahoochee Hills’s future that is so different from literally anyone arounds us. We’ll be continuing that work in a public fine-tuning process this Spring – so please plan to participate!
In every case, whether it’s the experts who have been hired to help us or the people of the City themselves (the people who have chosen to take the time to participate, to dig into the problem, to do the math for themselves), we have always ended up in about the same place. We will permanently protect 70% of Chattahoochee Hills as close to its current condition as possible and compress all the development that would have happened onto the remaining 30% in fairly dense, walkable, mixed-use developments.
Most of that development will happen on huge prop erties most of us have never seen other than from the road, behind buffers with only occasional impact. And that impact will be clustered – so there is a good chance nothing impactful will be near most of folks currently living in the rural neighborhoods of the City. This will keep the character of the community as close as possible to what it is today while also providing necessary services and a strong tax base to deal with the reality of what’s going on all around us, while keeping out the most negatively impactful uses.
The development will be tightly controlled to mitigate impacts but will occur in a free-market environment; no one will be forced out as often happens in other towns around us. And our Transfer of Development Rights (TDR/PDR/ DTC) program makes sure that anyone who might have considered developing under the old rules can participate in the financial upside of development (as can those who don’t want to develop at all). That’s unique in our area –something I’ll discuss more in future editions of Chatt Hills News, along with other benefits of our 70/30 model.
In any case, my message is a hopeful one. In Chat tahoochee Hills we are being intentional. Thoughtful not reactive. Planning better outcomes rather than becoming victims of fate (like almost every landowner in areas around us). Nothing is perfect, of course, and there will be some negative impacts of development – just far fewer here than in neighboring towns. The fact is that we can protect most of what we love and are working hard on planning that outcome!
The economic boom and growth of metro Atlanta basically skipped the southern tip of Fulton County. Twenty years ago, economic development for all of South Fulton was so mini mal that the County offered a 80% reduction for all development fees and permits on projects south of I-20. There were few takers.
Twenty years ago, people in this area believed, for better or worse, that development simply was not going to happen here. But one day the trees along the west side of Palmetto started vanishing, changing the forest along Carlton Road into a barren field of stripped red clay. Soon stick frame housing started.
Within months of the trees on Carlton Road being leveled, a 100acre tract on Hutcheson Ferry went under contract, with plans to strip the land for similar housing to what was being erected on Carlton Road. This land was later saved and is now Hutcheson Ferry Park. These occurrences served as a wake-up call that development could head our way at anytime and start dotting our rural roads in the same way that suburban sprawl had claimed the rural land scape north, east and west of Atlanta.
The conversation that started one morning at Janice and Ned Peek’s kitchen table led to organizing landowners large and small to discus thoughts and desires regarding the future of the area. Not unlike other areas, the 500 landowners were di vided. Some were looking forward to
the bulldozers arriving, delivering the payday for land ownership that some had been waiting on for generations. Joining the pro development group were land speculators who had been acquiring land since 1970 when Tom Cousins announced plans for a major
development in the Cochran Mill and Wilkerson Mill area. Adding additional speculation interest in the 1970s were rumors that the airport was relocating southwest of the city.
The other half of the landowners were passionate about saving the
trails, forests, and fields they had grown up on as had generations of their family before them. They wanted nothing to change. Joining this group were the metro Atlanta escapees who liked living in the country but for various reasons needed to be near the center of Atlanta or the airport. These diverse desires are what led to many of the zoning battles across the country.
The discussions and concerns led to the formation of the Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance where mem bership was $2.00 an acre. Neighborhood coffees were formed in 2001, and in 2002 a series of public meeting were facilitated by ECOS along with Fulton County. The public meetings resulted in a zoning overlay which was approved in the late summer of 2002. Uniting the diverse landowner group lead to petitioning the state in 2005 to become an independent city, and the framework of the overlay zoning crafted 20 years ago governs the city today.
This approach of uniting diverse landownership for a bold vision remains unique in the US. No other land mass near an urban city has zoning that comes close to preserving 70% of the land for agriculture open space while allowing 30% to densely develop creating economic stability for the local government.
New Chatt Hills farm owner, Daron "Farmer D" Joffe has worked on a wide range of public and private farm devel opment projects from residential “agrihood” communities like Serenbe and Rancho Mission Viejo to non-profit projects such as Coastal Roots Farm and Camp Twin Lakes. Farmer D is a nationally recognized biodynamic farmer, designer, speaker, entrepreneur, and educator. By mimicking the natural lifecycle we practice in our gardens and farms, we are able to bring a holistic approach to each project.
The Farmer D Process and Principles are inspired by the lifecycle of the garden and are rooted in Farmer D's book, Citizen Farmers - The Biodynamic Way to Grow Healthy Food, Build Thriving Communities and Give Back to the Earth. Farmer D has spent the past 25 years designing and building com munity farms and gardens all over the country.
Farmer D's signature process creates vibrant and unique community cultures. They take their partners on a journey from start to finish—soil to seed to plant—to cultivate a culture of stewardship in each project. Their projects include: Agrihoods and Master planned communities, community farms and homesteads, co-housing and ecovillages, retreat centers and summer camps, City and County Regional Planning, resorts, hotels, and spas.
Citizen Farmers Academy is a new non-profit youth education initiative designed to teach youth all the aspects of farming through a unique experience of starting their own farm enterprise. By following the Citizen Farmers framework, they experience the whole growing cycle of a season, reap the fruits of their labor, share the harvest with their families and community, and learn valuable life lessons both practical and personal. Participants develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for how soil, farming, and food affect their own personal health as well as the health of the planet.
Started by Tilden Joffe and Thomas Dinos (with the help of their parents), T&T’s Vegetables was the first Citizen Farm ers Academy enterprise. What started as a school project on entrepreneurship became a full-fledged CSA program. Ten families purchased a share in the harvest and received ten weeks of fresh produce and flowers. Their enthusiasm attracted other kids, families, and leaders from across their community to come join in the fun. The next season they invited their friends to join them and the CFA continues to draw kids to the farm to learn about food, them selves, and business.
The South Fulton Parkway Alliance is a private, non-profit corporation (501c3). The (SFPA) serves as a clearinghouse for many activities affecting the corridor along the Parkway. We educate the membership on activities that affect the South Fulton County area.
Our members include property owners, developers, community groups, state and local development agencies, the Fulton County Planning Department, and others who meet monthly. They share information, discuss proposed developments, and form positions on issues that affect the Parkway corridor. Some of the issues we face are land use, zoning, residential and commercial development, corporate relocations, and government relations.
Our Mission: To promote a comprehensive program of quality development for the South Fulton Parkway through the cooperative partnership of area communities, business es, land owners, Chamber of Commerce, local, county, and state agencies.
The South Fulton Parkway is a beautiful 20-mile stretch of highway surrounded by lush woods and fields. With a good mix of businesses, retail outlets, residential areas, South Fulton Parkway is a prime area for future develop ment.
Since October 1995, the South Fulton Parkway Alliance (SFPA) has worked to promote and protect a comprehen sive program of quality development for the Parkway.
A private, non-profit corporation (501c3), the SFPA
serves as a clearinghouse for many activities affecting the corridor along the Parkway. We educate the membership on activities that affect the South Fulton County area.
Our members include property owners, developers, community groups, state and local development agencies, the Fulton County Planning Department, and others who meet monthly. They share information, discuss proposed developments, and form positions on issues that affect the Parkway corridor. Some of the issues we face are land use, zoning, residential and commercial development, corporate relocations, and government relations.
We will welcome all to our Parkway Alliance meetings on the second Thursday of each month at the Mount Vernon Baptist Church's Fellowship Hall on Campbellton Fairburn Highway (GA92) on the West side just South (towards Fairburn) of the Parkway.
The South Fulton Parkway Alliance is a non-profit organi zation as described in section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. FEIN is 58-222474. Tthe SFPA serves as a clearinghouse for many activities affecting the corridor along the Parkway. We educate the membership on activities that affect the South Fulton County area.
To become a member or renew existing membership, visit: https://www.southfultonparkwayalliance.org/member ship.htm
2022 Board of Directors
Nick Byers,President nick@southfultonparkwayalliance.org
Storm Mitchell,Treasurer storm@southfultonparkwayalliance.org
Stacy Blakley, PE,Secretary info@southfultonparkwayalliance.org
Harold Reid Board Member
Tom Reed Board Member
Wayne Glover Board Member Naeema Gilyard Board Member
Chatt Hills resident Greg Sudmeier entered the South Ful ton County Hall of Fame at the annual SoFu Legends Ball on November 12, an honor bestowed on him in recognition of his national acclaim and local contributions. A multi-in strument musician, composer, conductor, and educator, Greg's illustrious decades-long career includes works with luminaries such as George Lucas, Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville, and many others. But it is his work at "The BridgeLet's Talk" that is closest to his heart.
“I was given the great fortune but also the mandate, when I was very young, growing up through the 60’s in the San Francisco Bay area, to see the disparities between the cultures," he says, "and it’s been on my heart ever since to do everything I can to heal the racial divide." An opportuni ty presented itself in 2018 when Greg met Joey Mitchell at a local screening of the documentary America to Me, a film about race relationships at a Chicago school. Joey, who lives in the nearby City of South Fulton, saw a kindred soul in Greg. "The energy he gives off is so genuine. People are drawn to him because he’s so authentic. You can feel it in his spirit.” The two men, one Black, one White, went on to found The Bridge.
Museum. Those existing relationships were invaluable as national events thrust racial issues further into the spotlight in 2020, and Covid challenged how we can interact in per son. Through all those changes and the Bridge's evolution, Greg has remained committed to bringing people together.
“He’s a community activist, trying to do things that haven’t been done before,” said Sheila Mants, co-founder of the SoFu Legends Ball who nominated Greg for the award. Ruby Foster, a City Council member who represent ed Chatt Hills at the event, agrees. Ruby has focused much of her public service on bringing people together, with efforts such as the Fall Festival, upcoming Christmas in Chatt Hills, and the Black History Month commemoration. “I appreciate him being that bridge. I think it’s great for the community – being that bridge to bring things together.”
The group brings together diverse individuals to have meaningful, and often challenging, conversations about personal experiences driven by race. Meetings began with small, balanced groups of Black and White men, and expanded to include women's gatherings and combined events such as trips to Montgomery's Legacy
Fellow Chatt Hills City Council member Camille Lowe also appreciated the recognition for our city at the Legends Ball. "It was such a great event," she says. "to not only recognize our outstanding leaders and citizens, but also to unify our eight cities in the South Fulton area," noting that one of last year's inaugural Hall of Fame inductees, Serenbe Founder Steve Nygren, is also from Chatt Hills. The Bridge-Let's Talk meets the second Thursday of each month from 6pm-8pm at Casablanca Restaurant in Fairburn. Meetings are open to men and women, and anyone with questions is encouraged to reach out to Greg or Joey at 770-709-1776.
By Chuck Odom, Secretary, Campbellton 76
Mayor Tom Reed was at Cambellton
Lodge to honor Barry Brock, a resident of Chatt Hills and member of the lodge who was recognized for his service in the Navy and his 65 years as a member at Campbellton Lodge. The Boy Scouts from Troup 11 out of Smyrna were on hand to assist in the celebration.
Our Mission is to encourage community awareness and ac tive environmental stewardship through exhibits, education programs, and events.
Our goal is to teach people of all ages in our commu nity about our environment, hoping that they will cultivate a personal awareness, appreciation of, and participation in the natural world, especially of our native ecosystem.
Bear Creek Nature Center is a private, non-profit organization. We rely on donations in order to operate. Your donation will help us with operating expenses such as providing education programs for children and adults, presenting Special Events to the public and caring for the wildlife that resides in our center. If you wish, you can also designate your donation for a specific purpose, like support for class field trips, wildlife care or exhibit improve ment and construction. To donate, use the Donate Now button, give us a call at 770-306-0914, or you can mail your donation to: Bear Creek Nature Center, P.O. Box 911, Fairburn, GA 30213
Norma Lewis 770-306-0914
BearCreekNatureCenter.org
Sat & Sun, 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Excited
Sunday, 2-5pm, $30
by
10:00am Show Office Opens
11:00am SESSC duffle bags available for pickup in the Officials Lounge (across from office)
3:00pm Cross Country Course Walk 4:30pm Stadium Course Walk with Hugh Lochore 5:15pm All riders meet at the far end of the Grand Prix Arena 5:30pm Opening Ceremonies
The National Anthem
Introducing the SESSC Organizing Committee In Memory of Betty Smith When You Wish Upon A Star! Parade of Riders
The Elf Invation
Carol Singing the SESSC Elves The Lighting of the Tree Santa is in Town!
5:45pm Competitors Party
Saturday December 3rd — It's Show time!
All Classes - Intro C, Amoeba, and Starter
8:30am First Dressage Test
For further information go to http://chatthillseventing.com/ Times subject to change 9445 Browns Lake Road Fairburn, GA, 30213 770-892-2117 info@chatthillseventing.com
3:00pm Saturday Prize Giving 3:30pm Open Jumber Show 5:30pm Dinner in the Pavilion (Tickets available in the Pavilion $1500) Tailgate Judging begins
6:00pm The SESSC Christmas Party - Karaoke - Dancing
All Classes Training Level Dressage, Beginner Novice and up 8:30 pm First Dressage Test 3:30pm Prize Giving
Trainer's Award
Betty Smith Memorial Award
Celebrate the season and support local makers at our annual Holiday Bazaar. You’ll find truly unique gifts for your family, your friends, and even yourself. There will be seasonal activities, the Farmhouse Bar, and a Holiday Wreath Workshop at noon both days with Forage & Flower. Find more details & tickets for the workshops at serenbe holidaybazaar.com
December 8, 5:30-6:30pm
Tertulia returns with Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"
The Lake Pavilion at Serenbe, 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd. Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Tickets $25: https://bit.ly/3rYrNo6
Tertulia by the Fireside Come cozy up to the fireplace with hot holiday beverages for a casual evening with Tertulia’s international performing artists. Learn more about them as we explore some of their favorites and preview what makes Vivaldi’s Four Seasons the world’s most popular chamber music performance. Enjoy one free holiday beverage with ticket purchase.
December 9, 6:30pm
The Oak Room at the Inn at Serenbe, 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd. Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Tickets $120: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tertulia-win ter-weekend-events-tickets-428092495177
Tertulia Presents Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"
Bring your friends to enjoy a deliciously festive evening starting with cocktails and holiday hors d’oeuvres under the stars at the Inn before we move into the Oak Room for the full performance of the world’s most popular violin concertos. We’ll tantalize your palette again at intermission with a magical dessert offering. The artists are extraordi nary, the food delicious, the evening magical.
Hills & Hamlets Bookshop, 10625 Serenbe Lane, Retail Unit B, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268 Free
In Paige Crutcher's The Lost Witch, Oona Out of Order meets Charmed in this magic and mayhem tale about a time trav eling amnesiac witch who grapples with curses, monsters, family, and an attraction to a possibly dangerous man…
Strong-willed and determined, Brigid Heron, a healer and witch in hiding, was ensconced on an island off the coast of Ireland in the year 1922 until a spell she casts goes terribly wrong.
The result: Brigid wakes up in the basement of her own home one hundred years later. With no memory. So, of course, she can’t remember what danger she had been trying to avert, what disaster she may have caused or how she can get back home to her own time.
To complicate matters: There are forgotten monsters born from the island's folklore lurking in the shadows.
The two witches living in her home, claim they need her help lifting a curse for which she may or may not be responsible.
The handsome, mysterious mayor, whom she finds entirely too compelling, either wants to seduce or destroy her.
In a mix of contemporary fantasy and romance, The Lost Witch is a novel filled with witches, mythological crea tures, magic, and love. It is a tale about coming to terms with the past and who you really are in order to embrace your power in the present. Paige Crutcher combines Irish folklore with romance to create a tale that may leave you believing magic really does exist.
We’re partnering with GA Audubon for work days – remov ing invasive species from the Camp + Paddle Trail Sites
Workdays:
Chattahoochee Hills RiverLands Park: Saturday, Novem ber 12th Bird Walk from 8:30 to 10:00 and Work Day 10:00 to Noon.
Campbellton Park: Saturday, December 3rd, 9:00 to Noon Work Day
The Lake Pavilion at Serenbe, 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd. Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Ticket: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36381/produc tion/1111521
Journey to the Land of the Sweets with Clara and Dross elmeyer! Terminus Student Company presents selections from The Nutcracker Suite, an immersive holiday ballet featuring Snowflakes, dancing Bonbons, and the Sugar Plum Fairy. The talented dancers of Terminus School of Modern Ballet bring to life the story and music in one magic-filled event.
Join us fireside as Drosselmeyer weaves a magical story for Clara and fellow young believers!
**Serenbe residents 10 percent OFF Promo code: DANCE**
Creek Retreat uses state-of-the-art technology to exponen tially improve health at the cellular level using cutting-edge treatments to optimize the body's natural processes and supercharge your wellness. Support your passion for the many health and fitness activities that define your lifestyle. Keep doing what you love by using cutting-edge recovery treatments in a luxury spa-inspired setting, beginning with Chiropractic, Fascia Release & Integration bodywork. This biohacking is accelerated by Cryotherapy, Dynamic Com pression, Theragun Massage, PEMF Therapy, Red Light Therapy, Far Infrared Cocoon Therapy, Vibration Therapy, and their new modality, the BioCharger.
New clients are initially drawn to Creek Retreat for Esthetic/beauty treatments, HydraFacial and Body Con touring. HydraFacial uses patented technology to cleanse, peel, extract, and hydrate. Choose a super serum booster to address dark spots, fine lines, and connective tissue and boost hydration for an instantly gratifying glow. These are Powerful systems designed to rebuild, recharge and repair the skin, tissue, and cells by rebuilding the dermal matrix resulting in increased hydration, circulation & decreased
inflammation for a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
When you enter the healing environment of Creek Re treat, you'll soon discover that treatments are also offered for injury and chronic pain, recovery from surgery, or just an intense workout. Their clients come for biohacking (accelerated healing) to improve sleep, mobility, recovery from injury, surgery, and overall well-being. Treatments and therapies that were once only available to athletes, high-level competitors, and professionals are now available in our community.
Creek Retreat is a wellness place where you can step off the treadmill of life anytime. You don't have to go far away to get away! Creek Retreat, 11134 Serenbe Lane Chatt Hills, GA 30268, Mon-Sat, 10 am - 5 pm (6 pm starting 12/12). https://creekretreat.com
Every Thursday from 3-5 pm, we will be hosting "healing hours": buy 1 get 1 free wellness circuit session or the opportunity to try all wellness circuit stations for $55 ($140 value).
From Beauty to Biohacking. Come check us out.
For nearly sixty years Robert Leder man has loved photography. It began one magical Chanukah night when the unwrapped present turned out to be a Kodak Brownie Instamatic. Over the years photography has always played a significant part in his life. In college he was fortunate enough to study with noted photo wizard Jerry Uelsmann.
His career path was in law, but photography was invariably nearby. An inveterate traveler, his camera and lenses traveled with him and were his constant companions.
Having retired from the practice of law and moved from Miami to the community of Serenbe, he and his wife, Cindy, have been able to travel extensively, enabling him to capture singular images from across the globe.
Images above: top, Sunset in Riomaggiore; left, Statue in the Waters at Pashupati naath Temple in Kathmandu; and right, Silent Devotion.
"My passion is to share my imagery with others and transport them to amazing locations so they can experience them through my eyes."Featured Artist Robert Lederman Robert Lederman
Hills & Hamlets Bookshop is a charming neighborhood bookstore in the Serenbe devel opment of Chattahoochee Hills and was founded by the couple behind Underground Books in Carrollton.
Hills & Hamlets Bookshop is open Thursdays through Sundays from 11am to 5pm, and we’re open 24/7 online at www.bookshop.org/shop/undergroundbooks and www. bookshop.org/shop/undergroundbooks and info@hillsandhamlets.com
From one of our most treasured filmmakers, a pictorial history of America—a stunning and moving collection of some of Ken Burns’s favorite photographs. In Our America, Burns has assembled the images that, for him, best embody nearly two hundred years of the American experiment, taken by some of our most renowned photographers and by others who worked in obscurity. The photos talk to one another across boundaries and decades and, taken together, they capture the impossibly rich and diverse per spectives and places that comprise the American experience. Out now!
Buy online: https://bookshop.org/a/45/9780385353014
Local author Paige Crutcher, author of The Orphan Witch, weaves a spellbinding tale of contemporary fantasy, romance, and Irish mythology as a woman torn out of time faces a dangerous coven, otherworldly creatures, and a seductive demi-god to save the souls of a cursed island in The Lost Witch. Join us on Friday, December 9th for a special book launch party for The Lost Witch, featuring a book signing, a Q&A with the author, a special performance by the Serenbe Singers, a fortune telling booth, and more! Out December 9th at our special release event!
Preorder online: https://www.hillsandhamletsbookshop.com/shop/preorder-the-lostwitch-by-paige-crutcher-read-description-for-details
New in Children’s Books: Bluey 5-Minute Stories: 6 Stories in 1 Book? Hooray!
Cheese and crackers! Kids will enjoy this collection of stories, each crafted for reading in five minutes or less, based on the wildly successful animated series Bluey, as seen on Disney+! This treasury includes 6 stories of Bluey and Bingo and their amazing adventures with their friends and family. It’s the perfect read for bedtime, when you’re on-the-go, and anytime in-between. This book includes the stories The Pool, Bingo, Charades, Hammerbarn, Typewriter, and Baby Race. Out now! For ages 3-5 years.
Buy online: https://bookshop.org/a/45/9780593521908
Campbellton Baptist Church 8660 Campbellton Fairburn Rd
Friendship Baptist Church 6090 Cochran Mill Rd www.friendshipbaptistchatthills.com
Interfaith Fellowship at Serenbe www.facebook.com/ groups/1964824926878340/
New Hope United Methodist Church 7875 Atlanta Newnan Rd
Providence Baptist Church 6402 Campbellton Redwine Rd www.pbcrico.org
Rico United Methodist Church 6475 Rico Rd
Rivertown United Methodist Church 9325 Rivertown Rd
Sardis Baptist Church 8400 Sardis Rd www.sardisbaptistch.com
Southside at Serenbe 915AM & 11AM at One Mado. We'd love for you to join us and invite your friends and family! If you have ques tions contact Cathy Gailey at cgailey@ remax.net or 404-456-6347.
Southern Crescent Unitarian Universalist Fellowship www.facebook.com/SouthernCrescentUUFellowship/
Vernon Grove Baptist Church 8440 Vernon Grove Rd.
Just in case you haven’t kept up with us this year, we’ve expanded! Here are a just a few of the things we provide for our community and the surrounding area:
• Weekly Food bank. Our needs have increased by 70% this year.
• Emergency assistance for families in need. Once a year emergency assistance, from a propane tank fill to a rent payment for those who need a hand to get through a hard month.
• Thanksgiving meals for those who would go without. We gave 45 families meals this year
• Christmas gifts for kids. We are helping 85 kids this year!
• A free library and classes for the community. Just check our website for all of the latest classes available after the holidays.
• Free Tutoring for Elementary students
• Sponsored community outreach programs
• Baseball sign up every year with financial assistance for kids who can’t afford the fee.
• Partnering with the city and Coco’s Cupboard to help lost and found animals in Chatt Hills.
• Winter coat give away, along with hats and gloves
• Free back packs with school supplies for students And more!
Want to help? Just go to our website to donate a tax-deductible gift once, or better yet monthly. If you prefer to send an end-of-year, tax-deductible check we are at:
Community Brickworks
6505 Rico Road
Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 30268
Attn: Karin Slaton Treasurer
Neighbors Helping Neighbors!
Lisa Remley
Community Brickworks CommunityBrickworks.org
The City of Chattahoochee Hills is now in receipt of our annual audit conducted independently by Mauldin and Jenkins. which is required by law. The full audit document has been uploaded at the following link (FY2022 Audit) as well as on the City’s website at FY2022 Audit. Our fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 20 each year. Governmental funds reported a positive fund balance of $4,588,399 on June 30, 2022. This is a $966,280 increase over the prior year as the City continues to generate revenues in excess of expenditures.
Revenues have increased $868,413 or 16.33% over the prior year. Property taxes have increased $257,391 or 11.70% as a result of increases in assessed property values as well as an increase in housing development and sales. Sales taxes and Hotel/Motel taxes have increased $169,501 (21.04%) and $138,558 (55.09%), respectively, as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic. Fines and forfeitures increased $11,347 or 6.15%. Charges for services increased $99,515 or 38.99%, primarily from increases in planning and development fees.
Total expenditures increased $1,386,994 or 32.77% which is primarily due to $1,251,765 that was spent on a TSPLOST project. General government expenditures increased modestly by $34,571 or 6.42%. Judicial expendi tures increased $99,861 or 110% as a result of the imple mentation of new accounting standards related to court expenses which requires the reporting of the revenues that are remitted to the State by law. Public safety expenditures increased modestly by $90,905 or 4.38%. Public works ex penditures increased $918,048 or 97.83% as management expended TSPLOST funds for road resurfacing. Culture and recreation expenditures increased $168,019 or 71.40 % funded mostly with Hotel/Motel monies as such services resume from pandemic restrictions. Community develop ment expenditures have increased $44,101 or 20.58% as a result of increase in staffing. Debt service expenditures have increased $31,489 or 22.7% as a result of financing for additional public works equipment.
General fund. The General Fund is the primary op erating fund and the largest source of day-to-day service delivery. It accounts for the City’s core services such as
Robert T. Rokovitz, MPA, ICMA-CM
law enforcement, fire protection, planning and develop ment, roads, streets, and bridges, culture and recreation, municipal court, and administration. The General Fund currently has a fund balance of $4,010,338, an increase of $1,538,670 from the prior year. This increase is mostly federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that is being programmed to be spent on governmental services.
The City has adopted a fund balance reserve policy to retain in reserve an amount which represents no less than two months of operating and debt expenditures, approximately 16.7 percent of the current year’s estimated operating and debt expenditures. The policy took into consideration that upon incorporation, no reserves existed and allowed for a period of three to five years to establish the required amount. The current fund balance stands at $4,010,338 or 101% of current year expenditures.
Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) Fund. The TSPLOST Fund is used to account for the revenues received by the City to the expended on capital projects identified in the voter ap proved TSPLOST referendum. The City received $615,960 and $515,742 for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. The City spent $1,175,556 and $23,770, for road improvement projects in fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively.
American Rescue Plan This fund is used to account for expenditure of federal grant funds for pandemic relief. The City received a total of $618,995 in fiscal 2022 and spent $89,841 within grant guidelines. The remaining $529,154 will be spent in future years primarily for public safety related activities.
In the auditor’s opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the respective financial position of the governmental activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund information of the City, as of June 30, 2022, and the respective changes in financial position, for the year then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
include:
• Bear Creek Subdivision on Wilk erson Mill Rd near Jenkins Rd is 256 acres. It started under Fulton County, went into foreclosure, and is now under new ownership. It received rezoning as mixed-use hamlet and is working now on their first land disturbance permit to start building homes in Phase 1.
• Serenbe Hamlet is expanding, adding new land and building out its existing plan. In the original first phase they have a hotel and town center coming. In the latest phase called Mado there is a new school under construction, and the Mado portion in Coweta is underway. On Watkins Rd there are some farmettes going in there.
• Heatherwood Manor is a Jeff Lindsey Community on Cedar Grove Rd. That community is just about built out with about 60 homes on about 100 acres. That development was approved under Fulton County as well.
• The Estates at Cedar Grove, also a Jeff Lindsey Community, was initially approved under Fulton County for its Phase 1, and approved under Chatt Hills for Phase 2. It is located on Cedar Grove Rd north towards the roundabout at Cascade Palmetto Hwy and will have around 70 houses, with construction expect ed to start in the spring.
• CERES is a new hamlet across Atlanta Newnan Rd from Serenbe. It is about 90 acres and will be about 90 houses, some restau rants, and some agriculture.
• Pizza Farm is on the east side of the city on Wilkerson Mill Rd near Cascade Palmetto Hwy. Some of it is in Chatt Hills but most is in Palmetto. It will have a variety of uses including events, restaurant, museum, agriculture, walking paths, and a few residential homes (in Palmetto) for uses by Mellow Mushroom employees.
• El Barroso has been approved as a country inn and event center. It is 100 acres between Cochran Mill Rd and Cascade Palmetto Hwy. They have some orchards and will be building cabins.
Works-in-Progress include:
• Campbellton Historic Crossroads – We’re working on the zoning and code so things can actually start being built.
• Rico Historic Crossroads –We’ve just stated work on the zoning and design standards.
• TDR Ordinance – The transfer of development rights code was carried over from Fulton County, and we have some TDRs. But we have some new language now that is under review to refine and activate our code. The way TDRs work is, where there is significant development, like in Serenbe,
they can choose to development more densely by paying property owners throughout the rest of the city to preserve their property, which requires a conservation easement, which is the legal instrument that would limit the development that can go on in that property. Property owners throughout the community can use TDRs to preserve their property and sell their development rights off that property. It’s an oppor tunity for the rural landowners to continue living on their land like they always have, but make mon ey off their development rights.
• Other Zoning Updates are under review and will be going through soon.
Nearby Developments not in Chatt Hills but will impact our city:
• Merrill Park owned by Harrison Merrill is a large-scale mixed-use development in Palmetto that intersects our city at Cochran Mill Rd, Wilkerson Mill Rd, Atlanta Newnan Rd, and Rico Tatum Rd. It has gone through the Devel opment of Regional Impact (DRI) review with plans that include 7,500 residential units and 15 million sqft of commercial space on 2,000 acres, which might include the following 500 acres.
• Merrill Village at SF Parkway and Cochran Mill – Harrison Merrill also owns 500 acres at this inter section which is in Chatt Hills. He plans to develop that as well, and
(Palmetto)
we expect an application on that property in a matter of months.
• Foxhall Village owned by Harrison Merrill is a mixed-use development and sporting club located to the west of Chatt Hills across the Chattahoochee River on Capps Ferry Rd.
• The Wellness Preserve is a 136acre site near Foxhall Farm that will be a mixed-use community with wellness amenities.
• Tommy Lee Cook Neighbors – south of Chatt Hills, there are
about 14 individual neighbor hoods on Tommy Lee Cook that have been approved and/or are under construction.
• SF Parkway Developments –there are a couple of large-scaled developments along SF Parkway, across from the Publix where it has been cleared, there is mixeduse development described as a mini-Alavon.
• Hwy 92 Merrill Project – farther up Hwy 92 the Merrills have a 72acre project this is pretty dense.
• Hwy 92 at Campbellton – the same developer doing the mini-Alavon has a development approved here.
• Westwood Development – about two miles from the Beavers House in Campbellton Park on Cochran Rd is an approved mixed-use development in city of South Fulton with 1,387 residential units and 206,000 SF of commercial.
• Warehouses along SF Parkway – there are millions of sq. ft. of warehouses going in along SF Parkway (outside of Chatt Hills)
What is on the horizon in Chatt Hills?
Mayor Reed said there are ongoing conversations with potential develop ers who have an interest in developing in Chattahoochee Hills and reach out to discuss how that would work within our zoning. He said these are never real until they submit an application (many more ask than ever apply). Here are a few that he thinks might apply soon.
Kane Movie Studio (proposed on Hennesey’s property on Camp bellton Redwine Rd towards the south end of the city). The devel oper originally came with a plan
for Phase 1, but then withdrew it. They are hoping to come back with the full plan. Based on what they are saying, it looks like we’ll see an application from them in the next few months.
Merrill Village discussed above is expected to have an application submitted soon for the adjacent land in Chattahoochee Hills that they own.
Movie-Studio Related Hamlet – this is another group which hopes to develop an upscale hamlet centered around a smaller movie studio. It’s looking at different
properties and it sounds like they may submit something in the next few months.
Bouckaert Properties – There is a developer working on a potential master plan for the entire proper ty. We don’t have much detail on that yet, but we’re being told they are close.
Content-Generation Studio – anoth er potential studio-related hamlet on part of Bouckaert Property.
The CHCVB was seated on November 1, 2022 and has the responsibility of promotion of tourism, trade, and conventions for Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia
Your Current Convention and Visitors Bureau Appointees:
District 1: Joyce Woods
District 2: Brooke Lochore
District 3: Cara Lucas-Edwards
District 4: Steve Nygren
District 5: Carter Williamson
Mayor: Mike Greto
At Large: Clarice Strong
At Large: Janice Barton
Hotelier: Julian West
Coast Guard element from Mobile, AL, removes boat from Chattahoochee River following video production demonstrating removal of hazardous material from an inland waterway. Chattahoochee Hills Fire Department supported US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Coast Guard during three days of promotion/recruitment video production in multiple locations in Chattahoochee Hills. Production efforts were outlined and co-directed by residents Carter and Laura Williamson--both are employed by EPA.
“'It’s a wrap!' After a whirlwind filming schedule, we wrapped filming our joint EPA and US Coast Guard recruitment commercial! Now to post production. Thanks to ECG Productions, the US Coast Guard Aviation Training Center and the US Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team in Mobile, Alabama, and special thanks to Fire Chief Greg Brett and the City of Chattahoochee Hills for helping us pull it off in grand style. Also to our EPA OSC’s who jumped right in to make it a reality!" said Carter Williamson.
Call to Order Members present: Reed, Foster, Searle, Lowe; Member(s) absent: Schmidt, Bettis
Amended as follows:
1. Add Agenda Item No. 22-060, consideration to change the date of the October 27, 2022 Work Ses sion. Passed 5-0
1. Add a presentation by GreyStone Power.
2. Add Agenda Item No. 22-066, Approval of a Grant of Temporary Construction and Access Easement with the Trust for Public Land.
3. Add Agenda Item No. 22-067, Resolution Supporting Operation Green Light for Veterans.
4. Add Agenda Item No. 22-068, Authorize the Mayor to execute a joint LOST agreement by and between the fifteen cities within Fulton County and the County Commissioners to proceed with the signing of the LOST Certificate on or before December 30, 2022.
5. Move Agenda Item No. 22-054 and No. 22-055 to be the first two public hearings. Passed 3-0.
1. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 4, 2022 Passed 3-0
1. GACP State Certification Presentation 2. Proclamation for Fire Captain Thanh Nguyen 3. Greystone Power
Financial Update: Robbie Rokovitz
Fire Department Report: Greg Brett Police Department Report: Jim Little Public Works/Parks Report: Darold Wendlandt
Community Development Report: Mike Morton
1. Item 22-053: Public Hearing and Action on an Ordi nance for a Variance to the Required Zoning District – request is to reduce the required district buffer from
November 1, 2022 / 6:00 p.m.
150 feet to 60 feet in the from, 50 feet in the rear, and 25 feet on the sides for property located at 10455 Atlanta Newnan Road. Passed 3-0
2. Item 22-054: Public Hearing and Action on an Ordinance for a Variance to the Minimum Front Yard Setback in the RL (Rural) District – request is to reduce the minimum required front setback from 60 feet to 50 feet for property located at 9455 Glacial Lane. Passed 3-0
3. Item 22-051: Public Hearing and Action on an Ordi nance to amend the Official Zoning Map to Rezone 69.48 acres from the RL (Rural) District to the HM-MU (Mixed-Use Hamlet) District – property consists of multiple parcels on the west side of Atlanta Newnan Road surrounding the original first phase of Serenbe. Passed 3-0
4. Item 22-052: Public Hearing and Action on an Ordinance to approve a Special Use Permit for a Country Inn and a Special Use Permit for an Event Center, Large, in the RL (Rural) District and for all other purposes related thereto – property is located at 4450 Cochran Mill Road and 4777 Cascade Palmetto Hwy. Passed 3-0
5. Item 22-055: Public Hearing and Action on an Ordinance for a Variance to the Minimum Side Yard Setback in the RL (Rural) District – request is to reduce the required side setbacks from 25 feet to 15 feet for 34 lots located 8999 Cedar Grove Road. Passed 3-0
6. Item 22-056: Public Hearing and Action on an Ordinance for a Variance to the Limitations on the Location of Accessory Structures in the RL (Rural) District – request is to allow an accessory structure in the first layer (front yard) of property located at 10100 Rivertown Road. Passed 3-0
1. Item 22-061: Approval of a Concept Plan for Serenbe Garnet Ridge – property consists of multiple parcels on the west side of Atlanta Newnan Road surrounding the original first phase of Serenbe. Passed 3-0
2. Item 22-062: Approval of a Concept Plan for Serenbe Art Farm – property is 33.15 acres on the east side of Atlanta Newnan Road. Passed 3-0
3. Item 22-063: Resolution authorizing a Supplemental Lease Agreement in the amount of $325,000 to finance a Fouts Fire Pumper Truck with the Georgia Municipal Association at a 3.64% interest rate over a five-year lease period. Passed 3-0
4. Item 22-064: Resolution appointing board members to the Chattahoochee Hills Convention and Visitors Bureau Authority. Passed 3-0
5. Item 22-065: Resolution adopting the 2023 City Council Meeting Schedule. Passed 3-0
6. Item 22-066: Approval of a Grant of Temporary
In light of the dramatic increases in the rates of suicide and overdose we're seeing in our state due to COVID-19, the community could really benefit from having the support resources made readily available to them.
GA CARES Warm Line: 1-844-326-5400
Peer2Peer Warm Line: 1-888-945-1414
Georgia Crisis & Access Line: 1-800-715-4225
The Crisis Text Line - Free text line that serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to 24/7 support and information via texting. Text HOME to 741-741 from anywhere in the USA or Canada, anytime, about any type of crisis.
National Crisis Hotlines
Veterans Crisis Line - 1-800-273-8255
National Sexual Assault Hotline - 1-800-656-4673
National Domestic Violence Hotline - 1-800-799-7233
Suicide Prevention
Stop A Suicide Today - Helpful website that provides suicide prevention information for someone experiencing suicidal thoughts, or their friends, and family.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255This national lifeline provides free confidential support 24/7, 365 to anyone who is suffering from a mental health crisis that involves thoughts of suicide.
Construction and Access Easement with the Trust for Public Land. Passed 3-0
7. Item 22-067: Resolution Supporting Operation Green Light for Veterans. Passed 3-0
8. Item 22-068: Authorize the Mayor to execute a joint LOST agreement by and between the fifteen cities within Fulton County and the County Commissioners to proceed with the signing of the LOST Certificate on or before December 30, 2022. Passed 3-0
The meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
The Summit Wellness Group - An in-depth overdose prevention guide that includes over 30 different resources, as well as drug-specific signs of an overdose.
The Georgia Overdose Prevention Project - An advocacy and prevention organization that provides information on Georgia's amnesty laws when it comes to helping an overdose victim as well as providing free naloxone kits to Georgians through the mail.
In The Rooms - Resource for finding virtual Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings 24/7. National Institute on Drug Abuse - Helpful suggestions and resources on finding addiction treatment centers for friends or family members struggling with addiction.
Our community has stepped up to the plate. We are thankful to so many people for their donations and to volunteer time to create a spectacular room for all of us to use. Thank you!!
The Chatt Hills Artists Group is a registered 501(c)(3) charity, so we can receive qualified charitable distribu tions (QCDs) from an IRA.
Your tax-deductible financial con tribution can make all the difference. The completed renovation will provide an artistic space that will offer a variety of art classes and workshops for artists, Community Brickworks and Chattahoochee Hills residents.
Looking for donations for car peting & blinds. We are down to the finish line, help us put it over the top! https://donorbox.org/chattahooch ee-hills-city-art-room-renovation
Community & City
City of Chattahoochee Hills, City Hall, 6505 Rico Rd, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268, Phone: (770) 463-8881, www.chatthillsga.us
City of Chatt Hills: www.chatthillsga.us
Chatt Hills Charter School: http://www.chatthillscharter.org/calendar Community Brickworks: www.communitybrickworks.org
Serenbe Community: www.serenbe.com
Acton Academy at Serenbe: http://actonacademyatserenbe.com/#ourstory
We will be scheduling Special Called City Council meetings as dictated by circumstances. These will be virtual and open to the public.
The City will take the following safety precau tions:
• The City Council room will be set up so that the council and staff are all at least 6’ apart.
• Any citizen attendees who want to attend in person will also be separated by at least 6’; capacity will be limited to the number of seats that can fit in the room under those conditions.
• The meeting will be streamed live. Check details on the City’s website.
The official newsletter of the City of Chattahoochee Hills, Chatt Hills News, is published monthly. This publication is compiled from submissions from the community and is available in public locations around the City, at City Hall, or via email subscriptions.
Email Subscriptions:
To subscribe via email, visit the City’s Website: www.chatthillsga.us
Or subscribe directly at this link: https://lp.constantcon tactpages.com/su/w9cGwxA
Residents of Chatt Hills who do not have Internet may request mailed copies by calling City Hall (770) 463-8881.
If you have a story, event, or suggestion for future articles, we’d like to hear from you. Please submit your information
City Council Work Session - Thurs., Dec., 1, 3:00 pm
City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268
City Council Meeting - Thurs., Dec., 1, 6:30 pm
City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Parks Commission Meeting - Tues., Dec., 13, 6:00 pm
City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Planning Comission Meeting - Thurs., Dec., 15, 6:30 pm
City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268
by the 15th of every month for publication on the 1st of the month to: chatthillsnews@chatthillsga.us