Board of Commissioners approves initial expenses for Land Bank

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a request by County Manager Kevin Tanner to authorize initial expenses for the newly created Forsyth County/City of Cumming Land Bank.

Tanner said counsel will draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will require those expenses for the Anderson Lake (also known as the Greenleaf Development) to be brought into the Land Bank.

“The Land Bank had a meeting with the Tax Commissioner this week and we feel like we have a good plan,” Tanner said. “It’s going to require a judge to issue the title and there is a cost to do that per parcel.”

The MOU would establish that once the properties are sold the Land Bank will reimburse the county for any legal fees and other money associated with acquisition of the titles.

The Greenleaf development near the Forsyth and Dawson County line started some 15 years ago but was abandoned after it became the subject of builder-based fraud.  The developer and appraiser went to jail. The 60 lots were too small permit septic tanks, there was no sewer and the county did not approve the streets.

The lots became overgrown with weeds and the few houses that were built were vandalized subject to burglary, loitering and other crimes. The county had the homes demolished in 2015.

In other New Business, the Board voted unanimously to approve payment of $25,000 from Geico Insurance on behalf of client for damage to a Sheriff’s Office patrol unit.

The Board also voted unanimously to renew the annual Insurance Coverage Agreement with ACCG-IRMA in the amount of $931,872;