BOC files objection to Horizon’s request for annexation into the City
News November 24, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Forsyth County Commissioners voted to send a letter to the City Council Tuesday to object to Horizon Christian Academy’s request for annexation into the City. The school is located at the intersection of Bettis Tribble Gap Road and Sawnee Drive.
County Attorney told commissioners that if the land is eventually annexed, the academy could be subdivided at a significant cost to the count.
Local government can object to annexation on the following grounds:
A proposed change in zoning or land use;
A proposed change in density;
Infrastructure demands related to proposed change in zoning or land use.
Commissioners also approved:
- Approved the list of items as surplus with authorization for the Department of Procurement to dispose of accordingly;
- An extended warranty service agreement with Service Express for the calendar year 2022 for Systems and Technology and the Sheriff’s Office in the amount of $17,076.00;
- Change Order #3 with Buildline General Contractors for additional scope of work for the Sawnee Mountain Park Renovations Project in the amount of $66,513 with 35 days added to the schedule;
- Change Order with Cogsdale to remove Vocantas Interactive Voice Response (IVR) from the Agreement and add Invoice Cloud Interactive Voice Response (IVR) for the Department of Water and Sewer. The estimated annual expenditure is $27,360;
- Amendment #1 to the Task Order with T.Y. Lin International regarding RFP 16-57-3150 Engineering Services – SR 369/Matt Hwy from Cherokee County Line to Wallace Tatum Road in the amount of $359,024;
- Award RFP 21-136-1620 for Janitorial Service for the Department of Public Facilities in the amount of $353,280;
- The First Amendment to the Lease Agreement to renew the Lease for Suite 1201 located at 514 West Maple Street, which is used for office space for the Department of Public Facilities. The Agreement is for three years at a rate of $12.48/SF or $1,144.00 per month with an annual cost of $13,728.00 and allows for a 3% increase for each renewal year;
- Authorization for staff to apply for the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank Grant in the amount of $1,500,000 to provide an alternate route (Coal Mountain Connector) to the North Forsyth County School Complex and to provide congestion relief at the SR9 / SR369 intersection. No match is required;
- Authorization for staff to apply for the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) Grant for costs associated with intersection improvements at Punch Hammond Road and Highway 9. The total project cost will be $1,500,000 with $1,200,000.00 Federal Funding and $300,000 (20% match) local funding;
- Authorization for the Sheriff’s Office to accept an Amendment to a MOU with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) due to approval of no cost extension granted, award 2019-MO-BX-0025 FY2019 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program Grant Program;
- To renew the Extension Services Contract with the University of Georgia for FY 2022 in the amount of $211,375 regarding the County’s portion of salaries for Professional Services;
- Task Order #23 with CH2M Hill, Inc. in the amount of $140,100.00 for Intake Water Quality Sampling for the Department of Water and Sewer;
- Task Order #24 with CH2M Hill, Inc. in the amount of $112,500.00 for Intake Permitting Support for the Department of Water and Sewer;
- Task Order #25 with CH2M Hill, Inc. in the amount of $1,705,800.00 for Geotechnical and Tunnel Analysis for the Department of Water and Sewer;
- A Contract Item Agreement between Georgia Department of Transportation and Forsyth County regarding reimbursement of an estimated $3,035,930 for relocation of water and sewer facilities on State Route 9 from SR 371/Post Road to SR 141/Bethelview Road due to road widening;
- Placing amendments to the Tree Ordinance on a public hearing agenda;
- Placing a County-Initiated variance process in favor of Andalusia Properties, Inc. related to tax parcel 217-004 at 3571 Browns Bridge Road, for that degree of variance necessary to allow the installation of Georgia Transmission Corporation utility infrastructure within the required landscape buffer/strip for parcel 217-004;
- A County-Initiated Conditional Use Permit for a personal care home, serving 10 persons or less on 5.286 acres currently zoned Lake Residential District (LR) – Parcel 269-041;
- Authorization for a County initiated rezoning of parcels 216-024, 236-044, 236-094, 236-006, and 236-005 from A1 to M1 (property assemblage located north of the intersection of Martin Road and Settingdown Road), with those necessary conditional use permits as determined by County staff that will allow the property to be used for warehouses, associated distribution facilities, Office Commercial Multiple Story (OCMS), and office uses, with the property owners to pay those direct costs associated with the rezoning (i.e., advertising costs, etc.), for an ordinary rezoning staff review to occur, and further authorization for the DRI process to be initiated;
- Closing of Hearthstone Lodge Senior Center and transitioning to Central Park and Cumming Aquatic Center;
- Reappointment of a Traci Jones as representative to the Keep Forsyth County Beautiful (KFCB) Board of Directors for a two-year term to begin January 2022 and expire January 2024;
- A staffing Incentive Plan for the 911 Center;
- A resolution authorizing acceptance of a .391 property donation adjacent to the Forsyth County Library – Cumming branch, and the conveyance of two (2) temporary and permanent sewer line easements to the Providence Group and/or the City of Cumming.
Forsyth County joins Atlanta Regional Commission
Press Release July 2, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
FORSYTH COUNTY, — Ga. Forsyth County has joined the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), leaving the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission (GMRC), effective July 1, 2021.
With the addition of Forsyth County to the ARC, the regional planning and intergovernmental coordination agency for various metro-Atlanta counties and cities now serves 11 counties including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale.
“After decades of a fruitful and mutual relationship with GMRC, Forsyth County looks forward to the regional partnership that ARC will bring,” said Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Cindy Jones Mills. “The transition over to the Atlanta Regional Commission will give Forsyth County residents a stronger voice about our future in key areas, including transportation planning and water quality. I would like to express my gratitude to my fellow board members and to the local legislative delegation for the many months of hard work that made this possible.”
In Fall 2019, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners petitioned for the County to move from the GMRC to the ARC. The Georgia Senate and House approved a resolution in March 2021 for a move to the ARC, followed by Gov. Brian Kemp signing HR 130 transferring Forsyth County to the ARC effective July 1, 2021.
“Forsyth County is one of the most dynamic and important parts of metro Atlanta. In many ways, the County’s fast-growing and evolving population reflects the future of our region,” said ARC Board Chairman Kerry Armstrong. “This growth also brings ever-increasing challenges in long-range planning. We look forward to having Forsyth join our efforts in improving the quality of life for everyone in the Atlanta region.”
About the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC):
ARC is the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 74 other cities. ARC serves as a catalyst for regional progress by focusing leadership, attention and planning resources on key regional issues.



