BOC approves apartment complex

The 46.77 acres development will have up to 250 apartment units. Approximately 9.5 acres of the development will be devoted to commercial use and 9.5 acres will be designated as open space.

Attorney John Stell, speaking on behalf of the applicant and property owner William Gasaway, said the development would be an efficient use of land and infrastructure.

Stell also took the opportunity to address concerns that the complex would unduly burden local schools. According to Stell, research shows that subdivisions have an average of 64 school age children for every 100 homes. Apartment complexes average 21 school age children per 100 units. Additionally, the tax revenue per square foot would be higher with an apartment complex than with single family dwellings, Stell said.

In other business, the commission:

• tabled a vote on an agreement to provide sewer service to Schuetz Container Systems. Several aspects of the contract are still under negotiation.

• tabled a vote on the Barrow County joint comprehensive and transportation plan. Planning director Guy Herring recommended the plan be tabled until all municipalities had completed their review and adoption of the plan.

• reappointed Mary Sims and Bobbie Ellington to the Barrow County Board of Children and Family Services.

• approved the 2009 Georgia Indigent Services Agreement. Barrow’s portion of the cost will be $275,500 for personnel costs and $32,400 for non-personnel related expenses.

• approved a request to auction surplus county equipment through GovDeals.com. Chief Administrator Keith Lee said the county has made more than $150,000 from GovDeals auctions in the past fiscal year.

• authorized Chairman Doug Garrison to sign the Haymon Morris/ Hoyt King intersection improvements and traffic signal installation contract. The state will be funding the project at a cost of $394,700.

• awarded the bid for survey work on Thurmond Circle to CEI Engineering Associates. CEI Engineering was the lowest of 19 bids at $7,750. The highest bid was in excess of $40,000.

• awarded SunBelt Builders the contract for construction of the new animal control facility. Sunbelt’s bid of $1.46 million was the lowest of nine bids. The total project cost, including engineering fees, will be $1.53 million.

• approved the purchase of a new $24,964 turf mower with SPLOST funds.

• spent 40 minutes in executive session to discuss litigation and land acquisition. No action resulted.

• approved for a request to rezone 5.65 acres at the intersection of Loganville Highway and Highway 81 from AR to C-2 for commercial development.

• approved a special use permit to allow a plastic products manufacturing facility at 1555 University Drive in Auburn.