Cobb County Current Issues
Housing Market Experiences an Upturn in Metro-Atlanta
Good news for Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, Cherokee and Forsyth Counties regarding the housing market. Collectively, the five counties have issued over 8,000 new home permits between April 2012 and March 2013: Gwinnett: 98% growth Cherokee: 78% growth Forsyth: 68% growth Fulton: 68% growth Cobb: 45% growth This significant growth follows a tumultuous number of years for the construction business following the recession, but the increase in housing permits signify a light at the end of the tunnel. An increase in the housing market has many...
read moreMarietta City Council Approves Hiring of Consultant Contingent on Approval of the Mayor’s $35 Million Bond Package
Marietta City Council , Wednesday, April 17th, took the first steps towards asking voters to approve a $35 million bond package to promote the redevelopment of Franklin Road, Whitlock Avenue, and Lemon Street, as well as other areas within the city. The Council unanimously voted to hire Dianne McNabb of PFM Group, a financial consultant as well as Teresa Finister of Murray, Barnes, Finister, a bond and disclosure council to oversee the project, contingent upon the bond passing. The proposal before the Council (Click HERE) seeks to...
read moreMarietta City Council to Consider Mayor’s $35 Million Bond Package
Marietta Mayor “Thunder” Tumlin recently presented a proposal before the Marietta City Council Committee meeting that seeks initial approval by the Council for a $35 million bond package to promote the redevelopment of yet to be determined facets of Marietta. The proposal before the Council seeks to authorize the issuance of a General Obligation bond for special projects and to stabilize the student population in the Marietta School System. If approved by the citizens of Marietta, the bond may increase the millage rate by 2 mills...
read moreCobb County Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Enjoys A Successful Kick-Off
Last Thursday, the product of two years work (led by Cobb Chamber president and CEO David Connell and Cobb Chairman Tim Lee) took shape with the kick-off of gathering of Cobb County’s business leaders to begin the 5 year Competitive EDGE program. The program is expected to raise $4 million over the period, through contributions by the private industry, with a focus on economic development and job creation and improving community with the vision of a very successful Cobb County. Brooks Mathis, EDGE Executive Director and has worked...
read moreKSU Head Football Coach’s First Public Appearance at Council’s Cobb Advisory Meeting
The Council’s Cobb Advisory Meeting was a lively one yesterday, as Kennesaw State University’s Athletic Director, Vaughn Williams the first head football coach at KSU, named only Tuesday, Brian Bohannon. During his first public appearance Wednesday at the Council, Bohannon provided great insight into the future of the program, which begins recruiting on April 15 and will begin the first season of play in 2015. The addition of KSU’s football program will provide an enormous economic impact, not only in Cobb County, but in...
read moreCobb’s ESPLOST: Vote YES
Cobb County residents return to the polls in two weeks to decide on the extension of the existing Education SPLOST. The 1% for education has been in place in Cobb since 1998, and this extension will run from 2014 to 2018. The importance of the monies cannot be stressed enough, as local boards of education are being asked to do more with less, as revenues from the state are far less than what they were a decade ago. The $717 million ESPLOST package includes monies for new schools and facilities, replacing old buildings, additions and...
read moreState Senate District 6 Race Sees Lines Drawn: Stoner v. Hill
The State Senate District 6 race, which represents not only an entirely new district, but also the lone seat between Republicans holding a Constitutional majority in the Senate has two candidates who have both been familiar with voters: Senator Doug Stoner, the incumbent and Hunter Hill, the Republican challenger, who faced Stoner in the 2008 election and came up short. To learn more about the race, click...
read moreCommissioner Goreham Talks Mass Transit in Cobb
At a recent community meeting, Northwest Cobb Commissioner Helen Goreham said her focus was to look at what is next for Cobb County to boost economic development, with mass transit as a focus for the future. Cobb County is currently evaluating this, along with other ideas as it waits for Kimley-Horn & Associates to complete an environmental impact study in the next one to three years Click HERE to read...
read more575 Interchange Scheduled for Completion December 31, 2012
The newest diamond interchange is 95% completed and slightly ahead of schedule, according to the Georgia DOT. The interchange replaces the existing Rope Mill Road bridge over I-575, realigning Rope Mill Road to intersect with Ridgewalk Parkway, accommodating the new ramps and building auxiliary lanes between the new interchange and Towne Lake Parkway. To learn more click...
read moreCouncil Members and CID Chairman Tad Leithead and Mason Zimmerman Receive Praise from Cobb Board of Commissioners
Council for Quality Growth Member and respective Chair of the Cumberland Community Improvement District Tad Leithead along with current Council for Quality Growth Vice-Chairman and Town Center CID Chair Mason Zimmerman presented their annual report to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners and received much praise from BOC Chairman Tim Lee. Included in the plans for Cumberland CID was the goal to leverage $30 million in CID dollars to gain $150 million in state and federal funds during the next seven years to work on the improvement of roads,...
read moreCobb Advisory Hosts Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon at the September Advisory Meeting
Cobb County Advisory Committee hosted Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon and enjoyed a comprehensive update on the development success in Smyrna and upcoming planned projects in the Smyrna area. Additionally, the county and city staff updated members. County staff updated members on redevelopment projects at Franklin Rd.
read moreCobb Advisory Welcomes Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon at the September 26th Advisory Meeting
Cobb County Advisory Committee is pleased to announce that Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon will be the guest at the September 26th meeting at Traton Homes. Mayor Bacon will update Council members on economic development issues in Smyrna, along with his priorities for the upcoming year. Please make plans to attend the lunch by emailing James Touchton at JT@CouncilforQualityGrowth.org. We look forward to seeing you there!
read moreResults of the Alternative Analysis Revealed
At the Tuesday Cobb Commission meeting, the results of the alternative analysis, conducted by Croy Engineering, were revealed: a $1.1 billion express and rapid transit bus system that would connect KSU to the MARTA Arts Station in Midtown via a 29 mile stretch, with routes that would stretch into Acworth, Kennesaw,Marietta,Smyrnaand the Cumberland Community Improvement District. CountyTransportationDirector Faye Dimassimo noted that funding options for the project could include federal funds and other local cost sharing options with cities...
read moreCobb County Turns Down Federal Road Funding
The United States Department of Transportation released $473 million of earmarks that had gone unspent, with Georgia allocated $11 million for state road projects. The stipulation for this funding is that the projects must be ready to go and on the verge of construction. Cobb County at this point does not have projects that meet the funding criteria for these federal funds. In 2012, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) will be releasing $87.5 million in federal funds in order to improve the 18 county metro regions, with a 20% match from the...
read moreMarietta Square Looks to Add Trees
The Council for Quality Growth has spent considerable time working on the proposed changes to the city’s tree ordinance package, which will be presented to the city council sometime this year, if all goes to plan. A special thanks to Council for Quality Growth members Chris Poston and Daryl Cook for their work and input on this issue. The Council looks forward to working with city officials further in order to develop a policy that allows for additional trees and green space without complicating development in a recovering...
read moreRevamping the Mableton Image
The question of assigning the city ofMabletonas a Community Improvement District (CID) has risen, especially after the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) conducted a study which acknowledged the fact that Mableton has a poor image in the community. The ARC presented its findings to the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority last week, stating that there are several factors that create this negative reputation. It will be tough for Mableton to ever break away from how it is perceived, for much of its problems derive from the fact that it is...
read moreCobb County: Will Voters Look Forward or Backward on August 21st?
After the dust has settled in the race for Cobb County Commission Chairman, Incumbent Tim Lee is left standing and will face controversial former Chairman Bill Byrne in an August 21st runoff. Chairman Lee has led Cobb County since his special election in 2010, in a flailing economy and boldly made tough choices that allowed Cobb County to maintain its AAA Bond Rating while still providing county services in an efficient manner. Former Chairman Bill Byrne, who left office in 2002 in a failed run for the Republican primary nomination for...
read moreCouncil for Quality Growth Offers an Amendment to Cobb BOC Proposed Urban Condominium Changes
The Council for Quality Growth last night, provided comments to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners and offered a proposed amendment to the county’s proposed code changes that would have allowed condominium owners to rent more of their units to likely lessees, in a recovering economic market; rather than remain stuck in their current condo or forcing them to sell well below the value they purchased their home. The Council would have optimally liked to leave the current code as-is but recognized the need for compromise and offered an...
read moreDiverging Diamond Interchanges Big Hit Region Wide, Cobb Next In Line
Initial estimates place a DDI at the I-75 and Wade Green Road interchange in early 2014. Following Gwinnett County’s lead, a DDI is forecasted for early 2014 at the Wade Green Road interchange in Kennesaw. The intent of a DDI is to increase the capacity of vehicles an intersection can accommodate, while decreasing congestion, by eliminating a left turning traffic light for commuters exiting the roadway. DDIs have been successful in other parts of the region and many more will break ground in the near future. The cost of the project amounts...
read moreHistoric Downtown Kennesaw to see Future Facelift
The Kennesaw City Council met Monday night at 6:30 pm and approved a central business district (CBD) project in the heart of historic downtown Kennesaw. The conceptual plan on the table is a $26 million, four story mixed use development located at the corner of Watts Drive and Main Street. The design also includes 9,000 square feet of street retail locations, 240 apartment units and 638 new parking spaces in the area. Unique to developments in the CBD, projects require approval from the Kennesaw Development Authority and the Historic...
read moreCobb Property Tax Assessment: Decreased Revenues Test County Government
230,000 residential property tax assessment notices have been sent out to Cobb residents, nearly half of which have been lowered. Of the 230,000 notices that were sent out 106,370 or 46% of which had their property tax assessments lowered. Required by a new state law, enacted last year, these notices are now required once a year, every year, whereas previously they were only sent if a valuation was changed. This reduction in property tax across the county will result in an approximate 4% decline in the tax digest and ultimately means less tax...
read moreFuture of Hickory Log Reservoir to be Discussed
Last week, authorities from the City of Canton and the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority met to discuss the future of Canton’s 25% ownership stake in the Hickory Log Reservoir. Currently, Canton is seeking to sell its portion of the $100 million reservoir, either to the Cherokee County Water and Sewage Authority or to a private investor. Canton can only sell its portion of the reservoir with approval from Cobb County, though Cobb’s spokespeople have stated that they would not stand in the way of a deal with Cherokee. Cobb County is wary...
read moreMoreland Altobelli Selected to Design New Interchange at Windy Hill Rd and I-75
The Cumberland CID Board recently approved the hiring of Moreland Altobelli for the design of a new interchange at Windy Hill Rd. and I-75. The interchange is scheduled for major renovations should the July 31st Regional Transportation Referendum be passed. Tad Leithead, Chairman of the Cumberland CID, said “This work needs to be done either way, I think the money is well spent irrespective of what happens on July 31 because we’ll have a concept that we all agree on.” No matter what final design is chosen, the result will be...
read moreCobb EMC Investing in Solar Power
The Cobb Electric Membership Corporation (Cobb EMC) announced that it will be taking a step back from coal-powered energy and instead invest in solar-power. Cobb-EMC has entered into an agreement to buy solar-power from an initiative put together by Jacoby Development. This power will be produced at a facility in Davisboro, Georgia. Cobb EMC’s agreement represents the largest solar-power project in Georgia’s history, and will result in the production of 10 megawatts of power annually. To read the full story, click...
read moreCobb County Board of Commissioners Approve Urban Condominium Moratorium
The Cobb County Board of Commissioners have suspended the zoning designation of “urban condominium” until July 24. The Board voted 4-1 to suspend the designation in order for the Department of Community Development to determine the rules explaining the difference between condominiums and apartments. These two structures are similar except that apartments are typically leased and condominiums are typically sold. There is also consideration for a zoning policy that will require some apartment complexes to convert to...
read moreAtlanta Regional Roundtable’s Cobb Representatives Seek to Change Regional Transportation Referendum Project List
Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tim Lee and Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews are seeking to change the Regional Transportation Referendum Project List to reduce funding for transit and add the I-75/575 reversible toll lanes. State Senators Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) and Lindsey Tippins (R-west Cobb) and State Representative Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) are also supporting reopening the project list. This proposed change would require the state legislature to reopen HB 277 in order to allow changes to be made to the project...
read moreCobb County Board of Commissioners to Cobb County Code Draft Amendments
Draft amendments to the Cobb County Code will be considered by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners during public hearings on January 24, 2012 and February 28, 2012. Both public hearings will begin at 7:00 p.m at 100 Cherokee Street in Marietta. To view a copy of the amendments that will be considered, CLICK HERE.
read moreCouncil Members’ Companies Honored at 2011 NAIOP Awards
Weeks Robinson Properties and Duke Realty received top developer awards from the National Association IOP at their annual awards banquet on December 1. Weeks Robinson Properties, lead by 2011 Council for Quality Growth Chairman Forrest Robinson and Council member Ray Weeks, received the award for Industrial Owner/Developer of the Year. At the beginning of 2011, Weeks Robinson had raised $158 million in investment equity. Throughout 2011, Weeks Robinson closed on a number of significant acquisition and development deals throughout the...
read moreCobb County Development Standards Committee Meeting
Cobb County hosted the first Development Standards Committee meeting on October 13th. The purpose of the committee is to review and evaluate the current development standards. The Council for Quality Growth along with other members of the development community and county officials are part of the committee. Over the next month, the committee will meet and submit recommendations that will improve the current standards and support future development in the county. The Council will keep you up to date on the progress of the...
read moreCobb Millage Rate Vote
The Cobb Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to increase the millage rate on July 26th. Cobb Chairman Tim Lee, Commissioner Helen Goreham and Commissioner Woody Thompson voted in favor of raising the Cobb millage rate from 9.60 mills to 11.11 mills. Commissioner Jo Ann Birrell and Commissioner Bob Ott voted in opposition of the millage increase and recommended cuts to the county budget instead. The millage rate is broken down into 7.72 mills for the general fund, 3.06 for the fire fund and .33 for debt service. The millage...
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