SmyrnaBlog.com

Another presidential election has come and passed and as promised, it was a historical one.  With an estimated 136.6 million Americans (approximately 64.1% of registered voters) turning out to vote, this might be the highest percentage turnout in almost a century.

You might have noticed a few items at the end of your ballot to amend parts of the Georgia Constitution.  Most important to Smyrna was Amendment 2: “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize community redevelopment and authorize counties, municipalities, and local boards of education to use tax funds for redevelopment purposes and programs?”

In 2007, a lawsuit was filed seeking to halt the Atlanta School System from using future school tax revenues to help fund the Beltline Project.  Much like the Jonquil Village development, the Beltline Project had been approved to receive Tax Allocation District (TAD) funding to help with infrastructure expenses of the development.  The case ended up before the Georgia Supreme Court which ruled earlier this year that it was unconstitutional for school boards to allocate tax funds for development projects.  While TAD projects like Atlantic Station that had already issued TAD bonds were grandfathered-in, projects which had not issued bonds (Jonquil Plaza and Beltline) were not able to issue bonds for the portion of the tax bill representing school taxes.  What did this ruling mean for developers of Jonquil Village?  Essentially, they would only be able to receive low-cost TAD bond funding on half of the $26.2 million initially approved for the project.

In order for developers to be able to receive school tax funds to subsidize large development projects, the State Constitution had to be amended through the passing of Amendment 2 on yesterday’s election ballot making use of school tax revenues constituitional.  The results have been back and forth with a close vote but based on an ajc.com story published at 11:53 am on November 5th, 2008, it appears that the amendment has passed.  With 96% of precincts reporting, it appears that 51.6% of voters were in favor of the amendment.  The article said the total was as close as 20 votes apart at one point in the night with more than 3.5 million votes cast on the issue.

Site work and construction have been at a virtual standstill at the Jonquil Village site for several months now.  One can only speculate that with the tight credit markets, Jonquil developers are dependent on the additional bond funding from the school tax system in order to make the project feasible.  While passage of Amendment 2 does not guarantee that Jonquil Village will receive the additional TAD funding from the school system, it is a significant victory for developers, and in my opinion, for everyone in the communities which will benefit from the expanded scope of their projects.

April 10, 2008 – Music at the Hall: 7 pm to 9pm - Our newest concert series “Music at the Hall” in front of City Hall. Enjoy an intimate, open-air atmoshere and special musical offerings on these Thursday evenings in April and spend some time in the Market Village. 
April 13, 2008 – 929 Dave FM’s Acoustic Sunset - Each Sunday morning, 929 dave fm brings you Acoustic Sunrise - a toned down collection of vintage music, coffee house specialties, and unplugged versions of your favorite dave fm artists. Now, say good evening to Acoustic Sunset, dave fm’s live music series in the Smyrna Market Village. Wind down your weekend each Sunday beginning at 4:00pm with music from local and emerging artists. Bring your friends and family, and join dave fm for Acoustic Sunset in the Smyrna Market Village.  A free, all ages event!  Proudly supported by Coors Light - The World’s Most Refreshing Beer, the City of Smyrna, Atkins Park, and your home for live music, 929 dave fm. 
April 14, 2008: Table Reservations for the 2008 Summer Concert Series : Admission: May 17- $20; June 14 - $20; July 12 - $20; Birthday Celebration-Aug. 2- $25 - Smyrna residents (proof required)may reserve a table for one or all of the indicated City of Smyrna events: May concert-May 17 ($20); June concert-June 14 ($20); Dance Night-July 12 ($20); Birthday Celebration-Aug. 2 ($25). Reservations must be made in person at the Community Center–200 Village Green Circle–on Mon., April 14, 2008 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.Residents only. Proof of City residency is required. The City of Smyrna reserves the right to adjust or limit the number of tables, and/or adjust table placement and location. Reservations are made on a first-come-first-serve basis and are limited to two tables per party. Tables are 48″ rounds with seating for six (6). There will be no refunds for no-shows. Cancellations must be made one week prior to the concert date to be eligible for a refund. No shows are subject to loss of table reservations for the remainder of the concert dates. For additional information, contact the Smyrna Parks and Recreation Department at 770-431-2842. Smyrna Community Center-200 Village Green Circle, Smyrna, 30080. 
April 17, 2008 – Music at the Hall: 7 pm to 9pm - Our newest concert series “Music at the Hall” in front of City Hall. Enjoy an intimate, open-air atmoshere and special musical offerings on these Thursday evenings in April and spend some time in the Market Village. 
April 20, 2008 – 929 Dave FM’s Acoustic Sunset - Each Sunday morning, 929 dave fm brings you Acoustic Sunrise - a toned down collection of vintage music, coffee house specialties, and unplugged versions of your favorite dave fm artists. Now, say good evening to Acoustic Sunset, dave fm’s live music series in the Smyrna Market Village. Wind down your weekend each Sunday beginning at 4:00pm with music from local and emerging artists. Bring your friends and family, and join dave fm for Acoustic Sunset in the Smyrna Market Village.  A free, all ages event!  Proudly supported by Coors Light - The World’s Most Refreshing Beer, the City of Smyrna, Atkins Park, and your home for live music, 929 dave fm.  
April 24, 2008 – Music at the Hall: 7 pm to 9pm - Our newest concert series “Music at the Hall” in front of City Hall. Enjoy an intimate, open-air atmoshere and special musical offerings on these Thursday evenings in April and spend some time in the Market Village. 
April 26, 2008 - 6th Annual Atkins Park 4th Annual Crawfish Boil - 4TH Annual Louisiana Crawfish Boil on Saturday, April 26 from 2:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Proprietors Kevin Drawe, Stuart Corriher and Rusty Hamlin are Louisiana natives so you can be sure this event is as authentic as it gets. Live music starts at 3 p.m. featuring the the Squirrelheads. There will be live music, great Cajun food and beer all day. This event is in conjunction with Smyrna’s annual Spring Jonquil.  Cost:  $5 
April 26, 2008: Jonquil City Jog : Admission: Register online www.active.com, additional registration info www.smyrnacity.com; $15 registration, $12 children 12 & under; $12Group (10 or more); Tot Trot (kids 5 & under, no t-shirt) free; $20 race day - Sat., April 26– 7:00 a.m. Registration & packet pickup; 8 a.m. - 5K Run/Walk; 9 a.m. - Fun Run & Fitness Walk; 9:15 a.m. - Tot Trot Register online in March at www.active.com Run…or walk…for fun, education and pie at this exciting 5K race benifitting the Campbell High School Educational Foundation. The Jonquil City Jog is part of the Run and See Georgia Series. The race begins and ends at City Hall after a fast and beautiful route down Atlanta Road. Awards presented to Overall Masters Male/Female winners and top three finishers in 15 age groups. First place finishers also win a Kenny’s Key Lime Pie. Registration includes t-shirt. $15 registration; Kids 12 & under $12; Group (10 or more) $12; Tot Trot free (under 5,no t-shirt); $20 Race Day. Proceeds benefit the Campbell High School Educational Foundation, Inc.—a non-profit organization that provides financial and community support for Campbell High School students. Register online at www.active.com in March, look for additional registration information on www.smyrnacity.com. Registration/race information call 770-518-8002. General information call 770-434-6600 or go online at www.active.com or www.smyrnacity.com 
April 26 & 27, 2008: Spring Jonquil Festival : Admission: free.
Spring Jonquil Festival around the Village Green. Sat., April 26 –10a.m.-6p.m.; Sun., April 27 – 12 p.m. – 5p.m. Shop the arts and crafts market and experience a wide selection of festival foods as you stroll downtown at Smyrna’s Spring Jonquil Festival. Be sure to visit the Featured Artists Market. For vendor and/or sponsor information,contact JRM Management Services 770-423-1330 or www.jrmmanagement.com. Free admission. 200 Village Green Circle, Smyrna, 30080. 
April 27, 2008 – 929 Dave FM’s Acoustic Sunset - Each Sunday morning, 929 dave fm brings you Acoustic Sunrise - a toned down collection of vintage music, coffee house specialties, and unplugged versions of your favorite dave fm artists. Now, say good evening to Acoustic Sunset, dave fm’s live music series in the Smyrna Market Village. Wind down your weekend each Sunday beginning at 4:00pm with music from local and emerging artists.  Bring your friends and family, and join dave fm for Acoustic Sunset in the Smyrna Market Village.  A free, all ages event!  Proudly supported by Coors Light - The World’s Most Refreshing Beer, the City of Smyrna, Atkins Park, and your home for live music, 929 dave fm.

I wanted to bring your attention to a neighborhood in the Smyrna Vinings area and a new listing I have in the community.  Park at Vinings is a single family home swim community built by Pulte Homes between 1999 and 2000 consisting of 83 homes.  With front/rear lawn maintenance, trash collection, water & sewer included in the monthly HOA fees, Park at Vinings is a great alternative to townhomes for someone looking for low maintenance living.

Pulte targeted the “starter home” market when building these homes and only offered entry-level finishes and a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath floor plan.  Basement homes are pretty scares in the community with most homes built on a slab.  With time, many homeowners have replaced flooring, remodeled kitchens, added trim molding & improved the interior details of these homes.

I am the listing agent for 2608 Alvecot Circle which is a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath slab home priced at $270,000.  I’ve sold 8 or 9 homes in this neighborhood and I can honestly say this one has more upgrades than any other I’ve seen.  For starters, the current homeowner replaced the main level carpet flooring with a brown hardwood floor (kitchen floor is ceramic tile).  The kitchen also received granite counters, undermount kitchen sink, upgraded faucet, breakfast bar added, and the knee wall between the breakfast area and family room was removed and additional cabinetry was added.  A sliding glass door off the breakfast area leads to a rear deck with built-in bench seating.

The main level also has a dining room with bay window at the front of the home, a two-story family room with wood burning fireplace, laundry room (washer and dryer are included), and a half bath.  Another unique feature of this home is the open spindle handrail leading from the downstairs to the top level (Pulte built all homes with waist-high sheetrock wall leading upstairs).

The upstairs level has brand-new carpet, the master suite, and two secondary bedrooms sharing a hall bath.  The spacious master bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and wall of windows.  The master bath features new tile floors and has a separate shower and tub.  All door hinges and knobs have been replaced with a nickel-finish hardware and almost all the light fixtures throughout the home have been updated.

Park at Vinings is located just inside of the perimeter between Atlanta Road and S. Cobb Drive in unincorporated Cobb County (no Smyrna City taxes).  While many of the townhome communities nearby have experienced price softening over the last year, Park at Vinings has seen recent gains in sales prices.  This is most likely attributed to the fact that there are no other comparable newer construction single family homes in the area priced below $300K.

As you have probably noticed, my posting has dropped off dramatically over the last two months.  For that, I apologize.  The last two months have been especially busy for me with an unexpected move (we sold our house near the Smyrna Market Village to a buyer without having it on the market), a dramatic increase in business, and a much needed ski trip in Colorado.

Regarding the move, we thought it would be prudent to “downsize” our house and monthly payments since the majority of our income is tied to the real estate market.  We’re still in the Smyrna Vinings area but just inside of the perimeter.

As for business, the spring market has kept me really busy with a number of new listings and a handful of sales.  I’m going to profile a number of the new listings through posts here on the site.

If you have submitted a question through the “Ask Us” page, thank you for your patience.  I hope to have a response to you as soon as possible.  Please keep checking back because I do plan on making regular posts to the site.

Mason  

*** Please forward this update to your friends and neighbors in Ward 3!  Additionally, if this update was forwarded to you and you would like to receive all Ward 3 updates directly from me, please send your email address to tanulewicz@ci.smyrna.ga.us or info@friendsofteri.com. *** March 11, 2008 Dear Ward 3 Residents, I hope everyone is ready to enjoy a beautiful Smyrna spring.  I will be out of pocket for a little while this month as I am scheduled to have a baby this week.  However, I will be checking email regularly, and if there’s anything that I can’t take care of myself I will make sure your question or concern is forwarded to someone who can address it immediately. I hope that in this newsletter I address any questions you might have about the many projects happening in and around Ward 3 and Smyrna.  In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding Ward 3.  Your feedback is critical, and I am always happy to hear from you!  I’ve included my contact information in this update. Sincerely, Teri Anulewicz  My Contact Information: Teri AnulewiczCell: 770-262-1350Office: 770-319-5308Smyrna Main Line: 770-434-6600Email: tanulewicz@ci.smyrna.ga.us Email List: In order to get information quickly to Ward 3 residents and businesses, I am constantly updating my email list.  If you would like to receive all updates on Ward 3 and on the Belmont Hills and Jonquil Village projects, please send your email address to either tanulewicz@ci.smyrna.ga.us or info@friendsofteri.com. If you do not want to receive these updates, please send me an email asking me to remove your address from the list! Ward 3 Updates: ALL City Council meetings are open to the public, and if you are a Charter Cable customer, you can watch the meetings live on Charter public access channel 19.  You can also stream the meetings on your computer when they are rebroadcast on TV 23, Cobb County’s public access cable channel.  For information on meeting rebroadcast schedules, go to http://communications.cobbcountyga.gov/tv23/.  

• Belmont Hills – Following last month’s Georgia Supreme Court decision, the Mayor, city staff, and the developers have met to discuss possible options.  I remain optimistic that the redevelopment will proceed, but the original plan may be altered slightly to reflect the changes in TAD financing.
• Jonquil Village – Site excavation and dirt relocation are 90 complete.  (Nearly all of the dirt from the site is being used to create a new park on North Cooper Lake Road). As with Belmont Hills, some aspects of the project may change as details regarding the financing of the project are worked out, but perhaps most importantly, Publix remains scheduled to open in June 2009.  Additionally, if you would like to see detailed site plans for Jonquil Village, including samples of materials and the project’s color scheme, please call Smyrna’s Community Development Department at 678-631-5354.
• Railroad Silent Crossing Zones – A revised contract between the City and CSX was created to incorporate upgraded pedestrian crossing access in addition to the already agreed upon upgrades.  I have seen the renderings for the crossing and I am thrilled with the improvements for pedestrians, and I hope that you will be pleased, as well.  I am working on getting a digital copy of the rendering and I will send that out with next month’s newsletter.  The timeline for completion of the project remains at about nine months, but we are working to expedite that process.
• Railroad Pedestrian Bridge – I’m sure many of you are familiar with this project, which has varied in both scope and location over the past few years.  Most recently, we are considering locating the bridge south of the Spring Street/Atlanta Road crossing because of the pedestrian upgrades that are incorporated in the Silent Crossing Zone plans.  Possible options include locating the bridge somewhere that will enhance pedestrian access to Jonquil Village and the expanded Silver Comet Trail.
• Drought – Since the Governor relaxed drought restrictions to allow pools to operate this summer, it looks like we’ll all be able to beat the heat at Tolleson Park!  Look for an opening date sometime in April.  To learn more about the City’s Drought Response plan, go to http://smyrnacity.com/index.php?customernumber=871821679319944&pr=Drought_Response.  More information on the Smyrna Toilet Retrofit Program can also be found via that link.  Additional information on the outdoor watering ban can be found here: http://www.gaepd.org/Files_PDF/outdoor_watering_faq.pdf 
• Weekend Directional Signs - the City of Smyrna has temporarily eased restrictions on weekend directional signage for real estate.  Please be advised, however, that this is only for the 90 days, beginning in February, unless it is extended by the Mayor and City Council or a more permanent solution is established by Mayor and Council.  In addition, this signage will be subject to the several guidelines.  If you would like to see a copy of the guidelines, please contact me and I will forward them to you.  These guidelines are subject to change as we see how this program unfolds over the next few weeks. 
• Education Task Force – The Smyrna Education Task Force has met several times since its inception in February.  Ward 3 representatives include Cara Fox, Cheri Kemp, and Chrissie Nesbitt.  I am thrilled that these gifted women are lending their talents to help improve Smyrna’s public schools, and I will keep everyone informed of what the Task Force accomplishes.  Most recently, the Task Force has formed subcommittees to address concerns including safety, facilities, and after-school programs.
• Dog Park Field Conditions Hotline – The field conditions hotline for Burger Park and the off-leash area at Lake Court Park is now operating.  The hotline number is 678-631-5388.  Park patrons calling the hotline can find out if the parks are open after a rainstorm or if they are impacted by any other conditions.  Additionally, an Open/Close flip sign is posted at each park, along with the hotline number.

 Kudos: Thank you again to Cara Fox (Whitfield Street), Cheri Kemp (Grady Street) and Chrissie Nesbitt (Parkview Place) for volunteering their time and talent and serving on the Education Task Force! Upcoming Events:  March 15, 2008: Spring Fling and Easter Egg Hunt
Jump in to spring on Saturday, March 15 from 10 am to noon at Tolleson Park. Easter Egg Hunt begins at 11 a.m.  Children must bring their own baskets. Enjoy the Easter Egg Hunt, outdoor activities, crafts for kids, moonwalk and giant slide and a visit from the Easter Bunny. Tolleson Park–3515 McCauley Road, Smyrna, 30080.  This event is free – for more information, call 770-431-2842 March 17, 2008: Mayor & Council meeting7:30 PMCouncil Chambers at City Hall To sign up for public comment, please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. March 17, 2008: St. Patrick’s Day Festival at Atkins Park Atkins Park is hosting their annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival starting at 4 PM on Monday, March 17.  The event features live music, $4.00 draft beers, traditional Irish food, and more.  All proceeds from the event benefit the Owen T. Wheeler Pediatric Cancer Foundation and the Taylor Brawner House Foundation.  Tickets are on sale now for $5.00; after March 10, they are $10.00; tickets are $15.00 at the gate.  To purchase tickets, visit http://www.smyrnamarketvillageevents.com.  For interested residents, there will be pre- and post- event meetings regarding the event.  If you are interested in attending these meetings, please contact me at tanulewicz@ci.smyrna.ga.us. March 19, 2008: Town Hall Meeting with Commissioner Joe Lee Thompson7:00 PMSedalia Park Elementary School2230 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta Cobb County District 2 Commissioner Joe Lee Thompson, who represents Ward 3, will hold a town hall meeting.  This meeting is open to the public – for more information, call 770-528-3316. March 24, 2008: Cobb Underage Drinking Task Force Town Hall Meeting7:00 – 8:30 PMThe Mansour Center, 995 Roswell Street, Marietta                All members of the community are invited to the meeting, especially concerned parents, youth, civic groups, merchants, public and private organizations, law enforcement, and elected officials.  The Cobb Safe Neighborhoods/Safe Homes Campaign will be highlighted with youth and adult presentations, as well as a community update and exhibitors.  For more information, visit www.CUDTF.org or call 404-223-9812. Coming in April: Thursday Evenings in April: “Music at the Hall” Series – Spring Edition
April 3, 10, 17 & 24 in front of City Hall 7 PM to 9 PM

Enjoy an intimate, open-air atmosphere and special musical offerings on these Thursday evenings in April and spend some time in the Market Village. Or, join us for no reason at all except to be part of the music scene. Musicians are members of and/or recruited through the Smyrna Artists Business Association - http://www.smyrnaartbiz.org/.  These events are free and open to the public.  For more information, call 770-434-6600. April 26, 2008: Jonquil City Jog “Walk, Jog, run or FLY - for fun, education and pie!”
7 am to 12 pm
Smyrna City Hall

Run…or walk…for fun, education and pie at this exciting 5K race benefiting the Campbell High School Educational Foundation. The course begins and ends at City Hall after a fast and beautiful route down Atlanta Road. Awards presented to Overall Masters Male/Female winners and top three finishers in 15 age groups. First place winners also win a Kenny’s Key Lime Pie! Register online at www.active.com  in March (entry fee includes t-shirt): $17 registration; Kids 12 & under $12; Group (10 or more) $12; Tot Trot free (under 5, no t-shirt); $22 Race Day. Look for more registration info here and on www.smyrnacity.com. April 26-27 2008:
Spring Jonquil Festival
Sat., April 26, 2008 - 10 am to 6 pm & Sun., April 27, 2008 12 pm to 5 pm
 
Shop the arts and crafts market and experience a wide selections of festival foods as you stroll downtown. Be sure to visit the Featured Artists Market. For vendor information, call 770-423-1330 or www.jrmmanagement.com,  Service Request: Did you know that you can request city services online?  Go to http://www.egovlink.com/smyrna/  and click on the Action Line.   Should you have an urgent request during regular business hours, please call 770-431-2850.  The after-hours emergency service number is 770-434-6666.  Of course, for police or medical emergencies, always dial 911! Remember, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions for improvements in Ward 3!  I look forward to your feedback, and I will do my best to address any issues you might have. 

Dianne previously posted the following comment on the “Ask Us” page of the site:

“Big trucks are hauling dirt back into an area off North Cooper Lake Road to use in landscaping a new park. The area is just off Nowlin Road. We’ve heard rumors that the area is an old landfill that hadn’t perked enough to build on yet. Apparently the new park will have trails and a dog run. It sounds like a great addition to the neighborhood. What’s the story?”

After seeing lots of grading going on at the Jonquil Village site, I suspected that they were delivering the excess dirt to the site Dianne was referring to.  I checked with the Smyrna Director of Parks and Recreation and here is what he had to share about the location:

“The dirt from Jonquil Plaza is the source for the deliveries to the former landfill at North Cooper and Nowlin.  We are glad to have the volume being delivered to the North Cooper property  as we would have otherwise paid for it. The dirt being delivered now is being spread for a future parking area and meadow. The roadway into the landfill has received quantities of crushed asphalt and stone which we would also need  for a future, light duty road  into the site. These road improvements have also saved the City money.

Parking, grassed meadow for passive use, and roadway are the features we described as part of the funded, phase I development of the future park. After public input meetings some months ago, we now have a  better understanding of what residents prefer and don’t want  at that location.  Trails were discussed at length while a fenced canine area was offered as a possibility.  Finishing the park master plan – which we’ll do over the next few months – will serve to document the long term plans for the site. The finished master plan would produce a site plan as well.”

Construction is well underway for this French Cottage just blocks from the Smyrna Market Village.  Available for $485,000, this home offers one of the largest floor plans and highest finish levels of any home below $500K in the Smyrna area.  Gourmet chef’s kitchen features a large center island seating 4, Wolf stainless steel range, extensive custom cabinetry, granite counter tops, and a butler’s pantry between the kitchen and dining room. 

The main level (click here to download main level floor plan) includes a large dining room, study with extensive trim work, kitchen open to the family room, mud area, laundry, and a covered back patio.  The upstairs level features oversized secondary bedrooms (one with private bath and two sharing a Jack & Jill bath)  along with an impressive master suite with a large sitting area, private covered  porch, his & hers walk-in closets, optional morning bar, and spacious master bath with double-headed shower. 

Please click here to download a complete floor plan of the upstairs level.

Standard features include 10′ ceilings on the main level, 9′ ceilings upstairs, hardwood floors on entire main level, 8′ solid core doors on main level, 3 piece crown molding on main level, stainless steel appliances, and granite vanities in the master bath.

Elizabeth Street is located off Spring Street a block away from Durham Park.  There is still time to customize and make design selections.  Please contact me with any questions.

Smyrna’s newest city councilmember Teri Anulewicz has not wasted any time keeping her constituents updated on the issues affecting the city.  Yesterday she sent out her first newsletter and she has given me permission to post it here.  Her contact information is below in case you are interested in being added to her subscription list. 

Dear Ward 3 Residents,

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year.  I am so honored and excited to represent Ward 3, and now that I have been officially sworn in as Smyrna’s newest City Council member, I am happy to send you this update, which is the first of many monthly updates I will be sending to Ward 3 residents.Please know that I will do everything I can to make sure that Ward 3’s residents and business owners feel that they are well-informed of news and events in Ward 3 and throughout Smyrna.  I also want you to know that it is easy to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas about how to improve Ward 3. 

I will send monthly updates to everyone on this list; however, because Jonquil Village and Belmont Hills are such tremendous projects for Ward 3, I will send updates on these projects as they happen.

Ward 3 Updates: ALL City Council meetings are open to the public, and if you are a Charter Cable customer, you can watch the meetings live on Charter public access channel 19.  You can also stream the meetings on your computer when they are rebroadcast on TV 23, Cobb County’s public access cable channel.  For information on meeting rebroadcast schedules, go to http://communications.cobbcountyga.gov/tv23/.

*** Please forward this update to your friends and neighbors in Ward 3!  Additionally, if this update was forwarded to you and you would like to receive all Ward 3 updates directly from me, please send your email address to tanulewicz@ci.smyrna.ga.us or info@friendsofteri.com. ***Teri AnulewiczCell: 770-262-1350Office: 770-319-5308Home: 770-319-6923City of Smyrna Main Line: 770-434-6600Email: tanulewicz@ci.smyrna.ga.us

The other day, one of our “regulars” pointed out that Wal-Mart’s web site was showing a new Smyrna location “coming soon” on their store located page.  Furthermore, their map indicated that the store will be located in the vicinity of the intersections of Atlanta Road and Windy Hill Road.  For those of you that do not know, Belmont Hills is located at this intersection and has been the source of a lot of debate in Smyrna and Cobb County during 2007 (click here for previous posts about Belmont Hills).

 Jack Halpern’s first TAD proposal for Belmont Hills was centered around a Super Wal-Mart which was rejected by Mayor and Council.  It appears that Wal-Mart has never removed the “new store” from their site.  Jack was quick to respond to my email the other day with the following: “Although we are disappointed about the slow pace of the TAD process and the current state of the residential market, our plans for redeveloping Belmont have not changed significantly from those described in my earlier communication.  We haven’t had any recent conversations with Wal-Mart regarding this site.” 

Additionally, the Smyrna Development office informed me that since the initial Wal-Mart proposal, “the City has received no site plans or further proposals to include a Wal-Mart on the Belmont Hills site.  Furthermore, the City of Smyrna currently has a moratorium on the construction of any retail facilities over 100,000 square feet within the TAD boundary.”

I’ll be sure to let you all know if there is anything in the future that you can do express your support for the currently proposed Belmont Hills redevelopment plan.

On Saturday, January 5, Keep Smyrna Beautiful volunteers will again brave the winter weather from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Home Depot parking lot on Cumberland Parkway to take your tree and give you a free seedling (while they last) and a smile! 
How can you participate?   Simply remove all the ornaments and the base from your tree and bring it to the Home Depot between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on January 5.  (Home Depot asks that trees not be dropped off before the day of the event because of space limitations.) Also, please do not bring wreathes and garland.  Because the wire used to hold them together, they cannot be chipped. Bring bags if you wish to pick up free wood chips. Volunteers are needed! To volunteer, call Keep Smyrna Beautiful at 770-431-2863.
Many families have made it an important holiday tradition to drop off their tree and plant a seedling in its place. Since the program started in 1990, more than 2 million trees have been collected statewide and more than 1 million seedlings have been given away.
We look forward to seeing you on January 5!