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Thursday, January 18, 2007
The secret is out in ‘Gwinnett’s best kept secret’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Grayson, at least within its city limits, resembles one big construction site. Dirt’s being turned nearly everywhere you look.
“Everything looks like a mess,” said Mayor Jim Hinkle as we drove in and around the two-mile radius of a town that claims to be “Gwinnett’s best kept secret.” Me thinks the secret is out.
Subdivisions are sprouting and houses are being advertised at sky-high prices. “Starting in the low $400s,” stated one sign. The lowest figure I saw for a new housing development was $300,000. In this town, affordable housing may be a true oxymoron.
On Wednesday, the Badie Tour rolled through Grayson because, frankly, I’d never been to this part of the county. What an eye-opener.
Traffic on Ga. 20, which is being widened to a four-lane artery with a median, is horrendous. Shopping centers along the snarly road appear to be relatively new, but look rustic, thanks to architectural standards that have been put in place. Town leaders want to keep and re-create the Victorian style that graced buildings in the town’s early days. Think Madison, Ga.
And because of that, the Taco Bell/Long John Silver’s storefront looks nothing like those on Jimmy Carter Boulevard. And if the developer can’t or refuses to meet standards, tough. Waffle House didn’t come to town because businesses within the city limits (deemed a special overlay district) can’t operate past midnight. A Kroger, which is located outside that area, was granted a special-use permit to stay open 24/7.
For critics, the difference in the treatment of the two businesses and other issues point to under-handedness. Town leaders have been accused of operating a good ole boys network with strong developer ties. A reader raised that possibility to me this week in an e-mail after the AJC Gwinnett News publicized Wednesday’s tour.
Hinkle, a ringer for former Gov. Zell Miller , denies the accusation.
“Of course, all of us know developers from all over the county,” he said. “They are putting up their money to do something, but you should see the pages of conditions that they have to meet.”
For example, houses can’t be constructed of vinyl siding. That and other standards haven’t chased builders away, though. Housing projects dot the landscape. Some are next to pastures with cows and horses.
“One, two, three, four ….” That’s Hinkle counting the number of subdivisions that are in various stages of construction. He stops at nine.
“You can never stop growth,” said the retired attorney who works as a magistrate judge. “But you sure can control it if you do it right.”
Of course, growth poses issues. New houses mean there’s a need for schools, and several will have to be built in Grayson in the coming years. The Gwinnett County Police Department’s southside precinct patrols the area, and Hinkle say they’re great at it.
But their presence is not enough. So the city hires off-duty Gwinnett County police officers to buffer regular patrols.
“Nobody likes change,” Hinkle said. “But our desire is to make the changes that are happening reflect the flavor of Grayson.”
4Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail: rbadie@ajc.com.
Things to know about Grayson: Grayson was initially called “Trip,” a named suggested by local merchant J.D. Spence. The name was changed to Grayson in 1902.
The town’s centerpiece is Grayson Park, an eight-acre complex off Grayson Parkway located next to City Hall, the senior center and the Arts and History Center.
Grayson is served by the southside precinct of the Gwinnett County police department. In addition, off-duty Gwinnett officers also are hired to patrol the city.
On Nov. 7, voters approved two referendums to allow weekday mixed-drink sales in restaurants.
Grayson schools: Grayson Elementary, Pharr Elementary, W.J. Cooper Elementary, J.P. McConnell Elementary School and Grayson High.
The $6 million Grayson branch library opened in 2006.
Volunteers are needed for Grayson Day, an annual festival that takes place on the last Saturday of April. Details: 770-963-8017.
To find out more about Grayson, visit www.cityofgrayson.org or call City Hall at 770-963-8017 .
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