Snellville's future will offer roundabouts, more green space, a shopping and recreational district, solar power energy facilities and maybe a college campus. Once again, the city has a detailed plan for a new Town Center.
The next challenge will be turning those blueprints into bricks and mortar.
"This plan is going to evolve," Snellville Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer said. "This is where to we want to go, even if we have to make adjustments or modifications. Hopefully whoever comes after me embraces the plan, adds their own flavor to it and moves it forward."
City leaders unveiled the vision for a new downtown area earlier this month, a pivotal step in their plan to create a vibrant destination rivaling those in Gwinnett County cities such as Suwanee and Duluth.
But even as city officials and residents celebrated the newfound cooperation and commitment that made it possible, Oberholtzer and others emphasized that the November elections would be important for the future of the plan.
With two council seats up for grabs and Oberholtzer serving his final term as mayor, supporters of the Town Center plan said voters should make it a priority when assessing the next crop of candidates.
"I'm going to be pushing for it," said councilman Tom Witts, who's not up for election this fall. "I hope people come in and share the vision. This election is going to be crucial to whether the downtown center becomes a reality or we go back to where we were three years ago."
Dating back more than 20 years, a number of residents and city officials have clamored for the development of a new downtown district that would revitalize the town.
After a number of fits and starts over the years, the city kicked off the planning process in December once it hired the firm Clark Patterson Lee to develop a master plan. The plan helped guide development and redevelopment and outlined a branding campaign for a downtown destination that would encompass about a square mile near City Hall.
The final recommendations were developed after the city sought input from more than 1,000 residents and policymakers through online surveys, workshops and public meetings.
Most notably, the plan includes roundabouts at the intersections of Clower Boulevard, Oak Road and Wisteria Drive to create a continuous flow of traffic along the city's congested streets. There are also plans to widen the roads and add pedestrian walkways.
But as of now, noted councilwoman Kelly Kautz, there's no money in the city budget for the project.
"It’s a beautiful dream and I hope it comes true one day," Kautz said. "But it’s still a dream because we don’t have funding."
Others were less enthused.
"I really don't want a town center," said Forestine Hagerty, a resident since 1972. "I'm old-fashioned. I don't want the city to lose its homey feel."
About the Author
