MABLETON IMPROVEMENT COALITION

NEWSLETTER

January 1, 2016 

From the President...

     

Happy New Year! 2016 is an election year, so be sure you are registered to vote. It's important! 

Registered voters will select the US President, Senators and Representatives; State legislators; and vital local officials such as Cobb County Commission Chairman and District 4 Commissioner. Your vote counts at the national level and right here in our community too. There is another way to be a part of our elections.  Cobb County needs additional pollworkers for this busy year. Learn more by reading their  brochure .

The state Presidential Primary is March 1st. You can register to vote or update your address online by clicking the "Register to Vote" link. You can also download an App for that! Look for the free App called GA VOTES at your Apple or Android App store.

Make sure your voter registration is up to date so you can vote in the correct precinct. Go online or the GA VOTES App and enter your name, county, and birth date. Your voter registration will be displayed along with other available voting information such as your assigned polling place, advance voting information, and sample ballots. You can even print a copy of your precinct card or have a copy sent to your email. 

The last day to register for the March 1st Presidential Primary is February 1st. If you need additional information, contact the Cobb County Elections office at 770/528-2581 or online

Stay tuned to this newsletter and our Facebook page for all the news about Mableton. As always, feel free to give me a call or send me an email - I'm always ready to talk about Mableton!

Sincerely,   
   
Joel Cope
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MIC President
(404) 550-0475 

Bring One for the Chipper!
Saturday, January 2nd from 9am to 4pm
Recycle your natural Christmas tree on Saturday, January 2nd from 9am to 4pm at the Home Depot at 1200 East West Connector, at the intersection with Floyd Road. Sponsored by Keep Cobb Beautiful, Bring One for the Chipper allows your cut tree to become useful mulch at locations around the county.

South Cobb Toastmasters - Calling All Spanish Speakers
Charter Membership
South Cobb Toastmasters is in the process of forming a sister bilingual club in the area and is looking for charter members. Meetings will be conducted in both English and Spanish, providing an opportunity for students of both the Spanish and English languages to learn and practice their speaking and listening skills. Learn more about Toastmasters at their website or email for more information.

Riverview Road Construction
Watch for Road Closures
Jamestown, LP, the developer of Riverview Landing, has announced the start of road Road Work Ahead improvements on Riverview Road, which runs between Veterans Memorial Highway and South Cobb Drive along the Chattahoochee River. According to a recent press release, the initial work has already begun and will be completed in October 2016. The road will be widened and sidewalks and a median will be added. At times, the road will be closed to through traffic, so if you use this route regularly, watch for posted information.

Riverview Landing is an 82-acre site planned for a mixed-use development with homes, apartments and commercial space. Current plans call for 12 acres of greenspace focused on the River.

Sidewalks for Mableton Parkway
Discovery Boulevard to Factory Shoals Road
The process has begun to bring sidewalks to Mableton Parkway. The Board of Commissioners recently selected a firm to develop a plan for a ten foot wide multi-use trail for cyclists and pedestrians on the south side of of the road and a five foot wide sidewalk on the north side of the road. The sidewalks will run from Discovery Boulevard to Factory Shoals Road for a distance of 2.39 miles.

The project is in the early stages with funding from the 2011 SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax). Construction funds will come from the 2016 SPLOST funds recently approved by Cobb County voters. Once a preliminary design is completed, a public information meeting will be conducted.

Cobb Parks Coalition Seeks County Acquisition Funds
2008 Bond Issue
Advocates for more parks space in Cobb County have re-energized the Cobb Parks Coalition, which successfully lobbied for the passage of the 2008 Cobb Parks Bond issue. Voters approved the county's plan to borrow up to $40 million through issuing bonds in order to purchase greenspace around the county. After the vote, however, with the beginning of the "great recession," county officials decided not to issue the bonds, so the purchase money was never available. Many of the parcels under consideration have since been developed.

Advocates argue that once the public has spoken, county officials are required to issue the bonds for the promised purpose. In December, County Commission Chairman Tim Lee indicated that the county would look at the feasibility of issuing the bonds now, if it could be accomplished without a tax increase.

Visit the Cobb Parks Coalition blog for more information about this grassroots effort and to keep up with the latest news.

Zoning News
Approved in December...
The Church of the Pentecost USA  was granted rezoning for property located at  5606 Mableton Parkway , the old Wachovia/First Union Bank building. MIC's Zoning Committee worked with church leaders to resolve issues related to the parking lots, traffic flow, and landscaping. The BOC granted the church two years in which to demolish the stand-alone drive-through banking structure. 

Brilliant Automotive located at  700 Veterans Memorial Highway (SLUP-11) was approved for a 2-year continuation of their Special Land Use Permit for Used Car Sales. The company will continue the wrought iron-style fencing along Veterans Memorial Highway and Lions Club Drive, replacing the current chain link fencing. Landscaping will also be installed at the corner.

Coming Up in February (no zoning hearings in January)...

At the request of  Elite Auto Collision, the Board of Commissioners postponed their hearing on the request  to allow an auto body shop at 380 Veterans Memorial Highway, SE  (OB-57). The MIC Board voted to oppose this request and neighbors in the Allen Road/Lakeshore area circulated a petition in opposition, as well. The hearing is expected to be on February 16th at 9am before the Board of Commissioners.

There are seven new zoning applications in Mableton that are scheduled for a Planning Commission hearing on February 2nd. The MIC Zoning Committee is in the process of talking with these applicants and/or their attorneys. If you are interested in any of these applications (or all of them!), please contact Robin Meyer.
  • Atlanta Safety Brake has requested rezoning of their property at 5756 Sydney Anne Court (Z-3) from General Commercial to Neighborhood Retail Commercial.
     
  • Unique International Auto, LLC has filed an application to rezone their property at 5835 Powell Drive (Z-4) from R-20 to Heavy Industrial for used car sales, auto storage yard and offices. A special land use permit application (SLUP-1) has also been submitted for the used car sales and auto storage.
     
  • Aldridge Grading and Trucking Co. is requesting rezoning for 86 Veterans Memorial Highway (Z-5) from R-20 to Light Industrial for continued use by their grading business.
     
  • Diamond Roofing Company would like to rezone 5827 Powell Drive (Z-7) from R-20 to Light Industrial.
     
  • The owners of Hilltop Shopping Center (Z-11) would like to rezone this property at 1391 Veterans Memorial Highway to Light Industrial for a climate-controlled self-storage facility. Presently, the shopping center appears to be vacant except for a dollar store.
     
  • The KOK warehouse at 281 Veterans Memorial Highway (Z-14) is the subject of an application for rezoning to Light Industrial.
     
  • At the corner of Mableton Parkway and Factory Shoals Road (Z-17), the owner of the small restaurant on the corner and the strip center housing Webb's Cleaners has applied for rezoning to Neighborhood Retail Commercial zoning.  
Questions? Want to get involved? Contact Robin Meyer, MIC Zoning Committee Chair.

Thanks to our Sponsors
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If you'd like to become a MIC Sponsor, please contact Joel Cope.



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