November 2025 Newsletter

NEWS FLASH

Five Forks Trickum Overlay Hearing results!

MPCA attended the Board of Commissioners public hearing and spoke up regarding the Five Forks Trickum Overlay and shared our survey results with the Commissioners. The Overlay was part of the UDO Amendments that were up for a vote. Below is a summary of the UDO Amendment presentation, feedback shared by MPCA, and the results of the decision!

Staff Presentation

• Purpose of Amendments:
• Update Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) with best practices from Georgia and nationwide.
• Add illustrations for clarity.
• Improve consistency and address emerging zoning/development issues.
• Key Changes:
• Allow multifamily development in O&I zoning to revive declining office parks.
• Address new business types (e.g., data centers, distilleries) under existing environmental rules.
• Create Five Forks Trickum Overlay to align corridor uses with county vision and discourage auto-oriented development.
• Adjust open space requirements in OSC zoning: usable open space reduced from 20% to 10% (while total open space remains 40%).

Commissioner Questions

• Multifamily in O&I: Seen as a way to balance declining office demand with residential use.
• Data Centers/Distilleries: No new regulations; existing rules deemed sufficient.
• Overlay Intent: Encourage mixed-use, walkability, and corridor revitalization.
• Open Space: Reduced usable open space to reflect cost/variance trends, while maintaining conservation intent.

Public Comments

• Mountain Park Community Association (MPCA):
• Supports overlay concept but requests stronger protections.
• Key priorities:
• Prohibit certain uses outright (smoke/CBD shops, gas stations, auto-centric businesses).
• Stronger tree protection (limit removal, require native trees, permeable pavement).
• Continuous multimodal pathways (sidewalks, bike lanes, ADA compliance).
• Traffic mitigation required before approvals.
• Density tied to meaningful green space.
• Prioritize redevelopment over new development.
• Streetscape standards (signage limits, underground utilities, pedestrian-oriented design).
• Other Residents:
• Not opposed to overlay, but want protections equal to other districts (e.g., Rowan, Gateway 85).
• Emphasized Five Forks Trickum as a unique residential corridor deserving strong vision.

Final Motion & Decision

• Motion Approved with Revisions:

1. Funeral homes without crematories allowed conditionally in C2/C3 zoning, with 1,000 ft buffer from residential property.
2. In Five Forks Trickum Overlay, prohibited uses include:

• Smoke novelty/CBD shops
• Vehicle rental services
• Vehicle repair/bodywork services
• Vehicle sales/service establishments
• Drive-in/drive-thru restaurants
• Outcome: Motion carried unanimously. Overlay established as a first step, with potential refinement in future amendments.

Bottom Line: Gwinnett County approved UDO amendments including the Five Forks Trickum Overlay, balancing staff recommendations with community concerns. The overlay prohibits several auto-centric uses and sets the stage for future refinements to better reflect resident priorities.

Five Forks Trickum Overlay Survey Results

Interested in the survey results? Click here!

2025 Yellow River Trash Bash

The 10th annual Yellow River Trash Bash, on Saturday 11/15 was a smashing success.

Based out of Gwinnett Yellow River Park, we cleaned 15 sites within a few miles of the Park, including 3 sites at beautiful locations on the river bank; and 2 remote sites. A huge THANK YOU to all the many HS aged young people, and the ‘young at heart’ adults who came out for a couple hours of hard work. Another huge THANK YOU to our partners Gwinnett Parks & Rec, Volunteer Gwinnett, Gwinnett Dept of Water Resources, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, GA Rivers Alive, YR Wildlife Sanctuary, Yellow River Water Trail, and Pizzas by Dogwood Pizza.

Full Event Totals

Total sites       15

Attendees       129

Trash Bags     257

Tires               770 lb

Add’l est. unbagged lbs 1383 lbs

Total weight  3955 lbs

Invasive clearing ¼ acre

The Yellow River Water Trail is a Georgia River’s certified river running 53 miles through Gwinnett, DeKalb, Rockdale and Newton counties, passing beautiful woodlands, stone outcrops, parks, and neighborhoods. The Yellow R. joins with the Alcovy and South Rivers at Jackson Lake to create the great Ocmulgee River.

Want to see more of the fun? Click here to see additional photos of the clean up!

Food Distribution Opportunities!

Check out the food distribution opportunities available in our area!

Community Food Center (Atlanta Community Food Bank) - Stone Mountain

https://www.acfb.org/community-food-center/

1979 Parker Ct., 

Stone Mountain, GA 30087 

Food Distribution Hours: 

Client Choice

• Sunday     9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Monday     10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Tuesday     9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Wednesday  9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Thursday    9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Friday      CLOSED
• Saturday    CLOSED

To make an appointment to get food: Text FOOD to 678-884-4564 or call 478-394-4547.

To Volunteer: Visit our volunteer page.

DONATE

For other questions, to schedule home delivery, or to make an appointment at one of our Community Food Centers by phone, please call 478-394-4547.

Lilburn Co Op

https://lilburnco-op.org/ 

5329 Five Forks Trickum Rd SW, Lilburn, GA 30047

(770) 931-8333

info@lilburncoop.org

Donations Hours

Mon.–Sat. 10am–5pm

Lily’s Cloak Thrift Store

Mon.–Fri. 10am–7pm

Sat. 10am–6pm

New Bethel International COG-Bridge of Hope

1025 Killian Hill Rd SW 

Lilburn, GA 30047 

678.639.1500

Location Operating Hours

Friday

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Saturday

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Mercy Seed Resource Center

4000 Five Forks Trickum Rd SW 

Suite 105  

Lilburn, GA 30047

770.925.8600

Location Operating Hours

Monday - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - By Appointment Only

Tuesday - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - By Appointment Only 

Wednesday - 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM - By Appointment Only

Thursday - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - By Appointment Only

Saturday

9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Special Location Hours / Closures

November 29, 2025 - Closed

December 27, 2025 - Closed

Please note: Program Qualifications

As part of our ongoing efforts to better serve our community and ensure efficiency in our operations, the Mercy Seed Resource Center requires all neighbors to present a valid form of identification* upon each visit:

Salem Missionary Baptist Church

4700 Church St NW  

Lilburn, GA 30047

770.923.3936

Regular Program Hours

Tuesday - 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Saturday - 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

First African CDC-Gwinnett

1960 Parker Ct 

Stone Mountain, GA 30087

404.343.6861

Regular Program Hours

Saturday - 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Peace House Inc.

2158 McDaniels Bridge Rd SW

Lilburn, GA 30047 

404.993.3381

Regular Program Hours

Saturday - 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM

OneSource Learning

2165 W Park Ct 

Suite I 

Stone Mountain, GA 30087

Regular Program Hours - Call for Information - 770.676.5885

Purpose World Inc

1905 Highpoint Rd 

Snellville, GA 30078

762.333.2630

Regular Program Hours

Sunday -12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

4th, 5th Sun of the Month

Monday - 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Mon of the Month

Upcoming: 11/24, 12/1, and 12/8

Wednesday - 2:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Stone Mountain SDA Church

1350 Silver Hill Rd 

Stone Mountain, GA 30087 

770.469.0111

Location Operating Hours

Tuesday - 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Gwinnett Trails is holding an online Community Feedback survey!

Share your opinion with Gwinnett county on trail system improvements at one of the following Community Input events! This is your opportunity to share feedback on sidewalks within the Mountain Park area!

You can "draw a line" on the map to show where you think sidewalks should be added. Use the Line tool, the icon looks like a zig-zag line, in the top right corner on the map and click along which roads you think sidewalks are needed.

Share your input in the online survey!

Gwinnett Hazard Mitigation Survey

Gwinnett County wants to hear from YOU! Take the survey to share how hazards and disasters have impacted you, your property, and our environment. Your voice helps us stay prepared!

Visit: GwinnettCounty.com/HazardMitigationSurvey

Recent Land Use, Building, and Development items in the Mountain Park area

(INCLUDING requests for Zoning, Re-Zoning, Variance, Waiver, Special Use Permit)

7 Brew Coffee Shop

The 7 Brew Coffee Shop has broken ground! MPCA confirmed the development with Gwinnett County Planning. It's been a long time coming, but these things take time!

This development is located in front of the Publix Shopping Center at Killian Hill Rd and Five Forks Trickum Rd.

MPCA Accomplishments!

MPCA voiced community concerns on the Five Forks Trickum Overlay!

The Mountain Park Community Association (MPCA) has played a vital role in amplifying the voices of local residents by actively gathering and presenting thoughtful community feedback to the county commissioners regarding the Five Forks Trickum Overlay.

Through public hearings, surveys, and direct engagement, MPCA advocated for stronger protections and standards that reflect the community’s values—most notably, the request to prohibit high-impact and auto-centric businesses, such as smoke shops, auto sales and services, and drive-thru/drive-in restaurants from being sited adjacent to neighborhoods. The commissioners responded to this robust community input by strengthening the overlay, moving beyond special use permits to outright prohibitions for certain business types, thereby ensuring that future development aligns with the community’s vision for a safer, greener, and more cohesive environment. This outcome demonstrates the power of collaborative civic engagement and highlights how MPCA’s leadership and advocacy have resulted in meaningful policy changes that protect neighborhood character and quality of life for current and future residents.

Gwinnett Water Resources Trick or Treatment event!

Mountain Park Community Association attended this event and had a blast! We shared our mission with many of the attendees while also promoting the Five Forks Trickum Survey. Thank you to all those who took the time to share your thoughts!

Upcoming Events!

Lilburn Cooperative Ministry Christmas Toy Drive

Lilburn Cooperative Ministry on Five Forks is having a Christmas Toy Drive. Donate unwrapped toys by Dec. 12 at the latest.

They also need food and monetary donations!

Where: 5329 Five Forks Trickum Rd SW, Lilburn, GA 30047

Contact: (770) 931-8333

Annual Lilburn Holiday Parade

Annual Lighting of the Tree event

Gwinnett Historic Courthouse Lawn in downtown Lawrenceville

Thanksgiving night at 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Promote your event with MPCA!

Have an event you would like highlighted in our newsletter? We would love to include it in our upcoming events sections! You can provide information on your event by filling out the questionnaire at the following link:

Event Promotion Request

Interested in other events in Gwinnett or Lilburn? Check out the calendars below for activities for the whole family:

 General - Gwinnett | Gwinnett County

Calendar • Lilburn, GA • CivicEngage (cityoflilburn.com)

Special THANK YOU to our Gold tier business sponsors below!

Check out Moosey's NEW BOOK here: Moosey's New Book is Here — Marvelous Moosey Adventures

Marvelous Moosey has blue hooves to remind us it's OK to look different. Our differences are what make each of us unique and marvelous. 

We created Moosey and wrote a book, Marvelous Moosey's Adventures Begin, and he comes packaged in his Moosecase, a box that looks like an old suitcase with interactive games inside. 

5012 Cross Ct. SW, Lilburn, GA 30047

 Email:   info@marvelousmoosey.com

​

https://www.marvelousmoosey.com

The Assurance Group offers a wide array of insurance products, including auto, home, business, and collector vehicles insurance. Our agents will customize a product specifically for you or your business. We specialize in creating innovative solutions to your coverage needs, whether they be Personal or Commercial. Whether we are answering questions about a customer’s homeowner’s policy or working out a claim with a commercial client, our service and knowledge will always be the best around.

912 Killian Hill Road, Suite 202K, Lilburn, GA 30047

Telephone:   (770) 921-1231

 Email:   jprice@taglilburn.com

​

https://www.taglilburn.com/

Country Inn and Suites has been a gracious and generous host to many of the meetings held by MPCA in their conference room. These meetings have facilitated the operations of our organization, hold elections, and even provided a location to meet with officials on important issues to the community. In addition, it has provided valuable resources to spread the work of what we do! Thank you to Country Inn and Suites for your generous contributions!

1852 Rockbridge Rd. SW, Stone Mountain, GA 30087

Telephone 770-465-6515

cx_stmt@countryinnamericas.com

https://www.choicehotels.com/georgia/stone-mountain/country-inn-suites-hotels/gad47

Special THANK YOU to our Silver tier business sponsors below!

Interested in becoming a gold or silver tier business sponsor and being featured in our newsletter?

Join the MPCA Business Sponsorship Program today and let’s make Mountain Park stronger, greener, and more connected — together. 

How to Join 

Getting started is easy: 

1. Decide on your sponsorship tier (Gold or Silver). 
2. Contact MPCA to express your interest using our Contact Us form
3. Please choose "My business wants to sponsor MPCA" option
4. A MPCA Board member will reach out to you with details!
5. Once the sponsorship is completed watch your sponsorship benefits go live — and your connection to the community grow! 

For details or questions, contact the MPCA at mtnparkca@gmail.com or visit MPCA.life and fill out the Contact Us form!

Want to get involved in your community?

Join MPCA - Make your community a better place to live. Check out our committees that need volunteers at the link below: Volunteer positions | Mountain Park GA

OR



Let us know you would like to be included on our volunteer opportunities list, and we will contact you when an opportunity arises!

If interested, please fill out this form for more information!

Too busy to volunteer but still want to contribute?

We are now set up to take donations using Zelle! This method allows 100% of your donation to go to MPCA-led community projects and the overall operational costs, including this newsletter, the website, and survey platforms, and informational and promotional items that we use to gain your feedback and keep you informed! We are a 100% volunteer organization. You can use our office email address MPCALife@outlook.com. Have questions? Feel free to reach out to us through our website! (Linked below)

Or you can donate via PayPal by checking out our Donation page on our website!

Note: Donations are NOT tax deductible. 

MPCA is a 501c4. Anyone who makes a donation is welcome to ask for a financial summary of expenses. Just send us an email!

www.MPCA.Life - MPCA is a non-profit, non-partisan civic organization that advocates for residents and businesses in the Mountain Park Community

RATE US!

MPCA wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!