Emerald Plantation Home Owners Association - EPHOA

12/12/2020

EP Homeowners, sorry for this late post but the McDonough City Council will be voting on the annexation and rezoning of the property located on Campground Rd this Monday, 12-14-20. This case will directly impact how the Wade Farm (next to EP) will be developed. Please read the information below and voice your opinions to the City Council:

 Mayor Pro Tem Craig Elrod’s District 3, (the property is in his District) 678-739-7469, [email protected]
 Mayor Billy Copeland: [email protected] , 678-782-6210 (Direct Line)
 Benjamin Pruett, At-Large: [email protected] , 404-801-5386
 Roger Pruitt, At-Large: [email protected] , 678-491-7051
 Rufus Stewart, District 1: [email protected] , 678-618-7754 (Cell)
 Sandra Vincent, District 2: [email protected] , 678-245-1808 (Cell)

Charles P.
Charles P. Downey
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IMPORTANT UPCOMING MEETING
December 14, 2020
Postponed from 10/19/20 and 11/16/20
McDonough City Council Will Vote
For Annexation & Rezoning of Campground Rd
293 Lot Subdivision

293 Houses equal estimated 300 additional Students & 1,240 new Daily vehicle trips!

McDonough City Hall
Council Chambers, 136 Keys Ferry St, McDonough, GA

Monday, 12-14-20, 6:00 p.m. Council Public Hearing and Vote

After two postponements, 10-19-20 and 11-16-20, by the developer, the City Council will be voting on the Campground Rd annexation and rezoning on Mon, 12-14-20. No reasons were given for the postponements, but this is often a common tactic for wearing the citizens out. The original requests were to annex & rezone 183 acres on Campground Rd consisting of 293 lots with sewer. The rezoning request was for an R-75 classification with lots ranging from 60 ft width, 7,500 sq ft to 75 ft width, 10,000 sq ft. The adjoining City subdivision (SD), Brush Arbor, lots are larger at R-100. (1 acre = 43,560 sq ft)

Changing the rural character of the Campground Rd will have a negative impact for the following reasons:

 This subdivision (SD) will add extra cost to the City:
o City will have to buy water from the County, thus, extra administration, maintenance costs & no profits from the sale of water.
o Brush Arbor SD uses County Water but pays the City for sewerage services. This proposed SD will be connected to County sewerage, thus, no profits from the sale of sewerage.
o Employees will drive extra 2.8 miles (round trip) down Hwy 155 to the subject property on Campground Rd.
 A Street connecting the Brush Arbor SD to the requested SD should reduce some traffic on Hwy 155 & Campground Rd.
 Currently less than a mile away is a 105 lot Conservation SD under construction with 18,000 sq ft lots, 100ft street frontage on sewer.
 The additional traffic from this request of 293 houses plus the 105 house SD on Elliott Rd will put greater safety risk on school buses using Bryans Dr from Campground Rd going to & from the Union Grove High & Middle Schools.
 Safety of students living in the requested SD will be a major concern should the students walk to & from the Union Grove Schools down Bryans Drive, which is a narrow road with no sidewalks.
 The developer says that the City’s standards are higher than the County’s but the City have their problems also. For example, the City Square, North Valley, Bridal Woods, Bridal Ridge, and Bristol Park Developments were/are headaches for the City. Higher standards do not equal perfect development.
 The County has a Conservation SD Ordinance, which allows for open space on larger lots with sewer. Thus, less density. The County’s Ordinance will be a better match for the character of the Campground Rd area.
 Density Issue: When developer first requested the annexation and rezoning of the property, he proposed to build 400+ houses but thanks to the County’s objecting to the 400+ houses and annexation, the developer had to comply with County/City Land Use Plan by reducing the number houses to 293. Why do people move into Cities? Do you think it is because of the wide-open spaces or is it to be close to other people, shopping, etc.? Bottom line, without the Land Use Plan, the developer could have asked the City for R-75 rezoning, which would equal to 400+ houses.
 Other Topics: School Redistricting (is possible due to this SD & other recently approved projects), Public Safety (Crime/Car Accidents/Fire), Public Health (EMS), & Environmental (Wetland Protection) issues need to be considered also.
 Storm Water drainage will increase the potential of major flooding downstream. In 2019, there was flooding of Walnut Creek east of Elliott Rd.

Your voice is important to the future of the McDonough/Campground Rd area! If approved, this annexation & rezoning requests will set a model for future requests of nearby properties!

You may voice your opinions at the City Council meeting on Dec 14th. However, the space is very limited due COVID-19 so be sure your voice is heard by emailing or calling the Mayor and City Council members (See Below).

• The property is in Mayor Pro Tem Craig Elrod’s District 3, 678-739-7469, [email protected]

• Mayor Billy Copeland: [email protected] , 678-782-6210 (Direct Line)

• Benjamin Pruett, At-Large: [email protected] , 404-801-5386

• Roger Pruitt, At-Large: [email protected] , 678-491-7051

• Rufus Stewart, District 1: [email protected] , 678-618-7754 (Cell)

• Sandra Vincent, District 2: [email protected] , 678-245-1808 (Cell)

10/31/2020

Happy Halloween! 🎃

10/30/2020

Did you see the latest post on our website from Caleb Amos, HOA President, about 2020 Halloween? Check it out here:

​Curious what the site is all about? Click the image below to go to a blog post about the site or just take a look around.

10/26/2020

Neighbor,

Here is my update on the Campground Rd Annexation and Rezoning with a summary of the McDonough City Council meeting held on Monday, 10-19-20:

 Campground Rd Annexation and Rezoning: The Mayor announced that these requests are postponed until Monday, 11-16-20. There was no reason given for the postponement. Mark your calendar and be prepared to voice your opinions again. I hate to say this but this postponement could be a tactic to wear the public down.

 North Racetrack Rd & East Travis (behind Publix on Hwy 81), Rezoning for high density housing, townhouse & apartments: The Mayor announced that this request was postponed until Thursday, 11-5-20. There was no reason given for the postponement. Once again, this but this postponement could be a tactic to wear the public down.

 Family and Senior Subsidized Apartments on Zack Hinton Pkwy (1148 Hwy 20/81 West, Tracks 1, 2 & 3, Next to McDonough Schools): Council Member Vincent wanted the public to understand that this property was zoned for apartments in 2004 and the Mayor and Council were voting on the conception plans for the apartments. The Mayor and Council approved the plans.

If you would like to watch the video of the meeting, click on this link:

Live and Recorded Public meetings of City Council Meeting LIVESTREAM for McDonough, Georgia

10/13/2020

EP Neighbor,
I’m your neighbor from Heathmoor Dr. You may ask why should I be concerned with the annexation and the proposed 293 house subdivision on Campground Rd?
The Wade Farm next to EP will be developed one day, which will directly impact our property values and daily lives. At that time, it probably will be modeled after the Campground proposed subdivision with very small lots of 7,500 and 10,000 sq ft. In other words, our lots in EP are 3 to 4 times larger. Can you envision 3 to 4 houses on your lot?
Please read the enclosed flyer and share it with your friends, especially, your City of McDonough friends. Your McDonough friends will have the strongest voices because of the annexation request.
Thanks,
Charles Downey
770-898-7931

09/21/2020

EP Homeowners,

Are you prepared for 293 houses on Campground Rd, which will equal to an estimated 300 additional students and 1,240 new vehicle trips PER DAY!

At its meeting this past Tuesday, 9-15-20, the McDonough Planning Commission voted to recommend the approval of the annexation of 183 acres on Campground Rd and the approval of the rezoning of this property for 293 houses on very small lots with sewerage.

During the meeting the developer announced, due the requests from citizens they increased the buffers surrounding the property, which is good.

If you’re interested in actively stopping the annexation and/or reducing the number of houses and increase the lot sizes, please email Charles Downey at [email protected] as soon as possible. With the Planning Commission’s and staff’s recommendations for approval, we have a lot of work ahead of us. With an organized game plan, we can defeat the annexation request thus making the development more comparable to our area and needs by allowing the County to oversee these requests.

The Mayor and City Council are scheduled to vote on these requests, 10-19-20, not much time for us to prepare.

For more information about annexation and rezoning requests, see below.

Thanks for your dedication in making our community better.

Charles P.
Charles P. Downey

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General Holdings Unlimited, LLC has requested the City of McDonough to annex and rezone 183 acres from adjoining properties on Campground Road ( #’s 1330, 1400 and 1442) consisting of 293 lots on sewer. The request is for an R-75 classification with lots ranging from 60 ft width, 7,500 sq. ft to 75 ft width, 10,000 sq. ft, Remember, 1 acre = 43,560 sq. ft.

Many citizens believe that the current rural character of the Campground Rd area promotes and sustains good quality of life and property values. They believe fewer and larger lot sizes would be better for the McDonough/Campground Rd community for the following reasons:

 There will be extra cost to the City. Employees will drive extra 1.4 (2.8) miles down Hwy 155 to the subject property on Campground Rd. The County will provide the water and sewerage, thus no extra income for the City.
 The higher traffic volume will put greater risk on school buses using Bryans Drive from Campground Rd. The main entrance to the requested development will be directly across from Bryans Dr going to the Union Grove High and Middle Schools.
 Safety of students living in the requested development will be a major concern should the students walk to and from the Union Grove Schools down Bryans Drive, which is a narrow road with no sidewalks.
 Other Schools, Public Safety (Crime/Traffic/Fire), Public Health (EMS), and Environmental (Water) issues need to be considered also.
 Storm Water drainage increases the potential major flooding downstream. In the spring of 2019, there was some flooding of Walnut Creek east of Elliott Rd.
 300 additional students may create overcrowding, thus, potential for school redistricting.
 If the requested rezoning passes, the need to preserve the set aside green space should be addressed and placed into the plan.

Remember, your voice is important to the future the McDonough/Campground Rd area! Current annexations and rezoning requests will set a precedent for the future requests!

Regardless of your opinion, your voice will make a difference! In addition to attending the McDonough Planning Commission and City Council meetings, email or call the Mayor and City Council members by using this link, http://www.mcdonoughga.org/city-government/mayor-city-council to voice your opinions about the Annexation and Rezoning of the Campground Rd property. The district Council Member for this area of McDonough is the District 3 Council Member Craig Elrod, 678-739-7469, [email protected]

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Site Plan as of March 2020

The City of McDonough Mayor and Council are elected by the municipal voters to provide the vision, leadership, and policies necessary to meet the needs of the citizens and community. The governing body consists of seven elected officials who serve four year terms and are elected on rotating basis—...

07/25/2020

Looking for something fun to do today? Check out the Art Walk McDonough!

Happy Saturday!

MAIN STREET LAUNCHES ART WALK MCDONOUGH
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Main Street McDonough will officially launch Art Walk McDonough on Saturday, July 25, 2020, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on the McDonough Square.

Participants start the 1.5 mile self-guided walking tour at the Welcome Center where they are provided with an official Art Walk McDonough printed guide. The route leads guests on an exploration of downtown McDonough featuring fifteen unique murals, models, and artworks by both local and National artists. The tour concludes at the Hood Street Gallery, where participants are presented with a “I Walked the Walk” magnet to commemorate their journey.

Many of the artworks are perfect for photo opportunities, most notably being a mural of a Luna moth painted by artist Melissa Burgoyne. Anyone interested in the possibility of having their photos featured on Main Street McDonough’s social media should include when posting.

“Although social distancing guidelines have impacted our ability to host events, Art Walk McDonough has been designed with the goal of providing community members with a fun and safe activity to enjoy,” explained Main Street Manager Cinderella Bennett.

While the intent of the walk is to showcase the artwork throughout downtown McDonough, participants are also encouraged to peruse the various small businesses and even stop for a meal in one of the excellent restaurants along the tour.

For more information about Art Walk McDonough, follow us on Facebook or check out our website at www.mainstreetmcdonough.com.

07/04/2020

Wishing all of our neighbors a Happy 4th of July!

05/09/2020

Update: the car we reported stolen has been found! Thank you again to the Henry County Police Department for their help!

04/26/2020

EDIT: Last night a car was stolen at the 4-way stop at the intersection of Heathmoor and Ashley. I previously posted that it happened outside of the neighborhood but it actually took place inside.

If you happen to have an outdoor video camera please be sure to check your feed from last night to see if anyone was checking cars that are outside of the garage. While we hope that no one did, _if you see someone you don't recognize please respond to this post with information_.

Any responses we get could be a huge help in catching the people behind the reported stolen car.

03/09/2020

Note:

The request for the Annexation and Rezoning of the property on Campground Rd is on hold for 60 days due the City Council’s decision to study the water usage. (See the attachment and below)