| PAGE LABEL EVEN | Fayette County News INSIDE Dance, cheer teams THE TRUTH SINCE 1886 dominate state. B3 VOL. 149, NO. 11 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 $1.00 INSIDE: State COVID-19 cases top 800,000. A2 INSIDE: Fayette views: Good golly, Miss Molly. A4 Fayetteville mayor: State of the city is ‘Excellent’ BY ALEXANDER CAIN at the Feb. 18 meeting of the Fayetteville I express tremendous appreciation FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS City Council. on behalf of a grateful community,” [email protected] “The state of the city of Fayetteville is Johnson said. excellent,” Johnson stated as part of his Johnson went on to cite the city’s They’re the little things in life that opening remarks to those in attendance. changes during 2020 that allowed the you may never notice. The freshly Johnson then recognized emergency city to continue to stay open during cut grass next to the public sidewalk. services personnel, first responders and pandemic restrictions as much as pos- Flowers planted near popular street cor- fire fighters in the room, thanking them sible and attempt to assist Fayetteville ners. Awnings that provide shelter from personally for their work for the city residents, such as moving toward more rainy weather and invite a customer during 2020 and the ongoing pandemic online services for city business and to share in the wares of the business difficulties. temporarily suspending water shut-offs inside. “We want to thank our first respond- for non-payment. All the little things in 2020 came ers, our local and regional medical Multiple initiatives internally and together to form something bigger -- a staff, and the central workers who have externally both planned and under thriving, prosperous and growing city put their lives on the line during this development were part of the creation of Fayetteville. pandemic to meet the needs of their of the “excellence” of 2020 for Fayette- ALEXANDER CAIN | FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS That’s according to Fayetteville City fellow Americans and the citizens of ville, according to Johnson. Mayor Ed Johnson delivers his State of the City Mayor Edward Johnson, who presented Fayetteville. The sacrifices that they address. his 2020-2021 State of the City Address have made can not be overlooked, and SEE MAYOR, PAGE A3 New City Hall teases downtown Fayetteville skyline Weather slows progress as city hall and park begin to form BY ALEXANDER CAIN FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS [email protected] The newest neighbor for downtown Fayette- ville may still need some time before it opens to the city and public. The city of Fayetteville's new City Hall build- ing is still scheduled to officially open in 2021, despite a few delays since the Oct. 2019 ground- breaking ceremonies. The building is now pro- jected to open in summer, with adjacent projects ALEXANDER CAIN | FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS operating close to the same timeline. One of nine Fayette Senior Services vans prepares to complete loading and departure from Fayette Senior Services at Calendars may have shed 17 months since the 4 Center Drive. day when the ceremonial shovels dug up the ground and made the first official marks for the new building, but that day had marked almost 48 months since the idea for a new building had been proposed as a possibility. In the October 2019 online 'City News' maga- zine, City Manager Ray Gibson outlined a brief history of what is, as of February 2021, a large, multi-story building not far from the buildings ‘It changed her life’ which house most Fayette County offices. "The vision to build this new City Hall and Fayette Senior Services searches for new van as current fleet of vehicles pushed to limits park space began about four years ago as the city leadership team, Mayor Johnson, and our City Council members discussed strategies to make BY ALEXANDER CAIN from across the county. Two of the vans have more than sure the city of Fayetteville was well prepared FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS Many have become friends 200,000 miles on them and will for the growth happening and anticipated in the [email protected] through games and activities, and probably see retirement before the local area," Gibson was quoted as saying to the there are certainly enough smiles end of 2021. City News publication. Musician John Lennon was once to go around. With the number of seniors using Gibson, along with Community & Economic quoted as saying, “Count your age But without a new wheelchair-ac- the center, Senior Services has Development Director David Rast and team by friends, not years. Count your cessible van in their fleet of vehi- launched a search for donations members from GMC, New South Construction life by smiles, not tears.” cles, there may be some difficulty from businesses, the community and CPS, went on a walking tour of the building He may have been on to some- in getting those smiling faces to and the general public to purchase and City Center Park on Jan. 26. thing—because the seniors around the building. There are only nine a new wheelchair accessible van to The existing City Hall is around an estimated the Fayette Senior Services at 4 vans available now, and not all of help take stress away from those 12,500 square-feet in size with 50 parking spaces. Center Drive certainly seem to have them are wheelchair accessible, a currently in service. The new property has more than 10 acres in total taken his advice to heart. Each day common need for Senior Services and is an estimated 36,626 square-feet in space. the center sees use from seniors clients and members. SEE LIFE, PAGE B2 SEE CITY HALL, PAGE A8 Is Whataburger bound for Peachtree City? BY JOHN THOMPSON “Come on Whataburger! From your [email protected] Texas girl,” wrote Tijuana Mays Gris- som. Published reports last week that The company has one store in Thomas- Whatburger is scouting locations in ville, Ga. Georgia, including Peachtree City, has According to Wikipedia, Whataburger ignited a firestorm of joy on various is an American privately held, regional Facebook pages. fast food restaurant chain, headquar- The burger joint and enjoys an almost tered and based in San Antonio, Texas, cult-like following in the Southeast and that specializes in hamburgers. The ALEXANDER CAIN | FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS elicited numerous responses from there company, founded by Harmon Dobson Fayetteville’s new City Hall will not open until Restaurant Reviews of Coweta & Fayette and Paul Burton, opened its first restau- the summer because of COVID and construction Counties Facebook page. rant in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950. delays. COMMUNITY A2, A3, A6 FAYETTE VIEWS A4 CARTOONS/PUZZLE A8 BLACK HISTORY MONTH B1 INSIDE HISTORY A5 SPORTS B3 OBITUARIES A5 CONTACT US: [email protected] • (770) 461-6317 • fayette-news.net | PAGE LABEL EVEN | A2 FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 Council slashes density in residential zoning BY PAM DUFRESNE would slash the maximum from proposed text amendment that in the city’s legal organ, and the Three Ponds facility to the [email protected] 25 units per acre to 12 units per would remove the requirement public comment would be taken. list of seven permitted loca- acre. Since the LUC zoning in in the city’s zoning ordinance Mayor Vanessa Fleisch said tions, which includes Drake The City Council of Peachtree the city allowed for a mix of for the Planning Commis- she felt the information gath- Field, Shakerag Knoll (beer City approved two text amend- commercial/office/residential, sion to hold public hearings ered by the Planning Commis- and wine only), The Gathering ments to the City’s Zoning Cailloux continued that the pro- for rezonings and instead sion would be more fruitful as Place, Frederick Brown Jr. Ordinance at its Feb.18 meeting, posed text amendment to LUC provide a public workshop to a workshop. Council Member Amphitheater, Peachtree City and one of the changes reduces would reduce the maximum provide residents the opportu- Terry Ernst moved to approve Dog Park, William Davis BMX density in General Residential density to 20 dwelling units per nity comment on the rezoning the text amendment, Council Track, and McIntosh Place. (GR) and Limited Use Commer- acre when at least 50 percent proposals. Cailloux noted that Member Mike King seconded, A request to purchase a new cial (LUC) zoning districts. of the building’s ground-level the state’s Zoning Procedures and the vote was unanimous. heavy duty custom pumper Planning & Development contained commercial or office Law required city councils to Council also approved an from Sutphen, Inc., of Dublin, Director Robin Cailloux said uses. hold public hearings and make amendment to the city’s Alco- Ohio, was also approved to Council had directed staff to Council Member Phil Pre- zoning decisions. hol Ordinance for permitted replace the Fire Department’s review the GR density zoning, bor asked when the ordinance The public hearings were locations for special events current reserve engine which and there had been staff topics would become effective, and considered to be quasi-judicial, where alcohol beverages are would was declared sur- at meetings on this issue. Under Cailloux said it would be imme- and everything presented at served or sold. The amendment plus. Fire Chief Joe O’Conor the current text in the GR zon- diately. She added there were no the hearings was considered reduced the city’s liability for said the engine’s bid price was ing ordinance, she said there vested applications asking for evidence. Having the Plan- events held at the facilities and $649,948.57 and delivery was could be a maximum of 25 units more density at this time.