City News - November 2019

CITY

NEWS November 2019

THRIVING BIODIVERSITY IN THE FAYETTEVILLE COMMUNITY EASTERN BOX TURTLES FIND REFUGE AT THE RIDGE NATURE AREA

See pages 4 - 5

Finance Department earns 23rd consecutive CAFR award

Pictured are (l-r) Council Members Kathaleen Brewer and Paul Oddo, Mayor Ed Johnson, Councilman Harlan Shirley, Deputy Finance Director Carleetha Talmadge, Councilman Scott Stacy, Finance Director Mike Bush, Mayor Pro-Tem Rich Hoffman, and City Manager Ray Gibson.

City of Fayetteville Finance Department personnel have once again been recognized for their hard work and diligence in preparing and reporting the City’s budget.

The Finance Department was recently awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the

United States and Canada for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year that ended July 31, 2018. This marks the 23rd consecutive year they have earned this award.

“This is a significant accomplishment for a city of our size,” said Mayor Ed Johnson at the November 7 Fayetteville City Council meeting.

According to GFOA, the

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Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. Assistant Finance Director Carleetha Talmadge, who presented the certificate during the City Council meeting, said it is a whole-team effort with leadership from Finance Director Mike Bush that ensures Fayetteville receives this distinction year after year.

LATEST news

upcoming events

New City Hall site cleared in preparation for building

Saturday, December 7 Christmas on Main Street >>> Downtown Fayetteville, begins with the annual Christmas Parade through the Courthouse Square at 5 p.m., and continues at the Lane Brown Gazebo with Santa & Mrs. Claus, live music, and the Christmas tree lighting.

fayeteville-ga.gov/NEWS

fayeteville-ga.gov/events

The former Fayette County Board of Education headquarters building along West Stonewall Avenue has been removed to make way for the new Fayetteville City Hall, which is expected to be completed by late 2020 or early 2021. The new City Center Park will be built on the eight-acre tract directly behind it. Sign up for E-Mail Updates (see bottom right) to keep up with the progress.

Dan Garcia wins 2019 Fayetteville Pencil Art Contest

Thank you for a great event season! We’re working on the 2020 calendar now, and we’re looking forward to an exciting year ahead!

Want to sponsor an event or become a volunteer?

Contact Joyce Waits 770-719-4173 jwaits@fayetteville-ga.gov

Longtime Fayetteville resident Dan Garcia won the 2019 Fayetteville Pencil Art Contest with his drawing of the Fayetteville Train Depot. His and other contestants’ work are now on display in the Fayetteville City Hall lobby.

Morgan Helmbold placed second with her iteration of the Holliday Dorsey Fife House, and Tessa Pingel took third with her drawing of the Historic Courthouse.

Read more: www.Fayetteville-GA.gov/News.

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Thriving Biodiversity In The Fayetteville Community

When The Ridge Nature Area was first opened to the public in the summer of 2016, local residents and recreational tourists alike sung its praises for being a great park space with seemingly unlimited potential. Now, as more is being learned about this unique City of Fayetteville property, some scientists are saying The Ridge may also be one of the most biologically diverse nature areas in the State of Georgia.

Fayette County resident Dennis Chase, a biologist who retired from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, has been hiking and researching The Ridge for more than a decade, and he has documented more than 70 species of animals on the 300+ acres owned by the City and managed by Southern Conservation Trust. He has also begun documenting the varieties of trees and other vegetation.

Early within his time researching The Ridge, Chase noticed a proliferation of the

Eastern Box Turtle species, and that in time caught the attention of Clayton State University’s Dr. Diane Day, a senior biology lecturer.

Together, Chase and Day have tagged and tracked as many Eastern Box Turtles as they can find, attaching small radio transmitters to their shells so they can be located and observed as part of their ongoing research.

These Eastern Box Turtles have lost natural habitat in Fayette County throughout the years of residential and commercial development, which makes The Ridge an allthe-more-important nature preserve. This land itself was targeted for additional residential development until the City of Fayetteville purchased it nearly 20 years ago to ensure it remained undeveloped.

Around 2014, as more and more Eastern Box Turtles were making their homes at The Ridge, the non-native armadillo’s 4 - October 2019

infiltration of Georgia, which began around 2004, reached Fayetteville in force, and these armor-clad predators pillaged the nests of Eastern Box Turtles, eating many of the eggs they found and destroying the nesting areas. In response, Chase and Day with the help of several Clayton State University students launched in 2015 what they call the Eastern Box Turtle Head Start Program.

According to Chase’s research, 17 nests were destroyed by armadillos in 2014, 31 in 2015, and 43 in 2016.

“On one occasion, we located a newly completed nest that had been opened within minutes of the eggs being deposited,” Chase said. “On another occasion, we witnessed four armadillos surrounding a female [Eastern Box Turtle] that was in the process of covering the eggs.”

Chase says turtle nests have

Eastern Box Turtles find refuge at The Ridge Nature Area

always been at risk due to various natural predators, but he said the armadillo is now considered enemy number one. He said armadillos do far more damage than the other species, to a point of putting the Eastern Box Turtle at risk as a species in the area.

One effort to protect the nests has been to install metal cages around the nests designed to keep armadillos at bay. Nests are monitored, and many turtle hatchlings are carefully transported to Clayton State University’s main campus in Morrow until they grow sturdy enough to return to The Ridge.

Clayton State University ramped up their part of the research and preservation project by setting up the Eastern Box Turtle Head Start facility on their Morrow campus in the new Lakeview Discovery Science Center. There, baby Eastern Box Turtles are looked after in 10-

and 20-gallon terraria until time for release into the wild.

In some cases, if nests are found to be in areas vulnerable to construction or landscape maintenance machinery, the turtle eggs themselves are transported to the university and placed in incubators for the duration of the incubation period.

Upon hatching, the baby turtles are placed with the others in the terraria en route to release at The Ridge.

Chase says he hopes the Fayetteville and wider community will embrace The Ridge as a marvel of biodiversity as much as a great place to take hikes or ride mountain bikes. He asks that guests watch for turtles and by all means keep pets on leashes, as dogs can also be turtle nest destroyers.

[Editor’s note: It is City law that pets must remain on leashes while visiting The Ridge.]

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Chase also encourages local students to consider The Ridge when signing up for school science research projects. While he has done a lot to study the Eastern Box Turtle as well as animals living in the streams, he says there are endless research possibilities at The Ridge, and they are now more conveniently accessed with the well-mapped system of hiking and biking paths.

Fayetteville Mayor Ed Johnson was honored to serve as the keynote speaker Monday, November 11, during Whitewater Middle School’s Veterans Day ceremony.

Fayette County Public Schools cut the ribbon October 21 on their new headquarters located at the Lafayette Educational Center, which is the former Fayette County High School campus on Lafayette Avenue in Downtown Fayetteville.

Visit Us!

Fayetteville-GA.gov 6 - May 2019 6 - November 2019

Dozens of volunteers came out to Downtown Fayetteville on Saturday morning, November 9, for the annual Community Cleanup Day. Groups picked up litter around the Courthouse Square and many other places in the City.

Piedmont Fayette Hospital cut the ribbon on its new Wellness Center at Pinewood Forest in Fayetteville October 24.

A grand opening event is planned for Saturday, December 14. (See Page 13 for the full story)

Follow Us!

@fayettevillega.gov 7 - May 2019 7 - November 2019

Construction in the Community Development updates from around Fayetteville (See location map on Page 14)

1. Fayette Self Storage - 105,000 sq. ft. rental storage facility on approximately three acres

2. New Holiday Inn Express - Will be a four-story hotel with 83 rooms

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3. Pinewood Forest Central Park - Multi-use development situated between two residential phases

4. Office tower at Pinewood Forest - Construction continues, opening soon

5. Pinewood Forest - Parking garage under construction for Capstone buildings 9 - November 2019

Construction in the Community Development updates from around Fayetteville (Continued)

Construction locations within the City

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2 1

8

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6

6. Air Evac helicopter pad and a support facility on Promenade Parkway near the Fayette Pavilion shopping center

7. Satterfield Property -The first of several buildings to include Aspen Dental, Tropical Smoothie, Stanton Optical & Eye Lab, Chipotle, and a fifth tenant to be determined

8. Knight Development headquarters on Whitney Street

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Welcome new Fayetteville businesses Started in the month of October

BUSINESS

LICENSEE

ADDRESSS

PHONE

A+ PLUS PHYSICAL THERAPY LLC

ANDERSON, ODELL

290 HIGHWAY 314 STE B/C/D, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(478) 484-5300

ADVANCE TRAINING AND LEARNING GROUP LLC

MORRALL, JR., ABRAHAM

240 RIDGEWOOD DR, Fayetteville, GA 30214

(678) 463-4334

ATLANTA CLASSIC MOTORS

TALABI, OLUSHOLA

355 LANIER AVE E STE F, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(770) 460-0202

BACK TO LIFE REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

SAINT-REMY, SAMSON

290 HIGHWAY 314 STE B/C/D, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(404) 994-7727

BELL ENTERPRISES

BELL, HENRY

155 SHARON DR, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(678) 949-4622

BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY WAREHOUSE CORP

BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY WAREHOUSE CORP

132 PAVILION PKWY, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(609) 387-7800

CLARENDON PARTNERS LLC

CLARENDON PARTNERS LLC

201 CLARENDON PLACE, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30215

(770) 461-0816

DISCOVER GAMES

BARTON, ALLEN

39 HUDSON PLZ STE B, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

DISCOVER GAMES

BARTON, ALLEN

41 HUDSON PLZ STE B, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

FIRST STEP PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS

TIFFANY G. RANDELL, PSY.D

101 DEVANT ST STE 303, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

JDDK MART

NYARKO, SAMUEL & JULIE

150 THRUSHWOOD DR, Fayetteville, GA 30215

(404) 213-3601

JM HOME CARE SERVICES, INC.

JM HOME CARE SERVICES, INC.

500 LANIER AVE W STE 913, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(770) 873-8290

KADHAL'S CONSTRUCTION

BARNES, VERONICA

320 LANIER AVE W STE 200, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(678) 372-0331

KEYS KDL AUTO SALES LLC

KEYS KDL AUTO SALES LLC

500 LANIER AVE W STE 202, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(678) 630-0721

MILESTONES GROW DISCOVER PLAY EVERYDAY LLC

JENNIFER WASHINGTON, CHARITY MANNS/

834 GLYNN ST S STE 240, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

MJT AUTO BROKERS

MJT AUTO BROKERS

170 ROBINSON DR STE C, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(678) 884-5659

MY TAX PRO LLC

CRAWLEY, SUNNY

105 HABERSHAM DR STE B, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(404) 710-4058

NAIL SPA SALON

LAVISH NAILS INC

1240 HIGHWAY 54 W STE 302, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(770) 719-1989

OUTREACH REDEMPTION

OUTREACH REDEMPTION

110 HABERSHAM DR STE 101, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(770) 371-5000

PEACH FITS, INC

PEACH FITS, INC

285 GLYNN ST S STE 102 & 104, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(678) 206-9891

PHOENIX DAY SPA

DAVID BELL, LIXIN YANG/

320 GLYNN ST N, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(513) 594-8787

REPAIR SCENARIOS

EDMONDS, GREG

110 MEADEWOOD CT, Fayetteville, GA 30215

(404) 520-6475

STATE BOARD PROFESSOR

SINGLETON, SHAKETA

500 LANIER AVE W STE 410, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(678) 884-5329

SUPREME TRANSPORT SERVICES INC

SUPREME TRANSPORT SERVICES INC

320 HILLSDALE DR, Fayetteville, GA 30214

(770) 299-9926

TECHNICOLOR CREATIVE SERVICES USA, INC.

TECHNICOLOR USA, INC.

461 SANDY CREEK RD EDIT STE A & C, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(678) 506-8545

THE SKIN SOCIETY

GLENDYE, KATHRYN

1240 HIGHWAY 54 W STE 602, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(678) 588-3882

UNDERDOGS JIU-JITSU LLC

UNDERDOGS JIU-JITSU LLC

1240 HIGHWAY 54 W STE 305, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(931) 551-0633

WEST LANIER FLATS, LLC

WEST LANIER FLATS, LLC

265 STONEWALL AVE W, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(762) 233-4134

WILLIAMS-DURAN SPEECH

WILLIAMS, JESSICA

290 HIGHWAY 314 STE B/C/D, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(404) 994-7727

YOUR PROPERTY CONNECTOR LLC

HODGE, RALPH

170 RIVER BIRCH TRCE, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214

(770) 862-7295

12 - November 2019

Piedmont Fayette Hospital opens Wellness Center at Pinewood Forest

The Piedmont Wellness Center at Pinewood Forest, a two-story, 60,000-square-foot medicallyintegrated wellness center is now open in Fayetteville in the heart of Pinewood Forest, a purpose-built community adjacent to Pinewood Atlanta Studios.

The wellness center is a first of its kind within the Piedmont system and one of the first facilities in the Southeast featuring popular programming such as Les Mills’ The Trip, a 40-minute multi-peak cycling workout with a cinemastyle screen and sound system.

“Fayette County is a very healthconscious and active community, and area residents have been eager to check us out,” said Blake Hamill, director of the Piedmont Wellness Center at Pinewood Forest. “It has been great to see the level of excitement about our offerings and how we support healthy lifestyle goals.”

The wellness center provides access to state-of-the-art equipment, facilities and programs.

Overlooking Pinewood Forest’s Central Park, members can enjoy

the outdoors through an open-air elevated exercise platform, activity lawns, and the Pinewood Forest community’s 15 miles of integrated trail and path systems.

“Pinewood Forest’s commitment to help people thrive is built on a foundation of health and wellness,” said Pinewood Forest President Rob Parker. “As we seek to inspire creativity in people, we know that it begins with a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Piedmont is the perfect partner to bring this idea to life.”

One of most popular elements of Piedmont Wellness Center at Pinewood Forest is the exercise and aquatic classes. In addition to other Les Mills’ classes, the wellness center offers body combat and body pump classes, as well as aerial yoga, heavy metal yoga, and high-intensity interval training in and out of the pool.

“It has been very encouraging to see the response to what we consider a gold standard facility focused on health and wellness,” said Piedmont Fayette Hospital CEO Stephen Porter.

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“The Piedmont Wellness Center at Pinewood Forest offers clinical integration so that physical therapists and exercise physiologists share common space.

In one room, there are a dozen people taking a kickboxing class, while someone is working with a therapist on rehabbing an injury in another area, and others are swimming or training outside.”

Another unique element provided to members is the wellness center’s human performance program, which provides athletic-style training for members of all ages with dedicated space for indoor and outdoor fitness training.

Access to the wellness center’s outpatient rehab/healthcare service is by appointment only.

For more information, visit piedmontwellnesscenter.com.

Designed by Perkins + Will, the wellness center is a development of Pace Lynch Corporation and was constructed by Brasfield & Gorrie. Additional project team includes HGOR, BDR Partners, and Rochester & Associates.

City of Fayetteville Master Path Plan proposed map

Are golf carts legal in Fayetteville?

The question comes up on a fairly regular basis: “Can I drive my golf cart around Fayetteville?”

And then the follow-up question: “Is there a way to drive my golf cart from Fayetteville to Peachtree City?”

The answers: “Yes, and not yet.”

Yes, there are many places golf carts can be legally driven within Fayetteville, and these are spelled out in the City of Fayetteville’s Motorized Cart Ordinance, Code Section 82-260.

The City of Fayetteville is not, however, connected to Peachtree City by cart paths. At least not yet. The current recreational path that runs south along Redwine Road in the direction of Peachtree City ends at the entrance to the Lakeside on Redwine residential subdivision. Recreational paths pick back up around the Highgrove and Whitewater Creek residential subdivisions several miles away, and these lead into Peachtree City’s comprehensive path system.

While there is preliminary planning underway for the Fayette County government to install connecting paths along Redwine Road in this unincorporated area between the cities, there is no funding designated nor timeline established for such a project.

You can learn more about the Fayette County Transportation Plan on the county’s website.

Golf carts, whether electric or gasoline-powered, must be registered with the Fayetteville Police Department to be driven in the City of Fayetteville, and then there are several guidelines that must be followed to ensure safe usage. Permits are granted to eligible golf cart owners who are at least 18 years old and hold a regular, stateissued motor vehicle license. A onetime $20 fee applies. Golf cart drivers must be at least 15 years old and hold a regular driver’s license, unless they are accompanied by a licensed, 18-year-old driver, in which case the driver may be as young as 12.

There is a reciprocal agreement with the governments of Fayette County, Fayetteville, Peachtree City, and Tyrone so that golf carts permitted within one jurisdiction are permitted in the others as well. In the absence of connecting paths, this means Fayetteville golf cart owners will need to haul their golf carts to the other jurisdictions.

Within Fayetteville, golf carts may be driven on most residential streets, but not on major streets or collector streets.

A listing of these streets is included in the City’s Motorized Cart Ordinance.

Golf carts may also be operated on recreational paths within city limits.

In recent years, City of Fayetteville leaders have been working on a Master Path Plan that would include a more robust recreational path system throughout the city, and one that would eventually connect with whatever 14 - October 2019

recreational path system the Fayette County government may build in the future. You can learn more about the Master Path Plan on the City’s website.

“What we are hoping to see in the next few years is a recreational path system that ties together Fayetteville’s major centers,” said Downtown Development Director Brian Wismer.

“We look at our Downtown district as the hub of the City, and then we have Fayette Pavilion to the north and, of course, a great deal of development happening on the west side. We want our residents and guests to be able to use alternate means of transportation to travel between these centers as well as other parts of Fayetteville, and not to cater solely to golf carts, but bicycles and pedestrians as well.”

Wismer noted that the new City Hall & City Center Park, which is due for completion in late 2020 or early 2021, will include a series of recreational paths that can accommodate golf carts, but are more likely to be used for non-motorized travel.

Christmas on Main Street The much-anticipated Christmas on Main Street returns to Downtown Fayetteville on Saturday, December 7.

Starting with a 5 p.m. parade through the Courthouse Square, the fun will continue at the Lane Brown Gazebo as guests visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus and enjoy live Christmas music sung by choirs and other vocal talent.

A highlight of the evening will be the traditional Christmas tree lighting at the adjacent Heritage Park.

“Christmas on Main Street is a

beautiful way to conclude a great year of community events here in Downtown Fayetteville,” said Main Street Program Manager Joyce Waits.

“This is one of our best-attended events, and it is the holiday season kickoff for many families.”

Waits noted that the popular Christmas parade will again stage at the Fayette County Justice Center and head north along Lee Street toward the Historic Courthouse. At the Courthouse, the parade will turn left along Stonewall Avenue and proceed

to Heritage Park Way, rounding the corner to then head eastbound toward South Glynn Street. The parade will turn right onto South Glynn Street traveling south before turning left onto Melear Way. From there, the parade will continue straight onto Center Drive to the terminus at the Fayette County Justice Center.

For information on how your organization can participate in the Fayetteville Christmas Parade, contact the Main Street office: 770-719-4173, jwaits@fayetteville-ga.gov.

2019 Christmas Ornament Main Street Fayetteville’s 2019 Christmas ornament celebrates historic Southern Oaks house Main Street Fayetteville’s annual Christmas ornament tradition continues this year with the recent release of the 2019 edition featuring the historic Southern Oaks house.

Ornaments are available at the Fayetteville Welcome Center located on the first floor of the Historic Courthouse. Ornaments are $20.33, tax included.

The house was built around 1913 as a home for then-mayor T. R. Gay, who is said to have wanted to impress railroad passengers as they traveled through Fayetteville where North Jeff Davis Drive is located today.

The house was sold to Blanche Redwine in 1948 and converted to three apartments. Mr. Owens, a Fayette County High School principal, was one of the residents living there for a time.

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The house was renovated to its former glory in 2001, and it has since been used as an events space.

For more information on the ornaments, contact Main Street Program Manager Joyce Waits: 770719-4173 or jwaits@fayetteville-ga.gov.