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TODAY'S ISSUE
Fight with blight relieved with more home ownership
By Pam Hopper
Special to GwinnettForum.com

NORCROSS, Dec. 9, 2003---Every city suffers from blight. Trying to prevent blight has some residents screaming discrimination. Commercial landlords are blamed for chasing the 'skinny' on the dollar. Blight is typically caused by uncontrolled sprawl.

For the last several decades, suburban development has been heavily influenced by the automobile. Cities add nice wide streets with lots of parking areas and invariably far less emphasis on pedestrian-friendly features such as sidewalks. The bland, cookie-cutter developments that have dominated America for the past 40 years that separate office, retail and residential use are slowly becoming vacant vandalized lots of abandonment.

What can be done about all this? It's a question that seems to be in the forefront these days with all the new interest in the re-development of blighted areas.

This new live-work-play concept, better known as "mixed-use," has become a viable alternative to this uncontrolled sprawl. Mixed-use developments can offer a package that can reinvigorate once blighted areas.

Looking at the residential side of blight, for older neighborhoods that have fallen into the trap of blight, the challenge becomes far greater to bring them back to well maintained properties with a sense of community. They deteriorate much faster as rental properties becoming more prevalent. When there is a larger percentage of rental housing than owner-occupied, problems typically arise.

Transient tenants are less likely to establish relationships with the local people and also can view their housing as temporary. Many of these older blighted neighborhoods have let covenants lapse, which becomes very difficult to re-instate. It then become the burden of government to enforce their nuisance ordinances, which require standards of upkeep on rental properties.

Smyrna has had great success with their Town Center Design Development. Its downtown area almost became extinct. The city purchased much of the downtown property and began to rebuild the core with the construction of a library and community center. Service to the citizen came first.

Next they created a new Main Street anchored by municipal structures and large retail tenants surrounded by housing for both young families and empty nesters. Smyrna started with owner occupancy covenants. Cutting back on the readily available transient life style invariable forces the occupants to pay attention to their surroundings. Since city ordinances cannot mandate owner occupancy, it has to be done through covenants that are created by the developer or owner of the property prior to the selling of new homes or town homes.

Finally by establishing basic architectural standards for new development gives the community at large some assurances that their properties will continue to increase in value. Using more expensive building materials helps to keep owners living on their properties. In 1995, Smyrna built 26 single family detached homes fronted on tree-lined existing streets with sidewalks with service alleys and garages in the back for $129,000-$159,000. They sold so quick it made headline news. Today these properties are worth $225,000. That's a recipe for success!

Having a larger percentage of owner occupied residences is one of the basic ingredients for a successful community. Establishing a long term relationship between business owners, homeowners and city officials allows for the opportunity to create a safe, beautiful and healthy environment for families to live, work and play.

ELLIOTT BRACK
State of Washington saves money by eliminating primary
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

DEC. 9, 2003 -- If Dr. Sonny Perdue continues to see Georgia as sick economically, perhaps he could recommend a new cure: saving even more governmental money by eliminating the presidential primary.

That's what seven other states have done. The most recent was the State of Washington, which estimated it could save $7 million by cutting the primary.

Of course, Washington has even more reason than Georgia to make this move. Here is the Evergreen state's logic: since it's obvious who the Republican nominee will be (President Bush), and since Washington state Democrats choose the candidate to back in the nominating process via an Iowa-style caucus, there is really no reason to have a hollow primary.

Hence the $7 million savings. Washington joins the states of Michigan, Colorado, Kansas, Maine, North Dakota and Utah in by-passing a primary.

Georgians, of course, years ago moved its primary for president to March, hoping to gain more power in the choosing of a presidential candidate. But since that time, one state after another has moved up its primary, to the point that by the time of the Georgia primary, March 2, the selection of the Democratic nominee may have been decided, since 18 states will have selected a nominee.

Still, with the population of Washington state now at 6,068,996 people, and with Georgia now having 8,560,310 residents, Georgia might save even more than Washington in such a move. (Georgia is now the 10th largest state (2000 figures), while Washington is 15th.)

Then, of course, there is the lingering question of the state flag. You may recall that even though Georgia has a new state flag with its primary red-white-and blue fields to displace the Roy Barnes-passed primarily blue flag.....still that question is not entirely decided. Georgia voters must make a determination during the March Presidential Primary on whether to keep the now-flying flag, or revert back to the Barnes-inspired blue flag.

The flag question is another reason, some would say, that Georgia cannot drop the presidential primary and save a few million dollars. Of course, the Legislature, if it wanted to cooperate with Dr. Perdue and save money, could vote to postpone the flag question until the state primary in July (20th), if it saw no reason to have a Georgia presidential primary.

We doubt the Legislature would make such a move. Some there see ways to grab power if "their candidate" takes the Georgia primary. So as the State of Washington voters stay away from picking a presidential nominee by ballot, Georgians no doubt will, whether it makes any political hay.

EVERY TIME we view population statistics by states, we are again mesmerized by Gwinnett having more population than four states (Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska and North Dakota) from the 2000 census. And with Gwinnett now having an estimated 675,000 residents, it's gaining quickly on South Dakota (766,063), and not far from Delaware (807,385.)

CONGRATULATIONS to Ted Roof. The former Lawrenceville stand-out linebacker at Central Gwinnett and Georgia Tech, former assistant football coach at Georgia Tech and Duke, and recent interim football coach at Duke, made news last weekend.

He was named the Duke University football coach, after serving as the interim coach for five games this year.

Roof's always been in the midst of winning activity. Even though his Duke charges went 2-3 this year, they moved from snapping a 30 game ACC string of losses, and found new inspiration on the field in winning the two games, upsetting Georgia Tech, and then closing out the season by defeating North Carolina, 30-22, for the Blue Devils' first win over the Tar Heels since 1989.

There's something that apparently inspires players under Ted Roof. We look to hear of even greater successes in coming years. In short, watch out for Duke's football team under Gwinnett's Ted Roof! We're glad to claim him!

ABOUT OUR SPONSORS

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is The River Club. In the tradition of Sugarloaf Country Club, The River Club, a premier gated community, is springing up in Suwanee, offering the convenience of life in Gwinnett County with the beauty of the Chattahoochee River.

The River Club has welcomed its first family, the Alexanders. Like many families moving here, they have found "something different" according to David Alexander. Residents of The River Club will enjoy shaded walks by the Chattahoochee, as well as the full range of amenities and community activities that have become Crescent's hallmark. The first 25 families purchasing a home and joining the golf course have qualified for the First Family program. This program was filled in record time with the homeowners enjoying some very special perks. Homes are priced from the $900s. The average homesite is nine-tenths of an acre. A second phase was recently opened with over 50% of those lots sold to date. To view the Internet site, go to:
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FEEDBACK
12/9: Incident on plane leaves writer with new understanding

Editor, the Forum:

My husband, Walter, and I have just returned from spending a few days in Arkansas with family. This story is about an experience we had on the plane going over to Memphis.

When we got to our airport gate to await boarding we noticed several people dressed in khaki clothes, with combat boots on. Their shirts said "U.S. Army." As I looked at their faces, I realized that these people were not your usual 21-23 year olds! They looked in their 30's, 40's or 50's, complete with the body spread to fit the age!

So I whispered to Walt, "Do you suppose they are in the Reserves, because they look so old?" Anyway, as we boarded, we saw more of them, almost 20 in all. And there were some females among them.

After the plane got aloft, the co-pilot came on the speaker to welcome all of us, and to tell us that on board were several service "men" who were home on leave from Iraq and would be greeting their loved ones later that day. (I very spontaneously burst out, "WOMEN, too" because a female soldier was sitting right across from me!) The entire passenger group gave a hardy round of applause to all the soldiers. In a few minutes, the co-pilot came back on the intercom and apologized for not including the women in his announcement! And there were either three or four of them.

Then later, the co-pilot came on again just before we were to land to ask us to invoke a service protocol, and allow the service people to deplane first when we landed. We were all to glad to do so,, sending them out the doors with hardy claps!

This was the first time that it really hit me who the men and women are that are over in Iraq fighting unselfishly to try to implement a terrible war, but one that we now must stick to until things are "fixed" over there.

These men and women must surely have left children and maybe even good jobs to go over there. So, anyway, it gave me a great feeling of thankfulness for all the many men and women who are in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places around the world protecting us.

-- Alicia Hodges, Decatur

CALENDAR
Reception, showing set Saturday at Norcross art gallery

A reception and showing is planned at the Norcross Art Gallery and Studio, 116 Carlyle Street, during the coming week.

An Open House will be held on Saturday, December 13, from 4-8 p.m. However, the Galley will be open on December 11-12 from 10 to 5 p.m. with paintings by the artists on sale.

Among the artists who will have their works on display will be Marilyn Darden, Connie Cerhtz, Pat Herrington, Kathy Kitz, Susie Schklar, Susan Littlefield, and the late George Keener.

The Gallery may be reached at 770 840 9844.

Gwinnett Philharmonic presents Atlanta Chorale Dec. 16

Celebrate the joy of the holiday season with an evening of Christmas music on Tuesday, December 16, at 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center located at the Gwinnett Civic Center. In addition to enjoying the sounds of the Atlanta Sacred Chorale, the audience will join in on a few familiar Christmas carols.

Atlanta Sacred Chorale, directed by Eric Nelson, is the only nondenominational chamber chorus in the Southeast dedicated to sacred, primarily a cappella choral literature. Members of the 44-voice chorale are selected by competitive audition, bringing professional and highly trained amateur voices together in a dynamic ensemble that seeks to touch both the audience and the Divine.

Visit the website at www.gwinnettphilharmonic.org for more details.