NEWS BRIEFS: Lawrenceville moves to annual multi-family housing inspections

A new framework for annual city inspection of multi-family housing has been adopted in Lawrenceville. It seeks to enhance property maintenance standards and ensure tenants’ well-being.

The need for the ordinance arises from concerns related to property maintenance issues, including heating, cooling, water, structural, electrical, and sewer problems that may go unaddressed, leaving tenants with limited recourse.

Property owners must complete inspections prior to obtaining an annual Occupational Tax Certificate. Owners of developments with four or more multi-family rental units must comply with inspection requirements. Property owners must submit a Code Compliance Certificate annually when applying for their occupational tax renewal, covering one-third of the multi-family rental units on the premises. New developments are exempt from the required inspections and the code compliance certificate for the first five years. Duplex communities and single-family homes are also exempt.

The ordinance places specific requirements for licensed and certified inspectors, including mandatory meetings and required documents.  

UGA offers new classes for adults in Gwinnett

OLLI@UGA announces a pilot project of classes at the UGA Gwinnett Campus for 2024. OLLI stands for “Osher lifelong learning institute.” This is a learning and social community program for adults 50+. It offers a range of classes, events, travel opportunities, shared interest groups, all for the love of learning.

The classes offered at the Gwinnett branch for 2024 include:

  • February 27 at 10 a.m.: Myths and Truths, stealth fighter stories.
  • March 13 at 1 p.m.: Writing your story with humor and heart.
  • April 3 a t 10 a.m.: Using Census records to find folks.
  • May 1 at 10 a.m.: A history of London, told through a single building.
  • June 4 at 10 a.m.: Investment basics. 

For more opportunities about OLLI@UGA, there will be an Open House on Thursday February 1 from 10:30-noon at the UGA Gwinnett Campus, 2530 Sever Road NW, Lawrenceville, 30043. This event is free to attend and parking is available. 

For the initial semester, people can register for OLLI classes at UGA Gwinnett without becoming members. However, with a membership, members can take classes online or make the short drive to Athens to take classes offered there. There are over 120 classes being offered this semester on a wide range of subjects. For more information, email olli@uga.edu, or visit the website at olli.uga.edu.

Second Taste of Lilburn will take place April 20 

The Lilburn Woman’s Club is accepting applications to participate in the second annual Taste of Lilburn. The event of food from local restaurants with live music will be held on Saturday, April 20, from 4 until 7 p.m.,at Heritage Hall of Salem Missionary Baptist Church.  Tickets may be purchased prior to the event and at the door.

  • If you are a professional chef, bakery or restaurant and would like to participate, visit this website for more information and an application at WWW.TASTEOFLILBURN.ORG.

NOTABLE

Peachtree Corners employs technology to curb vandalism

The City of Peachtree Corners’ Marshal’s Office and Gwinnett County Police Department, are working to address the increase in vandalism-related incidents that have been occurring at the Town Center and Forum shopping centers.  

Over the past 45 days, several vandalism-related events have occurred in the stairwells of the Town Center parking deck. As an immediate action, the Marshal’s Office placed temporary motion-activated cameras in strategic locations within the Town Center parking deck stairwells.  The placement of these cameras has led to the identification and capture of several of the individuals responsible for multiple incidents of tagging/graffiti that were occurring. 

As a long-term solution, the City has installed video cameras that are equipped with geofencing, motion alerting, object detection, and speaker features to aid in the identification of suspects as well as curtail any future vandalism of the deck and stairwells.   

If any member of the public observes any illegal activity at any locations within Peachtree Corners, they should contact 911 and report the incident.

Pangle wins Lawrenceville DAR essay contest

Collyns Pangle (middle), a fifth grader at Dyer Elementary School is the 2023-2024 American History Essay Contest winner for the Philadelphia Winn Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, in Lawrenceville.  The award was presented by Lynn Jacques, chapter regent (left) and Linda LaPerre, American history committee chair. The topic for this year’s contest asked students to imagine that they were a newspaper reporter asked to cover a new march by John Philip Sousa, The Stars and Stripes Forever, that was played for the first time on May 14, 1897.  Attending the awards presentation were Collyn’s family and her teachers from Dyer Elementary School, Mrs. Linda Bailey and Mrs. Chelsey Miller. 

Gateway85 gathering focuses on Latino community

The Gateway85 CID hosted a gathering at the Corners Outreach facility that brought together 38 community participants, including business leaders, non-profit organizations, and government officials from diverse sectors to address the pressing needs of the expanding Latino community in the Gwinnett County area. With a primary objective to enhance accessibility to vital human services, education, and employment opportunities, the collaborative discussion focused on sharing ongoing initiatives to support Latinos and identified opportunities for joint efforts, experimentation, and new implementations. 

Despite the perception of America as a melting pot, Latinos in Gateway85 and beyond continue to face significant challenges, ranging from language barriers to poverty and limited educational and professional opportunities. Of particular concern are new immigrants who may lack awareness of available resources, hindering their chances of success in building a better life in the United States. 

A follow-up meeting is planned as the new initiative community welcomes continued collaboration and participation. 

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