City to condemn land for road widening

Citing uncertain ownership of three parcels needed for the widening of Kimball Bridge Road (Ga. 120), the Johns Creek City Council has approved condemnation proceedings to acquire the tracts — one of them the site of a church.

The Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church appears to have been in existence since the mid-19th Century, but “it never organized as a legally recognizable entity,” according to a report to the council by Assistant City Attorney E. Ronald Bennett Jr.

The city has talked to church representatives, but it’s uncertain whether they have the legal right to make decisions and receive payment from the city. Title research showed other parties may have an interest in the land. Johns Creek would condemn this and two other sites to secure court orders identifying the parties to be paid.

The city would pay $39,600 into the registry of a court to acquire the right-of-way and easement it needs on the church property as well as $105,400 for a right of way and easement on about 4.8 acres designated as common area for the Creekside at Kimball Bridge subdivision; and $600 for an easement on a 1.57-acre lot located in the city of Alpharetta and shown as “Future Recreation Area” for the Highlands at Park Bridge subdivision. $125,800 contract for design services for the fifth and final phase of the Roswell River Walk on the Chattahoochee, and condemnation proceedings for land for the Hardscrabble Greenloop along Hardscrabble Road.

AEC Inc. will be tasked with landscape architecture, engineering and other services for an extension of the River Walk boardwalk, from the Chattahoochee Nature Center entrance to Willeo Park.

The consultant’s responsibilities will include construction documents, a trail interpretive signage plan and project management and administration. The River Walk is a seven-mile greenway along the Chattahoochee River. The first four phases took the trail through the Don White, Riverside and Azalea parks to the Nature Center.

The Hardscrabble Greenloop will be a multi-use trail connecting Roswell High School and Sweet Apple Elementary School. The right-of-way consists of 31 parcels; agreements have been reached for all except one parcel at 420 Hardscrabble Road, where about 3,350 square feet of right of way and 6,185 square feet of permanent easement are needed. Construction is to begin in the spring.

City to extend billboard moratorium into March

Saying it wishes to balance the First Amendment rights and commercial interests of private property owners with “the scenic beauty, natural resources, livability and economic potential” of the Interstate 575 corridor, Woodstock is moving to extend its moratorium on new billboard applications along the interstate for 90 days, until March 23.

The City Council recently adopted on first reading an emergency ordinance extending the moratorium, which was imposed in October and is due to expire Dec. 23. A second and final vote on the measure is expected Dec. 12.

Area will get $6.2 million bike, pedestrian trail

A 10-foot-wide trail from Interstate North Parkway to Terrell Mill Road will be constructed for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The 2.1-mile project was initiated by the Cumberland Community Improvement District for Phase 2 of the Bob Callan Trunk Trail.

Anticipated costs will be $4,508,400 by the Georgia Department of Transportation; $433,188 by Cobb County and $1,287,300 by CCID. A $10,000 GDOT construction administration fee also will be paid by the county.

The resulting network will connect to other nearby trails such as the Kennesaw Mountain to the Chattahoochee River Trail, the Silver Comet Trail, the Akers Mill Road East Trail and the Palisades unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

Completion is expected by the end of 2017.