City OKs ordinance to control hotels, motels

The Norcross City Council passed an amendment to city ordinances regarding transient lodging within the city that includes the proper maintenance of hotels, motels and extended-stay hotels. The stated goal of the amendment is to protect the health, safety and welfare of hotel, motel and extended-stay hotel inhabitants.

Documents provided by the Norcross Police Department indicate the city has 14 hotels in a little over six square miles. Over the past two years Norcross police handled over 5,800 calls involving city hotels or those staying in them. Many incidents involved serious bodily injury including shootings, armed robberies, rapes and aggravated assaults. Others were for stolen vehicles found in parking lots, loitering for sex, drug transactions, wanted persons, businesses being run out of rooms and parking complaints.

Research conducted looked at laws other municipalities have enacted to help curb the same problems and complaints. Among the new restrictions, hotels and motels in the city may not allow any person to occupy a room for more than 15 days in succession, and no more than 60 days during a 180-day period. Equally, no guest residing for more than 15 days in succession can move from one room to another without a two-day vacancy in between. Information: www.norcrossga. net.

Contract awarded for connectivity project

The Norcross City Council voted recently to award the city’s pedestrian connectivity project to Construction 57 Inc. The $186,862 project is a Transportation Enhancement Grant funded project with a federal grant of $200,000, which requires a local match of $50,000. The federal share can be spent on construction only, while the city has responsibility for funding the preliminary engineering and rightof-way acquisition.

The project consists of sidewalk and streetscape at four locations, including Britt Avenue on both sides from Buford Highway to Bostic Street and on the east side from Bostic Street to the Community Center; West Peachtree St. on the south side from Jimmy Carter Boulevard to just west of Langford Drive; the south side of Pinnacle Way west of Beaver Ruin Road; and on the west side of Reps Miller Road north of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

Duluth approves new master park plan

The Duluth City Council voted Monday to approve the city of Duluth Master Park Plan prepared by the Foresite Group.

Among the recommendations, the plan suggests interior updates, new lighting, upgraded gym floor, and a new HVAC system at the Bunten Road Park Community Center. The plan also recommends new lighting and temperature control at the W.P. Jones Lodge. The city’s Festival Center was also identified as needing a kitchen renovation and possible HVAC replacement as well as a ceiling repair from a previous roof leak.

The plan also recommends several connectivity projects, two of which are already part of Gwinnett’s Greenway Master Plan.