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City Government

Q & A on Stay-at-Home Order from the Mayor

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covid-19 stay-at-home q&a

The Emergency Order becomes effective March 28

On March 17 there were 7 cases of COVID-19 in Gwinnett County. Ten days later there were 78. The very next morning there were 83. More compelling, there is a 6 to 7-day delay in getting test results, plus testing is limited to only first responders, medical personnel, and sick people. I think you get the point. As a result, when the County asked all the Cities to join them in a stay at home order, our Council was unanimous in support.

This decision was not made impulsively or without due regard for the impact on our business community. You should know by now how business-friendly we are. Rather we chose to find that balance between your health and your paycheck that we thought was in everyone’s best interest. We will do what we can for our businesses separately. For now, our health is paramount.

What is a stay at home order? Below you’ll find a basic, simplified Q&A that walks you through what it means. Please note, this list is intended as a living document. We expect lots of questions and clarifications, so do not hesitate to contact us at info@peachtreecornersga.gov, or mmason@peachtreecornersga.gov with your questions. We’ll update the Q&A as things change.   

Most importantly, take this seriously. STAY HOME. We’ll be back to concerts on the Town Green before you know it.     

Stay-at-Home Q&A

Q: Does this mean I must stay inside my home/apartment all the time?

A: No, the Emergency Order directs everyone to stay in their place of residence unless they leave their homes for an essential activity.

Q: What are essential activities?

A: Essential activities include:

·        Grocery shopping (including restaurant takeout), picking up medical supplies or medication, visiting a health care professional or to obtain supplies needed to work from home, or to go to your place of work, only if it’s an essential business (which provides an essential activity).  

·        Outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, running, bicycling, and other physical activities, as long as you comply with the social distancing requirements (remain at least 6 feet apart from those other than your immediate family).

·        You may also leave to care for a family member or pet in another household.

Q: What is an essential business?

A: Essential businesses include:

·        Medical facilities, grocery stores, certified farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, veterinary clinics, pet supply, fresh meats, fish and poultry and any other household consumer projects such as cleaning and personal care products.

·        Restaurants that offer food only through delivery, takeout, or drive-thru. 

·        Establishments that sell alcoholic beverages can sell unopened bottles of liquor or wine, or new sealed growlers, curbside to takeout customers only.  

·        Businesses and other organizations that provide food, shelter and social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals.

·        Banks and related financial institutions.

·        Hardware stores

·        Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, lawn service, cleaning services, and other service providers necessary to maintaining safety, sanitation and the essential operation of residences

·        Mailing and shipping services including post office boxes

·        Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers

·        Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home

·        Businesses that deliver groceries, food, goods, or services directly to residences,

·        Airlines, taxis, and other private transportation services providing transportation for essential activities

·        Home-based care for seniors, adults, or children

Q: What is essential travel? 

A: Any travel related to an essential activity, essential business or essential government functions. All other travel is restricted.

Q: Can businesses stay open as long as they comply with the 6-foot social distancing rule?

A: No, only essential businesses providing essential services may remain open.

Q: Can my children play with my neighbor’s children?

A: Only if they maintain the social distancing requirement of 6 feet.

Q: Can I socialize with my neighbors outdoors as long as we remain 6 feet apart?

A: Yes, but remember, this Local Emergency Order is necessary to protect the health and well-being of all who live and work in our city. This is temporary, we will get through this tough period, there will be plenty of opportunities to socialize if we all work together.

Q: Is the Town Green open? Can I take my family there?

A: Yes, the Town Green is open, however, the playground and restrooms will remain closed during the pandemic. Please remember to maintain the 6-foot social distance requirement.

Q: How long will this Emergency Order be in place?

A: This Emergency Order became effective at 12:01 a.m. on March 28, 2020 and will continue to be in effect until 11:59 p.m. on April 12, 2020. It may be extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended by the Mayor and City Council.

Q: The Department of Public Health has ordered that certain higher-risk population remain quarantined or shelter in place for 14 days. Who are considered at higher risk?

A: Individuals 60 and older and those who are medically fragile such as those who are undergoing cancer treatments, have heart and lung conditions, asthma, and other serious health conditions that put them at risk if exposed to the coronavirus.

Q: Is it OK to attend drive-in church services? 

A: While we understand the desire of local churches to gather in worship, we encourage our churches to abide by local limits on social gatherings. Many of the large COVID-19 outbreaks occurring across our nation are directly linked to places of worship and similar social gatherings. The existing state of emergency prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people, which includes weddings, funerals, and church services. This would include a drive-in church scenario.    

Q: Does this Emergency Order include a curfew? 

A: No, this emergency order does not include a curfew.

Q: What is the best source for finding ways to protect me and my family during the pandemic?

A: Every day the Georgia Department of Health Services (DPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Gwinnett County Health Department issue updated guidelines and information related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

These sources are the best place to get the facts and get your questions answered. The city urges all citizens to visit these websites on a regular basis. These are the health experts who have the expertise to provide the guidance you need to keep you and your family safe.

If you want regular updates delivered to you via email, the CDC offers a subscription to an e-newsletter that provides important COVID-19 updates. To subscribe visit the CDC website and select the link labeled “Sign up for emails from CDC” located near the bottom right side of the page or use this link: https://tools.cdc.gov/campaignproxyservice/subscriptions.aspx?topic_id=USCDC_2067

Q: Is there a phone number that I can call if I have questions about the coronavirus?

A: For health questions, please keep these important telephone numbers handy:

• Georgia Department of Public Health: 404-657-2700 (information); 24/7 Public Health Emergency Line: 1-866-782-4584)

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 1-800-232-4636 • Gwinnett County Health Department: 770-339-4260

• The State of Georgia has a new COVID-19 hotline: 1-844-442-2681

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City Government

Councilmember Sadd to Host Town Hall Meeting on October 29

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Headshot of a smiling white, male city politician in a suit and tie standing in front of an American flag.

Post 1 Councilmember Phil Sadd is hosting a non-partisan town hall meeting at Winters Chapel United Methodist Church on Tuesday, October 29 at 7 p.m.

The meeting will begin with an update on activities in the City of Peachtree Corners and an overview of plans for future projects.

“The upcoming town hall will not only provide our residents with information and an opportunity to ask questions, but will also allow me to hear directly from them about their concerns and desires for the future of our city,” said Sadd.

Topics to be discussed include:

  • New development/redevelopment
  • Trails and parks
  • Transportation improvement projects
  • November 5 ballot questions
  • Candidates for state and county local seats

An informative public forum

For the upcoming November 5 election, Peachtree Corners voters will have decisions to make on very important local issues. Topics on the ballot include a county-wide transit SPLOST referendum, amendments to the state constitution and the election of local state and county Officials.

 “Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a public forum in Peachtree Corners during this election cycle that covers all these topics,” Sadd stated. “Every voter should have the opportunity to be informed about every item on the ballot, so they fully understand each question they need to answer and each vote they need to make.”

The Town Hall will provide information about these topics, as well as an opportunity to hear from and meet the local state (both senate and house) and county (chairman and commissioner) candidates that are on the ballot.

For more information, visit peachtreecornersga.gov.

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City Government

Southwest Gwinnett Mayors Share Visions for the Future

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The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce hosted mayors from Berkeley Lake, Norcross and Peachtree Corners at a panel discussion on July 12.
(left to right), Bobby Cobb, Mayor Mike Mason, Mayor Lois Salter and Mayor Craig Newton // Photos courtesy of George Hunter

In what has now become tradition, the Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce hosted mayors from Berkeley Lake, Norcross and Peachtree Corners at a panel discussion on July 12 at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast.

The conversation centered around strategies for revitalizing and expanding metro Atlanta cities, with a focus on redevelopment, zoning ordinance reform, pedestrian and bicycle safety and investing in local schools and affordable housing initiatives.

Zoning changes

“We are beginning a really big project in our city. We have had ordinances that we’ve been working on ever since the city was incorporated in the 1950s,” said Berkeley Lake Mayor Lois Salter.

“We feel that we need to overhaul the whole zoning ordinance system and hire a consultant to come and elicit understanding and opinions from our citizens. We want them to be a part of that. We have some folks that resist any kind of regulation. They just want us to regulate their neighbors,” she added.

Norcross Mayor Craig Newton agreed that evolving needs are an important reason to change the zoning, and planning for what lies ahead is paramount. He pointed out that all Georgia cities must implement a comprehensive plan to maintain their qualified local government certifications and remain eligible for selected state funding.

Land development

“We intend to focus on improving pedestrian bicycle safety downtown and establish a sidewalk activity improvement,” he said. “We’re also looking at approving parking in our town center and constructing the Norcross Greenway, which will bring a much-welcomed park, green space and a trail,” he added.

The county announced earlier this year that the project involves redeveloping the existing property into a park that will span almost two acres. It will offer various community spaces, including a multi-use trail, playground, covered picnic area, restroom building and a 41-space parking lot.

In addition to its amenities, a 12-foot-wide concrete trail segment will wind through the park and utility corridor, connecting Singleton Road to Dickens Road.

The trail is part of the 2018 Gwinnett Trails Countywide Trails Master Plan‘s Norcross to Lilburn Trail with an internal loop trail connecting to the neighborhood.

Commercial use

Peachtree Corners has had several “community-friendly” projects come online in the past year, but the effects of the pandemic continue to linger. 

“When you think about the future, you’re thinking about the landmass and buildings and commerce. Probably the most significant issue facing a lot of us in the near term is modern office space,” said Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason. “There’s a lot of space. The question is, are people going to come back?”

He said that the central retail area has shifted with the revitalization of The Forum and that’s making city leaders rethink city planning.

“We’re having a look at our code and things like that. But from another point of view that will drive the decision about what communities are going to look like,” he said. “For example, there are people coming into the city that say some buildings are technologically obsolete.”

Public safety

Even though Berkeley Lake is the smallest of the three cities and has the highest average home values, all the mayors agreed that public safety is a growing concern.

“Living in Norcross offers residents a dense suburban feel that’s somewhat rural compared to the city of Atlanta,” said Newton. “But some of our public safety initiatives are increasing police presence in high crime areas.”

As the only one of the three cities with a full police department, Norcross is seeking creative ways to implement effective community policing strategies to build trust and communication between law enforcement and the residents.

Newton mentioned programs such as Neighborhood Watch, youth outreach programs and educational initiatives along with enhancing emergency response capabilities with training for the local fire department and EMS services.

“Our response time goal is for an officer to be on-site in an emergency within 30 minutes,” he said. “But that doesn’t happen.”

Extended-stay hotels tend to attract crime, so Newton said the city has worked with owners to improve lighting in the public spaces to deter criminal activity.

“We’ve partnered with nonprofit businesses and local stakeholders to support social services employment opportunities for at-risk individuals,” he said. “By working together with various organizations and entities were able to address the complex challenge of public safety.”

Community accountability

With no police force, Berkeley Lake relies heavily on cameras and old-fashioned “knowing your neighbors,” said Salter.

“Some of our individual HOAs are buying and furnishing and paying for cameras to safeguard their neighborhoods,” she said.

Although there may be pockets of criminal behavior around the city, Salter said a police officer once described Berkeley Lake as a “black hole” of crime because there’s so little crime data.

“One of the reasons for that we feel is that historically we’ve been a very neighborly people,” she said. “There is an amazing system of community cohesiveness.”

The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce hosted mayors from Berkeley Lake, Norcross and Peachtree Corners at a panel discussion on July 12.

Peachtree Corners is taking its own approach.

“We’ve recently added a Marshal Service and as Lois mentioned we’re also leaning on technology,” said Mason.

The marshal department doesn’t take the place of the services provided by Gwinnett County Police, it primarily enforces city code and aids Gwinnett PD when necessary.

“We’re utilizing as much technology as we can,” said Mason.

Gwinnett PD is instructing where to locate cameras and the city keeps adding them. There have been several instances in the last year or so where coordination among agencies and the use of technology have thwarted or caught criminals.

At the end of the day, the three mayors said the cities all rely on each other. Being so close means that economic development, enhanced entertainment and other desirable amenities are boons for them all.

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City Government

Planning and Development is Changing in Peachtree Corners

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The most important thing this moratorium does is allow the city to consider what will work best for Peachtree Corners.
Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason

From Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason’s monthly column.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the city noticed a development trend that focused on the importance of social interaction. It began seeing development applications for indoor pickleball, virtual racing, garden clubs, car clubs and other recreational uses.

When our city was established in 2012, it adopted Gwinnett County’s codes and ordinances to maintain consistency and these new social interaction-focused uses were not initially considered in the city’s current Comp Plan or zoning code.

Working from home is another market trend having a big impact on local office parks. This economic engine is driven by office parks such as Technology Park and there’s always been a priority placed on preserving office stock.

Even though the commercial office market is waning right now, that pendulum is still trying to figure out where it will settle in. Most of these new socially focused uses find the best home in an office setting.

Due to the increasing number of these applications and the evolving market trends, the city has imposed a six-month moratorium on projects in the Central Business District character area. The moratorium came into effect on May 3 and will end on November 3.

This halt will allow the city six months to pause rezoning applications, special use permits and variances applications for residential or mixed-use development. It will help the city maintain the status quo, stop new applications from coming in and allow for officials to consult with experts and delve deeper into the code and comprehensive plans.

The city plans to conduct extensive research, analysis and strategic planning during this period to help determine if any changes should be made to the comprehensive plan and zoning regulations.

For instance, it might be beneficial to designate downtown as a distinct character area separate from the central business district. Implementing new zoning regulations to transform it into an entertainment district or a unique downtown character area could be a viable option. Many cities have already adopted this type of zoning.

Office parks and businesses throughout the city provide a balance of jobs and residents that allow the city to be the second largest in the state with a zero-millage rate or no city property tax.

Therefore, as part of this process the city will research ways it can preserve, stabilize and enhance the economic engine through the activation of underutilized spaces within office parks.

This proactive approach will help maintain the job-to-resident balance that allows the zero-millage rate while positioning the city for success as the office market pendulum settles.

The most important thing this moratorium does is allow the city to consider what will work best for Peachtree Corners. Furthermore, it communicates to developers that the city requires a pause because current zoning regulations and comprehensive plan do not adequately address future goals.

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