Chattahoochee Hill Country Blog

Chatt Hills Homeowners Exemption

2008-02-17T06:31:00.000-08:00

Chatt Hills Councilman Holds Meeting

2008-02-08T09:54:00.001-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"It was a great way to spend a part of a Sunday afternoon as Chattahoochee Hill Country Dist. 3 Councilman David Hanson held a “fireside chat” meeting with his constituents Jan. 27. A number of the nearly 80 in attendance at city hall were from other city voting districts who came to experience a more direct form of communication with elected officials, something many in Chatt Hills had requested since the city’s inception in December. Hanson’s question at meeting’s end on whether residents thought the venue useful was met with applause from across the room."

Grow Center Fundraiser

2008-01-29T17:35:00.000-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

“The city of Chattahoochee Hill Country is the first community in Georgia to adopt a sustainable land use plan offsetting high-density mixed-use villages with mandatory permanent greenspace. Their Transfer of Development Rights program is serving as a test project for the State of Georgia. Locating the GROW Center in this planned sustainable community, on land that will eventually be connected to a multi-use trail built by the PATH Foundation, seems like a perfect location. To help minimize environmental impact of the facility, the GROW facility will be designed and constructed as a green building which is an eco-sensitive structure and is cleaner, healthier for occupants, and the environment.”

Chattahoochee Hill Country Land Donation

2008-01-20T15:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.newswiretoday.com

"Friendship Village is proud to announce the donation of five acres of land in the Chattahoochee Hill Country for the construction of the Georgia Rehabilitation of Wildlife Hospital and Clinical Research Center (“GROW”). In cooperation with the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, GROW will provide professional medical care to sick, injured or orphaned wildlife and serve as a teaching and research facility for the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

GROW is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization raising $3.5 million to build the wildlife hospital, which will be built on land adjacent to the Cochran Mill Nature Center (CMNC). CMNC is already located in Friendship Village. GROW and CMNC have agreed to partner on facilities use and educational programs to provide wildlife education to the general public and serve as a permanent home for wildlife that cannot be returned to the wild. GROW will provide veterinary care to the many animals brought to CMNC, many of which they currently turn away as they are unequipped to treat them.
“We are very happy to donate the land to GROW because of their unique mission to serve the wildlife of Georgia,” said Stacy Patton, Project Manager. “The environmental education focus of the GROW facility and Cochran Mill Nature Center makes for a great partnership. Friendship Village is more than 60 percent greenspace, including parks, wildlife corridors, and a community-wide trail system, which will be complemented by the GROW Facility. GROW and CMNC are just the beginning of Friendship Village’s many opportunities for people to interact daily with the environment.”

Chatt Hills Communications

2008-01-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"There is an ongoing list of housekeeping issues involved with establishing a new city. Some of those issues were on the agenda for the Jan. 2 council meeting at Chattahoochee Hill Country. Yet there was another issue that surfaced during the public comments portion of the meeting. It involved questions about overall communication with citizens so that information can be disseminated and questions can be asked and answered in a timely fashion. "

Chatt Hills In Charge Of Fire Department

2008-01-08T13:22:00.001-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"The bell rang early Jan. 1 at the Rico Road fire station in Chattahoochee Hill Country. And the call that came over the loudspeaker signaled a changing of the guard. That change signified the transition that puts fire services squarely in the hands of the new Chattahoochee Hill Country Fire Department."

Chattahoochee Hill Country Fire Department

2008-01-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.11alive.com/

"About a month after the area first became a city, south Fulton County's Chattahoochee Hill Country now has a fire department.

The 12-man department went into service on New Year's Day.

"The city council and the mayor are really behind it to make it succeed," said fire chief Larry Parrot. "It's a good feeling to be starting something brand-new the right way.""

First Chatt Hills Meeting

2007-12-19T07:28:00.001-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"Highlights of the Dec. 11 meeting included the swearing-in ceremonies for the mayor and council, the adoption of the city’s FY 2008 budget and the administration of oath to city management staff.

The meeting began as Mayor Don Hayes was sworn in, followed by District 1 Councilman John Taylor, District 2 Councilman Carl Hattaway, District 3 Councilman David Hanson, District 4 Councilwoman Faye Godwin and District 5 Councilman Rodney Peek. Hanson was later elected Mayor pro-tem.

Also at the meeting, Bob Simpson was appointed as interim city manager, Evyonne Browning was appointed acting city clerk and Bill Riley was appointed city attorney."

Final Chatt Hills Election Results

2007-12-12T06:36:00.001-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"In the race for mayor, Don Hayes defeated Tom Reed 470 votes to 340, taking 58 percent of the vote. Also decided were races for council seats in Districts 2, 3 and 5. In District 2, Carl Hattaway took 57 percent of the votes, besting Julie Petty Wall 95 votes to 73. The District 3 race saw David Hanson defeating Laurie Searle 135 votes to 99 and receiving 58 percent of the vote. And in District 5, Tuesday’s closest race ended with Rodney Peek receiving 104 votes, or 53 percent, to the 93 garnered by Ernie Henderson."

New Mayor For Chattahoochee Hills

2007-12-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.ajc.com/

"The choice of Don Hayes as mayor marked a clear direction for Chattahoochee Hills, as the community is commonly known. His opponent, Tom Reed, had lived in the Hill Country less than two years and resides in Serenbe, an upscale, rural themed development mixing country style and city density.

Hayes, 64, has lived in the Hill Country since 1969 and owned several businesses in Palmetto before recently retiring. He said the city will have its first organizational meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

"I feel great," Hayes said. "I'm excited. I want to thank everyone who voted for me. I look forward to getting the city up and running."

He promised Tuesday to do everything possible to maintain Chattahoochee Hills as it is today with fewer than 3,000 people scattered over more than 30,000 acres."

Wildlife Hospital For Chatt Hills?

2007-11-29T06:49:00.000-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"It is a first for southwest metro Atlanta. It is a first for Georgia. The move is underway to establish the state’s first wildlife hospital and clinical research center in the new city of Chattahoochee Hill Country. The non-profit Georgia Rehabilitation of Wildlife Center (GROW) is raising $3.5 million construct the 11,000 square-foot facility on the grounds of Cochran Mill Nature Preserve in Chatt Hills. Land for the new facility is being donated by Minerva Properties, developer of Friendship Village, a Chatt Hills community in the planning stages in south Fulton County that will feature more than 60 percent greenspace."

Chattahoochee Hill Country Runoff Set For December 4th

2007-11-20T15:43:00.001-08:00

http://content.times-herald.com/

"A runoff election for the City of Chattahoochee Hill Country's mayoral seat and three district council seats is scheduled for Dec. 4.

The polling place at the Rico Community Center in south Fulton County will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The two mayoral candidates in the run-off are Don Hayes and Tom Reed. Tom Reed took 45 percent of the vote in the Nov. 6 election, with 384 votes, and Don Hayes took 30 percent of the vote with 256 votes. Rocky Reeves was the third place finisher in the November mayor's race with 25 percent of the vote. "

Chattahoochee Hill Country Election Results

2007-11-13T05:21:00.001-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"In the new city of Chattahoochee Hill Country, 52.4 percent of the 1,568 registered went to the polls.

The race for mayor will be determined in the Dec. 4 runoff between Tom Reed, who received 384 votes, or 45.2 percent, and Don Hayes, who received 256 votes at 30.1 percent. Rocky Reeves took 209 votes at 24.6 percent.

In District 1, John Taylor won with 18 votes against Ruby Foster, who received 12 votes.

The District 2 race will also see a runoff in December between Julie Petty Wall, who received 60 votes, or 32.1 percent, and Carl Hattaway, who took 51 votes at 27.3 percent. Remaining candidates in the District 2 race included Doris Boylen with 42 votes at 22.4 percent, Mark Prater with 21 votes at 11.2 percent and L.J. “Mickey” Tierney with 13 votes, or 6.9 percent.

Also destined for a runoff in District 3, Laurie Searle received 90 votes at 37.3 percent and David Hanson received 56 votes, or 23.2 percent. Other District 3 candidates included Alton Powell receiving 46 votes at 19.1 percent and Anacleto “Cleto” Montelongo, who received 49 votes at 20.3 percent.

The District 4 race, with only two candidates running, saw Faye Peek Godwin defeating Wayne Stradling 116 votes to 66.

And in the District 5 race, Ernie Henderson will face Rodney Peek in the Dec. 4 runoff. Peek received 76 votes at 38.8 percent while Henderson received 69 votes, or 35.2 percent. Also a District 5 candidate, Hugh Tyer took 51 votes at 26 percent. The District 5 race had four write-in votes.

The vote in Chatt Hills was continued under court order until 8:10 p.m. due to discrepancies with the Elections Division voting system. "

Few Resolved Races In Chatt Hills

2007-11-09T06:03:00.001-08:00

http://www.ajc.com/

"With 19 candidates vying for six offices, voters in the soon-to-be city could resolve only two races, both for City Council. No candidate won enough votes to be declared the winner in the mayoral and three council races.

So when the new city officially opens for business Dec. 1, it won't be able to conduct any business — at least until some time after the Dec. 4 runoffs. That could leave Chattahoochee Hills for several days in the unique position of being a city with no council or local laws."

Runoffs Likely In Chatt Hills

2007-11-08T14:27:00.001-08:00

http://www.ajc.com/

"Runoffs were likely in Chattahoochee Hill Country — or Chattahoochee Hills, as the locals call it — with 19 candidates vying for just six local offices. The new city officially opens for business Dec. 1, but it will have to wait another few days before it will have its full complement of city officials.

Chattahoochee Hills voters began the day with frustration. Fulton election officials had problems with their voting machines, and their polls didn't open until just after 8 a.m., more than an hour late.

As a result, the city's single voting site stayed open until 8:10 p.m. Tuesday."

Chattahoochee Hill Country Development Issues

2007-11-07T05:51:00.000-08:00

http://content.times-herald.com/

"The purpose of the proposed city of Chattahoochee Hill Country overlay and TDR ordinances is to concentrate commercial and residential developments in three village areas while preserving all other land in the outlying areas. While most people in Chattahoochee Hill Country like the rural nature of the community, and would like to see it preserved, some are concerned that the plan seems to favor developers and large landholders over the rights of smaller landowners.

The villages will consist of a minimum of 600 acres; one of the first villages, Friendship Village, is slated to encompass approximately 2,000 acres.

These mixed-used development regions are positioned in relationship to available road systems so as not to overwhelm more rural roadways with traffic. But some critics can't help but note that the villages happen to be positioned on the property owned by the large landholders. "

Voting Glitch In Chattahoochee Hills

2007-11-07T05:46:00.000-08:00

http://www.ajc.com/

"The only notable glitch reported was early in the day in the brand new South Fulton town of Chattahoochee Hill Country, where voting was delayed because of a computer glitch.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. at the former Rico Recreation Center on Rico Road, but a problem with voting cards prevented any earlybirds from casting ballots. The issued was fixed by shortly after 8.

April Pye, a Fulton County elections official, said the problem involved the way in which voter access cards were programmed, and a county technician was dispatched to fix the issue.

Chattahoochee Hills, as the new town is known, will be the fourth new city in Fulton after the incorporation of Sandy Springs, Milton and Johns Creek in the past two years."

Chatt Hills Voting Information

2007-11-06T04:41:00.000-08:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"In Chattahoochee Hill Country, the first-time election boasts a field of three candidates for mayor and 16 candidates for the five district city council seats. Unlike at-large races, Chatt Hills does elect city council members for each district.

Mayoral candidates include Don Hayes, Rocky Reeves and Tom Reed. Council District 1 candidates include Ruby Foster and John Taylor. District 2 candidates include Doris Boylen, Carl J. Hattaway, Mark Prater, L.J. “Mickey” Tierney and Julie Petty Wall.

Chatt Hills District 3 candidates include Anacleto “Cleto” Montelongo, David Hanson, Alton Powell and Laurie Searle. District 4 candidates include Faye Peek Godwin and Wayne Stradling. And District 5 candidates include Ernie Henderson, Rodney Peek and Hugh Tyer.

The Chattahoochee Hill Country voting location is Rico Cultural Center, located at 6505 Rico Road."

Serenbe In Chattahoochee Hill Country

2007-11-03T06:59:00.001-07:00

http://content.times-herald.com/

""I was crushed; I was hyperventilating," said Nygren. Desperate to stop the destruction of the land, he began contacting the owners of adjacent properties to build a zone of protection around his rural enclave. After amassing 900 acres, Nygren began to envision the future of Serenbe, which itself is a fusion of the words "serenity" and "be" as a way of thinking and living in harmony with the landscape. Marie coined the name, and the Nygrens went to work to become the first sustainable "hamlet," in three parts, in the Chattahoochee Hill Country."

Chattahoochee Hill Country Featured In Delta Airlines Magazine

2007-11-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.delta-sky.com/

"Just half an hour’s drive south of Atlanta, there are 65,000 acres of rolling woods and farmlands, streams and trails called the Chattahoochee Hill Country. And in the midst of all this soothing rural splendor, there’s a storybook inn you will never want to leave."

Chattahoochee Hill Country To Be Last New Fulton City

2007-10-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

http://content.times-herald.com/

"Chattahoochee Hill Country voted 83 to 17 percent to become a city. But the city of South Fulton vote failed by a nearly equal margin, becoming the only region in Fulton County to remain unincorporated.

What makes the Chattahoochee Hill Country incorporation particularly interesting, and certainly unique, is the still nearly pristine, rural property that comprises it, making this city more literally the birthplace of a new idea, a new way of thinking. While the articulated goals sound the same from virtually everyone you talk to, there is a ripple of discomfort and suspicion hovering just on the horizon, an eerie quiver of the untried and unknown.

Most of the long-term residents are loathe to say goodbye to their peaceful, pastoral way of life. Some of the more seasoned have heard it all before, many of them having moved to Chattahoochee Hill Country some 20 or 30 years ago when other "good, country" places were ruined by the blight of abject, disconnected and excessive development. "

Chatt Hills Candidate Forum

2007-10-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"Unlike other cities in the area, the city of Chattahoochee Hill Country elects its council through district voting rather than the at-large method. Candidates running in the five district races assembled in separate areas after the mayoral candidates fielded questions at the beginning of the forum. Many of the questions posed to council candidates mirrored those asked minutes earlier to the mayoral candidates. District 1 candidates participating at the forum included Ruby Foster and John Taylor, while District 2 candidates included Doris Boylen, Carl Hattaway, Mark Prater, Mickey Tierney and Julie Petty Wall. District 3 was represented by candidates Cleto Montelongo, David Hanson, Alton Powell and Laurie Searle. District 4 candidates included Faye Peek Godwin and Wayne Stradling and District 5 candidates included Ernie Henderson, Rodney Peek and Hugh Tyer."

Update For Chatt Hills Residents

2007-10-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/
"It was an informative update for nearly 100 residents of Chattahoochee Hill Country Oct. 9 as board members of Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance provided a look at the organization’s multi-faceted activities on behalf of the community at the group’s annual meeting.

Interim alliance executive director Steven Kopelman began the presentations with comments on the driving force that sets the Chatt Hills community apart in its desire to maintain abundant greenspace. "

Chattahoochee Hill Country Candidate Forum

2007-10-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/

"The city of Chattahoochee Hill Country will hold a candidates forum for mayoral and city council candidates Oct. 13 from 2-5 p.m. at Foxhall Farms, located at 8000 Capps Ferry Road, Douglasville. The event is sponsored by Chatt Hills Organizing Committee and hosted by Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance. Information on the November election can be obtained at www.chatthills.org"

Chatt Hills Library Proposal

2007-09-29T10:41:00.001-07:00

http://www.thecitizen.com/~citizen0/node/20848

"Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library System Director John Szabo told Chattahoochee Hill Country residents Sept. 17 of tentative plans to construct a 25,000 square-foot library somewhere in the new city. The library is one of several being considered for south Fulton."