All economic development in Pickens County as we know it would stop without purchase, says Mayor

By Michael Moore

After declining to provide additional money to build a planned basketball court in the city park, the Jasper city council Monday agreed to pay developer Gary Copeland more than $800,000 for land that sits directly above the old marble mines on Cove Road.

 But the land will be paid for by “trading water for water,” said Mayor John Weaver. The city will waive infrastructure fees for Copeland’s future developments — construction aid as well as sewer and water taps — adding up to the $828,000 price of the land.

 The entire parcel of land is 16.5 acres, and the city has been in negotiations with owner Copeland to purchase the land since earlier this year. The council agreed to compensate Copeland at a price of $50,000 per acre.

 “We will pay this debt to Mr. Copeland as he needs the cost of construction aid, water meters or any other expense dealing with the building of his property,” said Weaver, adding that Copeland has over 100 acres in the same tract that can be developed.

 Copeland is one of the most active land owners in Jasper, having developed both residential and commercial areas throughout the county.

 Before the council voted on the measure, city official Charles Raisor spent over ten minutes touting the potential benefits of the land and stressing the city’s need for it. Copeland  was present but did not address the council.

 The land sits on top of an underground lake in what used to be marble mines containing hundreds of millions of gallons of water.

 Raisor said that with the mineral and water rights that would come with the purchase, the land would be an “invaluable asset” to the city as a water reservoir.

 “Without a reservoir, we’re probably going to see the local economy suffer and growth probably cease,” said Raisor, adding that to build a reservoir would cost at least $4 million.

 He said the latest estimate, conducted by Georgia Marble Co. who formerly mined the property, is that at least 385 million gallons are contained in the mines. But he also said the city has never looked into or studied the current contents of the mines, which is adjacent to city property commonly referred to as “the Cove.”

 Raisor reminded the council that the price of land is “skyrocketing” in Pickens, and as an example pointed to a recent three-acre undeveloped piece of land in Still Hollow that sold for $85,000, or almost $30,000 per acre.

 “I know this sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but we are not just buying land. We’re buying a lot of water,” Raisor said. He added that, in his opinion, Copeland could get at least $50,000 per acre if he developed it.

 “I think at the very least [Copeland] is being generous in this offer, because he knows what the property is worth to the city,” Raisor continued.

 Water plant superintendent David Hall said if the city wants to use the water in the mines in the future, they must have the land in order to keep others from using it.

 He also said with the reservoir, the city would be able to upgrade its pumping permit from the current 1.55 million gallons per day to 2  million gallons per day.

 The mayor added that with an increased pumping capacity, the current rate of growth will continue for “five to ten years.” He warned that without the ability to pump more water, “all economic development in Pickens County as we know it” would stop.

 He also said the city is trying to acquire a 50-foot buffer around the property in which nothing can be built, protecting the mines and the water.

 With no discussion, the council unanimously approved the land purchase.

 Last year, when Copeland requested the land be annexed into the city, a standing room only crowd showed up at a public hearing to protest. They cited the need to keep the land undeveloped in order to protect the water below.

 The council at that time agreed to annex the property as residential.

 Before purchasing the 16.5 acres Monday, the city council also unanimously approved the purchase of another .27 acres of property, also from Copeland, that is adjacent to the 16.5 acre purchase. The price of that land is $14,800, but will be paid with a state greenspace grant.

 Both pieces of land are contiguous to the city’s property.

Tennis courts almost done,

basketball court delayed

 Discussing the construction of new tennis courts next to the city park, Raisor told the council that paving is complete and the fencing has begun. Thirty days after paving, the company building the courts will be able to add the finishing touches, said Raisor, but another $12,000 is needed to complete the project.

 Last year the city made a deal with the contractor PRS, who is building an apartment complex on Highway 515. PRS agreed to pay for $30,000 of the project, which has a full price tag of $42,000.

 Raisor said the extra $12,000, which was approved, will pay for lighting and fencing.

 Council member Barry Cheshire asked about building a basketball court at the same site, which was part of the plans when the project was begun. A

basketball court would cost another $20,000, according to Raisor.

 The mayor said the city could come back later and build a basketball court.

 “I’ve had a lot of calls from people wondering when the tennis and basketball courts are going to be done,” said Cheshire. “It would be foolish to go in there now and then go back in with equipment and tear it all up again.”

 But city officials said it would be “easier” if they waited to include it in next year’s budget, and Cheshire voted with the rest of the council to approve the $12,000 tennis court cost.

 

Definition of “prepared food” needed in alcohol ordinance

 Days after the Georgia Supreme Court agreed to hear the Blue Rodeo/Club 53’s appeal of a liquor license suspension and probation imposed by the city, Jasper officials are now considering rewriting the alcohol ordinance to define the term “prepared food” to not include pretzels, popcorn and peanuts.

 A recent audit of Club 53 by the city’s accountant, Land & Associates, showed that the club is “technically” in compliance with the alcohol ordinance provision that at least 75 percent of an establishment’s revenue come from sales of “prepared food,” according to Raisor, who read Land’s audit report to the council.

 But the audit also found that Club 53, formerly called the Blue Rodeo, would not have been in compliance if it didn’t charge customers a fee at the door. Because the fee is charged to offset the costs of popcorn, pretzels, and peanuts, the door charge is considered retail food sales, the letter stated.

 “The question now is, what do we consider ‘prepared food?’” said Raisor. “That is something that we now have to determine by ordinance.”

 He said he thinks the intent of the ordinance was to require restaurants serving alcohol to have a “full-service kitchen” that is in operation, with employees serving food to customers, during business hours.

 The city conducts periodic audits of all restaurants in Jasper that serve alcoholic beverages by the drink, to make sure they meet the 75 percent food sales.

 Raisor said the state of Georgia does not address the definition of “prepared food,” but various municipalities do.

 The mayor appointed a committee of Doris Wigington and Hazel Mosley to research and determine a possible definition of “prepared food” to add to the ordinance by next month.

 In other Blue Rodeo news, city attorney James Johnson notified the council that the club is appealing a decision the council made in 2003 to impose a one month suspension and one year probation of its liquor license.

 The city already won an appeal in Pickens County superior court, and the case is now before the Georgia Supreme Court. Johnson said it will likely be several months before the court determines if the ordinance is constitutional.

 Blue Rodeo, or Club 53, owners contend that the city’s alcohol ordinance is unconstitutional because it is overly broad and restricts free speech.

 The city’s position, according to the mayor, is that the club’s rights have not been infringed, and the owners agreed to abide by the city’s ordinance.

Old skating rink to be developed

 The council followed the planning commission’s recommendation to annex property on the corner of Gordon Road and Highway 53, or the old skating rink, into the city. It will be zoned C-2 commercial.

 The developer of the property, who presented plans to the council, said he will build a “very nice, upscale” retail shopping center on the property. He said he did not yet have any tenants.

Hotel/motel tax approved

 The council heard a second reading of a city hotel/motel tax, which they approved unanimously. The seven percent tax on lodging will go into effect on October 1 of this year.

 Revenue from the tax will go to the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce to promote tourism and trade in Pickens, and to the construction and operation of a city welcome center where Roper Hospital currently stands, according to city chief financial officer Shane Sosebee.

 After the meeting, Weaver said at least part of the old hospital will likely be torn down.

City enters agreement with Georgia Power

 Council members unanimously agreed to enter into a 20-year franchise agreement, or partnership, with Georgia Power. Jasper is only the third city in Georgia to enter into such an agreement, which would allow the city to work with the power company in providing electricity within the city limits, the mayor said.

 Weaver noted that the agreement means that the city will not have to become an electricity provider for at least 20 years.