Friday, May 7, 2004

Palmetto getting ready for water plant By LINDSAY BIANCHI lbianchi@thecitizennews.com A half dozen ordinances received their second reading at Palmetto’s monthly meeting Monday evening, and they all passed with flying colors. Mayor J. Clark Boddie briefly read over the proposed documents which remained virtually the same except for some minor outline changes. Ordinance 04-01 amended the codes protecting the Bear Creek public water supply, clearly defining the criteria involving any activity in conjunction with the area including exemptions and penalties. Similarly, ordinance 04-02 laid out the ground rules for post-development stormwater runoff to meet the requirements of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. Permit procedures, performance criteria and other construction practices were spelled out to ensure the public health, safety and welfare of Palmetto’s citizens. Litter control and the illicit discharge of pollutants were the subjects of ordinances 04-03 and 04-04. Fines for littering are set between $200 and $1,200, depending on the severity. Violations for polluting the storm sewer system can reach as $1,000 for each day the infraction remains unchecked. Procedures to provide penalties for violation of buffer zones which protect streams by minimizing land development were covered in ordinance 04-05. Land development requirements along with inspection rights to buffer zones complete one of four entirely new articles, along with ordinances 04-01, 04-02 and 04-04 added to Chapter 21 of the city’s codes. Completing what is intended to be a comprehensive group of directions, ordinance 04-06 replaces in its entirety a previous article concerning soil erosion and sedimentation. With these six measures in place, Palmetto can continue to work toward improving the water needs of its community. The mayor and council completed their list of legislation by passing a resolution which supports the Fulton County Board of Commissioners in the development and construction of a public safety training facility in South Fulton County. The current facility being used to train public safety personnel is an old school building in Red Oak. Mayor Boddie pointed out that putting more money into the existing facility would “still leave you with an old school building.” The Wolf Creek facility in South Fulton County originally constructed for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games will serve as the site for the construction of a state of the art public safety training facility. A final announcement was made to remind everyone that City Hall would be closed Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day and that the regular garbage pickup schedule for the city would be delayed one day. The dates for the next pickup are now Wednesday, June 2 and Saturday, June 5.