Hoschton candidates discuss traffic, growth at forum

Only one race on the ballot — the mayoral race between incumbent Shannon Sell and challenger Lauren O’Leary — will be contested. Four at-large council spots are open (two new seats have been added) and only four candidates qualified.

Candidates took turns answering a round of submitted questions, including how each would address the city’s considerable traffic problem along Hwy. 53, which runs through the heart of the city.

O’Leary, a two-a-half-year city resident, said she’d focus on working with the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT), which controls Hwy. 53.

“We need to be worried about being more proactive, reaching out to DOT and road engineers to try and get people out here to start looking at things, so that we can find work-arounds because (Hwy.) 53 is not going to expand very much with our buildings,” she said.

Council candidate Scott Mims, a Valdosta native who moved to metro Atlanta about a decade ago, mentioned widening roads and stressed increasing in-town businesses to reduce the number of residents using the roads to travel to other cities for shopping and dining needs.

“If we get more commercial business and what-not here in town, we really won’t have to drive so far to these other places,” Mims said. 

Tracy Carswell, a five-year city resident and first-term councilman, pointed to the recently-installed roundabout south of town on Hwy. 211 and to the West Winder Bypass, both of which he believes can draw commercial truck traffic away from Hwy. 53.

“We’re hoping to see that transient traffic lighten up tremendously with (Hwy.) 53,” Carswell said.

He noted that a Hoschton bypass has been talked about for years but has never materialized.

“Whether or not that actually comes into place, we’ll see,” Carswell said. “I think having the West Winder Bypass in place will help the DOT make decisions on whether that is something that will actually come to fruition over the next 10-30 years.”

Sell, a lifelong Hoschton resident and the city’s mayor the past 18 months, pointed to the lack of options the city has with the state-controlled Hwy. 53.

But he did predict a traffic signal eventually will be installed at Hwy. 53’s intersection with Peachtree Rd. where the large Twin Lakes and Cresswind subdivisions are being developed by Kolter Homes.

“When? I’m not sure exactly,” Sell said of the timetable for the traffic signal, noting that another traffic study by Kolter — along with commercial development in that area — will determine that.

Sell, too, pointed to the West Winder Bypass as possibly providing relief for Hwy. 53 traffic, but he also touted a planned golf cart path system throughout the city as a way to reduce congestion on Hoschton streets.

“You’re going to able to drive a golf cart from the ballfields up here on (Hwy.) 53, through town, all the way to the far end of the Kolter development,” Sell said. “Well, there’s 2,600 homes that’s going to be in that development. If you can keep them from driving their car down the street to Hoschton and get them on a cart path to drive up here to eat and shop, it’s better for us all.”

Fredria Sterling, a former Gwinnett County resident and a two-year Hoschton resident, referenced comments made by others on the panel regarding traffic solutions and said she believes the issue is being addressed.

“(Hwy.) 53 is really hard to get out of early in the morning,” Sterling said. “It seems like a plan is in place to take care of that … I think things are in the works to make it better.”

James Lawson, a 12-year-city resident and first-term councilman who runs a downtown funeral home, injected some humor into the discussion, joking that he’d put a toll booth at the city soccer fields to cut down on traffic.

Lawson, like Sell, said the city is at the mercy of the DOT when dealing with the highly-trafficked state routes that pass through Hoschton. He also said a DOT widening of Hwy. 53 would present issues, given the structures within downtown.

“What do you do about the water tower, what do you do about the depot, things of history and value?” Lawson said.

ADDRESSING GROWTH

Growth was the other major topic of questions posed to candidates with the city projected to top 10,000 residents — quadrupling the population — by 2030. In particular, each candidate was asked to weigh in on whether residential, commercial or industrial growth held the highest importance. They were also asked to cast a 10-year vision for the city. 

Lawson pointed to residential growth as more desirable, wary of more tractor-trailer traffic expected with other types of growth.

“(Hwy. 53) is just bogged down with tractor trailers coming through our small town,” he said.

As for commercial growth, Lawson said, “Braselton has kind of taken that from us, so, we’ll let them have that.”

He added that the city must ensure that properties that might transition to commercial “not be such a burden on us.”

As for the future growth for Hoschton, Lawson said the city must decide if it wants to be a “suburb of Atlanta or remain a small town.” He said the projected growth needs to be harnessed carefully.

"And make it to our benefit,” he said. 

Sterling also pointed to residential growth, saying an influx of new residents will make the city diverse.

“I just feel that it needs to be controlled,” she said of the growth. “As we know, as we live day-to-day, things are going to change. They’re not going to stay the same, so we have to embrace the change.”

Long-term, Sterling said she wants Hoschton to maintain its small-town and historic charm as it grows residentially, commercially and industrially.

Sell said he was a strong proponent of a balance of growth in all three areas, adding that commercial and industrial growth generate money for the city.

“Industrial (and) commercial businesses, you make money on,” Sell said. “You’ve got to have it. It’s a proven fact. The numbers are there.”

Sell said he foresees a city that could have a Home Depot or Target, given the number of homes projected for the city.

“In 10 years, we’re going to have over 10,000 people,” Sell said. “This place is going to transform. Well, what do we want to do with all these people and all the stuff this it’s going to bring? Because the commercial businesses are coming. They’re going to follow these rooftops.”

He also pointed to downtown Duluth as a model to follow for Hoschton’s growth.

“As populated as Duluth is, you walk through that square and you go to those shops, you still feel like you’re in a small town,” Sell said.

Carswell, too, favored a balance in growth. But he also stressed ensuring that residential growth is “done right.”

“We have to make sure that our neighborhoods are built to the standards that keep us up-to-date and ready for the future,” he said.

Long-term, Carswell said he wants to see a fully-developed downtown area spearheaded by the town’s downtown development authority, one that incorporates the town’s historic elements. His vision includes a city with golf cart paths, more downtown parks and perhaps an amphitheater.

Mims said “balance is key.” He said his main concern is locating businesses where they don’t interfere with small residential neighborhoods. Mims also said he wants an increase in family-owned businesses in town.

His vision for the future includes more of a live-and-play city with golf cart paths, more activity areas for children and a more active downtown.

“Something to do just in general, so I can get home from work and just hop on a golf cart and go to a pub or get some ice cream,” Mims said.

O’Leary said she would lean more toward residential development being balanced with commercial development and more locally-owned businesses setting up shop.

“Keeping the money here instead of taking it over to Braselton or Winder,” she said. “ … We’re shooting for what they’re doing, having a nice downtown area and that’s where you keep the money here.”

Long-term, O’Leary said the city’s growth is inevitable, given its proximity to I-85, and it must be handled carefully.

“So it’s just about how we keep everything under control to where we’re just not constantly approving things or we’re not doing enough research," she said.

IMPACT FEES

The importance of impact fees on new developments was brought up by multiple candidates as a means to generate revenue to keep pace with the city’s projected growth.

Sell said impact fees have allowed the city to fund recent infrastructure projects without imposing a property tax on residents.

“Your new neighbors are footing the bills for the new water tanks, for the repaving of West Jefferson St., for the sewer plant expansion,” he said.

O’Leary said she agreed with the importance of impact fees and wants to hold developers accountable, but she also said that the city “has to be careful,” too.

“Because it is a one-time payment,” O’Leary said. “It’s not a steady stream of flow of money, so we need to make sure we’re very conscious of how this could potentially affect our operating budget, which would then turn a higher city tax.”

MAYOR, OPPONENT DIFFER ON COUNCIL MEETING STRUCTURE

One point of disagreement between Sell and O’Leary in vying for the mayor’s seat is the structure of monthly council meetings.

O’Leary said more discussion of agenda items among the council is needed, as well as a more opportune time for public comment. The city holds its work sessions and voting meetings consecutively on the same evening with the public being allowed to comment at the start of the work session. Council discussion then follows in the work session, and the council takes action in the subsequent voting session. 

“There’s usually a three-minute conversation, and then they vote,” O’Leary said. “Something I would like to see differently would be where they have an actual conversation, and we get to hear everything that’s being said, and then we’d have another chance to ask questions on what we have heard Council Member A say to Council Member B.”

Sell defended the meeting structure, saying it’s organized for the council to complete its business in an efficient and timely manner. He also said citizens are welcome to review the agenda prior to the meeting and discuss any matter with him or council members.

“When we get to city hall for a meeting, it’s business,” Sell said. “If we don’t talk beforehand, and everybody is bouncing ideas off each other and the city staff and the community, you’re going to be spinning wheels at a meeting and never be done. We’ll be there all night. Read the agenda. It’s up to you the public to read the agendas, (decide) ‘This is what interests me,’ and start asking us questions.”

O’Leary contended that agendas are not properly posted and reiterated the need for a different time for public comment.

“I’m sure a lot of us would certainly do more research on the agendas if they were posted like they should be,” she said. “And with that, it’s just nice as a resident when you’re at a meeting to be able to ask questions because the way it’s set up, is that you have to ask the questions before discussions even begin.”

In his comments about meetings, Sell also made reference to a citizen who has filed lawsuits against the city and videos meetings. 

“When we’re in a meeting, this person is there every meeting filming us,” he said. “We don’t want to talk a lot. We don’t want to cost you money.”

Sell added, “There (are) no secrets in city hall. It’s against the law to have secrets.”

COUNCIL SEAT TERMS WILL DIFFER

Although all four city council candidates who participated in Tuesday’s forum are assured of a seat after the Nov. 2 election, the number of votes each garners will determine the length of their terms.

In order to stagger council terms with the two new seats being added, the three council candidates receiving the highest number of votes will serve four-year terms. The candidate receiving the fourth-highest tally will serve a two-year term.