The beginning of a resolution to the idea of helping streamline the traffic flow on the north side of downtown Fayetteville will be up for consideration by the City Council Jan. 19 with two land acquisition proposals that would eventually extend Kathi Avenue and tie it in with Hood Avenue at North Glynn Street.
The overall project would also connect Kathi Avenue to North Jeff Davis Drive to the east. If approved, the local SPLOST-funded project could be underway in early 2013.
Up for consideration by the council are two pieces of property involved in the total realignment project that would connect Hood Avenue on the west to North Jeff Davis on the east by way of an extension of Kathi Avenue. One of those includes the southernmost portion of the Hudson Plaza shopping center situated directly across North Glynn from Hood Avenue. The other parcel is situated directly behind the south side of Hudson Plaza.
City Facilities Manager Don Easterbrook said the process pertaining to the Hudson Plaza property, owned by Hudson II, LLC, began in January 2011 when an appraisal was commissioned and initial engineering was performed. A verbal agreement with the owner was received in the fall and the final draft is now complete, Easterbrook added.
Easterbrook said it was decided that it would be most beneficial to all parties to proceed with a friendly condemnation.
“This will give the city clear title and allow us to sever the leases with the tenants in the building we would acquire. It allows the property owner to avoid taxes from the sale. The property owner is agreeable to proceeding in this manner,” Easterbrook said.
Also up for discussion is the purchase of a rectangular-shaped 1.05-acre parcel at the rear of Hudson Plaza. The property is owned by BBWJ, LLC. The property is situated between Kathi Avenue and the south portion of Hudson Plaza that would be removed to make way for Kathi Avenue to be extended to North Glynn and intersect with Hood Avenue. The east side of the property would be the location of the new road that will extend to the northeast to a roundabout at the existing Kathi Avenue.
Similar to the situation with Hudson II, LLC, the city has reached an agreement with BBWJ to purchase the property through the method of friendly condemnation.
The Jan. 19 agenda calls for a presentation by Integrated Science and Engineering, a land acquisition discussion by council members in executive session and a potential vote when the council returns to open session.
A traffic study conducted for the project showed daily traffic volumes on North Glynn Street just north of downtown 36,200 vehicles, on North Glynn Street south of North Jeff Davis Drive at 32,290 vehicles, on North Jeff Davis south of North Glynn Street at 17,720 vehicles and along Ga. Highway 92 west of the intersection with North Glynn Street at 7,880 vehicles.
The history of the realignment began with the 1993 Fayetteville Road Improvement Program and extended to the 2003 Fayette County Transportation Plan, the 2003 Fayetteville Livable Centers Initiative Plan and the 2008 Fayette County Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
Funding for the Hood Avenue/Kathi Avenue/Jeff Davis project would come from $7.8 million in previously collected county SPLOST revenues along with city funds if the project exceeds the SPLOST amount. The project’s current cost estimate is $9.1 million.
An intergovernmental agreement for the project was signed in late 2010. The Georgia Dept. of Transportation issued a concept approval letter in November.
Easterbrook said talks are occurring with other affected property owners. The project could potentially go out for bid in January 2013 and be completed by mid-2014.
Also at the meeting, the council will hear the first reading of an amendment to the Hotel/Motel Tax Ordinance. The amendment to the ordinance allows authorization and guidance to the city for specified penalties and interest for delinquent, fraudulent or non-compliance actions.
The amendment also includes a provision that operators collecting the tax receive a deduction of 3 percent of the amount due provided the amount due was not delinquent at the time of the payment.
Fayetteville currently has only two hotels that relate to the ordinance.
The tax can only be used for promoting tourism, conventions and trade shows.
