Unbelievable.
Jim Marshall, developer of Spring Valley Ranch in Elbert County has proposed a “shortcut” and is attempting to get out of an agreement he made with the county a few years ago to pave 16.15 miles of roads to and from his development. His proposed “shortcut” across CR 178 only paves 7.15 miles of roads. At a million dollars a mile, that’s a $9,000,000.00 savings to the developer and a $9,000,000.00 theft from from the citizens of Elbert County. Simple stuff you say?
Not really. For some reason, his proposal appears to have traction. We’ve seen hundreds of emails where he is directing taxpayer paid county employees to develop power point presentations, directing former planning commission members, even hired a former county commissioner to run his Special Taxing Districts, directing our county attorney on hiring, cozy emails with our county manager and county assessor, and he also has his minions sending “shortcut CR 178” support emails to the county. It appears the fix may be in, but hopefully our three county commissioners will do the right thing for the citizens of Elbert County and stick to the original 16.15 miles of paved roads, right?
Anyway, your voice, your email does matter. We have seen several times on development issues how the commissioners point to the “on the record” support they have received for some developments in making their decisions. That support is mostly canned realtor forms in support of high density developments, but nonetheless, still mentioned as a deciding factor. Some of us are showing our support to enforce the already signed agreement obligating Jim Marshall to build 16.15 miles of roads by sending emails. Here’s my email to the county:
“To Whom It May Concern,
Please enter into the record my support FOR the original agreement that Jim Marshall, the developer of Spring Valley Ranch is to build 16.15 miles of paved roads into and out of Spring Valley Ranch. (see obligation, attached map).
I am AGAINST the current proposal allowing a CR 178 shortcut, only paving 7.15 miles of roads.
The citizens of Elbert County deserve what was previously agreed to.
Wayne Ordakowski, Elbert County Citizen
Your address here”
Map: https://saveelbertcounty.com/178.pdf
Email addresses:
Chris.Richardson@elbertcounty-co.gov
Grant.Thayer@elbertcounty-co.gov
Rick.Pettitt@elbertcounty-co.gov
Christina.Stanton@elbertcounty-co.gov
Bart.Greer@elbertcounty-co.gov
There’s a lot of disinformation floating around right now, but the map of what is obligated versus the developers green line proposal is clear. Elbert County citizens deserve the 16.15 miles of paved roads. Perhaps you may lend your email voice also so feel free to copy my email (edit to your name and address) and send it off to the county addresses above!
You said it all. I know it’s a tough time of year but hoping folks will write because we have no idea when this meeting will be now that they cancelled the first one
When they post the morning session from today’s County Commission meeting, be sure to go online and look at about minute 58 (which happened at 10:05AM) where Mr. Albrecht talks about how COVID is likely going to negatively affect the County’s budget next year and how one of the projects most needed is roads. Contrast that with a Planning Commission and BOCC that, in 2018, let a developer walk away from millions of dollars in road commitments and permanently set impact fees for the development at almost half of what the county is charging today. This agreement then resulted in a lawsuit by the affected communities because it included the unsafe and unsound CR 178 shortcut. Best of all, with a former Planning Commissioner beating the bushes for developer Jim Marshall on the latest version of this same bad deal, and with all kinds of behind-the-scenes dealings between Marshall and County staff, it seems very possible the Planning Commission and County Commissioners will approve essentially this same bad deal again soon. We have a compromise that might meet everyone’s needs, including the developer, but can’t get a meeting with anyone in the County or with Marshall to discuss it. If you don’t want them taking taxpayer money from you pocket, please consider letting them know.