The High Shoals Messenger.
; VOL. 2.1. HIGH SHOALS, GA., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013. NO. 11.
Since 1897
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COUNCIL ADOPTS OFFICIAL ZONING MAP
If we want our zoning laws to mean something we need an accurate Official Zoning Map. Ours was outdated and incomplete, which could have resulted in lawsuits and unfortunate land uses. Town Council has fixed that by adopting a new Official Zoning Map.
This took more than two years of tedious and intensive work. Mike Beall and Carolyn Pritchett had to locate and make sense of minutes spanning more than 20 years. Steve Holzman saved the Town thousands of dollars with his cartographic equipment and skills. Violet Dawe offered historical detail and several trips to the courthouse for records. Every Council Member, several citizens, and Town Attorney Joe Reitman put a lot of time and effort into this project; thanks to all of you. You can check out the map at Town Hall.
SPEEDING UPDATE
We'll see more progress on the traffic front soon. Council has authorized the installation of additional speed limit and"No Thru Trucks"signs at various locations. Mike Beall and Steve Holzman have tried to get the GPS services to reroute through traffic away from our roads. They haven't had much luck, and now John MacKay will give it a try.
Town Attorney Joe Reitman has advised us that before we can lower speed limits and install traffic calming measures (speed bumps) we need to complete a traffic investigation study, so that we have a sound legal basis for any changes. That study should be completed by the end of December, and then Council can start to consider the options. If you have any thoughts, now is the time to speak up!
IN OUR OPINION – A UNIQUE PLACE TO CALL HOME
(By Felicia Kautz - this is a condensed version of Felicia's presentation to Town Council)
My name is Felicia Kautz. My husband and I have been residents of North High Shoals since 1985. I have walked many miles in and around our town. Over the years, as you would guess, I have seen an increase in traffic, as well as an increase in the speed. Some cars heed the speed limits and also slow for the speed bumps; however, many ignore them. When they hit the bump in front of our house going too fast, our house vibrates all the way to my desk in the back room. Think of what that is doing to our structure.
I'd like to thank the Mayor and the council members for the work that you are doing to address these issues. I know that it is an ongoing effort and it is appreciated.
My dog and I are constantly maneuvering to avoid getting hit when we take our walks. Now think if you were a child. Perhaps that is the reason I don't see many children walking about our town anymore. The situation is especially bad on Hillsboro Road, where our park is. There appears to be a general disregard for the speed limit from Highway 186 to the North High Shoals city limit beyond Jefferson Road.
According to the Safe Routes to School Guide, statistics state that "if a pedestrian is struck by a car traveling at 40 mph, there is an 85% likelihood that the pedestrian
will be killed. This percentage drops to 45% at 30 mph and 5% at 20 mph". That is a good reason to lower our speed limits on Hillsboro even further, from 35 mph to perhaps
25 mph. Coupled with a sidewalk, we could indeed enjoy that road without fearing for our safety. Therefore, I propose a sidewalk stretching from Highway 186 to Jefferson Road. That is less than a mile. If not a concrete sidewalk, which outlasts all other walkways, then perhaps an asphalt walk.
By making Hillsboro Road a pedestrian safe road, and thereby slowing traffic, we will slow traffic through the rest of town. This is called a "calming" effect on traffic.
Another study by the UNC Highway Safety Research Center, conducted by the Federal Highway Administration, states that the "likelihood of a site with a paved sidewalk being a crash site is 88.2% lower than a site without a sidewalk after accounting for traffic volume and speed limits."
In short, I think we need to create an environment that encourages town people to walk to the park and walk about our historic town. We have such a unique place to call home. I believe the sidewalk along Hillsboro is a good place to start. Thank you for your time.
THE HIGH SHOALS MESSENGER. HIGH SHOALS, OCONEE COUNTY, GEORGIA
HISTORY: The original The High Shoals Messenger was a weekly newspaper first published in 1897 by Ed. N. Center, editor and proprietor. Subscriptions cost 30¢ for 6 months or 50¢ per year, and were mailed out from the High Shoals Post Office. This current version is free and is published monthly by Fred Johnson (ilovehighshoals@yahoo.com) and John MacKay (johnwmackay@gmail.com). While at times its publishers may sit on Town Council, neither the original The High Shoals Messenger nor the current one have ever served as the official publication of the government of the Town of North High Shoals.
ADVERTISING, ETC: The Messenger does not run advertising and does not involve itself in the exchange of money. It exists solely for the dissemination of political and social expression. The Messenger is not a commercial enterprise and the speech contained herein is not commercial speech.
© 2013 Fred Johnson and John MacKay.
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