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Published Wednesday, January 25, 2012 in Local

Special

Bill Wood talks with members of the Senoia City Council on Monday about his plans for property at 70 Main Street in the historic downtown business district.

Senoia City Council: Plans in works to add 1,020 lots to Senoia cemetery

By Winston Skinner

The Newnan Times-Herald

The city of Senoia is making plans to expand the city cemetery.

The Senoia City Council approved plans and a budget for the expansion on Monday night. The council also approved several certificates of appropriateness for historical properties and approved a permit for plans at a downtown property for a restaurant.

City Administrator Richard Ferry brought up the first agenda item at Monday's meeting at Senoia Magistrate Court -- "the expansion of the Senoia Cemetery."

There are currently only about 20 remaining plots in the cemetery. The expansion will add 1,020 lots to the burial ground.

Ferry showed the council a drawing of the expansion with lots shown on it. "This basically maximizes the use of the land," Ferry said.

"We are going to need a detention pond," Ferry told the council. He said the pond's concrete border will be decorated with a rock facade "to make it more of a decorative feature." There also will be "a treed area to provide a buffer with the neighboring property," Ferry said.

The council unanimously approved the plans presented by Ferry and a proposed budget of $152,668 for the project. The city administrator said about $92,000 of that total has already been spent.

Ferry said funding for the project will have to come from reserve funds. Mayor Robert Belisle clarified that the cost ultimately will be recouped from the sale of the plots.

Ferry and City Clerk Debbie Volk are expected to give a report to the council on prices for plots at an upcoming meeting. "Debbie and I are working on a few different options so we can set the prices," Ferry said.

In other business:

• the council approved a certificate of appropriateness and a permit for work at 70 Main St. Owner Bill Wood addressed the issues related to the restaurant space in Senoia's historic downtown.

Wood said he is working with Historical Concepts to develop an appropriate plan for the project.

The certificate related to the facade, deck and an outdoor kitchen. The permit was related to placement of posts and a shed roof which will extend over the town's sidewalks. The property is located next door to the Buggy Shop Museum where the roof also extends over the sidewalk.

The council unanimously approved both requests after hearing a short presentation from Wood.

The council also approved certificates of appropriateness for fences at 272 Johnson St. and 354 Seavy St. Councilman Jeff Fisher made the motion to approve the Seavy Street request "with the applicant being advised to avoid the city right-of-way."

• the council voted to approve a proposal to continue the city's participation in the Georgia Municipal Employees Benefit System. The program is provided through the Georgia Municipal Association.

The council was asked to approve "the restatement of the adoption agreement with GMA," City Attorney Andrew Whalen said. The matter was unanimously approved.

• the council approved an agenda for the council retreat to be held at the Dillard House in north Georgia on Feb. 24-25. The first session will start Feb. 24 at 1 p.m., and there will a morning and an afternoon session on Feb. 25.

Topics approved include ordinance changes, water issues, government structure, personnel needs and economic development. "Everybody's contributions are included," Belisle told the council members.

• Belisle told the council that all the terms on the city's ethics board have expired. The board is supposed to consist of 10 people -- with five being selected to serve if an ethics issue arises. Each member of the council can name two people to the ethics board.

"At the next meeting, everybody needs two names," the mayor said.

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