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Councilmember Kautz Opposes Grass Planting, Suggests Mulch
By Jerry | October 4, 2007
This week, Councilmember Kelly Kautz (who is up for re-election next month) made a request to Interim City Manager Jim Brooks that the city re-evaluate the decision to plant Bermuda Grass Sod on the site of the recently demolished Oakland Village Shopping Center Outparcel due to the recent watering restrictions.
At her request, Jim Brooks forwarded the request to Planning Director Jessica Roth and to City Construction Manager Billy Buckhalt. In his opinion,
…the grass will be going dormant very soon or may already be dormant when installed. As a result, it will have low maintenance needs throughout the winter, including irrigation…
…Bermuda is a pretty tough grass in our planting zone so it is able to withstand some drought…
In response, Councilmember Kautz was unsatisfied with the response from a city-paid professional with experience in landscaping and erosion control, and wished to have the opinion of the council, of which ONLY ONE member has any professional experience in erosion control.
That would be myself, a licensed professional engineer in the State of Georgia since 1986.
My professional opinion is in agreement with Manager Buckhalt, and as for the little irrigation we will need, one option is to use greywater instead of county drinking water.
As for Councilmember Kautz’s suggestion for the site instead of sodded grass? Mulch.
This item has now been added to the agenda of the next council meeting.
Topics: Thoughts |
October 5th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Why is she wasting tax payer dollars debating this non policy issue. She doesn’t even know her own duties as a Council person and has no confidence in any decision staff makes. That is an issue to run on…”I think we should mulch the entire city and do away with grass”.
October 7th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Is this the same council member who told staff “heads will roll” if work is not done the way she wants it done? Again, butting into non-policy matters that should have been left up to Jeff, the city manager at that time, and the city staff.
And isn’t this the same “genius” who voted with Garraway, Jenkins and Auld to do away with any green space on the senior housing ordinance? Once again, rather than taking the advice of a licensed city professional, those council members admitted openly in the council meeting that they were doing this at the request of their developer friends. Weren’t the financial disclosure forms due to be submitted last Friday? Those forms should be interesting…if they have been submitted honestly.
In the meantime, our homes are in jeopardy. These “friendly” developers can build senior housing “apartments” at the rate of 35 units per acre adjacent to residential zoning. (See R-Hop Ordinance)
Heaven help you people in the Nob Hill area behind the water tower. They “played you like a violin.” You are now prime pickings for these senior apartments. Why do you think Garraway, Kautz et. al. worked you into a frenzy so you wouldn’t even consider an access road study (NOT funded by the city) for a road behind the Hgwy. 78 businesses, which, by the way, was also to look at solutions for the Oak Rd. and 124 intersection. With no glimmer of hope left, several restaurants and the Dalton Rug store have closed or are up for sale…and what do you have? Another used car lot and another pawn shop. (Note Garraway’s big sign on the former Hardy’s site that is now a pawn shop.) By the way, the open field behind KFC and the former Pizza Hut is already zoned commercial. Just wait for the dust (of construction!!) to settle after the election if Kautz and Garraway win.
This is the vision for the future of Snellville held by Garraway, Kautz, Jenkins and Auld. Less green and more pavement (or mulch).
October 8th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Ridiculous…absolutely ridiculous to waste time, money & effort on this…you’ve solidified my non-vote, Ms. Kautz.
October 9th, 2007 at 10:43 am
I would say the grass would be much more aesthetically pleasing. Yes, grass will require mowing and upkeep expenses, but mulch also requires replacing etc…and if the space is going to be used for art shows, festivals, and public events, grass is much more practical. But this could be argued by both sides forever…and what we need is a decision made ASAP because I thought a festival was going to be held in that space sometime this month..but at the rate things are going, I don’t see how it would be ready for that.
October 10th, 2007 at 12:25 am
I have emailed and asked Kelly for her side of the story in my Snellville Blog, so stay tuned!
www.mysnellvilleblog.blogspot.com