Newsletter of the Settles Bridge Homeowner’s Association, Inc.
Post Office Box 837 Suwanee, GA 30024
July - 1998
The annual business meeting of the S.B.H.A. was held in March. The minutes from the last meeting were read and approved. The 1997 financial report was presented and approved. Various comments, suggestions, complaints, and concerns about the neighborhood were discussed. We have summarized these in a section later in the newsletter and ask that you read to see if they apply to you. A discussion ensued about the Suwanee Dam road project and its affect on our entrance. An update is provided by David Hancock in this newsletter. The new 1998 SBHA officers were then elected and installed. Please support them by volunteering your time with SBHA projects this year.
President: Roger Kennedy 770-271-7330
Vice President: Paul Thompson 770-932-1552
Secretary: Dayle Thompson 770-932-1552
Treasurer: Ron Rogers 770-932-8276
Members At Large:
Rich Irvin 770-614-8586, Donna Stone 770-945-0240, David Hancock 770-932-8163
As your President for 2 years now, I would like to encourage each of you to support our homeowners association. We have a beautiful housing area with proud homeowners within a growing community. The continued growth requires everyone to focus on their neighborhood as well as the community. Supporting your Homeowners Association, both financially and by volunteering your time, is very important to maintain our appearance and presence in the community.
Roger Kennedy
We need your help! Committees are now forming and we need volunteers. Committees include:
Social - Welcome - Landscape - Political & Government - Membership Drive - Newsletter Committee.
We need help on these committees to continue to provide a better neighborhood. Please call an officer today to volunteer. For Political-Govern., please call David Hancock at 770-932-8163.
1998 Support Fund - Have You Forgotten ??
Over 3 months have passed since I was elected to Treasurer and mailed requests for the 1998 SBHA support fund drive. As of July 4th we have received contributions from only 45 out of the 76 households within our subdivision. This year we even sent SASP envelopes to make it as convenient as possible !!
The Board of Directors would like to thank those that have contributed so far this year and a special thank you goes to those families that now contribute significantly more than the minimum $35 pledge. A second "call-for-help" will soon be sent to those homes that have not yet responded, followed then by door to door visits.
As I pointed out in the first mailing, we need to build our Capital Improvements funds in preparation for the expenses of the returning the front entrance to normal after the road project is complete and to add the planned landscape lighting and sprinkler systems. Remember: Since you live in Settles Bridge you benefit directly from the work of SBHA so please lend a hand financially.
Ron Rogers, 1998 Treasurer
Rezoning applications for high density residential properties are at our door........Tench Road at P’Tree Industrial-Just north of the Kroger on the west side of P’Tree Ind.--calling for 277 high density residential units. Next...805 maximum density residential units at P’Tree Ind. and Chattahoochee Pt. The total number of units proposed equals 1,082 high and maximum density. We are deeply concerned for its impact on school overcrowding, traffic congestion, and property values. With the new apartments under construction along McGinnis Ferry behind Publix, many feel that Suwanee is accepting a disproportionate number of multi-family residential applications.
Very early on the morning of our Spring Garage Sale our nice (and expensive) yellow garage sale signs were taken from the front entrance. A police report was filed and City Hall was contacted but nothing has turned up. If you saw anyone around the signs please contact Paul Thompson at 932-1552.
The updated SBHA home listing will be distributed again soon. Is the information listed for your household up to date ?? If not contact Dayle Thompson (932-1552) or Ron Rogers (932-8276) ASAP. Currently, have a few new families that are in the process of moving into the subdivision so as soon as we have information from them we will distribute the new listing.
On the last page of this newsletter is a drawing that is on file at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration building regarding the Suwanee Dam Road modifications that are currently taking place outside of our subdivision. The project, officially known as the "Suwanee Dam Road Project, project number 7059", is being funded with money made available in 1992.
This project is listed as an "Intersection/Align" project, which means that there will be no changes to the width of the road. When complete, Suwanee Dam Road will be straighter and will have sidewalks along much of its length. Most important to our subdivision, there are notes (unreadable on the above image) on the plan which state that "existing walls, fence, and subdivision signs shall remain". According to the drawing, it looks like there will be sidewalks which go from the entrance of or subdivision around to Settles Bridge Road. Suwanee Dam Road is being modified for 6.4 miles, from Peachtree Industrial Blvd. to Buford Dam Road. The scheduled completion date for this project is May of 1999.
David Hancock, MAL
Would you be interested in having neighborhood fun leagues or social circles for any of these fun activities?? Would be a great way to socialize with people in the neighborhood for a fun night out. If you have an interest or would like to help organize please contact Ron Rogers at 932-8276.
A few years back we tried to assemble (without success) a Services Directory with the idea of having a directory that Settles Bridge residents could refer to when they needed recommendation for services such as painting, carpentry, lawn care, plumbing, electrical, etc.
Well, enough people have asked that we try it again. We have for you an easy to complete form to have a recommended service provider(s) included in the directory. This also goes for not-so-good service providers you would like to make comment about. If you would like to have one of the forms, please contact David Hancock at 932-8163.
Where’s The Mail ?!?!
Several residents have brought to our attention problems with mail-distribution. After checking at the post office, we have learned that they will not respond to this matter unless several calls are received. If you are experiencing problems, please contact : Angie Payne (Customer Service Supervisor) at 770-932-2005.
Also, some residents expressed concern about the appearance of mail boxes at some homes. Take a look at your mailbox to see if it needs repaired, painted, or replaced.
Trees and Poor Visibility
Our subdivision is now old enough that a lot of the trees planted along the streets by the developers are in need of some serious maintenance.
Many have started to grow over into the right-of-way and are making for poor visibility to drivers. This is especially true in areas of curves and at the intersection of Settles Point Rd. and Surveyor’s Pt.
Please trim and prune your trees back or we will be forced to contact the Suwanee Street Department to have it done. This is a safety hazard that must be addressed immediately.
Fair Warning: If the Street Department trims your trees you will not be happy with the results. They will cut your trees so they will not have to do it for another 7 years !!
Automobile Parking and State Law
Please park all automobiles in your driveway whenever possible. In certain areas of our subdivision it is difficult to see when trying to go around them. It puts a driver in the lane of on coming cars.
When guests visit and it is necessary for them to park on the street be sure to have all parked automobiles facing the correct direction. In other words, Georgia State Law says an automobile parked along a road or side street must be positioned with its tail lights & reflectors facing on-coming traffic driving on the right side of the street. Near the end of the school year one of our school buses could not pass through, due to cars on each side of the street. The driver stated that if these problems continue, as well as difficulty turning the buses around due to parked cars, that she will go to the transportation department for help.
Safety and Speeding
School is out! We are now seeing our children out and about in the neighborhood more. They are riding bikes, roller skating, walking to friends homes, and playing ball. With the hot weather they are also out at dusk and after dark.
Please slow down !!! The speed limit in the subdivision is still 25 MPH.
We have so many cars parked on the street, it would be impossible to stop if one of the children darted out between them. Some are learning to ride bikes and aren’t in full control yet. What if they can’t stop coming out of their driveway?
Parents: remind your teenagers they were once small children too! Our streets must become safer for everyone.
Unleashed Dogs
State, county, and city law dictates that you must keep your dog(s) leashed and tagged at all times. NO EXCEPTIONS !!
Residents are now complaining of dogs running lose, using neighbor’s lawns & shrubs as depositories, and frightening young children. People have now been advised of the Gwinnett Co. dog warden telephone number to have these dogs picked up and rid our neighborhood of this pest situation.
Garbage Cans and Trash
Every so often we find that we must again ask everyone’s cooperation, common sense, and courtesy with garbage cans.
If you have garbage collection scheduled for Mondays, please do not place your garbage cans, containers, or bags on the curb area before Sunday evenings. Sunday afternoons are typically when we have guests visit the neighborhood or potential home buyers drive through. Trash and garbage on the curb does not present the type of upscale image we want to show.
Also, please retrieve your garbage containers promptly after collection (due to safety) and store them in a manner so they cannot easily be seen from the street.
Once again, we ask your cooperation.
This newsletter is being distributed later than any of us wanted due to personal work loads and life’s priorities. If you would like to assist in assembling this newsletter and adding some new publication ideas please contact Dayle Thompson, SBHA Secretary
Send suggestions and comments regarding this newsletter to webmaster@settlesbridge.com