FLOWERY BRANCH - The Flowery Branch City Council voted Wednesday morning to approve an amended tax allocation district agreement with Hall County government.

Unlike a previous agreement between the two governments, Flowery Branch is prohibited from using property tax amounts from the county for "streetscape" improvements in the district, such as new sidewalks.

It also can't use revenue for infrastructure improvements not related to a specific development, such as expanding the sewer plant, City Manager Bill Andrew told the council, which voted 5-0 on the agreement.

Also, the county would be able to review projects through an advisory committee and have the option to pull out of the tax allocation district every three years, he said.

"We certainly concur with (the review and committee)," Andrew told the council. "We would have liked to be able to use the money for sewer (expansion), but the county saw differently."

A tax allocation district is a designated area in which improvements are financed from the increase in the area's tax revenues spurred by new development.

Flowery Branch's tax allocation district would comprise developable areas, such as along Phil Niekro Boulevard and Thurmon Tanner Parkway.

In other business, City Council decided to go with another firm, Pond Engineering, for services related to roadwork on Spout Springs Road at Holland Dam Road and the Stonebridge Village shopping center.

The vote came after Andrew and City Attorney Ron Bennett expressed liability concerns involving the contract with the firm that had been approved for the work, Paulson Mitchell of Roswell.

The contract with Pond will cost the city $9,470. The city would have paid Paulson Mitchell $8,150.

The council also:

Voted 4-1 to approve a beer and wine license for Fini's Pizzeria, which is set to open soon in the Stonebridge Village shopping center off Spout Springs and Hog Mountain roads.

Appointed Harold Kerkhoff, Jim Herold, Mark Zupsic and Chad Hammock to four-year terms and Thomas Collins to a two-year term on the Flowery Branch Development Authority.