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On Tuesday, a meeting will be held a the Georgia Mountains Center at 10 a.m. that could detrimentally affect the complexion of North Hall County, damage the health of Lake Lanier and destroy the future of the Olympic rowing venue.
The Gainesville Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee will meet to take action on the conceptual routes for the North Connector, a four-lane highway designed to link Ga. 60 North with Ga. 365.
There are four route concepts that were outlined in the GHMPO’s August meeting that concerned citizens are greatly opposed to. The Lake Lanier Community Preservation Association is a grass-roots organization that has been formed to monitor transportation and land use developments that affect North Hall and Lake Lanier and we are voicing our strong opposition to these routes.
A "call to action" has been issued to concerned citizens to attend the GHMPO meeting and help carry the message of "Stop the Bridges Over Lake Lanier" and no exorbitant taxpayer cost that this massive proposal would have. The LLCPA have obtained more than 1,200 petition signatures urging the GHMPO to follow the recommendation of the Hall County Commission and withdraw these routes from current and future consideration.
I personally encourage residents to learn more about the GHMPO, a federally mandated planning organization making decisions for Gainesville and Hall County via their Web site.
Also, visit the Lake Lanier Community Preservation Association site to see the conceptual route maps and gain a further understanding about this organization.
This is an important issue to voice your opinion on while it is still in the earliest stages of planning to avoid a four-lane highway through rural North Hall. Get informed and join me at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Georgia Mountains Center.
Debbie Lawson Davis
president, Lake Lanier Community Preservation Association, Gainesville