Flowery Branch planning to adopt Gainesville water restrictions

FLOWERY BRANCH - A ten percent water reduction is in the future for Flowery Branch because of the continuing drought.

Council voted Wednesday on first reading to adopt Gainesville's restriction rules including the $50 surcharge with no warning for first offenders and $200 with a water cutoff plus a reconnection fee for second offenders.

City Manager Bill Andrew said Gainesville has several water customers in Flowery Branch.

"Rather than create the confusion of having two different ordinances it would be fair to the customers to have a uniform system of restricting and explaining the water ban," Andrew said.

Andrew added that enforcement with fines would not actually start December 5th.

"We would still give people some time for the news to get out that this is happening and that we will have surcharges for violators," he said.

According to Andrew the city has seen very few water ban violations and adopting the water restrictions is more for the purpose of showing the state Flowery Branch is taking the ban seriously.

"We don't know that it will assist us in any measurable way of reducing water usage," Andrew added.

ORDINANCE UPDATES

City Council agreed to change their mid-December meeting date from Wednesday December 19th to Tuesday December 18th and to cast final votes on amendments and changes to the city's adult business ordinance and an unsafe structure and nuisance ordinance.

A public hearing on the changes was held October 25th and City Planner James Riker said the ordinances needed an update on advice from the city attorney.

"There wasn't anything specific, no examples or cases or projects that necessitated these changes," Riker said.

Riker said the unsafe structure and nuisance ordinance revision would incorporate the International Property Maintenance Code.