FBCC looks at closing Bragg Road

FLOWERY BRANCH - Flowery Branch City Council Thursday night took a step toward dealing with a troublesome road, Bragg Road, the source of several homeowner complaints.

Council approved a surveying contract for an easement for a truck turnaround on the road. Then the city and Hall County could close and gate the road to keep unwelcome traffic and activity out according to City Planning Director James Riker

"Our police chief has noted there is a lot of illegal activity happening on Bragg Road," Riker said. "There's a lot of illegal dumping and the road itself is not in a very ideal condition, it has very limited shoulders and there is some soil and erosion runoff when it rains, so we think for the health, safety and welfare of the general public, gating the road and limiting access would be better."

Riker said Council approved hiring Hayes James Associates to prepare legal documents so the city could set up the turnaround on the city portion of the road, but closing the road does not vacate or abandon right of way owned by the city or the county. Riker said a long-range plan includes developing multi-use trails using Bragg Road.

"A future trail system could connect to Cherokee Bluffs Park to Williams Mill Park to Sterling on the Lake," Riker said. "There's also the Spout Springs Road Sports Complex and then to Friendship Road. That's not what is going to happen next year but it's an idea of what the possibilities are in the future."

SALES TAX RESOLUTION

Flowery Branch joined the list of cities partnering with the State Revenue Department under a state law passed last year that allows a voluntary information exchange on sales tax payments.

Council approved the resolution to ensure proper sales tax payments and business license according to City Manager Bill Andrew.

"This is so we can know who is sending sales tax to the state and they can know who has a business license here in the city and hopefully those two lists will match up," Andrew said.

Andrew said if the list does not match up, then the business paying sales tax needs to get a city business license. Businesses that don't appear on the DOR's list would be investigated.