Work continues on potential Riverside Drive development

Macon-Bibb County officials are expected to get an update Tuesday on a much-talked-about potential Riverside Drive development.

Attorney Andy Welch is scheduled to present the latest details about a 10-acre tract on Riverside Drive that stalled in 2013 after investors pulled out. Welch, who also is a state representative from McDonough, has been involved with environmental testing efforts that he said could get the site reclassified for more residential development.

The Riverside site is bordered by Spring Street, Second Street and the Ocmulgee River.

Welch said that he will describe Tuesday some minor remediation efforts that will likely be part of a plan presented to the state's Environmental Protection Division next year. Welch said he's hopeful that at least by next summer the EPD will lift some of the restrictions.

"I think we're still several months away from being able to market it for residential use, but unfortunately it takes a little time to move through the state process," said Welch, who will make the presentation to the County Commission's Facilities and Engineering Committee.

In 2013, development group Renaissance on the River, led by former by former Mercer University President Kirby Godsey, stepped away from a mix-used project at the site because of the restrictions.

QUALIFYING FEES IN BUSY ELECTION YEAR

A Macon-Bibb County committee is expected to discuss a resolution Tuesday to set the qualifying fees for next year's county elections.

The fees are 3 percent of the salary for the various positions, ranging from a fee of $3,724 for solicitor general to $216 for Board of Election district posts. The fees are set by state law, so Tuesday's committee and eventual full commission votes are just a formal procedure, said Elections Supervisor Janetta Watson.

Qualifying will take place from March 7-11.

The non-partisan races up for grabs next year include the mayor's seat, each of the nine county commission seats, Probate Court judge, coroner, Board of Education district seats 1 through 6, and two Water Authority district posts.

Voters will decide those races in May with a July runoff date if necessary.

The primary for the partisan races, which includes Superior Court clerk, sheriff, solicitor general and tax commissioner, will be in May. The general election will be held November.

MEMORIAL PARK CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT

The commission's Operations and Finance Committee is expected to vote on a resolution to approve $1.8 million in upgrades to the Memorial Park Community Center.

A new pool would be among the additions to the community center. The money would come from a special purpose local option sales tax.

If approved Tuesday, the agreement likely would go before the full commission in January.

To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter@stan_telegraph.

This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Work continues on potential Riverside Drive development ."