The City of Baldwin will consider applications to bring two new businesses to the Highway 365 corridor at their Monday meeting: a daycare and the city’s first liquor store.
The two proposed businesses would sit about a quarter of a mile apart from each other, which meets legal regulations, and would be separated by Hayes Chevrolet.
The proposed daycare, owned by the Cumming-based education group, Aspire Learning, would be a 10,000 square foot facility. The liquor store, referred to in city documents as the “365 Superstore,” would be located off 365 by Charlie Davis Road and BC Grand Road.
Councilwoman Stephanie Almagono voiced her concerns that the liquor store would be in a part of town that could create problems.
“Using that BP station— it gets a little rough there in the evening,” Almagno said. “There are folks that are living behind that BP, [who] shouldn’t be living behind that BP, just hanging out behind that BP . . . now adding the liquor store to it, I’m fine with having them, but I just hope that we have patrols and things. We’re just adding a different element to the area.”
Elam says that the owner’s investment in the business could have a positive effect on the community.
Councilwoman Alice Venter said that she thinks the liquor store is an addition to Baldwin that she’d like to see, which she feels “positive about.”
“It’s very promising, I think,” Venter said. “The location’s brilliant as far as logistics, you’ve got people traveling up to the mountains, whether they’re going to North Carolina or just up to Clayton.”
Both Almagno and Venter said they did have concerns about how traffic might flow with vehicles entering and exiting the highway. Baldwin Police Chief Jeff Branyon advised the council to look into how the store would affect traffic.
The daycare would need the council to approve moving forward with development and to be annexed into the city for sewer and water access. The developer would also have to coordinate with the Georgia Department of Transportation for traffic safety.
“There’s a huge need for daycare services in this county,” Venter said.
The council will discuss both proposals at their Monday meeting. The city estimates they would have a public hearing for the daycare development on March 28.
