City Attorney Steven Campbell, left, and City Manager Donald Anderson, center, discuss with Cornelia resident Richard Barnett a map showing the approved placement of a “speed table” on Chenocetah Drive.
Richard and Donna Barnett of Cornelia had “an incident’ that sent their son to the hospital. They explained to the Cornelia City Commission Tuesday night that the rapid speed of a driver in an area called “Tower Mountain” had led to their son’s visit to the emergency room. They asked the commission to rectify the problem of speeding traffic in their neighborhood.
The City Commission heard from the public Tuesday night in an open hearing addressing traffic control on Chenocetah Drive in Cornelia. There were three people who spoke, who were opposed to a “speed bump, speed table, stop sign or other control” on Chenocetah. Their chief concern was that ambulances and other vehicles need to be able to move quickly for emergencies in that area.
City Attorney Steven Campbell conducted the public hearing, in which those supporting some type of traffic speed control also spoke. Resident Judy Hinson said that there were “eleven children under eleven” who needed protection from speeding traffic on a specific portion of Chenocetah Drive.
“People just fly down there,” she said.
Resident Brenda Garcia said that speeding drivers on Chenocetah Drive “are using it for a drag strip.”
City Attorney Campbell said he was pleased that there was pro and con discussion. Speaking “as a citizen” and resident of the Tower Mountain area, he said, “we’ve got people going real fast.”
Mayor J.C. Irby and City Manager Donald Anderson agreed that the discussion conclusion was that there should be a “speed table” on Chenocetah Drive. Anderson presented a map showing where a speed table would be effective. He said that, traveling south on Chenocetah, “just before the intersection of Habersham Terrace” is the proper place to install a speed table. The commission voted unanimously to the placement of a speed table there. Anderson added that the speed table placement would not interfere with emergency traffic.
In other action, the commission:
- voted to post for public comment discussion of an ordinance prohibiting burning leaves and brush in the city limits when there is already a city pickup schedule in place;
- voted to approve a maintenance agreement with Ansley Communications for city surveillance cameras;
- approved the low bid of Heartland Exterminating, which has been used for two years, for pest control services in the city.
