Lucky Shoals Park reopens with new community recreation center

a monthly publication of gwinnett county, georgia

www.gwinnettcounty.com

january 2008 v16, n1

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Advice from Tax

Commissioner

Assistance for

Grandparents

Funcard

Pet Corner

Check it out!

Around

Gwinnett

In recent months, Gwinnett County

commissioners have purchased 56

acres for a new park in the Lilburn

area, expanded South Gwinnett Park

near Snellville by nine acres, and add-

ed acreage to a future park along

the Yellow River.

The new Bryson Park is named for

the family selling the land on U.S. 29

near Lilburn. The County is combin-

ing this land tract with another 11

acres to create a 67-acre active com-

munity park. The comprehensive

master plan for parks and recreation

identiﬁes a need especially for soccer

facilities in the area.

“The parks and recreation comprehen-

sive master plan conﬁrmed that this

area of the county has a high need for

park land,” said District 2 Commis-

sioner Bert Nasuti. “With land be-

coming scarcer in this part of the coun-

ty, I am thankful for the opportunity

to purchase this property with SPLOST

funds to meet the recreation needs

of the community.” The public will be

invited to participate in creating a

master plan for the park this year.

South Gwinnett Park on McGee

Road in the Snellville area was ac-

quired by the County in 2006. The

expansion of the park comes through

a land exchange.

“By approving this exchange, we are

enlarging the park to 32 acres and

bolstering our support of youth sports

programs in the Snellville area,” said

District 3 Commissioner Mike Beau-

dreau. “Best of all, this is being done

at no cost to the taxpayers.”

Finally, the future Lee Park, locat-

ed where Five Forks Trickum Road

crosses the Yellow River between

Snellville and Lilburn, has expanded

with the purchase of about seven

more acres along the river adjacent

to 16 acres the County acquired

last September. This greenspace

acquisition will help protect water

quality, preserve natural resources,

and expand a greenway along the

river as recommended in the Coun-

ty’s Open Space and Greenways

master plan.

Board Chairman Charles Bannis-

ter said, “These acquisitions demon-

strate how we’re continuing to support

the older, established areas of the

county where we have documented

needs for improved facilities and ad-

ditional greenspace.”

SPLOST: Southern end of county

gets new park land

Lucky Shoals Park has received a signiﬁcant

facelift thanks to 2005 SPLOST funding. On

January 5, 2008, Gwinnett County Parks and

Recreation will hold a grand opening for the

new community recreation center and gym-

nasium. The free festivities will be held from

noon until 4:00pm, and will include a mariachi

band, balloon artist, trackless children’s train,

circus performers, henna-style temporary tat-

toos, door prizes, crafts, and a family walk-a-

thon. There will also be cultural performances

and class demonstrations including ballet, hip-

hop, karate, tai chi, and yoga. Food vendors

will also be on site selling concessions.

SPLOST: Lucky Shoals Park reopens

with new community recreation center

Lucky Shoals Park Community Center is the ﬁfth community rec-

reation center in the county.

…cont’d on page 3

your pennies

for parks

www.gwinnettcounty.com

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emissions inspection is valid for 12 months or for one registra-

tion renewal by the same owner.

• Senior exemptions: If you are age 65 or older and are a regis-

tered owner of a vehicle 10 model-years old or older, and if you

drive less than 5,000 miles per year, you may be eligible for a

senior exemption.

• Out-of-area emissions extensions: Special emissions exten-

sions for student, military, and business situations may be made

at tag ofﬁces by qualiﬁed Gwinnett residents if you or your fam-

ily members, and vehicle(s), are temporarily located outside the

13-county Atlanta emissions test area. Contact the Tax Commis-

sioner’s ofﬁce or visit a tag ofﬁce to apply or for more information.

Locations of Georgia Clean Air Force Waiver Centers, as well as in-

formation for new Georgia residents, repair waivers, alternative fuel

vehicles, or what to do when you sell your vehicle, are available at

cleanairforce.com.

2008 Mobile Home Taxes

Mobile home tax bills will be mailed by January 15. Payment deadline

is May 1.

Second customer services

system at Norcross tag ofﬁce

An electronic Citizen Services Administration System is currently

being tested by the Tax Commissioner at the Norcross Tag Ofﬁce.

Similar to the one at the Lawrenceville Tag Ofﬁce, the system will

reduce wait time in the lobby and electronically direct customers to

the tag ofﬁce agent who can most efﬁciently perform the motor ve-

hicle transaction.

Customers will no longer stand in line; after the customer selects a

transaction type at a touch-screen terminal, he or she will receive a

numbered ticket and is seated until his or her ticket number is an-

nounced. Tag ofﬁce agents will also be available in the lobby to

answer questions. This test program will last for approximately 90

days. Customers are asked to provide comments regarding the sys-

tem by completing a survey at gwinnetttaxcommissioner.com.

Advice from the Tax Commissioner

Motor Vehicle Tag Ofﬁce

Holiday Operating Hours

Tuesday, January 1, 2008 All tag ofﬁces closed

Monday, January 21, 2008 All tag ofﬁces closed

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

All ofﬁces (except

North Gwinnett) open

The Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree Corners, and Snellville tag

ofﬁces are open 8:30am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, ex-

cluding holidays. The North Gwinnett tag ofﬁce is open 8:30am –

5:00pm, Tuesday through Friday, and 9:00am – 4:00pm Saturdays,

excluding holidays.

Helpful information on applying

for Homestead Exemptions

Several types of homestead exemptions have been enacted to re-

duce the burden of ad valorem taxation for eligible homeowners.

These exemptions apply to property owned and occupied by a tax-

payer at his or her legal residence as of January 1 of the tax year. Also,

any vehicles owned by Gwinnett County homeowners must be reg-

istered in Gwinnett County at the time of a homestead application.

You may apply for regular homestead exemptions year round, but

you must apply by March 1 to receive the exemption for that tax

year. You may apply in several ways: online, by telephone, by mail,

or in person.

Regular homestead exemptions are automatically renewed each

year unless there is a change in ownership, a name or spelling cor-

rection on the deed, the taxpayer seeks to qualify for a different

type of exemption, or the eligibility requirements can no longer be

met by the homeowner. Only one person needs to apply if more

than one name appears on the deed.

In addition to the regular homestead exemption, several special

homestead exemptions exist for eligible seniors, certain disabled

persons including veterans, and others.

2008 Vehicle emission testing requirements

In 2008, all 1984 to 2005 model year gasoline-powered cars or light

trucks (up to 8,500 lbs.) must have a valid Georgia emissions inspec-

tion completed before registering or renewing tags. Some important

tips to know:

• Where to go: Newer vehicles (1996 to 2005) can be inspected

at any emissions inspection station. Vehicle models 1984 to 1995

can only be inspected at stations marked “All Vehicles Welcome.”

• Inspect early: It is best to get your vehicle inspected four to six

weeks before the registration renewal date (the ﬁrst vehicle

owner’s birthday), in the event repairs need to be made. An

Katherine Sherrington, Tax Commissioner

75 Langley Drive

Lawrenceville, GA 30045

Property Tax Customer Service: 770.822.8800

tax@gwinnettcounty.com

Motor Vehicles Customer Service: 770.822.8818

tag@gwinnettcounty.com

gwinnetttaxcommissioner.com

gwinnett county, georgia 770.822.8000

countyline

If you are looking for a companionable addition

to your household, you will ﬁnd lots of adorable

cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens at the brand

new Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and

Enforcement Center. In an attempt to prevent

pet overpopulation, all cats and dogs are now

spayed or neutered before adoption.

To see photos of all the critters currently up for

adoption, visit gwinnettanimalcontrol.com. For

more information, drop by the shelter located

at 884 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville or

call 770.339.3200. Kennel hours are Tuesday

through Saturday from 10:00am until 4:00pm.

Liven up your commute as you move

into the New Year! Try these great

new stories on CD.

Atomic Lobster, by Tim Dorsey

Capitol Conspiracy, by William Bern-

hardt

The Opposite of Invisible, by Liz Gal-

lagher

Souvenir, by Therese Fowler

The Heroines, by Eileen Favorite

Split Estate, by Charlotte Bacon

The Killing Ground, by Jack Higgins

Obedience, by Will Lavender

Ice Trap, by Kitty Sewell

Gardens of Water, by Alan Drew

This list is provided by the Gwinnett

County Public Library. Call or visit your

local branch for additional selection as-

sistance, or check out the GCPL web-

site at gwinnettpl.org.

A forum, CPR to Grandparents – Connecting

Parenting Resources to Grandparents, will be

held on Saturday, January 26, 2008, at the

First United Methodist Church in Lawrence-

ville from 10:00am to noon. It will be hosted

by the Fast Trackers Group of the 2008 grad-

Assistance for grandparents

gwinnettcounty parks and recreation

SAVE MONEY by purchasing the

new FUNCARD that offers discounted

admission fees. Visit gwinnettparks.com.

uating class of the Gwinnett Neighborhood

Leadership Institute (GNLI). This is a free

event for grandparents, concerned citizens,

and community leaders. Please RSVP by call-

ing 770.455.7602 extension 103 or visit the

GNLI website, gnli.org.

Seasonal Funcard* Year-Round Funcard*

Individual $ 75 Individual $144

Family of 2 $125 Family of 2 $232

Family of 3 $170 Family of 3 $313

Family of 4 $200 Family of 4 $375

Family of 5 $232 Family of 5 $438

Family of 6 $265 Family of 6 $500

10-Visit Funcard**

Individual $45

Senior Citizen $18

Funcards can only be purchased at Bethesda, Bogan, Collins Hill, Mountain Park, and West

Gwinnett Aquatic Centers, but are valid at all Gwinnett County pools. Seasonal Funcards are

valid Memorial Day through Labor Day (all indoor and outdoor pools) and Labor Day through

Memorial Day (indoor pools only).

* Prices listed are for Gwinnett County residents; prices doubled for non-residents

** 10-visit Funcard available to Gwinnett County residents only

The 28,450-square-foot community recre-

ation center features an indoor gymnasium

with two basketball courts, volleyball and

badminton court areas, and a walking track

around the top level. The facility also fea-

tures a dance studio, community room with

a catering kitchen, two classrooms, and a

game room. The outdoor tennis and basket-

ball courts have also been renovated.

The project was designed by Sutton Archi-

tectural Services and completed by Pied-

mont Construction Company. For more

information, visit gwinnettparks.com or

call 770.822.8840.

Lucky Shoals, cont’d from page 1

New!

Check

It Out!

www.gwinnettcounty.com

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For more information about the events and

services sponsored by Gwinnett County

Parks and Recreation or Health and Human

Services, visit gwinnettcounty.com under

News and Events to download the Gwinnett

Life and One Stop newsletters.

Holiday Closing

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday – All ofﬁces,

with the exception of those operations re-

quired for the comfor t and safety of the

citizens of Gwinnett County, will be closed

Monday, January 21, 2008, in observance of

Martin Luther King Jr. Day. All ofﬁces will

resume regular working hours on Tuesday,

January 22, 2008.

countyline

Gwinnett County

75 Langley Drive

Lawrenceville, GA 30045

770.822.7035

gwinnettcounty.com

The County Line is published monthly by the

Gwinnett County Communications Division to

inform residents about County services and items

of interest. For more information or to submit

newsletter suggestions, call 770.822.7035 or

e-mail heather.sawyer@gwinnettcounty.com. The

County Line is also available on the County’s

website, gwinnettcounty.com.

gwinnettcounty’s information resources

gwinnettcounty.com

What is Georgia’s culture? Come learn a

little about the diversity of the state found

in music, recreation, language, folktales, and

more while mapping your state’s culture. Par-

ticipants will work together to create a small

state scrapbook or Georgia license tag for

display at the Gwinnett Environmental and

Heritage Center, 2020 Clean Water Drive,

Buford. Saturdays from 11:00am to noon.

Free with paid admission to the center.

Do you want to earn the Gwinnett Envi-

ronmental and Heritage Center Green

Power Patch? Participate in hands-on activi-

ties and receive our special patch on January

5 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Gwinnett

Environmental and Heritage Center. (This

program can be completed during the week,

too.) Ages 6 to 10; $6 per child. Center ad-

mission included.

Boy Scouts: Get knee-deep in knowledge

about soil and water conservation. Be pre-

pared to get dirty as you complete most of

the requirements for the Soil and Water

Conservation Merit Badge, January 12 from

noon to 4:00pm at the Gwinnett Environ-

mental and Heritage Center. Program mini-

mum 8; maximum 15; $10 per scout. To

pre-register and for more information about

prerequisites, call 770.904.3500.

Learn about solar energy as you construct a

simple solar grasshopper robot on January 12

from 2:00pm to 3:00pm at the Gwinnett

Heritage and Environmental Center. This ac-

tivity is appropriate for ages 8 and up and is

limited to 25 participants. Pre-registration

and payment is required by December 20.

$20 per person; $10 for center members.

Center admission included.

We are hosting a party with Latin flair!

Come out to the Latin Dance Party held on

January 12 from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. Dance

lessons during the ﬁrst hour, mini-dance les-

sons taught throughout the night. Singles

and couples are welcome. Refreshments

provided. $12 per person; all ages. Call

770.564.3060. Lucky Shoals Park Commu-

nity Center is located at 4651 Britt Road,

Norcross.

Bring One for the Chipper! Wondering what

to do with your Christmas tree? Bring it to

the overﬂow parking lot at the Gwinnett

Environmental and Heritage Center and join

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and GEHC in

this joint volunteer effort to recycle your

tree into mulch. Grind it up for free on Jan-

uary 19 from 9:00am to 1:30pm.

Visit with local wedding professionals, win

valuable prizes, and view the latest bridal

fashions at the Winter Bridal and Fashion

Show on January 20 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.

Runway shows will be held at 3:30pm and

5:30pm. $3 per person; all ages. For infor-

mation, call 770.822.5450. The Gwinnett

Historic Courthouse is located at 185 West

Crogan Street, Lawrenceville.

Come help set up bluebird habitats on Jan-

uary 26 from 10:30am to noon. Our beau-

tiful feathered friends will be looking for

good homes in early February. We will set

up boxes in the open grassy edge habitats

of the Gwinnett Environmental and Herit-

age Center, 2020 Clean Water Drive, Bu-

ford. The use of wooden, manmade nest-

ing boxes have made a wonderful difference

in the survival of bluebirds. Please dress

warmly and bring binoculars.

Nature Spies: Visit the Gwinnett Environ-

mental and Heritage Center on January 26

from 3:00pm to 4:00pm and learn how to

sneak up and spy on wildlife. Your observa-

tion skills will deﬁnitely sharpen and you may

spot evidence of animal activities. Please

wear comfortable clothing and shoes and

bring water. This event is appropriate for chil-

dren in the second through fourth grades. $5

per child.

Join other seniors in your community for a

spaghetti dinner, conversation, and a movie.

Dinner and a Movie will be held January 27

at 5:30pm. $3 per person; ages 50 and over.

Call 770.822.4914. Shorty Howell Park Ac-

tivity Building is located at 2750 Pleasant Hill

Road in Duluth.

Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation spon-

sors 10 different senior recreation clubs at

various parks located throughout the county.

Call 770.564.4680 for information.