Savannah residents discuss downtown development

Savannah residents got their first, tentative look this week at what downtown development officials are planning for the city's historic urban core. The master plan will guide development in downtown Savannah, which is the nation's largest historic district. Right now, the plan includes only general ideas about the future.

One thing is very clear, however: Construction is both booming and hotly contested. Over 3-hundred people attended this week's master plan unveiling, including college student Jessica Burr, who says she's concerned that many new buildings won't blend in with historic structures.

"They are not compatible at all with the existing environment," Burr said. "And it's just frustrating."

Other residents expressed concerns about transporation and a lack of affordable housing downtown. Although details were few this week, officials have promised a more specific draft document later this summer.

Chico's Expands to northeast Georgia

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that women’s fashion retailer Chico’s FAS, Inc. (NYSE:CHS) plans to expand its distribution center facilities in Barrow County with an initial investment of $15 million, which is expected to create 189 full-time jobs over the next three years.

“Georgia’s strong business assets continue to make it a compelling location for distribution centers,” said Governor Perdue. “Our state’s unmatched transportation network, business-friendly environment and ready pool of qualified workers translate to success.”

In order to expand its facilities in Winder, Chico’s purchased the former Hagemeyer Building on Barrow Industrial Parkway. The 300,000-square-foot building, which is close to the current Chico’s distribution center, will house an additional distribution facility. When the expansion is completed by year-end, there will be more than 450 full-time Chico’s employees in Barrow County. Employment opportunities at Chico’s Winder Distribution Center will be posted on their website, www.chicos.com .

Chico’s located a distribution center in Barrow County in 2002 and expanded that facility in 2004 and 2006. In 2006 the company also opened an adjacent call center to service its direct-to-consumer business for its Chico’s, White House | Black Market and Soma Intimates brands.

“We are fortunate in having the opportunity to purchase this nearby facility that will enable us to expand our current distribution operations, providing sufficient capacity to serve our needs through 2016,” said Jeffrey A. Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Chico’s FAS.

“We welcome Chico’s third major expansion of its facilities in Barrow County since 2002,” said Linda Moore, VP of the Barrow Economic Development Council. “Chico’s is an excellent corporate citizen and I know our residents are grateful in these economic times for the increase in jobs and investment.”

Susie Haggard, project manager with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, assisted the company in its location.

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About the company

Chico’s FAS Inc. is a women's specialty retailer of private branded, sophisticated, casual-to-dressy clothing, intimates, complementary accessories, and other non-clothing gift items. The Company operates specialty stores in 48 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The company’s brands include Chico’s, White House | Black Market and Soma Intimates, which together operate more than 1,000 stores in addition to catalog and e-ecommerce operations.

(Governor's Office News Release)

Judge upholds Jekyll project

A Fulton County Superior Court judge has upheld a controversial project to re-develop Jekyll Island.

The judge dismissed claims by the development's losing bidder that the Jekyll Island Authority didn't play by its own rules when it chose Greensboro, Georgia developer Linger Longer to build the project.

The losing bidder, Wade Shealy of Atlanta, said the Authority had no intention of holding a fair hearing and instead gave the $350 million project to political insiders.

At stake is a massive overhaul of the state park. Critics say the project could adversely impact the island's environment and affordability as a vacation destination.

Shealy says, he'll likely appeal the judge's decision.

Judge's ruling limits Early Co. power-plant opponents

Bulletin board in City Hall at Early Co. seat, Blakely, with flyer
expressing support for power-plant builders, LS Power.
(Photo: Dave Bender)

Southwest Georgia groups fighting a power-plant in Early County saw their legal appeal partially stymied in an Atlanta courtroom on Friday.

The judge okayed the plaintiffs' lawsuit against the Longleaf coal-fired power station, but rejected two of their key contentions:

• That the State Environmental Division imposed no limits on carbon dioxide emissions
  
• That EPA's existing regulations on dust emissions aren't strict enough, and would endanger area residents.

Michael Vogt, director of project development at LS Power, says the judge was right to reject those charges:

"We're complying with the current regulations related to carbon dioxide. Whether they're going to have standards that we're going to have to meet in the future; we'll meet them whenever they come into effect, but currently, there are none for a facility such as ours.

"We're complying with all of the rules and regulations that are in place to do exactly what they're concerned about: to protect their health and the environment that's around them."

Hearings on the 17-counts against the project will continue next month. Vogt expects a decision on the issues in mid-November.

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Developers Could See Looser Regulations

Georgia House members are considering loosening regulations for builders as a way of stimulating the economy.


With the housing market in the gutter, and unemployment rates following the nose dive of the construction industry, state lawmakers like Rome Republican Representative Katie Dempsey say looser building regulations could aid the economy. Dempsey says the key would be to make construction guidelines uniform throughout the state.

"Just one area in particular, buffers. Different counties sometimes create different amount of buffers. Even just your fencing and landscaping can be added on and can be cost prohibitive for development," Dempsey says.


Buffers are generally no-build areas designed to protect the environment and are often costly to developers.

Meanwhile, the national public is opposed to reduced economic regulations, according to recent polling. Last month an LA Times/Bloomberg poll showed half of all respondents blamed the economic fallout on lax governmental regulations throughout the economy.

Environmentalists urge gardeners to adjust to global warming

The National Wildlife Federation, Environment Georgia and the Garden Club of Georgia have released "The Gardener's Guide to Global Warming."

The report is based on evidence showing many of Georgia’s common plants won't be so common in the next century, if climate change continues at its current pace.

Georgia's climate is becoming more like that of Florida, and, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, wildfires, droughts, and intense hurricanes will become more common nationwide.

The guide recommends that gardeners plan for these trends. For example, the federation's Sue Sturges says, Georgia will need a new state tree to replace the live oak.

"If I was a developer building a new development, I would not be planting the oaks right now," Sturges says. "I'd be choosing other trees in their place because the oaks are going to die out. It’s inevitable."

Sturges says magnolias will do well in Georgia's changing climate. She also recommends that the loblolly pines now burning in southeastern Georgia wildfires be replaced by hardier longleaf pines.

Georgia parks up for award

Georgia's park system is one of three finalists for a national award. Georgia's system of 63 parks is competing against those in Tennessee and Utah for the "Gold Medal Excellence in Park and Recreation Management" award. It will be given by the National Recreation and Park Association. The winner will be announced September 26th.

The park systems are nominated for their long-range planning, managing resources and the environment, program development and volunteerism.

Georgia parks encompass over 84-thousand acres of natural areas. 10-million people visit Georgia parks each year.