CRN Timeline, Yearly updates and Political activity

The PDF files at the bottom of the page were sent to the CRN email list periodically to update the community on planning, zoning or other local issues of interest. The updates also create a time line of events and development on the Corridor and show the role CRN played in the process. While CRN was mostly reactive in the early years, the group would come to take a more proactive role in seeking quality growth, amenities and pushing for a more inclusive, transparent local government.

The Time line below lists the yearly highlights of CRN activity. Most activity will have its own category, found on the menu on the left side of the screen. Our Non Partisan political activity is covered below.

The image below was created in June 2005 as Canton Road Neighbors prepared to incorporate. It was in response to the push by some stakeholders in the Canton Road Steering Committee to redevelop established neighborhoods with high density residential development.

Canton Road Neighbors Time Line 2005 – 2018

June 2005 Canton Road Neighbors incorporates as a GA Non Profit

* CRN Responds to final version of Canton Corridor Plan (Brown on CRSC as Lee appointee). CRN found the proposed 24 units per acre recommended by the Corridor Study to be excessive and agreed to 8 units per acre and mixed use in the Central Business District. The Plan was adopted.

* 3 Zoning cases our first year: Z 170 Greers Chapel for Conservation Subdivision, Turner Rd, Z-93 RSL Piedmont at Morgan and Z-174 Rex E. Horney, Latimer Mill- for wedding and event hall. Zoned CRC.

2006 * CRN supports Land Use Changes from CAC to NAC on the N and S sections of Canton

* CRN works with CPC to support a $40 million dollar Parks Bond Referendum

• * C. Brown elected to Cobb Board of Ethics as Representative for Homeowners Districts 2 & 3

2007

2008 * Brown on CCRC Stakeholder Committee

* CRN supports the 2^nd $40 million dollar Parks Bond Referendum, and supports property on Kurtz Rd. with a 3 acre lake

• * CRN organizes a stakeholder committee to draft Design Guidelines for Canton Corridor
• * 14 Zoning Cases including Z-26 Hidden Forest at Town Center DRI on Big Shanty

2009 * Design Guidelines adopted into Cobb Development Standards

* CRN contests SPLOST Project D6050 limiting sidewalks to the Central Business District

• * CRN asks GDOT to plant Wildflowers in median of Canton Connector; GDOT complies
• * 10 Zoning Cases

2010 * CRN hosts Commission Candidate Meet and Greet at Kurtz Rd. property

* C. Brown appointed by Chairman Olens to the Bike Pedestrian Stakeholder Committee

• * CRN receives permission from GDOT and Marietta to begin planting a garden in public ROW on Canton Connector

2011 *Brown appointed to NW Corridor Alternatives Analysis by Commissioner Birrell

* Zoning Cases, including opposition to SLUP 3 Scrap Metal Processing facility

2012 *C. Brown appointed by Commissioner Birrell to the Canton Road Redevelopment Foundation

*CRN hosts dinner meeting to hear from Chairman candidates Lee and Boyce

*Brown and CRN sponsor stakeholder meetings for the county and residents to consider Neighborhood Notification Initiative for Cobb County

* 11 Zoning Cases, 1 appeal of BZA decision

2013 * Zoning Analysis Notification is made available to public via email, the result of NNI

2014 * 9 Zoning Cases including controversial Georgia Kid's Project on Canton Hwy

2015 *CRN receives Grant from Neighborhood Foundation for Perennial Garden

*CRN is recognized by the Marietta City Council for the Garden

* CRN works with Bells Ferry community to address Z-16, Z-20 and revitalize Bells Ferry Civic

* Zoning Cases including Z-33 Hillis (Casteel expansion)

2016 *CRN co-hosts Chairman Candidate Forum at Covenant Presbyterian with Bells Ferry Civic

* CRN supports CPC's effort to get 2008 Parks Bond funds released

* 15 Zoning Cases including Z-21 Racetrac, V-70 Sovran Realty (Uncle Bob's), Z-95 Racetrac

2017 * 11 Zoning Cases

2018 *CRN's Jim Smith runs for Commissioner in the District 3 Democratic Primary

*Commissioner Birrell agrees to complete sidewalks from Powell Wright north to Rosedale

2019 Tim D. Lee Senior Center

At the final Board of Commissioners meeting for 2019, and at the suggestion of Commissioner JoAnn Birrell Commissioners approved the renaming of the East Cobb Senior Center at 3332 Sandy Plains Road to the Tim D. Lee Senior Center in honor of his service and commitment to Cobb County

Remembering Tim Lee

I met Tim Lee in 2002 when he was running for his first office: County Commissioner. His campaign manager was David Poteet and Lee was in a runoff. I placed a call to his campaign office and he invited me and neighbors to meet him at Laredo's so we could get to know him and hear about his platform. We supported him in the runoff and he was elected to be District 3 Commissioner.

One of his campaign platforms was the revitalization of the Canton Corridor. He followed through on that and held a community meeting to get input on how to proceed. The well attended meeting at a Baptist Church on Sandy Plains resulted in a lot of suggestions and led to the creation of the Canton Road Steering Committee in Spring 2004. I was one of Commissioner Lee's appointed stakeholders.

The CRSC was an eventful and sometimes contentious year but I would like to think it led to the gradual changes on Canton Hwy.

Lee also started the Canton Road Business Association, later to become the Northeast Cobb Business Association. The Commissioner and I did not always agree on issues, notably sidewalks funded by SPLOST, back in 2009, but we worked together on many other issues.

He was a leader but he was collaborative in his approach. You could talk to him. He got his start in Civic Groups, notably East Cobb Civic Association and Northeast Cobb Homeowners Group. As his career advanced he became less accessible to average folk than when he first started, but he had a lot on his plate. He was a believer in public participation and he supported the Neighborhood Notification Initiative that I brought forward in 2012-2013, and gave the go-ahead to a series of Stakeholder presentations. While the idea was not well received by many of those who attended the stakeholder meetings, Lee and then-Community Development Director Rob Hosack made zoning notification available by email to anyone who signed up to receive it. In the old days, zoning information was printed out and anyone wanting a booklet had to be on a list to receive the zoning books. You had to drive to the Community Development building and pick it up. Getting information used to be a lot harder than it is now.

Tim Lee supported purchase of green space for public parks and he supported transit. The public was with him on parks but a majority did not support transit. His support of the Braves was controversial with many, just like his support of transit. But being the leader that he was, he forged ahead because he believed both were the right things for Cobb's future.

As our roadways become more dangerous and congested and as the air quality grows worse, public transportation won't be so hard to sell.

I am glad he got to see the success of the Braves, Suntrust Park and the Battery. I am glad that he started the process of revitalizing Canton Corridor.

Non-partisan political activity: Meet and Greet events and Forums

In July 2010, Canton Road Neighbors and NE Cobb Homeowners Group hosted a Candidate Meet and Greet for the Chairman Candidates (Tim Lee and Larry Savage) and the District 3 Commission Candidates (Earl Stine, JoAnn Birrell, Steve Moon). All were running in the GOP Primary. Had there been a Democratic challenger, they would have been invited and welcomed as well. The Meet and Greet was held at 756 Kurtz Rd, the 6.8 acre parcel we had hoped would be purchased for green space with the 2008 Parks Bond. The 3 acre lake is in the background of the candidate photo shown below. Then-interim Commissioner Thea Powell and her husband were also in attendance.

L-R: Tim Lee, Earl Stine, Larry Savage, JoAnn Birrell, Steve Moon

Another year, another election: In July 2012 CRN hosted a dinner meeting to talk issues with two BoC Chairman Candidates - Incumbent Tim Lee running for his first full term and challenger Mike Boyce.

In 2016 there were three challengers for Commission Chairman, all GOP. Incumbent Tim Lee faced a 2012 rematch with Mike Boyce and a 2010 rematch with Larry Savage. Canton Road Neighbors sponsored a forum with Bells Ferry Civic Association at Covenant Presbyterian. The runoff was between Mike Boyce and Tim Lee.

Boyce defeated incumbent Tim Lee and is currently Cobb Chairman. A link to the Youtube video of the Forum is below.

In 2018 CRN's own Jim Smith, a Veteran and retired 21 year employee of the Cobb Water System, decided to run for District 3 Commissioner in the Democratic Primary.

Yes, this is partisan activity but the majority of issues that face residents and businesses day to day are not partisan. Jim ran a good, issues based race and CRN is proud of his knowledgeable debate performance. He did not prevail and remains on CRN's neighborhood advisory committee. He threw his support to Commissioner Birrell.

Yearly updates and blogs: Download PDF

Below: 2008 Year in Review, 2009 Year end Wrap, December 2011 Year in Review, 2012 Rewind, Summer 2013, 2014 Year in Review, 2015 Year in Review, Aug-Sept 2016 and 2016 Year End Wrap and Reflection. 2017 Wrap, 2018 Year in Review .