CUMMING -- The 2017 budget, changes for the expansion of a local business and the denial of a zoning request were among items brought up at a recent Cumming City Council meeting.
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Automation Direct growing
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Councilmembers voted 4-0, with Councilman Christopher Light abstaining, on Tuesday to approve a variance request for the expansion of Automation Direct, which will allow the building to be taller than previous plans, following a public hearing.
The business was also recently approved by Forsyth County commissioners for a separate expansion in north Forsyth.
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Office space rezoning denied
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Councilmembers voted unanimously to agree with the city’s planning board and deny a zoning request for vacant property near the intersection of Ridgecrest Avenue and Dahlonega Street (Hwy. 9) from single-family residential to office professional.
“This property is part of a larger, well-established residential neighborhood,” said Scott Morgan, director of planning and zoning. “The rezoning as approved would not match land-use for the residential area and would not be performance … with the future land-use plans.”
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2017 budget
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Councilmembers discussed, but did not take action on, the 2017 budget during the meeting, which is up slightly from 2016, but will still be balanced.
“It’s going to be a little more than $33 million. Last year’s budget was something like a little over $31 million, so it’s $2 million more than last year,” Mayor H. Ford Gravitt said. “It’ll be a balanced budget based on the projected amount of revenue that comes in.”
A public hearing will be held on the budget on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.