UHCA Fall 2009 Newsletter
NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALE AND FALL FLING—OCTOBER 17 & 18
After the success of last year’s neighborhood yard sale, it’s time to clean out those attics and carports again for the 2nd Annual (?) University Heights Neighborhood Yard Sale! To clarify, anyone interested will hold thie OWN yard sale on this day. The UHCA will cover getting the permit, putting up signs, and advertising in the Athens Banner-Herald and Flagpole.
This year’s yard sale will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 8AM— 1PM. It’s an away game for the Georgia Bulldogs against Vanderbilt so there should be plenty of people still in town that weekend.
We will also be hosting a Fall Fling again this year. Currently, we are planning for the day after the yard sale on Sunday, October 18. This is a great opportu-nity to meet your neighbors and members of the neighborhood association. Eve-ryone in the neighborhood is invited—including renters! Location to be an-nounced
WALK AROUND THE BLOCK
Did you know that walking can burn over 100 calories in a half hour? With some of the hills in University Heights, you can burn even more! For walking routes through the neighborhood, check out our website at www.universityheightsathens.com.
CITY ORDINANCES
There are many ordinances in Athens- Clarke County that you may not be aware of. If you have any questions or to report violations, you can contact the Community Protection Division at 706-613-3790.
- Overgrown vegetation—It is unlawful for the owner, occupant, or agent of a lot to permit or maintain any growth of undesirable vegetation as determined by the building inspector.
- Parking on an unimproved surface—Parking in an unimproved surface (i.e. grass) in a front yard in a residential zone is a violation of this ordinance.
- Auto repair & sales—No vehicle shall be parked on the streets of A-CC when the parked vehicle is for the purpose of sale or repair.
- Littering—Private property should be free of litter at all times
- Accumulation of refuse—No owner or occupant of any establishment shall permit the accumulation of solid waste upon any premises for a period in excess of fifteen days.
- Party noise—It is unlawful for any person or persons in charge of a party or other social event that occurs on any private property to allow that party or social event to produce noise in such a manner that such noise is plainly audible at a distance of 300 feet or more from the building or structure from which the noise is emanating or in the case of real property, beyond the property limits, on which the party or social event is located, whichever is farthest, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 12 midnight on Friday and Saturday.
If you notice a violation of these ordinances, please talk directly to your neighbor before calling the Community Protection Division.
University Heights Food Drive
During the first Sunday of every month, University Heights resident, Nancy and Harry Duval collect food for the Athens Area Food Bank. Just hang your donation on your mailbox before 1PM for them to collect. Look for reminders at the entrance of the neighborhood and on the email list-serve at the beginning of the month. The next collection will be October 4.
LEAF & LIMB SCHEDULE
The next Leaf & Limb pickup for our neighborhood will be in October. The date will be posted on the website and neighborhood en-trance signs once it is known.
Please remember these guidelines when setting out items to be picked up:
• Leaf & limb ma-terial should be curbside at the beginning of your pickup week.
• Place leaf & limb outside NO MORE than ten (10) days before your scheduled pickup.
• Pickup times are from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
• You may put out one "load" per pick up. A "load" is: 25 PAPER lawn refuse bags; or one 3/4 ton pickup truck load of leaves/limbs; or a pile 6 ft. long by 6 ft. wide by 4 1/2 ft. deep.
• Accepted materi-als: grass, leaves, prunings, pinestraw, limbs and small branches (No more than 4 inches in diameter and 6 feet in length), weeds, brush, and twigs.
•Material must be placed not more than 15 feet from the curb.
•The ACC Solid Waste Department ONLY collects leaf and limb debris that a property owner has generated. Indi-viduals or compa-nies under contract by the property owner to collect leaves and/or trim limbs must haul and dispose of the de-bris themselves (ie: tree surgeons, utility companies, yard maintenance com-panies, etc.).
For more information, see www.acc-recycle.org/leaf.htm.
Website and listserv
Did you know that we have a website with information such as Leaf & Limb schedules, important phone numbers, and announcements? You can also find a link on our website to the University Heights Listserv. This is a great place to pose questions for the
neighborhood, ask for recommendations from your neighbors, help locate a lost animal, or find out about a neighborhood meeting or issues affecting our neighborhood. Check out www.universityheightsathens.com now!
Tips to keep your home and property safe:
1. Secure sliding glass doors with a bar or commercially available locking devices. Unsecured sliding glass doors are an invitation to a burglar.
2. Keep all windows secured, and trim hedges, shrubbery and trees away from them.
3. If you have exterior lights, be sure to use them. If you don’t have exterior lights, think about purchasing some, and if you rent, inquire if your landlord will install some for you.
4. Get to know your neighbors and become involved in a neighborhood watch group.
5. If someone or something in your neighborhood appears suspicious, alert the police.
6. Work to keep your yard neat and free of trash, and keep litter out of the streets. Areas that look as though the residents care about them are less likely to be the targets of criminals.
7. When you make electronics or other large boxed purchases, or receive these items as gifts, dispose of the packaging promptly by going to the landfill or recycling center. Leaving those boxes at the curb for pickup is alerting others to the contents of your home.
FIND THESE IDEAS AND MORE AT www.ACCPD.org
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM
Athens has recently been experiencing a crime wave (currently on pace to see a record 2000 burglaries this year as of June 2009). Although we have not experienced much crime in our neighborhood, the UHCA has an official neighborhood watch set up with the ACC Police Dept. Any and all are welcome to participate by giving us your phone # for our master list of residents and owners. Please note that your phone # will NEVER be given out to anyone other than the police dept to be used for their "Reverse 911" calls. Any time there is a reported incident in the neighborhood, you will receive a phone call with the details alerting you to the crime. Also, our list-serv is an invaluable way to share information. All residents are welcome to register their email address to share pertinent information, especially any suspicious activity. We en-courage everyone to join!
NEIGHBORHOOD DUES
University Heights Community Association dues are only $10 per household a year, and are used (frugally) for neighbor-hood activities like the yard sale ad, our newsletter, future neighborhood projects like entrance signs, and to maintain a "just in case" fund to defray any costs, such as legal fees, that might come up. Please use the enclosed envelope to send in your dues. Thanks in advance for your contribution!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Yard Sale this Saturday!
University Heights residents: don't forget, this Saturday is our neighborhood-wide yard-sale. The UH community association has placed local ads and put out signs at the neighborhood entrances, so we expect good attendance. Take advantage of this opportunity to clean out your garage/carport, attic, cabinets, or that closet you no longer open the door to, and make some money while you're at it. The yard sale starts at 8am and goes until 1pm.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Summer 2008
To Our University Heights Neighbors
Saturday and Sunday, August 9th & 10th
mark your calendars!
NEIGHBORHOOD-WIDE YARD SALE
Saturday, August 9th 8:00 AM-1:00 PM
A lot of folks asked for this! To clarify,
anyone interested will hold their OWN
yard sale on this day. The UHCA will
cover getting the permit, putting up signs,
and advertising in the Athens Banner and
Flagpole. Additionally, Paul Walker is
being so kind to have a big truck in the
parking lot of the UGA building
at the corner of College Ave & College
Station from 2:00-3:00 PM that day,
to take unsold items to Good Will.
Call if you want more info at 706-714-7417
SUMMER FUN FLING!
Sunday, August 10th 3:00-6:00 PM
400 Caldwell Circle (on the river)
Open to ALL residents!
Our Fall Fling was a lot of fun, so if you
missed it last time, please come meet your
neighbors, have some burgers & dogs,
play horseshoes, volleyball and badminton.
Bring a side dish (cole slaw, baked beans,
salad,chips) or a dessert if you would like!
Fishing poles welcome!
BRING A LAWN CHAIR!
We need volunteers to help set-up and
break-down. Also, if anyone would like
to coordinate some activities for the kids,
please email michelle@michelleroche.com
A special thanks to Kroger for a donation of
a $50 gift certificate.
Mosquito Control
www.athensclarkecounty.com/mosquito
The Mosquito Control Program encourages citizens to eliminate mosquito breeding
grounds by eliminating standing water, picking up litter around property, and cleaning up excess vegetation overgrowth. Free larvacide briquets for water that can’t be removed are available to ACC citizens at all Fire Stations beginning late spring through late fall. More tips and contacts for specific areas are available online or by calling the ACC Public Information Office (706-613-3795).
ATTENTION WALKERS!
Just a reminder that you should walk AGAINST traffic!
Parking On An Unimproved Surface
(Front Yard Parking)
Parking on an unimproved surface in a front yard in a residential zone is a violation of this ordinance. In all residential zones, all off-street parking of auto-mobiles, trucks, trailers, and recreational vehicles in the front yard shall be limited to a
contiguous area which is no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the area of the front yard, or a contiguous area twenty-five (25) feet wide and
the depth of the front yard, whichever is greater. Such parking area shall
be paved with pervious or impervious concrete or asphalt, or graveled if edged in a permanent fashion.
Barking Dogs! Who loves ‘em?
Learn about bark training at www.barkingdogs.com
Notes from our March 28, 2008, General Meeting Regarding Traffic Calming
Our guest speaker, STEVE DECKER, ACC traffic engineer, gave us valuable insight not only into traffic calming in U.H., but for future plans for ACC. He has been here for 9 months and is highly qualified. ACC went 3 years without a traffic engineer.
Next week, we will have traffic counters in the neighborhood. They will measure the amount of cars per day in both directions, the average speeds and also the time of day of the traffic. They will also measure the percentage of cars going 35 MPH and over. This will determine if we are even eligible for speed humps or traffic circles. As of now, ACC requires 750 cars per day, with 85% going 35 or over, to even start the process. Once qualified, the city pays 50% of the cost of the speed hump ($3500-5000) or traffic circle ($5000-8000), only if 65% of the property owners on that street agree for the remaining balance to be accessed on their tax bill over a period of 10-12 years. So, as you can see, it is a difficult process. Steve mentioned of the 10 neighborhoods he has studied so far, NONE of them have qualified, so he may
go to ACC in the future to change the policy. He also discussed stop signs. From his experience, stop signs are not effective in traffic calming and in fact, encourage folks to actually run them. He sees a higher crash rate at stop signs within neighborhoods. Sidewalks ARE an effective way to calm traffic. However, there is a long list of neighborhoods wanting them as they are covered 100% by the county.
We all agreed that some of the worst offenders for speeding are school buses, Fed-Ex and UPS trucks. Mr. Decker encouraged us to CALL those companies and report speeders, especially the school buses, call the Board of Education Asscoc. Superintendent Ted Gilbert at 706-546-7721 ext 18264. You will need
to provide the school bus #.
We will certainly stay on top of this issue. If you have any more questions, email
Steve Decker at SteveDecker@co.clarke.ga.us
If you haven’t paid your 2008 dues, please make checks for $10 payable to: UHCA
Checks should be made out to “University Heights Community Association” and can be mailed to our treasurer:
Paul L. Walker
265 Spalding Circle
Athens, GA 30605
If you have any suggestions, complaints, comments, or problems, please contact one of your UHCA board members. We want to hear from you!
Your UHCA board members are:
Michelle Roche, President 706-353-3244 m.roche@charter.net
Sander Heilig 706-353-2248 sanderheilig@charter.net
Carolyn Lehr 706-549-2280 clehr345@charter.net
Cyndi Logan 706-202-3974 cyndilogan@charter.net
Paul Walker 706-714-7417 paul@neatstripe.com
Manley Kiser 706-248-3857 mkiser@uga.edu
www.UniversityHeightsAthens.com
Saturday and Sunday, August 9th & 10th
mark your calendars!
NEIGHBORHOOD-WIDE YARD SALE
Saturday, August 9th 8:00 AM-1:00 PM
A lot of folks asked for this! To clarify,
anyone interested will hold their OWN
yard sale on this day. The UHCA will
cover getting the permit, putting up signs,
and advertising in the Athens Banner and
Flagpole. Additionally, Paul Walker is
being so kind to have a big truck in the
parking lot of the UGA building
at the corner of College Ave & College
Station from 2:00-3:00 PM that day,
to take unsold items to Good Will.
Call if you want more info at 706-714-7417
SUMMER FUN FLING!
Sunday, August 10th 3:00-6:00 PM
400 Caldwell Circle (on the river)
Open to ALL residents!
Our Fall Fling was a lot of fun, so if you
missed it last time, please come meet your
neighbors, have some burgers & dogs,
play horseshoes, volleyball and badminton.
Bring a side dish (cole slaw, baked beans,
salad,chips) or a dessert if you would like!
Fishing poles welcome!
BRING A LAWN CHAIR!
We need volunteers to help set-up and
break-down. Also, if anyone would like
to coordinate some activities for the kids,
please email michelle@michelleroche.com
A special thanks to Kroger for a donation of
a $50 gift certificate.
Mosquito Control
www.athensclarkecounty.com/mosquito
The Mosquito Control Program encourages citizens to eliminate mosquito breeding
grounds by eliminating standing water, picking up litter around property, and cleaning up excess vegetation overgrowth. Free larvacide briquets for water that can’t be removed are available to ACC citizens at all Fire Stations beginning late spring through late fall. More tips and contacts for specific areas are available online or by calling the ACC Public Information Office (706-613-3795).
ATTENTION WALKERS!
Just a reminder that you should walk AGAINST traffic!
Parking On An Unimproved Surface
(Front Yard Parking)
Parking on an unimproved surface in a front yard in a residential zone is a violation of this ordinance. In all residential zones, all off-street parking of auto-mobiles, trucks, trailers, and recreational vehicles in the front yard shall be limited to a
contiguous area which is no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the area of the front yard, or a contiguous area twenty-five (25) feet wide and
the depth of the front yard, whichever is greater. Such parking area shall
be paved with pervious or impervious concrete or asphalt, or graveled if edged in a permanent fashion.
Barking Dogs! Who loves ‘em?
Learn about bark training at www.barkingdogs.com
Notes from our March 28, 2008, General Meeting Regarding Traffic Calming
Our guest speaker, STEVE DECKER, ACC traffic engineer, gave us valuable insight not only into traffic calming in U.H., but for future plans for ACC. He has been here for 9 months and is highly qualified. ACC went 3 years without a traffic engineer.
Next week, we will have traffic counters in the neighborhood. They will measure the amount of cars per day in both directions, the average speeds and also the time of day of the traffic. They will also measure the percentage of cars going 35 MPH and over. This will determine if we are even eligible for speed humps or traffic circles. As of now, ACC requires 750 cars per day, with 85% going 35 or over, to even start the process. Once qualified, the city pays 50% of the cost of the speed hump ($3500-5000) or traffic circle ($5000-8000), only if 65% of the property owners on that street agree for the remaining balance to be accessed on their tax bill over a period of 10-12 years. So, as you can see, it is a difficult process. Steve mentioned of the 10 neighborhoods he has studied so far, NONE of them have qualified, so he may
go to ACC in the future to change the policy. He also discussed stop signs. From his experience, stop signs are not effective in traffic calming and in fact, encourage folks to actually run them. He sees a higher crash rate at stop signs within neighborhoods. Sidewalks ARE an effective way to calm traffic. However, there is a long list of neighborhoods wanting them as they are covered 100% by the county.
We all agreed that some of the worst offenders for speeding are school buses, Fed-Ex and UPS trucks. Mr. Decker encouraged us to CALL those companies and report speeders, especially the school buses, call the Board of Education Asscoc. Superintendent Ted Gilbert at 706-546-7721 ext 18264. You will need
to provide the school bus #.
We will certainly stay on top of this issue. If you have any more questions, email
Steve Decker at SteveDecker@co.clarke.ga.us
If you haven’t paid your 2008 dues, please make checks for $10 payable to: UHCA
Checks should be made out to “University Heights Community Association” and can be mailed to our treasurer:
Paul L. Walker
265 Spalding Circle
Athens, GA 30605
If you have any suggestions, complaints, comments, or problems, please contact one of your UHCA board members. We want to hear from you!
Your UHCA board members are:
Michelle Roche, President 706-353-3244 m.roche@charter.net
Sander Heilig 706-353-2248 sanderheilig@charter.net
Carolyn Lehr 706-549-2280 clehr345@charter.net
Cyndi Logan 706-202-3974 cyndilogan@charter.net
Paul Walker 706-714-7417 paul@neatstripe.com
Manley Kiser 706-248-3857 mkiser@uga.edu
www.UniversityHeightsAthens.com
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Fall 2007
From the President:
First of all, thanks to everyone who sent in their 2007 dues! We had an unprecedented response. Our next general meeting will be in January 2008 so we want to hear from you as to what neighborhood issues you would like to see addressed. We are very excited about our upcoming fall clean up and fall fling and we sincerely hope that you all (including renters) will make an effort to attend. Last, many of you suggested that we organize a neighborhood yard sale. We feel that
spring of 2008 will be a good time for that so stay tuned for details.
Michelle Roche
Fall Clean Up Weekend
October 19th - 21st
This is a great opportunity to work with the county to maintain the appearance of
University Heights. They provide this service once a year: we pick up litter in our
neighborhood (which, fortunately, shouldn’t be very difficult), and they provide a
number of services aimed at beautifying our neighborhood. Since there is no UGA
football game on this weekend, this would be a great time to do some fall cleaning;
however, this to collect any litter in the neighborhood, and NOT an opportunity to
dispose of old furniture, appliances, etc. All litter must be bagged and dropped off at 360 University Circle by Sunday, October 21st at 6:00 PM.
For their part, the county will provide the following:
- trash bags, recycling bags, grab it sticks, tools (on loan), and vests for the collection of litter
- right-of-way mowing
- pothole and street repair, curb and gutter cleaning and repair, street light requests, yellow curb painting, shoulder & ditch maintenance, street sign repair, addressing soil erosion and drainage issues
- Community Protection Division will do a drive-through that week for ordinance
violations. More info on ordinances at www.athensclarkecounty.com
- Assistance provided for clean-up of any dangerous creek areas
Please e-mail michelle@michelleroche.com or call 706-353-3244 regarding any of
the above (street signs, gutter painting, etc.), if you are an disabled or elderly person needing assistance, or if you are willing to help pick up litter. Thanks!
First Annual University Heights Fall Fling by the River
Saturday, October 20th 3:00-7:00 PM
400 Caldwell Circle
Come hang out with your neighbors, have
hamburgers & hot dogs, play horseshoes,
volleyball, and badminton. Activities for the
kids and adults! Bring a side dish or dessert if
you’d like. Fishing poles welcome.
We need volunteers! If you can bring a
table, cooler, chairs, or a grill, help with set
up/cooking, help with planning/overseeing
activities for the kids, or help clean up,
please email Michelle Roche at michelle@
michelleroche.com.
Please save your aluminum cans (bagged)
and bring them to the fall fling! We will have
a collection truck there. Proceeds will be
contributed to the general fund and used for
future neighborhood events, newsletter costs,
etc.
We’ll see you there!
Dear University Heights resident: I want to thank
your neighborhood president Michelle Roche
for giving me the opportunity to say a few words
in this newsletter. For those of you who don’t
know me, I am the District 8 ACC Commissioner
who represents University Heights. Your
other commissioner is Elton Dodson (he’s the
Superdistrict 10 Commissioner). If you have
any issues concerning the operation of the ACC
government or matters affecting your neighborhood
or the broader county, please feel free to contact
me at 543 0281 or andyherodathens@yahoo.
com. I produce a monthly newsletter. If you have
an email address and would like to be added to
my distribution list, please send me an email with
your name and street address and I’ll be happy
to add you. I periodically use this list to send out
information on more immediate matters (such as
updates on the watering ban, information about
roadwork on various streets in the District, etc), so
having your street address is helpful in directing
this information to appropriate residents.
Best wishes,
Andy
USEFUL INFORMATION
Animal Control (A barking dog form is enclosed, although you should first try speaking to your neighbor and if you can’t resolve it, call Animal Control to report it.)
706-613-3540
To report late night parties and other non-emergency issues (24 hours)
706-613-3345
Community Protection Division (for ordinance violation)
706-613-3790
To request the ride-by service by the police department while you are on vacation, or to report any other non-emergency issues, call Katie Jones/Neighborhood Watch
706-613-3358 x-230
Litter Hotline-To report the tag # of anyone observed littering (put in your cell phone)
706-613-3506
More information at www.universityheightsathens.com
You can register your e-mail and phone information there as well as join our list-serv.
First of all, thanks to everyone who sent in their 2007 dues! We had an unprecedented response. Our next general meeting will be in January 2008 so we want to hear from you as to what neighborhood issues you would like to see addressed. We are very excited about our upcoming fall clean up and fall fling and we sincerely hope that you all (including renters) will make an effort to attend. Last, many of you suggested that we organize a neighborhood yard sale. We feel that
spring of 2008 will be a good time for that so stay tuned for details.
Michelle Roche
Fall Clean Up Weekend
October 19th - 21st
This is a great opportunity to work with the county to maintain the appearance of
University Heights. They provide this service once a year: we pick up litter in our
neighborhood (which, fortunately, shouldn’t be very difficult), and they provide a
number of services aimed at beautifying our neighborhood. Since there is no UGA
football game on this weekend, this would be a great time to do some fall cleaning;
however, this to collect any litter in the neighborhood, and NOT an opportunity to
dispose of old furniture, appliances, etc. All litter must be bagged and dropped off at 360 University Circle by Sunday, October 21st at 6:00 PM.
For their part, the county will provide the following:
- trash bags, recycling bags, grab it sticks, tools (on loan), and vests for the collection of litter
- right-of-way mowing
- pothole and street repair, curb and gutter cleaning and repair, street light requests, yellow curb painting, shoulder & ditch maintenance, street sign repair, addressing soil erosion and drainage issues
- Community Protection Division will do a drive-through that week for ordinance
violations. More info on ordinances at www.athensclarkecounty.com
- Assistance provided for clean-up of any dangerous creek areas
Please e-mail michelle@michelleroche.com or call 706-353-3244 regarding any of
the above (street signs, gutter painting, etc.), if you are an disabled or elderly person needing assistance, or if you are willing to help pick up litter. Thanks!
First Annual University Heights Fall Fling by the River
Saturday, October 20th 3:00-7:00 PM
400 Caldwell Circle
Come hang out with your neighbors, have
hamburgers & hot dogs, play horseshoes,
volleyball, and badminton. Activities for the
kids and adults! Bring a side dish or dessert if
you’d like. Fishing poles welcome.
We need volunteers! If you can bring a
table, cooler, chairs, or a grill, help with set
up/cooking, help with planning/overseeing
activities for the kids, or help clean up,
please email Michelle Roche at michelle@
michelleroche.com.
Please save your aluminum cans (bagged)
and bring them to the fall fling! We will have
a collection truck there. Proceeds will be
contributed to the general fund and used for
future neighborhood events, newsletter costs,
etc.
We’ll see you there!
Dear University Heights resident: I want to thank
your neighborhood president Michelle Roche
for giving me the opportunity to say a few words
in this newsletter. For those of you who don’t
know me, I am the District 8 ACC Commissioner
who represents University Heights. Your
other commissioner is Elton Dodson (he’s the
Superdistrict 10 Commissioner). If you have
any issues concerning the operation of the ACC
government or matters affecting your neighborhood
or the broader county, please feel free to contact
me at 543 0281 or andyherodathens@yahoo.
com. I produce a monthly newsletter. If you have
an email address and would like to be added to
my distribution list, please send me an email with
your name and street address and I’ll be happy
to add you. I periodically use this list to send out
information on more immediate matters (such as
updates on the watering ban, information about
roadwork on various streets in the District, etc), so
having your street address is helpful in directing
this information to appropriate residents.
Best wishes,
Andy
USEFUL INFORMATION
Animal Control (A barking dog form is enclosed, although you should first try speaking to your neighbor and if you can’t resolve it, call Animal Control to report it.)
706-613-3540
To report late night parties and other non-emergency issues (24 hours)
706-613-3345
Community Protection Division (for ordinance violation)
706-613-3790
To request the ride-by service by the police department while you are on vacation, or to report any other non-emergency issues, call Katie Jones/Neighborhood Watch
706-613-3358 x-230
Litter Hotline-To report the tag # of anyone observed littering (put in your cell phone)
706-613-3506
More information at www.universityheightsathens.com
You can register your e-mail and phone information there as well as join our list-serv.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Spring 2007
THE FIRE ON UNIVERSITY CIRCLE
On February 15th, as every University Heights resident is probably well aware, the house at 290 University Circle caught on fire. Shatala Tucker had moved in with her three boys and her friend Brittany Elder just a few weeks before, and many of us were very glad to see this family in a house that had stood vacant for quite some time. Then, around five o’clock that Thursday afternoon, something ignited on the kitchen stove while Shatala was away for a moment looking after one of her boys. When she returned, the kitchen was ablaze, and she quickly got everyone out of the house. No one was hurt, but the fire department, for reasons that are still unclear, seems to have gone to the wrong address initially, and so lost precious minutes while the house was gutted by the fire. Almost everything inside the house was destroyed or ruined by smoke, and both cars parked in the garage were incinerated.
The corner of University Circle and Spalding Circle was crowded with fire trucks, emergency personnel, and our neighbors. Most had not come just to see what had happened; they wanted to help. These offers of assistance at the scene only multiplied when our neighborhood web address found its way to the front page of the Athens Banner-Herald, which in the following days and weeks generated a deluge of phone calls and emails. Money, clothes, and other goods were collected and donated, over half from University Heights residents. Some local businesses, unsolicited, offered to help, including Scott Hatchett from the College Station Kroger, Steve Middlebrooks of Heyward Allen Toyota, and Jim and Sidney Waters of Mama Sid’s (and of 225 Spalding Circle). The Sparrow’s Nest on Prince Avenue and the First Assembly Church of God, where we have held neighborhood meetings many times, offered to collect donations. The author apologizes for any omissions in this list, but all of us can be proud of the response of our community to this tragedy.
The family has expressed their gratitude numerous times for the assistance from University Heights residents. They have made steps toward recovering from this terrible incident, but it will take time. They recently moved into an apartment of off Whit Davis Road but are still having some trouble with transportation and are in need of furniture as well as other household items. If you can help, please call (706) 714-7417.
We have been in contact with the property owner and understand that, pending negotiations with the insurance company and relevant contractors, the house is to be demolished and the lot possibly put up for sale.
Information on how to be prepared in case of a house fire is available online at www.athensclarkecounty.com/fire. Make sure you are adequately protected!
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM
The Neighborhood Watch Program is a partnership between residents of University Heights and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. The Police Department will provide a number of services as part of this program, but residents do have some important responsibilities. Knowing your neighbors, being familiar with their automobiles, and not hesitating to call 911 when you see or hear something that seems suspicious or out of the ordinary are a crucial part of what makes the program effective.
Ms. Katie Jones, Neighborhood Services Officer for Crime Prevention, is the assigned agent between the Police Department and our community. She can be reached at (706) 613-3358 Ext.230.
Services:
Reverse 911 The Police Department has been supplied with phone numbers of University Heights residents (Have you given your phone number to the University Heights Association?), and in the event of a crime in the neighborhood, residents will receive a call informing us of what happened, when, and approximately where.
Signs There are already Neighborhood Watch signs at both ends of College Circle, and two more will be provided at the remaining entrances to our neighborhood, identifying University Heights as part of the Neighborhood Watch Program.
Engravers The Police will loan engravers to residents to engrave valuables such as computers, lawn mowers, etc. This will provide a means of identification if such valuables are stolen. It is suggested that you can use a birth date or part of a name as the identification. Engravers can be secured by contacting Ms. Jones. The Police Department suggests that pictures be taken of valuables that cannot be engraved and these pictures be placed in a secure and safe area.
Log The Police Department suggests that residents record valuable purchases and develop a log, which includes major headings such as electronics, tools, etc., and identify each item by color, serial number, and date of purchase.
Ride-by Service or House Check Upon request, by calling Ms. Jones, the Police Department will ride by your residence to do a house check if you are on vacation or after a police-related incident. You may also request a house check to identify speeders. This service has a 30-day limit, but upon request can be renewed.
The Next Step: Captains and Block Captains
Individuals are needed to volunteer as a Captain or Block Captain. Duties are to collect information and identify issues or problems that may be resolved by the Police. Please call Carolyn Lehr at (706) 549-2280 if you are willing to volunteer.
A LOCAL HERO AMONG US
The incident at Clarke Middle School on the first of March was widely reported and discussed throughout Athens. A man enters the school on a Thursday morning, tries to assault a girl in the bathroom, and is chased and apprehended by school staff. One of those who pursued and helped to restrain the attacker was Dr. Jim Waters, better known as Papa Sid to many of us, who along with his wife Sidney has lived here in University Heights for 30 years at 225 Spalding Circle.
The incident at Clarke Middle was a frightening one, but the response by the staff, including Dr. Waters, was exemplary. Having been trained at the beginning of the school year in the procedure for locking down the school in case of an intruder, the school was secured in under 3 minutes. Twenty minutes later, classes resumed.
For 24 years, Mama Sid’s has been an institution on the Eastside, and it has remained in the Waters family, as their son Shaun took it over 6 years ago. The Waters also have a daughter, Laurie, married to Chris Camp, both of whom are band directors in Clarke County Schools. Sidney Waters is a member of the Clarke County Board of Education, and Jim has been teaching Special Education for 6 years at Clarke Middle School.
On March 8th, Dr. Waters received the Hero Award from the Clarke County School District.
RENTER’S INSURANCE – YA GOTTA HAVE IT
In light of the recent fire on University Circle, and given the number of rental properties in our neighborhood, we thought we should mention to all of our renters that you need to protect yourselves with renters insurance. There are two big myths about renters insurance: first, that it’s too expensive, and second, that it isn’t really needed. For less than $200 a year in many cases, you can protect your valuables from loss by fire, theft, wind and water damage. As a renter, all of your belongings are at risk if they are not insured. Personal legal liability coverage is usually among the benefits included in a renter’s insurance policy, since you can be liable for an injury suffered by someone else on the property you rent. Of course there are many variables you will need to discuss with an agent, but just remember, you may not own the building you live in, but you still should have insurance to protect yourself and your property.
GOVERNMENT UPDATE: ISSUES AFFECTING UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS
A Park-and-Ride Lot for the Eastside
The Athens-Clarke County unified government is considering locations for a 300-500 space park-and-ride lot on the Eastside. U.S. Reprsentative Max Burns, who formerly represented Athens, earmarked a grant of $2,750,000 back in 2004 through the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). Congressman Burns expressed his desire to see the lot built within the cloverleaf at College Station Road and Loop 10.
The stated purpose of such a lot, according to the local government’s Public Works Department, is to reduce in-town traffic, reduce on-street parking in neighborhoods near UGA and downtown, increase alternative transportation by better linking parking areas with corridors served by frequent bus service, and to target the College Station Road corridor in particular.
Athens-Clarke County Public Works is now spending $50,000 to complete a site selection study. Five potential areas are being considered:
- First Assembly of God church property on College Station near University Heights
- the College Station Shopping Center (corner of College Station and Barnett Shoals)
- Willowood Shopping Center (corner of Lexington Highway and Gaines School Road)
- the cloverleaf at Lexington Highway/Oconee Street and Loop 10
- the cloverleaf at College Station and Loop 10
Many local commissioners have expressed their displeasure with the College Station-Loop 10 site for a variety of reasons, such as destruction of trees and a nice landscape, increased asphalting, and proximity to UGA and downtown; they are not interested in it becoming a student or tailgating parking lot.
According to recently-elected District 8 Commissioner Andy Herod, the first two study sites are non-starters, as the owners of those properties (the church and the shopping center) are not interested in selling their land. The USDOT grant requires the money to be used to buy, and not lease, the space needed for the lot.
A public forum concerning the proposed park-and-ride lot was held at Fire Station #7 at the end of January. About twenty residents made it quite clear that they are opposed to any such lot built on the Eastside. However, local government officials stated that it has to be built on the Eastside because of the initial intent of Congressman Burns. And at least one commissioner has stated that Athens-Clarke County will not give the money back.
The proposed time-line:
- January-April 2007: Site Selection Study
- May 2007: Mayor and Commission approve site
- May-December 2007: Engineering and Environmental Permitting (with final Commission approval in December)
- January-June 2008: Right-of-Way Acquisition (if necessary)
- July 2008-December 2009: Construction (grant expires at the end of 2009)
What you can do:
- Stay informed! Links to information from ACC Public Works, including their criteria for site selection and a feedback form, as well as to an ABH story about the Park and Ride are on the Community Forum page of our web site at www.universityheightsathens.com. (The ACC link is
http://www.athensclarkecounty.com/documents/pdf/publicworks/parkride/park_ride_meeting.pdf - Note the feedback form lists a February 9 deadline, but since the site study is still occurring, it is not too late to fax it in.)
- Contact your three local representatives, District 8 Commissioner Andy Herod (andyherodathens@yahoo.com), District 10 Commissioner Elton Dodson (elton@dodsonlaw.com), and Mayor Heidi Davison (mayor@athensclarkecounty.com), and let them know how you feel.
- Keep an eye out for another public hearing to be held when Public Works completes the site selection study. Attend the meeting to learn more and express your views.
N.B.A.F. – N.I.M.B.Y.?
NBAF, the National Bio- and Agro- Defense facility is a new concept. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sought proposals for a new national facility dedicated to research that protects humans and animals from infectious diseases, whether they occur naturally or are deliberately released. On the other hand NIMBY, or “Not In My Back Yard” dates back to about 1980 to describe efforts to prevent hazardous, potentially hazardous, or perceived hazardous facilities from being established in certain communities, towns and cities.
The Georgia Consortium for Health and Agro-Security, led by Governor Sonny Perdue, responded to Homeland Security with proposals to build the $6 billion NBAF near the University of Georgia. The University has offered to donate a $13.3 million, 72-acre nature area between the North Oconee River, a federal poultry research laboratory, and the Richard B. Russell Research Center just off of College Station Road; in other words, virtually next door to the south side of University Heights. The Georgia Consortium has also proposed a secondary site near the intersection of the South Milledge Extension and Whitehall Road.
NBAF will conduct research on zoonotic diseases – animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans. The purpose of NBAF is to develop new ways of detecting these diseases in humans, wildlife and domestic animals, and to develop vaccines and treatments for them. Diseases that may be studied include West Nile virus, avian influenza (“bird flu”), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), anthrax, and BSE or “mad cow” disease.
There are four biosafety levels (BSLs) that define proper laboratory techniques, safety equipment and design. NBAF would have BSL-4 labs, the highest level. BSL-4 labs are used to study agents that pose a high risk of life-threatening disease for which no vaccine or therapy is available. Lab personnel are required to wear full-body, air-supplied suits and to shower when exiting the facility. BSL-4 labs are located in several cities in the U.S., including at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Georgia State University in Atlanta.
NBAF timeline:
- January 2006: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a notice of request for proposals
- March 2006: The Georgia Consortium submitted two proposals to DHS
- August 2006: DHS narrowed the list from 29 sites to 18 sites in 11 states
- February 2007: Additional information due to DHS
- March 2007: DHS conducts reviews
- March - May 2007: DHS site visits and final recommendations
- June 2007: DHS releases a short list and begins environmental assessments of those sites
- October 2008: DHS completes announces site selection
- November 2008: DHS begins detailed design
- FY 2010: DHS begins construction
- 2013 - 2014: Facility operational
Other stiff competition for the site includes the University of California, Texas A&M, and the N.C. State University/Research Triangle. UGA President Michael Adams has told the Board of Regents that Georgia ranks among the top three proposals. Others have commented that NBAF locating in Georgia is still a long shot.
Obviously as with any such facility there are pros and cons:
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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What you can do:
- Learn more about the NBAF and the Georgia proposals on UGA’s web site, where you can join the NBAF-Georgia listserv, look for community meetings, and look at a map of the proposed College Station site:
- Pat Allen, UGA Director of Community Relations, has expressed interested in keeping the University Heights community informed about the NBAF proposal. Feel free to contact him to ask questions and provide feedback:
706-227-7151, patallen@uga.edu
- Contact your elected officials at all three levels of government (Athens-Clarke County, Governor Sonny Perdue, state legislators, U.S. representatives and senators) to express your support for or opposition to NBAF in Athens.
ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE STREET? LIGHTEN UP!
Street lights are provided as a joint service by the county and Georgia Power. The rule of thumb is that there should be a street light on every other utility pole. If you are interested in having a street light added on your street, please email michelle@michelleroche.com to have your request passed on to our new 8th District Commissioner, Andy Herod.
ATTENTION SPEEDERS
The speed limit in University Heights
is 25 MPH. Please...slow down!
Annual dues for the UHCA are only $10! Checks should be made out to “University Heights Community Association” and can be mailed to our treasurer:
Paul L. Walker
265 Spalding Circle
Athens, GA 30605
Thanks!
We need your help! The UHCA is more than a few board members and a name – it’s all of us, working together to make our neighborhood a better place to live. If you would be willing to help by welcoming new arrivals to our community, organizing neighborhood events, becoming a Street Captain, or just want to pitch in, please come to our next meeting or get in touch with us – there’s plenty to do!
If you have any suggestions, complaints, comments, or problems, please contact one of your UHCA board members. We want to hear from you!
We want to keep in touch with you – about upcoming events and meetings, and about issues that affect our neighborhood – but we can’t without your contact info! So please call or write to our secretary, Pete Gess, at 706-613-6361 or pgess@mindspring.com and let him know the best phone number and/or email address where you can be reached. Thanks!
Your neighborhood web site is at www.universityheightsathens.com, and has all kinds of information, from how to get a street light fixed to what was discussed at our last meeting to the latest 8th District newsletter from our Commissioner. You can also read and post to our Community Forum, list your event on our Neighborhood Calendar, contact the UHCA, and much more!
Your UHCA board members are:
Michelle Roche, President 706-353-3244 m.roche@charter.net
Peter Gess, Secretary 706-613-6361 pgess@mindspring.com
Paul Walker, Treasurer 706-714-7417 paul@neatstripe.com
Sander Heilig 706-353-2248 sanderheilig@charter.net
Andy Kavoori 706-354-4549 akavoori@yahoo.com
Carolyn Lehr 706-549-2280 clehr345@charter.net
Cyndi Logan 706-202-3974 cyndilogan@charter.net
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Neighbors,
Springtime is finally here! I don’t think there is another time of year that reminds me so much of why I love University Heights as I walk along the streets and see all the established dogwoods and azaleas in bloom! It has been great to see so many folks making improvements in their yards and to their homes. Let’s hope that trend continues.
The University Heights Community Association has had a busy year, building our neighborhood directory, creating a website (www.universityheightsathens.com), establishing a Neighborhood Watch, and more. There is so much more we can do, but we need to hear from you. This is your association. We need your input and your help to continue to make this organization really work for University Heights.
Our congratulations go out to Andy Herod in his new position representing the 8th District. I really hope you will make it out to meet him on April 23rd, as I sincerely feel he is open to hearing from all you and that he will really work hard to protect all our interests to the best of his ability.
Please reach out to us via phone, e-mail or through our website. We desperately need volunteers, so if you have some time let us know. Also, we still need e-mail addresses for a lot of you, so please get those to us.
Let’s all make an effort to reach out to our neighbors, both new and old, to make this great community even better.
Michelle Roche, President
University Heights Community Association
Come meet the our new District 8 Commissioner, Andy Herod
Discuss issues specific to the Eastside, affecting University Heights residents and landowners! All welcome to attend!
Monday, April 23rd at 7:00 PM
First Assembly Church of God
1225 College Station Rd @ International
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