Lilburn CID May 2021 Newsletter

Spotlight on Joellen Wilson, City of Lilburn’s Director of Planning

Joellen Wilson has been the City of Lilburn’s Director of Planning since her promotion from City Planner in 2019. With a background in urban sociology from Stetson University, Joellen has always been interested in connecting people and supporting entrepreneurs. Her experience working as a Project Manager for HGOR Landscape Architectural/Land Planning led to her obtaining a Master in City & Regional Planning from Georgia Tech with a specialty in Land Use Development and Environmental Planning.

Having lived in Lilburn since 1980 and raising her children here since 2001, the opportunity to work so close to home while developing a city she loves was more than Joellen could resist. As Lilburn’s Director of Planning, Joellen is instrumental in zoning, permitting and assisting with coordination of major projects like the Hood Road realignment and traffic signal project outside of Lilburn Elementary School and Bryson Park, the new pavilion and splash pad in Lilburn’s City Park and the recently approved construction for nine new residential neighborhoods. She believes residents create the demand for commercial services and has seen a concurrent increase in plan submissions for new and redeveloped commercial spaces.

Lilburn’s connectivity through its abundant parks, trails, sidewalks, and more public spaces provide a unique opportunity for businesses located or locating to the district to connect with the community. These amenities help maintain Lilburn’s small town personality with big city vibe. Joellen and her City colleagues pride themselves on making the business application process as pleasant as possible. They are a one-stop shop with efficient plan review, timely inspections and provide clear expectations for land development.

Through planning, her team tries to anticipate population changes and implement incentives to direct density into areas with existing infrastructure that are ripe for redevelopment and away from environmentally sensitive areas.

“We should remember, even with some growing pains, if the city is not growing then it’s dying — and Lilburn is in one of the best locations regionally to accommodate growth. Everyone at the City works hard to collectively make great things happen here.”

While not to be confused with Canton’s Pro-tem Mayor and Councilwoman JoEllen Wilson, Lilburn’s Joellen occasionally benefits from faster responses to her queries and requests from organizations and governmental officials.

LCID Receives Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Grant

Lilburn CID was one of three Gwinnett County CIDs awarded a Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). The CID will use the $120,000 grant alongside the City of Lilburn to study how to best improve mobility and connectivity in Old Town Lilburn and the Downtown Development Zone. Funds will also be used for studies on diversifying housing options across the CID. 

LCID is thrilled to have the ARC’s support and plans to use the LCI grant as momentum to position the community as a thriving “Live-Work-Play” destination and foster loyalty and enthusiasm from property owners and residents. Read more in this Gwinnett Daily Post article.

Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank Budget Expansion

State lawmakers have increased the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB) by an additional $3.1 billion in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, restoring previous budget cuts. GTIB is a grant and low-interest loan program distributed by the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) for CIDs and local governments to accelerate road and bridge projects that enhance mobility and ultimately drive community economic development.

These GTIB grants lend credibility and provide critical funding to advance key innovative infrastructure projects that would not otherwise get built. Since its inception in 2010, the state has invested more than $165 million into GTIB, equating to nearly $1 billion in projects that benefit our state every day. The Council for Quality Growth looks forward to continuing the dialogue on the importance of GTIB funding and the positive impact these infrastructure improvement projects have on our communities. Learn more on the SRTA website.

Tad Leithead Speaks at Emerging Leaders Initiative

LCID Executive Director Tad Leithead recently spoke on the Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) Panel for the Council for Quality Growth. The panel brought past, current, and future regional leadership together to seek advice and spark discussion around the forecast of economic growth and development topics such as Georgia’s ongoing water issues and plans for transit expansion.

More than 60 members of the Council for Quality Growth’s ELI group were in attendance as leaders discussed their vision for the region and encouraged rising to the challenge of turning passion into action. 

Russell Landscaping is Making the CID Shine

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Russell Landscaping has completed another round of beautification. This time, the team removed graffiti tags from utility boxes on Beaver Ruin Road and tree limbs on Mimosa Drive left behind from recent storms.

The CID and Russell Landscaping will continue maintaining the district’s beautiful appearance by planting and pruning the corridor’s flora in preparation for summer. 

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To have your business or event included in our next CID newsletter, please contact Tad Leithead or email [email protected]. Sign up for the LCID newsletter here.

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