Mount Airy extends subdivision moratorium

MOUNT AIRY — The Mount Airy Town Council unanimously approved a six-month extension of the town’s subdivision moratorium Monday night while also moving forward with agreements for road paving and fire protection services.

Moratorium extended while town awaits county development code

Mayor Adam Tullis said the moratorium extension will give the town additional time to evaluate Habersham County’s proposed Unified Development Ordinance before deciding whether to adopt similar regulations or develop its own standards.

“The six months is up,” Tullis said. “We’re waiting on the county. I think they’re nearing passing the UDO.”

Tullis said the extension serves as a maximum timeframe and could be lifted earlier if the county completes work on the development code before then.

The town originally adopted the moratorium amid ongoing growth pressures in Mount Airy and Habersham County. County officials previously indicated the UDO was unlikely to be ready for adoption in June as commissioners continued reviewing the proposal.

Council approves county paving partnership

The council also approved an intergovernmental agreement with Habersham County for paving projects.

City Clerk Sherri Berrong said Mount Airy’s share of the paving work is estimated at $100,213.45. Tullis noted the figure could change slightly as the county finalizes the amount of asphalt required and completes the agreement.

“The price is approximate,” Tullis said. “It may go up or back down a little bit, depending on what the final amount of asphalt is, and they are still finalizing that IGA.”

The paving work is part of a partnership first discussed earlier this year after town officials said Mount Airy had difficulty attracting bids for smaller paving projects. By joining Habersham County’s larger paving contract, officials hope to secure more competitive pricing and complete projects more efficiently.

Bid documents presented to the council showed Pittman Construction Co. as the apparent low bidder for the combined county and town paving package with a total bid of approximately $2.12 million. Mount Airy’s portion was listed at $100,213.45.

Fire protection agreement renewed with Cornelia

Council members also unanimously approved a renewed fire protection agreement with the city of Cornelia.

Under the agreement, Cornelia will continue providing fire protection services to the 508 buildings located within Mount Airy’s town limits. The annual cost will be $47,167.80, paid in monthly installments of $3,930.65.

The agreement also provides for fire inspections by the Cornelia Fire Marshal at a cost of $50 per inspection and requires Mount Airy to provide quarterly updates of covered 911 addresses.

The contract will renew annually, with future adjustments based on service costs and growth within the town.