Affordable housing project one step closer to coming to Blue RidgeCity Council, Community, News
May 10, 2021
, by Natalie Kissel
Blue Ridge, Ga. – The Beverly J. Searles Affordable Housing project is one step closer to coming to Blue Ridge. This comes after the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend moving forward with rezoning of certain acreage to R3 high density residential.
The Beverly J. Searles Foundation, a Georgia based nonprofit that develops affordable housing, has a variety of requests pertaining to properties located along Mineral Springs Drive.
Philip Searles explains to the Planning Commission the plans for the affordable housing project.
Among these requests is for 1.2 acres of the property to be annexed into the City of Blue Ridge. Variances will also be considered for Phase 2 of this project, which will include units for age restrictive (senior) living. These variances are to reduce the number of required parking spaces from two per unit to one pe
Blue Ridge, Ga. – City Council met Friday, April 30, 2020 in a special called meeting to appoint a Hearing Officer that will oversee a case involving the possible “suspension and revocation of an occupational tax certificate allowing for the sale of alcoholic beverages”.
Blue Ridge Municipal Court Judge Robert Sneed will be put in place as the hearing officer.
City Council meets to instate Hearing Officer.
Council members were unable to speak on the specifics of the case, with Mayor Donna Whitener telling press, “All questions on the matter will have to be directed to the hearing officer.”
The case is presumably involving the City of Blue Ridge vs. The Blue Coyote, a restaurant in the Commercial Business District of Blue Ridge.
Blue Ridge, Ga. – The recent censure of Council Member Nathan Fitts could lead to legal proceedings that would cost the taxpayers of Blue Ridge.
Feb. Zoom City Council meeting in which Panter brought forth the censure of Fitts.
Fitts’ personal lawyer and previous City Attorney for the City of Blue Ridge, R. David Syfan, sent an Anti Litem Notice (intent to sue) to those members of council, including the Mayor, who pursued and voted in favor of the censure.
“Honestly I sit here as a council member embarrassed to even have to discuss these items,” Fitts said informing the public that an Anti Litem Notice had been sent.
Blue Ridge, Ga. – After a long battle with Covid-19, Blue Ridge Chief of Police and recently elected Fannin County Post 1 Commissioner Johnny Scearce has been released from the hospital.
CHI Memorial Hospital released a video of Scearce being cheered on as he made his Honor Walk out of the hospital.
“Thank you all, God bless and what a great hospital and staff,” Scearce said as he made his way through a hall of staff cheering on his recovery.
Scearce being released after 94 days at CHI Memorial. Image courtesy of CHI Memorial.
News of Scearce contracting the virus quickly spread via social media on Sept. 17 as his wife Brenda posted a personal post on Facebook asking for prayers for her husband.
Georgia police chief released from hospital after months-long COVID-19 battle
By FOX 5 Digital Team
Published
Blue Ridge police chief released from hospital
City of Blue Ridge Police Department Chief Johnny Scearce has been released after 94 days in the hospital. Video courtesy of CHI Memorial
BLUE RIDGE, Ga. - After nearly four months in a hospital battling COVID-19, a Georgia police chief is finally back home with his family.
CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga shared an emotional video of Blue Ridge Police Chief Johnny Scearce being released.
Scearce had been at the hospital for 94 days after being infected with the virus. At one point, the police chief was in the ICU on a ventilator.