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Business & Tech

Focused on Lilburn's Future

Citizen focus group discusses ideas for city as part of Lilburn CID study.

Lilburn is one step closer to improving the way it lives, works and plays. 

For the past four weeks, a group of current and former Lilburn residents have been meeting every Thursday at the Lilburn CID to figure out what improvements need to be implemented to the city, in order to make it better and attractive for its current and future residents. They talked about everything and anything from the streetscape, greenspace, fine dining and amphitheaters, just to name a few. 

"It makes me excited to know that this is going on," said Carol Bruce, a Lilburn resident and group member, on the proposed Lilburn CID projects. "It's been very professionally handled, and I think, as a community, everyone really wants to embrace it."

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In March, asking for focus-group participants for a study that would concentrate on revitalization and redevelopment along Highway 29 in specific areas: the intersections at Rockbridge, Indian Trail, Beaver Ruin and Pleasant Hill, and Ronald Reagan Parkvway.

The CID Focus Group ended up consisting of about a dozen people, from 22 years old and older. Using the Highway 29 Corridor Study that was recently completed in April, the CID focus group evaluated what projects within the study need to be a top priority and what projects should be done later.   

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"It's that whole concept of 'this is our effort, our way of shooting for the moon,'" said Lilburn CID Executive Director Gerald McDowell about the current projects that the organization has proposed. 

The proposed plans that are being tossed around include extending the Camp Creek Greenway Trail; adding sidewalks, trees and other streetscaping to Highway 29, and adding a Town Center-type of area at the intersection at Indian Trail-Lilburn Road, which would possibly include retail stores, fine dining, condos, offices and even a lake. 

"The people that I've talked to about this study have absolutely been startled about some of the projects that were on the board," said Richard Ferris, a Lilburn resident and also a member of the study group. 

Last Thursday was the final meeting for the focus group, and from there, McDowell said that he will take the group's input and propose ideas on a mini retreat with the CID board of directors so that the CID can move forward on the projects. Once the projects are chosen, the specifics are detailed and the ball will really start moving. 

"Listening to you folks, and listening to the community [study] meetings, are so much in keeping what we I would like to see," said David Adams, the director of the Lilburn CID Development. 

One particular topic that seemed to be in concurrence Thursday with many members was that they didn't want to replicate the development of another town, such as Suwannee or Snellville, which had recently announced their plans on a town center. 

"You guys have given us excellent feedback tonight, and I think it's going to be a breakthrough," McDowell said during last Thursday's meeting. "We're not trying re-create or create less here. The same components would be there, but without trying to create the same town center concept that they created. We want to leverage what's here [already], not duplicate others." 

Developments such as minor landscaping could occur in Lilburn as little as the next 12 days, said McDowell. Bigger projects would take longer, of course, but could get started as soon as they get the go-ahead. 

If you want to get involved in the Lilburn CID meetings with its board of directors, they are held on the second Friday of every month starting at 8:30 a.m. at . They are open to the public and will have a public forum at the end of each meeting. 

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