December 05, 2008
Suwanee has been a city that has progressed from a small town in the suburbs of Atlanta to one of Money Magazine's 2007 Top Ten Best Places to Live.
And with all the progress, Old Town Suwanee seems to be the bridge that connects its historical roots with the growing North Atlanta suburb it is today.
City officials are mindful of that connection, and that's why they are working to strike a balance between the old and the new with the update to the 2002 Old Town Master Plan – a process that is currently taking place.
In October, city officials and staff members along with the help of area residents, business owners, and stakeholders began taking part in the update.
At the second community meeting held in November, Josh Campbell, planning director for the city, told participants that the planning process is the same one used in planning for Town Center.
"This is a planning process we take seriously here in Suwanee," said Campbell. "We really look to you for guidance when we're making decisions about what projects we want to implement through the city … This is a very important process that will shape the future of our downtown and our Old Town area."
Many city residents are growing accustomed to that process.
Dick Goodman and his wife, Louise, moved to Suwanee in August 2006 from unincorporated Miami, Fla., in Dade County where he found it difficult to find responsive government.
"When we left, we decided we were going to live in a city where we could have access to responsive government and where things are manageable," said Goodman. "And that's what we discovered here in Suwanee. We have a government that's responsive."
He said he likes the fact that you can go to a city council meeting and be heard.
"If you're unhappy with the way things are going or you want to have some input, you can actually do something," said Goodman.
Since moving to Suwanee, Goodman has been involved in several aspects of the city including the 2030 Comprehensive Planning Process, the newly-formed Suwanee Arts Commission, and the water focus group.
"I want to be close to what's going on because I don't want to experience what I experienced in Miami," he said. "I want this to remain a pleasant place to live."
Goodman said he is impressed by how serious the city is when it comes to involving the community in the planning process.
"They go to great lengths to encourage people to be involved," he said.
Goodman pointed out that as the planning process has progressed, one thing that keeps coming up is the need for connectivity between the character areas of Old Town and Town Center. He said the consultants are excellent at implementing activities that get people to talk about their wants and their concerns.
The city carried out a similar planning process in 2002 with the Old Town Master Plan. Suwanee Downtown Manager Jane Keegan said the Downtown Development Authority was established in 2001 in connection with the planning process for that plan.
"It was envisioned to be a group of people who could work to bring resources and expertise to the process of implementing the strategies of the plan," said Keegan.
Jerry Little, a resident and business owner in the city of Suwanee, was the first chairman of the Downtown Development Authority and he served for five years.
Little, who moved to Suwanee with his family in 1993, said things have changed drastically since they arrived. He said when they first moved to Suwanee it was like being in the country with lots of families owning horses and the old country home.
"We were fascinated by Suwanee First United Methodist Church, which has been in Suwanee for over 100 years," said Little. "We just loved the combination of classic, old- country living, southern-style, and the modern conveniences of the Atlanta metro area."
Little recalled the first time he attended a city council meeting.
"I first got involved when word got out that an apartment complex might be built in the exact spot where the new Suwanee Creek Park is located on Buford Highway," he said. "I went to a City Council meeting to represent Maple Ridge and was received with open arms by the City Council. They welcomed my opinion and made me feel like we were all out here trying to make this a great place to live."
Little calls the decision to build the Town Center area "a grand slam."
"The Town Center development is superb," he said. "…and was the result of the entire community coming together in that planning process."
And as the planning continues, so does the progress.
Keegan said there is a sense that downtown Suwanee is starting to become a destination, and with that in mind, the Downtown Development Authority is currently focused on the redevelopment of Pierce's Corner as an anchor for the Old Town area.
"There is a sense that it (Old Town Suwanee) is a distinct place," said Keegan. "I think that the initiatives that come out of the Downtown Master Plan will work to reinforce that and ensure that the future development in Downtown supports the area becoming even more attractive to businesses, visitors and residents."
While the city continues to progress through the planning process, no one knows exactly what the future holds for the city.
But Goodman said given Suwanee's past, he's very optimistic.
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