There are currently two things to report in our effort to save what’s left of Mt Tabor, neither of which gives reason for a lot of hope regarding if the access road will stay emergency use only.

• a few days ago I had just finished a ride on the trails and was having a cool down walk when I noticed a man tearing down the petition notice posted on the information board.  He was a Paulding County Parks & Rec employee and when asked exactly why he was removing the petition, he stated that Paulding County couldn’t give the impression that they were sanctioning this effort to save what would be left of one of our public county parks.  Let that sink in for a minute.  Would it have been better if I’d made a notation on the petitions that, while Paulding County sold the easement for the access road for 10 bucks, they are not involved in this effort to save it?  Again, it just blows my mind.
• if you’ve been following this effort and follow up posts, you know there have been multiple references to the Development Regulations of Paulding County.  The particular ordinance which pertains to the access road is Article 1.6.7, which states that any development over 250 homes requires more than one exit/entrance.  Regardless of how awful a decision it was to originally allow the easement for the access road, this ordinance is what made the road through Mt Tabor a certainty because of the fact that there will be about 370 houses in the new Riverwood phase.  I was told by a county DOT official that even though the access road is for emergency use only, it does meet the requirements of the Development Regulations as in it counts as an exit.  But Ordinance 22-12 was just adopted by the BOC and it amends the original Article 1.6.7.  It is unclear if the new ordinance is retroactive to developments that have already been permitted, or if it only applies to new developments.  I have emails in to county officials, but no one has responded to my request for clarification.  It definitely leaves me with a sick feeling in my stomach.

I’m in the process of composing a last and final letter to the Board of Commissioners, as well as sending in the list of supporters once again.  I will post the letter here when I do.  

It does seem more and more likely that they will make the access road decision very soon because with all the good weather, the development is tearing along.  I will post as soon as I know when the BOC will be discussing the access road at one of their meetings.  I’m asking ahead of time to be prepared to attend, and make a last ditch attempt to save what’s left of out park.

Thank you

Tim Steininger