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Summertown Indian Mounds, Gwinnett County, Georgia
Outcome:
October 25, 2001
Everyone, I have just found out that Gwinnett County GA closed on the
purchase of the 200 acres that will remain as Green space. This acreage
includes the Summertown Burial Grounds that we all fought so hard to save
earlier in the year. We have archived a complete victory on this one and
each of you have my thanks for all of the work and support.
Edward Reynolds
_____________________________
The (Past) Issue
Near Stone Mountain GA, on a tract of land that borders the Old Indian trail, today known as the Hightower trail, are quite a few Indian mounds which are thought to be burial mounds. A battle has been going on for some time between the owner of the tract who wants to develop it and several organizations concerned with preservation of the mounds. A deal was worked out to have the county buy the land and have it remain untouched, and to this end the county passed a sales tax that would provide the money for the land. Despite the passing of the tax, the commissioners are now leaning toward not buying the tract and allowing the owner to continue his bid to develop the tract of land on which the mounds are located.
Online Resources for Reading:
Visit the Summertown web site.
Action:
Addresses are provided at the site for letter writing campaigns. There is an on-line petition at Summertown Burial Mounds website.
Contact:
Edward Reynolds or Janet Nuszbaum at 678-428-7849
Updates: 2001 27 Jan--The Gwinnett County Commission has voted to buy the
property and if the owner does not accept their offer, they will condemn the
property and take it for greenspace anyway. There still remains a question
about a 15 acres out piece, but it is believed that it will be acquired in a
seperate agreement, as it is of little commercial value without the largest
piece. So it appears that a victory is within sight.
Updates:24 March 2001, from Edward Reynolds
As of my last post, the County Commission had voted to acquire this largest
track of land and if the owner would not sell it they would condemn it. The
smaller 15 acre commercial track was not included in this purchase.
Since that update, the owner has taken the County to court seeking to force
the county to aquire the additional 15 acres, because the cost of developing
it is too high with out the additional larger 178 acre track which the
county intends to condemn. It apears at this time that all development of
both tracks has been avoided until the court rules on this. If the courts
side with the land owned the 15 acres could be included in the greenspace.
If they do not side with the land owner and he is forced to keep the 15
acres, it is unlikely that he will invest the money into the property to
develop it at this time. But for now, nothing will be disturbed.
As a side note. Two of the County Commissioners, who were newly elected and
who ran on a no growth ticket, now are facing an increasingly hostile lack
of support base. People are talking recall. Interestingly enough, the 3
votes to aquire the properety came from the established commissioners...
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