Our City continues to work on the creation and revitalization of a true downtown — a public gathering place and physical heart of Snellville. Throughout the past eight years there have been numerous public input opportunities and our citizens have participated in formulating our City Center plans. You can see the fruits of these efforts in the Snellville City Center, which includes City Hall and our Senior Center.

These plans that are now a reality did not originate recently, as many of the ideas are nearly 20 years old.

Early Ideas

As long ago as 1988, during the planning and construction of the Henry Clower Blvd., the City considered aligning it with Oak Road. Both State and County DOTs supported the concept of the road realignment, but private property acquisition concerns were the stumbling block. In 1992, the City Council initiated a Comprehensive Plan that considered the relocation of City Hall. Snellville United Methodist Church had inquired about purchasing the existing City property for expansion.

Also in the early 1990′s, the City began to develop information that the current facilities were inadequate for long-term usage. In 2000, a subsequent report identified a number of deficiencies including rusted piping, non-standard restrooms, poor security, inadequately vented HVAC systems, extensive termite damage, water leaks, and, most embarrassing, lack of compliance with the City’s building codes.

During this same time, Snellville United Methodist Church investigated the purchase of the now declining Oakland Village shopping center. Initially, the church planned to purchase the shopping center for their own use, but problems associated with crossing Hwy. 78 led the membership to reject that idea. Once rejected for their own use, church members approached the City about the possibility of a real estate swap and our City Center project is becoming a reality today.

Future Plans

This is an exciting time for Snellville. All Members of Council and City Staff are working on the positive projects designed to meet our citizens’ current and future needs. Our own T.W. Briscoe Park, located on Lenora Church Road, is currently under redevelopment and improvement according to the Master Plan developed through your direction. This project is being funded with SPLOST funds. The Wisteria Square property is being marketed to potential developers.