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Welcome to Real Forsyth! Here, you’ll be able to keep up with the latest developments and growth happening in Forsyth County, Georgia. If this landed in your spam, please move it to your inbox so you don’t miss any future issues. Also, make sure to share it with your friends in FoCo. Now here’s what happened recently:

On July 10th, news came out that a new raw water intake facility commenced construction near Tidwell Park. The facility will withdraw water from Lake Lanier, and the project has a goal of allowing water independence and security for Forsyth County. Scott Adams, the Director of the Department of Water & Sewer said, “The project is critical for Forsyth County”, and that “it will provide a reliable water intake to serve us well into the future”. The project had begun its planning in 2022 and will last through 2031 in multiple phases. Tidwell Park will also be closing for 3 years starting August 3rd of this year. After the completion of this facility, Forsyth County will not need to purchase raw water, and water quality will also increase. More details can be found through the link below.

Source: Official Forsyth County Website

Lake Lanier isn’t out of the spotlight completely yet. Pilgrim Mill Road, a popular road that takes you to the lake and Tidwell Park, is getting resurfaced within the city limits. The plans for this resurfacing had been approved on June 16, but the City of Cumming announced this week that the project is officially starting on July 15th. They also announced that the project will last approximately 3 weeks and the road will remain open during that time with traffic-control measures in place. In addition to Pilgrim Mill, the Parkside neighborhood streets will also be receiving this resurfacing. Blount Construction Company will be in charge of this project as they submitted the lowest bid to do it at $833,719.52.

Source: Official City of Cumming, GA - City Hall Facebook

Plans for a rather controversial development were put to rest this week. On July 9th, during the county’s Board of Commissioners regular meeting, a decision was made to remove the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a planned data center in North Forsyth. After hearing the opinions of several concerned Forsyth residents, a vote was taken by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, which resulted in the revocation of the CUP. Rest assured, the decision came as a relief to many Forsythers who had been voicing their opinions on social media for the last several weeks.

Source: Forsyth D4 Commissioner Mendy Moore’s Official Facebook

Laurel View is an in-progress neighborhood under development in South Forsyth, and it just recently had its grand opening. It’s being developed by luxury Atlanta-based homebuilder JW Collection. Laurel View will have 78 luxury homes comprised of estate homes, town homes, and garden homes. The prices of these homes will start at over $1 million. The development is also set to have a mixed-use feel, as other than just homes, it will also feature commercial suites meant for neighborhood-serving businesses.

According to the developer, Laurel View will also feature amenities such as an open-air gathering pavilion, a green space with a fire pit, neighborhood-wide landscape maintenance, and several sidewalks. The houses themselves range from 3,500 to 6,000 square feet and have upwards of 6 bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms. It is clear that JW Collection is continuing the legacy of its founder, John Weiland, by bringing another high-end community to one of Forsyth’s fastest-growing areas.

Laurel View is one of the few new gated luxury communities opening this year, and it continues the trend of higher-end residential development in South Forsyth. The unique addition of commercial spaces also makes it more than just a subdivision. It brings small-scale businesses opportunities alongside new housing. Laurel View is another example of the continued investment and residential growth shaping South Forsyth, particularly in the county’s luxury housing market.

Source: JW Collection

Forsyth Town Center by Fuqua Development is an in-progress mixed-use development coming to South Forsyth at the intersection of Ronald Reagan Blvd and Peachtree Parkway. It’s actually right next to The Collection at Forsyth. Earlier this year, a Chipotle opened up for business there, and now this week, a new Panda Express had its grand opening there as well. Upcoming for Forsyth Town Center is Potbelly Sandwich works, Audi Forsyth County, Whataburger, and what will be the first Whole Foods in Forsyth County. South Forsyth residents will have more options soon on where to eat, shop, and even buy a car.

Source: Fuqua Development

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of Real Forsyth. It’s exciting to see all the new development and growth happening in this county of ours. Have suggestions for the newsletter? Reply to this email; I read all responses. Know someone who’d enjoy this newsletter? Forward them this email! See you next Sunday :)

And thank you to Georgia Koi and Pond for being an Early Supporter of Real Forsyth.