Special statement from the Mayor of Villa Rica, Gil McDougal:
Hello, my fellow Villa Ricans! This week, I hosted an in-depth presentation on Fuqua Development’s new mixed-use development that will be built on Punkintown Road, directly across from Mirror Lake.
On its own, this development is a big thing for Villa Rica. But it also helps us begin our first Tax Allocation District, which will transform the eastern part of our city while creating the Mirror Lake Connector, linking Punkintown Road to North Carroll Road, between The Mill Amphitheater and the Police Department. It will bring millions to the city in sales and property taxes, and help ease traffic issues. More importantly, it will give the city more control over development so that we can avoid the growth pains others have experienced.
We had a great turnout for the event, which was facilitated by Karen Handel of Carroll Tomorrow, and attended by Chairman Michelle Morgan of the Carroll County Board of Commissioners and Chairman Sandra Morris of the Carroll County Board of Education, as well as officials from Carrollton and Carroll County. I was especially happy that Sen. Mike Dugan, leader of the State Senate attended. This turnout shows how the project will have a positive economic benefit for everyone in Carroll County, not just those in Villa Rica.
Jeff Fuqua of Fuqua Developments gave us some exciting numbers about his project. It will be anchored by a major grocery store and there will be several other retail outlets and restaurants. There will be 255 townhomes and 208 apartments. The first part of the Mirror Lake Connector will pass through the site and the TAD will help us build it the rest of the way to downtown.
Jeff expects the retail stores to generate $69 million in annual sales, creating $2 million a year in sales taxes for Villa Rica, Carroll County, and the Board of Education. He plans to start building in the second quarter of next year and be ready to open in 2023, so we will see that money very soon. There will also be $1.4 million in annual property taxes. All of this will help Villa Rica, the county, and the BOE to offset the costs of new government services, including the estimated 230 new students who will be coming into the school system.
But the most important part of this project is that it helps us develop the east part of the city through the TAD. Not only will we be able to finish the Mirror Lake Connector to downtown – which includes a walking path and golf cart path along the road – but we can also build another road to the Tanner Hospital campus. This project will draw other development into this area which will generate even more tax revenue. We will be able to control this new development, working to make sure that it does not adversely impact our infrastructure and school system.
This is an exciting time to be living in Villa Rica, and I want to thank all of you for granting the City Council the redevelopment powers you gave us in the 2018 referendum that has made this project possible. We will continue to grow and do so responsibly, keeping what makes us unique and special. We are VR!
Gil McDougal
Mayor
