City News

Stonecrest residents can now see the beginning of the city's beautification efforts on Tuner Hill Rd and Stonecrest Parkway. As a result of a collaborative effort between Stonecrest and the East Metro Community Improvement District the median landscaping on Turner Hill has been upgraded with several hundred colorful flowers, decorative shrubs, and several crape myrtle trees.

Similar streetscapes have begun on Mall Parkway. On-going maintenance for these medians will be paid for with funds from the East Metro CID and aided by the city's new right-of-way maintenance program. Community Improvement Districts are an economic development tool widely used for services such as street and road construction and maintenance, park and recreational area upgrades, public safety, and to supplement nearly any services that the city or county provides within the boundaries of the district. CIDs are funded by the business owners within the district who, by majority consent, impose an additional property tax upon themselves.

"This beautification effort didn't cost the Stonecrest residents a dime," Mayor Jason Lary said. "This streetscaping is an important element of our economic development plan because a clean, beautiful, place is a place that people want to come to work and conduct business," he added.

Councilman Jimmy Clanton serves as chairman of the Stonecrest CID Oversight Committee that works with the East Metro CID to negotiate beautification projects within the city. "This great collaboration will continue to produce ongoing efforts to improve the city until Stonecrest forms their own CID," Clanton said.