City of Cumming
E-News
December 2022
City Christmas Parade & Festival Saturday, Dec. 3rd
Come out this weekend (Saturday, Dec. 3rd) beginning at 5 p.m. for the City of Cumming Christmas Parade and stay at the Fairgrounds from 6-8 p.m. for the Fairgrounds' Christmas Festival! The parade route is from Forsyth Central High School to the Cumming Fairgrounds via Tribble Gap/Castleberry Road. Parking is available all along the route at local businesses and in the Castleberry Road and Mason Street parking decks in downtown. Road closures for the parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. and will remain in place until the parade is completed at approximately 6:30 p.m. There are no parking or admission fees for the Fairgrounds' Festival. Come join us for this City of Cumming holiday tradition!
Cumming Police Department Offers Free Child Safety Seat Check Event Dec. 15th
The Cumming Police Department, in collaboration with the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and Forsyth County Fire Department, will present a free child safety seat check event on Thursday, Dec. 15th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cumming Fairgrounds.

No pre-registration is required for this event; just come to the Fairgrounds on Dec. 15th any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Get those seats checked out by professionals and give yourself peace of mind about your child's safety while in your vehicle!
New No Left Turn at West Maple Street in Downtown
After several years of discussions with the Georgia Department of Transportation, Mayor Troy Brumbalow was able to get GDOT to agree to a new 'No Left Turn' rule at the intersection of West Maple Street and Castleberry Road in front of Goodson's Drug Co. in downtown Cumming. The intersection now has a No Left Turn sign on the traffic signal and markings on the roadway. While a left turn signal would have been preferred, this was not permitted by GDOT since there is not room for a turn lane at this intersection. Drivers now need to go straight through this intersection, and those needing to turn left to access Veterans Memorial Boulevard can do so via Bank Avenue or the City's new extension of Buford Dam Road (formerly called Cumming Industrial Park Drive), adjacent to the Cumming Fairgrounds Parking Lot #3.
Thank You: City Center Holiday Events a Hit
The Cumming City Center hosted its first holiday events on Saturday, Nov. 19th to great success. The Winter Market, held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., saw thousands of visitors shopping from approximately 100 local vendors for unique, curated and hand-crafted items.

The Mayor & City Council Charity Drive, which benefitted Bald Ridge Lodge, Jesse's House, and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, culminated with presentations of checks and other donations to the three organizations.

Finally, the evening was capped off with a magical holiday concert from Browns Bridge Church at the Lou Sobh Amphitheater that lead into the lighting of the City Center's giant Christmas tree. See more photos and video from these events on the Cumming City Center's Facebook and Instagram pages (@cummingcitycenter)!

We would like to thank everyone who came out to these events, making the City Center's first ever holiday events so successful! We'd also like to express our extreme gratitude to Pieces & Peaches, a City Center tenant business which organized the Winter Market; Muse Cabin, another City City Center tenant business, and Councilman Joey Cochran who worked together to organize the Mayor & City Council Charity Drive; and Browns Bridge Church, Chris Cauley, Four Carsons Entertainment, and The Big Beyond for bringing our magical tree lighting event to the community!
Reminder: Cumming Home Water Tower Lighting Requests Due by Dec. 28th
Due to the high volume of requests to light the ‘Cumming Home’ Water Tower at GA Hwy. 400 Exit 14 various colors for different causes throughout the year, Cumming Utilities and City of Cumming staff have made the decision to implement a formal application process beginning with calendar year 2023.

Any charitable organization wishing to have the tower lit a certain color(s) for a specific cause during any month in calendar year 2023, must complete this form and email it to cledford@cityofcumming.net before 5 p.m. on Dec. 28, 2022.
City Council November Recap
During the November Regular City Council Meeting (November Work Session was cancelled), City Council took the following actions:

  • In a 3-0 vote with Councilman Christopher Light absent and Councilwoman Linda Ledbetter abstaining, approved Zoning Condition Amendment Application #2022293 from Providence Group of GA, LLC. The amendment shifts some of the commercial development at the future Sawnee Village project on Pilgrim Mill Road to the center of the project.

  • In a 4-0 vote with Councilman Christopher Light absent, approved the rezoning of 7.7 acres, more or less, at the corner of Market Place Boulevard and Mary Alice Park Road, from Office Commercial Multi-Story (OCMS), to Planned Shopping Center (PSC), with conditions, to construct a retail establishment.

  • In a 4-0 vote with Councilman Christopher Light absent, approved the rezoning of 2.092 acres, more or less, at the southwest corner of Market Place Boulevard and Mary Alice Park Road, from Office Commercial Multi-Story (OCMS) to Highway Business (HB), with conditions, for the construction of a retail establishment. 

  • In two 4-0 votes with Councilman Christopher Light absent, approved alcoholic beverage license applications for Top Knotch Boutique and Tin Cup Grill, both of which will be located at the Cumming City Center.

  • Heard a report from Tracy Helms, Director of the Cumming Fairgrounds, outlining the success of the 2022 Cumming Country Fair & Festival. Helms reported that this year's fair generated 10 percent more revenue than in 2021.

  • In a 4-0 vote with Councilman Christopher Light absent, adopted an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan as presented by Joey Smith, Deputy Director of Forsyth County Emergency Management. Forsyth County and the City of Cumming are required to update the plan every five years.

  • Appointed Ralph Webb to replace his father, Joel "Chigger" Webb, to the Cumming Housing Authority after the senior Webb retires from the post at the end of 2022.

  • In a 4-0 vote with Councilman Christopher Light absent, accepted the low proposal from Southeast Pipe Survey, Inc. for lining the Sander Road Sewer Outfall.

  • In a 4-0 vote with Councilman Christopher Light absent, accepted the low proposal from North Georgia Pipeline, Inc. for reinforcing of some creek banks in order to keep Cumming Utilities' gravity sewer pipes properly in place.

  • In a 4-0 vote with Councilman Christopher Light absent, accepted the low proposal from North Georgia Pipeline, Inc. for Highway 20 Water Line Improvements, Phase I (at Tribble Road).
Christmas Events at the Cumming Arts Center
The Sawnee Association of the Arts (SAA) will be presenting several holiday events at the Cumming Arts Center (111 Pilgrim Mill Road). The new Christmas Marketplace and Festival of Trees will be held through December on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sundays from 1-4 p.m. Unique artisan items make the perfect gifts, and are for sale in the expanded Gallery Gift Shop. Pick up an artist-decorated Christmas tree (1-4 feet in height) or wreath in the Festival of Trees area. A collection of nativity scenes is also on display throughout the Arts Center, and the "Never Stop Learning" art exhibit is on display through Dec. 3rd. This exhibit features artwork by 77 high school students from Forsyth Central, Denmark, Lambert, North and South high schools. Parking and entry to the Cumming Arts Center are free; click here to learn more about all events, activities, classes and more!
Holiday Closures: Dec. 23rd, 26th and Jan. 2nd
All non-essential City of Cumming departments and facilities will be closed in observance of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on Friday, Dec. 23rd and Monday, Dec. 26th. City facilities will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, Dec. 27th. City departments and facilities will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 2nd in observance of New Year's Day, and will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, Jan. 3rd. We wish everyone a safe, joyous and blessed holiday season!
MEETINGS
Youth Council - December 6 at 5 p.m.

City Council Work Session - December 6 at 6 p.m.

Planning & Zoning Board Meeting - December 20 at 5 p.m.

Regular City Council Meeting - December 20 at 6 p.m.

All meetings are open to the public and held in the third-floor Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 Main Street, unless otherwise noted. For all meetings after 5 p.m., please enter through the rear parking lot entrance.
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