The Hwy. 278 Improvement Association took a big step forward when it was approved as a community improvement district by the Georgia General Assembly in March.

Now, however, any future steps forward will have to wait until 2016.

The Highway 278 Improvement Association, which was formed in 2014 by property owners along Highway 278 for purposes of making improvements to the corridor, announced Monday that it has requested the Newton County legislative delegation to delay formation of a planned Community Improvement District (CID) until 2016.

According to a press release, the CID was originally scheduled to be operational by the third quarter of 2015. In making this announcement, the Association stated that the delay was necessary because of a drafting error in the enabling legislation creating the CID.

The reasoning for the postponement was given that the association board of directors recently discovered an inadvertent conflict in the legislation regarding the maximum tax millage that could be levied by the future CID board of directors. Unfortunately, with the Georgia legislature closing its 2015 session last week, sufficient time did not exist to correct the legislation.
For that reason, the Association board acted to recall the proposed legislation before it was enacted into law. The necessary corrections to the document will be made prior to the 2016 Georgia General Assembly.

"While we regret the delay, we remain confident about the formation of the Highway 278 CID,” said Jimmy Tanner, Chairman of the Highway 278 Improvement Association. “Interest from property owners along the corridor is very strong and we are firm in our belief that the CID will be a catalyst for economic growth in our community. This necessary delay reflects our Association board’s intent to accurately represent the desires of the property owners and our commitment to getting it right from the beginning. The Association will continue to support and make plans to create a CID upon legislative action in early 2016."

The Highway 278 Improvement Association was formed in 2014 by property owners along Highway 278 for the purpose of creating a Community Improvement District. The Association's members consist of owners of commercial, non-tax exempt properties along Highway 278 generally located between Exit 90 of Interstate 20.