CONYERS - The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners (BOC) approved moving forward with the rehabilitation project on the Lakefield Dam and Reservoir during its voting session Tuesday.

With unanimous approval of the consent agenda, the board awarded Atlanta-based Golder Associates, Inc. a total sum of $148,500 to continue with restoration effort of the dam.

The money will be paid entirely using grant money. 

The dam's restoration effort had been suspended since August because the original contract from 2012 expired. However work must resume soon to prevent enforcement action by the Georgia Safe Dams Program and to maintain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding.

In other county business:

-The board approved amendments to an existing ordinance that will make it a more “business friendly ordinance,” says Rockdale Planning and Development Director Marshall Walker. 

The amendment will delete a restriction in general and local commercial districts which states that no more than 25 percent of required vehicle parking be located between the street right-of-way and the front of buildings. 

“We certainly hope it will continue to attract businesses by the removal of that particular criteria,” said Walker to the BOC. 

-The board approved of a multi-million dollar funding agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to partly finance the third phase of the Parker Road Widening Project.

GDOT will pay $3.25 million towards the project. That’s more than half the total cost of the project, which is estimated to cost about $5.6 million. The third phase will widen Parker Road from Flat Shoals Road to Ga. Hwy 138.

The initial concept for the Parker Road project was developed in the mid-90s. The first part of the project widened Parker Road Bridge. The second phase of the project extended the widening of Parker Road to Flat Shoals Road. The final phase of the project will widen Parker Road from Ga. Hwy 138 to Ga. Hwy 20 South.

The BOC will meet for a work session Tuesday, June 16, at 10 a.m. at the Aseemnbly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers.