Holly Springs committee recommends sending $35 million T‑SPLOST project list to city council

The Holly Springs Public Works Committee voted to recommend that the full city council consider the city’s proposed transportation special‑purpose local option sales tax (T‑SPLOST) project list, which staff said would direct about $35,000,000 to Holly Springs over six years if voters approve the November referendum. Staff presented a packet of four city‑only projects and four joint projects with Cherokee County and the cities of Woodstock and Canton and asked the committee to forward the list to council for action.

The recommendation matters because the county is allocating T‑SPLOST proceeds based on projected 2027 population, a method staff said gives Holly Springs a 7.76% share (projected population 24,126) and results in a city allocation of about $35 million. "The city of Holly Springs would receive about $35,000,000 over 6 years," a staff member said while walking the committee through the spreadsheet of projects and estimated costs.

Staff described the four city projects in the packet and read the line items and cost estimates aloud. Project 1, Hickory Road widening Phase 1 (culvert replacement, widening and bridge work), was listed at $8,800,000 for preliminary engineering, right‑of‑way and construction. Project 2, Palm Street Phase 1, was presented as a bridge/culvert replacement and an enclosed stormwater extension with estimated costs given as $390,000 for preliminary engineering, $262,500 for right‑of‑way and $3,000,000 for construction (presented in the packet as roughly $3.6 million). Project 3, the Hickory Springs Industrial Drive realignment, and Project 4, Hickory Springs Parkway Phase 1 (which includes a potential back entrance to the Cedar Valley neighborhood), were each shown with preliminary engineering, right‑of‑way and construction estimates in the mid‑$3 million range.

The packet also includes four joint projects with Cherokee County; staff said Holly Springs’ share of the joint projects was listed at about $14,000,910 (discussed in the meeting as roughly $14.9 million when combined with city projects). Staff added that some projects are at different stages of readiness: project #82124 (realignment of Palm Street at Holly Springs Parkway) has right‑of‑way work approved by the county and could move into construction immediately if the referendum passes. "If this passes, we can start construction on this one right away," the staff member said.

Staff explained next steps and the schedule: the committee is to forward the recommended list and an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to full council, the council would need to adopt the documents by Aug. 18, the county plans to pass a resolution on Sept. 2, and the referendum would appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. The staff presentation attributed county allocation percentages to projected 2027 populations provided to the county (the Atlanta Regional Commission data was cited as the population source used for allocation calculations).

The committee approved the motion to recommend the packet to full city council by voice vote; the record contains only the voice vote (ayes) and no roll‑call names. The committee also approved the March 13, 2024 Public Works Committee meeting minutes and then adjourned. The recommendation will next appear for formal consideration before the full Holly Springs City Council at the council meeting referenced by staff.