Landowners push for bridge repairs after decade‑long washout; county staff promise due diligence

Two companion agenda items prompted extended public testimony about a washout on Birdwell Road that has blocked continuous crossing since a 2013 storm. Mark Sheffer, a co‑owner of property abutting the damaged crossing, told the committee the family conveyed right‑of‑way to the county in 1972 and later entered a 2015 memorandum of understanding with the county after litigation. Sheffer said the memorandum’s recitals anticipated additional long‑term action to restore connectivity and rebuild the crossing; he asked the commission to carry out its statutory duty under OCGA to maintain roads and bridges.

Sheffer described correspondence stretching from 2015 to 2025 and said he had not received a substantive response to requests for completion of the long‑term solution. "…additional actions must be accomplished to for a final settlement," Sheffer read from the 2015 document and urged the committee to act.

Attorney Jim Plunkett and Director of Engineering Hameed Malik responded in turn. Plunkett said his review of the administrative record found that the commission had approved "option 5," which the law department and staff say the city fulfilled: acquire right‑of‑way and create a road to an interim standard. Plunkett said he could not locate commission minutes approving the recommended option 1 (a permanent bridge) and that the lawsuit and settlement documents reference option 5 as the operative term the commission executed. He offered to meet with the Sheffer family and engineering staff to review the records and to report back at the next committee cycle.

Malik described the infrastructure condition: the prior crossing used CMP (metal) culverts and overtopping removed the road in 2013. He estimated updated reconstruction at roughly $1.5–2 million inclusive of permitting and Corps of Engineers mitigation requirements. Malik said permitting and mitigation could add substantial time and cost and that staff would perform a full assessment. Reginald O'cony, representing King’s Redeemed Ministry, described life‑safety concerns for a planned church at 3032 Birdwell Road and urged an expedited evaluation and coordination with fire officials.

The committee agreed to schedule a due‑diligence meeting with the landowners, general counsel and the director of engineering next week and to bring findings back in the next committee cycle (noted as the March 10 committee meeting). Plunkett emphasized this is an initial step; any later recommendation to rebuild or otherwise will be dependent on survey, appraisal and permitting outcomes.