Artist rendering of three-story detached homes proposed for Watts Drive in Kennesaw

By Rebecca Gaunt

Kennesaw City Council will vote Monday on a $1.67 million contract with Marietta-based C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. for street resurfacing.

The bid is for the repair of 28 streets of varying lengths, including portions of Duncan Drive, Deerfield Drive, and Pinehill Circle.

Of the seven bids submitted, C.W. Matthew’s was the lowest. The project will be funded by a local road administration grant (LRA), capital outlay from reserve funds, and the 2016 and 2022 SPLOSTs. 

Council members Antonio Jones and Pat Ferris asked city attorney Sam Hensley whether they needed to recuse themselves as they live on streets included in the project. He advised that it was not necessary in this matter.

The Council will also vote on a central business district project proposed at 2785 Watts Dr.

Eric McConaghy, on behalf of Watts Holdings, presented the plan for eight detached single-family homes of around 2,000 square feet with two-car garages. 

In 2014, the property, formerly occupied by a Wachovia bank, was part of a seven-acre mixed-use development. Following the construction of the apartment portion of the project, McConaghy said they were unsuccessful over the next decade in recruiting retail for the intended commercial portion. An attempt to sell the lot also fell through.

In other business:

Councilman Anthony Gutierrez brought up the pending expiration of the federal energy tax credits which he utilized to install solar panels on his house. He proposed offering a local tax incentive of $1,000.

According to the city attorney, Kennesaw cannot offer such an incentive without legislation at the state level.

Tax credits violate the gratuities clause of the Georgia Constitution, and “unfortunately, it’s not within the current power of the city of Kennesaw to do that,” Hensley said.

Rebecca Gaunt earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from Oglethorpe University. After teaching elementary school for several years, she returned to writing. She lives in Marietta with her husband, son, two cats, and a dog. In her spare time, she loves to read, binge Netflix and travel.