City to lease Farmer’s Market, dumpster area

  • A 13x13 parcel at the beginning of Robert’s Way in Blue Ridge currently houses these dumpsters, one of which was over flowing with garbage Sunday afternoon, January 31. The parcel is being placed for lease by the City of Blue Ridge after council members agreed the situation needs to be cleaned up.
    A 13x13 parcel at the beginning of Robert’s Way in Blue Ridge currently houses these dumpsters, one of which was over flowing with garbage Sunday afternoon, January 31. The parcel is being placed for lease by the City of Blue Ridge after council members agreed the situation needs to be cleaned up.
  • The Farmer’s Market is located on the 3.31-acre property at 787 Summit Street, which is to be placed for lease by the City of Blue Ridge.
    The Farmer’s Market is located on the 3.31-acre property at 787 Summit Street, which is to be placed for lease by the City of Blue Ridge.

    Blue Ridge’s elected officials have decided to offer two city properties to the highest bidders as they work to fix situations that have raised concerns at recent city council meetings.

    Next week, the City of Blue Ridge has scheduled separate ads in The News Observer to bid out the properties for leasing purposes. Both require minimum bids.

    Those properties include 787 Summit Street, where the Farmer’s Market and cannery building are, and a 13’x13’ parcel at the beginning of Robert’s Way, where a dumpster sits.

    The Summit Street property includes 3.31 acres, and the minimum bid the city will accept for a one year lease will be $3,000 per month.

    Concern has been raised by council members Mike Panter and Rhonda Haight over a local company using the lot to store equipment. They’ve agreed that the city should not let its property be used for free.

    The lease will not include the cannery building, which the Fannin County School District will be allowed to access, and the city will be allowed to use a small portion of the property for storage.

    The Robert’s Way property will be for a period of five years with an option to renew for another five year. At a minimum, the successful bidder is required to construct an enclosure for a dumpster, at the bidder’s expense.

    The enclosure must be no less than 12’x12’ and 8’ high with solid walls and faux brick or stone finish.

    The bidder will also be required to empty the dumpster daily during weekdays.

    This location is described as “at or about the current first parking space” on Robert’s Way.

    The dumpster that sits there has raised numerous complaints among the council members who have said it looks and smells bad.

    Bidders of both properties will also be required to “indemnify and hold harmless the city” and obtain a $1,000,000 insurance policy with “the city as an additional insured.”

    Additional information is available by calling Planning, Zoning and Project Manager Jeff Stewart at 706-632-2091 ext. 2 or by email at jstewart@cityofblueridgega.gov.

    The bidding period ends  February 19.