About Locust Grove's Heron Bay

Before purchasing a home, it's important to make sure the community is qualified and meets all the needs you forsee for the future. For some, that means areas for children to play, good schools and sidewalks. Others are inclined to buy a home in a community with a golf course, swimming pool, lawn regulations, standard mailboxes and street lamps.

All of these regulations and amenities are likely responsibility of the Homeowner's Association (HOA). HOAs can be imperative to maintaining the appearance, value and community in general. The developer typically creates the HOA and as homes sell, the committee is handed over to the community to manage.

Depending on the needs of the residents as well as the reputation of the communities, HOAs function differently. Atlanta golf community, Heron Bay Golf & Country Club has a Homeowner's Association that is run by the developer, Minerva Properties. Also providing help for community based decisions are four formal committees: Safety and Pool, Positive Standards,, Social Activities and Community Liaisons. Volunteers are elected to form these committees, and Heron Bay residents can live worry free, enjoying a positive community year round. Heron Bay committees play a vital role in the community, facilitating neighborhood safety or get-togethers, HOA and its committees are the heart of the community happenings.

With HOAs being such an important part of the development you are considering purchasing in, it is important to make sure you are comfortable with their policies. Some questions to ask include:

•·What are the HOA fees?

•·Are the fees monthly? Annual?

•·How often do the fees change?

•·What do fees include?

No matter what you are looking for in a community, the balance of Heron Bay Golf & Country Club is likely to be a good fit. For more information about the Heron Bay HOA, or the community in general, call 770.957.5633. The information center is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1-5 p.m.

Henry County’s premier golf community, Heron Bay Golf & Country Club is known for giving back to their community year round. In October the master-planned community held their annual Goblin Gallop to raise money for the Hands of Hope Clinic.

This holiday season, Heron Bay held its annual canned food drive. Residents donated over 150 bags of food, which is nearly 1,000 cans of food and non-perishable items to three local charities: The Haven House, A Friends House and Five Loaves and Two Fish Food Pantry.

How did the food drive work? It was actually quite simple. In November, each Heron Bay resident was given a grocery bag donated by Publix. They were asked to fill the bags and leave them outside their doors, where volunteers could come by to pick them up. There was also a donation box in the Heron Bay Lodge and residents were asked to take a box into their offices to increase the amount of food collected. The response was overwhelming and the Heron Bay community was able brighten the lives of those less fortunate.

The annual food drive and Goblin Gallop are just two of the many activities and charity events that Heron Bay residents participate in throughout the year. Residents are often found together planning the semi annual garage sale or getting ready for a holiday party. Heron Bay residents are more than neighbors, they are also friends, which makes this Atlanta communty a wonderful place to live.

2009 was a stellar year for the South Atlanta master-planned community Heron Bay Golf & Country Club. At the beginning of November, the community was awarded 9 OBIE awards. The OBIEs are an annual awards gala, and are the most prestigious awards given in the Atlanta home building industry. This year, Heron Bay walked away the proud winners of:

• Gold Award for Best Community Information & Sales Center/Welcome Center
• Gold Award for Best Advertising – Off-Site Signage
• Gold Award for Best E-Marketing – Website – Community
• Silver Award for Best Advertising – On-Site Signage
• Silver Award for Best E-Marketing – Social Media Campaign
  
• Silver Award for Best Marketing Campaign/Promotion – Developer.
• Gold Award for Land Planning
• Gold Award for Landscape Design – Master-planned community
  
• Gold Award for Amenity Package/500+ Units

With the addition of these nine awards, Heron Bay now has total of 15 OBIEs under their belt, including the highly coveted Community of the Year award - quite an acheivement since the community only opened 5 years ago.

The Sixth Annual Goblin Gallop 6K, 1 mile Run/Walk and Tot Trot is scheduled to take place at Heron Bay Golf and Country Club on October 24.The Goblin Gallop is an event for every age group and includes three different races: 6K Run, 1 Mile Run/Walk and the “Tot Trot,” for kids five-years-old and under. Pre-registration is now being accepted.

The cost is as follows:

• 6K Run - $15, Pre-registration; $20 at the door
• 1 Mile Run/Walk - $10 Pre-registration, $15 at the door
• “Tot Trot” ages 5 and under, 60 yards – no charge.

During the Goblin Gallop, guests are encouraged to wear their favorite Halloween costumes. Prizes will be awarded to the most creative costumes. Race day registration will begin at 4 p.m. with the races scheduled shortly thereafter at 5 p.m.

All proceeds from the Atlanta race go to The Hands of Hope Clinic, which is the only free medical and dental clinic in Henry County. The clinic operates every Monday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 1010 Hospital Drive on the campus of Henry Medical Center. Its commitment is to provide any resident of the county who does not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, has no private health insurance and who cannot afford to see a doctor, with basic medical care and free medications as available. Hands of Hope Clinic relies on help from volunteers, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, therapists, and other various healthcare personnel and is financially supported through its volunteers and charitable donations.

So come out October 24th for a fun filled evening that benefits a great cause, and bring your friends too!

While Heron Bay Academy was denied their charter from both the Henry County and Spalding County school systems, there is still hope for the school. On August 1st, the academy submitted a petition to the newly-founded Georgia Charter School Commission, which was created by House Bill 881 in May 2008 due to the high number of charter school petitions that have veen denied by local boards.

Why does the General Assembly care whether or not charter schools are denied by the local boards? Well because charter schools are a critical component to Georgia’s efforts to provide efficient and high-quality public schools. The Assembly also found that charter schools in the state have contributed to enhanced student performance while empowering parents to best fit the individual needs of their children.

And, a recent analysis of the state's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) data indicated that charter schools in Georgia, particularly those that are started independently from school districts, are performing better than traditional public schools.

Basically it seems that charter schools provide a quality education for their students and enhance the learning experience. Heron Bay Academy will be greatly welcomed by residents of the Atlanta master planned community as it will serve both Henry County and Spalding County and will feature an in-dept education including rigorous core training in language arts, math, science, humanities, social studies and Spanish.

We should know by December 2009 if the Georgia Charter School Commission approves the petition.