GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A deep sinkhole opened up in the parking lot of a popular Gwinnett County restaurant. There are concerns it could get worse during the upcoming rains and there's debate over who will fix it.
Barricades and yellow tape surrounded a sinkhole in the parking lot next to the Georgia Diner on Pleasant Hill Road Wednesday. The sinkhole had already eaten a tree and some pavement.
The sinkhole isn't very wide – but it is at least 20 feet deep.
"Yeah well…somebody's got to fix it I would think," said customer Edward Powell.
SLIDESHOW: Georgia Diner Sinkhole
But the fix is turning out to be complicated.
A restaurant employee, who did not want to be named, said the restaurant hired attorneys because the owners believe the sinkhole repair is the county's responsibility since the broken pipe joint links up to the storm water system. But the county said there's an easement – a clear agreement that when the property was developed, the property owner would become responsible for management and maintenance of pipes.
The county estimated the cost of repairs could be $500,000, not just because of how deep it is and the utilities that might be down there, but because of how close it is to the diner.
The county said the owner was warned about the issue. The employee told Channel 2 Action News reporter Manuel Bojorquez that the owner feels the county's fix of another problem two years ago caused the current issue.
"Well they need to fix it before a big rain comes and the whole thing will flood," said Powell.
Bojorquez called the restaurant owner's attorneys for comment but had not heard back.
The county said it will monitor the issue in the coming days to make sure it doesn't become a threat to public safety.
WSBTV
