By Camie Young Staff Writer

LAWRENCEVILLE -- As Diane Kesler leaves the planning commission to join John Linder's congressional campaign, a Lawrenceville woman will step in. Lorraine Green, an environmental engineer who lives in Jefferson Station in the Sugarloaf area, will join the Gwinnett Municipal Planning Commission at its Jan. 2 meeting. "I have new wallpaper in my office with all the maps I've been given," Green said of her new post. Green said she is excited about her new post. Moving to several big cities, including New York, Cleveland and St. Louis, while growing up, the Gwinnettian said she has a different perspective than most. "I've lived all over the country, so I've seen cities grow up and mature," she said. "I have a unique perspective of seeing what works and what doesn't work." Green works as an environmental engineer for Green Environmental & Corrosion Inc. She is a 1984 graduate of Georgia Tech, with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and a master's degree in environmental engineering. She has lived in Gwinnett since 1987 with her husband Robert and her sons Alex, 11, and Austin, 6. "I've been active in homeowners issues for 10 years," Green said. "I think they got tired of me standing in front of the podium, so they asked me to be on the other side." The 39-year-old said she had two primary issues of focus: watching the growth in the Sugarloaf and making sure homeowners' voices were heard. "I want to give homeowners a voice, make them feel that their views are understood," she said. "I think homeowners should be much more involved in the process." Camie Young can be reached via e-mail at camie.young@gwinnettdailypost.com.