* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. ALL [00:00:01] RIGHT. WE'RE [1. CALL TO ORDER] GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UM, GET STARTED. AND THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. I'M GONNA, I JUST WANNA SAY, I THINK BONNIE'S, WHOEVER THE CHAIR, IT'S AT THEIR DESK. WHAT? BUT, UM, AT A WORKSHOP, THE PUBLIC HAS ACCESS TO ATTEND. UM, I'M GONNA TAKE MINUTES. THERE'LL BE NO VOTING. THE CITY DOESN'T DO VOTING, AND SO THERE CAN'T BE ANY REALLY, LIKE STRAW POLLS. YOU CAN DISCUSS THINGS AND YOU CAN, I'M GONNA BRING THEM BACK TO STAFF, BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS. OKAY. AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT. BUT WE CAN VOTE ON OFFICERS THOUGH, RIGHT? YEAH. WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON OKAY. OFFICERS IN THE MIN THE PREVIOUS MINUTES. OKAY. OKAY. I AM GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING TODAY, MAY 21ST, 2026. I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 3:00 PM AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE ELECTION FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. DOES ANYONE HAVE A NOMINATION FOR CHAIR? DID WE WANT TO SAY THE PLAY? UH, WE HAVE TO DO WE DO THAT AFTER WE DO THE, I MAKE A MOTION FOR BONNIE STEGMAN TO BE THE CHAIR. OKAY. I THANK YOU. WOW. AND CAN WE VOTE ON THAT? THANK YOU . AND FOR VICE CHAIR, DO WE HAVE A NOMINATION? SHAQ FOR VICE CHAIR AND A SECOND, AND VOTE FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE. AND SO I, NOW I'LL, UM, TURN THE MEETING OVER TO THE CHAIR. BONNIE STEADMAN. OH, WOW. I AM DELIGHTED YOU ALL ARE HERE AND EXCITED TO SEE EVERYBODY. AND I REALLY AM ANXIOUS TO GET YOUR VIEWPOINTS ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN ALPHARETTA. JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT YOUR VIEWPOINTS ARE, IF YOU DON'T MIND. UM, CONNIE, CAN WE START WITH YOU FIRST? WE TO, UH, I GUESS DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. OH, THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEN WE, YOU, YOU'VE GOT A SCRIPT IN FRONT OF YOU. OH, THERE IT IS, DOWN BELOW. OKAY. I'M SORRY. OKAY. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY. UH, BONNIE? YEAH. I'LL, THE NEXT THING, [3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES] WAIT A MINUTE. WE NEED TO DO, YEAH, WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE YEAH, I'VE GOT AN AGENDA. I DIDN'T SEE IT. OH, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE LAST MEETING. APRIL 17TH, 2025. UM, IF YOU'LL BRIEFLY LOOK OVER THE ATTACHMENT THAT WE HAVE. I DON'T, I DON'T PRINTED IT FOR YOU. IT, IT WOULD BE EVERYONE ELSE GOT IT IN THE PACKET. SO THE IPAD. AND HE NEEDS TO KNOW HIS, UH, UH, PASSWORD. YEAH. OKAY. YOU DON'T HAVE THAT. DID YOU GET A PACKET, MAYOR? YES. ON, ON EMAIL? I DID. OKAY. AND THAT, THAT HAD THIS ON IT. OH YEAH. IT MIGHT BE IN HERE IF Y'ALL GOT A PACKET. AND YOU WERE TEXTED A PACKET THAT HAD ALL THIS IN IT. RIGHT? IT'S GOT, IT'S ON THE IPAD ALSO. I WAS JUST SAYING IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PRINTED OUT VERSION, YOU COULD PULL IT UP ON THE IPAD THERE. OH, OKAY. YEAH, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE PRINTED. IS ANYONE, IS ANYONE MISSING? MISSING AN IPAD? I, I MADE A COPY OF THE, UM, ORDINANCE FOR YOU AND THE AGENDA, BUT NOT THE MINUTES. 'CAUSE THE BOB IS ACTUALLY MISSING ONE. WHY IS IT GIVING YOU I GOT IT. I GOT, I'VE GOT IT RIGHT HERE. YOU DON'T NEED ANY OF THAT. OH, GOOD JOB, . NOW HOW TO STAND THIS THING NOW, . I THINK IT'S TWIST THAT THING AROUND. Y'ALL LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY TO VOTE ON IT. PLEASE. HAVE WE GOT A MOTION YET TO APPROVE MINUTES? THEY WERE LOOKING IT OVER BRIEFLY. AND YOU DON'T, IF YOU WEREN'T HERE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE BEEN THERE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, BUT IF YOU WANT TO RECUSE YOURSELF OKAY. YOU CAN STILL. OKAY. AND IF YOU WEREN'T THERE, WE HAVE OKAY. [00:05:02] DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? FIRST, WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION WITH THE CHA. OKAY. BUT I CAN ASK THEM IF THEY HAVE CHANGE. NO, WE NEED, SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. OKAY. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. THANK YOU. SECOND. GOT IT. IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE WE DID THIS. BE PATIENT ELLIE . OKAY. UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE APRIL 17TH, 2000, 25 MINUTES. RAISE YOUR HAND. WE'RE JUST PROPPING IT ON THIS THING. I DON'T THINK I WAS HERE THEN, THOUGH. OKAY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE. KRISTEN, RAISE YOUR HAND. WOO. . THANK YOU. OKAY. ALRIGHT. I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET THEM. WE DO. OKAY. SO WE HAVE ONE, TWO, BONNIE SHAQ, KRISTEN, BOB, CONNIE, UM, MAYOR LECHES, REX GRIZZLE. THAT'S SEVEN THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE. UM, ELLIE, WHAT ABOUT THE MEETING OF JUNE 3RD, 13TH, 2024. THAT'S DOWN HERE. OKAY. JUST SKIP IT IN THE AND THEN IT HAS PUBLIC HEARING. NO, THERE'S NO, JUST GO ON THE OH. OH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UH, ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WE CALLED THIS MEETING TODAY SO THAT WE MAY DISCUSS ITEMS AS A COMMISSION. UH, STAFF IS NOT PRESENT. THERE WILL BE NO MOTIONS OR VOTES DURING THE WORK SESSION. ANY QUESTION THAT COMES FROM THIS MEETING WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO STAFF. UM, YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION INCENTIVE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF YOU AND, AND A AND ALSO A LIST OF THE SITES DESIGNATED AND CONTRIBUTING. YEAH. DO Y'ALL HAVE A COPY OF THAT? OKAY. PAPER? NO, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE IN THE, AS WELL, YOUR PACKET. OKAY. UM, WE HAVE AS EARMARKED, UM, SEVERAL THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK A BIT ABOUT. ONE IS THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE, THE D THE JL MORRIS HOUSE, AND THE GARDNER HOUSE. BUT ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO PUT THE, CAN I CHANGE OR ADD? UM, YEAH, YOU CAN ADD, BUT PROBABLY YOU SHOULD GO THROUGH THE AGENDA ITEMS AND THEN ADD UNDER CONCERNS AND COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER KING. OKAY. THE BEGINNING IS THE FIRST ITEM, [a. Historic Preservation Incentive  Ordinance] THE AGENDA IS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION INCENTIVE ORDINANCE. SHAQ SENT ME A LIST WHERE HE WANTED TO ABOUT SECTION 2.93 C. OH, OKAY. OKAY. YEAH, IF I MAY, UM, I, IT'S A, IT'S A, A LONG, PRETTY, UH, COMPLEX DOCUMENT. UH, IT'S, IT'S FANTASTIC. IT WOULD FIT INTO PLACE 2013 OR SO, I BELIEVE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO, CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON? YEAH. OH, YEAH. SORRY. THERE YOU GO. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO WAS REVIEW, UH, OUR COMMISSION AND WHAT OUR CHARTER IS AND WHAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO ACCOMPLISH WITH RESPECT TO THIS DOCUMENT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT STRUCK ME WAS, UH, SECTION 2.9, 0.3 C, UH, IF YOU'LL TURN YOUR PAGE ON THAT. AND IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE HPCS POWERS. AND I THINK WE SHOULD, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A LIST OF HISTORICAL PROPERTIES, WHETHER DESIGNATED [00:10:01] OR CONTRIBUTING, THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO DO THAT IN MY MIND WITHOUT HAVING SOME KIND OF REGULAR MEETINGS. UM, HERE TO FOUR, WE'VE ONLY MET WHEN SOMETHING'S REQUIRED OR SOMETHING'S BEEN, UH, REQUESTED IN TERMS OF A, UH, DESIGNATION OR CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS. SO WE NEVER MEET UNLESS ONE OF THOSE THINGS COMES UP. UH, BUT FOR US TO MAINTAIN A LIST AND TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THESE, UH, IMPORTANT HOMES IN OUR TOWN, I THINK WE NEED, UH, MORE REGULAR MEETINGS. AND THE CITY HAS GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO, UH, FURNISH THAT TO US, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE NOW. WE HAVEN'T HAD, UM, A MEETING IN QUITE SOME TIME. AND SO THE DEAL IS NOW THAT IF I THINK, UH, THE AGREEMENT IS, UM, IF WE GO FOR THREE MONTHS WITHOUT HAVING REASON SPECIFICALLY TO HAVE A COMMISSION MEETING, THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW. SO WE'LL HAVE FOUR A YEAR AT LEAST. UH, IF WE HAVE NO OTHER, NOBODY, UH, YOU KNOW, REQUESTING DESIGNATION AND SO FORTH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CU COMMUNICATE AMONG US WHAT OUR FEELINGS ARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH PRESERVATION IN ALPHA A SURE. BECAUSE YOUR EYES, EVERYBODY'S EYES, YOU SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY. YOU MAY PASS A HOME THAT, YOU KNOW, IS ON THE SITE LIST AND THEY'RE DIGGING TOO CLOSE IT OR SOMETHING. SO WE ALL NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE AWARE OF THAT AND TO COMMUNICATE TO EACH OTHER. SO I WOULD, I WOULD E ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO REALLY READ CAREFULLY, ESPECIALLY, UH, THAT PART OF THE ORDINANCE TO WHAT WE ARE EXPECTED TO DO, UH, WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO, UH, AND THEN THINK TO OURSELVES WHAT WE SHOULD DO THAT WE HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY BEING ON THIS COMMISSION. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NEED SOME HELP FROM THE CITY WITH REGARD TO SOME TECHNICAL DATA. YEAH. ON A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA UNDERSTAND. UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO GET SOME HELP FROM THE CITY ON UNDERSTANDING THE LEGAL RAM RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT AND, AND WHAT WE DECIDE ON, AND HOW WE CAN DECIDE ON IT. SO, UM, JUST MOVING FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE, THE CITY, UH, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OVER 10 YEARS AGO IN COMING UP WITH THIS DOCUMENT AND, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, PROTECTING OUR HISTORIC STRUCTURE YEAH. MOVING FORWARD. SO THAT WOULD, UH, THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT 2.9 0.3 C. SO, SO YOU ALL AGREE ABOUT MEETING FOUR TIMES A YEAR? WHAT, WHAT I THINK MICHAEL AGREED TO IS, LIKE YOU, SHAQ SAID, IS IF WE DON'T MEET FOR THREE MONTHS RIGHT. FOR A REGULAR MEETING, WE WILL HAVE A MEETING. OKAY. I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW THAT CALCULATES, BUT I, I, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE FOUR, AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR. YEAH. IF, IF NOBODY HAS ANYTHING TO REQUEST, WOULD IT BE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WOULD INITIATE, OR WOULD WE NEED TO REACH OUT? AND, UH, NO. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, LIKE WHEN I GO BACK, I'LL BRING THIS TO STAFF AND HE'LL, WE HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS ON THE SCHEDULE, SO IF WE DON'T MEET FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, WE'LL HAVE A MEETING THE FOURTH MONTH, YOU KNOW? OKAY. THANK YOU. FIRST, GREAT QUESTION. UM, SHOULD WE AGREE TO GO THROUGH THIS AT OUR LEISURE AT HOME AND GET BACK TO SOMEONE, PRESUMABLY YOU OR THE PRESIDENT, WITH ANY THOUGHTS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT ANY OF THESE ITEMS? 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T STUDIED THIS LIST SINCE, UH, A LONG TIME AGO. YEAH, I WOULD. ABSOLUTELY. UH, I THINK THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE. WE JUST CAN'T MEET. UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE READ, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD ASK THE CITY. WE SHOULD ASK. YOU CAN, YOU CAN MEET IN GROUPS OF THREE. YOU JUST CAN'T MEET WITH FOUR PEOPLE. AND, UH, JUST REMEMBER THAT WE'RE A RECOMMENDING BODY TO CITY COUNCIL. SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS AND YOU CAN SAY, THIS IS, THIS WAS THE DOCUMENT CREATED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. SO ANY CHANGES IN IT [00:15:01] WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT TO CITY COUNCIL. IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL. YEAH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT THE DOCUMENT, WE CERTAINLY CAN PUT FORTH. GOOD. IS THAT OKAY? MM-HMM . ALL RIGHT. UM, COULD I ASK A QUESTION, PLEASE? UM, MY GENERAL QUESTION IS IF WE, I'M GONNA JUST ASSUME WE'RE GONNA GO ALONG LIKE THE KIND OF WE HAVE BEEN, AND THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE LESS MEETINGS THAN MORE. UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE DO NEED TO GET AGENDA ITEMS OR THINGS LIKE THAT IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETINGS. SO MY QUESTION IS, IS IF WE REVIEWED THIS DOCUMENT AND WE MAYBE HAD, UM, DISCUSSED WITH MAYBE TWO OTHER PEOPLE AN IDEA ON HOW TO EDIT IT OR SOMETHING TO ADD OR TAKE AWAY, UM, HOW WOULD WE, UM, HOW MUCH PRIOR TO THE COUNCIL MEETING WOULD WE NEED TO SUBMIT THAT? YOU WOULDN'T SUBMIT IT TO COUNCIL. YOU'D SUBMIT IT TO STAFF FIRST. YOU'D SUBMIT IT TO BONNIE AS SHE'S THE CHAIR. MM-HMM . THEN SHE WOULD SUBMIT ANY CHANGES TO MICHAEL, THEN HE WOULD TAKE IT TO OUR LIAISON. IT HAS TO BE TWO, I THINK TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE TO WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE, SO, OKAY. THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES. OKAY. SO IF, I GUESS MAYBE WHAT KRISTEN MIGHT BE ASKING IS, WHAT IF WE READ OVER THIS LIST? A COUPLE OF US TALKED, WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS, OR MAYBE SOME WE WANTED SOMETHING. UH, AND THEN IT WOULD JUST GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF IF WE WANTED TO MAKE A CHANGE, IT'D GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEN IT WOULD BE SCHEDULED. UH, ANOTHER HPC MEETING WOULD BE SCHEDULED AT THAT POINT, OR IF NECESSARY. RIGHT. LIKE IF, LIKE, I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU JUST DECIDE TO MAKE CHANGES, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE HAVE TO PRESENT 'EM TO STAFF AND THEN STAFF. SO AT THE NEXT HPC MEETING, WE WOULD DISCUSS IT. OKAY. BE PART OF THE AGENDA. ELLIE, DO YOU KNOW, IS THERE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS KIND OF OVERSEEING THE HBC? OUR LIAISON RIGHT NOW IS DAN MERKEL. OH, OKAY. OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LIAISON. OKAY. THAT'S FINE. WHAT HE DAN? HE'S OUR, HE'S OUR, HE'S OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP. OKAY. OKAY. STATUS [b. Status and questions regarding several Historic Properties.] QUESTIONS REGARDING SEVERAL HISTORIC PROPERTIES. UM, UH, THE FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE, THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO START OFF WITH THAT? I GUESS I'LL START OFF WITH THAT. OKAY. UM, JUST SOME BACKGROUND, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, IT WAS DESIGNATED AS HISTORICAL. UH, MANY OF YOU WERE HERE. UM, SINCE THEN, WE'VE HAD SOME CZIM MEETINGS. A NUMBER OF YOU HAVE BEEN PRESENT FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GONE ON LATELY? THE MOST LATE, UH, LATE THING IS I'VE HAD BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH GEORGE, UH, ON A SEMI, UM, REGULAR BASIS. COULD YOU CLARIFY WHO THAT IS? GEORGE. THERE'S GEORGE JACKSON AND CHRIS DAVIS, WHO ARE THE DEVELOPERS OF THE PROPERTY. OKAY. THANK YOU. I DO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM, NOT AS A COMMISSIONER, BUT AS A NEIGHBOR. I LIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, OR MY PARENTS DO, AND I WILL SOMEDAY. UM, SO THEY HAVE BEEN, THEY AGREED TO RESTORE IT LATELY. THEY WERE DIGGING AS FAR AS MY, UH, MY OPINION WAS THAT THEY WERE DIGGING TOO CLOSE TO IT. THAT WAS BEFORE THE CZIM. UM, THEY RECENTLY, THEY AGREED TO, I MET WITH THEM AT ONE POINT, I THINK IN MAYBE FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, OR NO, I ACTUALLY MET WITH THEM IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. UM, THEY, THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE RESTORING IT. UH, I ASKED THEM TO PROTECT IT. UH, AND AFTER THAT, A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT, THEY TARPED IT AND SEALED UP THE CRAWL SPACE. UM, SINCE THEN, THEY HAVE, UH, THEY RECENTLY AGAIN WHERE THEIR CONSTRUCTION CREW WAS DIGGING A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO IT. I CALLED THE CITY. THEY, UH, INSPECTORS WENT UP THERE AND TOLD THEM, UH, THAT THEY REALLY NEEDED TO, UH, [00:20:01] DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. UH, THEY IMMEDIATELY PUT UP A RETAINING WALL, UH, SO TO SPEAK, NEXT TO IT. UM, SINCE THEN, I HAVE SPOKE, SPOKE, UH, INFORMALLY TO KATHY COOK. AND THERE IS SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE, UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW, AND I WA I WOULD LOVE TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION FROM, UH, THE CITY ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS AND SO FORTH. UH, BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THAT AT THIS POINT, UM, AFTER OVER A YEAR AT LEAST, AND THEN REALLY MORE OF A DECADE, UH, BEING OUT IN THE WEATHER, UH, THAT THE HOME IS NOW IMPRACTICALLY, IT'S NOT PRACTICALLY POSSIBLE ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAVE HEARD FOR THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE TO BE MADE HABITABLE. SO THE TWO MAIN CHOICES IN OUR WINDSHIELD ARE TO EITHER TAKE IT DOWN AND CONSTRUCT A FACSIMILE, REPRODUCTION, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, AND FOR IT TO BE HABITABLE. OR THEY WOULD SIMPLY RESTORE THE EXTERIOR, PUT POWER TO IT, LIGHT IT UP AS A MONUMENT, AND NOBODY EVER LIVE IN IT. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY OUR ONLY TWO CHOICES. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IN MY HEART. UH, I'VE PAID A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE. WHAT'S GONE ON. I'VE BEEN THERE FOR, I'VE WATCHED IT FOR 50 YEARS. UM, THE RIDGE IS AS STRAIGHT AS IT EVER WAS. THE RIDGE ACROSS THE ROOF. MM-HMM . IT'S NOT SAGGING AFTER A HUNDRED AND SOME ODD YEARS. IT'S NOT SAGGING. UH, BUT I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, UH, PER SE. DID THEY NOT AGREE TO HAVE A TERMITE INSPECTION AND GIVE US THE REPORT ON THAT? THEY AGREED WITH ME IN THAT MEETING TO TAR IT, SEAL UP THE CRAWL SPACE, UH, DO A TERMITE, UH, TREATMENT. AND I THINK THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY SAID. UM, BUT I DO NOT KNOW. AND I DO NOT THINK THEY'VE DONE THAT. OF COURSE. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS JUST A MEETING, UH, UM, COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN FARSE RIGHT NOW WITH THEM DOWN. UM, BUT, UH, I WOULD, I WANT EVERYBODY ELSE TO HAVE SOME, SOME THOUGHTS, UH, ABOUT THIS AS TO, TO, UH, ALSO, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT DESERVES, AND I WOULD REQUEST OF THE CITY AND FROM GEORGE AND CHRIS, THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OUR PEOPLE, UH, OUR ENGINEERS WHO ARE, AND BUILDERS WHO WE KNOW THAT HAVE WORKED WITH THE GEORGIA TRUST AND HAVE WORKED WITH HISTORICAL STRUCTURES. I'M JUST NOT SURE THERE ISN'T ANOTHER SOLUTION. I AGREE. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SUGGEST SOMEONE LIKE BILL LUSK MM-HMM . TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I HAVE A, A BUILDER ENGINEER MYSELF, OSCAR PASO, SORRY, I THINK HIS NAME IS. AND WE HAVE SOMEONE AT THE GEORGIA TRUST THAT'S AGREED TO EXAMINE IT AS WELL. SO I'D LIKE, IF POSSIBLE, I'D LIKE SOME MORE EXPERT EYES, EYES THAT ARE A LOT MORE, THAT ARE A LOT SMARTER THAN MINE, UH, TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. AND THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT WHERE I AM ON THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE, BOB. I KNOW THAT, UH, BILL LUSK, UH, WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT. AND IS IN FACT HOPING TO GET A CALL FROM SOMEONE TO HAVE HIM GET MORE INVOLVED. UH, HE JUST HAD BACK SURGERY LAST WEEK, SO I THINK HE MAY BE [00:25:01] OUT OF COMMISSION FOR A LITTLE WHILE. BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY RECOMMEND SOMEONE, UM, GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM AND GIVE HIM A MESSAGE. I'D BE HAPPY TO DO IT. OR PROBABLY BETTER COME FROM YOU. THAT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO COME FROM, FROM THE CITY. SORRY. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, I'LL TAKE THIS BACK TO STAFF. AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE, COME FROM THE CITY. THEY WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE. 'CAUSE IT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED A THIRD PARTY INSPECTION. AND WE, WE HAVE CODE FOR ALL THAT. SO I HAVE TO BRING IT BACK TO STAFF FIRST. SO NOBODY MAKE ANY PHONE CALL. , HAS ANYONE FROM THE CITY LOOKED AT THE, UM, FOUNDATION OR STRUCTURE OF THE HOUSE AT ANY POINT? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAVE. OKAY. MAYBE RECENTLY OR, OKAY. THEY HAVE WHAT? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR THAT. LOOKED AT THE STRUCTURE OF THE HOUSE. THEIR ENGINEERS LOOKED AT THE CITIES. OH, YOURS DID. OKAY. DO WE KNOW, IS THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION? WHAT? I CAN'T REALLY, I'M, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE HERE JUST TO LET YOU GUYS DISCUSS. SURE. AND THEN YOU GUYS BRING EVERYTHING AND I'LL BRING, BRING IT BACK TO STAFF AND THEY CAN, COULD WE ASK TO SEE THAT? COULD WE REQUEST TO SEE THAT? YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, FORMALLY MAKE A MOTION TO REQUEST MOTION. OKAY. CAN WE REQUEST THE DATA AND ANALYSIS BY THE CITY ENGINEER ON THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE IN WRITING? AND, AND ALSO WHETHER THEY DID THE TERMITE INSPECTION AND WHAT THE RESPONSE IS? WELL, I DON'T KNOW. WE, THE CITY, HE DIDN'T AGREE TO DO A TERMITE INSPECTION FOR THE CITY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING, I MEAN, WHEN YOU GUYS, IF KATHY AND YOU GUYS MEET, MAYBE YOU COULD DISCUSS THAT WITH HIM. OKAY. I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS I'M SEEING RIGHT NOW, JUST FROM BEING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, IS THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT KIND OF THINGS WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE AT THIS MOMENT, BUT MOVING FORWARD, WE NEED TO TRY TO ESTABLISH SOME KIND OF PROCESS FOR THESE PROPERTIES WHERE THEY'RE BEING DEVELOPED AND THE HOUSE IS BEING SAVED OR TRYING TO BE SAVED. UM, I THINK FROM THE BEGINNING, WE COULD HAVE PUT SOME KIND OF TREE SAVE OR SOME KIND OF BARRIER AROUND THE HOUSE BEFORE THEY EVEN BROKE GROUND ON IT. UM, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MAYBE REQUIRE SOME KIND OF, UM, ENGINEERING REPORT BEFORE WE AGREED TO CHANGING ZONING, JUST SO THAT ALL OF US COULD BE ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN WE START OFF OF THE CONDITION OF A HOUSE. AND THEN AGREEING TO HOW WE BEST PROTECT THAT STRUCTURE DURING DEVELOPMENT. BECAUSE I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHEN THEY ARE REQUIRED TO RESTORE THE HOME. I THINK IT'S BY THE SIXTH OCCUPANCY. IS THAT CORRECT? UM, SO A LOT COULD HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THE SIXTH HOME, UM, BEING COMPLETED. SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE ERRORS OR SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT CLOSELY BECAUSE, UM, AS, AS WE'VE SEEN AT THE WEATHERHEAD HOUSE, A LOT CAN HAPPEN WHILE THEY ARE PUTTING IN SEWER LINES AND GRADING THE REST OF THE LAND. AND, UM, BEFORE THAT HEAVY EQUIPMENT ROLLS IN, WE, IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT WOULD JUST PROTECT THE HOME. WE PROTECT THE TREES IN THE SAME WAY. SO I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T REQUIRE ANY KIND OF BARRIER, VISUALLY OR RESHORING OF THE FOUNDATION. SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW. BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD ACHIEVE THAT. BUT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN THE HOUSE, I'VE SEEN IT JUST SIT THERE, NOTHING HAPPENS MM-HMM . BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ORDINANCE OR SOMETHING TAKING PLACE. WHEREAS IF THIS IS A, IF THIS IS ALL APPROVED, IF IT HAS A HISTORICAL SITE ON THE HOUSE OR THE HISTORICAL SITE, THEN SOMETHING NEEDS TO START, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST LET IT SIT FOR A YEAR OR WHATEVER. SOMETHING NEEDS TO START WHEN THEY START GRADING OR SOMETHING IS APPROVED. I MEAN, THESE HOUSES, THEY JUST CAN'T SIT THERE FOR A YEAR. LIKE THIS ONE HAS SAT THERE FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE THEY EVEN PUT THE TARP ON THE HOUSE. WELL, AND NOW IT'S GETTING NO AIRFLOW WHATSOEVER. I MEAN, THAT THING'S BOARDED UP AND, AND NOW SEALED UP. THEN I JUST SAW THE WALL BEING CONSTRUCTED TOO. SO, I MEAN, THE, THESE HISTORICAL HOUSES, WHEN THEY'RE DESIGNATED, SOMETHING NEEDS TO START RIGHT THEN, YOU KNOW, AFTER APPROVAL OF A, OF THE PROJECT MM-HMM . AFTER 60 DAYS OR SOMETHING. IT, IT JUST DOESN'T NEED JUST TO SIT THERE. AND WHAT I WANT ASK A QUESTION, IF I CAN TRY TO MAKE IT TOO SIMPLE, BUT FOR A, IT'S APPROVED ON SIT ON [00:30:01] NOW. YEAH. OKAY. AND, UM, THE DEVELOPER, UH, AGREES TO RESTORE THE HOME AND, UM, AND, AND AS, AS IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED WASTE, AND AT THE TIME IT IS, IS THERE ANY STUDY ON THE PART OF THE CITY TO DETERMINE IF THE HOUSE IS HABITABLE AT THAT TIME? UM, AND IF THERE'S NOT, COULD THERE BE, AND IF THE, THE DEVELOPER LETS IT SIT FOR THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, AND BETWEEN THE TIME HE AGREES TO RESTORE THE HOME AND THAT PERIOD OF TIME, WHAT KIND OF ACTION CAN BE TAKEN? WHAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SOURCE, SOME METHOD OF, UM, GETTING IT DONE. IT'S, IT'S JUST, UH, AND I, I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD THIS COME UP, BUT IT CERTAINLY WON'T BE THE LAST TIME, ESPECIALLY IN THIS SITUATION. YEAH. IF THE DEVELOPER GETS AWAY WITH, YEAH. IT'S NOT HABITABLE NOW. OKAY. IT WAS WHEN IT DID, WHEN IT, WHEN WE AGREED TO, BUT, YOU KNOW, CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE. IF, IF, IF HE'S, IF THAT DEVELOPER IS SUCCESSFUL IN DEMOLISHING THE HOME, UH, THAT NEWS IS GONNA GET AROUND TO DEVELOPERS, THEY'RE GONNA TRY THE SAME THING. SO, I, I GUESS MY QUESTION, IF I CAN BOIL IT DOWN TO WHAT'S ON, IF A, IF A CONTRACTOR AGREES TO RESTORE THE HOME AND DURING A FOUR OR FIVE YEAR PERIOD OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, IT CHANGES. WHAT CAN THE CITY DO OTHER THAN ALLOWING THE HOUSE TO BE DEMOLISHED? WELL, I WOULD, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY OR AN ENGINEER, BUT I WOULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE ORDINANCE PAGE, UH, 10 OF 21. NUMBER THREE, ENFORCEMENT IN THE EVENT, THE PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE HISTORIC PROPERTY FAILS TO MAINTAIN ALL OR ANY PORTION IN REASONABLE ORDER OR IN CONDITION. THE CITY MAY ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS MAINTENANCE AND MAY ENTER THE PREMISES AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF EXTENDED MAINTENANCE. THE COST OF SUCH MAINTENANCE MAY BE CHARGED TO THE OWNER AND MAY INCLUDE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND PENALTIES. IF A PROPERTY'S OWNER'S ASSOCIATION IS THE OWNER, SUCH COSTS MAY BE CHARGED TO SUCH ASSOCIATION OR TO THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION. SUCH COST SHALL BECOME A LIEN ON ALL PROPERTIES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OR SUBDIVISION UNTIL PAID IN FULL. WOW. SO I'M JUST GONNA CHIME IN , BECAUSE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL RELATE TO THE TRASH THAT'S BEEN SITTING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR A MONTH, BUT, UM, THESE CONSTRUCTION SITES DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE MUNICIPAL CODES AS FAR AS RUBBISH, UM, AS FAR AS PARKING, THEY CAN PARK ON SIDEWALKS. UM, IT'S JUST THE CITIZENS ARE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD THAN THESE CONSTRUCTION SITES. SO, UM, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT FALLS UNDER THIS AS WELL. UM, BUT I THINK THAT IF ANYTHING, THEY SHOULD BE KEEPING TRASH OFF OF THE PORCH. SO THIS IS THE CURRENT, THIS IS THE CURRENT DOCUMENT, SHAQ, YES. AND THEN NUMBER FOUR SHOULD BE, UH, READ TOO, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD HAVE A HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN. MM-HMM . UM, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A TIMELINE ON THAT, BUT THAT'S NUMBER FOUR. UH, AND THEN NUMBER FIVE, LEGAL INSTRUMENT OF PERMANENT PROTECTION. SO I REALLY WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE HERE TO READ THIS DOCUMENT AND JUST BECOME AS FAMILIAR AS YOU CAN WITH IT. I'M JUST WONDERING WHO THE PERSON WOULD BE TO CONTACT. WOULD THAT AGAIN BE THE CITY STAFF? YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTACT, GO THROUGH MICHAEL, AND THEN HE'LL TAKE YOUR, OKAY. QUESTION. HAS, HAS ANYONE HEARD OF THE CHERYL HOUSE IN FORSYTH COUNTY? WELL, THE CHERYL HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1907, AND IT WAS OCCUPIED BY A FAMILY BY THAT NAME. AND THEN, UH, THEY SOLD IT TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND THEN IT WENT, UM, VACANT FOR 20 SOME ODD YEARS. AND THE HISTORICAL [00:35:01] SOCIETY IN THE COUNTY, UH, DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND THE, THEY TOOK POSSESSION OF IT, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE COUNTY ENDED UP OWNING IT. SO THE COUNTY OWNS THE HOUSE, AND THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS RESPONSIBLE AND HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO FIX IT UP. AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS. AND THEY'VE PUT IN NEW FLOORING, NEW ROOFS, ET CETERA, AND THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON IT. BUT MAYBE, UH, SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A, UH, A PROJECT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, EXCEPT THEY, THEY GOT MORE, UH, THEY GOT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY INVOLVED, UM, MAYBE THERE'S SOME LESSONS TO BE LEARNED AND MAYBE IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO MEET WITH SOMEONE FROM THAT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND LEARN HOW THEY DID IT. I'M SORRY, I INTERRUPT YOU FOR A SECOND. I KNOW YOU'RE JOINING THE BOARD. I BEG YOUR PARDON? I KNOW YOU'RE, UH, LIKELY TO BE JOINING OUR BOARD FOR THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY SOON. YES, YES. AND, UH, YOU'LL SOON FIND OUT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE FINANCES TO EVER CONSIDER SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITHOUT SOME MAJOR CHANGES IN FUNDRAISING. THIS, THE FORSYTH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS SOME, UH, WEALTHY CONTRIBUTORS. I ADMIRE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA. UM, BUT I THINK IN OUR CASE, OUR BEST CHOICE IS TO RELY ON THE CITY TO HOLD THE DEVELOPER'S FEET TO THE FIRE. AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT, UM, ANYBODY ON THE SPOT HERE, BUT I GUESS IT BOILS DOWN TO, TO THIS, IS THE CITY INTERESTED ENOUGH, WILLING ENOUGH TO TAKE A STAND AND FOLLOW THE, UM, IN THIS CASE, FOLLOW THE ORDINANCE AND MAKE THE DEVELOPER PAY FOR MAINTAINING THE BUILDING IF HE DOES IT? SO, ARE, ARE WE WILLING TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN? AND I KNOW YOU CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW WHO COULD. BUT I THINK THAT'S A MAJOR ISSUE THAT, UH, IF WE CAN GET THAT ACROSS TO STAFF, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD FIRST STEP. YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE TOOTHLESS WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, BEING A COMMISSION AND, AND HAVING AN INORDINANCE? IF A DEVELOPER DOESN'T PLAY BALL, ARE WE GONNA MAKE IT WORK? SO I DON'T KNOW IF I POSED THAT QUESTION IN A WAY THAT CAN BE PASSED ON TO THE STAFF, BUT IF POSSIBLE, I THINK, UH, IT SHOULD BE. AND IF I NEED TO WRITE IT UP DIFFERENTLY AND SUBMIT IT, I'LL BE TAKING MINUTES. I'LL BE PASSING ALL THIS ON TO STAFF. SHOULD THE, OUR COUNCIL OR CERTAIN, A FEW MEMBERS OF IT MEET WITH, UH, DAN MERKEL. HE, HE'S NEW IN HIS JOB. UH, HIS PREDECESSOR WAS QUITE ACTIVE WITH US. MM-HMM . UM, WITH HIS PRESERVATION. HAS ANYBODY MET WITH, HAVE WE MET WITH HIM? NO. I MEAN, I'VE, I'VE MET WITH, I'VE MET WITH DAN PLENTY OF TIMES. I THINK THAT THOUGH, THE PROCESS, THE PROCESS, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO STAY ON TRACK WITH THE PROCESS, AND THAT IS THROUGH THE CITY, THROUGH THE, UH, THROUGH THE STAFF. UH, AND LET THAT, JUST LIKE CONNIE SAID, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME TEETH HERE. THERE'S SOME TEETH DEFINITELY IN THE DOCUMENT. YEAH. SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR CHANGES TO THE DOCUMENT. WE'RE JUST ASKING TO USE THE TEETH THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND ENFORCEMENT. YEAH. I GUESS THE QUESTION IS WHO ENFORCES IT? AND THEN TO DO THAT, WE JUST NEED TO LET THE CITY DO THEIR THING AND, AND MAKE THE SUGGESTION AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF IT. AND WE'VE MADE THIS ISSUE PUBLIC NOW. SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING. NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS I WOULD CHANGE, UH, IN THE ORDINANCE. YOU KNOW, I WOULD ADD SOME, I WOULD, I WOULD INSTALL SOME TEETH, SOME MORE TEETH TO THE ORDINANCE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DO SOMETHING LIKE A INSPECTION, UH, PRIOR TO THE COMMITMENT OF, OF RESTORING IT. UH, LIKE THEY WOULD NEED TO START WORK ON IT, UH, [00:40:01] BEFORE THE SIXTH CO. UH, THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LET IT SIT FOR A DECADE WITHOUT DOING SOMETHING IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO RESTORE IT. UH, SO THOSE ARE TEETH THAT WE CAN ADD, BUT WE NEED TO USE THE TEETH THAT WE ALREADY GOT. YEAH. IN, IN MY OPINION, IF, IF THE CITY WILL LET US, I THINK IF WE, IF WE RAISE THE ISSUE WITH THE CITY, UH, GOING PUBLIC WOULD BE THE LAST, UH, STEP. I DON'T THINK WE WOULD, WE, WE, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO ADVERTISE THIS AS A WEAKNESS, COMPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT EXHAUSTING ALL POSSIBILITIES TO HAVE THE CITY TO WHAT WE THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE. ABSOLUTELY. UM, I THINK ONE, THE PRIMARY CHANGES WE NEED TO MAKE AND THE CITY NEEDS TO MAKE IS THAT THEY, THEY, BEFORE THEY, BEFORE IT COMES TO US, THEY NEED AN ENGINEERING STUDY THAT TELLS US ABSOLUTELY THIS HOUSE IS, CAN BE REHAB, IS IT CAN BE OCCUPIED BEFORE WE EVER GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT IT. AND THEN ONCE THEY, IF THEY APPROVE THAT THE CITY APPROVES IT, YES, WE CAN DO IT. THEY, YOU SAY, WE CAN DO IT. WE AGREE WITH YOU. IT COMES TO US BEFORE THAT TIME, IF THEY CITY DISAGREES, IF THEY SAY, NO, IT CAN'T, THEN THE CITY SHOULD HAVE A PROCESS TO HAVE A THIRD PARTY ENGINEERING GROUP REPRESENTING THE CITY TO LOOK AT IT. AND THEN WE GET BOTH SIDES OUT BEFORE IT GETS TO US. I, I, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE, WHEN WE GET THIS THING REPRESENTED TO US, WE REALLY DON'T, WE'RE JUST TAKING THEIR WORD AND IT'S, AND IT'S NOT WORKING OUT NO. THAT WELL, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE THEIR WORD. YEAH. I MEAN, SO WHEN GOING FORWARD, I THINK THAT I GOT, IT EVEN GETS TO US. THEY NEED TO HAVE AN ENGINEERING STATE TELLING US EXACTLY, THIS PROPERTY IS ONE THAT CAN BE, I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE REQUEST. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I GO PROMISE SOMEBODY TO GIVE THEM THE MOON FOR, IN EXCHANGE FOR SOMETHING ELSE, I JUST, I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, UM, AT THAT POINT, WHEN THEY'RE MAKING THAT PROMISE THAT IT'S, REGARDLESS OF THE, UM, WAYS THAT THEY NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT, UM, AT THAT POINT, THEY ARE COMMITTED TO FIXING IT OR MAKING IT WHOLE AGAIN. SO I, I'M JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY, UM, WHEN WE'RE COMING INTO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS WHERE IT'S NOT, BASICALLY THEY'VE MADE A PROMISE THEY COULDN'T KEEP, IF THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY WANNA SAY. AT THE, IN THIS SITUATION, AND THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME THIS, THIS IS GONNA BE LAID IN, IN, UH, THE LAP OF CITY COUNCIL. UH, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS A FACEBOOK PAGE. WE GOT ALL KINDS OF COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS AND SO FORTH. RECENTLY, WE'VE HAD TWO PEOPLE POST SAYING THAT THE CITY OF ALPHARETTA HAS LACKED BEHIND IN ITS EFFORT TO PRESERVE, UH, HISTORICAL SITES, HISTORICAL HOMES, AND JUST IN GENERAL, WE HAVEN'T DONE A GOOD JOB WITH HISTORICAL PRESERVATION. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING RESPONSE TO THAT. AND I WOULD TAKE GREAT ISSUE. I'D BE REALLY CAREFUL BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE ON A CITY COMMISSION, SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO RESPOND. I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE ON THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL 'CAUSE YOU'RE ON THE BOARD BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY KIND OF STATEMENT THAT COULD GET US INTO A, A LAWSUIT. SO YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL. WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION. I, I MAY TALK TO YOU PRIVATELY ON, ON THAT AS WELL. UM, ANY RESPONSE WOULD BE SIMPLY A, A A LIST AND, UM, OF THE VARIOUS HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST 15 OR 20 YEARS. AND IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH MONEY CITY OF ALPHARETTA HAS SPENT. AND NUMBER ONE, PRESERVING HOMES, UM, AND PRESERVING PARKS LIKE, UM, THE, UM, THE FARMHOUSE PROJECT, WHICH, UH, WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A, A CITY PARK BUILT THERE, UH, PLACING HISTORICAL MARKERS. I THINK THERE'S 27 OF 'EM NOW. UM, UH, THE, UH, THE PROJECT THAT WE HAD THAT DONALD MITCHELL SPONSORED, AND THAT IS, WE WERE, UH, ALLOWED TO INTERVIEW AT CITY EXPENSE, 70 SENIOR CITIZENS, GATHER THEIR MEMORIES AND, AND PROTECT 'EM AND, AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE PRESERVED. AND WE HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE IN THE MUSEUM AND ON THE, UH, HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEBSITE [00:45:01] AND THE MUSEUM, MUSEUM ITSELF. AND, UH, THAT THE CITY PAID UPWARDS OF $230,000 TO MAKE THAT PROJECT WORK. SO, UH, I, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR WARNING ON THAT. ANY MUSEUM, YOU GUYS TALK TO YOU FURTHER, GUYS. YOU HAVE A HISTORY MUSEUM. I MEAN, PARDON ME, WE HAVE A HISTORY MUSEUM IN CITY HALL, SO THAT'S A GREAT THING TOO. MM-HMM . THAT'S EXACTLY, EXACTLY. AND IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SESQUICENTENNIAL, UM, KIM Z KIM ZANE WAS PUT IN CHARGE OF THAT. SHE DID A REMARKABLE JOB IN MANY WAYS. AND THAT'S, WE, WE HAD A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES TOOK PLACE. WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT AND WE GOT A $5,000 GRANT, UH, TO STUDY HISTORICAL HOMES. AND THAT'S REALLY THE BEGINNING OF HOW THIS HISTORICAL PRESERVATION ORDINANCE AND COMMISSION BEGAN, UH, AN OUTFIT CALLED, UH, URBAN STUDIOS WITH THAT $5,000. AND, UH, KATHY, KATHY, I'M SURE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE HIRING OF THEM. THEY CAME OUT AND LOOKED AT, UM, VARIOUS DISTRICTS. EVERYTHING EAST OF HIGHWAY NINE WAS NOT CONSIDERED. I ASKED ABOUT THAT, AND I WAS TOLD, WELL, THE $5,000 WOULDN'T COVER THAT. BUT THIS GOT US STARTED ON RESEARCHING THE HOMES, UH, GETTING THE HISTORY ON 'EM, UH, WHO LIVED THERE WHEN THEY WERE BUILT AND THAT, SO THAT SORT OF THING. AND DONALD MITCHELL GOT INVOLVED AND KIND OF TOOK IT FROM THERE. AND THAT'S SORT OF THE BIRTH OF, OF THIS, THIS GROUP HERE AND THE ORDINANCE. SO I, I GUESS I FEEL SOME URGENCY TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THE CITY HAS DONE, IN MY OPINION, AN AMAZING JOB. MM-HMM . GOING BACK TO WHEN ARTHUR WAS MAYOR AND PRESERVING OUR LOCAL HISTORY. I DON'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE WITH IT, BUT, UM, THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT WELL KNOWN. AND THAT'S A SHAME. I THINK PEOPLE AREN'T EDUCATED ON THE MATTER. IF THEY DID, THEY WOULDN'T MAKE THESE POSTS THAT THEY RECENTLY MADE. SO WITH THAT, IT SEEMS TO ME, AND OF COURSE WE NEVER KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW COUNCIL WILL REACT UNTIL THERE'S A VOTE, BUT I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL LISTEN, HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY'LL DO THE RIGHT THING. AND I, I HOPE THAT CONFERENCE IS WELL FOUNDED. SO I'LL STOP THERE. WE HAVE TWO MORE PROPERTIES TO GO OVER, AND IT'S ALMOST FOUR O'CLOCK. SO IF YOU GUYS WANNA, I THINK OKAY. ARE WE I WILL, I WILL. JUST, JUST ONE SECOND. I WOULD SAY ON, ON THAT SCORE, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, CONNIE. UM, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE PLANERS. MOST OF THOSE COMPLAINERS THAT ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE GROWTH IN ALPHARETTA HAVE MOVED AWAY AND, YOU KNOW MM-HMM . THEY'RE STILL COMPLAINT. SO THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT ALPHARETTA HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB PUTTING THIS LIST TOGETHER IN THE LAST DECADE AND PROTECTING THE HOMES THAT WE'VE PROTECTED AND THEY DESERVE ALL THE CLOUT AND, AND WHATEVER ARGUMENT AND DEFENDING THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM. ABSOLUTELY. AND I'D HAVE TO SAY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT AS WELL. AND I THINK KATHY COOK AND OUR GROUP HAVE DONE A REMARKABLE JOB IN, IN, IN TRYING TO MAKE THIS ORDINANCE WORK. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT PREVIOUS, UH, INCUMBENT IN THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR'S POSITION WOULD'VE DONE THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST SPECULATION. BUT YOU GUYS, AND I THINK YOU GUYS DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT YOURSELF. AND I THINK REALLY WHAT ELLIE'S TALKING ABOUT IS, AND MICHAEL'S TALKING ABOUT IS WHEN THERE'S, THERE CAN BE A PROBLEM. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PROPERTY, UH, THAT IS IN PROGRESS NOW AND IS UP IN THE AIR, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE FACTS. WE DON'T KNOW ALL THE POSSIBILITIES. SO WE SHOULD, WE SHOULDN'T. NOW, ANYTHING IN THE PAST THAT THE CITY HAS DONE, THAT'S JUST FANTASTIC. WE CAN, WE CAN TOUT THAT AND GIVE ALL OUR OPINION ALL DAY LONG, BUT WE NEED TO RESERVE EXACTLY OUR OPINION PUBLICLY TO, TO PROTECT THE CITY AND OURSELVES. YEAH. I THINK, IS THAT RIGHT? RIGHT. I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA TELL Y'ALL NOT TO TALK, BUT IT'S JUST, YOU JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY IN THE PUBLIC BECAUSE YOU SERVE EVERYTHING. YOU, IT'S AN OWN RECORD, AND IT CAN BE USED AGAINST THE CITY AND OR THIS, OR THE BOARD, BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I DON'T WANNA SCARE ANYBODY, BUT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. [00:50:01] AND THAT'S, AND THAT THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE, ARE WHAT WE HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY FOR TOO. WE CAN GET THE HELP FROM THEM ON THESE KIND OF ISSUES. IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, IF, IF WE'RE MOVING OUT ON, CAN I ASK ONE THING BEFORE WE DO, WHAT? CAN I ASK ONE THING BEFORE WE DO? SURE. I JUST WANNA NOTE, UH, SHAQ, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THE TWO OPTIONS MAYBE RIGHT NOW ARE TO KNOCK IT DOWN AND BUILD A REPLICA. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS TO KIND OF MAKE IT STABLE AND NO ONE LIVE IN IT. MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHEN WE MET AT THE CZIM AND WE SAW THEIR RENDERING THAT THEY WANTED TO DO, WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED A REPLICA OR WOULD THAT MEAN A LITERAL, UM, REPRODUCTION OF THE HOME AS IT IS? THEY WERE CALLING IT A REPLICA. UH, OR I DON'T KNOW, BUT, UH, OKAY. YOU KNOW, IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT, THEY ENCLOSED THE PORCH AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. RIGHT, RIGHT. IT WAS A, IT WAS A NO GO. UH, THAT WAS WHEN THEY WERE THINKING OF COMING FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL, AND THEY DID NOT DO THAT. SO, AND THEN THEY JUST BACK. SO AT THIS TIME, THEY ARE STILL COMMITTED TO RESTORING, TO RESTORING IT. OKAY. UNTIL THEY COME FORWARD AND WANNA ASK FOR A CHANGE TO CONDITION. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. ONCE YOU KNOCK IT DOWN AND YOU PUT A REPLICA, IT'S NO LONGER HISTORICAL PROPERTY. CORRECT. IT'S NO LONGER A RESTORATION THAT'S NOT CORRECT. ONCE YOU TEAR IT DOWN, YOU START IT, IT'S NO LONGER A HISTORICAL PROPERTY. YOU CANNOT REPLACE SOMETHING THAT WAS ORIGINAL AND THEN IT MOVES OUT OF ANY WAY WE CAN ENFORCE ANYTHING BECAUSE IT'S NOT HISTORICAL. YEAH. GO OFF THE LIST. YEAH. I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THAT THAT WOULD EVEN BE AN OPTION THAT WE SHOULD EVEN CONSIDER. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, SOMETHING MORE GENERAL. UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE, IN THE CITY ARE VERY, UM, BUSY. THEY HAVE A LOT OF, OF JOBS AND WORK THAT THEY HAVE TO DO. SO I KIND OF FEEL LIKE WE NEED AS A GROUP TO KEEP OUR VIEWPOINT ON, ON THE DIFFERENT HISTORIC SITES THAT, THAT ARE, UH, GOING ON, LIKE THE, THE VIOLIN HOUSE, THE DEVORE HOUSE, THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE, AND ALL OF US LIKE DRIVE BY ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES, SO THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE'RE ON TOP OF IT. THIS, I, I KNOW THE CITY IS VERY BUSY AND, AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA CATCH EVERYTHING. SO I THINK IF WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR SITES, WE NEED TO, AS A GROUP, AGREE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WATCHING THESE AREAS AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT IT'S GONNA END UP THE WAY WE WANT IT TO END UP. WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK? I THINK THAT WE, WE NEED TO BE, UH, PROACTIVE. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES OPEN. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE DOCUMENT. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE LIST THAT WE HAVE, THE DOCUMENT AND THE LIST IN FRONT OF US. RIGHT. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALL THESE THINGS IF WE'RE GONNA DO OUR DUTY, AND ABSOLUTELY. WE NEED TO JUST PAY ATTENTION LIKE ANY, LIKE EVERYBODY SHOULD. YEAH. SO AT THIS FALL, UNDER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENFORCING THE ORDINANCES, OR WHO WOULD ACTUALLY, WHAT GROUP OF GOVERNMENT WOULD ACTUALLY SAY, HEY, THIS IS THE RULES YOU AGREED TO PLAY BY? WELL, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN TOLD, UH, YOU KNOW, IN SOME SITUATIONS I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN CALLING MICHAEL WHEN I SEE SOMETHING I CALL MICHAEL O UH, OFTENTIMES, UH, WE'VE BEEN TOLD RECENTLY THAT BRIAN BORDEN SHOULD BE CONTACTED IF IT'S, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THE DIG WHEN THEY WERE YEAH. CLOSE AND THAT KIND OF THING. UH, AND THEN MICHAEL, UH, ALSO GAVE ME, UM, A CARD OF ONE OF THE INSPECTORS HERE THAT IF WE NOTICE SOMETHING, UH, THAT WE SHOULD, THAT WE SHOULD CALL HIM. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS. I HAVE IT IN HERE SOMEWHERE, BUT, UH, SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WE CAN CONTACT WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT RIGHT. RIGHT. I'M, I GUESS WHAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO ESTABLISH FOR US IS THAT WE NEED A PROCESS OF WHO TO CONTACT FIRST AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS. BECAUSE I FEEL SOMETIMES OUR EFFORTS ARE DUPLICATED AND WE'RE MAYBE COMMUNICATING WITH THE FOLKS THAT AREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR, I MEAN, I PROBABLY BUG MICHAEL TOO MUCH, BUT HE'S THE FIRST PERSON I CALL EVERY TIME. WHAT IS HIS TITLE? LIKE WHAT IS HIS JOB PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MANAGER. OKAY. SO THAT SOUNDS PRETTY , BUT I I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD CONTACT THEM INDIVIDUALLY. I THINK IT SHOULD BE A COMMUNITY THROUGH THE CHAIR GROUP EFFORT. OKAY. RIGHT. YOU SHOULD BRING ALL YOUR, PARDON, ALL YOUR, YOU PROBABLY SHOULD BRING EVERYTHING TO BONNIE OR SHAQ AND LET THEM YEAH. BRING IT TO MICHAEL. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. YEAH. I HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT BEFORE WE GO ON, BOB. UH, UH, REALLY PLEASED YOU'RE GONNA BE JOINING THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOARD, [00:55:01] SO YEAH, THANK YOU. I WISH I HAD HEARD WHAT YOU HAD SAID, . WELL, I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT IT 'CAUSE I'M ALREADY WISHING I HADN'T SAID IT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA DO IT ALL. COULD YOU, COULD YOU REPEAT IT? HE DIDN'T HEAR IT. LOVE TO SEE MORE YOU, CONNIE, HE DIDN'T HEAR IT. COULD YOU REPEAT? OH, OKAY. I SAID I'M DELIGHTED YOU'RE GONNA BE JOINING THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOARD AND WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT YOU PERSONALLY. I'M NOT THAT CRAZY ABOUT YOU. UH, DO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE MORRIS HOUSE, THE VIOLIN HOUSE? I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT OR BRAINSTORM WITH Y'ALL. I KNOW THAT THEY TORE DOWN THAT PORTICO MM-HMM . UM, THERE'S A FEW PROBLEMS I SAW WITH THAT. THE FIRST ONE BEING, UM, WE WERE KIND OF THE LAST TO KNOW . UM, EXACTLY. AND I KNOW, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE COULD BE SOME KIND OF PROTOCOL THAT WHEN THINGS ARE, UM, GOING TO BE, UH, DEMOLISHED THAT THE CITY CONTACT US, OR THAT THE CITY'S AS AWARE OF IT. I JUST, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THE CITY REASSURE US THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS, UM, NECESSITY INSTEAD OF US KIND OF GETTING UP IN ARMS AND, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THE CITY'S AWARE OF IT. I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT. OKAY. I THINK THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING WE NEED TO BECOME DETECTIVES YEAH. AND BE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. IF WE SEE THAT THEY TOOK DOWN OR THE PORTICO AND FROM WHAT JACK SAID THEY'RE PUTTING, THEY WERE GONNA USE THE ORIGINAL BRICK TO PUT IT UP AND THEY'RE NOT, I WOULD JUST THINK THEY WOULD NEED A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THAT. OKAY. UH, SO I DON'T THINK THEY HAD ONE FOR THAT SPECIFIC. WHAT QUICKLY, QUICKLY, WHAT HAPPENED WAS THEY, UH, THEY HAD A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON NEXT DOOR. THEY SAID THAT THE PORTICO HAD TO COME DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND. THEY TOOK IT DOWN. UH, I NOTICED THAT IT WAS DOWN. I CALLED MICHAEL, AS I ALWAYS DO. HE, UH, HE PUT A STOP WORK ORDER OR WHATEVER ON IT. UH, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD PUT IT BACK, UH, THE WAY IT WAS, THEY SAID THEY WOULD USE, UH, SOME OF THE LEFTOVER BRICK. THEY DID PUT THE PORTICO BACK. UH, THEY STARTED PUTTING PANELING ON THE FRONT. MM-HMM . UH, AGAIN CALLED MICHAEL AND SAID, NO, IT NEEDS TO BE BRICK LIKE IT WAS BEFORE. UH, SO THEY PUT UP, THEY PUT THE BRICK ON IT. UM, THEY DID NOT USE PREVIOUS BRICK BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THEM THAT BRICK HAD DECOMPOSED AND WAS NOT USABLE AS BRICK. SO THEY DID TRY TO MATCH IT AS WELL AS THEY COULD. I THINK IT STARTED OUT LOOKING A LITTLE BIT, UH, DIFFERENT WITH THE, UH, UH, THE GROUT. THE MORTAR WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, OR IT CAME OUT A BIT, BUT IT KIND OF CAME OFF AND IS LOOKING BETTER. THEY DID MATCH UP THE BRICK, I THINK. WELL, THEY PUT THE BRICK IN AN ARCH LIKE IT USED TO BE. UH, IT DOESN'T LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME. IT IS SMALLER, CORRECT. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW THAT. WELL, I GUESS WHAT I WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT, UM, THE WEATHERBIRD HOUSE CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE AN ENTRANCE THAT GOES INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT AND THERE'S GONNA BE A RETAINING WALL THERE. UM, AND I'M NOT, PLEASE DON'T QUOTE ME ON IT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT'S GONNA BE A SEVEN FOOT DROP RETAINING WALL, AND THIS RETAINING WALL IS GONNA BE ONE FOOT OFF OF THE WESTFORD HOUSE IN THE BACK. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT KIND OF WHEN THEY WERE CONSTRUCTING WITH THE, WHEN THEY HAD THE PROBLEM AT THE MORRIS HOUSE, IF THAT'S WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. UM, IF YOU DRIVE BY IT NOW, THERE'S ONLY MAYBE TWO, THREE FEET BETWEEN THAT STRUCTURE AND THEIR RAMP TO GO INTO ONE OF THOSE BIG BUILDINGS. SO I'M JUST WONDERING, UM, AT WHAT POINT ARE THESE PLANS REVIEWED BY THE CITY? AND WE MIGHT NEED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE TO ASK FOR MORE BUFFER BECAUSE BUILD SOMETHING EXACTLY. TO SPEC IS REALLY DIFFICULT. AND SO IT JUST, LIKE, IN THE CASE OF THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE, I'M CONCERNED THAT WHEN THEY ACTUALLY GO TO EXECUTE ON IT, THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ON THE HOUSE. I MEAN, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE DID WHAT REX IS SUGGESTING YEAH. OR WHAT HE'S SUGGESTING THAT WE ASK THE CITY TO DO, AND THAT IS WHEN A PROJECT STARTED, WE FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE STRUCTURAL SITUATION IS. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. IF THE CITY CAN FIND OUT FOR SURE BEFORE ANYTHING'S DONE, THEN WE'RE GOOD TO GO. WHO, WHO'S APPROVING THESE PLANS? YEAH. I MEAN, AND THE WEATHERFORD HOUSE, I MEAN, WE, I AM JUST SURPRISED THAT KNOWING ONE, THAT THE CITY [01:00:01] IS LOOKING AT THE PLANS AND SAYING, HMM, THAT RETAINING WALL IS GONNA BE VERY CLOSE TO THIS OLD STRUCTURE. HMM. I THINK THEY, I THINK THEY DO, BUT IT'S ALSO A PLAY. IT, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT, IT GIVE AND TAKE. UM, I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S UNREASONABLE TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS THAT SAYS THAT HAS TO BE SO MANY FEET OFF OF THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE. I AGREE WITH THAT BECAUSE YOU AND I KNOW THAT. RIGHT. THE 45 DEGREE RULE IS, IS WHAT IT IS. RIGHT. UH, SO IT MIGHT AVOID THINGS LIKE SHAKING THE PORTICO. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DIG ANY CLOSER THAN YOU ARE FURTHER AWAY. SO WOULD THAT BE PART OF THE ORDINANCE? WE THINK, I THINK THAT'S A, A RULE IN ENGINEERING. BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER. UH, SO I WOULD PUT THAT QUESTION TO THE CITY ENGINEER AND SAY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE 45 DEGREE RULE? I KNOW, I'M, I'M BUGGING YOU, AREN'T I? WELL, WELL, I MEAN, I JUST, I THINK THEY'VE GOT, I THINK THEY'RE IN A HARD SPOT IF THEY'RE TRYING TO REALLY BUILD SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT NEXT TO THESE HOMES AND IT'S ONLY GOT THAT MUCH ROOM OF ERROR. IT, IT'S BOUND TO BE AFFECTING THAT OLD HOME. SO, AND THERE IS, IT IS DIFFICULT. I'M SURE, LIKE BONNIE SAID, THEIR STAFF IS LIMITED. AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFERENT ANIMAL DEALING WITH A HISTORIC STRUCTURE. SO, WELL, I THINK ONE FOOT OFF OF THE WALL IS, IS, UH, THEY, THEY IT IS, THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE. RIGHT. OKAY. GETTING BACK TO THE MORRIS HOUSE. YEAH. OKAY. IS IT NOW FINISHED OR WHAT'S THE STATUS? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT SURE LOOKS NICE TO ME RIGHT NOW. IT'S ACCEPTABLE. I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE TO GET A TOUR OF IT. I THINK IT LOOKS FANTASTIC RIGHT NOW. OKAY. I, I'M GLAD OF WHERE IT IS. OKAY, COOL. UM, THE GARDNER HOUSE, I, I DON'T REALLY THINK, I MEAN, THAT'S OVER AND DONE WITH. WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE DEVORE HOUSE. HAVE THEY PUT THE CHIMNEYS BACK ON THERE? UH, IS THAT THE DEVORE? WHICH ONE? ONE IS THAT? UH, THE ONE OUT IN FRONT OF, UM, HIGHWAY NINE AND YEAH. WILLS PARK WITH WHERE THEY TOOK DOWN THE CHIMNEYS. YEAH, THEY PUT THE CHIMNEYS BACK. THAT WAS, THAT WAS A, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT, BUT THEY PUT THE CHIMNEYS BACK. I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE SATELLITE PHOTOS. UH, I THINK THEY DID. THEY DID GOOD. OKAY. SO IT'S ACCEPTABLE. OKAY. IT IS TO ME. DO Y'ALL KNOW OF ANY OTHER SITES THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT? UM, I WOULD JUST, NOW I WOULD BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT OKAY. TO THE GARDNER HOUSE. OKAY. UH, IT'S A, IT'S A DONE DEAL. IT'S BEEN BUILT, IT WAS DESIGNATED IT. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT WAS DONE RIGHT. NO. AND, UM, AND I TALKED TO, TO MICHAEL A. LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, AND I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, WELL, WE COULD, IF WE WANTED TO, I THINK, UH, RETRACT THE DESIGNATION IF WE WANTED TO. UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOOD THAT WOULD DO OTHER THAN MAYBE SENDING A MESSAGE, BUT I THINK THAT IS IS THIS THE ONE THAT'S AT THE INTERSECTION OF CRICKET LANE AND C*****G STREET? YES. OKAY. DOESN'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE YOU'VE ORIGINALLY IT SURE DOESN'T, AND WHAT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING TO ME IS THE WALL THAT THEY'VE BUILT AROUND IT. YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE WHAT'S THERE. UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE COULD ADD TO THE ORDINANCE. IF WE'RE GOING TO SAY WE ARE DESIGNATING THESE HOMES TO SAVE THEM WHILE THEY'RE BEING DEVELOPED AROUND. UM, I WOULD THINK WALLING OFF THE VIEW OF THE HOME WOULD BE PART OF THE NO-NOS. I THINK THAT WAS, UH, DISCUSSED, UH, BY, BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MAYBE, UM, AS A PART OF THE DEAL, PART OF THE ARRANGEMENT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT ENCLOSES THE POOL MM-HMM . IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. YEAH. IN THE FRONT YARD THERE, OR YEAH, THERE IS, UH, THERE ARE DRAWINGS, UH, THAT PERTAIN TO THAT. AND IT IS, WAS ON THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS THAT WAS GRANTED TO THEM. OKAY. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK THEY DID EXACTLY WHAT WAS ON THAT, UH, APPROPRIATE A CERTIFICATE. I THINK EVERYTHING, SO THE QUESTION AGAIN BECOMES AFTER THE FACT. RIGHT. WHAT CAN WE DO? I MEAN, I WOULDN'T WANNA CLAIM IT. SO. WELL, I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT THE GARDNER HOUSE WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT SHOULDN'T BE DONE. CORRECT. AND WE'VE LEARNED FROM THAT. THERE'S MORE HISTORY TO THE GARDNER HOUSE. YES. I MEAN, THE CITY FOUGHT AND WON. YEAH. IN [01:05:01] COURT. IN COURT AND SAVED THAT HOUSE FOR US. YEAH. THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF HISTORY CONNECTED TO THAT HOUSE TOO. I MENTIONED EARLIER, FARMHOUSE. UM, THE BUILDER OF THE HOME WAS GERMAN GARDNER. HE HAD TWO SISTERS WHO WERE TWO SCHOOL TEACHERS, MAYBE THREE. WE TALKED ABOUT FARMHOUSE BEING ACTIVE FROM AROUND 1840 TO 1920. SHERMAN BUILT A COTTON GIN ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS SOUTH OF THE KNOWN FARMHOUSE DAM, FURTHER ON DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 400. WOW. THAT OPERATED, UM, UP UNTIL THE EARLY THIRTIES. AND WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN THE STATE HIGHWAY, UH, DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE CAME AND RESEARCHED IT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF HISTORIC SITES WERE THERE. BUT YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ONE PIECE OF HISTORY WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THREE OR FOUR, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST KIND OF BUILD ON ONE ANOTHER. BUT ANYWAY. ARE THOSE, DO WE KNOW IF THEY'RE SEPARATE RESIDENCES OR ARE THEY ONE COMPOUND? ARE THERE TWO? IT'S ONE RESIDENCE. IT'S ONE RESIDENCE. SO ONE PERSON'S LIVING OR ONE FAMILY'S LIVING THERE? THE GARDNER HOUSE IS YEAH. ONE FAMILY RESIDENCE, BUT THEY'RE BUILDING ANOTHER HOUSE ON THE PROPERTY. THEY, THEY ORIGINALLY ASKED FOR THREE. REALLY? YEAH, THEY ENDED UP WITH TWO. THEY GOT ONE THAT'S JUST RIGHT NEXT TO IT. BASICALLY JUST SHARES A WALL. THAT'S, THAT'S IT. SO THERE'S TWO OWNERS ON THAT SITE? TWO AND SEPARATE FAMILIES? NO, THERE'S, THERE'S ONE FAMILY THAT OWNS AND LIVES IN THE GARDNER HOUSE, PERIOD. PERIOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. BEHIND THE GARDNER HOUSE IS TORY'S HOUSE. OKAY. 'CAUSE IT JUST LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE ADJOINING, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS ALL ONE UNIT. YEAH, IT'S, IT'S VERY CLOSE. IT, IT GOES UP, YOU KNOW, RIGHT UNDER THE RIGHT CHIMNEY. RIGHT. THE DRIVEWAY GOES RIGHT UP UNDER THE CHIMNEY OF THE GARDNER HOUSE. IT'S, IT'S A MESS. OKAY. YEAH. I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY. NOW. IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR TOPIC WE'RE ON, BUT I HAVE A LONGSTANDING MEDICAL APPOINTMENT, AND I'M AFRAID I'M GONNA HAVE TO LEAVE. AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS MEETING, AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING SOME GOOD STUFF TALKED ABOUT, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING THEM QUARTERLY. UH, I'LL SEE YOU GUYS NEXT TIME. THANK YOU. CON UM, DO [c. Concerns and Comments from Commissioners] WE HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BRING UP BEFORE WE CLOSE? NOT FOR ME, MAYOR. NO. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT AND COMMENTS. THIS IS WONDERFUL. AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING WE'D ACCOMPLISH. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, UM, MAYBE REPORTING ON, ON GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE CITY AND LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT COMES ABOUT WITH THE ORDINANCE. SO, UM, UH, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, UH, I HAVE ONE COMMENT YOU ASKED ABOUT. PLEASE. YES, SIR. I GO UP AND DOWN FOR, UH, HIGHWAY NINE AND I CAME, CAME BACK THROUGH HIGHWAY NINE YESTERDAY. AFTER THE GRADUATION, MY GRANDSONS AND I LOOKED AT THE WOODS HOUSE AROUND NINE MM-HMM . WHEELS. MM-HMM . I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT YOU LOOK AT THE HOUSE AND THEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY BUILT ON BOTH SIDES. MM-HMM . AND IT IS A HORRIBLE MESS. I MEAN, IT, IT DOESN'T GO TOGETHER. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU, YOU'VE GOT THE, THE NICE LOOKING HOUSE. THEN WHAT YOU'VE ADDED ON EACH SIDE IS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE FROM WHAT THE HOUSE LOOKS LIKE, SO THERE'S NO BLEND. YEAH. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALWAYS BOTHERS ME, IS THAT WHEN THEY'RE DOING A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS, IT NEEDS TO BLEND IN, IT NEEDS TO BE CONTINUOUS AND LOOK LIKE IT WAS THERE TO START WITH SO THAT EVERYTHING AROUND IT KIND OF COMES TOGETHER. SOME OF THESE THAT I'VE SEEN DONE LATELY HAS JUST BEEN HARD. AND IT, AND IT, THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE GARDNER HOUSE WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT LOOKS HARD TO ME AS FAR AS IT WASN'T WHAT IT WAS BEGINNING. AND, UM, IT'S, I JUST HATE TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE DESIGNATING A NICE HOUSE AND SAYING IT'S HISTORIC, AND THEN WE'RE LETTING THEM BUILD ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT JUST TAKES AWAY FROM THE HOUSE COMPLETELY. JUST TAKES AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. EXACTLY. THANK YOU. UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, Y'ALL? UM, ALL RIGHT. CAN I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN WITH SOMEONE? LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AJOUR. OKAY. I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING. AYE. WHAT IS IT? YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. OH, WE CAN JUST ADJOURN. [01:10:01] YEAH. YOU TRAINED US S WELL, ELLIE. OH. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.