[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:02]
IT IS NOW SIX 30 AND SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING OF JUNE 1ST, 2026 FOR THE CITY OF ALPHARETTA.
I DO WANT TO ANNOUNCE BEFORE WE GET INTO THE MEETING, JUST A COUPLE OF CHANGES FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY HAVE SHOWN UP FOR AN ITEM THAT HAD BEEN WITHDRAWN OR DEFERRED.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PRINTED AGENDA, TWO ITEMS HAVE BEEN CHANGED, DEFERRED OR WITHDRAWN.
ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS FOR CHAPTER 20, FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION THAT WILL NOT BE HEARD THIS EVENING.
AND MP DASH 26 DASH ZERO TWO LAKEVIEW PARK MASTER PLAN TRADING HOMES THAT WILL NOT BE HEARD THIS EVENING EITHER.
SO IF YOU HERE FOR THOSE ITEMS, YOU MIGHT HAVE JUST SAVED YOURSELF A COUPLE OF HOURS.
I DO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR THIS EVENING.
AND AS ALWAYS, WE BEGIN OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WITH A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO IF YOU'RE WILLING AND ABLE, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US.
I PLEDGE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WAS LIBERTY.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
FIRST ITEM UP ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF MAY 18TH, 2026, RESOLUTION FOR 2025 EDWARD BY JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM AWARD THE AGREEMENT FOR THE ASSIGNMENT ASSUMPTION AND RELEASE AGREEMENT REGARDING THE ALPHARETTA CONFERENCE CENTER AND THE HOTEL AT AVALON, AS WELL AS AN ESTOPPEL CERTIFICATE, CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT OF GROUND LESSOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE ALPHARETTA RECREATION PARKS AND CULTURAL SERVICES, VOLUNTEER AND EDUCATION SUPERVISORY SERVICES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND RESOLUTION FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL FOR RESOLUTION TO REAPPOINT FRED SMITH AND WAYNE RAND TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD IN AN AGREEMENT WITH FULTON COUNTY LAND DIVISION IN INDEMNIFICATION MAINTENANCE AND LAND USE AGREEMENT FOR PRIVATE IMPROVEMENT AT FARMHOUSE HERITAGE PARK.
IS THERE ANYONE ON COUNCIL THAT WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE ANYTHING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, MS. OR HUSKY? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT.
HOWEVER, ANYONE WANTS TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO DO SO? DON'T SEE ANYONE COME FORWARD.
SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN REEVES, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DORITO.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE.
[A. Appointment of Design Review Board Member by Council Member Brady]
SO WE'LL MOVE RIGHT ALONG TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.FIRST BEING THE APPOINTMENT OF DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MEMBER BY COUNCILMAN BRADY.
YES, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO, UH, APPOINT TO THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD, UM, JENNIFER SPRAYBERRY.
UM, SHE'S HERE TONIGHT AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING HER SERVE THE CITY AGAIN.
AND SINCE ALL OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS POINT,
[B. Swearing In of Board Members by Mayor Gilvin]
IF THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE PREPARED TO BE SWORN IN, PLEASE MEET ME DOWN FRONT.[00:05:03]
I'M LOOKING FOR THIS SWEARING END STATEMENT THERE.IT'S DOESN'T HAVE GOOD EVENING.
THOSE OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW CITY OF AARA HAS 550 PLUS EMPLOYEES TO MAKE A PLACE, BUT THERE'S ALSO HUNDRED OF VOLUNTEERS THAT SERVE ON MANY D OF GRATEFUL FOR SERVICE OF MY VOLUNTEERS.
OKAY, YOU JUST FILL IN THE BOARD.
I DO SOLEMN, SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I'M NOT HOLDER OF ANY UNCOUNTABLE DUE TO THIS STATE AUTHORITY THEREOF.
I'M QUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE ACCORDING TO AND I SHALL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION.
FURTHER, I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I SHALL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE.
WE SHOULD GET YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF.
[A. Announcement of Public Hearing Procedures]
SO THE NEXT PORTION OF TONIGHT'S MEETING WILL BE THE PUBLIC HEARING MS. S WINE.IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE STATING THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURES THIS EVENING.
AN INDIVIDUAL REQUESTING TO BE HEARD ON A MATTER RELATED TO THE PURPOSE OF THE HEARING MUST BE RECOGNIZED BY THE MAYOR.
BEFORE ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL, UPON RISING
[00:10:01]
TO SPEAK, THE SPEAKER MUST IDENTIFY HIMSELF OR HERSELF AND FURNISH A HOME OR BUSINESS ADDRESS.BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY COMMENTS OR REMARKS, THE COUNCIL WILL ALLOW THE PROPONENTS A TOTAL OF 10 MINUTES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF AN APPLICATION.
OPPONENTS WILL BE ALLOWED 10 MINUTES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
COMMENTS ARE ACCEPTED FIRST FROM THE APPLICANT, FOLLOWED BY PERSON SPEAKING IN FAVOR.
AND THEN FROM THOSE IN OPPOSITION UPON CONCLUSION OF ANY OPPOSING COMMENTS OR PRESENTATIONS, THE MAYOR WILL ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO OFFER REBUTTAL IF ANY TIME IS REMAINING IN THE ORIGINALLY ALLOTTED 10 MINUTES.
SO, MR. WOODMAN, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR ON THIS ITEM.
[B. PH-26-11 Nightmare Cirque/North Point Mall MP
Consideration of a request to allow a temporary use for a circus, Nightmare Cirque, in the parking lot of North Point Mall. The property is located at 1000 North Point Circle and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 688, 689, 700, 701, 702, 742 & 743, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.]
THE FIRST ITEM BEFORE YOU IS REQUEST TO ALLOW A TEMPORARY USE FOR A CIRCUS.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED UTILIZING THE SURFACE PARKING LOT BETWEEN THE JC PENNEY'S AND FORMER SEARS BOX AT NORTH POINT MALL FOR NIGHTMARE CIR.
AND I HAVE THE LOCATION MAP ON THE OVERHEAD.
THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 1000 NORTH POINT CIRCLE, THE NORTH POINT MALL PROPERTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS OWN PSC PLANT SHOPPING CENTER AND MU MIXED USE.
THERE ARE NO RESIDENTIAL USES IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY.
UH, UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE SUBSECTION 2.3 0.2 J ALLOWS A CARNIVAL CIRCUS OR FAIR ON A PROPERTY ZONED OR USE FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL USE SUBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
SO THAT'S WHY THIS ITEM IS BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.
UM, THE CODE REQUIRES THAT THE SITE SHALL MEET ADEQUATE PARKING, SAFETY, ACCESS, NOISE, AND SECURITY CONCERNS AND LIMITING IMPACTS TO SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
NIGHTMARE CIRC IS DESCRIBED IN THE APPLICATION AS AN ALL HUMAN SHOW WITH PERFORMING PERFORMERS WEARING HALLOWEEN STYLE COSTUMES AND SKILLED IN ACROBATS CLOWN ART, JUGGLING DANCING AND DAREDEVIL FEETS.
ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE, THE SHOW IS AGE RESTRICTED UP TO 17, UH, 17 AND UP AND NIGHTMARE CIRC PROVIDES ITS OWN CONCESSIONS.
UM, THE OFFERINGS ARE SIMILAR TO A MOVIE THEATER AND THERE ARE NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AT AT THE CIRCUS.
THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS, UH, PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT.
THIS IS THE FORMER SEARS BOX HERE, JC PENNEY'S HERE.
SO THEY'RE IN THAT PARKING LOT BETWEEN THOSE TWO, UH, DEPARTMENT STORE.
UM, AND THEN PARKING WOULD BE IN THE SURROUNDING, UM, MALL AREA.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING THE, THIS PARTICULAR CIRCUS TAKE PLACE BETWEEN JUNE 19TH OF THIS YEAR THROUGH 20, UH, JUNE 29TH.
UM, SET UP BEGINNING ON JUNE 16TH, BREAKDOWN, CONCLUDING ON JUNE 30TH.
UH, SHOWTIMES WOULD BE, THERE'LL BE ONE SHOWTIME AT 7:30 PM ON MONDAY, THURSDAYS, AND FRIDAYS WOULD BE TWO SHOWTIMES AT 5:30 PM AND 8:30 PM ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
THE CIRCUS TENT HAS A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 600 SEATS.
UH, CIRCUS STAFF WILL SERVE AS SECURITY PERSONNEL, WHICH WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO TWO, UH, POLICE OFFICERS AT EACH SHOWTIME.
SO THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED, UH, TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
APPLICANT, UH, DID PROVIDE WITH THE APPLICATION A SAFETY PLAN TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE AUDIENCE, AND WE DID CONSULT THESE CITIES, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, FOLKS, UM, WHO SUGGESTED OR RECOMMENDED THAT AT LEAST TWO POLICE OFFICERS BE AT EVERY EVENT.
A PUBLIC EVENT WITH 500 PEOPLE OR MORE STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE, UH, APPLICATION AND SUPPORTS THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST FOR A TEMPORARY CIRCUIT.
THERE'S ADEQUATE PARKING AVAILABLE AT THE MALL PROPERTY, UH, TO SUPPORT THE, UM, NEEDS OF THE MALL AS WELL AS THE CIRCUS.
UH, CIRCUS IS APPROPRIATE LOCATED IN A COMMERCIAL AREA, UH, MINIMIZING IMPACTS TO SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
AND THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL SAFETY INSPECTIONS OF THE TENT, UM, RECOMMEND AS IF APPROVED.
WE DO RECOMMEND AT LEAST TWO POLICE OFFICERS BE PRESENT AT EACH SHOW, AND THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO THAT.
UM, THE APPLICANT PROVIDED A CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN INDICATING THAT THEY'D RECEIVED NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THEY RECEIVED NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AT THE MAY 13TH COMMUNITY ZONING INFORMATION MEETING, UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTS UP TO THE FOUR CONDITIONS IN THE STAFF REPORT IN YOUR PACKETS, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WOODMAN? COUNCILWOMAN REEVES? MR. WOODMAN, HAVE WE EVER HAD, UM,
[00:15:02]
A I KNOW WE'VE HAD CIRCUSES IN THE PARKING LOT BEFORE.HAVE WE EVER HAD ADULT ENTERTAINMENT CIRCUSES BEFORE THAT WERE NOT INTENDED FOR CHILDREN AT ALL? WE HAD ONE BEFORE THE CODE REQUIRED, UH, CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF A CIRCUS.
I THINK, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT EVER WENT FORWARD, BUT THERE WAS ONE WHERE THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AUDIENCE THAT IT WAS GEARED TOWARDS.
I CAN'T RECALL IF THAT CIRCUS EVER OCCURRED.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT EVER WENT THROUGH.
UM, I THINK THEY WITHDREW THE REQUEST, BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, UM, WAS REQUIRED APPROVAL OF THE, OF THE CIRCUSES.
AND THIS IS ADULTS ONLY, NO CHILDREN UNDER 17? CORRECT.
SO THE, WE DID PREPARE A STAFF REPORT AND AT THE TIME THAT WE RECEIVED THE APPLICATION, I DID NOT SEE, FIND A WEBSITE THAT HAD ANYTHING THAT INDICATED THAT IT WOULD BE AGE RESTRICTED.
THE ONLY THING THAT I FOUND WAS A YOUTUBE VIDEO OF IT AND BASICALLY SHOWED, UM, ACROBATS AND HALLOWEEN COSTUMES.
UM, AND SO WHEN THE APP, THE STAFF REPORT WAS, UM, GETTING READY TO BE PUBLISHED INTO THE PACKET, WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE, AND, UH, DID A SEARCH OF THE WEBSITES AND FOUND A WEBSITE THAT CAME UP THAT DID SAY, YOU KNOW, RATED R FOR, UM, FOLKS, EIGHT, UH, 17 AND UP.
UM, SO WE DID NOT FIND THAT UNTIL AFTER THE STAFF REPORT HAD BEEN COMPLETED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. WOODMAN? THANKS, SIR.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME? HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M MANAGER OF DELMAN CIRCUS AND UM, UM, MY CURRENT ADDRESS IS AT HOUSTON, BUT RIGHT NOW I'M ON TOUR WITH, UH, ER, CIRC AND ELMAN CIRCUS, UM, HERE AT CANTON, GEORGIA.
I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER AT NORTH POINT MALL.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? UM, AT, AT THIS POINT WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY QUESTIONS MM-HMM
UH, YOU MAY HAVE, UH, THAT WE BE GLAD TO ADDRESS.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IF YOU WANTED TO.
SO I, I, I PLUGGED IN, UH, NIGHTMARE CIRC INTO A SEARCH ENGINE AND I GOT THE AI RESPONSE AND WE ALL KNOW, SOMETIMES ACCURATE, SOMETIMES NOT.
UM, UNDER KEY CRITICISMS AND TIPS, IT SAYS AGE LIMITS.
IT IS STRICTLY 13 PLUS OR 18 PLUS, DEPENDING ON THE TOUR STOP AS THE SHOW FEATURES, SUGGESTIVE THEMES, PARTIAL NUDITY AND PROFANITY.
AND MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE NUDITY OF ANY TYPE? IS THERE PARTIAL NUDITY IN THE SHOW? OKAY.
AND THE SHOW, THERE'S NO NUDITY.
WELL, THE GIRL DOESN'T APPEAR LIKE WITH A LOT OF CLOTHES LIKE IN THE NORMAL CIRCUITS, BUT THEY COVER ALL, THEY COVER ALL THE PARTS AND EVERYTHING, BUT THERE'S NO NUDITY IN THE SHOW.
IF I, IF I, UH, MAY A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.
UH, I NOTICED THE SAME THING ON THE WEBSITE THAT HAD AN R RATING ON IT.
WITH THAT THE AI INFORMATION ISN'T QUITE ACCURATE, BUT THE R RATING YOU SAW, IF YOU SAW IT ON THE WEBSITE IS WE NEGOTIATED AT THE ONSET THAT THERE WOULD BE NO R RATED ENTERTAINMENT THERE.
IT WOULD STRICTLY BE 13 AND UP, ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT, LIKE A PG MOVIE RATING.
I'M GONNA PREVIEW THE SHOW, BUT THAT R RATING WAS LEFT BY ACCIDENT ON THE WEBSITE.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS FAMILY FRIENDLY OR 13 AND UP FRIENDLY IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S RECOMMENDED 13 AND UP ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT 13 TO 17.
AND AFTER 17 OF COURSE THEY'RE ABLE TO GET INTO THE SHOW.
OKAY, WE'LL START DOWN ON THAT END WITH COUNCILMAN BRADY AND WORK THIS WAY.
UM, I ALSO PULLED UP THE INTERNET, RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET, GET INFORMATION.
YOU GUYS WERE JUST RECEIVING CANTON, IS THAT RIGHT? DELMAR CIRCUS, IS IT DELMAR? DELMAR CIRCUS.
WERE YOU GUYS JUST AT THE MILL IN CANTON OR HAVE YOU BEEN TO CANTON? HAVE WE BEEN, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU TO CANTON, GEORGIA.
YOU GUYS WERE AT THE MILL IN CANTON, GEORGIA? YEAH.
YEAH, WE'RE IN CANTON, GEORGIA, DELMAN CIRCUS.
[00:20:01]
AND, UH, YEAH, WE HAVE TO SHOW DELMAN CIRCUS AND NIGHTMARE CIRCUS.YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOTH OF THEM AND BOTH OF THOSE SEEM LIKE KIND OF MORE LIKE A CIRQUE DLEE KIND OF STYLE AND KIND OF ACROBATICS AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, DELMAN CIRCUS IS MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY.
DELMAN CIRCUS IS FOR ALL THE KIDS AND ALL THE FAMILY AND NIGHTMARE CIRCUS.
WE HAVE THE SAME JUGGLING CLOWNS AND ALL THE CHARACTERS IS CARRYING THE PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT'S MORE FOR ADULTS AND TEENAGERS BECAUSE DELMAN CIRCUS IS FOR THE KIDS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CHARACTERS FOR THE KIDS, FOR ALL THE FAMILY AND NIGHTMARES.
UM, IT'S MORE FOR THE TEENAGERS, FOR THE ADULTS BECAUSE, UH, IT'S ANOTHER, ANOTHER PUBLIC.
UM, AND THEY DON'T LIKE TO SEE BLUE AND BINGO AT THE
SO IS THERE SOME OTHER LOCATIONS, I'M TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF THE NIGHTMARE, HOW LONG YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS AND OTHER LOCATIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD SUCCESS WITH? OH YEAH, WE'VE BEEN AT TIME WITH DELMAN CIRCUS AND ANOTHER TIME WITH NIGHTMARE CIRCUS LAST YEAR WE START NIGHTMARE CI AND WE'VE BEEN LIKE IN MORE THAN FIRE LOCATION DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WITH NIGHTMARE CRC.
WE HAVE, UM, GOOD REVIEWS WITH NIGHTMARE C UM, YEAH, WHEN WE MAKE THE AGREE AND EVERYTHING.
YEAH, WE SAID THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP TO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY, TO TAKE AWAY ALL THE PARTS OF THE, OUR RATING BECAUSE IT WASN'T A WEBPAGE, BUT YEAH, IT WAS A MISTAKE TO LET THEM IN THE, IN THE WEBPAGE BECAUSE ALL THEIR OF OR ADVERTISING ON THE INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TIKTOK, IT DOESN'T SAY OUR RATING.
IT WAS JUST A MISTAKE THAT IN THE WEBPAGE.
AND I'M SORRY, I JUST WANNA BE, YOU JUST STARTED IT LAST YEAR.
SO NOW, YEAH, NIGHTMARE CIRCUIT LAST YEAR AND LIKE IN A LITTLE BIT BEFORE HALLOWEEN WE STARTED NIGHTMARE CIRCUIT.
AND THEN FROM, FROM THE MALL SIDE, I GUESS KNOWING SOMETHING JUST STARTED LAST YEAR AND YOU GUYS WANNA HAVE IT AND ATTRACT IT, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YES.
THIS IS, WHAT DID YOU SEEK? THIS IS THE SAME COMPANY WE'VE DONE BUSINESS WITH IN THE PAST.
AND THIS IS JUST, FRANKLY AS I TAKE IT, IT'S ACROBATS IN HALLOWEEN COSTUMES.
UM, I, I GUESS THE, THE, THE STRAIGHTFORWARD QUESTION THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE KIND OF, UH, REFERENCING IS, YOU KNOW, EXPLAIN WHY IT IS NC 17 BASICALLY BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED 13 YEAR OLDS, BUT IN THE, IN THE STAFF REPORT AND IN THE APP, THE REQUEST FOR THE CIRCUS, IT TALKS ABOUT 17 AND UP.
SO IS IT 17 AND UP OR IS IT 13 AND UP? IT'S 13 AND UP THE DEAL WE CUT 13 AND UP AC COMPANY BY AN ADULT COMPANY.
SO, SO WHAT MAKES IT, IS IT BECAUSE IT'S SCARY? I MEAN, IS IT, IS IT FOUL LANGUAGE? I MEAN, JUST TELL US WHAT THIS CIRCUS IS ALL ABOUT.
UM, THAT'S PROBABLY, IT'S LIKE GOING INTO A HAUNTED HOUSE.
I, I DON'T THINK I WOULD TAKE A 10-YEAR-OLD INTO MOST OF THE HAUNTED HOUSES THAT OKAY.
SHOW UP HERE AT HALLOWEEN TIME.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE OFFBEAT FOR BEING SUMMER.
UM, BUT WE'VE DONE THE DELMAN CIRCUS AND THEY WILL BE RETURNING AS WELL, THE FAMILY CIRCUS.
BUT THAT'S LITERALLY WHY IT'S, UH, 13 AND UP ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.
I I JUST WANTED YOU TO CLARIFY THAT 'CAUSE IT, OH NO, I'M, EVERYONE'S DANCING AROUND THIS, YOU KNOW, NUDITY AND NO, OH NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANNUITY.
NONE OF THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SURFACE, SIR.
TIM MARIO, YOU HAVE A MOVIE THEATER OVER THE MALL, RIGHT? YES.
DO YOU SHOW RATED R MOVIES? UH, THAT IS ENTIRELY TO THEM, BUT YES, THERE ARE.
ASKING ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN REESE? WILL THE ADVERTISING POST THE AGE? YES.
IN ALL THE ADVERTISING AND THEN WE'LL BE A SIGN ON THE OUTSIDE? MM-HMM
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM? NO, WE DO NOT.
HOWEVER, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO DO SO.
I DO NOT SEE ANYONE COMING FORWARD.
OKAY, SO, WELL, SINCE I DON'T HAVE ANYONE COMING IN FAVOR, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS AND OPPOSITION? UH, YES.
IF YOU WOULD COME UP, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
[00:25:03]
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS.HI, MY NAME'S MARLENE SEIDEN AND I LIVE AT 1 25 MCBRIDE COURT IN ROSWELL.
AND I APPRECIATE HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
WHEN WE THINK OF THE NORTH POINT MALL IN ANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, WE ARE FOCUSING ON HOPEFULLY PUTTING FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS AND THINGS THAT INSPIRE VALUES THAT WE HOPE TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AS I'VE DONE MY RESEARCH, THE THINGS THAT I SEE THAT CONCERN ME ABOUT THIS, THIS CIRCUS, AND I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE WORD CIRCUS BECAUSE WHEN WE THINK OF THAT IN OUR, IN OUR HISTORY CIRCUS HAS A DIFFERENT MEANING.
BUT THIS ONE I SEE USES DEMONIC AND SATANIC THEMES WITH THEIR PERFORMANCES AND THAT THEY ALSO INCORPORATE SIMULATED TORTURE AND VIOLENCE.
AND IF THIS IS THE CASE, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND IN OUR AREAS.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE THAT ON THE RECORD.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES TO FOCUS ON VALUES AND SAFETY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
MELISSA THOMPSON, IF YOU WOULD COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME'S MELISSA THOMPSON, 2080, BETHANY SPRING TRACE C*****G, GEORGIA.
AND, UM, SIMILAR POINTS AS MARLENE HAS SPOKE, ALSO IS, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAINMENT CENTERED ON HORROR, FEAR, DARKNESS, AND SHOCK.
VALUE IS REALLY NOT THE TYPE OF ATTRACTION THAT OUR COMMUNITY IN ALPHARETTA IS KNOWN FOR, NOR DO WE WANT TO MAKE THAT THE, WHAT IT'S KNOWN FOR OR THE TYPE OF PEOPLE TO BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
UM, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO ATTEND SUCH A SHOW, BUT WHETHER IS THIS WHAT WE WANT AS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY? UM, WE BENEFIT FROM BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER WITH POSITIVE EXPERIENCES AND NOT DISTURBING OR FEAR-BASED THEMES.
UM, AND THAT RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO FOSTER A SENSE OF COMFORT, BELONGING, WELLBEING.
AND I THINK THAT THIS FEAR BASE AND SHOCK AND UM, HORROR THEME IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT, UH, ENHANCES OUR COMMUNITY OR THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE OR THOSE THAT WILL SEE THAT TYPE OF ENTERTAINMENT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? I DON'T SEE ANYONE COMING FORWARD, SO I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, MAYOR, JUST AS A REMINDER, IF THE APPLICANT HAS ANY TIME, WELL, THE APPLICANT DOES HAVE TIME FOR REBUTTAL, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ANY OF THE COMMENTS, DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THE PRESENTATION? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT, UM, WE ALREADY MADE THE ADVERTISING AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THE, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LIKE IN THE MO NORTH POMO, AND WE HAVE A GOOD RESPONSE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE ALREADY SELL LIKE A 313, UM, TICKETS FOR THE SHOW.
I KNOW THAT IF IT DOESN'T, UM, THIS, UM, WE HAVE TO TELL ALL THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SHOW THERE.
THE, I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD RESPONSE FOR THE PEOPLE IN NORTH POINT MALL.
SO IF WE HAVE NO OTHER PRESENTATION, CLOSE COMMENT, WE'LL HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL.
MR. MAYOR, PASS THIS EVENING TO APPROVE PH DASH 26 DASH ONE NIGHTMARE CIRCUS NORTH POINT MALL AS PRESENTED THIS EVENING BY MICHAEL WOODMAN.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO.
TIM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THAT WAS COUNCILMAN.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILWOMAN REEVES? UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THAT THE SHOW ACTUALLY IS, UM, FOR 13 AND OLDER, ACCOMPANIED WITH AN ADULT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BUNCH OF PROFANITY.
I GOTTA TELL YOU, I LOVE SCARY STUFF.
LIKE WE ARE SCARY STUFF LIKE GOOFBALL.
WE REALLY LIKE ALL THE SCARY MOVIES.
[00:30:01]
SEEN THE SHOW, SO I DON'T KNOW AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ADVERTISEMENT.BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, STAFF IS SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY BELIEVE EITHER MALL OWNER IS SAYING THEY BELIEVE YOU.
UM, I HOPE IT'S A GOOD SHOW AND I HOPE WE DON'T GET COMPLAINTS.
UM, EVERYBODY'S GOT A RIGHT TO GO WITH SOMETHING THEY WANNA GO TO, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THE CONCERN IS THAT IS, IS, IS WILL THE SHOW CROSS ANY LINES? I'M HOPING IT DOESN'T.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE VOTE YES AND IT DOES PASS UNANIMOUSLY.
[C. CU-26-03/V-26-04 7Brew Coffee/11378 State Bridge Road
Consideration of a conditional use and variance to allow a ‘Restaurant w/Drive-Thru Window’ for 7Brew Coffee. A conditional use is requested to allow ‘Restaurant w/Drive-Thru Window’ in the C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial) zoning district and a variance is requested to Unified Development Code Subsection 2.2.14(D) to reduce the front building setback. The property is located at 11378 State Bridge Road and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 129, 1st District, 1st Section, Fulton County, Georgia.]
MR. WOODMAN, ONCE AGAIN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THE NEXT REQUEST BEFORE YOU IS REQUEST FOR CONDITIONAL USE AND VARIANCE TO ALLOW SEVEN BREW COFFEE TO OPERATE A RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW ON A ONE, UH, 0.70 ACRE SITE, INCLUDING A 510 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING AND TWO DRIVE THROUGH LANES.
CONDITIONAL USE IS REQUESTED TO ALLOW RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW FOR SEVEN BREW COFFEE AND VARIANCE IS REQUESTED TO REDUCE THE FRONT SETBACK.
HAVE THE LOCATION MAP ON THE OVERHEAD.
THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 1 1 3 7 8 STATE BRIDGE ROAD NEAR THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF KIMBALL BRIDGE ROAD AND STATE BRIDGE ROAD.
THIS PROPERTY IS ZONE C ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.
IT'S DEVELOPED WITH A ONE STORY 3,500 SQUARE FOOT MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING.
IT'S PREVIOUSLY USED BY THE GEORGIA CLINIC.
THIS IS AN AERIAL OF THAT SITE.
THIS IS THE SITE HERE AND THIS IS A STREET VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
THIS IS THE FORMER GEORGIA CLINIC THAT WAS DEVELOPED ON THE PROPERTY.
THERE IS A, UH, LARGE BILLBOARD ON THE PROPERTY AS WELL.
SEVEN BREW COFFEE HAS, UM, ACTUALLY BEFORE I GET TO THAT, I DID WANT TO MENTION AS IT RELATES TO THE USE THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW IS A PERMITTED USE IN THE C TWO GENERAL COMMERCIAL AND LI LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS.
AND IT'S A CONDITIONAL USE IN THE CUP COMMUNITY UNIT PLAN, ONI OFFICE INSTITUTIONAL C ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AND PSC, PLANNED SHOPPING CENTER ZONING DISTRICTS.
THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE PROPERTIES COMMERCIAL, WHICH DOES SUPPORT THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
UH, SEVEN BREW COFFEE HAS 500 LOCATIONS ACROSS 38 STATES.
UH, THERE ARE TWO NEARBY LOCATIONS, ONE IN JOHNS CREEK AND ONE IN CITY OF MILTON.
UM, AND THERE ARE FIVE LOCATIONS IN THE ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS IN THE ATLANTA METRO AREA.
THE APPLICANT IS PIEDMONT BEVERAGE COMPANY.
THEY CURRENTLY OPERATE THREE SEVEN BREW LOCATIONS IN GREER AND GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND THEY'RE ACTIVELY EXPANDING IN SOUTHEAST.
THE BUSINESS MODEL FOR SEVEN BREW IS A COFFEE DRIVE THROUGH ONLY CONCEPT WITH NO INTERIOR DINING SPACE.
THEY FOCUSED ON A QUICK, UM, SERVICE THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH.
SO THEY DO HAVE A LOT OF STA OF THEIR, UH, EMPLOYEES, UH, STAFF.
THE, UH, DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITIES COME, UH, CUSTOMERS ARE ABLE TO WALK UP TO PLACE AN ORDER, HOWEVER, THE APPLICANT DOES NOT ANTICIPATE, UH, THAT BEING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE BUSINESS AT THIS LOCATION.
UM, SEVEN BREW OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF HANDCRAFTED BEVERAGES INCLUDING COFFEE TEAS, ENERGY DRINKS, SMOOTHIES, LEMONADES, AND SHAKES.
THEIR HOURS OF OPERATION ARE SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, 5:30 AM TO 10:00 PM AND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 5:30 AM TO 11:00 PM UH, THE APPLICANT ANTICIPATES APPROXIMATELY EIGHT EMPLOYEES, UH, WORKING IN A SHIFT.
SO THE SITE PLAN, AND I DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE THIS, BUT WE HAVE TWO SITE PLANS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED.
SO THE STAFF REPORT IS THE STAFF REPORT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, REVIEWED.
AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS FROM AN ADJACENT PROPERTY WITH
[00:35:01]
CONCERNS THAT THE EXIT TO THE DRIVE-THROUGH WAS TOO CLOSE TO STATE BRIDGE ROAD.SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED.
IT HAD THE BUILDING PULLED UP TO STATE BRIDGE AND THE AND STAFF ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED THIS CONDITION.
'CAUSE WE WANTED TO BUFFER THE DRIVE THROUGH FACILITIES WITH THE BUILDING.
SO WE WANTED THE BUILDING PULLED UP TO THE STREET WITH THE PARKING AND THE DRIVE THROUGH BEHIND.
UM, BUT BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL AS FEEDBACK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT FROM ADJACENT PROPERTIES, UM, WITH CONCERN ABOUT THE EXIT TO THIS DRIVE THROUGH BEING SO CLOSE TO STATE BRIDGE, THE APPLICANT DID MAKE CHANGES TO THE, TO THE SITE PLAN TO TRY TO RESOLVE THAT CONCERN.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE.
WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY MOVED THE BUILDING THAT WAS PARALLEL TO STATE BRIDGE ROAD AND THEY MOVED IT, UH, HERE ALONG THE, UH, SHARED, UH, DRIVEWAY BETWEEN THEM AND THE GAS STATION.
UM, AND THEN THE, UH, DRIVE THROUGH FACILITIES ARE SOMEWHAT IN THE SAME LOCATION.
IT'S JUST THAT THE END OF THE DRIVE THROUGH FACILITIES ARE FURTHER, UM, AWAY FROM STATE BRIDGE ROAD, WHICH MAKES THE EXIT, UM, FURTHER AWAY FROM STATE BRIDGE ROAD.
THE CONCERN BEFORE, JUST GOING BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SITE PLAN HERE, IS THAT CARS WOULD TRY TO EXIT AND MAYBE TURN LEFT TO GO OUT TO STATE BRIDGE ROAD.
AND IF A CAR WERE TO TURN OUT HERE AND THERE ARE ALREADY CARS STACKING UP, TRYING TO TURN ONTO STATE BRIDGE ROAD, THAT THIS CAR MAY BLOCK ACCESS TO CARS THAT ARE TRYING TO PULL IN TO ACCESS THE GAS STATION OR OTHER PROPERTIES.
SO AGAIN, THE APPLICANT DID, UH, PRESENT THE THIS REVISED SITE PLAN.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT THIS SITE PLAN, UM, FUNCTIONS APPROPRIATELY AS WE DID THE PREVIOUS SITE PLAN.
WE DID REVIEW THE PREVIOUS SITE PLAN AND WE DID THINK THAT THE, THE, UH, DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITIES DID FUNCTION ADEQUATELY.
UM, BUT THIS SITE PLAN DOES PROVIDE MORE STACK VEHICLE STACKING SPACES IN THE DRIVE-THROUGH.
AND THEN OF COURSE, IT MOVES THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO THE PROPERTY FURTHER NORTH AWAY FOR FROM UH, STAYBRIDGE ROAD.
THERE IS, UM, TWO BUILDINGS, UH, PRE THE ORIGINAL SUBMITTAL TO THE CITY HAD THE, UH, 510 SQUARE FOOT, UM, BUILDING AND THEN A COOLER BUILDING.
WE ASKED THE APPLICANT TO COMBINE THE TWO INTO ONE BUILDING, SO IT LOOKED LIKE ONE, UM, BUILDING.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S TWO DRIVE-THROUGH LANES HERE ON THIS, ON THIS SITE PLAN, THERE ARE 10 TOTAL PARKING SPACES.
UM, SO THEY DO EXCEED, UM, MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 16 STACKING SPACES WITHIN THIS DRIVE THROUGH.
THEY DO HAVE A 35 FOOT, UH, SETBACK IS STILL DEPICTED WITH A 20 FOOT LANDSCAPE STRIP.
SO THERE'S SUFFICIENT AREA TO LANDSCAPE AND HELP SCREEN, UH, THE DRIVE THROUGH FROM STATE BRIDGE ROAD.
AND THEN WE DID, OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER, UH, WENT OUT TO THE LOCATION IN JOHNS CREEK.
JUST WANTED TO OBSERVE THEIR, UM, DRIVE THROUGH FACILITIES DURING THE MORNING, UH, PEAK HOUR.
UM, SO WE DID, UH, SEND GEORGE DOYLE OUT TO THAT LOCATION.
HE OBSERVED, UM, THE, THE AM PEAK HOUR AT THE JOHNS CREEK LOCATION.
UM, THEY, THAT LOCATION HAD A TOTAL OF 14, UH, CAR STACKING LENGTHS IN THE TWO DRIVE-THROUGH LANES, UM, WHICH WOULD, WHICH IS TWO LESS THAN WHAT IS PROPOSED IN THE THE SITE PLAN HERE.
UM, THE, BASED ON THE OBSERVATIONS, UH, DURING THE, UH, AM PEAK HOUR, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF CARS THAT QUEUED WERE EIGHT CARS AT ANY ONE TIME.
THE AVERAGE VEHICULAR CREW, UH, UH, QUEUE DID NOT EXCEED FIVE CARS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
UM, GEORGE ALSO OBSERVED THE, UH, DRIVE-THROUGH SERVICES.
UH, THEY MANNED THAT LOCATION WITH A TOTAL OF SIX EMPLOYEES.
THERE WERE TWO CASHIERS, THREE BARISTAS, AND THERE WAS ONE FLOATER THAT CAME OUTSIDE TO HELP WITH DRIVE THROUGH SERVICES WHEN THERE WERE THREE OR MORE VEHICLES IN THE DRIVE THROUGH LANE.
SO THEY DO HAVE AN EMPHASIS ON GETTING YOU THROUGH THAT DRIVE THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN FINALLY, STAFF OBSERVED THAT NO MORE THAN FOUR OF THE 14 ONSITE PARKING SPACES WERE USED AT ANY, ANY ONE TIME.
[00:40:01]
WAS THE ORIGINAL BUILDING ELEVATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY.THIS IS KIND OF THE CORPORATE BRAND FOR SEVEN BREW COFFEE.
WE ASKED THE APPLICANT TO LOOK RE-LOOK AT THAT.
UM, THE, THE PROPOSED BUILDING AT THIS LOCATION TO PROPOSE A BUILDING THAT IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE MORE TRADITIONAL LOOK, UM, THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF ALPHARETTA.
SO THEY DID PULL BACK THEIR RENDERING AND THIS IS JUST A NIGHTTIME RENDERING TO SHOW THAT THEY HAD THE BLUE NEON, UH, ON THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN.
THEY HAVE REMOVED ANY, UM, THERE, THERE WOULD BE NO NEON PROPOSED.
THIS BUILDING HAS A BRICK EXTERIOR WITH BOARD AND BATTEN ACCENTS.
THIS IS THE BRICK HERE WITH THE BOARD AND BATTEN, AND THEN THERE SITING ACCENT HERE.
SO WE DO FEEL THAT THEY'VE MADE, UH, GOOD PROGRESS ON THE LOOK OF THE BUILDING.
WE DID HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT TOO ABOUT THE PREVIOUS BUILDING WITH, UH, THE FIRST ONE THAT I SHOWED YOU, UM, BEING A LITTLE BIT TOO BOLD IN, IN THE COLORS, COME BACK TO THE SITE PLAN.
SO OF COURSE WE REVIEWED THIS PROPOSAL AGAINST THE REVIEW CRITERIA FOR CONDITIONAL USE AND VARIANCE.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ALONG A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR CORRIDOR WITH NEARBY PROPERTIES.
SIMILARLY DEVELOPED WITH RESTAURANTS WITH DRIVE THROUGH.
CHICK-FIL-A IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET AS WELL OF THE, UH, WENDY'S.
UM, THE PROPERTY HAS, UH, ACCESS DIRECTLY FROM STATE BRIDGE ROAD AS WELL AS THROUGH INTER PARCEL ACCESS.
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO STATE BRIDGE WAY AND KIMBALL BRIDGE ROAD.
SO WE DO BELIEVE THAT IT HAS, THE SITE HAS GOOD ACCESS AND AS I MENTIONED, STAFF DID ANALYZE THE, UH, DRIVE THROUGH AND OBSERVED THE LOCATION IN JOHNS CREEK.
AND BELIEVES, UH, THAT THE DRIVE THROUGH FACILITY PROPOSED ON THE SITE PLAN, UH, DOES PROVIDE SUFFICIENT STACKING.
UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE VARIANCE THE PROPERTY IS, HAS EXCEPTIONAL AND PECULIAR CONDITIONS DUE TO SHAPE AND THE ACCESS, THE REDUCED FRONT SETBACK, UH, WOULD ALLOW THE BUILDING TO BE PULLED CLOSER UP TO THE STREET, UM, HELPING TO, UH, OBSCURE THE DRIVE-THROUGH LANES.
AND WE KNOW THAT THEY CHANGED SLIGHTLY CHANGED THE ORIENTATION, BUT THE BUILDING IS STILL PULLED UP TO THE STREET AND WILL HELP, STILL HELP WITH THE SCREENING OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH LANES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, LANDSCAPING.
THE REQUIRED LANDSCAPE STRIP, UM, PLANTINGS WILL BE ALONG STATE BRIDGE ROAD AS WELL AS THE SHRUBS TO, UM, OBSCURE THE VIEW OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITY.
AND THEN KIMBALL PLAZA, WHICH IS THE RETAIL PLAZA JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, WAS APPROVED WITH THE SAME REDUCED FRONT SETBACK.
THE APPLICANT PROVIDED A CITIZEN PARTICIPATION REPORT, UH, INDICATING THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED COMMENTS AT THE CZIM MEETING REGARDING TRAFFIC IMPACTS, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WALKUP TRAFFIC IN A MORE NEUTRAL BUILDING COLOR BEING PREFERRED.
AGAIN, THAT WAS THE INITIAL SITE PLAN THAT SHOWED, UH, THE EXIT CLOSER TO STATE BRIDGE ROAD.
AND IT WAS THE PREVIOUS RENDERING THAT I SHOWED YOU, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION.
AND THEN THERE WERE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE SIGNING SHEET, UH, FOR THE MARCH 11TH, UH, COMMUNITY ZONING INFORMATION MEETING, THIS ITEM WAS CONSIDERED AT THE APRIL 2ND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
THERE WAS ONE PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THE, UH, NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNER IN OPPOSITION WITH CONCERNS OVER THE PROXIMITY OF THE DRIVE THROUGH EGRESS TO STATE BRIDGE ROAD.
AFTER DISCUSSION, PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL SUBJECT TO STAFF RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS, THAT VOTE WAS FIVE TO TWO.
AND THEN AFTER PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, THE APPLICANT HEARING CONCERNS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL AS FROM THE NEIGHBORS, THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, THEY DID REVISE THE SITE PLAN TO THE SITE PLAN THAT YOU SEE HERE.
THE SITE PLAN HAS A DATE OF A REVISION DATE OF APRIL 30TH, 2026 ON IT.
AND SO IF YOU PREFER, IF YOU, IF YOU, YOU ARE GOING TO APPROVE THIS APPLICANT'S REQUEST AND YOU PREFER THIS PARTICULAR SITE PLAN, YOU WOULD NEED TO CHANGE CONDITION NUMBER ONE.
THE DATE, UH, IN THAT CONDITION SAYS DATED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026.
THAT WOULD NEED TO CHANGE TO REVISION 4 30 26.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE REPORT.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
UM, ACTUALLY BEFORE I CONCLUDE THE PRESENTATION, THERE ARE TWO CONDITIONS HERE THAT I, THAT WE WOULD LIKE, UH, ADDED TO THE, UH, 15 CONDITIONS
[00:45:01]
IN THE STAFF REPORT.UM, THE FIRST CONDITION IS, UH, AS A RESULT OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, STACKING UP IN THE DRIVE THROUGH FACILITIES.
I'VE HAD SOME, UH, CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN HYPES ABOUT THIS.
AND SO THE FIRST, UH, CONDITION SAYS IF A TRAFFIC PROBLEM IS OBSERVED BY THE CITY, APPLICANT SHALL PROVIDE TRAFFIC PLAN TO RESOLVE PROBLEM, WHICH MAY INCLUDE ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES TO MANAGE THE DRIVE THROUGH OPERATIONS AS APPROVED BY STAFF.
SO IF WE SEE THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH MAYBE THE CAR STACKING UP IN THE, UM, DRIVE THROUGH FACILITIES OUT ONTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, OR THAT THE DRIVE THROUGH OPERATIONS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE CORRECTIONS TO THAT.
AND THEN THE SECOND CONDITION WAS A CONDITION THAT WAS ASKED, UH, REQUESTED TO BE PLACED ON THIS APPLICATION BY THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.
UH, WE PROVIDED THAT LANGUAGE TO THE APPLICANT.
THE APPLICANT MADE A FEW CHANGES TO THAT LANGUAGE AND THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS AGREE TO THOSE CHANGES.
SO THIS IS THE FINAL CONDITION HERE.
IT SAYS APPLICANT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THERE IS A BILLBOARD SIGN LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY SUBJECT TO CU DASH 26 DASH OH THREE, WHICH IS THE FILE NUMBER FOR THIS CASE.
APPLICANT AGREES THAT ALL MAINTENANCE OF THE BILLBOARD SIGN ON THE, ON THE PROPERTY AT 1 1 3 7 8 STATE BRIDGE ROAD WILL BE AC UH, ACCOMPLISHED ON THE APPROXIMATELY 0.697 ACRES SUB ACRES SUBJECT TO CU 26 DASH ZERO THREE, UNLESS OTHERWISE ALLOWED BY AN AGREEMENT WITH THE AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNER.
NO VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT USED IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BILLBOARD SIGN SHALL BE ALLOWED TO LOCATE, PARK, OR OTHERWISE USE ANY ADJOINING PROPERTY BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER ALL MAINTENANCE OF THE BILLBOARD SIGN WITHOUT THE, WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNER.
AND AGAIN, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I THOUGHT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WOODMAN? COUNCILMAN HIVES, MR. WOODMAN? I'VE, I'VE SEEN THE TOP DOWN VIEW AND, AND THE POSITION OF THE BUILDING WITH THE DRIVEWAY FURTHEST BACK.
UM, BUT WHEN WE GOT THE PACKET AND, AND HERE THIS EVENING, I'M LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT, WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE REAR OF THE BUILDING IS FACING OLD MILTON PARKWAY IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING IS FACING INTERNAL.
AND MY QUESTION IS, WHATEVER SIGNAGE THEY'RE SHOWING HERE, IS THAT THE SIGNAGE THAT IS PART OF THIS APPLICATION? BECAUSE, UM, I'M LOOKING AT RENDERINGS THAT SHOW SIGNAGE ON THE BIGGER PART OF THE BUILDING THAT'S INTERNAL ON THE EASTBOUND FACING SIDE.
AND THIS IS A COFFEE SHOP FOR WESTBOUND TRAFFIC ON OLD MILTON PARKWAY.
SO IT'S, IT'S REAR FACING AND THE SIGNAGE SEEMS TO BE COUNTERINTUITIVE TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC WITH THE, WHICH, WHICH THIS BUILDING IS MEANT TO SERVE.
SO IS THIS THEIR SIGN PACKAGE? THIS IS NOT THE SIGN PACKAGE.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO SUBMIT FOR A SIGN PERMIT ON RENDERINGS.
WE MANY TIMES WILL HAVE SIGNAGE SHOWN ON THERE.
YOU ARE NOT APPROVING THEIR SIGNAGE AS PART OF THAT UNLESS IT'S A REQUEST FOR LIKE A SIGN VARIANCE OR SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO THAT.
IN NO WAY THIS, THE RENDERINGS ARE ONLY INTENDED TO SHOW YOU DESIGN AND MATERIALS.
IT IS NOT TO APPROVE THE SIGNAGE THAT THEY'RE SHOWING.
I HAVE NO IDEA IF, IF YOU SWAPPED THE, THE TALLER PORTION, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO REDESIGN A BUILDING SITTING UP HERE ON A MONDAY NIGHT, BUT I WAS RATHER SURPRISED TO SEE THE BLOCK SQUARE BACK OF THE BUILDING FACING, UH, OLD MILTON PARKWAY AND THE MORE CANOPY PART FURTHEST AWAY WHERE THAT THAT'S A GREAT, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT, IT'S A BUILDING THAT'S GOT ITS, YOU KNOW, ITS SERVICE ENTRANCE TO, TO OLD MILTON PARKWAY.
AND I, I DIDN'T PICK UP ON THAT WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE TOP DOWN PLAT.
SO DO WE, DO WE CARE, DO WE HAVE THOUGHTS? UH, I MEAN, CERTAINLY I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
I MEAN, YOU MAY WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE CONDITION.
UM, WELL, I'LL ALSO, I WILL ALSO, I WANTED TO GET YOUR INPUT AND I, AND I'M SURE MR. UNDERWOOD AND THAT TEAM WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO THIS.
BUT, UH, UM, WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY REAR FACING BUILDINGS ON OUR EAST WEST ARTERIES, SO, UH, UNDERSTOOD.
ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, MICHAEL ITEM DON'T, A, A DUMPSTER ENCLOSURE TYPICALLY GOES BEHIND THE BUILDING AND IF THE BEHIND BUILDING IS FACING THE OLD MILTON PARKWAY, I DON'T WANNA SEE A DUMPSTER.
WELL THAT, THAT PUT THAT OTHER PICTURE BACK UP.
ISN'T THAT WHAT'S ON THE BACK OF THAT BUILDING? SORRY.
[00:50:02]
WHAT IS THAT ON THE BOTTOM? SO THIS IS STATE BRIDGE HERE? NO, THE BUILDING UNDERNEATH THE SIGN.WHAT IS THAT? YES, THAT, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THAT, THIS, I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST DOORS HERE, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE APPLICANT TO RESPOND TO THAT.
OKAY, WELL IF YOU'VE GOT AN AERIAL OF WHERE THE DUMPSTER'S GOING, THAT WOULD HELP.
THE DUMPSTER IS ACTUALLY OVER HERE.
SO THIS IS STATE BRIDGE, THE PRIVATE DRIVEWAY.
I SEE THE DUMPSTER SITS BACK HERE IN THE CORNER.
SO IT'S, THEY'VE, THEY'VE MOVED IT AS FAR AWAY FROM STATE RIDGE ROAD AS POSSIBLE.
AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE THAT COUNCILMAN MERKEL RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, IN THIS IMAGE I SEE A BROWN BOX, BUT YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MR. WOODMAN? COUNCILMAN REESE? AND DID, DID I SEE IN THERE THAT THERE WOULD BE A SIDEWALK ALONG STATE BRIDGE AND ALSO ONE CONNECTING TO THE BUILDING? YES.
SO THERE'S GUARD RAIL HERE TODAY AND THE SIDEWALK KIND OF STOPS, I THINK AT THIS POINT.
SO THERE'S A CONDITION THAT REQUIRES THEM TO INSTALL SIDEWALK ALONG THEIR FRONTAGE, AND THAT SIDEWALK IS SHOWN HERE AND IT DOES CONNECT INTO THEIR BUILDING.
SO YOU COULD WALK UP HERE, PLACE AN ORDER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN HEES? UH, AS A, AS A FOLLOW UP, I'M VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT THE APPLICANT HAS TO SAY, BUT IF COUNCIL VOTES ON WHERE THE POSITION OF THE BUILDING IS IN THE DRIVEWAYS, CAN, CAN THE GENERAL DESIGN BE LEFT TO DRB? OR ARE WE FIXING WHAT THIS DESIGN'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE? YEAH, SO CONDITION NUMBER, I WAS LOOKING FOR THAT AS WE WERE SPEAKING EARLIER.
SO FINAL APPROVAL IS WITH DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ON THIS.
SO CONDITION NUMBER SIX SAYS THAT IT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THE SUBMITTED RENDERINGS.
IF YOU WANTED TO, IF YOU WANTED TO CLARIFY IN THIS CONDITION THAT THEY DO, THEY RETHINK THE LOOK OF THAT BUILDING BY ADDING THIS KIND OF, THIS HIGHER PORTION ON THIS BACKSIDE THAT REALLY ADDRESSES STATE BRIDGE ROAD.
WE COULD ADD A SENTENCE INTO THAT CONDITION.
WELL, SUBJECT TO THE APPLICANT'S INPUT.
I WANNA BE FAIR TO THEM THEY'VE COME HERE WITH A SUBMITTAL ON A MONDAY NIGHT.
BUT, UM, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT LOOSENS THE LANGUAGE TO GIVE OUR DRB SOME MORE LATITUDE, BUT STAY TRUE TO WHAT THEIR VISION IS, UH, I THINK I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. WOODMAN? THANK YOU, SIR.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME? NOT YET, SIR.
ETHAN UNDERWOOD WITH UNDERWOOD S GOGGINS.
OUR ADDRESSES, UH, 2 0 2 TRIPLE GAP ROAD IN COMING.
AND, UH, WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU.
UH, MAKE SURE WE GOT OUR PRESENTATION HERE.
MR. WOODMAN ALWAYS DOES SUCH A THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
THERE'S NO NEED FOR ME TO DO MUCH OF AN INTRODUCTION HERE.
SO I GUESS LET'S JUST GET DOWN TO THE LOCATION.
WHAT WE WOULD SUBMIT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THAT THIS IS THE LO THE CORRECT LOCATION FOR A DRIVE THROUGH FACILITY.
UM, AND OUR CLIENT IS WORKING AND HAS BEEN WORKING WITH NEIGHBORS TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT'S THE BEST DESIGN AND LAYOUT.
FRANKLY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE CITY.
THEY REALLY WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO BE HAPPY WITH THE DESIGN.
AND SO, UH, WE MADE THE MODIFICATIONS IF ADDITIONAL MODIFICATIONS OR MAYBE A, UH, SOMETHING TO GO BACK TO REALIGN THE BUILDING IS WHAT THE CITY'S LOOKING FOR.
BUT WE WILL PRESENT AS OUR, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THIS LAYOUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ANGLE OF WHERE THE, UH, DRIVE THROUGHS WOULD BE FACING ON OLD MILTON SLASH STATE BRIDGE.
NOW THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST VIEW THAT YOU CAN SEE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT 'CAUSE ONE, THERE IS A OLDER SIDEWALK.
YOU SEE, GOT, YOU GOT A GUARD RAIL ON THE RIGHT SIDE, RIGHT NEXT TO THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
BUT THERE IS ROOM FOR A SIDEWALK ALSO.
IMPORTANTLY, YOU SEE THE TOPOGRAPHIC CHANGE.
SO THERE'S ROOM THERE FOR ADDITIONAL SCREENING AND LANDSCAPING.
SO IF THE BUILDING IS RUNNING FROM, I GUESS FOR BETTER LACK OF A BETTER TERM, NORTH SOUTH, THEN THERE IS ROOM TO LANDSCAPE THAT VIEW.
NOW AGAIN, THIS IS, WE KNOW WE HAVE A SLIGHT ANGLE, BUT WITH THE BUILDING AT THAT LOCATION AS, UH, MR. WOODMAN STATED THAT WAS AN ACCOMMODATION FOR NEIGHBORS.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT THERE WOULD BE, UH, INADEQUATE STACKING ALONG THAT ACCESS DRIVE.
AND YOU CAN SEE ALSO THE NECESSITY OF THE VARIANCE.
[00:55:01]
VARIANCE IS NOT APPROVED, THE 65 FOOT SETBACK RUNS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF WHERE EVEN THE RELOCATED BUILDING WOULD BE, UH, HAS BEEN PROPOSED.AND JUST SO THAT YOU ALL HAVE SOME COMFORT IN APPROVING THAT VARIANCE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE AT THE KIMBALL PLAZA AS STATED BY MR. WOODMAN, THAT VARIANCE WAS GRANTED, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE OUT OF KILTER IF YOU DID ALLOW A BUILDING TO BE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A CONTINUOUS STREET SET SCAPE OF THAT SETBACK ALONG THAT AREA.
NOW, THE STACKING CONCERNS, WE TRIED TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF A VISUAL IN HERE SO YOU COULD SEE WHERE THE CARS ARE.
THIS WAS WHAT'S STAFF AND, UH, THE APPLICANT'S TRAFFIC ENGINEERS WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU.
IS, IS PROBABLY WORST CASE SCENARIO IN MOST SITUATIONS.
THE BUSINESS MODEL IS TO GET FOLKS THROUGH THERE VERY QUICKLY, AND IN MOST SITUATIONS YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY EIGHT CARS IN THE STACKING LANE.
UM, NO PROBLEM WITH THE PROPOSED STAFF CONDITION OF SAYING THAT IF, IF STAFF OBSERVES A BACKING UP ISSUE, THEN THEN, UH, NO PROBLEM WITH HAVING STAFF, UH, REQUIRE ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS OR MAYBE EVEN OUTDOOR EMPLOYEES LIKE A, LIKE A CHICK-FIL-A STYLE LINE.
UM, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME COMMENTS FROM, UH, CITY OFFICIALS SAYING, WELL, WHAT ABOUT FOLKS? IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE TRAFFIC COULD BACK UP TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE EXITING CANNOT MAKE A LEFT? WE THINK THAT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY.
YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME SITUATIONS UNDER THIS CONFIGURATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO LET THEM PASS, GET IN THE QUEUING LANE AND THEN MAKE THE LEFT.
BUT WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT THE TRAFFIC WILL BE PACK BACKING UP THAT FAR.
THIS WAS BASED UPON THE JOHN'S CREEK AT THAT LOCATION.
THE MOST THEY HAD AT ONE TIME WAS 16 CARS.
AND THEN SHOWING THAT THE HIGHEST VEHICLE OR HIGHEST CAPACITY YOU ANTICIPATED LOGICALLY WHEN YOU'RE BUYING COFFEE'S GONNA BE IN THE AM RUSH HOUR.
UM, NOW ADDRESSING SOME CONCERNS.
WE DID HEAR FROM NEIGHBORS, AGAIN, MR. WOODMAN DID A GREAT JOB OF THIS, BUT WE HEARD SOME CONCERN WITH INTER PARCEL ACCESS.
THERE ARE INTER PARCEL ACCESS EASEMENTS THROUGH THIS PROPERTY, BUT WE EXPECT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE GOING IN THE DRIVE LANE AND THEN COMING OUT THE DRIVE LANE AND GOING BACK OUT TO OLD MILTON.
IT'S FRANKLY MORE OF A PAIN TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THOSE INTERNAL DRIVES THAN IT IS JUST TO GET BACK ON OLD MILTON.
SO WE DIDN'T AN ANTICIPATE THAT IS A CONCERN, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
UH, BILLBOARD MAINTENANCE MEMBER SAID, WHAT ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC BILLBOARD MAINTENANCE? THE NICE THING IS IT IS AN ELECTRONIC BILLBOARD, SO YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA BE BRINGING A VEHICLE AND SITTING THERE FOR HOURS AND, YOU KNOW, DOING THE OLD SCHOOL, UH, PUTTING UP PAPER SIGNS.
WE EXPECT THAT THEY WOULD COME IN, UH, AND, AND, AND I GUESS AT HOURS THAT ARE NEGOTIATED, UH, WITH OUR CLIENT WHEN THEY'RE OPERATING THE PROPERTY SO THAT IT'S NOT BLOCKING THOSE LANES.
BUT WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE IN THE CONDITION AND HERE ON A, ON A HOT MIC THAT, UH, ARE THESE FOLKS BY APPROVING THIS DOES NOT AUTHORIZE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAINTAINING THE BILLBOARD TO GO ON SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY WITHOUT PERMISSION.
NOW I THINK THE QUESTIONS I HEARD COUNCILMAN, HES AND MERKEL ASKING ABOUT WHAT'S THE VIEW FROM OLD MILTON? THIS IS A BETTER VIEW FROM OLD MILTON.
IF IT'S GOING NORTHWEST, YOU CAN SEE TO YOUR RIGHT.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT, UH, ANTICIPATING THAT THIS NECESSARILY MEETS ALL THE, THE CITY'S REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SIGN PACKAGE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE, YOU CAN SEE, I CAN'T SEE MY CURSOR.
YOU CAN SEE, UH, ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, IT IS A SIDE FACING FACADE THAT WHICH WOULD FACE OLD MILTON.
WE EXPECT THAT'S WHERE MOST PEOPLE WHO WERE DRIVING BY SAY, OH, THAT'S, THERE'S WHERE MY, I'M HITTING MY TURN.
BUT THIS RENDERING ALSO SHOWS YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ATTRACTIVE LANDSCAPING, UH, THAT WILL GO THROUGH DRB AND, AND THE CITY'S ARBORIST AS WELL, BUT PROVIDING MORE TREETOPS TO, TO PROVIDE, UH, UH, SCREENING OF THE BUILDING, BUT ALLOWING ENOUGH COMMERCIAL VISIBILITY OF THE SITE.
AGAIN, THIS IS NORTHBOUND INTERIOR, WHICH, UH, FRANKLY WON'T BE AS VISIBLE OR VISIBLE AT ALL FROM OLD MILTON.
BUT THIS DOES GIVE A FLAVOR OF THE ARCHITECTURE.
UH, NOW THE QUESTION THAT YOU SAW HAD ON THAT MILTON FACING FACADE, THAT'S AN ELECTRICAL PANEL THAT CAN BE SCREENED.
WE ANTICIPATE IT'S GOING TO BE SCREENED BY THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD.
IF THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF WE AGREED TO A CONDITION TONIGHT THAT REQUIRES SCREENING OF THAT, NOT A PROBLEM.
UH, BUT WE YOU, YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD DRB, WE EXPECT THEY WOULD CATCH THAT AGAIN, A NIGHT VIEW.
SO WE FEEL THAT THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE USE.
WE FEEL THAT THAT STAFF HAS DONE A VERY THOROUGH JOB REVIEWING THE ARCHITECTURE, REVIEWING THE CONDITIONS, UM, AND WE APPRECIATE THE NEIGHBOR'S INPUT.
WE FEEL THAT THIS HAS MADE A BETTER DESIGN.
WE WOULD, UH, RESERVE ANY TIME THAT WE HAVE FOR REBUTTAL AND QUESTIONS.
[01:00:03]
IF YOU CAN GO BACK MR. UNDERWOOD TO THE RENDERING.THIS ONE OR THE NEXT ONE? SORRY.
THE, UH, THE SECOND, I'M GONNA CALL IT THE SECOND STORY, UH, ABOVE THE FIRST FLOOR HERE.
IS THAT FUNCTIONAL OR IS THAT JUST, UH, FOR APPEARANCES? IF I MAY? I THINK I'M GONNA INTRODUCE MY CLIENTS AND LET THEM, THEY'RE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
I'M REPRESENTING PIEDMONT BEVERAGE SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA.
OUR ADDRESS IS 100 DUNBAR STREET, SUITE 3 0 4.
UH, THAT SECOND STORY THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING FROM THIS ELEVATION OF THE RENDERING SPECIFICALLY, WE TYPICALLY CLASSIFY THAT SPACE AS OUR MUFFIN TOP SPACE.
DID YOU SAY MUFF? DID YOU SAY MUFFIN TOP? I DID SAY MUFFIN TOP.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE RECORD IS CLEAR.
SO WE TYPICALLY UTILIZE THAT SPACE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL STORAGE, ANY DRY STORAGE SPACE.
SO WE WILL STORE, UH, SWAG THAT WE GET OUT, WHETHER THAT'S T-SHIRTS, HATS, ADDITIONAL CUPS.
BUT AS FAR AS UTILIZING THAT SPACE FROM A SERVICE PERSPECTIVE, IT'S, IT'S ONLY FOR STORAGE.
AND THE REASON I ASK THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, CAN THE MUFFIN TOP BE ON THE OTHER END OF THE BUILDING? SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND STILL MAINTAIN ALL YOUR DRIVE-THROUGH SERVICES WHERE THEY'RE CURRENTLY LOCATED.
UM, IS IS THAT JUST DOABLE? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
UM, I, I WOULD BELIEVE IT TO BE FEASIBLE.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING FUNCTIONALLY THAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM DOING SO, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT IT WITH OUR ARCHITECT TEAM AND MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
AND I'M, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE THIS BURDENSOME, BUT WE JUST, WE DON'T GENERALLY APPROVE THINGS THAT ARE REAR FACING TO OUR, OUR STREETS LIKE THIS.
AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT YOU ALL TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND BE THERE FOR 50 YEARS AND THEN IF IT'S THERE FOR 50 YEARS, IT'S FACING THE WRONG DIRECTION FOR 50 YEARS.
SO, UH, UM, THAT'S, SO IT'S, IT'S UH, IT'S SPACE FOR STORAGE BUT NOT NECESSARILY TO SERVE COFFEE FROM, CORRECT.
I, I MIGHT EXPAND ON THAT 'CAUSE I, UH, COUNCILMAN HYPES AS A, AS A PERFECT POINT.
IF YOU LOOKED AT THIS DESIGN, 'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF THE DRB.
IF YOU TOOK THAT MUFFIN TOP AND THE BOARD AND BATTEN AND ALL THAT AND YOU ABSOLUTELY DID A SECOND ONE ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND THAT COULD COME DOWN, COVER THE MECHANICAL ALL THE WAY AROUND BOARD AND BATTEN AND NOW YOU HAVE YOUR NICE ROOF AND YOU COULD HAVE A SIGN ON THE SIDES MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF IT.
'CAUSE I THINK THE POINT COUNCILMAN HYPES IS MAKING IS LOOK AT WHAT YOU PULLED UP IN THE RENDERING OF THE RETAIL BUILDING NEXT DOOR.
BOTH SIDES OF THAT FRONTAGE AND PARKING LOT BOTH HAVE STOREFRONT FACADES TO THEM.
THAT'S A PRECEDENT THAT'S SET, ESPECIALLY NEXT DOOR.
SO ALMOST WANT THE SAME KIND OF PRECEDENT RIGHT THERE.
SO THE DESIGN NEEDS TO BE ABSOLUTELY ENHANCED WITH, AND I KNOW IT'S A SMALL, SMALL BUILDING, BUT WE DON'T WANNA SEE A BACK OF A COOLER WITH MECHANICAL PIECES.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ABSOLUTELY BOARD AND BATTEN THAT KIND OF COMES OUT THAT YOU HAVE KIND OF A WIDER PIECE THAN THE COOLER SMALLER AND THEN A BIGGER, WIDER PIECE ON BOTH SIDES.
IS THAT DOABLE, SIR? UNDERSTOOD, SIR.
I FORGOT A QUESTION WAS IN THERE.
YOU FOUND IT AROUND EVENTUALLY.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? THANK YOU.
MS. OR HUSKY, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ON THIS ITEM? NO SIR, WE DO NOT.
HOWEVER, IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, NOW'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
DON'T SEE ANYONE COMING FORWARD.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? SEEING NO ONE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? YES SIR.
MR. MAYOR, BEAR WITH ME ON THIS ONE.
DO, UH, WISH TO APPROVE CU DASH 26 DASH ZERO THREE SLASH V DASH 26 DASH 0 4 7 BREW COFFEE AT 1 1 3 7 8 STATE BRIDGE ROAD AS A PRESENTED BY COUNSEL OR PRESENTED BY STAFF WITH A COUPLE OF ADDITIONS.
NUMBER ONE, REVISING CONDITION.
NUMBER ONE TO READ, UH, IN, IN LIEU OF FEBRUARY, WE WANNA SEE THE REVISION 4 30, 26.
I ALSO WANT TO ADD THE TWO CONDITIONS THAT MICHAEL PRESENTED THIS EVENING.
THE NUMBER ONE BEING THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM OBSERVATION, AS WELL
[01:05:01]
AS THE NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE BILLBOARD RESTRICTIONS FOR UM, MAINTENANCE.AND THEN THE LAST ONE, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A SENTENCE INTO NUMBER SIX, THAT STATES ELEVATION FRONTING STATE BRIDGE ROAD SHALL APPEAR AS A FRONT FACADE AND SHALL HAVE A TOWER FEATURE THAT IS CURRENTLY DEPICTED ON THE OPPOSITE ELEVATION WITH THE FINAL APPROVAL BY DRB.
SECOND, SIR, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I BELIEVE THE SECOND WAS COUNCILMAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE VOTE YES.
[D. PH-26-05 Unified Development Code Text Amendments – Pickleball Courts
SECOND READING
Consideration of text amendments to Unified Development Code (UDC) Section 1.4 Definitions and UDC Section 2.7 Miscellaneous Regulations to add definitions and regulations pertaining to pickleball courts.]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR COOK.
I BELIEVE YOU'VE GOT THIS ITEM.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THERE IS, THERE'S ACTUALLY NO CHANGES FROM THE FIRST READING, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR COOK ON THIS ITEM? GREAT JOB.
MS. OR HUSKEY, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS? NO SIR, WE DO NOT.
HOWEVER, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD, NOW'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MATT CHRISTENSEN.
I LIVE AT FIVE 50 E BLUE PLACE IN ALPHARETTA.
UM, I FEEL LIKE I, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW YOU ALL VERY WELL.
UM, BUT I'VE STOOD HERE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST THREE TO FOUR MONTHS SHARING WHAT MY FAMILY HAS BEEN LIVING THROUGH OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND WHILE I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE COMING BACK, KEEP COMING BACK HERE, I'M HERE AGAIN TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS NEW ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIRING PICKLEBALL COURTS TO BE AT LEAST 250 FEET AWAY FROM HOMES.
IT'S NOT JUST A POLICY UPDATE FOR FAMILIES LIKE MINE.
IT'S THE FIRST REAL SIGN OF HOPE TO MAINTAIN A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE.
I LIVE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO EXISTING COURTS AND THE IMPACT ON OUR DAILY LIFE HAS BEEN CONSTANT.
IT'S NOT A VOLUME ON A DECIMAL METER.
RATHER IT'S THE SHARP, REPETITIVE, HIGH FREQUENCY SOUND THAT CUTS THROUGH EVERYTHING THROUGH WALLS, THROUGH CLOSED WIND WINDOWS, AND THROUGH ANY ATTEMPT TO ENJOY THE ONE PLACE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PEACEFUL.
MY HOME, AND THAT'S THE PART I WANT TO EMPHASIZE.
IT'S WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO REST, RECHARGE, AND FEEL SAFE.
INSTEAD, IT'S BECOME A PLACE WHERE I BRACE MYSELF FOR THE NEXT BURST OF NOISE AGAIN.
UH, I UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ENJOY IT.
IT'S FUN AND FUN IS A GOOD THING.
COMMUNITY RECREATION IS A GOOD THING.
BUT FUN SHOULD NEVER COME AT THE COST OF SOMEONE ELSE'S ABILITY TO LIVE COMFORTABLY IN THEIR OWN HOUSE.
ENJOYMENT FOR ONE GROUP SHOULDN'T MEAN DISRUPTION, STRESS, AND SLEEPLESSNESS FOR ANOTHER.
THAT'S WHY THE 250 FOOT SETBACK MATTERS.
IT'S NOT ARBITRARY, IT'S NOT PUNITIVE.
DISTANCE IS THE ONLY PROVEN RELIABLE WAY TO PREVENT THE NOISE.
THE KIND OF NOISE INTRUSION THAT FAMILIES LIKE MINE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH.
DISTANCE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT ACTUALLY WORKS.
I'VE WATCHED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HAAS OR PRIVATE GROUPS TRY TO MANAGE THE ISSUE.
I'VE LIVED THROUGH PROMISES THAT WEREN'T KEPT AND DECISIONS THAT DIDN'T PROTECT US.
THAT'S WHY UPDATING ZONING IS ESSENTIAL.
THE CITY NEEDS CLEAR MODERN RULES THAT REFLECT THE REALITY OF TODAY'S RECREATIONAL TRENDS, RULES THAT PROTECT RESIDENTS BEFORE CONFLICTS ESCALATE, NOT AFTERWARDS.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO SAFEGUARD THE PEACE AND WELLBEING OF FAMILIES ACROSS ALPHARETTA TO MAKE SURE NO ONE ELSE ENDS UP IN THE POSITION THAT I'VE BEEN IN WHERE I'M FIGHTING FOR THE BASIC RIGHT TO ENJOY MY OWN PROPERTY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT THE ZONING ORDINANCE, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR EVERY FAMILY WHO DESERVES A HOME THAT FEELS LIKE A REFUGE, NOT A BATTLEGROUND OF COMPETING NOISES.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND TAKING THIS RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY.
[01:10:01]
THANKS, SIR.IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS RE VOUR AND I RESIDE IN 1, 2, 3, 3 0 CLAREMONT AVENUE, FLORIDA.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL CITY STAFF AND RESIDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, WHILE THE ORDINANCE WON'T APPLY TO EXISTING FACILITIES SUCH AS THE ONE NEAR MY HOME, WE ARE 150 FEET AWAY FROM THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
I'M PLEASED TO SEE FUTURE RESIDENTS PROTECTED THROUGH, UM, THE 250 FOOT SETBACK.
IN FACT, WHILE COMING HERE THIS EVENING, PLAYERS WERE ACTIVELY PLAYING PICKLEBALL, AND THE NOISE WAS CLEAR, CLEARLY NOTICEABLE, AND DISRUPTIVE.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT THE CITY TOOK THE TIME TO REVIEW THE RESEARCH AND EVERY EVIDENCE REGARDING PICKLEBALL NOISE FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS.
I SHARED MANY OF THESE TECHNICAL CONCERNS, UM, AND MANY OF THOSE STUDIES AND INFORMATION, UM, WITHIN OUR HOA, WHICH I DIDN'T SEE ANY RESPONSE.
UM, WHILE THEY WERE DIFFERING OPINION ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS CONCERN, I'M ENCOURAGED THAT THE CITY CAREFULLY EVALUATED THE ISSUE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO BALANCE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF NEARBY RESIDENTS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD? I DON'T SEE ANYONE COMING FORWARD.
SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL? YES, SIR.
MR. MAYOR, OFFER A MOTION THIS EVENING TO APPROVE PH THIS OR THE SECOND READING OF PH DASH 26 DASH ZERO FIVE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE TEXT AMENDMENT PICKLEBALL COURT.
THIS WAS PRESENTED THIS EVENING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TIMM MERKEL, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DORITO.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? COUNCILMAN DORITO.
FIRST, I I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THE CHRISTENSEN FAMILY.
UH, APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT YOU'VE HAD TO ENDURE, WHAT THE DECISIONS BY YOUR HOA BOARD, UM, WHERE YOU RESIDE.
UH, AS I SAID ON THE FIRST READING, I HOPE THIS ACTION BEING TAKEN BY THE CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT, IF THIS GETS APPROVED, UM, THAT IT DEMONSTRATES SOME LEADERSHIP ON THE CITY GOVERNMENT SIDE TO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO EXPECT OF OUR NEIGHBORS TO RESPECT OUR NEIGHBORS AND, AND THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT LIVE VERY CLOSE TO THESE PICKLEBALL FACILITIES.
SO, UM, UH, I, I, I HOPE THAT HEED SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THIS DEBATE AND ULTIMATELY LEADING UP TO THIS, UH, UM, THIS CHANGE IN OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE THIS EVENING THAT, UM, WILL ALLOW THEM TO RECONSIDER, UH, AT LEAST PUTTING SOME SORT OF, UH, REQUIREMENTS AROUND THE TIME OR USAGE OF THOSE COSTS.
SOMETHING TO HELP, YOU KNOW, DO THEIR PART TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS ON, ON PEOPLE AT THE CHRISTIANSON FAMILY.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE RESEARCH YOU PROVIDED AND EVERYTHING YOU PROVIDED YOU.
YOU'VE REALLY SHOWN SOME REAL LEADERSHIP AND, AND I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL IN CITY KATHY COOK AND, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WHO HAS WORKED REALLY HARD ON TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT THIS AND TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO WITHIN THE CONFINES OF ALL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.
UM, GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE DON'T READ THROUGH THIS.
THEY SEE THE HEADLINES AND THEN THEY COME UP WITH THEIR OWN STORY THAT GOES WITH IT.
WE, WE ARE NOT ANTI PICKLEBALL BY ANY MEANS.
AS THE FOLKS THAT CAME UP THAT CHRISTIANS TALK ABOUT, THEY LIKE PICKLEBALL, BUT IT'S A CHANGE IN THE LIFESTYLE WHEN COMES WITH CONVERTING TENNIS COURTS TO PICKLEBALL THAT WE REALLY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
IT WAS THERE BEFORE WE HAD THIS VOTE HERE TONIGHT.
THIS IS, UH, TO PREVENT, TO PREVENT IT GOING FORWARD FROM BEING PUT RIGHT NEXT TO, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL HOAS, RIGHT? I MEAN, SOMEBODY WITH A LARGE PIECE OF PROPERTY COULD BUILD A LARGE HOME WITH A SWIMMING POOL AND A PICKLEBALL COURT.
AND IF IT'S BUMPING RIGHT UP TO SOMEBODY, UH, AS MATTHEW SAID, 250 FEET IS, IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS DISTANCE.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHY I WAS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THIS AND PUSHED REAL HARD ALONG WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FIND A RESOLUTION THAT WORKS, AND I THINK WE DID FOR TONIGHT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, COUNCILWOMAN REEVES.
[01:15:02]
THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITH GETTING TO THIS POINT WITHOUT AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE BEING INVOLVED, AND YOU ALL, UM, WERE INVOLVED AND, AND SPOKE UP, AND WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW EMPOWERING THAT, THAT IT IS THAT, THAT YOU CAN COME FORWARD IN YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SPEAK UP.AND I WANNA THANK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO, WHO OUR LOCAL OFFICERS WENT OUT AND WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, AND STAFF WHO DID ALL OF THAT RESEARCH AND READ EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE GAVE YOU.
UM, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL, THIS IS, UM, THIS IS GOVERNMENT WORKING THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
I WISH IT HAD WORKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER FOR YOU ALL.
UM, AND ON A LITTLE BIT OF A LIGHTER NOTE, I READ THIS WEEKEND THAT SOMEBODY REALLY FAMOUS WAS TALKING ABOUT PICKLEBALL NOISE.
JOHN MCENROE WAS IN THE PAPER TALKING ABOUT HOW ANNOYING PICKLEBALL NOISE IS, AND WE ALL KNOW HIS TOLERANCE FOR IRRITATING IS PRETTY LOW.
HOWEVER, I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY AMUSING.
AND, UM, AND I'M PROUD OF EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY'S DONE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS MADE BY MAYOR PRO TEM.
PLEASE VOTE YES AND IT DOES PASS UNANIMOUSLY.
[E. PH-26-07 Unified Development Code Text Amendments – Short-term Rentals
SECOND READING
Consideration of text amendments to Unified Development Code (UDC) Section 2.7 Miscellaneous Regulations and Code of Ordinances Section 10-432 Definitions to provide clarification to the definition of short-term rental and add zoning districts allowing a short-term rental as a permitted or conditional use.]
MS. SWIN, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ORDINANCE TITLE ALOUD? AN ORDINANCE BY THE MAYOR AND COUNSEL OF THE CITY OF ALFREDA, GEORGIA TO AMEND ARTICLE TWO AND SA ALFREDA DOWNTOWN CODE OF THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE OF THE CITY OF ALFREDA, GEORGIA.
AND ARTICLE 15 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF ALFREDA, GEORGIA TO ADD CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE USE OF A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING UNIT AND ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL TO ASSIGN SHORT-TERM RENTALS AS PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES IN CERTAIN ZONING DISTRICTS TO REPEAL CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
THANK YOU, MS. SWIN, DIRECTOR COOK, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE SECOND READING AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST READING, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ITEM? THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS IN THIS ITEM? NO, SIR.
HOWEVER, ANYONE WANTS TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, NOW'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL? YES, SIR.
MR. MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE PH DASH 26 DASH ZERO SEVEN UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE TEXT AMENDMENT, SHORT-TERM RENTAL, SECOND READING, NO CHANGES.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PROTO MARKWELL, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BRADY IN DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE VOTE YES.
[F. Fiscal Year 2027 Budget and Millage Rate Levy
FIRST PUBLIC HEARING]
BUDGET AND MILLAGE RATE LEVY DIRECTOR TOM HARRIS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE, UH, ON THE BUDGET 2027 BUDGET.
UH, THE, THE INTENT, UH, RIGHT NOW, OR FOR THIS ITEM ON THE PUBLIC HEARING IS TO MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW STATE LAW.
IN A FEW MINUTES I'LL BE RIGHT BACK UP REGARDING THE ORDINANCE FOR THE BUDGET AND THE MILAGE RATES, BUT IT'S A CHANCE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, ON THE BUDGET.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TOM? THIS IS RIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ON THIS ITEM? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT.
HOWEVER, IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, NOW'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
I DON'T SEE ANY PUBLIC COMING FORWARD.
SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THERE WILL BE NO VOTE ON THIS ITEM THIS EVENING, CORRECT? IN A MINUTE WE'LL BE
SO WE'LL GO ON TO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING
SO WE'RE GOING ON TO THE FIRST
[01:20:01]
PUBLIC HEARINGIF YOU'RE DONE WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL MOVE ON TO BUSINESS.
NEW BUSINESS NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.
[A. Fiscal Year 2027 Millage Rate Ordinance
FIRST READING
Consideration of adoption of the City of Alpharetta's Fiscal Year 2027 Millage Rate Ordinance.]
MS. ESWINE, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ORDINANCE TITLE ALOUD? AN ORDINANCE BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ALFREDA, GEORGIA TO FIX THE AD FORUM TAX RATE OF THE CITY OF ALFREDA, GEORGIA FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING JULY 1ST, 2026 AND JUNE 30TH, 2027.
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, DIRECTOR HARRIS, ONCE AGAIN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027.
UH, SPECIFICALLY 5.05 MILLS FOR OPERATIONS AND 0.70 MILLS FOR DEBT SERVICE FOR A TOTAL OF 5.75 MILLS, WHICH IS THE SAME AS THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE WE CURRENTLY, UH, LEVY IN THIS YEAR.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON THE MILL.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR HUNT HARRIS? COUNCILMAN? HES DIRECTOR HARRIS, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME, UH, THE MILLAGE RATE WAS HIGHER THAN 5.7? HOW MANY YEARS SINCE 2012? 10.
WELL, I, THAT'S ASKING MY QUESTION FOR YOU,
OH, WAS THAT A QUESTION?
I, UH, I I IT'S QUITE A LONG TIME.
MAYBE 20 10, 20 16 YEARS MAYBE? YES.
UM, I REALLY LIKE SEEING THE 0.2 0.02 OF THE MILL GOING AWAY FROM DEBT AND ONTO THE OPERATIONS.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY, WAS A GOOD THING TO SEE.
AND, UM, THE MILLAGE RATE ISN'T GOING UP, BUT I WOULD, THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR DOING THIS WITH, WITH THE CITY.
AND I WANNA JUST MAKE TWO OBSERVATIONS THAT I'VE NOTICED.
AND ONE IS WE HAVE AN AMAZING STAFF.
JUST AMAZING, UM, EVERY DEPARTMENT CHAIR THAT I'VE HAD THE, YOU KNOW, PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH.
AND TOM, YOU ESPECIALLY HAVE BEEN, YOU'VE BEEN GENEROUS WITH YOUR TIME EXPLAINING THINGS TO ME.
AND SO THAT'S ONE THING I WANNA PASS ON.
AND THE SECOND THING IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING, YOU HEAR ALL THESE PEOPLE SAY, GOSH, ALPHARETTA MUST BE JUST LOADED WITH MONEY.
AND I WILL SAY THAT WE MUST DISPEL THAT NOTION THAT WE'RE SWIMMING IN MONEY HERE IN ALPHARETTA.
I THINK THAT THE STAFF AND THE PROCESS THAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COUNCIL HAS LED EVERYBODY THROUGH FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS IS REALLY, IT'S A RIGOROUS PROCESS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THE STAFF IS VERY DILIGENT IN WATCHING THEIR PENNIES.
UM, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT LEFT OVER.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT OBSERVATION.
WE'RE NOT ROLLING THE MILLAGE BACK, BUT THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT OBSERVATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANKS, SIR.
WE'VE ALREADY ASKED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, RIGHT? YOU ASKED FOR IT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT SINCE THIS IS A SEPARATE ITEM, I'D CALL FOR IT AGAIN.
PARDON? I HAD TWO PEOPLE TALK TO ME AT ONCE.
UH, YOU CALLED FOR IT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT SINCE THIS IS A TECHNICALLY A SEPARATE ITEM, I WOULD RECOMMEND CALLING FOR IT AGAIN.
SO ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DON'T SEE ANYONE COMING FORWARD NOT HIDING BEHIND TOM.
SO, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL? YES, MR. MAYOR.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 MILLAGE RATE ORDINANCE FIRST, READING SECOND.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BRADY, WHO I WILL ALSO GIVE CREDIT TO WORKING WITH TOM TO GET THIS DONE.
AND COUNCILWOMAN RES WAS SECOND IN DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE VOTE YES.
NEXT ITEM IS INVITATION TO BID.
26 DASH OH ONE ONE STREET SWEEPING, NO.
[B. Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Ordinance
FIRST READING
Consideration of adoption of the City of Alpharetta's Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Ordinance.]
MS. SWIN CAN'T GET RID OF, COULD YOU READ THIS ORDINANCE PLEASE? AN ORDINANCE BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ALFREDA, GEORGIA, ADOPTING THE FINAL ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
[01:25:01]
JULY 1ST, 2026, AND ENDING ON JUNE 30TH, 2027 AS ITS ANNUAL BUDGET OF CREATING THE USE OF FUNDS AS SHOWN THEREIN AS MAY BE NEEDED OR DEEMED NECESSARY TO DEFRAY ALL EXPENDITURES AND LIABILITIES OF THE CITY FOR SUCH FISCAL YEAR, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ITEM? UM, YES.
COUNCILMAN REEVES, UM, FOR OUR BUDGET IS AROUND 70% SALARY ORIENTED, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND THIS YEAR WE ARE LOOKING AT A 3% RAISE, BUT IT'S GONNA BE GIVEN MERIT BASED ON MERIT.
SO IT'S 3% OF THE SALARY BASE, BUT IT, IT'LL BE DEPENDING ON, AND I THOUGHT THAT, UM, CHRIS RANDALL DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING THE PROCESS OF THAT.
UM, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO A MARKET ADJUSTMENT AGAIN THIS YEAR, RIGHT? CORRECT.
THERE'S A MARKET ADJUSTMENT BASED ON, UH, ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN ON BY COUNT, UH, CITIES AROUND US SURROUNDING CITIES AND WHAT THEY DID WITH THEIR PERSONNEL THE PAST YEAR.
AND, UH, BASED ON THAT MARKET STUDY, UH, DONE BY THE HR DEPARTMENT, UH, WE WERE SLIGHTLY BEHIND IN CERTAIN AREAS OF FIRE, UM, AND AS WELL AS GENERAL EMPLOYEES.
BUT WE WERE RIGHT ON TARGET WITH, UH, POLICE AND E 9 1 1.
AND AS A PERCENTAGE, HOW MUCH IS THAT? UH, IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU WERE GETTING.
IT'S JUST 2% FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND THEN FIREFIGHTERS AND, AND, AND, UH, FIRE APPARATUS ENGINEERS HAD A CERTAIN NUMBER TOO.
SO IF YOU TOOK THAT AS A PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL, UM, PERSONAL SERVICES OR TOTAL SALARIES, THAT'S ABOUT ANOTHER PERCENT IN TOTAL.
BUT IT'S MORE TARGETED TO THE, TO THE ISSUE.
UM, SO, SO WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY TWO BUCKETS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, FROM JUST MOVING FORWARD PERSPECTIVE, I'VE NOTICED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THERE'S BEEN MARKET ADJUSTMENTS A GOOD NUMBER OF THE YEARS.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IN MY EXPERIENCE, MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT NOT DOING MARKET ADJUSTMENTS QUITE SO OFTEN 'CAUSE IT JUST LOOKS LIKE PART OF A RACE IF WE DO IT THAT WAY.
SO JUST MOVING FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
BUT I, I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH AND SEE WHICH POSITIONS WERE, UM, BEING ADJUSTED AND I APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
SO IT IS POSSIBLE FOR SOMEBODY TO GET ANYWHERE FROM A THREE TO A 6% RAISE IN THAT BALLPARK, CORRECT? POTENTIALLY.
SO IF I COULD, UH, I'LL EXPLAIN HOW WE ENDED UP IN THIS CURRENT PLAN.
AND AS YOU STATED A FEW MINUTES AGO, THE REASON ALPHARETTA IS IN THIS GREAT SHAPE AS WE ARE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT EMPLOYEES.
AND SEVERAL YEARS AGO IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE HOW OUR COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS COMPARED TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DIRECT COMPETITORS FOR LABOR SUPPLY LOCALLY AND WITHIN THE REGION.
AND SO GOING BACK TO CHRIS RANDALL, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR, SHE ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A PLATFORM AND FOUND SOFTWARE THAT WILL HELP US MAKE SURE.
AND OUR COUNCIL HAS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, SET A GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE IN THE TOP 20% OF THEIR COMPETITIVE LABOR MARKET.
'CAUSE WE FELT LIKE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF OUR STAFF AND THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, WE NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THOSE ROLES.
AND THAT'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN'T CHANGE.
BUT IT WAS A VERY THOUGHTFUL PROCESS AND I GIVE TREMENDOUS CREDIT TO MS. RANDALL BECAUSE TO BE ABLE TO FIND SOFTWARE THAT COULD DO THAT FOR US.
I MEAN, SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO THEY USED TO HAVE TO GO AND TRY TO PULL INFORMATION REQUESTS TO SEE HOW MUCH A FIREFIGHTER IN JOHN'S CREEK WAS GETTING OR HOW MUCH A POLICE OFFICER IN SANDY SPRINGS.
BUT WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
SO WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE DISCUSSIONS OF HOW WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT, BUT IT SERVED US PRETTY WELL.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T DO BETTER.
JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS WELL.
ANY COUNCILMAN BRADY, I'LL JUMP IN AND SAY SOME COMMENTS.
JUST, UH, I KNOW I'LL FIND A QUESTION IN HERE SOONER OR LATER, BUT I I, I DO WANT TO KIND OF MAKE, UH, SOME POINTS THAT, AND, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE KIND OF GETTING TO AND, AND REALLY IN REACTION A LITTLE BIT TO, TO
[01:30:01]
'CAUSE I HEAR IT TOO, YOU KNOW, SO OF ALFRED, YOU GUYS ARE, ARE BOOMING.YOU GOT A LOT OF STUFF, MUST BE, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IN THE TAX DOLLARS.
SO, SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION IS, IS TOM, WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR, UM, DO YOU SEE ANY GROWTH IN, IN THE TAX DIGEST THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE? DO YOU SEE THAT THAT PARTICULAR PART DECLINING? IT'S MORE FOR THE RECORD, YES.
IT'S BEEN, UH, FLAT ZERO OR DECLINE.
I THINK IT WILL, IT LAG A LITTLE BIT OF THE MARKET TOO IS TENDS TO BE HOW THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT MAYBE NEXT YEAR IN THE 28 YEAR, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME POSITIVE, UH, NUMBER ON THAT SIDE.
BUT WHAT WE PROJECTED HERE IS ABOUT A MINUS 2% OF THAT VALUATION.
AND WHEN YOU KIND OF LOOK AT THAT FROM AN OVERALL REVENUE LIKE TAX DIGEST AND RECEIPTS, WHAT KIND OF PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL REVENUE WOULD THAT COUNT FOR? IT'S, IT'S 45% OF THE, OF THE, UH, PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE GENERATE.
SO 45% OF THAT IS SEEING NO GROWTH.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE'VE SEEN IT AT WILLS PARK.
WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT'VE DONE THERE.
WE LOOK BACK, THE POOL AND ALL THE BONDS, ALL THOSE DOLLARS THAT MM-HMM
ALPHARETTA IS INVESTING A LOT OF MONEY BACK INTO INFRASTRUCTURE ALSO FROM AN OPERATIONS KIND OF PERSPECTIVE.
AND IT'S DIFFICULT EVERY YEAR TO GO THROUGH AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE TIGHTEN UP THE BELT A LITTLE BIT TO DO THAT AND MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST QUALITY RATING IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AT THE SAME TIME.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THIS LAST YEAR GOING THROUGH THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S RARELY HAPPENED WHERE WE'RE OUT OF BUDGET, WHERE, WHERE WE HAD A DEPARTMENT COME UP IN THIS LAST YEAR AND TALK ABOUT I'M OVER BUDGET OR WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
I, THERE WAS ONLY LIKE TWO ITEMS THAT I KNOW ALL YEAR THAT ACTUALLY WAS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN OUR BUDGET KIND OF GOING, GOING FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND KIND OF GOING FORWARD PLANNING ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND WE WILL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TIGHTEN IT UP.
BUT IT'S, IT'S WITH 45% OF YOUR, YOUR TOP LINE REVENUE NOT COMING IN AND STAYING STAGNANT.
SO JUST APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING ON THAT AND, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO KIND OF DO THAT AND, AND TIGHTEN IT UP EVEN MORE TO GENERATE DOLLARS INTO OTHER CAPITAL THINGS THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
HATS OFF TO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS WITH THAT AS WELL.
WE'RE, WE'RE COMING TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE DON'T, UH, THERE'S NOT A RUN TO GO SPEND THE DOLLARS THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE YEAR AS YOU HEAR ABOUT THAT GOVERNMENT DOES A LOT.
THAT'S, THAT'S JUST NOT A PROCESS THAT WORKS WITH OUR, OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS DON'T FOLLOW THAT APPROACH.
SO, COUNCILWOMAN REEVES, AS WE LOOK FORWARD LIKE TO NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, COUNCILMAN BRADY BROUGHT IT UP AND I THINK YOU DID TOO.
WE WERE WAITING FOR FULTON COUNTY TO CATCH UP WITH SOME OF THE SALES AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF A, A TRIGGER THAT, YOU KNOW, A REALLY BIG PARCEL GOES, OR A REALLY A LARGE, UM, PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS THAT'S BEEN IN THE SAME HANDS FOR 20, 30 YEARS.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE A $500,000 PROPERTY.
YOU HAVE A, OR WORSE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT SELLS AND THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SELLS AND IT IS MAKING A COMEBACK.
WE DO SEE CARS IN THE PARKING LOTS, SO THE MARKET IS CHANGING.
LOOK AT THE DATA SALE, DATA SCAN SALE.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S CHANGING A LOT.
AND I WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW WE COULD, YOU KNOW, GET FULTON COUNTY TO COME.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN WORKED WITH 'EM A LONG TIME.
UM, IF WE COULD GET THEIR, THEIR ASSISTANCE ON BEING A LITTLE MORE CURRENT WITH THE DIGEST, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HANDLE THAT? I WONDER IF YOU COULD GO RIGHT AHEAD.
BUT THE STATE CONSTITUTION JUST DOESN'T ALLOW IT.
THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, NOT EVEN FULTON COUNTY CONTROLS IT.
THE TAX ASSESSOR JUST DOES THEIR OWN THING.
AND IT'S COME TO BITE US NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO.
UM, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO, IF WE SEE BIG PARCELS OF SALES REACH OUT FOR WHAT THAT'S WORTH TO THEM.
YEAH, THE SALES PRICE WILL BE PUBLIC.
BUT THE TAX ASSESSOR, SO HAS TO ASSESS IT THAT WAY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION QUESTION? WE DON'T HAVE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE NO, WE HAVEN'T.
WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT TO COME FORWARD.
[01:35:06]
PARDON? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS.I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM COMING, COMING IN.
MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET ORDINANCE FIRST READING AS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BRADY, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DORITO TO APPROVE ANY DISCUSSION.
UM, I, I CONSIDER MY ROLE SITTING UP HERE, UH, ON COUNCIL.
THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I GET TO DO IN ANY YEAR IS, IS TO VOTE ON PASSING A BUDGET.
IT'S OUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITIES ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE FIND, UH, TO BE MOST IMPORTANT FOR A CITY.
AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW TO ADDRESS A, A VERY FLUID SITUATION, WHICH I THINK OUR, OUR STAFF AND OUR DIRECTORS HANDLE MAGNIFICENTLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, WHEN I LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, I SEE WHAT WAS OUR GREATEST STRENGTH PRIOR TO COVID BEING, UM, AT, AT BEST, JUST BEING A PUSH.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN BRADY BROUGHT IT UP.
WE WERE BLESSED WITH 60 40 IN FAVOR OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES, WHICH WHEN I READ THE REPORTS, NOW IT'S 51 49.
AND, UH, THAT'S NOT BECAUSE OF ANY INCREASE IN THE RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE IT'S CAPPED.
IT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE OF A DECLINE IN THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX BASE, WHICH I'VE ALWAYS BEEN BULLISH ON.
AND I WANT OUTRE HERE, MY OPINION ON THIS.
AND I THINK OFFICE IS GOING TO COME BACK.
AND IF IT COMES BACK ANYWHERE IN THE NORTH METRO AREA, IT'S GONNA COME HERE.
OUR STRENGTH IS IN OUR COMMERCIAL TAX BASE, OUR 20, OUR 20.1 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE, UH, BEING AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER AND THEN HAVING THAT PAY FOR ALL THE GREAT THINGS WE HAVE.
OUR OTHER CALLING CARD IS, WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF QUALITY.
WE'RE NOT A COMMUNITY OF QUANTITY.
WE'RE NOT A COMMUNITY OF FILLING, UH, JUST CHECKING A BOX.
AND, AND EVEN FROM THE APPLICANTS AND PRIVATE MONEY THAT COMES FORWARD, WE HAVE, WE HAVE DEMANDED QUALITY.
AND OUR BUDGET NEEDS TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
AND WHY THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BUDGET AS WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH A POST COVID HANGOVER IS COVID FOR EVERYONE, ALL CITIES, UH, GAVE US HYPERINFLATION.
AND SO WE'VE GOT A, A STEADY, IF NOT FLAT REVENUES INCOME, UH, FROM OUR SOURCES, UH, PROPERTY TAXES AND ELSEWHERE.
BUT WHEN PETE COMES UP HERE AND SAYS HE WANTS TO DO A MILE OF ROAD, IT'S TWICE WHAT IT USED TO BE, PROBABLY WHEN I STARTED COUNCIL, WHEN HE WANTS TO DO A THOUSAND FEET OF STORM WATER, IT'S TWICE WHAT IT USED TO BE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A FACT, BUT IT FEELS THAT WAY.
UH, WE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, WHEN WE WANT TO DO THE PARKS BOND AND WE PASS THE PARKS BOND AND IT COMES TIME TO EXECUTE, WE GET LESS FOR THE DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THE INFLATION.
AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL AND ALL COMMUNITIES ARE DEALING WITH.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY, I THINK OUR COMMUNITY IS DEALING WITH IT BETTER THAN JUST ABOUT ANY COMMUNITY AROUND US.
NOW, THE THE ISSUE IS WE FUND OUR CAPITAL COMING OUT OF OUR OPERATING.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND I LOOK AT TRENDS WITH THE POST COVID HANGOVER IN OUR BUDGET, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT I SEE IS FEWER AVAILABLE DOLLARS FOR CAPITAL.
AND AS I LEARNED, UH, AND I WANT TO GIVE ATTRIBUTION HERE, I LEARNED FROM THE MAYOR, UH, EARLY ON WHAT I JOINED COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERY NEW MILE OF ROAD YOU BUILD, YOU GOTTA MAINTAIN IT FOR EVERY NEW, YOU KNOW, THOUSAND YARDS OF, UH, ALPHA LOOP.
NOW YOU GOTTA GO MAINTAIN IT FOR, FOR EVERY INVESTMENT IN YOUR CITY.
SO WE'RE CONTINUALLY SPENDING MORE DOLLARS, UH, UH, ON QUALITY OF LIFE, WHICH IS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE AND PAY TO MOVE HERE, TO LIVE HERE.
AND OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS ARE DECLINING TO SOME DEGREE IN PART, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE OF HYPERINFLATION AND, AND PRESSURES WITHIN THE BUDGET.
AND, UH, I THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR US GOING FORWARD WITH THIS BUDGET, UH, AND AND BUDGETS IN THE FORESEEABLE, UH, FUTURE, IS BEING ON GUARD
[01:40:01]
FOR SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, UNFORESEEN.AND, AND WE JUST, WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO IT.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE HAD A BRIDGE GO OUT ON MAYFIELD ROAD.
WELL, WE GOTTA HAVE A BRIDGE ON MAYFIELD ROAD.
SO THERE WASN'T A QUESTION ABOUT IF WE'RE GONNA FIX IT, WE'RE GONNA GO FIX IT AND WE'RE GONNA FIX IT FAST, AND WE'RE GONNA THROW PEOPLE IN DOLLARS AT IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE JAIL IS AN UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCE.
THAT IS FULTON COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO PROVIDE A JAIL.
THEY ARE NOT ACCEPTING MISDEMEANOR CRIMES.
AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S VERY TROUBLING.
SO THAT'S UNFORESEEN, BUT WE'RE DEALING WITH IT.
UM, SO I, I WANT TO COMMEND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR STAFF HAS DONE, WHAT DIRECTOR HARRIS AND, AND OUR, OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND OUR LEADERSHIP UP HERE ON THIS PANEL HAVE DONE.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING WE DO IN ANY ONE YEAR.
AND WE'VE GOT CHALLENGES, BUT WE'VE GOT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, UM, UH, I I THINK THAT WE WILL CONTINUE KEEPING THIS MILLAGE RATE THE SAME AND PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE IN, IN THE ECONOMIC BUSINESS CENTER OF NORTH ATLANTA, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS BUDGET AND GOING FORWARD.
BUT I, I DO BELIEVE WE'VE GOT, UH, TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL AND BE FOCUSED.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN DORITO? I JUST WANT TO ADD TO COUNCILMAN HYPE'S COMMENTS, 'CAUSE I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE JUST SAID.
UM, BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS OUR EMPLOYEE SALARIES AND BENEFITS, UM, I'D GO THROUGH THE COMPENSATION MARKET EVALUATION REPORTS, TOM, THAT YOU PROVIDED TO ME.
AND I KNOW, UM, CHRIS IS OUT RIGHT NOW, SO CAN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
BUT, UM, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE, THE PERCENTAGE THAT THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS CAME UP WITH TOGETHER, I'M ASSUMING, OR THE, UM, MARKET ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO, I DO WANT TO JUST TELL YOU MY OWN FEELINGS GOING THROUGH THIS BUDGET, SINCE IT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR BUDGET, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND THE BASIS OR THE BUSINESS CASE FOR THE 3% OR FOR THE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS MAYBE IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN 3%.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S TOO MUCH.
SO I SIT HERE AS A PERSON THAT'S APPROVING A BUDGET ON BEHALF OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO'S PAYING THE BILLS, AND I REALLY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE THAT I DON'T HAVE A HANDLE ON THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR BUDGET.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, IF YOU GO THROUGH THE TENURE TRENDS OF THE CITY, OUR COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS EVERY YEAR WERE FOUR TO 3%, 3% ON AVERAGE, RIGHT? THEN WE HAD, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC HAD THOSE BIG MARKET ADJUSTMENTS.
AND, AND IT SEEMS LIKE SINCE THE PANDEMIC, THE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS IS ALMOST BECOMING COMMONPLACE, WHICH IS FINE.
I I COMPLETELY KNOW THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS ADVISE US THAT THE RIGHT BUSINESS CASE THAT THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
I'M SURE THIS COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT THAT, RIGHT? ASSUMING WE HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL IN THE, THE FUNDING TO DO THAT.
UM, WHEN I LOOK AT THE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS AND THE REPORTS THAT YOU PROVIDED TO ME, IT REALLY IS BASED ON SALARY.
I DON'T SEE ANY DATA OR INFORMATION ABOUT COMPARISONS OF OF OF BENEFITS PACKAGES COMPARED TO, UM, ALPHARETTA.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY DIFFERENTIATIONS THERE.
UM, AND, AND IF WE WANNA JUST STAY AHEAD AND KEEP THROWING MONEY AT PEOPLE TO KEEP 'EM HERE, UM, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT EMPLOYEES LIKE THAT.
THERE'S BETTER REASONS OF BEING ALFRED THAN JUST COMPENSATION.
AND IF THE BUSINESS CASE IS THERE TO SUPPORT THAT, I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF IT.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS I DON'T HAVE THE BUSINESS CASE BOTH FOR THE 3% AND FOR THE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS.
AND I HOPE WE CHANGE SOME PROCESS NEXT YEAR THAT WE HAVE A BETTER VISUAL INTO THAT IS WHAT I'M SUGGESTING.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M SAYING THIS TONIGHT IS, AS, AS KIND OF COUNCILMAN HANKS WAS ALLUDING TO SOME, SOME THINGS THAT ARE COMING AT US THAT HAVE COME AT US, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, OUR CAPITAL CONTRIBUTION, I THINK WENT FROM WHAT, HOW MUCH A YEAR DOWN TO, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR, RIGHT? 600,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
USED TO BE FOUR AND A HALF MILLION, RIGHT? GOT IT UP TOWARDS FOUR.
SO WHAT THAT'S TELLING ME WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE 10 YEAR TRENDS OF THE CITY AND THE
[01:45:01]
FINANCES, BOTH THE OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGETS, IS I DID GO THROUGH THEM.UM, I'M STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED THAT WE NEED TO PLAN BETTER FOR THE FUTURE.
FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW SALARY STRUCTURES FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND MAYBE THIS BECOMES MAY A PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW WHERE WE, WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE PROCESSES AS THE MAYOR WENT OUT.
WE'RE DOING GREAT THINGS TODAY, YOU KNOW, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, RIGHT? AND CHANGES BECAUSE THE CITY KEEPS GROWING AND THE NEEDS KEEP GROWING AND THE COSTS KEEP GROWING.
UM, THE, UM, THE TAX BASE MAYBE NOT GROWING AS FAST AS OUR OPERATING EXPENSES ARE GROWING.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE AS MUCH AS WE, WE, WE ALL SAY WE LOVE THE EMPLOYEES AND WE DO, WE ALSO NEED TO PROTECT THEIR JOBS FOR THE FUTURE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY DRIVING THE CITY INTO A, A PATH WHERE WE EITHER HAVE TO INCREASE THE MILAGE RATE OR, OR CUT COURSE OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
AND, AND, AND, AND, AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT THE TENURE YEAR BUDGET TRENDS OF THE CITY, MOST OF OUR GROWTH HAS HELPED MANAGE THE GROWTH IN OPERATING EXPENSES AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
AND WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, THE MAYOR, EVERYONE PREVIOUS COUNCILS, THE CITY STAFF.
SO I'M NOT CRITICIZING WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET FOR RAISES AND STUFF, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO START FOCUSING A LITTLE BIT MORE CAREFULLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE COMPARING TO OTHER CITIES AROUND US.
IF WE'RE GONNA COMPARE, LET'S GET REAL DATA, NOT JUST SALARY DATA.
LET'S GET DATA ON OTHER BENEFIT PACKAGES IN COMPARISON TO THE CITY.
WHERE ARE WE EQUAL? WHERE, WHERE ARE WE DOING BETTER? LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CITIES HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, RETIREMENT, HEALTHCARE BENEFIT.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, HOW MANY CITIES, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR PTO POLICY IS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THESE REPORTS IS, IS, IS A COMPLETE PICTURE SO THAT I CAN MAKE A DECISION ON BEHALF OF SPENDING OUR TAXPAYER'S MONEY AND ENCUMBERING THAT MONEY TO BASICALLY SAY, WE HAVE THE MONEY.
WE WANNA STAY COMPETITIVE AS THE MAYOR.
WE SAID NUMBER ONE OR TWO IN OUR AREA.
WE ALL WANT TO BE, WE'RE THRIVING CITY, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE HAVE THE PROPER FUNDING FOR OTHER THINGS THAT COME DOWN THE PIKE AS WELL.
WE, WE, WE, WE, WE MAY SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN THE CITY IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND SO WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THAT AS WELL.
INCREASE EMPLOYEE STAFF IN POLICE AND SER AND IN INCREASE IN SERVICES.
AND SO AS THAT'S HAPPENING, COSTS GO UP.
UM, I KNOW JUST IN, IN, IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, I THINK THE AVERAGE, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, BECAUSE OF OIL PRICES ARE THROUGH THE CEILING RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, MCADAM TODAY, BIGGEST PART OF MCADAM IS OIL.
AND SO THOSE PRICES ARE SKYROCKETING NOW THE PAVER STREET THAN IT WAS, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S ALL A FINE BALANCING ACT AND PRIORITIES WE HAVE TO SET.
AND HOPEFULLY THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON FOCUSING ON THE BUDGET PROCESS BECAUSE I THINK AS A GROWING CITY, WE NEED TO GROW AND CHANGE THE WAY WE MANAGE THE BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING NOT ONLY ON THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR COMING UPON US, BUT AT LEAST AT LEAST TWO OR THREE YEARS OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PAVING A PATH TO SUSTAIN THE EMPLOYMENT BASE THAT WE HAVE, INCREASE THE EMPLOYMENT BASE AND, AND, AND BE ABLE TO AFFORD, UH, TO KEEP THE SERVICE LEVELS AT THE LEVEL THAT WE ALL HAVE APPRECIATED FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE CITY OF ALPHARETTA.
TOM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WOULD YOU MAKE SURE TO GET WITH MS. RANDALL WHEN SHE'S AVAILABLE SO Y'ALL CAN PROVIDE ALL OF THAT DATA THAT SURE, SURE.
WE, WE KNOW THE BENEFITS PRETTY, LIKE I SAID, I, I KNOW SHE HAS THE DATA, SO MM-HMM
JUST MAKE SURE HE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IT WITH COUNCILMAN DORITO, PLEASE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT THE MOTION.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR GETTING ME BACK ON TRACK.
I LOSE, OH, I NEED SOME HELP EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WHEN WE STRAY FROM THE PATH I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE VOTE.
[C. Invitation To Bid: 26-011 Street Sweeping
Consideration and approval of the award of ITB 26-011 for Street Sweeping to Watt Commercial Sweeping, Inc., for an amount not to exceed $52,708.14 and with authorization for the Mayor to execute all necessary documents.]
26 DASH OH ONE ONE STREET SWEEPING DIRECTOR VIC, LET'S TALK ABOUT CLEANING STREETS.
[01:50:02]
TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF 'EM.NOW, MARY COUNSEL, UM, FOUR NINE IS OUR ANNUAL STREET SWEEPING CONTRACT.
IT'S A ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH FOUR YEAR RENEWAL, UM, YEARS.
UM, THAT IS BASICALLY IF THINGS AREN'T WORKING OUT IN YEAR ONE OR YEAR TWO THAT WE WILL GO BACK OUT TO BID AND, UM, GET SOMEBODY, UM, MORE QUALIFIED WHO WILL DO THE WORK FOR US.
UH, WHAT COMMERCIAL SWEEPING WAS THE LOWEST, UM, PRICE AT 52,000.
UH, IF YOU READ THE PACKET, THERE'S CALLED A TWO LARGE PICKUPS AND TWO REGULAR PICKUPS.
THE LARGE PICKUPS ARE AFTER OUR WINTER STORM EVENTS, MEANING THAT IT'S BASED ON TONNAGE, RIGHT? SO, AND WE DO NOT DO ANY SWEEPING INSIDE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR? S? MUST HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? UH, NO SIR, WE DO NOT.
HOWEVER, ANYONE WANTS TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO DO SO? I DON'T SEE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC COMING FORWARD.
SO WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL? YES, MAYOR.
UM, LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE AWARD ITB 26 DASH OH ONE ONE TO WALT COMM COMMERCIAL SWEEPING INC.
FOR PARKING GARAGE AND STREET SWEEPING SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $52,708 AND 14 CENTS, AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN REEVES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY MAYOR PROTO MARKLE.
ANY DISCUSSION?
YEAH, YEAH, JUST ME HAVE A MEET IN THE MIDDLE IF YOU CAN.
AS LONG AS WE GET ONE TO DOUG, WE'RE GOOD.
YOU WANT ONE? OH, YOU GOTTA HAVE ONE TO PRESENT OR YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MEMORIZED.
[D. TSPLOST III Project List
Consideration and approval of the City's Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) III project list, and with authorization for the Mayor to execute all necessary documents.]
UM, MAYOR COUNCIL TODAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE TS PLUS LIST.
UM, IN FACT, FULL COUNTY WAS VERY GENEROUS AND GAVE US TILL, UM, TOMORROW SUBMIT THE LIST BASED OFF HOW OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS WORK.
UM, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE AT THE END OF MAY.
COULD GIVE US A LITTLE, COUPLE EXTRA DAYS.
UM, SO THIS IS THE LIST FOR YOU.
UM, LAST WEEK I WAS OUT OF THE OFFICE WITH STAFF WHO WENT ALONG.
UM, THEY SAW THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS.
THEY, UH, WALKED THE MAYFIELD CORRIDOR.
UM, THEY WALKED A LOT MORE OF THE, OF THE CORRIDORS AS WELL.
UM, WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO FULTON COUNTY ON THE MAYFIELD CORRIDOR.
THERE ARE THREE WATER VAULTS THAT NEED TO BE RELOCATED.
THREE WHAT? WATER VAULTS LARGE.
UM, TWO IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND ONE IN FRONT OF THE ART CENTER.
THEY'RE UNABLE TO GIVE US A APPROXIMATE COST TO RELOCATE THOSE WATER VAULTS RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A DESIGN.
WE DO NOT KNOW IF WE NEED TO MOVE THE VAULT BACK FIVE FEET, 10 FEET, MOVE IT OVER 15 FEET.
UM, ALL THOSE PLAY IN LINE, IT COULD BE $25,000 PER VAULT OR A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS PER VAULT.
SO WE TOOK THAT, UM, AND WITH THE GUIDANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CHRIS, WE REVISED THE LIST.
UH, REAL QUICK, UM, TURNS OUT THAT THE KIL BRIDGE ROAD, SIDEWALK CORRIDOR, SIDEWALK PROJECT WAS A $5 MILLION PROJECT.
SO WE JUST REMOVED MAYFIELD, PUT IN THE KIMMEL BRIDGE CORRIDOR.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST ONE YOU SEE IN TIER ONE THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED ON THE LIST.
AND THEN WE, SINCE WE MOVED KIMMEL BRIDGE SIDEWALK FROM TIER TWO TO TIER ONE, WE HAD TO THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO FOR TIER TWO.
THERE IS NO GUARANTEE YOU RECEIVE MONEY FOR TIER TWO.
UM, THERE'S ALSO NO GUARANTEE THAT IF WE RECEIVE THE FUNDS FOR TIER TWO, THAT WE HAVE DOLLARS AVAILABLE.
'CAUSE MAYBE SOME OF THE PROJECTS WENT OVER BUDGET, UH, FOR THOSE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE DIDN'T GET TO TIER TWO AND TIER THREE PROJECTS BECAUSE RIGHT AWAY WAS SO EXPENSIVE.
SO WHAT WE DID DO IS WE ALLOCATED THE $5 MILLION TO GO TOWARDS VARIOUS ALPHA LOOP CROSSINGS AND ADDITIONS.
UM, THERE IS A CROSSING, UM, WE HAVE A PROJECT COMING BEFORE MARIN COUNCIL IN A COUPLE WEEKS TO AWARD SOME DESIGN WORK.
THIS IS PART OF THOSE PROJECTS RIGHT THERE THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR OVERHEAD.
SO CROSSING HAYNES BRIDGE ROAD, EXTENDING NORTH ONES A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, EXTENDING SIDEWALK AT HAYNES BRIDGE IF WE CAN.
AND JUST GETTING MORE CONNECTIVITY ACROSS HAYNES BRIDGE ROAD SAFER.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR TIER TWO PROJECTS WOULD GO TOWARDS.
SO FOR THE KEY THINGS IS TIER ONE FOR US.
[01:55:01]
PROJECTS THAT WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON IF TLO THREE PASSES.I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO, UM, GO THROUGH THE KIMBALL BROAD, UH, ADDITION HERE.
UM, I SEE SIDEWALKS ON THE NORTH SIDE IN IT'S, UH, BASED ON ROAD BEING WIDENED.
UH, WILL IT BE WIDENED TO THE SAME EXTENT SO THAT IT'S THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE KIMBALL BRIDGE CORRIDOR? SIMILAR, IT IS A TIGHT SQUEEZE THROUGH THERE.
SO IT, SEC SECTIONS OF KILN BRIDGE CORRIDOR HAS MEDIANS.
WE PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE A LANDSCAPE MEDIAN IN THE, UH, ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
MAY HAVE A SMALL CONCRETE MEDIAN, LIKE A TWO FEET WIDE, ONE FOOT WIDE STRIP.
BUT WE'RE GONNA DESIGN IT FIRST FOR THE WIDENING AND THEN USE, AND THEN JUST CONSTRUCT THE SIDEWALK, ACQUIRE THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR THE SIDEWALK AS WELL.
SO BETWEEN, UM, NORTH WINDS AND 400 THAT WAS WIDENED TO HOW MANY LANES BETWEEN EVERYTHING WEST, EAST OF, UM, NORTH WINDS HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF? YEAH.
AND HOW MANY LANES IS THAT? UM, NORTH WINDS TO, AND I CAN LOOK NORTH, NORTH WINDS TO NORTH POINT IS FOUR LANES.
NORTH POINT TO WATERS IS THREE, TWO IN ONE DIRECTION, ONE IN THE OTHER.
AND, UH, ON THIS SLOSS PROPOSAL, GOING BACK THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, GOING WEST TOWARD WEST SIDE, WOULD THE NUMBER OF LANES MATCH UP? IT'D BE FOUR LANES IS THE PROPOSED, BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS OUR, OUR ONE BOTTLENECK ON THE EAST WEST.
IS THAT STRETCH RIGHT THERE? YEAH, THAT'S WHERE, YEAH, THAT'S THE CHOKE POINT.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION ABOUT THIS PROJECT, SINCE I HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT IT.
UH, HOW, HOW CAN THAT FIT IN WITH, UH, THE KIMMEL BRIDGE BRIDGE BEING REPLACED? THE KIMMEL BRIDGE BRIDGE HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED.
IT'S ALREADY THAT ONE'S BEEN REPLACED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WEB BRIDGE IS NEXT.
GOT MY 400 OVERPASSES MIXED UP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, PETE, MS. OR HUSKY, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS? UH, YES WE DO.
IF ASHLYN HUTTON WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
UM, MY ADDRESS IS 10 75 PEACHTREE STREET, NORTHEAST NUMBER 1500 IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
BUT I AM ACTUALLY AN ATTORNEY HERE ON BEHALF OF MS. KRISTEN KOLBY, WHO OWNS THE HISTORIC UPSHAW HOUSE LOCATED AT TWO 12 CANTON STREET IN 1 46 MAYFIELD ROAD.
I'M HERE SPECIFICALLY TO OPPOSE THE INCLUSION OF THE MAYFIELD ROAD PROJECT AS A TIER ONE PROJECT IN TELOS THREE, AS IT'S CURRENTLY STATED.
UM, WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO THE, THE PROJECT IN THEORY, THE MAIN OPPOSITION HERE COMES FROM THE FACT THAT WE FOUND OUT ON MAY 21ST FROM PETE THAT NO TRAFFIC STUDY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DONE REGARDING THE NEED OF THAT PROJECT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS REGARDING THE SAFETY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE AREA.
AND SO TOGETHER, THOSE THREE CONCERNS, THE LACK OF A TRAFFIC STUDY THAT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERNS WITH LEFT TURNS.
IF, IF THAT ROAD IS WIDENED AND, UM, THE HISTORICAL PRES PRESERVATION, WE THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO TIER TWO OR TIER THREE, AT LEAST UNTIL A TRAFFIC STUDY IS DONE THAT SUPPORTS THE NEED FOR THAT PROJECT.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT THE ONLY THING THAT HAS BEEN DONE ARE VISUAL MONITORINGS OF, OF TRAFFIC IN THE AREA.
THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO DESIGN A PROJECT.
I'VE JUST, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NO LONGER ON THERE.
UM, HOWEVER, IT WAS IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC PACKET THAT'S PUBLISHED ON THE CITY WEBSITE THAT I CHECKED THIS EVENING.
UM, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE'S A CHANGE, I'LL YIELD MY TIME AND POTENTIALLY YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HEAR FROM ME ANYMORE.
PETE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU HAD JUST DISCUSSED A LITTLE EARLIER? YOU DID A NICE JOB.
SO WHEN WE, WE DEVELOPED THE ILLUSTRATION FOR ALL FOR OUR TS PLUS PROJECTS.
IT WAS MORE OF JUST USING OUR AERIALS AND GOING THROUGH IT ALL.
UM, WE RECEIVED REQUESTS TO GO LOOK AT SOME THINGS A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY, HAVE CREWS WALK, ENGINEERS WALK THE CORRIDOR, AS WELL AS REACH OUT TO FULTON COUNTY.
AND THAT WAS TO FULTON COUNTY RESPONDED AND INFORM US, LISTEN, I CAN'T GIVE YOU A NUMBER.
I DON'T WANNA GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF 25 GRAND, OR I DON'T WANNA GIVE YOU A GRAND OF A QUARTER OF A
[02:00:01]
MILLION DOLLARS, AND HAVE IT BE OPPOSITE IN EACH DIRECTION.SO WE JUST, UM, DECIDED IT WAS BEST.
TRY TO LOOK AT A DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES AND PURSUIT PROJECTS AND MOVE FORWARD DIFFERENTLY IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO, SO IN THE ENGLISH, THAT MEANS THAT YOU WENT BACK REASSESSED THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND HOW LITTLE INFORMATION WE HAD.
SO WE JUST TOOK IT OFF THE LIST.
AND, AND MO I JUST WANTED TO TO SAY IT IN ENGLISH SO PEOPLE COULD UNDERSTAND.
'CAUSE CLEARLY SOME, THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN REESE? I JUST WANTED TO THANK PETE AND ALL OF HIS STAFF.
THEY, I HAD A, A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH TEA BLAST AS THE ONLY YOU KNOW, TOPIC AND THAT I AM AWARE OF.
HE HAS SPOKEN TO DOZENS AND DOZENS OF HOMEOWNERS AND, UM, HEARD LOTS OF FEEDBACK ABOUT, UM, THE TPL LIST AND I KNOW, I KNOW ALL OF YOU HAVE.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, MR. MAYOR, UM, TO APPROVE THE CITY OF ALPHA'S SLOSS THREE PROJECT LIST AND IGA FROM FULTON COUNTY WILL NEED TO BE EXECUTED IN JULY 20, 26.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN REEVES, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DORITO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE YES.
[A. PH-26-04 UDC Amendments Business & Recreational Vehicles
Discussion of text amendments to Unified Development Code (UDC) Subsection 1.4 and UDC Subsection 2.5.4(B) to assign definitions and amend the locational parking requirements for business and recreational vehicles in residential zoning districts.]
MR. SCHROEDER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR ALL TO YOURSELF RIGHT NOW.
UH, TONIGHT WE'RE HERE JUST AS WORKSHOP TO, UM, LOOK OVER A FEW PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE UDC, UM, PARKING CRITERIA AREAS.
WE'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS OVER, UM, RECENT PAST AND, AND WE'VE HAD A, WE HAD A VARIANCE HEARING HERE A WHILE BACK AND SOME QUESTIONS CAME FROM THAT.
AND, UM, MY STAFF HAS HAD, UM, NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ABOUT, UM, MULTIPLE WORD CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO HELP ENFORCE THE CODE A LITTLE EASIER.
SO WE GOT A COUPLE NEW DEFINITIONS, UM, RIGHT BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, TRY TO GO TO A PRESENTATION FOR YOU, BUT ALWAYS SAW WAS A SILLY OHIO STATE LOGO.
SO I'M WONDERING IF, UH, WELL, HEY, I MEAN, IS THERE A PRESENTATION THAT THERE IS? YEAH, I'M LOOKING AT IT.
IT IT, IT'S NOT MAKING ITS WAY TO, UH, TO THE SCREEN.
WELL WE DON'T WANNA LOOK AT THAT.
I MEAN, AS LONG AS WE KEEP IT BLURRED OUT LIKE THAT, IT'S OKAY.
BUT, UM, HEY, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU GET TOO IN YOUR PRESENTATION, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE COULD GET THE SLIDES UP.
DO YOU WANNA TRY IT? CLEARLY SOMEBODY'S YOUR COMPUTER.
YEAH, APPARENTLY I'M LOOKING AT IT, SO I DON'T KNOW.
HE JUST WANTS TO DISPLAY THAT THERE.
WELL DO YOU, OH, THERE YOU GO.
IT JUST REALLY WANTED TO DISPLAY THAT LOGO.
UM, SO WE GOT A COUPLE NEW DEFINITIONS, UM, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN THE PAST, UM, THAT, THAT, UM, I ASKED FOR, UM, TO MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER FOR EXPLAINING TO THE PUBLIC WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CODE SECTIONS.
[02:05:01]
A BUSINESS VEHICLE AND A RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, GET SOME GENERAL UPDATES.UM, WE DID ADD, UM, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A, A PROCEDURE IN FOR, UH, THE DIRECTOR TO POTENTIALLY GIVE VARIANCES TO CERTAIN SECTIONS.
WE CHANGED THAT, UM, WITH SOME FURTHER, UM, REQUIREMENTS TO CITY COUNCIL TO GIVE VARIANCES FOR, UH, RECREATIONAL VEHICLES.
WE'VE GOT SOME CHANGES THAT, UM, CAME UP IN PREVIOUS CASES ABOUT, UH, RESIDENTIAL PARKING, COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND, UM, WE CALL 'EM DAILY DRIVERS, THE PETE'S PLUMBING TRUCK OR, OR IF, IF YOU DON'T OWN THE BUSINESS, UM, YOU GET TO DRIVE IT HOME AS A, AS A, UH, COURTESY OR, YOU KNOW, GET CALLED OUT ON EVENING VEHICLES OR, OR EVENING UM, EMERGENCIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE DON'T WANT TO RESTRICT THAT ABILITY AS WELL.
RIGHT? AND THEN WE'VE GOT, UM, IN THE VARIANCE WE CALLED OUT FOR WHAT WE FELT WERE GOOD CONDITIONS FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER.
UM, EVEN BEFORE THE VARIANCE WOULD COME TO COUNSEL, THE, THE APPLICANT WOULD NEED TO, TO MEET THESE FOUR CONDITIONS AND IT'S AFFIDAVITS FROM CONTIGUOUS NEIGHBORS THAT THEY'RE IN APPROVAL OF THE, THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE BEING STORED THERE.
THE VEHICLE WOULD BE, BE STORED BEHIND THE FRONT AND SIDE SETBACKS BE THE VEHICLE ONLY IF WE BRING FORWARD ONE AND NO ACCESSORY ITEMS WITH THE VEHICLE.
THINK OF A BOAT WITH INNER TUBES AND ALL THIS OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT BE.
SO THE BOAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THAT.
AND THEN IT MUST BE PAVED ON A PAVED SURFACE AS WE HAVE IN, UM, OTHER AREAS OF THE CODE.
AND WE LEFT IN, UM, WHICH I FELT WAS A PRETTY IMPORTANT THING, THE, THE, UM, PROHIBITED USE OF DISMANTLED VEHICLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I CAN TAKE SOME QUESTIONS IF YOU'VE GOT, I THINK YOU HAVE THE RED LINED ORDINANCE IN YOUR PACKET.
DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SCHRODER? COUNCILMAN REEVES? WE STILL HAVE SOME AG RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, THOSE LARGER LOTS HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD A NUMBER OF VEHICLES PARKED ON THEM AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE MY NEIGHBORS TO STILL TALK TO ME.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A REALLY NICE THING.
WE DON'T GET A BLOCK PARTY EVERY WEEK, BUT I WOULD LIKE NOT TO BE ON THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR BAD LIST.
UM, SO, AND I KNOW THIS IS JUST A WORK SESSION ITEM, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS WITH Y'ALL FURTHER.
I THINK, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH AG RESIDENTIAL THAT THERE IS, BUT I THINK IT FALLS INTO A DIFFERENT CATEGORY.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE PROPERTIES ON MY STREET CERTAINLY FALL INTO THAT DIFFERENT CATEGORY.
AND, UM, JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT JUST SEEMS AN EXCEPTION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT APPLIES AND I CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO MAKE ANYTHING, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT I, I, I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT IT.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT RO MR. SCHROEDER, DIRECTOR COOK, MR. LAGER BLOOM, SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
SINCE IT'S A WORK SESSION, WE'RE NOT VOTING ON IT ANYWAY.
SO YEAH, I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? OKAY.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC HERE ANYMORE, SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[11. REPORTS]
REPORTS? UNLESS KAREN WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING, KAREN MIGHT WANNA SAY SOMETHING.KAREN, DO YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YOU SURE IT'S ON THE RECORD NOW.
DO WE HAVE ANY REPORTS? WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO OUR STAFF AND THE ALPHARETTA ROTARY CLUB FOR A WONDERFUL MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE LAST WEEK.
IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE, A VERY POWERFUL SPEAKER AND A, A GREAT REMINDER
[02:10:01]
OF THE SACRIFICES THAT ALLOW US TO LIVE THE LIVES WE LIVE AND HAVE A CITY LIKE WHEN WE HAVE ANY OTHER REPORTS.WELL, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING, PLEASE VOTE YES AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.