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May 9, 2005 MLPA Board of Directors Monthly Meeting draft Minutes
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Board members in attendance:
President-Alan Perry, President - Elect-Lee Nunn, Treasurer - Christine Hung, Secretary (Acting) –Sarah Nunn, Parliamentarian - Mae Reich, Membership - & Alex Bach, Zoning - Tad Christian & Trav Carter, Education - Barbara Feinberg, Traffic - Bill Ellis, Parks & Environmental Affairs - Charlotte Gillis, Karen Schaefer, NPU Rep - James Strack, At Large-South - Shira Kash, At Large - North, Kevin Lyman, Security Patrol/Public Safety - William Lindsey
Tony Gomez – Public Information Manager 404-330-6563 Watershed Management Deep Tunnel Project near DutchValley Rd.
Expect heavier truck traffic. City will limit truck route to minimize impact on neighbors. Blasting starts in July and will last until December. There will be two shifts working from 6am-10pm. Call Tony with any further questions about project.
Approval of minutes from April board meeting and annual meeting – passed unanimously.
Anne Fauver – Replacement of water mains will begin soon. Underground video of water and sewer lines for the neighborhood is complete.
MLPA is still looking for a secretary. The task of taking minutes may begin to rotate among committee chairs.
Developments are ongoing on the Communications Committee front, in large part due to efforts of facilitator Bill Ellis. We hope to have something to report soon.
MLPA is also seeking a voting Board member to serve in a new position: “Board Recruitment.” This would be someone looking for new folks to serve on the Board on a regular basis, kind of like a year-round Nominating Committee.
William Lindsey approved unanimously as chair of Public Safety Committee (Morningside Security Patrol).
Crime report from past president (and interim Public Safety Chair) - Norman McKay.
Beat 210 crime stats reviewed. Listing handed out. Norman urges those interested to join William's team on Public Safety/MSP committee. A large working group needed, as with many of MLPA Board committees. Task of receiving and reviewing weekly APD crime listing just one of many "bite sized" tasks that would be a great help to William and this committee."
Parks & Environmental Affairs - Charlotte Gillis, Karen Schaefer
Request approval of a proposal from We Cut Grass, Inc. for routine cutting of the grass in the traffic island between Johnson Rd and Lenox Rd. The price is $35 every other week during growing season and includes mowing, string trimming around poles, and blowing along curb. Morningside Garden Club maintains the planting in the garden. Approved unanimously.
Sunken Garden Park clean-up day scheduled for May 24 from 9 AM to noon. Hands-On Atlanta and volunteers from Home Depot will paint benches, replace mulch and make minor repairs. Home Depot is providing $2000 worth of materials. We hope neighborhood volunteers will join in. Haygood Memorial Church has offered use of their restroom facilities that day for the volunteers.
Also, in regards to Sunken Garden Park, both the team leader from Hands-On Atlanta and Charlotte Gillis has asked the city to do something about the drainage problem around the water fountain.
Charlottes Gillis will participate in a citizen focus group about development of the first section of the proposed Beltline Project.
Education - Barbara Feinberg
School’s Almost Out! Watch Out for Kids When You Drive!
Atlanta Public Schools will be out for summer vacation on May 20. The 2005 – 2006 school years will begin on August 15.
CINS - Due to the closing of Crim H.S. and the subsequent redistricting of many of its students to Grady, CINS will be enlarging its circle of cluster schools that feed into Grady. Toomer and Whitefoord Elementary Schools and Coan Middle School, serving east Atlanta, are joining CINS.
Morningside May 13, Friday – Residence Address Confirmation Packets Due
For students to be placed in classes for the next school year, residence confirmation packets must be turned in. These packets, sent home in the mail, are required for each of child who attends Morningside.
May 13, Friday - Encore Summer Camps Registration Deadline Join us in June for Encore Summer Camps at Morningside! Morningside teachers will lead a variety of weeklong camps during the month of June. The average price for a week of fun is $200. Before and after care will be provided for an additional cost. For more information, contact Leigh Ann Bliss at (404) 874-2957 or lbliss@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Inman “Little Screen On The Green”, Rescheduled! Inman Middle School presents “Little Screen on the Green”, Saturday, May 14, at 7:00pm. The movie for our first-ever movie night is The Incredibles. Bring your blankets, food, and beverages (no, not that kind). Thank you for supporting Inman Middle School & we’ll see you and your family at the movie on Saturday night! The movie will be shown rain or shine. If it rains it will be in the Inman Gym
Inman Photo Club Exhibit the Inman photo club is exhibiting at the Ponce de Leon Public Library. The photo club members have been working hard all year; Please come out and see their wonderful Photographs at the library during the month of May.
Support the Inman Oasis as you stroll down Virginia Avenue during summer fest, buy a bottle of cool, delicious water at the Inman Oasis, the booth that refreshes and raises important funds for the Inman PTA.
Recycle Your Computers and Other Electronics the City of Atlanta will have an Electronic Waste Recycling Day on Saturday, June 4, 2005 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Turner Field Gold lots. Residents in Atlanta and the metropolitan area are encouraged to bring their old computers and household electronic equipment to this E-Scrap Recycling Event. The City will recycle anything and everything that plugs in with a couple of exceptions (mainly large appliances) in an effort to encourage proper disposal of electronic waste – whether the electronic device works of not! This is the first E-Waste recycling event hosted by the City.
Grady - Grady Fashion Show was a SRO extravaganza. The Grady fashion design students designed and constructed dozens of outfits from casual sports ensembles to high-style formal wear. If you have any fabric or trim materials to donate for next year’s class, contact Mr. Martinez, emartinez@atlanta.k12.ga.us. You wouldn’t believe what the students made from old t-shirts.
The summer months are a great time to get to know our MLPA schools better. Check out their websites and see what’s happening!
Grady www.gradyhighschool.org
Inman www.inmanms.org
Morningside www.morningsideschool.org
Sam Zamarripa State Senator D-36
Your Fulton County Property Taxes and the Homestead Fair Assessment Act: SB 610
http://www.zamarripa.com/news_item.jsp?catid=10&contid=33
See Sam’s website for information on how this bill reduces the cost of the Fulton County assessment by limiting increases to 3% per year. Also, see how the bill protects domestic partners, the elderly and those living with elderly parents. Fulton County taxes equal approximately 27% of property tax bills.
Special Events - Daniel Cherrix & Chip Bowden (report submitted via email only)
There were 750+ in attendance at the Movie on Saturday evening. The next movie is Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark on Sat Sept 17th. We hope that there will be more representation from the board.
Celebration of Summer is on schedule. We have yet to receive our permit from the city (application was filed in Feb.) We are in desperate need of volunteers and have asked Alan to send an eblast with request for volunteers. We need board members to step up and volunteer for this event. To volunteer call Daniel 404-290-9362.
Traffic - Bill Ellis
Police Enforcement - Bill is participating with PEDS in a “Traffic Enforcement Task Force” being organized by Dianne and Deputy Chief Dunovant. The Task Force will meet on-going and will include police and citizens. MLPA’s move to Zone 6 will probably be effective in mid-May; meanwhile Bill continues to attend Zone 2’s bi-monthly Citizens Advisory Committee meetings.
MARTA– all bus line changes are on hold until the budget crisis is resolved. Board meeting today to consider fare increase, issue of reciprocal fares. Quick facts:
- MARTA carries 98% of public transit passengers in metro Atlanta
- MARTA’s tax base is only 2 counties and the City of Atlanta
- MARTA is the only rail and bus transit system in a major American city that does not receive state funding.
Monroe Drive – Speed limit is now 30 MPH. Next step is the timing of traffic lights to reduce congestion by evening out traffic. Further steps will include requests for intersection improvements, including pedestrian-activated walk signals, at key crossing points. Bill meeting tomorrow with Halpern Properties to bring them into the Monroe task force.
City Business
- As arranged by Mary Norwood, Bill and Tad will meet with new Transportation Deputy Commissioner David Ferguson. We will discuss Transportation’s lack of involvement in the City’s planning process and press for that to change immediately. Also will discuss the lack of a process in the department and propose solutions.
- No further news on speed table signatures on University Drive.
Balancing Parking Access and Street Accessibility / Dogwood Festival Traffic Management - We learned that narrow streets that have cars parked on both sides can prevent access, including that of emergency vehicles. The 4 neighborhoods will evaluate the needs on a street-by-street basis and have a plan for next year’s Festival and other events. Residents on narrow streets should expect to participate in decisions. Possibilities include prohibiting parking on one side only during special events, even if that street usually allows it.
North Rock Springs Speed Tables –Signatures for speed tables were turned in to Traffic and Transportation 5/5. Signatures for parking spaces still being gathered. The departments that place the two have committed to coordinating their efforts.
Treasurer - Christine Hung
Realtor Vivian Payne will donate 3% of her commissions in 30306 to MLPA or VA Highland. Written report made available.
NPU - James Strack
As a review, the Cheshire Bridge Road Study - Planning Phase was completed in June 1999 and adopted by the Atlanta City Council shortly thereafter. The recommended Rezoning Phase of the Study, as adapted to the new City of Atlanta Quality Of Life Zoning Ordinance classifications of "Multi-Family Residential"; Mixed Residential Commercial"; and "Neighborhood Commercial" was then passed by the City Council on January 3, 2005 and signed into law by the Mayor shortly thereafter. Mr. Enrique Bascunana of the Bureau of Planning conducted this massive rezoning effort included the rezoning of the 213 property parcels along Cheshire Bridge Road, Bismark Road, Lambert Drive, Piedmont Circle, Rockledge Road and Manchester Street.
The latest news is that Department of Public Works (DPW) - Quality of Life Bond Program has recently released the Cheshire Bridge Road - Phase I Streetscaping Project for public construction bids on April 27. Mr. Greg Holder, Project Manager for the project with the DPW, indicated that the project was advertised in the AJC on May 1st. The bids for the project will be due on or about June 1st. Then if all goes well, a qualified contractor can be chosen by the City, and the lowest bid comes in at or below the budget, then construction could possibly begin on this first phase of the streetscaping project on or about August 1st. The first phase extends from Piedmont and Cheshire Bridge to Manchester and Cheshire Bridge (Johnny's Pizza/Roxx Tavern).
Much thanks need to go to City Councilmember Anne Fauver and her office team for their efforts to speed along this project through the various City departments and keep the communication lines open at the City level. Additional thanks need to go to State Representative Pat Gardner and Senator Sam Zamarripa for making sure that the GDOT gave this project the attention it deserved to move it through the State and Federal funding approval process at the State level.
Zoning-Tad Christian & Trav Carter
Application Number V-05-15 500-600 Amsterdam Ave. (Walk) Applicant: Halpern Enterprises. Inc. Property Owner: Halpern Enterprises. Inc. Applicant seeks a special exception to allow for outdoor seating in the rear of Amsterdam Walk for the two new restaurants. We previously heard a related component of this with respect to parking last month. Note: We still do not have any paperwork from the city for this application. Motion to Approve the outdoor seating. Motion Passed by Zoning Committee: 9- In Favor, 0- Against, 0 - Abstaining. Motion to approve passed by Board: 12 in Favor, 0 Against, 1 Abstaining
Application Number V-05-45 690 Amsterdam Ave. Applicant: Eric M. Smith Property Owner: Eric M. Smith Applicant seeks a special exception to allow for a room addition to an existing non-conforming detached duplex, where otherwise it is prohibited. Motion to defer due to allow applicant more time to work with the city to clarify this variance. Motion Passed by Zoning Committee: 9- In Favor, 0- Against, 0 - Abstaining. Motion to defer passed by Board: 13 in Favor, 0 Against, 0 Abstaining
Application Number V-05-120 1232 Pasadena Ave. Applicant: Serge Watson Property Owner: Donella Bateman, Janet Reynolds Applicant seeks a variance to reduce the east side yard setback from 7 feet (required) to 2.5 feet to allow for an addition to a single family residence. Motion to Defer due to the applicant not in attendance of meeting.
Motion Passed by Zoning Committee: 9- In Favor, 0- Against, 0 - Abstaining. Motion to defer passed by Board: 13 in Favor, 0 Against, 0 Abstaining
Application Number V-05-126 880 Courtenay Drive Applicant: Jasper Boudreaux
Property Owner: Jasper Boudreaux Applicant seeks a variance to reduce the 1/2 depth front yard setback from 17.5 feet (required) to 8 feet to allow for a dormer addition to a single family residence. Motion to Approve the 1/2 depth front yard setback to 8 feet for a dormer addition with the following conditions; per the site plan dated 4-19-2005, letters of support from neighbors adjacent and across the street. Motion Passed by Zoning Committee: 9- In Favor, 0- Against, 0 - Abstaining. Motion to approve with same conditions imposed by the Committee passed by Board: 13 in Favor, 0 Against, 0 Abstaining
Application Number V-05-48 1951 Lenox Road Applicant: William Austin Property Owner: William Austin Applicant seeks a special exception to allow for a 10 foot (privacy fence) wall in the rear and side yards where otherwise it is prohibited.
Motion to Deny. Motion Passed by Zoning Committee: 7- In Favor, 0- Against, 2 - Abstaining. Motion to allow 10 foot (privacy fence)/wall where otherwise it is prohibited, as constructed, subject to removing fence in front yard, lowering side yard fence from 8 foot to 6 foot, planting of fast growing shrubs and letters from adjacent neighbors, passed by Board: 9 in Favor, 2 Against, 0 Abstaining
Application Number V-05-108 1055 Cumberland Road Applicant: Michael Fisers Property Owner: Michael Fisers Applicant seeks a variance to reduce the east side yard setback from 7 feet (required) to 3 feet to allow for an addition to a single family residence. Motion to Approve the variance with the following conditions; no living space in the setback, no impact to the trees, no duplex on the property, and letters of support from neighbors, with a site plan of proposed addition filed with the city by the MLPA meeting. Motion Passed by Zoning Committee: 7- In Favor, 0- Against, 2 - Abstaining. Motion passed by Board with the same conditions imposed by Committee and condition that site plan in filed with the city by the next NPU meeting: 11 in Favor, 0 Against, 0 Abstaining
Application Number SAP-05-06 (Special Administrative Permit) 1370 North Highland
Applicant: Sarran Marshall Property Owner: NHA Associates, LLP Applicant seeks a Special Administrative Permit to allow for the installation of an alternative design wireless telecommunications facility with supporting equipment and to erect a 120 foot "pine tree" design monopole on the property. Note: I still do not have any paperwork from the city for this application. Motion to Approve with the following conditions; letters of support from neighbors within 300 feet, a photo simulation to show what the tower looks like from tree sides, provide a list of all current tower sites in the area, provide an engineering structural failure report, the tower is being designed and built to accommodate a minimum of tree carriers, and to show potential screening of fence around proposed site. Motion Passed by Zoning Committee: 6- In Favor, 1- Against, 1 - Abstaining. Motion to approve passed by Board with same conditions imposed by Committee and the additional conditions that the applicant should make his best effort possible to revise his "stealth tree" design to be more like the Slash Pine and Loblolly Pine trees indigenous to the Morningside Lenox Park Neighborhood, and to bring pictures to NPU meeting with specifications and capability of monopoles at Hammond Park and Johnson Ferry locations for discussion of alternative design options for the North Highland site.: 9 in Favor, 2 Against, 1 Abstaining
New Business:
Owner of Ethiopian restaurant to be located at Piedmont and Rock Springs (former Burger King) received unanimous voice vote of support for his application for a liquor license.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 10:25 pm.
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