Sunday news

By
Sunday, November 14, 2004

*In the aftermath of this year's hurricanes, county, state and federal officials are pursuing ways to get some sand back on the beaches quickly. But in Volusia County, officials say a much bigger supply will come eventually in a plan to dredge and dump sand on the beaches most prone to erosion
*For wildlife, a nourished beach is better than no beach
-Daytona News Journal, 11-14-04

The Flinders Papers.

A new website at the National Maritime Museum. Greenwich, London. Matthew Flinders, the master navigator, who literally put Australia on the map, in his ship Investigator became the first European to circumnavigate this continent.

The National Maritime Museum was established by Act of Parliament in 1934, to be opened on the 27th. of April 1937 By King George VI. It carries an amazing collection of close to 2.5 million
items.

On long term loan to the Museum from Lisette Flinders Petrie are:- " The Flinders Papers ( 1774-1814 )" covering 150 documents which include personal letters, many to his wife Ann, letters to and from Sir Joseph Banks, maps, charts etc.

A newly established web site at the National Maritime Museum allows one to explore this wonderful collection, which may be accessed at:

www.nmm.ac.uk/flinders.

A visit is thoroughly recommended.

October 11, 2004 MLPA Board Meeting Minutes

Board and committee members present: Mike Carew, Norman McKay, Mae Reich, Tad Christian, Trav Carter, Charlotte Gillis, Barbara Feinberg, Bill Ellis, Shira Kash and Sarah Nunn.

Approval of Minutes: A motion to approve the September 2004 minutes passed unanimously.

Committee reports:

Security/Public Safety: no report

Parks:  Charlotte Gillis. Request to fund a proposal to deal with kudzu problem in Lenox Wildwood Park not to exceed $300.  Motion passed unanimously.

Schools:  Barbara Feinberg. Grady received a $500,000 grant from GA Department of Education to fund vocational equipment center that will include a business lab, graphic arts and broadcast and video. Inman:  Fifteen 8th grade students will participate in an Outward Bound program in October.

Special Events: no report

Traffic:  Bill Ellis. Morningside Elementary PTA the neighborhood and the city have collaborated to institute no parking on the right side of Fordham Court and a number system to ease carpool congestion at the school. PED’s has unwritten the installation of a traffic camera on E. Rock Springs Road for 6 months.

October 5th Clifton Corridor Transportation Management Association resulted in a commitment to work together; interest in HATS; commitment to work with affected neighborhoods on streetcar solution; asked for help in networking with Atlanta, Fulton County entities.

Highland Corridor Group (HATS)/MARTA- October 18th meeting is rescheduled for the first week in November

City Business – Task Request Update
Lenox milling – not done
Sidney Marcus Park Parking on one side only – not done (speed hump request failed)
Johnson Road crosswalks – not done
North Rock Springs – speed hump test passed; no action on permitting parking on one side
North Morningside at North Highland – lanes defined

Other Business:  Bill will meet with sheriff candidates Danny Stephens and Myron Freemen on October 12 and will report at NPU-F meeting next Monday.

North MLPA: no report

South MLPA:  Shira Kash.. M orningside Virginia Highland parent group has 360 members representing 500
children.

NPU Representative: no report

Finance: no report

Treasurer: no report

Zoning

V-04-253 1065 McLynn Avenue: owner Ann Schramm. Request variance to reduce east side yard setback from 7 ft required to 5.8 ft to allow for construction of a 2nd story addition to a single family residence based on site plans dated 8/6/04.  No impact on trees. MLPA Zoning committee: 8-0-2 in favor MLPA Board: 9-0-0 passed unanimously.
 
V-04-254 1014 McLynn Avenue: owners Joel and Martha Craft. Request variance to reduce west side yard setback from 7 ft required to 1 ft to build new detached carport. Potential tree impact 6”+ magnolia to be reviewed by city arborist. MLPA Zoning Committee: 10-0-0 in favor Standard conditions 16’ height maximum to top of ridge, 60 amp electrical, plumbing limited to hose bib per site plan dated 7/22/04. Need letters from neighbors.
MLPA Board:  8-0-2 in favor
 
Z-04-113 1365 Pasadena Avenue: owner Perrin Taylor, applicant Michael McLaughlin. Rezoning from R-4 to PD-H, reduce front yard setback from 35 ft to 15 ft to build 4 single family houses per plans dated 9/13/04. Tree impact: 17 of 59 existing trees to be cut down MLPA Zoning Committee: 10-0-0 in favor MLPA Board: 10-0-0 in favor
 
V-04-265 1147 Reeder Circle: owners Cynthia Whitney and Scott Frid, applicant: Kiersten Lurer. Request variance to reduce west side yard setback from 7 ft required to 3.9 ft to allow for second story addition to single family
house per plans dated 8/10/04. No impact on trees. MLPA Zoning Committee: 9-0-0 in favor MLPA Board: 10-0-0.

V-04-270 1218 Lanier Blvd: owners Allen Audrie Eidson – no show

Old Business:
The BZA supported Thomas Concrete’s appeal of the denial of a permit from the City of Atlanta to build a concrete plant at Lambert Road site.  Diane Barfield of the city zoning department said she was in error when she denied the permit request.

New Business:
Anne Fauver:  New liquor licenses will be handled by the Zoning Department.  This is in an effort to help address the attendant parking issues that arise.  Zoning will require onsite parking to let a license.

A motion was made and passed to establish a sub-committee with Alan Perry, Mike Carew and Lee Nunn to study Security Patrol membership.  Next month Joelle Spain will holda membership kickoff meeting.

Mae Reich reports there will be a North Woods Advisory meeting on Wednesday, October 20th and would like neighborhood input.  Norman will do an eblast to solicit input.

Meeting adjourned 9pm.

September 13, 2004 MLPA Board Meeting Minutes

Board and committee members present:  Norman McKay, Christine Hung, Mae Reich, Tad Christian, Alan Perry, Shira Kash, James Strack, Barbara Feinberg, Susan Drake, Kerry Brown, Daniel Cherrix, Bill Ellis and Sarah Nunn.
 
Approval of Minutes:  A motion to approve the minutes passed unanimously.

Committee Reports

Security/Public Safety:  No report
 
Parks: Kerry Brown. October 2nd Rock Creek clean-up at 9am until noon - Daniel Johnson Nature Preserve on Beech Valley Road.  September 14th special election for Fulton County Soil and Water District Supervisors cancelled due to lawsuit.

Schools:  Barbara Feinberg. The Grady new media center is looking for the donation of books, DVDs and CD dating from 2000 to the present. Inman’s October 7th parent education program will feature Becky Vaughn, the director of the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse. Morningside Elementary parent work day is September 18th.

Special Events: Daniel Cherrix September 18 MLPA will sponsor a big screen movie showing of "The Wizard of OZ" in Sunken Garden Park. Costume contest at 6:30 p.m. and movie begins at dusk.

Traffic: Bill Ellis.  There will be 4 public hearings in September regarding the Marta Beltline/C Loop.

August 25 there will be a third public meeting about the Clifton Corridor Transportation Study. Emory is looking for a way to connect to Lindbergh station and this could have a big impact on Lenox Circle.

North MLPA: James Strack. Rezoning information meetings to carry out Cheshire Bridge Road study completed.  Streetscape is delayed while DOT, Department of Public Works and Georgia Power discuss logistics and funding to move power polls.

South MLPA: Shira Kash. A new parent group board will be installed next week.
 
Officials in Attendance: Anne Fauver. The new city CFO is Janice Davis formerly with the Dallas Fort Worth airport. Planning Commissioner Charles Graves resigned and James Shelby is acting commissioner.  September 10 is the final work session for city council regarding the proposed city smoking ban.

NPU Representative: no report

Finance: no report

Treasurer: Christine Hung.  Motion approved to pay MLPA March newsletter bill for
$2878.05.
 
Zoning Applications heard
 
V-04-187
740 Lambert Drive
Property owner: Metalico Evans
Party appealing to the City:  Thomas Concrete
Thomas Concrete seeks neighborhood/NPU-F support in their appeal to the City of Atlanta over the City’s failure to process their building permit.  They want to build a concrete mixing plant on this site, which is zoned “light
industrial” I-1.  Although no City officials were at either of the two MLPA meetings, according to the Thomas Concrete officials the City’s position is that their proposed plant requires “heavy industrial” I-2 zoning.

Thomas Concrete is arguing that the Zoning Code for I-1 does not disallow a concrete mixing plant.  This zoning classification in the code specifically disallows a cement plant, which they argue is a much different type of plant.

There was considerable discussion at both MLPA meetings during and after presentations by Thomas Concrete and by a representative of nearby business owners/occupants who oppose the construction of such a plant. 
 
Zoning Committee: Several motions failed to pass. 
Board meeting:  MLPA Board voted 10-0-2 to support the City of Atlanta’s NOT granting a building permit to Thomas Concrete to construct a concrete mixing plan on this site for a number of reasons:

1. The proposed plant is heavy industry, not light industry – regardless of the zoning code wording or interpretation thereof.
2. This type of business is not in the general “mixed use” commercial/residential zoning pattern arising out of a
   decade long Cheshire Bridge corridor planning effort led by the Cheshire Bridge task force made up of area business owners and residents.
3. Heavy concrete mixer truck traffic on and around neighborhood streets, which are narrower and are not constructed to withstand the steady use by such heavy vehicles and their loads of concrete.
4. Concerns that concrete trucks will inevitably spill concrete onto City streets without cleaning up such spills.
5. Concerns about building such a plant in a flood plain area given environmental concerns about mixing industrial chemicals with rainwater run off – again given the future pattern of mixed use zoning in this general area.
6. Concerns about concrete dust containment given observations of similar concrete plants nearby which are caked in dust – again given the future pattern of mixed use zoning in this general area.
7. Concerns about plant operating hours given the intentions stated by a company official to pour concrete during “over night” hours to avoid traffic delays on congested roads in the metro Atlanta area.

V-03-239 1283 Pasadena Applicant/owners:  Daniel Moffet & Matthew Bobar. Seeking to erect a deck and construct a garage. Variance requests:

1)  Left side yard setback reduced from 7' to 3' to erect a deck
2)  Right side yard set back reduced from 7' to 2' for construction of garage
3)  Rear yard set back reduced from 15' to 2' for construction of garage
No impact on trees.  Garage built back on existing pad.

Zoning Committee:  Approved 8-0-0 with conditions – 16’ max height, 60 amp electrical service, hose big plumbing and per drawing attached to application dated 8/23/04 and along with a signature of the owner of lot #12.  Board:  Approved 12-0-0 with same conditions.
 
V-04-258  1070 McGlynn Avenue Applicant/owners: Laura Glass. October 11, 2004 MLPA Board Meeting Minutesariance requests as follows:
1)  Front yard setback reduced from 35' to 30' for second story addition
2)  East side yard setback reduced from 7' to 5'
 
Board vote:  8-1-0 Conditional approval pending*  
*Letter similar in form and content to letters sent by city to notify surrounding neighbors of 9/20/04 NPU meeting and 10/1/04 BZA hearing date regarding variance request.

*Revised letters signed by neighbors indicating their approval of granting zoning variances – not simply approving remodeling plans.
 
*Site visit by MLPA zoning chair to confirm that the variance requests, especially that of the front yard setback, is consistent with the spirit of the surrounding neighborhood.

Meeting adjourned 10:15.