Mayor and City Council Work Session

Mayor and City Council Work Session Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at 6:30 PM City Hall, 875 Main Street, Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083 Minutes Mayor and Council: Dr. Beverly Jones – Mayor | Post 3 :Mayor Pro Tem Ryan Smith Post 1: Council Member Anita Bass | Post 2: Council Member Mark Marianos Post 4: Council Member Gil Freeman | Post 5: Council Member Shawnette Bryant Post 6: Council Member Teresa Crowe Staff: Shawn Edmondson - Interim City Manager - City Clerk | Danny Mai - Assistant City Clerk | Jeff Strickland - City Attorney City of Stone Mountain, GA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CityofStoneMtn/ Link to join Webinar: [https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81079327852] Public Hearing Discussion on the proposed approval of text amendments to Article 3, 5, 16, and 17 of Appendix A – Zoning and Article 2 of Chapter 12 – Licenses and Business Regulations to further define and regulate short-term lodging in the City of Stone Mountain (City Planner Edwards) (PAGES 4 - 35) Discussion on the proposed approval of text amendments to Article 3 and 5 of Appendix A – Zoning to create definitions and commercial uses for convenience stores, alcohol outlets, package stores, and smoke shops. (City Planner Edwards) (PAGES 36-51) Adjournment Call to Order Determination of Quorum Invocation and Pledge Citizen Comments – Including comments from public/stakeholders (3 minutes per comment) Comments from the Public The public comments are reserved exclusively for comments from the public and not for immediate reply. The purpose of public comment is to allow the public to voice city related requests, concerns or opinions only during the public comment portion of the City Council meeting. I. The Mayor and City Council reserves the right to extend or limit the length of public comments based on: (1) the issue under discussion; (2) the number of items on the agenda; and (3) the extent to which the speaker remains constructive in their comments and questions. II. The public may not directly confront the public speaker but must direct all comments and questions to the Mayor and City Council. III. Public harassment of or confrontation with a public speaker will not be tolerated. Members of the public violating tenets two or three will be asked to sit down or leave the premises. Citizen Comment #[1] (Anthonia Amadi-Emina): Amadi-Emina spoke in regard to the zoning that is happening in the city. Citizen Comment #[2] (Sharon Frierson): Frierson spoke on the Prostitution occurring on West Mountain & Memorial Drive. Frierson noted that individuals are visiting houses, flagging down cars, and entering the Scottish Inn. Frierson noted that it is important to protect our gateways within the cities. Frierson is requesting that the city find a way to shut down the home where these occurrences are happening. Citizen Comment #[3] (Rev. Leela Brown Waller): Waller thanked the community for the support that was provided to her family. Waller additionally noted that she is speaking in regards to Sharmantown. Waller speaks on Mayor Jones speaking on Sharmantown, and what the mayor did on the Podcast. Waller noted that the podcast offended the entire Sharmantown community. Additionally, Waller spoke on the historical implications of Sharmantown, contradicting what Mayor Jones spoke about. Citizen Comment #[4] (Joan Monroe): Monroe spoke in regard to the potential ethics issues regarding the LCI involvement in the survey sent out regarding the Lawn on Main. Additionally, Monroe spoke about the City Grants Writer. Monroe spoke on the Parks and Recs Committee's request for Grants. Monroe noted that she would like actual police reports rather than statistics. Citizen Comment #[5] (Waini Buggs): Buggs spoke in regard to the Planning and zoning occurring within the City. Buggs noted that there was a promise to have a workshop regarding the zoning issues. Buggs noted that the community is having a "panic attack" regarding the zoning issue. Citizen Comment #[6] (Ms. Thomas): Thomas noted that there is cremation smoke in the community air, noting that the city should investigate such. Thomas noted that there is a community townhall meeting that is not being hosted by the city. Thomas noted that the Mayor has done a lot for the City. Thomas noted that Thomas has high hopes for the interim city manager. Citizen Comment #[7] (Cheryl Dudley): Dudley note that the city should be more banded together. Dudley notes that voting is significantly important, and every citizen should go vote. Citizen Comment #[8] (Clint Monroe): Monroe spoke about the podcast that the mayor spoke about. Monroe noted that the podcast was a personal history podcast. Monroe additionally spoke on the importance of Oral History among America. Citizen Comment #[9] (Lisa Gardner): Spoke in regard to her experience regarding the city-operated rainwater storm drain. Gardner noted that the issue that is occurring has threatening her property due to a lack of care by the city. Gardner noted that the storm drain runs into a retention pond on Fourth Street, noting that it is overgrown and dysfunctional. Gardner noted that there are dead trees on the retention pond with a lack of city interaction. Gardner additionally mentions that a sinkhole has formed within the backyard. Gardner additionally notes that this is a severely. Citizen Comment #[10] (Vanessa Walls): Walls yielded her time for Rev. Leela Brown Waller. She additionally speaks on the podcast, and what occurred within the podcast. Citizen Comment #[11] (Ronald Hunt): Hunt spoke on the rezoning within the city. Hunt would like to know who the person in charge of would be the rezoning, given that Hunt will build on the rezoning of the properties within the city. Interim City Manager Edmondson spoke to council, requesting that the city planner goes up to help alleviate any stress that may have occurred by the citizens. City Planner Edwards noted that the zonings have all been tabled, and that there is a third party that is here to discuss the potential workshop. Review of the Journal (Interim City Manager & City Clerk Edmondson) 1. Request Minutes from Special Called City Council Meeting [08.06.2024] be approved (Interim City Manager & City Clerk Edmondson) (PAGES 52-62) 2. Request Minutes from Special Called City Council Meeting (Millage Rate) [07.11.2024] be approved (Interim City Manager & City Clerk Edmondson) (PAGES 63-64) 3. Request Minutes from City Council Meeting [07.02.2024] be approved (Interim City Manager & City Clerk Edmondson) (PAGES 65-71) 4. Request Minutes from City Council Meeting [08.13.2024] be approved (Interim City Manager & City Clerk Edmondson) (PAGES 72-74) Reading of Communications Adoption of The Agenda of The Day Committee Discussion Items 5. Planning Commission 6. Economic Development/Downtown Development Authority 7. Historic Preservation Commission  8. Parks and Recreation Committee Staff Reports 9. Public Safety- Police Chief- James Westerfield Jr (PAGES 75-78) 10. Administration - Interim City Manager & City Clerk Edmondson (PAGES 78-79) City Manager’s Report 11. Interim City Manager & City Clerk Edmondson (PAGES 80-93) Council Policy Discussion Topics Unfinished Business 12. Discussion on the proposed approval of Article 3, 5, 16, and 17 of Appendix A – Zoning and Article 2 of Chapter 12 – Licenses and Business Regulations to further define and regulate short-term lodging in the City of Stone Mountain. (City Planner Edwards) (PAGES 94-125) 13. Discussion on the proposed approval of text amendments to Article 3 and 5 of Appendix A – Zoning to create definitions and commercial uses for convenience stores, alcohol outlets, package stores, and smoke shops. (City Planner Edwards) (PAGES 126-141) 14. Discussion with Sarah McQuade (CPL) regarding the consideration of her as the lead for the Zoning Town Hall. (City Planner Edwards) 15. Approval of the appointment of Tom Zimmerman as a new member to the Stone Mountain Community Garden Committee (Interim City Manager Shawn Edmondson) 16. Discussion on the Lawn (Chief Westerfield) 17. Discussion regarding Part 2 of the DDA Report (CM Gil Freeman) 18. Discussion on Digital Signage & Business Directional Signage on Main Street (CM Anita Bass) 19. Discussion regarding updates on RFQ's relating to the Lawn on Main (CM Anita Bass) New Business 20. Discussion with iParametrics (City Grant Writers) regarding the following items: (1) Grants Report Update & (2) ARPA Opinion Update(PAGES 145-148) 21. Discussion with CPL regarding opinion on a change order for the Main Street Road repaving project. 22. Discussion on the implementation of measures to optimize and regulate the duration of City Council meetings. (MPT Smith) New Ordinances and Resolutions Remarks of Privilege Announcements by The Mayor Executive Session to Discuss Personnel, Legal, and/or Real Estate (if needed) Adjournment