HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-01-2011 regular meeting
City Council of Peachtree City
Meeting Minutes
December 1, 2011
The City Council of Peachtree City met on Thursday, December 1, 2011, at City Hall. Mayor Pro
Tem Eric Imker called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Other members attending were
Vanessa Fleisch, Doug Sturbaum, and Kim Leornard.
Announcements, Awards, Special RecoQnition
Imker and Fire Marshall Dave Williamson recognized Miss Trinity Jones for Lifesaving Actions in
reporting a fire at a neighboring home.
Citizen Comment
There was none.
Aqenda Chanqes
There were none.
Consent Aqenda
1. Consider Policies with Respect to Tax-Exempt Debt for Peachtree City
2. Consider Cancelling December 15 Meeting
Sturbaum moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Learnard seconded. Motion carried
unanimously.
Old Aqenda Items
09-11-04 Consider Amendments to Section 1130 of the land Development Ordinance
Regarding the Tree Removal Permit Process
City Planner David Rast said Council had reviewed the ordinance several times, and on
November 17, Council had endorsed the revised Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) handout and
directed staff to bring forward ordinance amendments that followed those procedures.
Rast said staff was proposing that the ordinance go into effect January 1 so that staff could help
to educate the public on the new process during December. Staff also wanted to update
Council in two months after implementing the program to see if any minor adjustments would be
required.
Learnard asked Rast to review the proposed fines and penalties that would be imposed if trees
were removed without the appropriate permits. Rast said, in those cases, Code Enforcement
would cite the offender into Munic:pal Court, and the Court could levy fines of up to $1,000 and
impose sentences of up to six monfhs in jail per offense. Rast noted that there had been few
instances resulting in this outcome, but it was available via the ordinance.
Learnard asked if the online permit would be web-fillable or if users would hove to print or email
it. Rast said staff was working to make both options available. Once approved, the applicant
would be notified via a phone coil or em oil. Cases requiring stoff to visit the site should be
hondled within 0 couple of doys. Learnard noted the FAQ gove 0 limited web oddress for the
forms, and Rast said thot would be modified once the form was finalized and availoble on the
site.
Learnard asked Rast what circumstances could result in denial of 0 permit. Rast said trees within
buffers and easements could not be removed unless dead or diseased. Specimen trees were
City Council of Peachtree City
December 1. 20 II
Page 2
identified and staff would meet with residents asking to remove such to explore alternatives,
such as removing limbs in lieu of thi.C; entire tree.
Learnard moved to approve the ordinance with an effective date of January 1, 2012. Fleisch
seconded. Motion carried 3-1 (Sturboum).
New Aqenda Items
12- 11-01 Public Hearing - Consider Request to Rename a Portion of the Former Rockaway
Road to Meade Field Drive
Rast said stoff was proposing two street names, the first for the section of Rockaway Road thot
remained after the Georgia Department of Transportation realigned Rockaway to Highway 74
South. The remaining section was still used to occess the Meade Fields Recreation Complex and
the Peachtree City Recycling Center. Staff was proposing to name the road section Meade
Field Drive.
No one spoke during the public heoring.
Sturbaum asked the Police Chief ond Fire Chief how emergency calls were addressed from the
area and whether the location wos identified as Rockaway Road. The Chiefs confirmed that
people generally said they were at Meade Field.
Sturbaum moved to approve the name of Meade Field Drive for the former section of
Rockaway Road. Fleisch seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
12-11-02 Public Hearing - Consider Request to Name an Existing Access Drive
to Fieldhouse Drive
Rast explained that this was really 0 housekeeping issue. The occess drive from Kedron Drive to
the Fieldhouse hod never been named. It was originally constructed by the Board of Education
during the development of Kedron Elementary School. The City extended the roadway when
the Fieldhouse complex was built, but that complex had an address on Kedron Drive.
Rast said that, with the increase in personnel working out of the Fieldhouse, staff felt it was
appropriate to name the access road to Fieldhouse Drive (not Lane. as noted in the packet).
Staff hod checked with the 911 Center. which hod no concerns. Rost said the Board of
Education had not voiced a concern either.
No one spoke during the public hearing.
Fleisch moved to name the access road to the Kedron Fieldhouse and Aquatic Center
Fieldhouse Drive. Learnard seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
12-11-03 Public Hearing - Consider Variance Request, 110 lanyard Bend
Rast said the variance request was for a home built several years ago on a 0.486-acre lot at the
end of Lanyard Bend. The property was zoned R-10. and the home was located at the rear of
the pie-shaped lot and backed up 10 Peachtree Parkway. a lot on Perch Point. and the two lots
on Lanyard bend.
The applicants purchased the property with the intent of making improvements to the home
and retaining it as their retirement home. They submitted a proposal thel included enclosing the
rear deck. but staff noted that would encroach into the rear setback. Staff also found two
existing encroachments into the setback that predated the new owners' purchase of the house.
Cify Council of Peachtree City
December 1, 20 II
Page 3
The two existing encroachments had been resolved through the administrative variance
processes.
Rast continued that R-10 zoning had a 30-foot rear setback. The site wos heavily wooded, and
the existing deck wos not consiejered e structure because it was not 30 inches in height.
However, if the deck were enclosed os a screened porch, it would be considered 0 structure,
and the deck extended 7.6 feet into the setback.
Rost said the closest neighbor was the lot on Perch Point, where the home was located toward
the front of the lot, leaving a fairly significant separation between the two homes.
Staff reviewed the variance criteria with respect to this request. One of the homeowner's
concerns wos the spouse's allergies to bees and stinging insects, end they wanted the screened
porch so thet she could enjoy her property.
Staff wos recommending approvai of the varience. The two adjoining neighbors had provided
letters of support, ond this followed the goal of trying to improve homes in existing
neighborhoods with minimal impact to adjoining properties. The applicant was present to
answer questions.
No one spoke during the public hearing.
Sturbaum noted that he did not see any concerns or issues, and staff had established the
variance process to address unique situations of this nature.
Fleisch asked if the applicant had a survey done when they purchased the home. Rast said
they did not and the survey wos done as part of the building permit application due to the
apparent proximity to the setback. Fleisch clarified that only the existing deck was being
covered and there wos no expansion planned. Rast said that was correct.
Imker osked about any precedent set by the variance. Rast said staff supported the variance in
the section relating to the Comprehensive Plan because the older areas of the City would either
go through the redevelopment process or the homes would start to decline. The
Comprehensive Plan noted that encouraging people to invest in their homes would help to
prevent that decline. The applicant had purchosed the home with the goal of making those
improvements.
imker noted that the memo also noted extraordinary conditions and that granting the variance
did not constitute the granting of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations placed on
other properties.
Sturbaum moved to approve the variance request as presented by stoff. Learnard seconded.
Motion carried unanimously.
12-11-04 Consider Bid - Rescue 8 Replacement
Imker noted that Council had a memo on the dais with a price change.
Fire Chief Ed Eiswerth said staff was recommending that Council award the bid to Fouts Brothers
Fire Apparatus in the amount of $195,200 to replace Rescue 8. The vehicle had been proposed
for replacement for several years, most recently in 2009 for $175.000. Since that time,
requirements had changed, which increased the price slightly. The lowest bid did not meet the
speoifications, so staff wos recommending the second lowest bidder.
City Council of Peachtree City
December 1, 2011
Page 4
Learnard asked if the City had purchased from this vendor before. Eiswerth said the City had
not. but many others had, and staff hod visited the plant and confirmed their references. The
company was local (Metro Atlanta).
Learnard asked for the lead-time to receive the vehicle, and Eiswerth said six months. The
vehicle was a Ford 550 Chassis. The compressed air pump was a new technology for the City's
maintenance personnel, so there would be some additional training required.
Sturbaum moved to approve the bid for the Rescue 8 Replacement as presented. Learnard
seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
12-11-05 Discuss Kroger Request to Amend Alcohol Ordinance for Wine Tastings
Thomas Friedheim, the Division Wine Trainer for Kroger, explained that Kroger had identified 10
stores in Georgia as target stores fu this program, which would have in-house wine tastings as an
education program for their customers. He said that. where the program had been introduced,
both soles and customer satisfaction had increased. Kroger asked to include the program at
the Kedron store in Peachtree City.
Imker noted that staff was asking 'vvhether to pursue an ordinance that would allow this type of
function. Council expressed no concerns and Imker noted staff could proceed with the
ordinance amendment.
Council/Staff Topics
Imker noted that this was Council Member Sturbaum's last meeting and thanked him for his
service, saying that he would be invited back in January for 0 formal recognition of his service.
Sturbaum moved to enter Executive Session for threatened or pending litigation at 7:37 p.m.
Fleisch seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Sturbaum moved to reconvene into regular session at 8:00 p.m. Learnard seconded. Motion
carried unanimously.
There being no further business, Sturbaum moved to adjourn the meeting. Learnard seconded.
Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m.
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