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All right. Welcome to the February council meeting. We're delighted to have a good, good crowd here. Tonight we have Forum. 00:00:15
Behind the railing, I see. And we're grateful for that. And we all will start, as always, with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. 00:00:21
Connie legally dis pledge. 00:00:24
We just do the flag. 00:00:30
Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:37
Public funded processes. So if there isn't an item that you want comment on, there's not a formal public comment moment, council 00:01:47
will consider that council deserve the right to limit those public comments to them. It's when we have, when we have, when that's 00:01:53
required formally. Generally we do allow you and a conversation at our meetings and keep that pretty. 00:01:58
First item on the agenda tonight is the review of minutes from the January 17th meeting and council. I'll attend a motion a 00:02:04
minute. Please make a motion to approve the mess. Is there a second? Second. 00:02:09
We have a motion. We have a second discussion. All I'll ever say aye Mr. carries on the agenda, we will. I'd like to amend the 00:02:14
agenda to add to consent item, percentage item on a approving justice one non exclusive license agreement because of that provided 00:02:21
to council in place in the agenda packet earlier today, just one recently bought Fort Wayne which is the company we use. 00:02:27
To help process and hedging or ticketing in Municipal Court systems, there's no cost to the city to use software. The cost is 00:02:35
included in fines paid by those receiving tickets. So this is namely a this is a this is just kind of papering how do owner of a 00:02:39
vendor for the city. So if you guys will agree, I'd like to add that to the consent agenda. 00:02:44
Tonight, if those days I'll obtain a motion. If you don't want to add it all, I will put that under business. Make a motion to 00:02:49
approve the agenda with the additional item in consent agenda. 00:02:54
And is there anything he wants to pull off of consent? 00:02:59
OK, we have a motion. We have a second any. 00:03:02
Any opposed motion carries photo. 00:03:05
Council can't speak to potential litigation attorney under person. 00:03:35
I'm Brian Rodrick, Mayor, City of Watkinsville to proclaim February 6th and April 26 Arbor Day Watchville and all citizens of 00:04:08
Settlement Arbor Day into Support Effort Protect Reason. 00:04:11
Court Clan will make sure that. So that makes the record. We do have trees available outside. Anybody. I encourage all of you to 00:04:17
grab one on way home. I think there's buds, white oaks, some other varieties of trees that are out there. Swap Chestnut. You can 00:04:22
see that there's one, a tree plant. Take one with you. Watkins, within a tree city for more than 10 years and Proclamation and 00:04:27
Getaway Trees and allocating budget for trees and have a tree ordinances for that process and we're proud of that. 00:04:33
And Archer, Canopy Financial Ports, I'll turn over to manager Person for monthly financial reports on the general fund reserve 00:04:38
laws and our funds. Thank you. So everyone should have a balance sheet as well as the revenue and sheet we are tracking with the 00:04:44
budget. So not any concerns with that. There aren't any concerns. I talked about FLOSS. 00:04:49
But it's actually reported some will actually be closed out else left. Basically residual interests and will close out this month 00:04:55
and will be down just slots 3T slots in. 00:05:00
On this Bus 3 report we're tracking having projecting about half million dollars more than we thought we were at 8.63% on this one 00:05:05
since that since September 2027 and most of this work right now is sidewalks and park a lot of right now some storm water work 00:05:11
that recently done as well. 00:05:16
That's just sort of a. 00:05:23
20 versus 23, a little bit of change. I'm still 8% above average, that amount left over last year. 00:05:25
On the tea sauce report, this one is actually up right now is all Sidewalk but there will be some other work in there with Rose 00:05:34
what not come up in the in the next couple of months. So it'll be a little work coming out of that for for Rd. Resources. And then 00:05:40
on the East lost comparison report when we're getting 7.7% we're averaging about 72,000 a month which almost 2000 less than we 00:05:46
were getting on the East lost. 00:05:52
On this last three, so this one doesn't set until March 2028. 00:05:59
On the ARCA, this is American rescue plan money. These bunnies are actually are being held until out in the middle of the council 00:06:06
until at least July. But there is still about $94,000 that can be appropriated come to buy and we'll talk about that during the 00:06:10
budget process. 00:06:14
Any questions? 00:06:19
Economic Development reports the business licenses every March 15th. A lot have come in Italy. We have a couple of call license 00:06:21
applications that have been approved and nice to receive for and we have one tonight as well. 00:06:28
And then? 00:06:35
The excise tax collections were tracking pretty, pretty close to what we'd expected for this hotel, motel and alcohol excise tax. 00:06:37
And I'm building we have six parts for five projects. 00:06:44
Probably most notable cafe is going downtown young questions. 00:06:47
All right. So we have had our angry chip tree down development already since the last name and then another BA mean. So we have a 00:06:58
new strategic work plan for 2024. We are focusing on economic development which is a main thing that DDA does also beautification 00:07:05
and communication and events. 00:07:12
We in part of that communication. 00:07:19
Our director has been together website with a partner and a screenshot. It is live. We still are making a few tweaks. 00:07:22
So that is kind of cover paint and it really is a great resource for our community. It highlights our retailers, places to stay, 00:07:32
businesses, services. It also shows any available properties for lease for someone who is looking for business and get resources 00:07:39
for people if they are wanting to start business in downtown. How do you start? Where do you guys link to all different kinds of 00:07:45
things. So it's a wonderful resource that also highlights events that happen in our downtown committee. So it is. 00:07:52
City of Let's see if down and walking Georgia Tom. And remember that yay about Walkersville, Georgia. 00:07:59
Or to Kate, who is our director who is here. So we had. 00:08:39
Was it 2 weeks ago? Time is on two we go week half ago we had a cookie candy and Coco crawl which was a fundraiser for city 00:08:45
refugee and it was a great time for Bournemouth community to come for our businesses or restaurants get lots of sugar and also 00:08:52
support a non profit and you can see there Martinsville we had a face thank you for our law enforcement and city employees to help 00:08:59
man that and they activated our new pocket park that is right there across from a State Bank or experimentation. It's Main Street 00:09:05
if you had guys not check it out yet. 00:09:12
And here are some pictures on that of it. 00:09:21
And also kind of lighting the pocket park, so it's great Another place in waterfalls that you can go, you can walk to, you can sit 00:09:24
with friends, you can play ******** if you want, you can have a picnic. So it's another little green space that we have in 00:09:27
Watkins. 00:09:31
There's a site and. 00:09:36
We have. We're partnering with the library which is going to be open very soon. 00:09:39
A sidewalk poetry contest, and I'm not going to read through all of the details. The deadline is March 25th, but this is going to 00:09:46
be another really great community event, that is. 00:09:51
Connecting the arts, creativity and making use of our downtown. So the winning poems are going to be chalked on the sidewalks and 00:09:56
Walkinsville. So be looking for this. I think it's really great idea. 00:10:02
And the last event is coming up in fourth block off your calendar. I know may can be a super busy month but we are having a BBQ 00:10:10
competition Bake Off block party on Rockfield from 6 to 9 and so if you want to be a cook off competitor you can do that. If you 00:10:17
just want to come and enjoy the good barbecue and live music and mingle with the This is going to be a fundraiser for Bethel even, 00:10:25
which is a wonderful organization or community that has Midwest services. So that is already the a update. 00:10:32
All right, And we have the Police Department, report Gale. 00:11:14
I thought also you here somewhere. 00:11:18
Good evening, Good evening. I will keep this quick, but hopefully, yes, you received the police department's update. In addition 00:11:21
to the events that were listed, we had one this week where we're invited by the Sons of Americ. 00:11:27
Revolution. I participate, and they were. 00:11:35
You know, getting to the Police Department more with their thoughts and support for us. 00:11:39
We have Easter egg hunt coming up in March, so we need volunteers. We need lots of kids stick the word out to participate and get 00:11:45
out there but that that's very exciting. And Copper bobbers again these were programs at former Cheap Rock did and so we're going 00:11:52
to carry on with his legacy. So very excited about what's going on. We also have two applicants for the position. Unfortunately we 00:11:58
had one for the police officer but he got took up by Elberton police before we even. 00:12:05
You know, cracked his application. He didn't turn it in. So that's, that's the state of employment, law enforcement. But I will 00:12:12
take quality over quantity any day, and we have the best group of officers. So there's some pictures from the event that I went to 00:12:17
with the American the Sons of the American Revolution dinner. 00:12:23
And officers have been active with the security property checks here and Traffic Safety enforcement. So we're we're doing quite 00:12:29
well. 00:12:33
I would like to up for questions or issues. 00:12:38
Questions. 00:12:43
Thank you, Chief. Thank you. 00:12:46
I just want to say we got this week of, I think you know one of our citizens wrote just amending two of your officers and I don't 00:12:47
have the note in front of me. I don't want to misquote it. But that's not a comment for us to get. And you know representing all 00:12:55
the officers here tonight, you could do just a quick service there is and I'm not just saying this, but this is a very, very. 00:13:03
Involved and quality build Police Department. These officers care about this community and you have you have great performance and 00:13:13
great safety. So something to proud of which I am. 00:13:17
Thank you. Thank. 00:13:22
All right. Next up, we have the consent agenda, those items removed. So I'll obtain a motion to approve the consent agenda. 00:13:26
The motion to approve the consent agenda. 00:13:32
All in favor, say any opposed motion carries 50. 00:13:37
All right. Now I'll move it into the times where we have public hearing what those is historic preservation ordinance. The second 00:13:42
one will be quarter ordinance. Just a reminder on public hearing since this is technically zoning procedures that are within 00:13:49
minutes per side, unless you disagree, I think we would let 4 minutes per person rule govern here because not besides it's more of 00:13:55
an input, some rules apply to discuss. 00:14:01
It's the mayor's pending address works to really council. Council won't speak potential litigation, attorney-client or personnel 00:14:08
matters. 00:14:11
And so with that, we will kick off. 00:14:15
The discussion? Historic probation. Give us some context before we get into the public hearing. 00:14:18
I think I thought it was important to start. 00:14:22
On this is to look at some homes that lost through the years in Watkins. 00:14:24
One of the big emphasis for this in my mind is. 00:14:30
It is a point that we may never lose another historic structure in in water. It's the way that our ordinances are red and the way 00:14:34
that state law is constructed. We don't have the opportunity to have conversation before home is demolished in Watkinsville today 00:14:39
and the opportunity is closely gone by the state in terms of how we designate. 00:14:45
And evaluate store comes and we're going to talk about that in a minute if we can just look through the prize on coppery, right. 00:14:51
So years ago it was at the corner mainstream experience stations now Lee up things property in Athens it was safe to move. 00:14:58
This was between Christian Church and elder building downtown. 00:15:05
This building somebody will remember. I mean a lot of you might remember here this home sat where Town Center is now is now in 00:15:10
Winterville. It was mid winter. 00:15:13
This home was on South Main Street. It was modest in early 2000s by Warren Grayson. And we have a new home. 00:15:19
Is there? 00:15:24
This home was at 60 S. 00:15:27
Was lost in the past few years. His home was a barn at holes, lost last. 00:15:29
This is the Old Train Depot in Watkinsville. It's long gone. 00:15:33
This is where Town Center was and again one of this one up here because I'll make a point. You know I think a lot of look at Town 00:15:37
Center and that trade off was trade off in my mind with it. You know we have an amazing asset at Town Center today. So the point 00:15:42
isn't that something might go away, but it's how do we have a conversation about that Traffic is on half of the community and we 00:15:47
really have limited protections right now. 00:15:51
So Christian and Jeff unpacked a little more but I did want to address this is, this is along with discussing this. I would argue 00:15:57
this is when we have discussed it, but we've really been talking about this probably for the better part of eight or ten years and 00:16:02
we've struggled to move it forward. So credit to Mayor Team Tucker and Councilman Can for doing that Anything we do, I can promise 00:16:07
you as long as I'm sitting here it's going to be a common approach. 00:16:11
We're not interested in being like Athens with historic renovation. We're not interested in legislating details windows, We're not 00:16:16
going about the interiors of homes. 00:16:20
We still have a long way to go this process in terms of getting public input and appointing Commission that actually make these 00:16:26
decisions. 00:16:28
A little background. You've got a time on there. We met with Professor Weeping of the fall semester, maybe, you know, September, 00:17:00
I'd say. And he teaches historic preservation and executing your class. And he said that his class would work on that with the 00:17:06
second-half of the fall semester. 00:17:11
That they worked on. They look at all 130 historic reservation ordinances in the state of Georgia. They excluded Atlanta and 00:17:18
Savannah due to the not being similar sized cities to Watkinsville. They utilized mall started with the state. 00:17:24
Then kind of came up. 00:17:32
The four groups that came up with the recommendations for the ordinance for Watkinsville, then we worked with them to tweak it and 00:17:34
fit our city. So it was very in-depth process and we were very fortunate Partner with Professor Reed, PGA. It's nice having that 00:17:41
asset in our backyard and he's really what preeminent preservation, but he's in the United States, he travels all over. 00:17:47
He's been very beneficial. He also wants to continue working in the city of Watkinsville if this ordinance passes. 00:17:55
Then we would also hold a Schmidt which he had spoke to. 00:18:02
Help us organize with the students so we can all meet and discuss in a public forum the things we want, we may not like, you know, 00:18:06
So get everybody's opinion to when we create the the, the teeth of the ordinance, if you will. This, this one that's right here is 00:18:12
really the framework putting all the eyes crossing the teeth for the city walk. And that's where we all as residents of the city 00:18:18
of Watkinsville will have input. You know, this ordinance. 00:18:24
For me and for the five council members up here all. 00:18:30
Historic homes in Watkinsville. So it will, if this passes it will directly affect all of us. So we're very invested personally in 00:18:35
the mayor was an historic home so we're all invested in it. But it's important to us to do it right. You know, we're not just 00:18:41
council members for residents and city of Watkins. 00:18:46
So that's important. So we wanted to write simply. A good word is here tonight and looking forward to input. As Brian said, I 00:18:53
think the pictures for me are very powerful of what we lost. 00:18:58
How you better the city Watkins will look if we still had a train depot and several of those houses that were torn down. I can 00:19:04
just imagine that train depot can restored and maybe someday there's not a rail there in this trail. You caught the train deeper, 00:19:08
restored itself. 00:19:11
Bakery. Coffee shop What? 00:19:16
How much that would be and and we'll talk about the history of that building. 00:19:18
Unfortunately, we've got some, a few who took homes in the city. We don't have a lot of worse Old Town, that's for me. That's even 00:19:22
more important to have this ordinance. We've had residences restore homes. 00:19:28
Probably would have been cheaper to tell. And what was possible South of management. Mr. Smith was restoring it. He went above and 00:19:34
beyond. It's a shining example of restoring the home that I believe. He even told me that it's cheaper to get down and building 00:19:39
the house. It was that far gone and house I live in which was owned by Larry Woodford, the architect told him You'd be better off 00:19:44
tearing down. 00:19:49
And the new house here. And then they didn't like architecture. 00:19:54
Architect told him that I don't know what's going to cost, but we're going to restore it. 00:19:59
And he restored it. And that house was. It could be the old house in Watkinsville. It's on books, is built, taking me. We think it 00:20:02
was more like 1840. It's got the original pine walls, pine ceiling, pine floors. 00:20:08
It would have been a shame had that has not been restored. 00:20:13
That they keep going away, the stories go away, an interest of the city goes away. So for me it's something. 00:20:45
Passionate about and I think it really. 00:20:52
Improve our city tremendously having these historic structures main. 00:20:55
Yes, living in the historic home, you know the the joys and the the struggles, they're always insulated homes, but library feature 00:20:59
to go with it. But I want to reiterate what Brian was saying about things being practical. I would say we strive to be very common 00:21:07
sense practical. We do not want anything to be a huge burden. We are all going to be affected by this. We want this to be common 00:21:14
sense. 00:21:21
Things to preserve the historic structures we have. And so as I mentioned before, a lot of the things that we are voting on 00:21:28
tonight are state audited. If you're going to have a dark position ordinance, you have to do most of the things that we have here. 00:21:35
This is the outline and the where we can have more nuance is what's coming ahead, where we are going to be in this public input as 00:21:42
we can that is appointing the Commission and the standards, deciding which properties are going to be historic properties. 00:21:49
And one of the things I've been thinking about, and this is the case with government, no matter what it is, is you're always 00:21:58
balancing. 00:22:00
Everybody's individual personal needs and rights, which of course is fundamental being American is personal rights activities with 00:22:03
the common good. And so that is what we are attempting to balance here tonight is having maintain our history while still also 00:22:10
always be mindful of every these individual personal rights. And so I am grateful to see so many phases and look forward to 00:22:16
hearing what you all have to say not only tonight but throughout this process, indeed this past night. And then one other thing I 00:22:22
want to say that is. 00:22:28
Really, really important and Sharon has the slide up right now. There are a lot of financial benefits to us having historic 00:22:35
reservation ordinance. So yes, I mean on. 00:22:38
Just society by saying history, of course. Thinking are you going to place? Of course. Those things are so important. There are 00:22:43
federal tax credits of 20% of a restoration of historic property. There are state tax credits. There are grants that are 00:22:50
available. And I just scratched the surface of these things. 00:22:56
Kate person put together a beginning list with links and so we links are all I mean. 00:23:03
All right. Thank you. Mayor Pro Tem, Councilman, Attorney. Robin. Is there any. No, I don't need an exhaustive recap. Sounds like 00:23:38
we just heard a pretty good summary. But if there's anything else you want to point out of this order, please do so then within 00:23:42
the public hearing. 00:23:45
Good attorney doesn't want to talk about Charles. Good news. We'll turn it over at this point. When you come forward, please step 00:23:49
forward, give your name and your address, and we'll give you 4 minutes to comment. 00:23:55
Hi, Bob. 00:24:08
Bob so I have 58 off Fence St. and generational 58 off Main St. 00:24:13
And I can speak from experience as to what. 00:24:18
In the storehouse, I can seek from spirits of what you have to deal with in the city when it comes to dealing with historic house. 00:24:22
Do homework for you. Come to the city to do a history house. Yes, Sir. 00:24:32
Tax consequences around that time I have AI have I can pass out to finish this, but I do have some conscious. 00:24:39
In the heart. So here we go again. 00:24:47
To the big city operabs, just the last three years, this big Lipton air down has instituted 1000 plus pages of more government out 00:24:51
of control government tax expense. Spend it all. 00:24:56
Let's rewind about 2006 Then Council Drive Objects spearheaded a new down. The government of origins caught a form based zoning 00:25:03
nearly a year and a half later moratorium it lifted. A new zoning map was created and looking back I cannot recall a single copy 00:25:10
that was affected by that from base and it's going to further than walk through it as you go to the experiment section, a little 00:25:16
further than there own base any of the properties in there. 00:25:23
These two new historic and court designs going to be another failed 2006, 2007 formed by zoning. 00:25:31
The city government ain't even follow the rules that set for themselves. She's not maintained Georgia locking the property only 00:25:38
take it back See politician tell private property property. So look the downtown Arkansas. 00:25:45
City politicians pay you to maintain the grass waiting to be. 00:25:53
Or no property, but yet the city can maintain city's grass downtown. They got the federal and state highways first. 00:25:56
And Herschel's talk, It's amazing. Couldn't see City back there. I hope you're going to do something with it. Could Bob Smith a 00:26:05
phenomenal play that it's amazing that. But the same politicians pay. 00:26:11
$1 million more. 00:26:18
Then an appraisal, another ship. 00:26:20
What point $5,000,000 on the cigar? A federal and state and local borrowing. 00:26:23
The largest debt correction in Watersville city. 00:26:30
Talk about ordinance, Mr. Smith. 00:26:35
Notify all the property. 00:26:45
About what's happened tonight, they didn't in 2006 and seven I read about in the local paper. So what? I'm again to this. 00:26:47
They want troll. They want a troll property. Once they get millions on this eastern ordinance, A constitutional quagmire is 00:26:55
awakened the Tasmania for public alarm bells to go off. I said Mr. Mayor Robert a letter and copied everybody every second. 00:27:03
So in the inconsistencies. 00:27:12
A house in one sphere that this council had lied to down over the last three years. 00:27:14
30 Water St. 19 foot 1956. That's 4 minutes. 00:27:22
Thank you, Mr. Smith. 00:27:34
Hypocrisy, Mr. Smith. Thank you. 00:27:37
Is chilling hypocrisy of chilling this town? Thank you Mr. Smith Speaker. 00:27:41
E-mail Junior did represent 68 Wall Street. 00:27:51
I didn't know I was gonna talk about one base. 00:27:55
For ambition only was better tomorrow property one. 00:27:57
The reason, Nick? 00:28:01
Change was because I didn't know anything about it. 00:28:03
And I guess it's my fault for reading about the paper in 1996 and I was 24 years old. 00:28:05
But it's pretty hot. 00:28:10
So I've called a lot of people I know in Watkinsville and here I'm alive. 00:28:12
This is 1 real no nothing. I know I work a lot of because I'm on boards. Also I work a lot of hours. 00:28:16
But I'm going to ask the table this thing for 120 days. 00:28:23
Make a difference? Been working on it for a year and a half, 120 days, not going to make no difference now. 00:28:26
So that's fine 120 days educate citizens and land owners that just don't affect Parkinson. 00:28:31
Mr. L. 00:28:38
Anyone wish to? 00:28:41
Good evening. My name is Kirkland out of 1 PVFW. Dr. Let's start off saying I do not know any of these individuals personally. 00:28:47
Teacher, community. I don't know many people just wearing. My wife and I love the city of Watkinsville in here, so I'll get to it. 00:28:53
I'm going to be what I'm thinking about. I just want to let council know that I am absolutely opposed to voting to approve Miss 00:28:59
Wattsville Historic preservation ordinance tonight. 00:29:05
That's tonight. Both of those. 00:29:12
As I know it, first presented to the members of the Council at the end of retreat took place just two weeks ago, on February 5th. 00:29:15
For more, no public reading of that ordinance take place at that meeting. At some meeting, the mayor mentioned that he marked up 00:29:21
his print copy and acknowledge that a lot of things for the council members to consider. I agree. So a question is, is have any 00:29:27
revision been made the ordinance as it was handed out? 00:29:33
Yes, I think so were. 00:29:40
Yep. 00:29:42
I studied history at the University of Georgia. 00:30:16
In social studies education and I believe that tonight we need to however, a bigger issues at hands. The main reason that I'm here 00:30:18
is because my family was here accepting Ward December. 00:30:22
And times of the essence to the homeowner and the upcoming board. So why not bring this up? Because that citizen was met 00:31:01
unnecessary, choosing to move outside of the city limits. A good cushion family in our community, A guy that I know support local 00:31:06
business. Thank you. 00:31:11
Appreciate your but. 00:31:18
All right. Anyone else wish to speak? 00:31:20
Good evening. I'm Travis Marshall. Well, I don't live in city. Well fair amount of property in the city and. 00:31:31
I've been through this, I've I've made lots of notes and I don't have 4 minutes. Is not here enough time to go through all this? 00:31:42
But. 00:31:45
Oh, I appreciate what you say is that you want to use common sense and try to move forward, but a lot of this verbiage in this 00:31:49
does not show common sense to me. 00:31:54
It seems to me. 00:32:02
Especially when it gets to the. 00:32:06
Of financial hardship on someone. 00:32:09
But can't afford to do some of these repairs. 00:32:14
And the city is going to. 00:32:18
Do the repairs sale? 00:32:20
Following. 00:32:22
You don't need work. You don't pay to be 12 steps, so. 00:32:26
If some restrictions on here the way it's written, I think these would. 00:32:31
Took, but it has more visions on the foot. 00:32:37
Hey Mark, it's been already said. I think it's be a good time to take this for some point to where we have a chance to look at 00:32:40
this and see exactly what it says. 00:32:44
Thank you, Mr. Marshall. 00:32:49
Anyone wish to seek on storage permission? 00:32:54
All right. We'll cause level hearing. 00:33:01
OK. So one of the things that I hear and. 00:33:06
I hear you. I get it that the verbage, you know, is maybe a way that we wouldn't want it to be. Or maybe we need some more time to 00:33:12
look at it and. 00:33:16
The reality is the vast majority of what in the organization ordinance that we're looking at voting on tonight are things that the 00:33:22
state dictates. So I'm hearing overall a value in historic preservation, a desire to maintain the structures that we have. But 00:33:29
maybe the way we heard it isn't right, or maybe we need more time to think specifically about it. 00:33:36
And this is honestly why we've been talking about this for years and it kept being pushed off and pushed off and pushed off. 00:33:44
As an example, I have an uncle live in Santa Barbara, CA and their community is such that if they want to change a light fixture 00:35:33
inside their home, they have to have a committee of people come to their house and look at it to say it's OK to have this light 00:35:40
fixture or not. We are not going to do anything close to that. But no one is going inside of your home. No one is going to tell 00:35:46
you exactly what you can or can't do. All that is what this is about and so I want to reassure people here. 00:35:53
We have thought long and hard about this and have actively been seeking and actively to publicizing this. And the the what we 00:36:00
actually have more control over is the next steps and that's where we are not jumping into that railway. It will not be on next 00:36:06
month or next month or next month or probably even the next month's agenda. There's no plan to have all this buttoned up like 00:36:13
that. That is not what we are doing, but we have to start And so that was what this is, this is the. 00:36:19
Almost fully, except for where we've tried to make it even a little more liberal. What the state dictates and we're going to have 00:36:26
a store reservation. 00:36:29
Well, let's finish commentary up here and we'll go to you, Sir. Just a second. Yeah, 4 minutes. We'll set up from the start. Now, 00:36:35
there's going to be another public here, Mr. Dorman. If you want to come up, you have another four. OK. All right. We're trying to 00:36:39
be fair. Everybody here. OK. Any other comments from council? And because this is, I will allow the gentleman didn't speak earlier 00:36:43
to come up after the comments. Council. 00:36:46
Sure. So I have had some calls, less than five phone calls with concerned citizens. I also need one only council member up here 00:36:51
does not live in historical so. 00:36:57
This will not affect me whatsoever, but I will tell you that way. It's written in let's see, my house is 20 years old, so 50 years 00:37:03
my house will become a story home. I think my home will ever be his work. So I don't personally think that. I personally think 00:37:10
that we should, Jeff, if Larry's old house is the old house, we should pick that date and say, hey, we want to go out. 00:37:17
What are 5060 years? And now that is the end of our historical president. I just don't personally think that 1970's houses ever 00:37:24
going to be history. It's just a 1970s old house. That's Brett's personal opinion. Might not be also personal pain. 00:37:30
So that's one thing us on there. Also, I do believe I have to read through this. I've been through it twice because it took me a 00:37:37
while to get through it. But I I believe that, you know, before we create an ordinance. 00:37:42
Anything I think we all stand up the Commission that these things trying to dictate. I think you know without creating an 00:37:48
ordinance would stand up a Commission or stand up a. 00:37:52
A community event that says, hey, this is these are things what to do with our Commission? 00:37:58
This is, this is what we want to do and let's let the people that is dictating here come on this stuff And that way the community 00:38:03
has time to give some input into it and that way the community and I don't know, we've been talking about. 00:38:09
Over here now, but it's the Times Now that we're actually physically talking about and I think you know let's let the community 00:38:16
talk about it and and give their input to this Commission that willing to stand up. I don't believe it takes an ordinance to to do 00:38:21
that. 00:38:25
And. 00:38:31
I think that's, yeah, let's, let's, let's let people see this document. Well, I mean, I got it two weeks ago and it's taking me a 00:38:33
little while to digest it. 00:38:37
And in the last two weeks on multiple calls, so I mean that we. 00:38:42
Table with a little while, I said many days. 00:38:47
And legal justice. 00:38:51
The comments The council. 00:38:54
I would just say Brett, actually my understanding and again this is you know, taking a deep dive in it. 00:38:56
We actually have to have ordinance in order to create a Commission. We can't do the reverse. And that's part of this is that and 00:39:02
again why I mean as one of the people who minds being affected right now my husband is repainting our home and. 00:39:08
You know in some communities we have some words, we have the original art pine. But some words overtime started to rot and in some 00:39:15
communities you would have to go hand mill forced to replace those forts. That is not how this ordinance is written. It does not, 00:39:21
it is not that specific. You can put hard link in there to replace it. 00:39:27
Very practical is what we're looking at. But yes, so we we have to if we're going to do this, we have to start and legally and 00:39:34
Jordan visually at the starting off point and then the things that you are legitimately bring up, that's just the way the next 7 00:39:40
where they're going to be talked about. 00:39:45
Before we cut behind the rail, gentlemen wanted to speak if you want, step forward 4 minutes if you can state your name. Address 00:39:52
please. 00:39:55
My name is Jim Butler. I reside at 2182 Football Rd. Not been in the city. 00:40:01
My focus is on properties outside the city limits. 00:40:10
And those might not be know that I like research old properties. My own family property dates back to 1867 and most likely 1839. 00:40:15
So I'm pretty fairly interested in that property, but in the city Atkinsville. 00:40:24
I can make the the public to know what you are. 00:40:34
Take four weeks ago Enterprise. Explain the two ordinances to a proposal or what you are proposing in detail. 00:40:39
If you hamstrung by the state, stick that and. 00:40:49
I hate. 00:40:53
Controls of. 00:40:57
I thank the commissioners of the county team, but I think about that. 00:41:00
The citizens of the state, I mean of the city. 00:41:07
1st, if you're trying to make a decision for the city at large and they do not know what you are doing, you are making great 00:41:11
mistakes. 00:41:17
Got you. Thank you, Mr. 00:41:23
I appreciate all. 00:41:26
Wonderful advocate for historic structures and educate a lot of people I mean OK for years I will say it's two way St. you know 00:41:28
when it comes to public awareness and I'm glad we have so many people here tonight but we. 00:41:34
There. I doubt there's been two or three months that have gone by in the past four or five years. We have not talked about the 00:41:41
need for some sort of historic preservation code. OK, so will there be an opportunity for more? But could there be more council 00:41:47
beside they want table at night if they do. That's right what bothered me one bit, but I I do dispute, you know. 00:41:54
The enterprise, you know, same report. Glad you're here. You know, we talked about all these things that link we don't ultimately 00:42:02
control what the enterprise with your prize writer publishers are puts in there. But we communicate also works with our citizens 00:42:07
and folks who feel informed. Sign up for the newsletter. Look at the Facebook page. 00:42:13
Be my friend. I read up every meeting we do and I talk about what we talk about relentlessly because we want people to know how 00:42:19
people participate. Whether I agree with you to agree with you, I'm grateful you're here tonight because I love engagement. I love 00:42:23
when people here does not, does not bother me at all. So back on the Rent Council, any other thoughts that you want to share 00:42:27
before? 00:42:32
Have solutions discussion. 00:42:37
No, Sir. You know you didn't use all your time. Come on up the shelter. Come on up. 00:42:39
After hearing the Tucker talk and saying that you know you can't go forward. 00:42:50
Without get started. 00:42:53
It'd be my recommendation, if you don't have it listed out, what it's going to be. 00:42:57
I would leave. 00:43:01
What about that? 00:43:03
So you going to play the ball game, you can call it quits and then you going to take the rules after we get. 00:43:06
Bonus passed. So as my condition, we should not pass no ordinance and I know any substance. We don't know what it's going to say. 00:43:13
This isn't, I don't know what it's going to say. The systems in Wattsville sure don't know what it's going to say. 00:43:18
Thank you. I think you respond to that because I think that is the crux of the matter. 00:43:23
Particulated it quite right, because this is what we have to do in order to move this word, if I understand right. Is that right, 00:43:29
Mr. 00:43:32
As was noted earlier by Councilman Campbell, this is a template and a foundation for future activity. A future activity is going 00:43:36
to be twofold #1 actually threefold #1 designation of a corridor Commission, which would be 5 individuals. 00:43:43
Was done in 2006 and 2007. Was first higher audacity attorney. There was meeting after meeting after public hearing after public 00:45:27
hearing in 2006 2007. That's well documented also for now that some of the language this goes well non state law for creative 00:45:33
flexibility that benefits the property owner. 00:45:38
Huge 5 near the top concept review preliminary proposal paragraph E you do not see that live ordinance has been put here so that 00:45:44
problem or can get in before they submit a formal application. Have upset. 00:45:49
2nd I have a motion of a second. Any further discussion? 00:45:56
All in favor, we roll on. 00:46:00
Tucker Campbell. 00:46:03
Messy. Yes, Eric Thomas. 00:46:06
Motion care for one. 00:46:09
All right. We will move on to the court ordinance. We'll follow a similar. 00:46:12
Process a year and some of you didn't for cut off there isn't another comment period quarter ordinances a little different Sharon 00:46:16
wheel advanced slots and over working some challenges here. 00:46:22
Don't worry about that. I just want to we can advance, OK the primary, the primary goal of this ordinance is. 00:46:29
Look at our codes. We don't have a lot of standards for residential specific standard residential construction. And what we're 00:46:38
realizing is we have some residential quarters into the city that we anticipate and is likely to have significant infill 00:46:44
development on over the next few years. And there's really very little guidance in our codes. 00:46:49
Around quality or quality or style phones and our codes on his quarters. And so the idea is actually for some clearly we've had 00:46:56
questions from developers. 00:47:00
On what our expectations would be in those corridors and and provide an opportunity for homes built in those orders set the 00:47:04
temperature for our city to actually come before council for approval rather than be approved administratively. I think that's a 00:47:09
pretty fair summary. Joe, I don't know if you want to add anything or Mayor Tim or if anybody else wants to offer anything for the 00:47:14
quarter. 00:47:19
All right, I'm not hearing. 00:47:25
With that, we'll do the same thing 4 minutes step forward. We have something to say about the quarter ordinance and and we'll 00:47:28
start timers here from. 00:47:31
Before you start, I want to thank. 00:47:39
Mr. Ernie Whiteman holding his microphone downs. I can. 00:47:42
I heard you. Thank you. The rest of your like an echo. And when I sat on the 2nd row, had to bend over like this to here. You can 00:47:46
hold your head up so just want to let you now that's a lady, Kristen Tucker said. You got to start somewhere. Thank you. 00:47:52
This is where you start a city. 00:47:59
See, all of the news if I was on Rules are similar to hypocrisy on the City Council for the last few. 00:48:02
And then the public meeting. I'm gonna go ahead with meetings. I pay for God, nothing or not. 3000 people in this town. Nobody 00:48:12
knew about the 2007. Nobody knew about this except the paper. Not me. You got 3000 pages. Ten 3000 people. And this is here for 00:48:18
this reason. But right here I want to talk about hypocrisy. 00:48:25
Fish. 00:48:32
On South Main Street, I know what it's like to deal with the city and historic properties. There's a soil, water, strawberry 00:48:35
containment that's in direct violation of C ordinances. Seth Maine senior Carter Totally. And you'll make that decision. I have 00:48:44
crossed me has three One, 3006 and three records. There's no some more. 117 S Main Street where the middle lives. 00:48:53
Basically how it works. You turn down the story lodge, don't give them into permission. You don't put it to build the building, 00:49:03
but you don't have stormwater containment. 00:49:08
And this is what we're talking about. Now. All these houses are modestly, but this town has room for senior citizens. I've 7-1 00:49:13
years old. I've been there since I was born. 00:49:17
Why'd you do that? Why did you not take it? Why do you not fight for? 00:49:22
Where the parking is on Water Street where the bicycles come in. I was owned a prison house and he's like house sitting in. 00:49:28
So if it going to happen consistency and we're going to consistency. 00:49:39
Then let's find our own rules and let's let people know, let people look when these things are happening. I'll get my face to 00:49:44
everything in this county. And you have some people in this room because this is the serving that this power grab that you're 00:49:50
doing right now is another thing of 2007. And I read a complete one. I said, well, I could do it, but this time, as I say, nice, I 00:49:56
do. 00:50:01
This hypocrisy in this panel is chilling, chilling, And I have a job payment because the last one, I'm thank you very much. 00:50:08
Thank you, Smith. Thank you, Mr. Math. All right. Next up, Mr. Robert. 00:50:18
Courtney of This time I represent 1431 Highway 15. 00:50:27
Another property. 00:50:31
I'm not gonna work money in control of the city. 00:50:37
I think we have enough. 00:50:40
It takes 2 four days to replace them if you can figure out how to read it and you read it. 00:50:42
So no, I'm not from Malou That can be applied. Ever. How? 00:50:47
Somebody didn't fit. 00:50:51
For not passing not. 00:50:53
They've gotten made yet, which what would this be? 00:50:55
So we're federally We read them. Matter of fact, we eat them. 00:50:59
So I'm disappointed, as you know. Thank you, Mr. Elder. 00:51:04
Mr. Marshall. 00:51:11
Fresh model. I guess both of these really go hand in hand because a lot of verbiage. 00:51:15
Translate together. 00:51:20
So the read is. To get anything done, you first you gotta get a certificate of. 00:51:23
Right. And that's from. Is that from y'all or is that from? 00:51:29
The. 00:51:34
That come from council in the quarter is the council. Yeah, that's correct. This council, the board of. 00:51:34
In terms of what we've established with coordinates. 00:52:13
So, and this is mainly to do with new construction. 00:52:16
Yes, residential, new residential construction for maintenance of existing properties, right. 00:52:19
So that we don't like Mr. Campbell saying you have to get approval to get a change front door. 00:52:27
Joe, what's up? I didn't print the document for here what that looks like. 00:52:33
Yes, Sir. Yeah. So I mean that's what I start out saying. These two documents complement each other because they kind of say the 00:53:16
same thing as far as the maintenance. 00:53:22
The problem, I say, is when you got under your hardship on some of these people that can't afford it and. 00:53:55
That's going to have to diminish value on their home if they've lost some control of what they can and can't do if they. 00:54:02
You know they choose to network their home and won't hear it. Something that invades their first property rights if somebody says 00:54:09
you can do that. 00:54:13
I think that's. I think that's the. 00:54:18
Yeah, so anyway. 00:54:22
Thank you. 00:54:25
Other comments on the quarter one. 00:54:29
Second Travis. Yeah. Challenger. Welcome back. I didn't speak tonight, so this may be able to organize this Tucker mission. I'd be 00:54:34
trying to. I don't think anybody to live next to the upper house or have a strip club their property control colors of houses for. 00:54:41
My concern that I would express is. 00:54:51
Just a thought experiment, assume everybody on the council is reasonable, it may not be in future. And so my concern is I think 00:54:54
we're seeing just a general erosion of property rights in the US and I think that could, I think that could get worse. 00:55:02
That when it out, I would, I would always err on the side of I think people should have the right to tear down property. I think 00:55:11
Mr. Elder. 00:55:14
So yeah, cut his forecast all. But I have, I have a personal concern with a council telling citizens really what they can do the 00:55:19
house and I know it's balance. I think this particular one that I went through goes a little bit far. 00:55:25
I think anything other than demolition part that you feel like I'm just curious specifically or something else you know to Mr. 00:55:31
because I mean it's more theoretical than anything it's you know I. 00:55:35
I sort of trust you guys to if you come forward with a problem, I will have inputable experience of maybe some stuff I think is 00:55:41
awesome, but you know, I don't know who's going to be up here in the future. So end of the day, you have people determine what you 00:55:45
do with your property and I. 00:55:50
That's the system which being American, spends. So I just, I'm just against it. Thank you. 00:55:55
Mr. Garrett. 00:56:03
Many generational owners are being able to do what they wish their property and I understand there are, there are negatives and 00:56:36
losing some of that control and what it may look like coming into the city. But as you mentioned, there's a lot of eight things 00:56:42
that came from hearing some houses down like Town Center and things like that. So I would not want to prohibit opportunities like 00:56:48
that from coming to our city because we've had an ordinance that would prohibit that. I will say this, the goal is not to. 00:56:55
I hear all the time Fighting Battle in Huckinsville fought it hard. Mr. Smith brought the list of buildings that have disappeared 00:58:07
and I find it ironic and troubling. But the fact is we didn't have any ways to prevent most of those homes from going away. 00:58:12
There's not a way for us to save us to the realistic so. 00:58:17
Statement and it may or may not be accurate, but it shows the pullet. 00:58:54
Ends time 2. 00:59:02
Decades ago. 00:59:05
The lady wanted to do something with a house that she. 00:59:07
Maybe you all probably know this. You may know more about it than I do. 00:59:11
But she was not allowed to do what she wanted to do with her eyes. Now I don't know what she was living in it or what it was next 00:59:16
to her. Maybe did she own? And really, I don't know anything. But I do know the house accidentally burned. 00:59:23
So she couldn't. 00:59:33
Well, she had the right to do, because somebody in this town prevented her from. 00:59:35
Doing what? Probably what she wanted to do. We can't stop. 00:59:42
A person from tear down there. 00:59:46
A little *****. You can't do it. 00:59:50
If they want to do it, they can do it. 00:59:52
If you were trying to prevent. 00:59:55
You need to be cautious and conservative in developing your detail. 01:00:00
Ordinance of. 01:00:07
Person. 01:00:09
You know, referred to the bat of the moonshine. 01:00:11
My father did some some things on moonshine in this county because the sheriff, the friend of the family, was trying to catch a 01:00:15
moonshine. 01:00:20
Distributor by their drugs. 01:00:26
And he was going on property trying to get somebody. He don't got the jewelry. My father hung up the jury. You can't do that. You 01:00:30
have to have a warrant. You got to go. 01:00:35
And outside this when you start infringing upon. 01:00:40
The homeowners rights to probably you dealing with a very fundamental fire. 01:00:45
Thank you, Mr. Bull. 01:00:52
The other comments, Mr. Dorman. 01:00:56
Kirkland. 01:00:59
This ordinance here I have a couple questions on this. I need clarification. Unlike the historical preservation, this is not 01:01:02
status quo First procedure right to. 01:01:07
The court ordinance with historical preservation ordinance. No this is this is something that you need to walk so and and with 01:01:12
that what are the next step after this if you were to vote to it for this step is it if immediately or is it like the historical 01:01:17
preservation when it's where there's Photoshop this effect immediately but then it does outline there are some standards 01:01:22
incorporated into the ordinance but it does outline process without more formal standards and the quarter would be specifically 01:01:28
designated and when. 01:01:33
With this ordinance as is, made available to the public. 01:01:39
Plus Friday. 01:01:43
Where was location? 01:01:45
Impose some city website regards to that. Yep, the last time I find where I get for the May or the February. 01:01:48
Retreat was 12 noon today. I mean even last Friday. Like I just have extreme concerns how fast this is moving for something that 01:01:57
is effective immediately and that is for reaching. And what I hear from a lot of, you know, people anger. 01:02:03
They're concerned with the control and in this case I feel like it's very fast And and that one question for item F and this may 01:02:10
be for you, I don't know. It states an application has a file. This is talking about the signage. I believe the application has 01:02:15
been filed with the corridor design Commission. 01:02:20
I didn't see. 01:02:26
Mentioned in there about the creation or composition or the appointment of members of that that. 01:02:27
Core Design Commission An earlier draft reference at the current draft check on the website Current draft says an application file 01:02:34
with the city. The reason it says Order Design Commission is when I drew this up for the City of Madison in 1998 for their 01:02:41
corridors, they chose to do a separate corridor design Commission of analogous to an historic preservation Commission. 01:02:48
Industrial that was for actually multiple. Madison Highway basically the end of South Main Street isn't all the way to state 20 to 01:02:56
get not industrial so much as retail commercial. If you see the transformation that corridor over 20 years, you'd see how 01:03:02
effective that was. This course geared towards residential, it's, the mayor stated for preservation of the existing traditional 01:03:07
residential housing and the ambiance as you enter these gay corridors into the city, which is the last chance to make a first 01:03:13
impression. 01:03:19
You enter into a small towns to the Watkinsville and enlisted in those corridors in the verbage and innovate so that you have to 01:03:25
decide on that later on, but it lists out experimentation as well. 01:03:30
We're current just early draft. It was changed to get away from industrial commercial to get to that way and here's the current 01:03:35
north. 01:03:39
All right, Sharon, Are we good? All right, item 16. 01:04:04
George R Bishop Urban Forest plan I think I see Justin Greer here. I'm guessing that's his. 01:04:09
Come on forward, Mr. 01:04:16
All right. I think we'll start with Councilman Thomas or Engineer Campbell to provide a report here. Yeah, sure, absolutely. So we 01:04:24
met last week and and discussed this as property. Right now it's it's mostly a blank slate. There's not very much stuff there to 01:04:32
to talk about for urban forestry. So they are planning on adding a bunch of trees to meet the the. 01:04:39
Requirements. 01:04:48
For the urban forestry, we did have a couple of recommendations before approval that they had some trees that we did not think 01:04:49
that they should plant and we we offered some additional trees because of the the. 01:04:57
Around the lake area, so we did offer up some swamp swamp white oaks for pond perimeter trees. Additionally, we asked for them to 01:05:05
show the permanent requirements in more detail the the trees specifically were not. 01:05:13
In a whole lot of detail and I think Mr. Greer's is prepared for that. And then the final request or recommendation was that as 01:05:22
they build out phase two, we were going to, we recommend approval for phase one. But as we get into phase two and they start to 01:05:29
site develop that, that they come back before us again and give us a more detailed plan of what phase two looks like. 01:05:36
So with those three recommendations we did, we do recommend approval of the site, the urban board plan engineer, Campbell, 01:05:44
anything to add? OK, Mr. Greer, anything you'd like to share? 01:05:50
On the swamp wide of that, that part is popular. It may be hard to find in that size. That's kind of a it's not oddball, but it 01:05:58
may be in that we'll do our best on that and see if we can get it. We can get it. We won't have to. If not, we'll try to choose 01:06:03
something a little different and then we'll get that other information to you. All right. So you're fine with the conditions that 01:06:08
the Commission has done. And for that, I know we have some folks who aren't normally with us tonight, Just so you know, we have a 01:06:13
tree. 01:06:17
Ordinance in Watkinsville doesn't prevent people from cutting down trees. If you want to get out your chainsaw in your yard and 01:06:23
have a little fun, you can always do that. But when there's a new development going in in Watkinsville, we do require them to 01:06:28
plant a substantial amount of trees or replace any trees that are lost. So again, we're not telling people they can't remove 01:06:33
trees, but what we require is a significant replacement value, and that's what some of these calculations up here show. 01:06:38
With that, I'd entertain a motion to approve the tree plan with the conditions as outlined by Mr. Thomas and the committee, 01:06:44
please. 01:06:49
I mean, I might as well make the motion. Let's just give us a so move, all right, We have a so moved. Do we have a second? Second. 01:06:55
All right, we have a motion. We have a second. Any conversation. 01:07:02
Hearing none. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right. Consideration of pouring license. 01:07:04
Come on up, gentlemen. I can't remember your name. You have waited patiently out of town, guest. 01:07:11
Glad you're here. So we have a new restaurant coming to wire Park called Prospects Well Prospect Athens. So we will let our guest 01:07:18
tell us his name in a moment. I forgot we need the court to let us know if everything's in order. 01:07:25
If everything is in order, we'll let the guest tell us his name and about about the enterprise and then we'll make a vote. Yes, 01:07:32
Sir, everything is in order. OK, everything's in order. If you could tell us your name and address. And I know you're here for 01:07:37
alcohol license, but I'm sure people would love to hear what kind of new restaurant we've got. 01:07:42
Officially Southern Prospects, it's one of four Q concepts restaurants. I think it'll be our 17th. It might be our 16th depending 01:07:49
on how some. 01:07:53
Construction goes in North Druid Hills in Atlanta. We're at 1725 Electric Ave. across from I think it's called Lalos or Lay Lows, 01:07:58
but we'll be right there on the end cap. We're really excited to join this community where we've been in at. 01:08:05
Oconee and Downtown Athens for the last 10 years already, so we're familiar with with your neighbors and excited to join this 01:08:13
community and serve you all and however we can. 01:08:18
It's, I guess you'd call it, like New American. 01:08:26
All right, new American fish. 01:08:30
The normal stuff, yeah. 01:08:33
All right. All right. Thank you for the update we have. Everything's in order and just so you know, if everything remains in order 01:08:40
that you only have to come before US1 time. It's not every year or anything like that. It's all administrative from here on out. 01:08:46
Do we have a Motion to Approve a beer and one into Spilled spirits license for Prospect Athens? 01:08:53
I make a motion to approve. 01:08:58
We have a second. Second, All right. We have a motion. We have a second. Any conversation here? None. All in favor. Any opposed? 01:09:00
OK, Motion carries 50. No old business. You're welcome to step down or head home. 01:09:08
He wins the award for coming along this way. 01:09:17
Travis might get it for second furthest. All right, Good night. Yep, Yep. All right. Public comments. I know we've had some 01:09:20
already. This is the moment where if you have something you want to say that you haven't already said, come on. 01:09:26
This is your time to shine. 01:09:35
I see smiles. But nobody wanted to do that. I don't blame you. It's late. All right, We will move on to the mayor's report and he 01:09:38
will be fast. 01:09:41
The Oconee Library grand opening. 01:09:45
Is Saturday, Saturday, March 2nd? I have no idea what that says. February 29th at 10:00 AM. 01:09:50
A soft opening. 01:09:57
So we have a soft opening for the library, February 29th celebrate my leap year, but the official opening is March 2nd. So if you 01:10:00
want to go and help them test things out, go on the 29th. If you want to go to the official grand opening, that would be March 2nd 01:10:05
and we'll see if board chair Campbell has everything working over there. So. 01:10:11
So we're excited about the library finally getting open. Mark and kudos to you and your team. We know it's going to be awesome. 01:10:19
Earlier, Mr. Smith mentioned kudzu at Harris Shoals. I'm disappointed that he's left. We did spend most of the morning over there 01:10:26
the other day getting rid of a lot of invasives. Our city staff has been working hard on that with support from. 01:10:32
Gary Crowder, who's our invasive plant warden in our city parks, Gary does a lot of that, does a lot of that at a goodwill and 01:10:38
we're grateful for Gary service and leading our team over there to remove a lot of kudzu and a lot of private and other things. 01:10:44
10,000 eggs right here at City Hall March 16th. Encourage all of you with little kids. I know there's some of y'all here. Bring 01:11:25
them out and. 01:11:28
Test them out. We've already talked about sidewalk poetry, so we'll move through. That Piedmont Garden Tour is coming to Oak 01:11:33
County. In fact, this weekend of April 20th and 21st is going to be pretty bonkers in Watkinsville. We've got two regional events 01:11:39
that we're hosting and really excited about with the Piedmont Garden Tour coming on April 20th, that's from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. 01:11:46
Three of the properties are in Watkinsville proper, then there's three more in the county that typically draws several thousand 01:11:54
people out to visit different yards and spaces. For that, we're excited about it's OCAF is one of the destinations, along with 01:11:58
Alice Woodruff's house. 01:12:03
Then we have the Georgia Historic Trust Ramble that's the very next day and I don't know if that is that free or ticketed, I'm not 01:12:09
sure that's ticketed as well. But this is an opportunity to see some historic homes. It's going to be in Athens on the 20th, 01:12:15
Oconee on the 21st, if you want to see some of the communities most. 01:12:21
Buildings. Ironically, after our conversation tonight, those historic homes and buildings throughout our community will be on 01:12:27
display. This is a. 01:12:30
Times aren't right. 01:12:34
It's 7:00 AM, right? No, it can't be. Yeah, it can't be 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. 01:12:37
7:00 PM to 11:00 PMI thought that it ended here but I don't. I got it off the website. It should be 10 and start on the Sunday. 01:12:43
It's 10:00 AM to I think. 01:12:47
2:50. 01:12:54
Yeah, but if anybody wants to show up at Christine's house at 10:30 for a drink, they can do so. 01:12:57
All right, cops and bobbers. This is a great event again for folks with kids or big kids. The Heart Degree Wildlife Sanctuary, May 01:13:04
4th, 2024. 01:13:08
We've got police officers there and other fishing experts to help you catch and it does say no adult fishing so it is for kids 01:13:14
only. 01:13:17
And we mentioned earlier the BBQ competition and Bake Off at Rocket Field. Again, this is that time of year where we have all the 01:13:21
events going. It's a beautiful time of year. 01:13:26
And we anticipate a lot of, a lot of, a lot of folks at this fund event at Rocket Field coming up on May 4th. 01:13:31
We got to be done. OK, good. All right. With that, we will move on to council, reports Councilman Garrett Post One. 01:13:37
Let's say recently myself. 01:13:44
Engineer. 01:13:48
Hello, Sharon and Toby. We met with the DLT to look at. 01:13:50
Some water drainage issues on main. 01:13:55
Had a good meeting with them and I saw them here shooting some grades and looking at things they can do to improve it, so. 01:13:58
Hope to see some progress on. 01:14:05
Perfect. Thank. 01:14:08
Councilwoman. 01:14:10
Well, I just want to say I went for Valentine's Day with the Chief and some of our officers to Saint Gabriels. 01:14:13
Senior home to hand out Valentine cards and candy and that is just. 01:14:21
So nice of our officers to do that and the smiles on those folks faces is just amazing. 01:14:27
It's worth doing it. 01:14:33
Councilman Thomas, nothing this evening. Thank you. 01:14:35
Mayor Pro Tim Tucker. 01:14:39
I think I have said it all. 01:14:40
And Councilman Campbell? Nothing bad, all right? 01:14:43
And I don't think we have a need for executive session tonight. Is that correct? 01:14:47
OK, Nobody wants to go into executive session. That's great. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. Do we have a second second? All 01:14:52
right, all in favor, say aye. 01:14:56
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All right. Welcome to the February council meeting. We're delighted to have a good, good crowd here. Tonight we have Forum. 00:00:15
Behind the railing, I see. And we're grateful for that. And we all will start, as always, with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. 00:00:21
Connie legally dis pledge. 00:00:24
We just do the flag. 00:00:30
Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:37
Public funded processes. So if there isn't an item that you want comment on, there's not a formal public comment moment, council 00:01:47
will consider that council deserve the right to limit those public comments to them. It's when we have, when we have, when that's 00:01:53
required formally. Generally we do allow you and a conversation at our meetings and keep that pretty. 00:01:58
First item on the agenda tonight is the review of minutes from the January 17th meeting and council. I'll attend a motion a 00:02:04
minute. Please make a motion to approve the mess. Is there a second? Second. 00:02:09
We have a motion. We have a second discussion. All I'll ever say aye Mr. carries on the agenda, we will. I'd like to amend the 00:02:14
agenda to add to consent item, percentage item on a approving justice one non exclusive license agreement because of that provided 00:02:21
to council in place in the agenda packet earlier today, just one recently bought Fort Wayne which is the company we use. 00:02:27
To help process and hedging or ticketing in Municipal Court systems, there's no cost to the city to use software. The cost is 00:02:35
included in fines paid by those receiving tickets. So this is namely a this is a this is just kind of papering how do owner of a 00:02:39
vendor for the city. So if you guys will agree, I'd like to add that to the consent agenda. 00:02:44
Tonight, if those days I'll obtain a motion. If you don't want to add it all, I will put that under business. Make a motion to 00:02:49
approve the agenda with the additional item in consent agenda. 00:02:54
And is there anything he wants to pull off of consent? 00:02:59
OK, we have a motion. We have a second any. 00:03:02
Any opposed motion carries photo. 00:03:05
Council can't speak to potential litigation attorney under person. 00:03:35
I'm Brian Rodrick, Mayor, City of Watkinsville to proclaim February 6th and April 26 Arbor Day Watchville and all citizens of 00:04:08
Settlement Arbor Day into Support Effort Protect Reason. 00:04:11
Court Clan will make sure that. So that makes the record. We do have trees available outside. Anybody. I encourage all of you to 00:04:17
grab one on way home. I think there's buds, white oaks, some other varieties of trees that are out there. Swap Chestnut. You can 00:04:22
see that there's one, a tree plant. Take one with you. Watkins, within a tree city for more than 10 years and Proclamation and 00:04:27
Getaway Trees and allocating budget for trees and have a tree ordinances for that process and we're proud of that. 00:04:33
And Archer, Canopy Financial Ports, I'll turn over to manager Person for monthly financial reports on the general fund reserve 00:04:38
laws and our funds. Thank you. So everyone should have a balance sheet as well as the revenue and sheet we are tracking with the 00:04:44
budget. So not any concerns with that. There aren't any concerns. I talked about FLOSS. 00:04:49
But it's actually reported some will actually be closed out else left. Basically residual interests and will close out this month 00:04:55
and will be down just slots 3T slots in. 00:05:00
On this Bus 3 report we're tracking having projecting about half million dollars more than we thought we were at 8.63% on this one 00:05:05
since that since September 2027 and most of this work right now is sidewalks and park a lot of right now some storm water work 00:05:11
that recently done as well. 00:05:16
That's just sort of a. 00:05:23
20 versus 23, a little bit of change. I'm still 8% above average, that amount left over last year. 00:05:25
On the tea sauce report, this one is actually up right now is all Sidewalk but there will be some other work in there with Rose 00:05:34
what not come up in the in the next couple of months. So it'll be a little work coming out of that for for Rd. Resources. And then 00:05:40
on the East lost comparison report when we're getting 7.7% we're averaging about 72,000 a month which almost 2000 less than we 00:05:46
were getting on the East lost. 00:05:52
On this last three, so this one doesn't set until March 2028. 00:05:59
On the ARCA, this is American rescue plan money. These bunnies are actually are being held until out in the middle of the council 00:06:06
until at least July. But there is still about $94,000 that can be appropriated come to buy and we'll talk about that during the 00:06:10
budget process. 00:06:14
Any questions? 00:06:19
Economic Development reports the business licenses every March 15th. A lot have come in Italy. We have a couple of call license 00:06:21
applications that have been approved and nice to receive for and we have one tonight as well. 00:06:28
And then? 00:06:35
The excise tax collections were tracking pretty, pretty close to what we'd expected for this hotel, motel and alcohol excise tax. 00:06:37
And I'm building we have six parts for five projects. 00:06:44
Probably most notable cafe is going downtown young questions. 00:06:47
All right. So we have had our angry chip tree down development already since the last name and then another BA mean. So we have a 00:06:58
new strategic work plan for 2024. We are focusing on economic development which is a main thing that DDA does also beautification 00:07:05
and communication and events. 00:07:12
We in part of that communication. 00:07:19
Our director has been together website with a partner and a screenshot. It is live. We still are making a few tweaks. 00:07:22
So that is kind of cover paint and it really is a great resource for our community. It highlights our retailers, places to stay, 00:07:32
businesses, services. It also shows any available properties for lease for someone who is looking for business and get resources 00:07:39
for people if they are wanting to start business in downtown. How do you start? Where do you guys link to all different kinds of 00:07:45
things. So it's a wonderful resource that also highlights events that happen in our downtown committee. So it is. 00:07:52
City of Let's see if down and walking Georgia Tom. And remember that yay about Walkersville, Georgia. 00:07:59
Or to Kate, who is our director who is here. So we had. 00:08:39
Was it 2 weeks ago? Time is on two we go week half ago we had a cookie candy and Coco crawl which was a fundraiser for city 00:08:45
refugee and it was a great time for Bournemouth community to come for our businesses or restaurants get lots of sugar and also 00:08:52
support a non profit and you can see there Martinsville we had a face thank you for our law enforcement and city employees to help 00:08:59
man that and they activated our new pocket park that is right there across from a State Bank or experimentation. It's Main Street 00:09:05
if you had guys not check it out yet. 00:09:12
And here are some pictures on that of it. 00:09:21
And also kind of lighting the pocket park, so it's great Another place in waterfalls that you can go, you can walk to, you can sit 00:09:24
with friends, you can play ******** if you want, you can have a picnic. So it's another little green space that we have in 00:09:27
Watkins. 00:09:31
There's a site and. 00:09:36
We have. We're partnering with the library which is going to be open very soon. 00:09:39
A sidewalk poetry contest, and I'm not going to read through all of the details. The deadline is March 25th, but this is going to 00:09:46
be another really great community event, that is. 00:09:51
Connecting the arts, creativity and making use of our downtown. So the winning poems are going to be chalked on the sidewalks and 00:09:56
Walkinsville. So be looking for this. I think it's really great idea. 00:10:02
And the last event is coming up in fourth block off your calendar. I know may can be a super busy month but we are having a BBQ 00:10:10
competition Bake Off block party on Rockfield from 6 to 9 and so if you want to be a cook off competitor you can do that. If you 00:10:17
just want to come and enjoy the good barbecue and live music and mingle with the This is going to be a fundraiser for Bethel even, 00:10:25
which is a wonderful organization or community that has Midwest services. So that is already the a update. 00:10:32
All right, And we have the Police Department, report Gale. 00:11:14
I thought also you here somewhere. 00:11:18
Good evening, Good evening. I will keep this quick, but hopefully, yes, you received the police department's update. In addition 00:11:21
to the events that were listed, we had one this week where we're invited by the Sons of Americ. 00:11:27
Revolution. I participate, and they were. 00:11:35
You know, getting to the Police Department more with their thoughts and support for us. 00:11:39
We have Easter egg hunt coming up in March, so we need volunteers. We need lots of kids stick the word out to participate and get 00:11:45
out there but that that's very exciting. And Copper bobbers again these were programs at former Cheap Rock did and so we're going 00:11:52
to carry on with his legacy. So very excited about what's going on. We also have two applicants for the position. Unfortunately we 00:11:58
had one for the police officer but he got took up by Elberton police before we even. 00:12:05
You know, cracked his application. He didn't turn it in. So that's, that's the state of employment, law enforcement. But I will 00:12:12
take quality over quantity any day, and we have the best group of officers. So there's some pictures from the event that I went to 00:12:17
with the American the Sons of the American Revolution dinner. 00:12:23
And officers have been active with the security property checks here and Traffic Safety enforcement. So we're we're doing quite 00:12:29
well. 00:12:33
I would like to up for questions or issues. 00:12:38
Questions. 00:12:43
Thank you, Chief. Thank you. 00:12:46
I just want to say we got this week of, I think you know one of our citizens wrote just amending two of your officers and I don't 00:12:47
have the note in front of me. I don't want to misquote it. But that's not a comment for us to get. And you know representing all 00:12:55
the officers here tonight, you could do just a quick service there is and I'm not just saying this, but this is a very, very. 00:13:03
Involved and quality build Police Department. These officers care about this community and you have you have great performance and 00:13:13
great safety. So something to proud of which I am. 00:13:17
Thank you. Thank. 00:13:22
All right. Next up, we have the consent agenda, those items removed. So I'll obtain a motion to approve the consent agenda. 00:13:26
The motion to approve the consent agenda. 00:13:32
All in favor, say any opposed motion carries 50. 00:13:37
All right. Now I'll move it into the times where we have public hearing what those is historic preservation ordinance. The second 00:13:42
one will be quarter ordinance. Just a reminder on public hearing since this is technically zoning procedures that are within 00:13:49
minutes per side, unless you disagree, I think we would let 4 minutes per person rule govern here because not besides it's more of 00:13:55
an input, some rules apply to discuss. 00:14:01
It's the mayor's pending address works to really council. Council won't speak potential litigation, attorney-client or personnel 00:14:08
matters. 00:14:11
And so with that, we will kick off. 00:14:15
The discussion? Historic probation. Give us some context before we get into the public hearing. 00:14:18
I think I thought it was important to start. 00:14:22
On this is to look at some homes that lost through the years in Watkins. 00:14:24
One of the big emphasis for this in my mind is. 00:14:30
It is a point that we may never lose another historic structure in in water. It's the way that our ordinances are red and the way 00:14:34
that state law is constructed. We don't have the opportunity to have conversation before home is demolished in Watkinsville today 00:14:39
and the opportunity is closely gone by the state in terms of how we designate. 00:14:45
And evaluate store comes and we're going to talk about that in a minute if we can just look through the prize on coppery, right. 00:14:51
So years ago it was at the corner mainstream experience stations now Lee up things property in Athens it was safe to move. 00:14:58
This was between Christian Church and elder building downtown. 00:15:05
This building somebody will remember. I mean a lot of you might remember here this home sat where Town Center is now is now in 00:15:10
Winterville. It was mid winter. 00:15:13
This home was on South Main Street. It was modest in early 2000s by Warren Grayson. And we have a new home. 00:15:19
Is there? 00:15:24
This home was at 60 S. 00:15:27
Was lost in the past few years. His home was a barn at holes, lost last. 00:15:29
This is the Old Train Depot in Watkinsville. It's long gone. 00:15:33
This is where Town Center was and again one of this one up here because I'll make a point. You know I think a lot of look at Town 00:15:37
Center and that trade off was trade off in my mind with it. You know we have an amazing asset at Town Center today. So the point 00:15:42
isn't that something might go away, but it's how do we have a conversation about that Traffic is on half of the community and we 00:15:47
really have limited protections right now. 00:15:51
So Christian and Jeff unpacked a little more but I did want to address this is, this is along with discussing this. I would argue 00:15:57
this is when we have discussed it, but we've really been talking about this probably for the better part of eight or ten years and 00:16:02
we've struggled to move it forward. So credit to Mayor Team Tucker and Councilman Can for doing that Anything we do, I can promise 00:16:07
you as long as I'm sitting here it's going to be a common approach. 00:16:11
We're not interested in being like Athens with historic renovation. We're not interested in legislating details windows, We're not 00:16:16
going about the interiors of homes. 00:16:20
We still have a long way to go this process in terms of getting public input and appointing Commission that actually make these 00:16:26
decisions. 00:16:28
A little background. You've got a time on there. We met with Professor Weeping of the fall semester, maybe, you know, September, 00:17:00
I'd say. And he teaches historic preservation and executing your class. And he said that his class would work on that with the 00:17:06
second-half of the fall semester. 00:17:11
That they worked on. They look at all 130 historic reservation ordinances in the state of Georgia. They excluded Atlanta and 00:17:18
Savannah due to the not being similar sized cities to Watkinsville. They utilized mall started with the state. 00:17:24
Then kind of came up. 00:17:32
The four groups that came up with the recommendations for the ordinance for Watkinsville, then we worked with them to tweak it and 00:17:34
fit our city. So it was very in-depth process and we were very fortunate Partner with Professor Reed, PGA. It's nice having that 00:17:41
asset in our backyard and he's really what preeminent preservation, but he's in the United States, he travels all over. 00:17:47
He's been very beneficial. He also wants to continue working in the city of Watkinsville if this ordinance passes. 00:17:55
Then we would also hold a Schmidt which he had spoke to. 00:18:02
Help us organize with the students so we can all meet and discuss in a public forum the things we want, we may not like, you know, 00:18:06
So get everybody's opinion to when we create the the, the teeth of the ordinance, if you will. This, this one that's right here is 00:18:12
really the framework putting all the eyes crossing the teeth for the city walk. And that's where we all as residents of the city 00:18:18
of Watkinsville will have input. You know, this ordinance. 00:18:24
For me and for the five council members up here all. 00:18:30
Historic homes in Watkinsville. So it will, if this passes it will directly affect all of us. So we're very invested personally in 00:18:35
the mayor was an historic home so we're all invested in it. But it's important to us to do it right. You know, we're not just 00:18:41
council members for residents and city of Watkins. 00:18:46
So that's important. So we wanted to write simply. A good word is here tonight and looking forward to input. As Brian said, I 00:18:53
think the pictures for me are very powerful of what we lost. 00:18:58
How you better the city Watkins will look if we still had a train depot and several of those houses that were torn down. I can 00:19:04
just imagine that train depot can restored and maybe someday there's not a rail there in this trail. You caught the train deeper, 00:19:08
restored itself. 00:19:11
Bakery. Coffee shop What? 00:19:16
How much that would be and and we'll talk about the history of that building. 00:19:18
Unfortunately, we've got some, a few who took homes in the city. We don't have a lot of worse Old Town, that's for me. That's even 00:19:22
more important to have this ordinance. We've had residences restore homes. 00:19:28
Probably would have been cheaper to tell. And what was possible South of management. Mr. Smith was restoring it. He went above and 00:19:34
beyond. It's a shining example of restoring the home that I believe. He even told me that it's cheaper to get down and building 00:19:39
the house. It was that far gone and house I live in which was owned by Larry Woodford, the architect told him You'd be better off 00:19:44
tearing down. 00:19:49
And the new house here. And then they didn't like architecture. 00:19:54
Architect told him that I don't know what's going to cost, but we're going to restore it. 00:19:59
And he restored it. And that house was. It could be the old house in Watkinsville. It's on books, is built, taking me. We think it 00:20:02
was more like 1840. It's got the original pine walls, pine ceiling, pine floors. 00:20:08
It would have been a shame had that has not been restored. 00:20:13
That they keep going away, the stories go away, an interest of the city goes away. So for me it's something. 00:20:45
Passionate about and I think it really. 00:20:52
Improve our city tremendously having these historic structures main. 00:20:55
Yes, living in the historic home, you know the the joys and the the struggles, they're always insulated homes, but library feature 00:20:59
to go with it. But I want to reiterate what Brian was saying about things being practical. I would say we strive to be very common 00:21:07
sense practical. We do not want anything to be a huge burden. We are all going to be affected by this. We want this to be common 00:21:14
sense. 00:21:21
Things to preserve the historic structures we have. And so as I mentioned before, a lot of the things that we are voting on 00:21:28
tonight are state audited. If you're going to have a dark position ordinance, you have to do most of the things that we have here. 00:21:35
This is the outline and the where we can have more nuance is what's coming ahead, where we are going to be in this public input as 00:21:42
we can that is appointing the Commission and the standards, deciding which properties are going to be historic properties. 00:21:49
And one of the things I've been thinking about, and this is the case with government, no matter what it is, is you're always 00:21:58
balancing. 00:22:00
Everybody's individual personal needs and rights, which of course is fundamental being American is personal rights activities with 00:22:03
the common good. And so that is what we are attempting to balance here tonight is having maintain our history while still also 00:22:10
always be mindful of every these individual personal rights. And so I am grateful to see so many phases and look forward to 00:22:16
hearing what you all have to say not only tonight but throughout this process, indeed this past night. And then one other thing I 00:22:22
want to say that is. 00:22:28
Really, really important and Sharon has the slide up right now. There are a lot of financial benefits to us having historic 00:22:35
reservation ordinance. So yes, I mean on. 00:22:38
Just society by saying history, of course. Thinking are you going to place? Of course. Those things are so important. There are 00:22:43
federal tax credits of 20% of a restoration of historic property. There are state tax credits. There are grants that are 00:22:50
available. And I just scratched the surface of these things. 00:22:56
Kate person put together a beginning list with links and so we links are all I mean. 00:23:03
All right. Thank you. Mayor Pro Tem, Councilman, Attorney. Robin. Is there any. No, I don't need an exhaustive recap. Sounds like 00:23:38
we just heard a pretty good summary. But if there's anything else you want to point out of this order, please do so then within 00:23:42
the public hearing. 00:23:45
Good attorney doesn't want to talk about Charles. Good news. We'll turn it over at this point. When you come forward, please step 00:23:49
forward, give your name and your address, and we'll give you 4 minutes to comment. 00:23:55
Hi, Bob. 00:24:08
Bob so I have 58 off Fence St. and generational 58 off Main St. 00:24:13
And I can speak from experience as to what. 00:24:18
In the storehouse, I can seek from spirits of what you have to deal with in the city when it comes to dealing with historic house. 00:24:22
Do homework for you. Come to the city to do a history house. Yes, Sir. 00:24:32
Tax consequences around that time I have AI have I can pass out to finish this, but I do have some conscious. 00:24:39
In the heart. So here we go again. 00:24:47
To the big city operabs, just the last three years, this big Lipton air down has instituted 1000 plus pages of more government out 00:24:51
of control government tax expense. Spend it all. 00:24:56
Let's rewind about 2006 Then Council Drive Objects spearheaded a new down. The government of origins caught a form based zoning 00:25:03
nearly a year and a half later moratorium it lifted. A new zoning map was created and looking back I cannot recall a single copy 00:25:10
that was affected by that from base and it's going to further than walk through it as you go to the experiment section, a little 00:25:16
further than there own base any of the properties in there. 00:25:23
These two new historic and court designs going to be another failed 2006, 2007 formed by zoning. 00:25:31
The city government ain't even follow the rules that set for themselves. She's not maintained Georgia locking the property only 00:25:38
take it back See politician tell private property property. So look the downtown Arkansas. 00:25:45
City politicians pay you to maintain the grass waiting to be. 00:25:53
Or no property, but yet the city can maintain city's grass downtown. They got the federal and state highways first. 00:25:56
And Herschel's talk, It's amazing. Couldn't see City back there. I hope you're going to do something with it. Could Bob Smith a 00:26:05
phenomenal play that it's amazing that. But the same politicians pay. 00:26:11
$1 million more. 00:26:18
Then an appraisal, another ship. 00:26:20
What point $5,000,000 on the cigar? A federal and state and local borrowing. 00:26:23
The largest debt correction in Watersville city. 00:26:30
Talk about ordinance, Mr. Smith. 00:26:35
Notify all the property. 00:26:45
About what's happened tonight, they didn't in 2006 and seven I read about in the local paper. So what? I'm again to this. 00:26:47
They want troll. They want a troll property. Once they get millions on this eastern ordinance, A constitutional quagmire is 00:26:55
awakened the Tasmania for public alarm bells to go off. I said Mr. Mayor Robert a letter and copied everybody every second. 00:27:03
So in the inconsistencies. 00:27:12
A house in one sphere that this council had lied to down over the last three years. 00:27:14
30 Water St. 19 foot 1956. That's 4 minutes. 00:27:22
Thank you, Mr. Smith. 00:27:34
Hypocrisy, Mr. Smith. Thank you. 00:27:37
Is chilling hypocrisy of chilling this town? Thank you Mr. Smith Speaker. 00:27:41
E-mail Junior did represent 68 Wall Street. 00:27:51
I didn't know I was gonna talk about one base. 00:27:55
For ambition only was better tomorrow property one. 00:27:57
The reason, Nick? 00:28:01
Change was because I didn't know anything about it. 00:28:03
And I guess it's my fault for reading about the paper in 1996 and I was 24 years old. 00:28:05
But it's pretty hot. 00:28:10
So I've called a lot of people I know in Watkinsville and here I'm alive. 00:28:12
This is 1 real no nothing. I know I work a lot of because I'm on boards. Also I work a lot of hours. 00:28:16
But I'm going to ask the table this thing for 120 days. 00:28:23
Make a difference? Been working on it for a year and a half, 120 days, not going to make no difference now. 00:28:26
So that's fine 120 days educate citizens and land owners that just don't affect Parkinson. 00:28:31
Mr. L. 00:28:38
Anyone wish to? 00:28:41
Good evening. My name is Kirkland out of 1 PVFW. Dr. Let's start off saying I do not know any of these individuals personally. 00:28:47
Teacher, community. I don't know many people just wearing. My wife and I love the city of Watkinsville in here, so I'll get to it. 00:28:53
I'm going to be what I'm thinking about. I just want to let council know that I am absolutely opposed to voting to approve Miss 00:28:59
Wattsville Historic preservation ordinance tonight. 00:29:05
That's tonight. Both of those. 00:29:12
As I know it, first presented to the members of the Council at the end of retreat took place just two weeks ago, on February 5th. 00:29:15
For more, no public reading of that ordinance take place at that meeting. At some meeting, the mayor mentioned that he marked up 00:29:21
his print copy and acknowledge that a lot of things for the council members to consider. I agree. So a question is, is have any 00:29:27
revision been made the ordinance as it was handed out? 00:29:33
Yes, I think so were. 00:29:40
Yep. 00:29:42
I studied history at the University of Georgia. 00:30:16
In social studies education and I believe that tonight we need to however, a bigger issues at hands. The main reason that I'm here 00:30:18
is because my family was here accepting Ward December. 00:30:22
And times of the essence to the homeowner and the upcoming board. So why not bring this up? Because that citizen was met 00:31:01
unnecessary, choosing to move outside of the city limits. A good cushion family in our community, A guy that I know support local 00:31:06
business. Thank you. 00:31:11
Appreciate your but. 00:31:18
All right. Anyone else wish to speak? 00:31:20
Good evening. I'm Travis Marshall. Well, I don't live in city. Well fair amount of property in the city and. 00:31:31
I've been through this, I've I've made lots of notes and I don't have 4 minutes. Is not here enough time to go through all this? 00:31:42
But. 00:31:45
Oh, I appreciate what you say is that you want to use common sense and try to move forward, but a lot of this verbiage in this 00:31:49
does not show common sense to me. 00:31:54
It seems to me. 00:32:02
Especially when it gets to the. 00:32:06
Of financial hardship on someone. 00:32:09
But can't afford to do some of these repairs. 00:32:14
And the city is going to. 00:32:18
Do the repairs sale? 00:32:20
Following. 00:32:22
You don't need work. You don't pay to be 12 steps, so. 00:32:26
If some restrictions on here the way it's written, I think these would. 00:32:31
Took, but it has more visions on the foot. 00:32:37
Hey Mark, it's been already said. I think it's be a good time to take this for some point to where we have a chance to look at 00:32:40
this and see exactly what it says. 00:32:44
Thank you, Mr. Marshall. 00:32:49
Anyone wish to seek on storage permission? 00:32:54
All right. We'll cause level hearing. 00:33:01
OK. So one of the things that I hear and. 00:33:06
I hear you. I get it that the verbage, you know, is maybe a way that we wouldn't want it to be. Or maybe we need some more time to 00:33:12
look at it and. 00:33:16
The reality is the vast majority of what in the organization ordinance that we're looking at voting on tonight are things that the 00:33:22
state dictates. So I'm hearing overall a value in historic preservation, a desire to maintain the structures that we have. But 00:33:29
maybe the way we heard it isn't right, or maybe we need more time to think specifically about it. 00:33:36
And this is honestly why we've been talking about this for years and it kept being pushed off and pushed off and pushed off. 00:33:44
As an example, I have an uncle live in Santa Barbara, CA and their community is such that if they want to change a light fixture 00:35:33
inside their home, they have to have a committee of people come to their house and look at it to say it's OK to have this light 00:35:40
fixture or not. We are not going to do anything close to that. But no one is going inside of your home. No one is going to tell 00:35:46
you exactly what you can or can't do. All that is what this is about and so I want to reassure people here. 00:35:53
We have thought long and hard about this and have actively been seeking and actively to publicizing this. And the the what we 00:36:00
actually have more control over is the next steps and that's where we are not jumping into that railway. It will not be on next 00:36:06
month or next month or next month or probably even the next month's agenda. There's no plan to have all this buttoned up like 00:36:13
that. That is not what we are doing, but we have to start And so that was what this is, this is the. 00:36:19
Almost fully, except for where we've tried to make it even a little more liberal. What the state dictates and we're going to have 00:36:26
a store reservation. 00:36:29
Well, let's finish commentary up here and we'll go to you, Sir. Just a second. Yeah, 4 minutes. We'll set up from the start. Now, 00:36:35
there's going to be another public here, Mr. Dorman. If you want to come up, you have another four. OK. All right. We're trying to 00:36:39
be fair. Everybody here. OK. Any other comments from council? And because this is, I will allow the gentleman didn't speak earlier 00:36:43
to come up after the comments. Council. 00:36:46
Sure. So I have had some calls, less than five phone calls with concerned citizens. I also need one only council member up here 00:36:51
does not live in historical so. 00:36:57
This will not affect me whatsoever, but I will tell you that way. It's written in let's see, my house is 20 years old, so 50 years 00:37:03
my house will become a story home. I think my home will ever be his work. So I don't personally think that. I personally think 00:37:10
that we should, Jeff, if Larry's old house is the old house, we should pick that date and say, hey, we want to go out. 00:37:17
What are 5060 years? And now that is the end of our historical president. I just don't personally think that 1970's houses ever 00:37:24
going to be history. It's just a 1970s old house. That's Brett's personal opinion. Might not be also personal pain. 00:37:30
So that's one thing us on there. Also, I do believe I have to read through this. I've been through it twice because it took me a 00:37:37
while to get through it. But I I believe that, you know, before we create an ordinance. 00:37:42
Anything I think we all stand up the Commission that these things trying to dictate. I think you know without creating an 00:37:48
ordinance would stand up a Commission or stand up a. 00:37:52
A community event that says, hey, this is these are things what to do with our Commission? 00:37:58
This is, this is what we want to do and let's let the people that is dictating here come on this stuff And that way the community 00:38:03
has time to give some input into it and that way the community and I don't know, we've been talking about. 00:38:09
Over here now, but it's the Times Now that we're actually physically talking about and I think you know let's let the community 00:38:16
talk about it and and give their input to this Commission that willing to stand up. I don't believe it takes an ordinance to to do 00:38:21
that. 00:38:25
And. 00:38:31
I think that's, yeah, let's, let's, let's let people see this document. Well, I mean, I got it two weeks ago and it's taking me a 00:38:33
little while to digest it. 00:38:37
And in the last two weeks on multiple calls, so I mean that we. 00:38:42
Table with a little while, I said many days. 00:38:47
And legal justice. 00:38:51
The comments The council. 00:38:54
I would just say Brett, actually my understanding and again this is you know, taking a deep dive in it. 00:38:56
We actually have to have ordinance in order to create a Commission. We can't do the reverse. And that's part of this is that and 00:39:02
again why I mean as one of the people who minds being affected right now my husband is repainting our home and. 00:39:08
You know in some communities we have some words, we have the original art pine. But some words overtime started to rot and in some 00:39:15
communities you would have to go hand mill forced to replace those forts. That is not how this ordinance is written. It does not, 00:39:21
it is not that specific. You can put hard link in there to replace it. 00:39:27
Very practical is what we're looking at. But yes, so we we have to if we're going to do this, we have to start and legally and 00:39:34
Jordan visually at the starting off point and then the things that you are legitimately bring up, that's just the way the next 7 00:39:40
where they're going to be talked about. 00:39:45
Before we cut behind the rail, gentlemen wanted to speak if you want, step forward 4 minutes if you can state your name. Address 00:39:52
please. 00:39:55
My name is Jim Butler. I reside at 2182 Football Rd. Not been in the city. 00:40:01
My focus is on properties outside the city limits. 00:40:10
And those might not be know that I like research old properties. My own family property dates back to 1867 and most likely 1839. 00:40:15
So I'm pretty fairly interested in that property, but in the city Atkinsville. 00:40:24
I can make the the public to know what you are. 00:40:34
Take four weeks ago Enterprise. Explain the two ordinances to a proposal or what you are proposing in detail. 00:40:39
If you hamstrung by the state, stick that and. 00:40:49
I hate. 00:40:53
Controls of. 00:40:57
I thank the commissioners of the county team, but I think about that. 00:41:00
The citizens of the state, I mean of the city. 00:41:07
1st, if you're trying to make a decision for the city at large and they do not know what you are doing, you are making great 00:41:11
mistakes. 00:41:17
Got you. Thank you, Mr. 00:41:23
I appreciate all. 00:41:26
Wonderful advocate for historic structures and educate a lot of people I mean OK for years I will say it's two way St. you know 00:41:28
when it comes to public awareness and I'm glad we have so many people here tonight but we. 00:41:34
There. I doubt there's been two or three months that have gone by in the past four or five years. We have not talked about the 00:41:41
need for some sort of historic preservation code. OK, so will there be an opportunity for more? But could there be more council 00:41:47
beside they want table at night if they do. That's right what bothered me one bit, but I I do dispute, you know. 00:41:54
The enterprise, you know, same report. Glad you're here. You know, we talked about all these things that link we don't ultimately 00:42:02
control what the enterprise with your prize writer publishers are puts in there. But we communicate also works with our citizens 00:42:07
and folks who feel informed. Sign up for the newsletter. Look at the Facebook page. 00:42:13
Be my friend. I read up every meeting we do and I talk about what we talk about relentlessly because we want people to know how 00:42:19
people participate. Whether I agree with you to agree with you, I'm grateful you're here tonight because I love engagement. I love 00:42:23
when people here does not, does not bother me at all. So back on the Rent Council, any other thoughts that you want to share 00:42:27
before? 00:42:32
Have solutions discussion. 00:42:37
No, Sir. You know you didn't use all your time. Come on up the shelter. Come on up. 00:42:39
After hearing the Tucker talk and saying that you know you can't go forward. 00:42:50
Without get started. 00:42:53
It'd be my recommendation, if you don't have it listed out, what it's going to be. 00:42:57
I would leave. 00:43:01
What about that? 00:43:03
So you going to play the ball game, you can call it quits and then you going to take the rules after we get. 00:43:06
Bonus passed. So as my condition, we should not pass no ordinance and I know any substance. We don't know what it's going to say. 00:43:13
This isn't, I don't know what it's going to say. The systems in Wattsville sure don't know what it's going to say. 00:43:18
Thank you. I think you respond to that because I think that is the crux of the matter. 00:43:23
Particulated it quite right, because this is what we have to do in order to move this word, if I understand right. Is that right, 00:43:29
Mr. 00:43:32
As was noted earlier by Councilman Campbell, this is a template and a foundation for future activity. A future activity is going 00:43:36
to be twofold #1 actually threefold #1 designation of a corridor Commission, which would be 5 individuals. 00:43:43
Was done in 2006 and 2007. Was first higher audacity attorney. There was meeting after meeting after public hearing after public 00:45:27
hearing in 2006 2007. That's well documented also for now that some of the language this goes well non state law for creative 00:45:33
flexibility that benefits the property owner. 00:45:38
Huge 5 near the top concept review preliminary proposal paragraph E you do not see that live ordinance has been put here so that 00:45:44
problem or can get in before they submit a formal application. Have upset. 00:45:49
2nd I have a motion of a second. Any further discussion? 00:45:56
All in favor, we roll on. 00:46:00
Tucker Campbell. 00:46:03
Messy. Yes, Eric Thomas. 00:46:06
Motion care for one. 00:46:09
All right. We will move on to the court ordinance. We'll follow a similar. 00:46:12
Process a year and some of you didn't for cut off there isn't another comment period quarter ordinances a little different Sharon 00:46:16
wheel advanced slots and over working some challenges here. 00:46:22
Don't worry about that. I just want to we can advance, OK the primary, the primary goal of this ordinance is. 00:46:29
Look at our codes. We don't have a lot of standards for residential specific standard residential construction. And what we're 00:46:38
realizing is we have some residential quarters into the city that we anticipate and is likely to have significant infill 00:46:44
development on over the next few years. And there's really very little guidance in our codes. 00:46:49
Around quality or quality or style phones and our codes on his quarters. And so the idea is actually for some clearly we've had 00:46:56
questions from developers. 00:47:00
On what our expectations would be in those corridors and and provide an opportunity for homes built in those orders set the 00:47:04
temperature for our city to actually come before council for approval rather than be approved administratively. I think that's a 00:47:09
pretty fair summary. Joe, I don't know if you want to add anything or Mayor Tim or if anybody else wants to offer anything for the 00:47:14
quarter. 00:47:19
All right, I'm not hearing. 00:47:25
With that, we'll do the same thing 4 minutes step forward. We have something to say about the quarter ordinance and and we'll 00:47:28
start timers here from. 00:47:31
Before you start, I want to thank. 00:47:39
Mr. Ernie Whiteman holding his microphone downs. I can. 00:47:42
I heard you. Thank you. The rest of your like an echo. And when I sat on the 2nd row, had to bend over like this to here. You can 00:47:46
hold your head up so just want to let you now that's a lady, Kristen Tucker said. You got to start somewhere. Thank you. 00:47:52
This is where you start a city. 00:47:59
See, all of the news if I was on Rules are similar to hypocrisy on the City Council for the last few. 00:48:02
And then the public meeting. I'm gonna go ahead with meetings. I pay for God, nothing or not. 3000 people in this town. Nobody 00:48:12
knew about the 2007. Nobody knew about this except the paper. Not me. You got 3000 pages. Ten 3000 people. And this is here for 00:48:18
this reason. But right here I want to talk about hypocrisy. 00:48:25
Fish. 00:48:32
On South Main Street, I know what it's like to deal with the city and historic properties. There's a soil, water, strawberry 00:48:35
containment that's in direct violation of C ordinances. Seth Maine senior Carter Totally. And you'll make that decision. I have 00:48:44
crossed me has three One, 3006 and three records. There's no some more. 117 S Main Street where the middle lives. 00:48:53
Basically how it works. You turn down the story lodge, don't give them into permission. You don't put it to build the building, 00:49:03
but you don't have stormwater containment. 00:49:08
And this is what we're talking about. Now. All these houses are modestly, but this town has room for senior citizens. I've 7-1 00:49:13
years old. I've been there since I was born. 00:49:17
Why'd you do that? Why did you not take it? Why do you not fight for? 00:49:22
Where the parking is on Water Street where the bicycles come in. I was owned a prison house and he's like house sitting in. 00:49:28
So if it going to happen consistency and we're going to consistency. 00:49:39
Then let's find our own rules and let's let people know, let people look when these things are happening. I'll get my face to 00:49:44
everything in this county. And you have some people in this room because this is the serving that this power grab that you're 00:49:50
doing right now is another thing of 2007. And I read a complete one. I said, well, I could do it, but this time, as I say, nice, I 00:49:56
do. 00:50:01
This hypocrisy in this panel is chilling, chilling, And I have a job payment because the last one, I'm thank you very much. 00:50:08
Thank you, Smith. Thank you, Mr. Math. All right. Next up, Mr. Robert. 00:50:18
Courtney of This time I represent 1431 Highway 15. 00:50:27
Another property. 00:50:31
I'm not gonna work money in control of the city. 00:50:37
I think we have enough. 00:50:40
It takes 2 four days to replace them if you can figure out how to read it and you read it. 00:50:42
So no, I'm not from Malou That can be applied. Ever. How? 00:50:47
Somebody didn't fit. 00:50:51
For not passing not. 00:50:53
They've gotten made yet, which what would this be? 00:50:55
So we're federally We read them. Matter of fact, we eat them. 00:50:59
So I'm disappointed, as you know. Thank you, Mr. Elder. 00:51:04
Mr. Marshall. 00:51:11
Fresh model. I guess both of these really go hand in hand because a lot of verbiage. 00:51:15
Translate together. 00:51:20
So the read is. To get anything done, you first you gotta get a certificate of. 00:51:23
Right. And that's from. Is that from y'all or is that from? 00:51:29
The. 00:51:34
That come from council in the quarter is the council. Yeah, that's correct. This council, the board of. 00:51:34
In terms of what we've established with coordinates. 00:52:13
So, and this is mainly to do with new construction. 00:52:16
Yes, residential, new residential construction for maintenance of existing properties, right. 00:52:19
So that we don't like Mr. Campbell saying you have to get approval to get a change front door. 00:52:27
Joe, what's up? I didn't print the document for here what that looks like. 00:52:33
Yes, Sir. Yeah. So I mean that's what I start out saying. These two documents complement each other because they kind of say the 00:53:16
same thing as far as the maintenance. 00:53:22
The problem, I say, is when you got under your hardship on some of these people that can't afford it and. 00:53:55
That's going to have to diminish value on their home if they've lost some control of what they can and can't do if they. 00:54:02
You know they choose to network their home and won't hear it. Something that invades their first property rights if somebody says 00:54:09
you can do that. 00:54:13
I think that's. I think that's the. 00:54:18
Yeah, so anyway. 00:54:22
Thank you. 00:54:25
Other comments on the quarter one. 00:54:29
Second Travis. Yeah. Challenger. Welcome back. I didn't speak tonight, so this may be able to organize this Tucker mission. I'd be 00:54:34
trying to. I don't think anybody to live next to the upper house or have a strip club their property control colors of houses for. 00:54:41
My concern that I would express is. 00:54:51
Just a thought experiment, assume everybody on the council is reasonable, it may not be in future. And so my concern is I think 00:54:54
we're seeing just a general erosion of property rights in the US and I think that could, I think that could get worse. 00:55:02
That when it out, I would, I would always err on the side of I think people should have the right to tear down property. I think 00:55:11
Mr. Elder. 00:55:14
So yeah, cut his forecast all. But I have, I have a personal concern with a council telling citizens really what they can do the 00:55:19
house and I know it's balance. I think this particular one that I went through goes a little bit far. 00:55:25
I think anything other than demolition part that you feel like I'm just curious specifically or something else you know to Mr. 00:55:31
because I mean it's more theoretical than anything it's you know I. 00:55:35
I sort of trust you guys to if you come forward with a problem, I will have inputable experience of maybe some stuff I think is 00:55:41
awesome, but you know, I don't know who's going to be up here in the future. So end of the day, you have people determine what you 00:55:45
do with your property and I. 00:55:50
That's the system which being American, spends. So I just, I'm just against it. Thank you. 00:55:55
Mr. Garrett. 00:56:03
Many generational owners are being able to do what they wish their property and I understand there are, there are negatives and 00:56:36
losing some of that control and what it may look like coming into the city. But as you mentioned, there's a lot of eight things 00:56:42
that came from hearing some houses down like Town Center and things like that. So I would not want to prohibit opportunities like 00:56:48
that from coming to our city because we've had an ordinance that would prohibit that. I will say this, the goal is not to. 00:56:55
I hear all the time Fighting Battle in Huckinsville fought it hard. Mr. Smith brought the list of buildings that have disappeared 00:58:07
and I find it ironic and troubling. But the fact is we didn't have any ways to prevent most of those homes from going away. 00:58:12
There's not a way for us to save us to the realistic so. 00:58:17
Statement and it may or may not be accurate, but it shows the pullet. 00:58:54
Ends time 2. 00:59:02
Decades ago. 00:59:05
The lady wanted to do something with a house that she. 00:59:07
Maybe you all probably know this. You may know more about it than I do. 00:59:11
But she was not allowed to do what she wanted to do with her eyes. Now I don't know what she was living in it or what it was next 00:59:16
to her. Maybe did she own? And really, I don't know anything. But I do know the house accidentally burned. 00:59:23
So she couldn't. 00:59:33
Well, she had the right to do, because somebody in this town prevented her from. 00:59:35
Doing what? Probably what she wanted to do. We can't stop. 00:59:42
A person from tear down there. 00:59:46
A little *****. You can't do it. 00:59:50
If they want to do it, they can do it. 00:59:52
If you were trying to prevent. 00:59:55
You need to be cautious and conservative in developing your detail. 01:00:00
Ordinance of. 01:00:07
Person. 01:00:09
You know, referred to the bat of the moonshine. 01:00:11
My father did some some things on moonshine in this county because the sheriff, the friend of the family, was trying to catch a 01:00:15
moonshine. 01:00:20
Distributor by their drugs. 01:00:26
And he was going on property trying to get somebody. He don't got the jewelry. My father hung up the jury. You can't do that. You 01:00:30
have to have a warrant. You got to go. 01:00:35
And outside this when you start infringing upon. 01:00:40
The homeowners rights to probably you dealing with a very fundamental fire. 01:00:45
Thank you, Mr. Bull. 01:00:52
The other comments, Mr. Dorman. 01:00:56
Kirkland. 01:00:59
This ordinance here I have a couple questions on this. I need clarification. Unlike the historical preservation, this is not 01:01:02
status quo First procedure right to. 01:01:07
The court ordinance with historical preservation ordinance. No this is this is something that you need to walk so and and with 01:01:12
that what are the next step after this if you were to vote to it for this step is it if immediately or is it like the historical 01:01:17
preservation when it's where there's Photoshop this effect immediately but then it does outline there are some standards 01:01:22
incorporated into the ordinance but it does outline process without more formal standards and the quarter would be specifically 01:01:28
designated and when. 01:01:33
With this ordinance as is, made available to the public. 01:01:39
Plus Friday. 01:01:43
Where was location? 01:01:45
Impose some city website regards to that. Yep, the last time I find where I get for the May or the February. 01:01:48
Retreat was 12 noon today. I mean even last Friday. Like I just have extreme concerns how fast this is moving for something that 01:01:57
is effective immediately and that is for reaching. And what I hear from a lot of, you know, people anger. 01:02:03
They're concerned with the control and in this case I feel like it's very fast And and that one question for item F and this may 01:02:10
be for you, I don't know. It states an application has a file. This is talking about the signage. I believe the application has 01:02:15
been filed with the corridor design Commission. 01:02:20
I didn't see. 01:02:26
Mentioned in there about the creation or composition or the appointment of members of that that. 01:02:27
Core Design Commission An earlier draft reference at the current draft check on the website Current draft says an application file 01:02:34
with the city. The reason it says Order Design Commission is when I drew this up for the City of Madison in 1998 for their 01:02:41
corridors, they chose to do a separate corridor design Commission of analogous to an historic preservation Commission. 01:02:48
Industrial that was for actually multiple. Madison Highway basically the end of South Main Street isn't all the way to state 20 to 01:02:56
get not industrial so much as retail commercial. If you see the transformation that corridor over 20 years, you'd see how 01:03:02
effective that was. This course geared towards residential, it's, the mayor stated for preservation of the existing traditional 01:03:07
residential housing and the ambiance as you enter these gay corridors into the city, which is the last chance to make a first 01:03:13
impression. 01:03:19
You enter into a small towns to the Watkinsville and enlisted in those corridors in the verbage and innovate so that you have to 01:03:25
decide on that later on, but it lists out experimentation as well. 01:03:30
We're current just early draft. It was changed to get away from industrial commercial to get to that way and here's the current 01:03:35
north. 01:03:39
All right, Sharon, Are we good? All right, item 16. 01:04:04
George R Bishop Urban Forest plan I think I see Justin Greer here. I'm guessing that's his. 01:04:09
Come on forward, Mr. 01:04:16
All right. I think we'll start with Councilman Thomas or Engineer Campbell to provide a report here. Yeah, sure, absolutely. So we 01:04:24
met last week and and discussed this as property. Right now it's it's mostly a blank slate. There's not very much stuff there to 01:04:32
to talk about for urban forestry. So they are planning on adding a bunch of trees to meet the the. 01:04:39
Requirements. 01:04:48
For the urban forestry, we did have a couple of recommendations before approval that they had some trees that we did not think 01:04:49
that they should plant and we we offered some additional trees because of the the. 01:04:57
Around the lake area, so we did offer up some swamp swamp white oaks for pond perimeter trees. Additionally, we asked for them to 01:05:05
show the permanent requirements in more detail the the trees specifically were not. 01:05:13
In a whole lot of detail and I think Mr. Greer's is prepared for that. And then the final request or recommendation was that as 01:05:22
they build out phase two, we were going to, we recommend approval for phase one. But as we get into phase two and they start to 01:05:29
site develop that, that they come back before us again and give us a more detailed plan of what phase two looks like. 01:05:36
So with those three recommendations we did, we do recommend approval of the site, the urban board plan engineer, Campbell, 01:05:44
anything to add? OK, Mr. Greer, anything you'd like to share? 01:05:50
On the swamp wide of that, that part is popular. It may be hard to find in that size. That's kind of a it's not oddball, but it 01:05:58
may be in that we'll do our best on that and see if we can get it. We can get it. We won't have to. If not, we'll try to choose 01:06:03
something a little different and then we'll get that other information to you. All right. So you're fine with the conditions that 01:06:08
the Commission has done. And for that, I know we have some folks who aren't normally with us tonight, Just so you know, we have a 01:06:13
tree. 01:06:17
Ordinance in Watkinsville doesn't prevent people from cutting down trees. If you want to get out your chainsaw in your yard and 01:06:23
have a little fun, you can always do that. But when there's a new development going in in Watkinsville, we do require them to 01:06:28
plant a substantial amount of trees or replace any trees that are lost. So again, we're not telling people they can't remove 01:06:33
trees, but what we require is a significant replacement value, and that's what some of these calculations up here show. 01:06:38
With that, I'd entertain a motion to approve the tree plan with the conditions as outlined by Mr. Thomas and the committee, 01:06:44
please. 01:06:49
I mean, I might as well make the motion. Let's just give us a so move, all right, We have a so moved. Do we have a second? Second. 01:06:55
All right, we have a motion. We have a second. Any conversation. 01:07:02
Hearing none. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right. Consideration of pouring license. 01:07:04
Come on up, gentlemen. I can't remember your name. You have waited patiently out of town, guest. 01:07:11
Glad you're here. So we have a new restaurant coming to wire Park called Prospects Well Prospect Athens. So we will let our guest 01:07:18
tell us his name in a moment. I forgot we need the court to let us know if everything's in order. 01:07:25
If everything is in order, we'll let the guest tell us his name and about about the enterprise and then we'll make a vote. Yes, 01:07:32
Sir, everything is in order. OK, everything's in order. If you could tell us your name and address. And I know you're here for 01:07:37
alcohol license, but I'm sure people would love to hear what kind of new restaurant we've got. 01:07:42
Officially Southern Prospects, it's one of four Q concepts restaurants. I think it'll be our 17th. It might be our 16th depending 01:07:49
on how some. 01:07:53
Construction goes in North Druid Hills in Atlanta. We're at 1725 Electric Ave. across from I think it's called Lalos or Lay Lows, 01:07:58
but we'll be right there on the end cap. We're really excited to join this community where we've been in at. 01:08:05
Oconee and Downtown Athens for the last 10 years already, so we're familiar with with your neighbors and excited to join this 01:08:13
community and serve you all and however we can. 01:08:18
It's, I guess you'd call it, like New American. 01:08:26
All right, new American fish. 01:08:30
The normal stuff, yeah. 01:08:33
All right. All right. Thank you for the update we have. Everything's in order and just so you know, if everything remains in order 01:08:40
that you only have to come before US1 time. It's not every year or anything like that. It's all administrative from here on out. 01:08:46
Do we have a Motion to Approve a beer and one into Spilled spirits license for Prospect Athens? 01:08:53
I make a motion to approve. 01:08:58
We have a second. Second, All right. We have a motion. We have a second. Any conversation here? None. All in favor. Any opposed? 01:09:00
OK, Motion carries 50. No old business. You're welcome to step down or head home. 01:09:08
He wins the award for coming along this way. 01:09:17
Travis might get it for second furthest. All right, Good night. Yep, Yep. All right. Public comments. I know we've had some 01:09:20
already. This is the moment where if you have something you want to say that you haven't already said, come on. 01:09:26
This is your time to shine. 01:09:35
I see smiles. But nobody wanted to do that. I don't blame you. It's late. All right, We will move on to the mayor's report and he 01:09:38
will be fast. 01:09:41
The Oconee Library grand opening. 01:09:45
Is Saturday, Saturday, March 2nd? I have no idea what that says. February 29th at 10:00 AM. 01:09:50
A soft opening. 01:09:57
So we have a soft opening for the library, February 29th celebrate my leap year, but the official opening is March 2nd. So if you 01:10:00
want to go and help them test things out, go on the 29th. If you want to go to the official grand opening, that would be March 2nd 01:10:05
and we'll see if board chair Campbell has everything working over there. So. 01:10:11
So we're excited about the library finally getting open. Mark and kudos to you and your team. We know it's going to be awesome. 01:10:19
Earlier, Mr. Smith mentioned kudzu at Harris Shoals. I'm disappointed that he's left. We did spend most of the morning over there 01:10:26
the other day getting rid of a lot of invasives. Our city staff has been working hard on that with support from. 01:10:32
Gary Crowder, who's our invasive plant warden in our city parks, Gary does a lot of that, does a lot of that at a goodwill and 01:10:38
we're grateful for Gary service and leading our team over there to remove a lot of kudzu and a lot of private and other things. 01:10:44
10,000 eggs right here at City Hall March 16th. Encourage all of you with little kids. I know there's some of y'all here. Bring 01:11:25
them out and. 01:11:28
Test them out. We've already talked about sidewalk poetry, so we'll move through. That Piedmont Garden Tour is coming to Oak 01:11:33
County. In fact, this weekend of April 20th and 21st is going to be pretty bonkers in Watkinsville. We've got two regional events 01:11:39
that we're hosting and really excited about with the Piedmont Garden Tour coming on April 20th, that's from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. 01:11:46
Three of the properties are in Watkinsville proper, then there's three more in the county that typically draws several thousand 01:11:54
people out to visit different yards and spaces. For that, we're excited about it's OCAF is one of the destinations, along with 01:11:58
Alice Woodruff's house. 01:12:03
Then we have the Georgia Historic Trust Ramble that's the very next day and I don't know if that is that free or ticketed, I'm not 01:12:09
sure that's ticketed as well. But this is an opportunity to see some historic homes. It's going to be in Athens on the 20th, 01:12:15
Oconee on the 21st, if you want to see some of the communities most. 01:12:21
Buildings. Ironically, after our conversation tonight, those historic homes and buildings throughout our community will be on 01:12:27
display. This is a. 01:12:30
Times aren't right. 01:12:34
It's 7:00 AM, right? No, it can't be. Yeah, it can't be 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. 01:12:37
7:00 PM to 11:00 PMI thought that it ended here but I don't. I got it off the website. It should be 10 and start on the Sunday. 01:12:43
It's 10:00 AM to I think. 01:12:47
2:50. 01:12:54
Yeah, but if anybody wants to show up at Christine's house at 10:30 for a drink, they can do so. 01:12:57
All right, cops and bobbers. This is a great event again for folks with kids or big kids. The Heart Degree Wildlife Sanctuary, May 01:13:04
4th, 2024. 01:13:08
We've got police officers there and other fishing experts to help you catch and it does say no adult fishing so it is for kids 01:13:14
only. 01:13:17
And we mentioned earlier the BBQ competition and Bake Off at Rocket Field. Again, this is that time of year where we have all the 01:13:21
events going. It's a beautiful time of year. 01:13:26
And we anticipate a lot of, a lot of, a lot of folks at this fund event at Rocket Field coming up on May 4th. 01:13:31
We got to be done. OK, good. All right. With that, we will move on to council, reports Councilman Garrett Post One. 01:13:37
Let's say recently myself. 01:13:44
Engineer. 01:13:48
Hello, Sharon and Toby. We met with the DLT to look at. 01:13:50
Some water drainage issues on main. 01:13:55
Had a good meeting with them and I saw them here shooting some grades and looking at things they can do to improve it, so. 01:13:58
Hope to see some progress on. 01:14:05
Perfect. Thank. 01:14:08
Councilwoman. 01:14:10
Well, I just want to say I went for Valentine's Day with the Chief and some of our officers to Saint Gabriels. 01:14:13
Senior home to hand out Valentine cards and candy and that is just. 01:14:21
So nice of our officers to do that and the smiles on those folks faces is just amazing. 01:14:27
It's worth doing it. 01:14:33
Councilman Thomas, nothing this evening. Thank you. 01:14:35
Mayor Pro Tim Tucker. 01:14:39
I think I have said it all. 01:14:40
And Councilman Campbell? Nothing bad, all right? 01:14:43
And I don't think we have a need for executive session tonight. Is that correct? 01:14:47
OK, Nobody wants to go into executive session. That's great. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. Do we have a second second? All 01:14:52
right, all in favor, say aye. 01:14:56
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