Transcript

Event transcript
All right. Welcome everybody to the. 00:00:04
August City Council meeting. 00:00:07
Appreciate. Appreciate everybody who's here with us and who's watching online. We do have a quorum here. 00:00:10
Tonight. Thanks. Looks like we have perfect attendance. Thanks everybody for being here. And with that, we will kick off with the 00:00:16
Pledge of Allegiance. Officer Rachel Stearns. If you could lead us in the pledge, that would be great. 00:00:21
I. 00:00:26
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, 00:00:33
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:39
Thank you. 00:00:47
All right, Council, you have had the packet for several days at this point at this point. 00:00:55
And ask for approval of the minutes from the July 20th, July 20th meeting if you have. 00:01:00
Unless there are any edits to those meetings. 00:01:07
I make a motion to approve the Minutes. 00:01:10
We have a motion. Do we have a second? 00:01:13
We have a motion and a second assuming there's no discussion, all in favor of approving the minute say aye. Any opposed? 00:01:16
All right. We have 40. Thank you. I always wonder why people vote to approve the minutes of a meeting they don't attend. So, 00:01:24
Councilman Thomas, thank you for abstaining there. 00:01:28
The Just a couple quick housekeeping reminders that I forgot to do at the start. This meeting is being broadcast online. That 00:01:33
said, it's not interactive, so if you have a comment or something that you wish to make, please try to do that in advance. The 00:01:40
packet is posted in advance online, so any citizen, yes, or anyone else who wants to review that online has access to that. 00:01:47
We are a little less formal here in Watkinsville than other municipalities, so if anyone does have a comment that they wish to 00:01:55
make on a matter that before the council, that's at council, Mayor and legal counsel's discretion. There are certain parts were 00:02:01
required to accept feedback, but if you have something that you want to discuss with council, please raise your hand, indicate 00:02:07
that and if council sees fit, we will let you comment on it. Of course, no arguing. 00:02:13
Debate with Council and if you make comments to council, they need to be towards Council, not towards the audience as it is 00:02:20
tonight. 00:02:24
Approval of the agenda. We do have two items to add to the agenda tonight under public hearing. We want to add Item 6A council 00:02:29
vote on amendments to the subdivision ordinance. 00:02:34
And then under new business, we want to add item eleven approval, approve submittal of Girma and GMA safety grant application 00:02:38
Manager. Dickerson will walk us through both of those and what we need to do. But if you are comfortable making those additions to 00:02:44
the agenda, then I'll take a motion to that effect. 00:02:49
I would like to ask that we table I have not had a full. 00:02:57
Chance to dig a deep dive into the amendments of the subdivision ordinance. I don't know if everybody else. 00:03:02
Did but I'd like to table that till next. I looked through it today and it is red line which I greatly appreciate and. 00:03:09
It's pretty. There's also that summary page. Yeah. Of it it's. I mean it's it's things like taking instead of faxing, emailing 00:03:18
digital copies and then taking County out where it's not. I mean, yeah, so I I read through all the highlighted red stuff today, 00:03:26
all 87 pages of that. But in reading such I I I dove down into a few more things and you. 00:03:33
Things in there that I would like to discuss further as a Council. 00:03:42
That probably ought to be relooked at. So what? 00:03:46
We. 00:03:50
Have the hearing, but hold the vote. Have the hearing or I mean. 00:03:52
To me, reading through it, there were things that were long overdue and just getting cleaned up. So what if we? 00:03:57
Consider still consider it tonight. 00:04:04
But maybe we need to add later to look more in depth. 00:04:06
The actual like let's do this, let's let's approve the agenda, let's keep that on and then let's have this discussion. When we get 00:04:12
to the agenda item, we can always decide the table and we get to the agenda item. For now, let's if if we can add those two items 00:04:18
under new business, then we will kind of talk about the subdivision regs conceptually and whether we want to adopt them as they 00:04:24
are but can but come back with some more edits perhaps the next month once Councilman Thomas had a chance to review. 00:04:30
I need, I think. I need. I think I need a motion. I make the motion to accept the agenda with those two additions. All right, we 00:04:37
have the motion. Do we have a second? We have a second. Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor, say aye. All right, The agenda 00:04:42
is approved. 00:04:46
All right. We will move on to administration. We have a brief overview of our public input process. 00:04:51
Earlier we've had two more people come in, but those two know the rules because they come to our meetings frequently. So welcome 00:04:57
Kathleen and Lawrence. Glad you guys are here tonight. So we will turn it over to City Manager Dickerson to walk us through our 00:05:02
financials, economic development reports and then we'll turn it over to the Chief for the eagerly awaited Police Department 00:05:06
report. So. 00:05:11
Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Everyone should have gotten the the profit loss for the revenues and expenses we are. 00:05:17
Trending fine. We're actually at the first of the year. A lot of things don't come in as a norm, you know come in after July. So 00:05:26
we they came in in July, we don't see them till August. So right now we're doing fine expenses wise and revenue wise. If there any 00:05:32
questions on that, I'm happy to take those, but we are doing fine on that. 00:05:37
On the splice, we've got three to look at SPLOST One, This is the remaining money. The remaining money here will be used for the 00:05:44
water and sewer project, Sewer line A that is going through the industrial park. 00:05:50
And it will be coupled with money that is in and and neither one of spots one or two are still receiving revenues. All these 00:05:56
revenues this, these have closed out as far as revenues go there remaining money in here for the most part is going towards sewer 00:06:00
line A as well. 00:06:05
Any questions on these? 00:06:13
All right on Spice 3. 00:06:16
Things to note, we have encumber. We've extended money on the jaws of life for the fire department, relocating the metal 00:06:19
playground and some. 00:06:23
Preliminary electric at Rocket Field resurfacing and fixing a storm pipe at Leo Lane and working on the branding and signage 00:06:28
effort. So and then we've encumbered some funds for some capital equipment you guys did in the fiscal year 22 budget. We are 00:06:34
trending about $8000 more a month right now we are expecting. 00:06:41
You know, to see more once Costco opens and stuff. We'll see more money come in with that. Any questions? 00:06:49
On that on two or three, just just for clarity for those who are watching online, we're trending 8000 more on the positive on the 00:06:55
revenue side not on the expense side. Yeah, we're collecting $8000 more and this this shows you the. 00:07:01
Sort of house it's. 00:07:07
So our bank balance is a little bit more than half a million. 00:07:12
For this right? 00:07:15
I know questions on that AARP. So the ARP, I think I reminded y'all last meeting that that that we were due the second transfer, 00:07:18
the second deposit from the US Treasury which flowed through the state to. 00:07:25
Another $548,000. 00:07:32
Roughly. 00:07:36
760 Sixty $1000 that you have not appropriate to a specific project. 00:07:38
This money is sorry, I did not mean to hit that. What happens when you're looking at it. So this money is now essentially general 00:07:44
fund money. It's the state offered, the federal government offered the opportunity for cities that we're getting less than $10 00:07:52
million to use this money as a lot revenue replacement loss revenue option, a standard allowance. And so the city did take that 00:07:59
allowance. And so basically this is general fund money. I still have to report annually on this. 00:08:06
However, you don't have to use it in those categories that were required by the US Treasury before. Like you don't have to use it 00:08:14
for COVID measures or or public safety or or essential employees. You can use it for whatever you want, which is good because you 00:08:19
that gives you a lot of flexibility, however. 00:08:24
I think certainly. 00:08:31
The the guiding principle is that it be used for transformational purposes within your community. 00:08:33
With that said, you you still have some transformation to do decide how you're going to spend it. So any specific questions on 00:08:38
those? 00:08:42
We did. I do want to point out that during the fiscal year 22 and you'll learn about this in the in the audit. 00:08:48
You all approved, I think it was $132,000 for public safety personnel to to amend the budget to so we wouldn't have to go in the 00:08:54
general fund. We use some of this money. You may note up there we only used 87.5. 00:09:01
So that money rolled back into your non appropriated amount. 00:09:08
So that's good. And when we get the audit, when the audit auditors come back in November to do the report, you'll hear about that. 00:09:13
So did that reduce the impact on fund balance? I'm assuming is that accurate in terms of how that impacted the well, so this money 00:09:18
was being used instead of fund balance? 00:09:23
So fund balance wasn't affected because we use this instead, but because we didn't need all of it, it just went back into into 00:09:29
this. So OK, back but. 00:09:34
Actually, it never left, did it, chief. So right. 00:09:41
OK. 00:09:46
All right, Economic. 00:09:47
We don't have any, believe it or not, for business, alcohol or insurance this month. 00:09:50
Kind of unusual. We usually have a couple on the permanent side we have. 00:09:56
27 building permits for 14 projects, the majority of which are Trove single family residential homes that are going up. 00:10:01
And four of them are also related to the Wire Park development project. 00:10:07
Any questions about those? 00:10:14
Good evening, Mayor Council. 00:10:24
Good evening. It's always a pleasure to be in front of you again. 00:10:25
I have submitted a couple of reports, one rather lengthy report, and that's a comparison report that the mayor asked me for last 00:10:29
month. 00:10:33
And my monthly report that I produce for you on a monthly basis, Are there any questions over the monthly report? 00:10:38
No questions. OK, pretty clear cut, Straightforward. 00:10:47
All right. Well, let's move on to the comparison report. 00:10:53
So it was very interesting, Mayor asked me last month. 00:10:57
Look at some comparison. So I went back and looked at some historical data from the signs, the sign locations, and so it was 00:11:02
imperative that I found signs that were in the same locations for that duration of time from from 2020 to 2022. 00:11:08
Then if you remember way back in March of 2020, we had a thing called a pandemic where we locked everybody down and kept everybody 00:11:16
from going anywhere. 00:11:20
So I had to kind of evaluate what months I picked up, so I got as close to current. 00:11:25
2020. 00:11:30
Months wise, July and. 00:11:32
So June, we were starting to emerge. 00:11:34
June of 2020, we're starting to emerge from the COVID era and we're starting to see traffic gains and things like that, So it's a 00:11:38
pretty good comparison. 00:11:41
So what does it show? Shows a lot of stuff, actually. 00:11:45
There's a fluctuation in quantity of vehicles that naturally over the over the time frame each each roadway saw a fluctuation of 00:11:49
vehicles that was generally a very significant increase in vehicles. 00:11:54
The interesting part is, is that every roadway experienced a percentage of reduction from, you know, generally 4 to 7%. 00:12:02
The largest being Barnett Shoals at 52%, but that's largely in part due to the speed change reduction from 35 to 25. 00:12:11
So that that that's why that's such a significant number. 00:12:18
But the other element that was very intriguing to me. 00:12:22
Is the fact that I've highlighted in the summary report that the one that five mile an hour over is posted speed? 00:12:26
So if your speech is 25, it starts recording at 26. That's a violation. The sign sees as a violation, so one to five. 00:12:34
Saw a significant increase on all the roadways. The six to 10 saw a significant increase on the roadways. Well if you go back to 00:12:43
2020 and look at the 15 to 20. 00:12:47
Those were high. Those all decreased. So we're taking those violators that were violating. 00:12:52
The speeds that would have gotten them pulled over and wrote tickets. 00:12:58
And we've got them in a range that now is a much more manageable and appreciable speed. 00:13:02
So that, I think, is a win all the way around. 00:13:07
Anybody have any questions or any comments? 00:13:12
To clarify the. 00:13:15
The speeding 5 between 1:00 to 10:00 mph is actually higher than it used to be, but anything over 10 mph has gone down a lot. Yes, 00:13:19
yes, absolutely. So just as an example here, the 11 to 20 mile per hour violations reduced on Experiment Station by 4000 vehicles 00:13:27
from 2020 to 2022. The one to five increased by 11,000 vehicles. 00:13:35
And the six to 10 mile an hour violations increased by 11,600. And there, you know, here's a significant one signed up to Bridge. 00:13:44
1120 mile an hour violations were reduced by over 34,000 vehicles. 00:13:53
The one to five mile an hour violations increased by 29,500. 00:13:58
And then the six to 10 decreased by over 6200 vehicles but. 00:14:04
The. 00:14:10
And again, the interesting element to that is when you start looking at. 00:14:11
11 to 20 and higher, you see a decline in those numbers, significant decline which is which I think is a. 00:14:16
Very relevant to the fact that we're we both educated, we've got public that's driving through, that's aware and we're visibly 00:14:24
present and taking enforcement action. 00:14:29
Yeah. All right. 00:14:36
Other things we had going on, we had Taser certification class last Friday. 00:14:40
That was a lot of fun. It was a shocking experience for a few. 00:14:44
Was we actually ended up Tasing four of our own. Five of our own. Five of our own for getting them certified. 00:14:49
In. 00:14:57
And we had five deputies from the Sheriff's Office who were deploying the Taser 7. So they were in attendance and learning how to 00:14:59
deploy the new weapon that's that was a great thing. And then I'm very happy to announce that we are on the verge of being able to 00:15:05
release a motorcycle unit, a new tool in our arsenal. 00:15:11
For speed traffic enforcement, it'll be a. 00:15:18
Unexpected surprise for a few that would be out there, unsuspecting to see a motorcycle pull them over. 00:15:22
The interesting thing about this is Major Tedderton is owed a great deal of credit. He found these motorcycles on Gov deals. 00:15:31
Made a telephone call. Made a serious, serious personal connection with the person in Cary, NC. 00:15:38
They had them on the Gov Deals website to be sold at. 00:15:44
He told him we wanted to put him in, in in service to, you know. 00:15:49
Do traffic enforcement with them. They pulled them off the auction and went to council and gave both motorcycles. 00:15:53
To US for $1500. 00:16:01
These are, you know, BMW RT12 hundreds that you know, 10 to $15,000. 00:16:05
So it's a great asset and it's going to be a great tool to employ and. 00:16:11
Give a Give a new shot of the Walkersville Police Department. 00:16:16
Any questions over the most of? 00:16:19
We're excited to see them in service and and out there on the roadway and then doing it. I've got 2 motorcycle operators that are 00:16:22
itching to get on what we get behind the wheel. 00:16:27
All right. And last Friday evening, I was honored to be in attendance with a Academic Achieving Honor Graduate. 00:16:33
Of the Piedmont Technical College for the police Academy. 00:16:44
Rachel Stearns and if the mayor would do us the honor. 00:16:47
I would love for you to. 00:16:51
Swear this. 00:16:53
Rachel, turn and face me. 00:17:12
All right. All right. You're going to repeat. 00:17:15
Take one step closer. I think Sharon's trying to get you right for the camera. She's trying to get a picture. OK, all right, OK. 00:17:20
All right. 00:17:26
Raise your right hand and repeat after me, OK? I Rachel. Zoe Stearns. 00:17:27
Do hereby solemnly swear that. 00:17:33
Do hereby solemnly swear that I will support and defend. 00:17:36
The Constitution of the United States of America. 00:17:40
Of the United States of America, I will support and defend the Constitution. 00:17:44
All support independent hospitals of the State of Georgia. 00:17:48
I will support and defend. 00:17:52
The Charter and Ordinances of the City of Watkinsville. 00:17:55
I am not the holder. 00:18:02
Of any office of trust. 00:18:04
Under the government of the United States. 00:18:07
Under the government of the. 00:18:09
Any other state or any foreign state. 00:18:11
Any other state or any foreign. 00:18:14
Which I am by the laws of the. 00:18:16
Which I am by the laws of the state of Georgia prohibited from. 00:18:19
Of Georgia prohibited from. 00:18:24
I am otherwise qualified. 00:18:26
To hold the office of a peace officer. 00:18:29
According to the Constitution. 00:18:34
And laws of the State of Georgia. 00:18:37
I am not the holder. 00:18:40
Of any unaccountable public. 00:18:42
Of any unaccountable public money do. 00:18:44
Or any public political subdiv. 00:18:48
For any public political subdivision or authority thereof. 00:18:51
And I accept the law. 00:18:56
Code of Ethics of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. 00:18:59
The International Association of Chiefs of Police as my standard of conduct. 00:19:04
While on and off. 00:19:10
And swear to, faithfully abide by and defend the. 00:19:13
Those were faithfully abide by, and do the same, and. 00:19:16
I will faithfully follow the orders of the Chief of police. 00:19:21
Order. 00:19:24
Follow the orders that you and to the best of my ability. 00:19:25
Faithfully and justly perform. 00:19:29
That's all right. The duties and obligations. 00:19:34
Of a. 00:19:39
In. 00:19:41
Benevolent. 00:19:42
And Civil Man. 00:19:45
During my Commission. 00:19:46
During my Commission, so help me God. 00:19:48
Congratulations. 00:19:51
All right, You want to come up for a picture? Don't have your family up. We do the badge fitting. 00:19:58
All right, it hasn't. As a matter of honor and tradition, we like for the newly sworn officer to be pinned by one of their loved 00:20:07
ones. 00:20:12
If you would come forward. 00:20:17
Just like we practice. 00:20:22
All right, y'all, come on right up here. 00:21:12
Switch. 00:21:25
Right. 00:21:28
You. 00:21:52
That concludes our four other AM if there's any other questions. 00:22:27
Chief Where? So I think one of the things. 00:22:33
Is important and you know I want this to be in the record. 00:22:37
The improvement and the speeds around the city have been a goal for what? I mean three or four years, you know, through several 00:22:40
different administration, several different city councils, and I think you know. 00:22:45
Speed limit. Changing the speed limits is one thing, but you have in the resources you need to enforce. 00:22:51
And get that done for the citizens of Watkinsville. It's a real tribute to you guys in a tough hiring environment. You've rebuilt 00:22:56
the department as we've had a lot of transitions. So credit to you into the major and Y'all's leadership and it's always exciting. 00:23:02
Swearing new officers too, but I think it's important to connect the dots. This is the second month in a row that we've done this, 00:23:09
but even as all that transitions occurred to see the tremendous drop in speeds, which was a huge, huge. 00:23:15
I would say it's a complaint for many of our citizens who live on those quarters. So even though it's frustrated some people from 00:23:22
outside the city, I think that's a big win for our citizens. So thank you. Thank you. 00:23:27
I would love to see. I didn't. Maybe I missed it and all, but your report on the on the changes was it. I'm not the only one, 00:23:37
Chief. I did not see that in there either. I'm seeing this. 00:23:42
I didn't say I would love just a like get that because that's something that would be good to have on hand because, you know, 00:23:50
people still like it's good to be like no speeds have really decreased, I mean. 00:23:57
Let me do this for you. I'll give you my copy. 00:24:05
You. 00:24:09
Now I see them now they're definitely in there. Somehow I missed. 00:24:11
This page. 00:24:15
I understand, I understand. I print so many documents for the Council. I just planned everything. There's plenty of paper. All 00:24:18
right. Well, chief, thank you and thank you to your team. 00:24:23
I'm looking at the scrolling one that has it all. 00:24:30
The attorney I'll indicate when you step forward and the hearing is open, 4 minutes per person. We're not going to debate on that. 00:25:06
Address your comments to the council, but before we do the zoning map public hearing, we will turn it over to the manager for an 00:25:11
update on that. 00:25:16
So the real brief update on this is simply that since 2009, the Council has made decisions. 00:25:22
Most of them actually in the last three years about zoning matters that need to be reflected on the map and all we're simply doing 00:25:29
is making sure that the map is current with those changes. So good example would be Wire Park. You see off in the eastern part of 00:25:35
the of the map, you see that big orange with a couple yellow squares, that's Wire Park. That was a huge project that you guys 00:25:41
rezoned. So we're just simply trying to make sure the map reflects those decisions. 00:25:48
That's really all it is. 00:25:55
OK. 00:25:58
Well, I think we're going to do public hearing and then it'll come back to us under new business, correct? 00:26:00
So at this point, I do have a couple questions about that, but I think we'll follow the process so we have a public hearing. 00:26:05
Is there anyone who wants to make a comment a member of the public? The public hearing is now. 00:26:11
Any members of the audience wish to make a comment on the zoning map? 00:26:16
You'll have a chance. We are going to talk about Rocket Field, Kathleen. So you know, I mean, so you'll have your chance. You'll 00:26:24
have your chance. 00:26:27
You need to go. You have to go. Well, I can't see the matter. 00:26:30
Yeah. And I'll provide just. 00:26:34
Is there going to be another hearing office? 00:26:37
No. Think we'll adopt it tonight unless you bring up something. 00:26:41
This is what we already have, and we're just going to make sure. We just need to make sure the colors are right. 00:26:44
All right. OK. All right. We'll hold on to it because we'll come back to it if you have a comment and we can ask it. OK. Did we 00:26:49
receive anything online, Julie, on this one? OK. So no online comments, no comments from the public. With that we're going to 00:26:55
close the public hearing council this, we will come back and discuss this under new business. 00:27:01
And then also for public hearing we have. 00:27:08
The ordinance. The amendments to the subdivision ordinance. 00:27:13
This also comes back to us. Does this come back under new business or no, it does not. Or yes, it does. 00:27:17
So we're going to vote on that after the public hearing. 00:27:24
So at this point, this is a part we're going to open another public hearing, this time for amendments to our subdivision ordinance 00:27:30
Manager Dickerson, if you want to give a overview of that as necessary, and then we will proceed with the public hearing. 00:27:36
All right. Thank you. Thank you, manager. Mayor, sorry. 00:27:43
So the subdivision regulations are part are also part of our zoning code. So this is only the first phase. I've got to bring that 00:27:48
before you guys the zoning code and updated as well. But the main focus of this is simply procedural. We're trying to make sure 00:27:54
that you know prior to me coming on board and even prior. 00:28:00
Clarify to reflect the regulations, who's doing them. I tried not to get too particular with with. 00:28:42
Too many. There was a lot of places that are put manager or his or her designee to give some flexibility so that we don't have to 00:28:49
come back and do this again. For instance, there's a place in there we talked about. 00:28:54
With a building or the city contracts with a building inspections permits, company Bureau, Veritas and I didn't want to put them 00:29:01
in there because it may change. So it's Simply put in city manager or his or her designee. I did also make some reference of some 00:29:07
changes where it said mayor because now the city manager has those for those administrative functions. 00:29:13
There are places in there where we left County and Oconee County because they're relevant, but only in the case where they're 00:29:20
where they have departments like the fire department or their Public Utilities department or something like that. 00:29:26
So again, this the, the work that was done, and I started on this actually in October and got sidelined and got back into it after 00:29:33
the first of the year. Our city engineer, who's not here tonight, look through it. Toby Cartilage, our compliance officer and 00:29:39
public works supervisor, looked at it. The attorney looked at it and then we sent it out to y'all so that you could look at. I 00:29:44
tried today. I got up a clean copy. I'm sorry, I meant to get one up earlier because some people look at clean copies better than 00:29:50
looking at Redline. 00:29:55
It's just such a huge task. There was no way we would have had time to go through all of this at the same time. So what we did was 00:30:38
we adopted it as it was and knowing that we were going to have to go die back in and fix it. So we fixed, we're fixing this. 00:30:45
And you're going to see the zoning code come back at some point, maybe after the first year. We'll see. 00:30:52
That's what that is. 00:30:57
OK. So to remind council, we're going to a public hearing, we'll hear from the public, then we'll close the public hearing, then 00:30:59
we'll have discussion behind the rail. OK. So any comments from the public on the subdivision code changes? 00:31:05
Court client to be received any. 00:31:12
No Sir, OK. 00:31:14
Right. With that, I'm going to close the public hearing to bring it back behind and we'll go to item 6A, which is discussion. 00:31:16
And potentially. 00:31:22
There were several items when I was looking through it that I felt like needed to be updated. 00:31:54
Because a lot of times we reference to G dot specs which we have to remind ourselves G. 00:31:59
Does not build subdivisions. 00:32:07
So some of it's kind of beefed up, but one. 00:32:09
In particular was the curbing. 00:32:12
And the recycled asphalt and it's that language is still in here. 00:32:15
That, I feel like, needs to be. 00:32:22
Addressed and taken out because. 00:32:24
Ton of asphalt was put down. Today is recycle. 00:32:28
Oconee County put that in. 00:32:32
Back in the mid 80s, I mean 2008 somewhere around in that range. 00:32:35
In this anyway, so it's kind of contradicting itself when it's. 00:32:42
We refer back to G dot specs. 00:32:46
We cannot run recycle. 00:32:51
OK. All right. Every, every time that you see laid down today is that? 00:32:54
And the curb in. 00:32:58
In the cross section is showing the L back curb in every subdivision in Watkinsville has what we call the Hollywood Rollover 00:33:02
Curve. 00:33:06
So that's a more that's geared more towards subdivisions where the L back is good in the cul-de-sac. 00:33:11
For water drainage, you know, controlling the water right and on the roadways, but. 00:33:19
In the subdivision we should give the. 00:33:25
Developer the option. At least give the developer developer the. 00:33:28
As high as concrete is today. 00:33:33
If you put the hell back in there, every time there's a driveway, it's got to be cut. 00:33:37
New concrete's got to be cut taken. 00:33:42
Hauled off before you can put the driveway. 00:33:45
When you use the Hollywood it it you just tie right into it. 00:33:48
Yeah, so that was one of the ones I noticed as well. That's page, page 62, item B, Curb and Gutter. 00:33:55
Referencing specifically the six inch vertical. 00:34:03
6 inch vertical curving. Alright, so let me, let me, let me just let's have a philosophical discussion real quick. Let's hear from 00:34:05
the manager because. 00:34:09
And let me hear from Joe first. Actually, if we want to make some more changes to this, does it have an advertising requirement or 00:34:14
is it a one month turn like say that? 00:34:19
Adopt these tonight, but then Chuck and Brett get sharing their thoughts. 00:34:24
In the next week or two, can we then make, can we then have another public hearing and adopt additional changes, right, since we 00:34:29
had an advertised public hearing for what has been presented, what has been available online, I think that's the primary item for 00:34:35
consideration tonight. And then have a subsequent discussion on Hollywood versus L back 6 inch curbs etcetera, etcetera, the 00:34:41
technical side of things, recycled asphalt etcetera at next month's meeting. But my recommendation from a purely attorney legal 00:34:47
perspective is. 00:34:53
We need to handle as a matter of housekeeping and legalities and enforceability. Let's get this to modern standards, reflecting 00:34:59
our actual practices, and get that done now and then come back and make these changes next month. You know from a legal 00:35:06
perspective that that would have to be my advice. The only question I do we. I don't. 00:35:12
1st I believe we have any pending building that this. 00:35:19
Come under question in the next month. Correct me if I'm wrong. Well, you never know. But we may have. I mean, we do have. 00:35:24
Things happening in town. So there could be something that it would be nice. You know, another little thing I noticed in there is, 00:35:31
should our sidewalks be 6 feet wide instead of five feet wide, You know, things like that, you know that that I think is a would 00:35:38
be a healthy change to make, you know, so, but we didn't advertise that. So I'd be more comfortable if we move forward I think 00:35:44
adopting what was advertised, but we all get our feedback to Sharon or call Sharon or sit with Sharon. 00:35:51
In the next week. So we can do another round of this in the next month or two because Chuck, I think you raised some great points. 00:35:58
Brett, it sounds like you have other thoughts. So I've got several. 00:36:03
So what's? What's Maybe, if you are comfortable, what's Sharon's made a lot of sausage here. Let's go ahead and get that, get that 00:36:09
taken care of, and then let's. 00:36:13
Make some more in the next month and bring that back before us and we can do that. Is that agreeable to y'all? Because everybody's 00:36:18
making good points, but I'd rather. 00:36:21
Us get this cleaned up because the last thing we want to do is have some. 00:36:25
I mean, technically, you know, somebody might be able to hold our feet to the fire and say, well, your process is different than 00:36:28
what you outline and your subdivision, Oregon, you know, everybody's been willing to work with us. But it's a little bit awkward 00:36:33
to have to for Sharon or Toby to say ignore what you're reading on the website. That's not our process. Here's a piece of paper 00:36:38
that shows our actual process. So. 00:36:42
So if we can live with that, let's propose. 00:36:48
To adopt this. 00:36:51
And then let's get. 00:36:52
And if you need to sit down with Sharon, if that's easier than do that, well, let's get that information to her so we can then get 00:36:54
that process for the as soon as possible for the next month. 00:36:57
All right. OK. All right. So I'll entertain a motion to adopt. 00:37:02
Adopt updated the changes to the code for subdivision section. CI make a motion that we adopt the changes to the code Appendix C 00:37:06
subdivisions. All right, we have a motion. Do we have a second? 00:37:12
We have a motion. We have a second. Any further discussion? 00:37:19
All in favor, say aye, any. 00:37:23
All right, Motion carries 5 O. Think I heard everybody right. 00:37:26
All right. We have only one appearance tonight, and I think she's on the screen and that is. 00:37:33
Congratulations to our City Engineer Mark Campbell on the addition of the lovely Sydney Dorrett. Let's keep Mark and his. 00:37:40
In our prayers as they begin this new phase of life that's very exciting. So beautiful little girl. 00:37:48
So any other appearances manager? Dickerson? 00:37:57
So that's a good night, right? All right, Rocket Field. 00:38:00
We had two great public input meetings, Christine and Connie. I think we're able to. 00:38:06
Make make one of those each if I remember right. 00:38:13
And based on that input, I'm going to what do we have coming up per share? Is it a do we have the summary or just the renderings? 00:38:17
OK. The summary, the summary is in your packet, but I'm going at a high level, I'm going to recap what we heard. OK, this so the 00:38:25
things that there were people every you know people came in and they had like one one person might have wanted something, right. 00:38:31
But the things that were consistent themes that we heard in feedback around Rocket Field. 00:38:37
We had a group of folks who are interested in a tank. 00:38:43
OK. 00:38:47
We had requests for Play area and Play spaces. 00:38:49
We had a request for nobody liked the gazebo, but everybody liked the idea of a shady spot or a potential place. You know, if you 00:38:53
wanted to have a place for people to sit or even a small stage, like was it Mayor Dave's thing? You know, something like that, A 00:38:58
gathering point. 00:39:02
So we had a lot of support for. 00:39:07
The dog people were all thrilled that there's still space for the dogs. They did request if there's a possibility to have some 00:39:09
shade towards the middle of the field that they like to use that. 00:39:14
And so those were very little input on the actual ball field design. 00:39:20
And then there was some technical feedback around electric and stuff that we can work through. 00:39:25
But those were the four big areas. You know, what's a, what's a? Is there some sort of a play space? 00:39:29
Can there be not a gazebo, but something else that we might be able to gather? 00:39:34
From the dog owners, can we have more shade? 00:39:40
You know, make sure there's water or some shaded benches. And then we had a new Lawrence and Kathleen were passionate about it and 00:39:44
some other people. 00:39:48
Bat. 00:39:54
So I think we've got and what I want to do tonight is I want to walk through this. Certainly Kathleen and Lawrence if you want to 00:39:55
offer feedback on what you see please, you'll have the opportunity to do it after I walk through them. These renderings aren't 00:40:00
exactly perfect but we were kind of we had our last public input session last Tuesday night. 00:40:06
So they turned them around for us really quickly, which was nice. So, but just keep in mind that these aren't perfect. It's not 00:40:12
how. 00:40:15
You know, rendered, but it'll give you an idea of where we're going I think. So Sharon, let's kind of start working through and 00:40:19
I'll just work you through this is option. 00:40:24
Not the ideal view but I wanted to capture it so you guys could see it. So this. 00:40:30
Shows. 00:40:35
What's called a it's it's kind of a simple sort of architectural playscape. It's a climbing net sort of structure. 00:40:37
In that northwest corner that's closest to, that's at the intersection. You're looking here at the intersection of 2nd and School 00:40:44
St. 00:40:47
OK, so that's kind of a simple sort of play scape in that corner. 00:40:52
What you see on the other corner is a is it is kind of a stage or a covered pavilion. 00:40:56
A lot of people asked for something different than a gazebo, but I think you know, most people thought, hey we could use something 00:41:03
like that what we were able to do by moving it to the other corner share and you can probably Click to the next slide if I'm 00:41:07
remembering the order correct. 00:41:11
When I got up next is. 00:41:16
OK. All right. Well, we'll go to. We'll stay here for a second then. 00:41:18
The the idea being by putting it in the other corner, it kind of balances out the concession stand and the scores tent. It also if 00:41:23
you wanted to have a gathering, a small concert, the fall festival is a very logical place to kind of have. 00:41:31
A stage or gathering area where people can access the whole field. We still with this design it's not shown would anticipate that 00:41:38
fence through the middle that could be removed that would allow the dog park the same space that it had but by putting the shade 00:41:44
structure in the middle. 00:41:49
And the pavilion? It acknowledges one of the requests of the dog park folks, which is, hey, that's a really hot side of the field. 00:41:55
How about we How about we take advantage of? How about we take advantage of that? 00:42:03
So let's go ahead to the next one. 00:42:08
And one of the solutions that we like for Patak was easily forgotten about Rocket Field is there's this little island of space 00:42:11
right up by Okaf. And we thought that by capturing that space we could plant trees, have some picnic tables. 00:42:18
I don't antis he didn't render it without the play space. I don't anticipate keeping the playscape in that area, but the idea 00:42:26
being that would be an ideal space for the patent courts where they have their own space. 00:42:31
But also during the in Lawrence, ignore the wooden surround of the sand. I'm sure we do something different than that, but the 00:42:37
idea being we can capture this small space we need to remove some power poles. 00:42:43
And we'd have space to do 2 to three different patent courts there. Plant some trees, you have a nice shaded area. 00:42:49
And it could be used for that. And in the fall festival, we could still put picnic tables in that area. We could still utilize 00:42:55
that area around with the food trucks and things like that, but you'd have a dedicated area. 00:43:00
For the patent court. So that's one option. OK, yeah, go ahead. What is the talk? 00:43:06
Yep. 00:43:12
It's bocce. It's bocce ball. Next question on that now that I know it. 00:43:14
Where do we anticipate keeping these balls so they don't wander off? 00:43:23
Yeah. 00:43:31
I love watching ball. I just never heard of. 00:43:34
Court, if you will, the same size as the box football court. 00:43:40
So like a wire park, they have bocce ball that set up that water park. 00:43:44
We did these to Lawrence suspects, what you sent us. So we did everything we did. I think we used your measurements, although you 00:43:50
had a much wider. I think you wanted for room for four. There's room for three in the space. He just didn't render it. But my 00:43:54
thought is we, I think we could fit three courts in this space. 00:43:59
So that looks like the entrance to the dog. Yeah. So there there's a little bit. I'm just, I'm just telling you, all these aren't 00:44:04
perfect, but it gives you a. 00:44:08
I mean, I think 4 is going to be a stretch just giving away the space is set up, but there may be I've rendered it multiple ways. 00:44:13
This was as good as I could get it for the meeting. Just the conceptually. The idea being I think we could do 3. 00:44:19
Baton slash bocce courts in that little island there and have some picnic tables and have some trees. 00:44:25
Can you Orient me to our map here? 00:44:31
If you go to your left, that's OCAF right there in front of. 00:44:35
No. So this is the other side. You've never, you might not have even ever noticed that Brett, but there is. 00:44:42
There. 00:44:48
Point. 00:44:49
.42 acre space that's just a grass island that sits next to the old the workshop room, so it goes over by the road that goes to 00:44:51
Pecan Bluff. That's right. So this is city owned property. 00:44:56
That is doing nothing but holding power poles right now. Yeah. So we want to recapture that property. 00:45:03
You know, and again, this is something I want to discuss, this could also be a great space for a little playground. But, but you 00:45:09
know, the thought is there's pros to that, right? You're close to parents sitting on the bleachers. The cons, they're crossing a 00:45:14
road to get back and forth to to that. 00:45:19
Built a $2,000,000 one right here and and so that so and that's my point with the simple the net structure is it's very simple. 00:45:28
It's relatively it's it's it's a artistic aesthetic. 00:45:33
It's doesn't we don't have to build up you know 8 foot surround made out of wood chips. You know it's it's very basic in terms of 00:45:39
what goes in but it's fun. 00:45:43
You know, so that was my thinking that it's something that's. 00:45:47
Somewhat kind of structural, but fun, but it's not, we're not going and buying. It's one piece of equipment that we install when 00:45:50
we keep going through and then we'll get the comments. Yeah, it's fine. So let's keep going. Sharon and I'll just walk y'all 00:45:55
through it. This is another view of. 00:45:59
The same sort of idea, but it would put both the patent courts and the. 00:46:04
The net, the net structure in the same corner there. 00:46:10
OK. So this would be just two patent courts, so it kind of? 00:46:13
The number of courts you can. The advantage to this side of the field is that it's the most shaded area. 00:46:17
OK, right now, currently. 00:46:22
Sharon. 00:46:25
Go ahead, let me just walk you through while we're getting opinions. 00:46:26
The fall festival, right. Yeah. So that's that's there's pros and cons there's trade-offs in all these This is another view that 00:46:34
shows a little bit more of how the. 00:46:38
The the stage structure and the concession stand playoff each other, they rendered in kind of some guys with some drums there just 00:46:42
to show that a light touch but. 00:46:47
Begins to show you sort of the feel, regardless of what's in that right corner. 00:46:52
The. 00:46:57
You can have things at each corner but still keep the the field open and you know, fully have it. Have a nice aesthetic to the 00:47:00
field. But I like the way that there's two structures balance each other and you can make them, you kind of ignore the 00:47:04
architecture, they could get pretty harmonious there, so. 00:47:09
Yeah, we'll come back to it. 00:47:15
All right, this is another view that shows it again with the dog entrance. Here we made that shade structure larger at the request 00:47:17
of the dog owners, but also know that the the the pavilion area could also function that way for the dog owners. They requested a 00:47:23
shady spot to sit so it could work that way. 00:47:30
This is an aerial view of how that would work. Again, it's missing that middle fence divider that we discussed for the. 00:47:37
We discussed this one does show the patent courts on the field rather than up in the island area. Again, I think the island area 00:47:44
is would probably be my preference for where to put them. 00:47:49
All right, let's go ahead. This is another view again from the higher up elevation sharing one more. This gives you an idea of 00:47:55
what it would look like from that pavilion space. 00:48:00
You see that they rendered a scoreboard in obviously ones green, ones black. I think the idea is once we have our new logo and our 00:48:08
branding, we can have a little bit of fun with that whatever we do with it. If we, we've got to raise private funds to do a 00:48:12
scoreboard. So we'll even have to see if that's possible. 00:48:16
Sharing. Is there more? I can't remember how many renderings we. 00:48:22
So those are the renderings. There's more, Brett. What was the one you were asking about another, the score scores? 00:48:25
Yeah, I had one of those and I don't think I teed it up. 00:48:32
I'm trying to think of the best picture of that. 00:48:36
Yeah, I can walk. I can talk you through it. So anyway that's that's kind of where we've gotten to I think at this point. 00:48:40
Council, we need to discuss these, get y'all's feedback and then. 00:48:47
Certainly Lawrence and Kathleen would love y'all's y'all's input or questions that y'all have to. So maybe like normal, let's 00:48:52
start with citizen feedback and then we'll bring it back behind the rail and discuss it so. 00:48:58
Up there, it may have been turned off. 00:49:08
I think I can speak loud enough without being Mike. 00:49:16
I think we probably have 80 or 90 people watching online tonight. 00:49:20
So I I think I speak for the local potent people that. 00:49:28
The the one with the rendering inside the. 00:49:33
Would be our preference because of the existing shade and you can use it for. 00:49:38
For Fall festival because there's no signs on. 00:49:44
It's not like bocce where you play. 00:49:47
The sides it's just flat, it's just. 00:49:50
So you could drive over it or? 00:49:54
Put something over there. 00:49:58
That would that would work. 00:50:01
Oh yeah, Actually we play on a parking lot. 00:50:06
And we have 4. 00:50:11
A gravel parking lot, Yeah. 00:50:15
Yep. And that's really, it's really, it's great. 00:50:20
A full of vagueness in *******. 00:50:25
That we there's so many people. 00:50:31
So is there a lead? Oh yeah, there's two town clubs in Athens right now. It's international. You actually have to join if you if 00:50:34
you go to one of these. 00:50:40
Clubs and you play for a certain amount of times, after which you are obligated to join the international potent club and I think 00:50:47
the dues. 00:50:51
$25 a year. 00:50:57
And in November, there's a big competition down at Amelia Island and they'll be coming from Canada, France. 00:51:01
All over Southeast, I think they're closer to three. 00:51:10
And workshops, so. 00:51:15
And then putting. So what they'll do is out of the tournament, like we'll go play them then. 00:51:20
Hopefully up here we had. 00:51:26
It's really a big reason. So that measurement that Laura Rose left. 00:51:28
You can layout 8 quarts right. 00:51:33
And there's no line, just pull strings what they do in these big terms. So they are so very used. I mean you can use them all the 00:51:37
time for anything for park really. 00:51:42
So you could do just a big gravel parking lot. 00:51:48
All of a sudden. 00:51:51
So really an overlap. 00:51:54
Fall festival is not really a problem. 00:51:56
The other thing I really want to mention was I mentioned after that the meeting. 00:51:59
We can put anymore shade out in the middle I think for that second all events like fall festival, everybody. 00:52:03
Under 3 so. 00:52:12
I think it's possible. I go down to the park every day with my dog and. 00:52:14
So I. 00:52:19
In the morning 90s there. 00:52:20
That. 00:52:23
I believe our current concern is the folks that are out there, there are a numerous amounts of dog owners that don't clean up 00:52:27
after their dogs and so like currently on the Little League field, make the Little League players play in dolphins. 00:52:38
And that's the concern. Well, now you'll have this fence separating the two. And there are people that dog owners who go out and 00:52:49
pick up other people's dog poop and that should not happen. I know that. But sometimes they get even down there, they get talking 00:52:55
and their dogs over here and they don't see it. 00:53:02
And. 00:53:10
Are you researching Fatah? 00:53:12
Yeah. 00:53:18
I love the addition of the the music pavilion. I think that's great and and I like the fact that from my I believe it's pointing 00:53:21
back towards Okat, is that correct? So that you would be bouncing the sound off of that versus if it was any other way be bouncing 00:53:29
off residential. And I forgot to mention an important part about that set up so the folks at school St. Studios. 00:53:37
Are you know and again this would be low five would not be loud. It's not you know it's more like what Mayor Dave's event. So this 00:53:45
folks at School St. Studios actually want to do a small series of you know concerts using local musicians and they've offered to 00:53:51
help put that together which I think would just be lovely in that space I do think. 00:53:58
You know, the good thing is the fences are removable. The outfield fence and the one in the middle. So look if nobody's using the 00:54:04
space on the right side. 00:54:08
And we want to turn dogs loose out there. That's fine. If a ton of people are throwing Frisbees and are actually activating that 00:54:12
space then. 00:54:15
We'll keep, we'll keep dogs out of there. So that's one thing that's flexible about this whole design is that if we find it wise 00:54:18
to open up that space, we don't have a permanent fence structure in there. We can use it or if there's a concert. 00:54:24
And we want to pick. 00:54:30
All the poop and just leave the one outfield fence. You know we can do that and everybody can gather around. So again that's in in 00:54:32
the building behind is designed in such a way that it. 00:54:37
Fingers crossed can hold all those that temporary fencing the concession, concession area. Yeah, so and the other problem with 00:54:43
this design is there's a lot of people from. 00:54:48
From the ung who park on this piece of. 00:54:53
Right. But we're going to, that's going to go away. I mean, I love that they might park there, but the reality is we've got a 00:54:58
patch of green space and yeah, and I'm going to turn it into something that's going to get used. 00:55:03
And I do like the net structure. Lawrence has built playgrounds for many years, as you know. 00:55:09
He built the one out here. 00:55:16
Called eight bridges. 00:55:19
Yep. 00:55:23
If it's inside the fence and your kid is playing. 00:55:25
Baseball you can sort of see. 00:55:29
From the from the stands and it's enclosed, I've seen about. 00:55:34
Well, they don't use that field. 00:55:39
Which field? 00:55:42
Rocket Field football. 00:55:44
In the last few years, hasn't been as busy because it's been busy. 00:55:50
I've been in that area 35 years and it's been busy. 00:55:58
I think the code. 00:56:02
Alright, sometimes you see your dad down there where this daughter. Well, if it rains, they can't use it for a few days. If you 00:56:04
get significant rain because the drainage is so bad, there's no outfield fence. So you can't play a game there. You can practice 00:56:10
there, but you can't have a you can't have a true game because you can't. There's no fence to stop the ball. The ball, you can't 00:56:15
hit a home run, right? You know, So none of that can happen. So that's one of the reasons why. 00:56:20
You know, so there's some practices there, there's T-ball, a little bit of stuff, but you know, the condition of the field. 00:56:26
Makes it where it's it's limiting the use. Yeah so, so Little League, we have a contract with Little League, at least with Little 00:56:32
League they maintain it. This would allow it would allow for more use of the field. But I think that's the idea is let's make it 00:56:38
into a place to be proud of and still allow all the uses so. 00:56:43
I'll have a look at that top later. You're talking about that triangle, Yeah. Yep. And see, because since. 00:56:50
It's a nice overlap with parking and if the school I guess owns near land, ends the school and starts. 00:56:57
Score OK if I think. 00:57:04
That's Watkins. Well, the parking lot is ours, but the parking lot where the school board is all that is the school boards. 00:57:12
So all that city property for Ung Parks now? Yep, yes. 00:57:19
So yeah, I'll see, because if that needed to be resurfaced or something to turn into a now, if it could be both, that would be 00:57:23
wonderful. But in in. 00:57:27
Well, if if we just gravel, gravel that then and that would work for you guys, then that could be a reason. I'd like to still put 00:57:33
some trees there. I think it'd be nice to have shade, you know? 00:57:39
It's essential you're talking about people in their 60s, seventies, 80s, we we can't get hot. 00:57:46
Kathleen, I know what you do all day, I know, but I'm acclimated and I have a lot of practice. 00:57:53
Well, it's not, it's not summer all year long. Let's remember that most of the year in Georgia, it's actually a decent climate. 00:57:59
So, but let's. OK, any other feedback from you guys because I want to get, I need to get. OK, yeah. 00:58:04
So there will be Patonk one way or another out there. And I'm going to be blunt with you guys. One of the things I told people 00:58:10
about is we're going to put it in because it's also cheap. If nobody's using it, we'll find something else to do for it. But if 00:58:14
you guys use it, like say you're going to use it, that's that's great, but you know. 00:58:19
But I'm like, it's a very low cost of investment. 00:58:24
You know, if it's going to be gravel or if it's going to be that you know, then OK. If if it's empty all the time, then you know 00:58:27
there's other things we can do with the space. So, all right, Thank you. 00:58:31
What's that? That's right, yeah. 00:58:38
I've already Well, we're going to work on that. OK, go ahead. Y'all feedback from council. This is actually just piggybacking on. 00:58:41
But, and it has nothing to Rockfield has to do with this park, so it's just real quick. 00:58:49
Something that maybe we think about is we've already talked about the current gravel space that is parking down there in the 00:58:56
master plan that is not going to be parking most of the time. That's going to be space that's used. 00:59:03
And then it can, it's going to be kind of closed off. 00:59:11
And then it can be opened up for parking for bigger events and so I'm wondering if that if that's already gravel and is eventually 00:59:14
not going to be. 00:59:19
If all the town courts need is like gravel and then it's overflow parking, that I'm not saying we shouldn't do. I'm not trying to 00:59:25
to mix it from this, but it it might just if you also have here that has the potential for 10 like something that's tournament 00:59:31
worthy. It's just something to think about to maybe have some here that people are you know a couple might be OK if you have 00:59:37
people. 00:59:43
You know the neighborhood people coming, like when I came and played with y'all? Well, some people are having their, you know, 00:59:50
like the normal community stuff. But maybe for tournaments we could figure out something down here. So that was. 00:59:55
Follow up question that do the gravel like little pea gravel or is it like #57 big gravel? I'm not just never itty bitty, almost 01:00:02
like sand like itty bitty. 01:00:08
Small ground, Yeah. I'm about to Google because I guess my idea is let's do something. If we're going to do it, I'd rather do 01:00:14
something that feels. 01:00:18
Relatively nice and for the sport, not feel like this is your gravel parking lot, You know so. 01:00:22
And we want them to play there, then walk down the street, go to chopping hops. That's when they're done. And instead, money. 01:00:31
With that area it looks like. Could that whole island in that picture be gravel, if you will. 01:00:38
With I just saw one picture in France that showed it looked like there's a playground. They're just all gravel to be stone benches 01:00:44
around. 01:00:49
And showed these people, you know, sitting there, I just realized you kind of toss the ball, you don't roll it like Pachi. And 01:00:53
that's why it doesn't have to be perfectly smooth like I was thinking in my mind. 01:00:58
And you don't, actually. 01:01:04
Like you don't want sand ball rolls too much, yeah. 01:01:06
But yeah, so my question is, could you? 01:01:13
That island not have to go see it to get a better feel myself like you mentioned, but could the whole island. 01:01:17
In essence, be gravel. 01:01:23
And create some neat stone benches around and possibly a tree someone there like they have around the edges to eventually have 01:01:24
shading and then you have string maybe to divide the courts. 01:01:29
Is. 01:01:34
Possible or acceptable? 01:01:36
Yeah, I think the you probably have to squeeze it in a little bit, but if. 01:01:44
I guess at the end of the day, conceptually, if we like this as a potential location, then Lawrence, I'd. I'd love to have you 01:01:48
guys come out there and look at it and let's talk about what it could look like, because I do kind of like the idea of giving you 01:01:53
a dedicated space because it's kind of like. 01:01:57
Watkinsville actually has. 01:02:02
Of a top court. It's just not a gravel square. But we're if we're going to do it, I'd come to rather lean into it. 01:02:04
You know, yeah. One something that look, it's. 01:02:10
Acceptable for professionals if you. 01:02:13
I'd like to do it. That will come here to play because it's a neat place to play. 01:02:16
Again, would be more than happy to meet you out there. 01:02:23
OK. 01:02:26
Right, let's. 01:02:28
So we've we've worked the baton pretty hard. Let's get through the rest of we can come back to it if we need to. But I'd like 01:02:30
y'all's feedback on the rest of these concepts because as you know we have a pretty fast timeline and once we land on a concept 01:02:34
that we. 01:02:39
We've got to get it rendered, we've got to get it result drawn, we've got to get it estimated, we've got to move into. 01:02:43
If you remember writing a, you know, kind of an MO you situation with our partner and then we want to be adopting that in October. 01:02:49
Or September so we can move. 01:02:56
Move into construction as soon as possible after the fall festival and hopefully have something open again. I've learned the hard 01:02:58
way nothing gets done as fast as I want to, so I'm going to say summer, but you know anyway. 01:03:04
Other feedback on the plans, what you like, what you don't. 01:03:10
I think it's great and I I love the changes after the public feedback. The having it be more of a stage instead of a gazebo with 01:03:14
the covering in that corner I think is brilliant and I I this picture here that is up. I think the I do think the baton courts 01:03:21
need to be separate. I think just the play structure. 01:03:27
Over there And then the Open. I mean, I think it's great. Yeah. I don't like the play structure right beside the baton courts 01:03:35
because if you're trying to play Patonk, you don't want a bunch of three-year olds running around to you, possibly running and 01:03:41
grabbing your ball thing. It's it's funny. 01:03:46
Play in the morning. 01:03:52
Or Early afterno. 01:03:54
Not when kids typically are. 01:03:56
Yeah, I was just. 01:03:59
Separate. 01:04:01
Yeah, I'm with you. I would prefer to leave the field a field. 01:04:04
And let's build. 01:04:09
Courts up on the Hill if. 01:04:12
Poss. 01:04:15
But I love it. I think a good sustain. Is that right there? 01:04:16
I think that will I reminisce the days that we spent over at. 01:04:21
Umm. 01:04:27
Ashford House, Yeah, doing concert. It was amazing. I love the summer days, being able to do concerts there. 01:04:30
Greatest thing? 01:04:37
The one thing I will mention since I forgot to include the close up, we did expand the concession stand and scoring building. 01:04:40
I think we'll be able to. 01:04:48
Most of the temporary fence in there now you probably couldn't have a concession stand in the fence stored at the same time. So 01:04:50
anyway we may have to work out the the storage situation, but and they did adjust that to being kind of brick on the bottom to 01:04:55
match the OCAT buildings with siding on top. So it's kind of a mixed structure. 01:05:00
You know, kind of white. Anyway, it's going to be designed to match Rocket Hall and to match the older Ocas buildings to look in 01:05:06
the field. That was some feedback that we got to from the public. 01:05:11
And then the other thing that we did, it doesn't show on here. 01:05:18
One suggestion, Sharon, if you could go to the one that's the direct overhead. 01:05:21
Yeah, that's either one of those. Last two is fine. We added in. I suggested maybe adding in some of those exercise stations in 01:05:25
between the sidewalk and the trees if we can do it with grading. And so that way if someone is just they're watching their child 01:05:30
or they just want to go for a walk and they could actually do some other kind of movement driven things and like a lot of European 01:05:35
towns. 01:05:41
So anyway, so if we can, we want to see if we can afford that. But I thought that was kind of a interesting idea as well. And then 01:05:47
we removed the bleachers from the plan. 01:05:51
East side, and again that that'll be a space where the existing tree canopy will allow you just to use your use your camp chairs 01:05:56
or other kind of chairs to sit there. 01:06:01
So those were just some minor changes that were that were also. 01:06:06
I'm not sold on the scoreboard location. I'm not sure if that's the right place there. So yeah, what to think about that? 01:06:10
An upload for that to be something old school if we do it, you know, maybe something that looks historic and it just looks big. 01:06:17
Anything I think on the outfield is going to look strange. 01:06:23
Of the flow, I mean because if sometimes we take that the field fence away to do something, it's going to just feel strange. So I 01:06:28
mean can you do it closer up to the concessions That might be a cool idea to put something closer. 01:06:35
Perpendicular to where it is and put it in center field up against the. Looks like a light bulb or something that's right there. 01:06:43
That way it's directly in front of the move it all the way outside the envelope, and then it's where the scorekeepers can see it, 01:06:50
and the people in the stands can see it well as well. 01:06:58
Change its orientation and put it in front of that light. 01:07:05
No. Well, on the other side either side, yeah, that's good. So we'll look at locations for that. 01:07:10
All right, keep going, Council. I haven't heard from the neighbor yet, and I need to hear from Connie. So. 01:07:19
Well, I again think we need to attempt to find. 01:07:30
Other than Rocket Field for a dog park. 01:07:35
Hopefully there's some place in town we can find another place for dogs. 01:07:39
Again, I'm concerned. 01:07:43
That somebody is going to get out there and slip and fall. 01:07:45
On not being clean. 01:07:49
Piles and get hurt right when they were working on the ball, the dog field. 01:07:52
Veterans Park and all those people just showed up without even asking. 01:07:58
If they could bring their dogs to Rocket Field. When I walked up, just as I was grabbing hold of the fence and was going to say 01:08:02
something, somebody. 01:08:06
I stepped in a pile and if I hadn't been hanging on to that fence I would have fallen. So that concerned me. Well, we're going to, 01:08:10
we are going to. This does not show it, but Sharon, if you can draw a line from the left side of. 01:08:16
Of that pavilion, to the center of the fence. The other pavilion, Yeah, that that fence will still be there. So, Connie, it will 01:08:23
be. 01:08:27
We will have a dedicated space for just dogs, so dogs will not. 01:08:31
Where And there's not going to be a gate for them to go through to get into the rest of the facility. 01:08:36
And and we will, I mean we're going to enforce it, You know and we made that clear to the dog folks when they were here. And the 01:08:41
dog folks I think we're pretty satisfied with the space. I mean I don't think they expect to have the whole. 01:08:46
I'll. 01:08:52
There's going to be space for dogs, but the days of the dogs and the ball feed the ball. 01:08:53
And. 01:08:58
They're going to need to end and if we have. 01:09:00
If we have to get the PD cruising through there a little more regularly to make sure that it's going to happen, I'm just guessing. 01:09:03
I mean that's. 01:09:06
That's probably 150 feet. 01:09:10
A good, I mean good, 150 feet run from the shady spot to the corner over here. Where the? 01:09:13
This page is. It's more than that. It's 200 to 2:25 I think. 01:09:20
The people who somebody that I asked about, he said that even the space that we had for the patent courts, he said that's bigger 01:09:27
than a lot of dog parks that they that they. 01:09:31
Like apartment communities and places like that. So even that space but we don't put the dogs over there. Thought it might be 01:09:36
better for but don't. 01:09:39
Is that the stage big enough? 01:09:44
I don't know if you had a band that. 01:09:46
The stage was designed to the specs for from. 01:09:50
School St. Stadium. 01:09:53
Does it happen happen in? 01:09:55
I knew I was getting it wrong anyway. 01:09:57
The Huffman studio, they gave us some specs. Now what they want us to do, they do want to add go ahead and include some risers for 01:10:00
and have it wired appropriately to for performances, so. 01:10:05
So they gave us specs in the patent. Folks gave us specs. So we got specs from. 01:10:11
Two very dedicated, dedicated. 01:10:16
Upcoming. I just want to make sure that if we did have a five piece or seven piece band that it could fit up there. 01:10:20
I think it's 20 by 25 maybe. 01:10:27
And while we're building it, we have to feed the feedback forms, make it to you guys. Sharon, do you ever if they're in your 01:10:32
packet or Kathleen got it? 01:10:36
Kathleen, can you flip? I hate to ask you to do this. 01:10:41
There's some specs on the There's a sketch. 01:10:45
And you know, I'm sorry to be making the sausage at the meeting, but I feel like we need to get through this tonight so we can 01:10:54
move forward with clarity on. 01:10:57
How to get this? 01:11:00
16 by 20. 01:11:06
Steps on two sides. It's not shown exactly like that, but generally I think that's. 01:11:09
That's the idea. So we would probably add steps off the point off the left side, as the plan shows, also so the dog park people 01:11:13
could access it. 01:11:17
But the dogs, there need to be a gate scenario there so the dogs can't get up. 01:11:22
Run through to the other side. So or we could just put a shade structure off of that side and rearrange it. 01:11:26
OK, we've heard from everybody but Councilman Garrett. 01:11:32
Councilman Garrett, do you have any thoughts for us? 01:11:36
All right, well then as a conceptual then what I'd like, y'alls I'd like. 01:11:45
I guess a motion from you guys. 01:11:50
To refine, refine the plan and begin working towards. 01:11:56
Refine the plan and begin working towards. 01:12:01
An MO U with our partner. 01:12:04
Would be the appropriate motion that would give Sharon and I the ability to refine the plan. I'll certainly keep you all in the 01:12:07
loop the whole way. Lawrence will meet with you guys and talk about. 01:12:12
The how the island could work for a patunk area work on refining. 01:12:18
I'll stay in touch with you guys every e-mail, but I'd love a motion that allows. 01:12:23
Work, move forward on the concepts and then. 01:12:27
Begin preparing the legal documents. We need to get this going potentially in October, but nothing will start without y'all 01:12:31
looking at it. All Council looking at it will come back before you again. 01:12:35
So I make a motion that we accept the concept and continue to move things forward. 01:12:42
All right. Can I have a second? 01:12:48
All right. All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 01:12:51
OK, so we have passes 4/1. 01:12:55
All right. 01:12:58
New business We're back to the zoning map. 01:13:01
2. 01:13:06
All right. Sharon, is there anything? 01:13:11
You need to cover on this or did you give the update before? 01:13:16
Just just a reminder, just a reminder that this just simply puts on a map what you've already put in on paper. 01:13:21
And this is just a visual for all of us to have so that the zoning is updated. 01:13:27
Graphically, pictorially for us, and it has to be official and it hasn't been official for what, 13 years? We're going to do my 01:13:33
math here, 13 years since 2009. So it's been official. You've been hand marking the changes, which is perfectly legal and 01:13:40
permissible, but for the sake of the public and to have accessibility online and updated map is very important piece of 01:13:47
housekeeping. I don't see Watkinsville Woods. 01:13:53
Watkins, so you have to keep in mind, I think you all need to remember zoning, yeah, zoning and use are two different things. 01:14:03
Zoning exact It's zoned a certain way but it's being and it's it can be used as a park. So yeah and I actually, I went through 01:14:12
this conversation with Mark our city engineer about because I was like what you know why is that that and. 01:14:19
You gotta remember we've got zoning and then you've got the use of that and so you've got a park and it does in a detached 01:14:26
residential area. That's fine. 01:14:30
But we could always reset it. 01:14:34
Yeah, absolutely. To Park Recreation, My only other question on the Sharon, did we get the hatchery right or did we miss the 01:14:37
hatchery, the hatchery? 01:14:41
Is there some kind of variance that allows detached residential to cover the? 01:14:44
Or did we forget to catch that one? 01:14:48
Because it's it's not president, I don't think. I think we changed the zoning on the hatchery, so just. 01:14:51
I mean, Julie and I, we spent several months looking. I don't think, I mean I don't know what we would have missed that Julie. 01:14:58
Didn't we change the zoning on it? 01:15:02
Because we had to annex it. Wasn't there some. 01:15:07
Because that wouldn't be. It's not used as attached residential, it's a legal use and it would not be a legal use and detached 01:15:11
residential. So if we do, if you do a special. 01:15:16
For. 01:15:23
I feel like we approved it for mixed-use office, but I could be. 01:15:25
We'll have to check on. I mean just thinking about the. 01:15:31
The soda works. That's in there. 01:15:35
Well, there's, I mean. 01:15:40
That there are any homes and well, yeah, there's homes and around the rest of it, I'm sorry, in that there's two businesses. 01:15:42
Yeah. 01:15:51
And it's not like a business that they live there too. I mean, they're just pure businesses. So would you prefer knowing that's 01:15:53
one outlier, Would you prefer for us to approve this tonight and do what we did before and advertise again or do you want to table 01:15:56
it? 01:16:00
And bring it back? Or do we have to advertise it all over again once it's tabled? How does that work? 01:16:05
Well, I mean, I I guess I I defer to the attorney, but I mean I would like to go ahead and approve it and let's get it set and 01:16:10
then we can, if we need to at the next meeting, we find out between now and the next meeting. 01:16:15
That's something. Then we can amend it. I don't mind advertising it again, but I'd like to get that set too. 01:16:21
OK. I mean, I don't mind. Let's just check on that one. 01:16:28
Where we're fixing to. 01:16:36
There, no, it's mixed. If there is, you may work, you may remember that. 01:16:39
There was those lots on Water St. except for the one that was kept mixed-use and we did the best we could because we don't have it 01:16:47
that hasn't been subdivided yet. So we're doing the best we can to. 01:16:52
Worked with the planners at Northeast Georgia Regional Commission to do that. You'll see that little orange, that little piece is 01:16:57
the part that did not get pulled into the development and the rest of it is Arkansas and that that's what was zoned for even 01:17:03
though, OK, it's attached residential departments. 01:17:08
All right, so we're going to prove this. You'll check on the hatchery, and we'll see if we need to do something else, or anything 01:17:16
else. Council, if you'll notice other things. And please just reach out to Sharon, but I'll entertain a motion to approve. 01:17:21
The updated zoning map. 01:17:26
I make a motion to approve the updated semi map. All right, do we have a second? 01:17:30
All right. Any discussion? 01:17:35
All in favor, Say aye. 01:17:37
Everything. 01:17:40
All right, we will move on to new business. Approve an appropriate 20,000 from spots 3 for new entryway signage, long-awaited 01:17:45
signage and entryway stuff. Sharon, why don't you brief us on that? 01:17:50
Thank you, Mayor. 01:17:58
So I can't share with you the branding yet, but I can tell you that we did go ahead and get some estimates on this. So part of 01:18:01
your your response monies that you had. 01:18:06
It might hurt her to come back on it. Dedicated have been set aside for coming up with a brand because you can't have a sign. If 01:18:12
you want a new size, you need a branding. That was the direction we went, so the branding effort has finished. Next Tuesday night 01:18:18
it will be there will be a reveal on a launch of the brand. 01:18:24
The first important thing that we talked about doing was signage. The the entryway signage. There are 4 entryway signs currently 01:18:31
in place on North Main, South Main Hwy. 15, Greensboro Highway, and Experiment Station Rd. 01:18:38
There are four other entrances do not presently have signs, but for which we all felt like you needed to have a sign. I've got a 01:18:46
map just to depict that. So you see that every entrance into Watkins will have a sign. 01:18:52
Location specific. Other than the four that are out there, they're going to replace an exact same location they're in. The other 01:18:58
four will have to determine. 01:19:02
And we'll need to make sure you know I'll, I'll work with the mayor make sure he's aware of what we're thinking and and clear 01:19:06
that. But we don't have those locations exactly on the map yet, but close to where the where the city limits are. So do we 01:19:14
anticipate having to purchase right away or anything for that? No, no, we will we get to those other four will. 01:19:21
Look at where what we might have as far as you know, county facilities or city facilities and if need be we can come up with, you 01:19:29
know, we come back to Y'all with a you know, lease arrangement or something with somebody. 01:19:34
The, yeah, the ones that are on the the four that are out there now are as far as we're concerned their grandfather in and we're 01:19:40
going to handle them that way so. 01:19:44
So we'll worry about the other form. We get to them, the. 01:19:50
The other piece of this are some wayfinding signs, specifically one here at the corner of VFW and Experiment Station Road for the 01:19:54
police, the ESP. For the playground, ESP. City Hall. 01:20:00
Not sure how we'll handle the hair Shoals, but it'll be there'll be something, so we'll figure that out. I'm not sure with all the 01:20:08
changes that may be happening on the Experiment Station Road there may not. 01:20:12
We'll we'll deal with that sign separately anyway, but we'll we'll direct people from that angle too. The three locations along 01:20:18
Main Street have not been determined, but we do anticipate we'll need three. We'll figure that out as well. Work with the mayor to 01:20:23
make sure he's aware of where those go and they'll be double sided as well. 01:20:28
We did get an estimate. It's actually this estimates about 200 something dollars higher because they had a tax and we don't pay 01:20:35
tax, so but we're asking for 20,000. We've estimated that the 8 entryway for wayfinding signs will cost a little bit more than 01:20:40
$19,800 or $19,600. 01:20:46
Production is four to six weeks. 01:20:53
If we get approval tonight, then it's possible, barring any supply issues, that we might be able to at least get the four main, 01:20:56
you know, the the four replacement signs up. 01:21:01
And we'll work with the, you know, with the mayor to, you know, make sure he's good with the look of it and of course share it 01:21:06
with y'all as well, so. 01:21:10
So we're asking for it for you to go ahead and approve an appropriate $20,000 for these signs. 01:21:14
And then direct us to move forward with getting them up. 01:21:19
All right, questions for the manager. 01:21:23
I just want to read and I want to be clear the $20,000 will talk to all eight of the signage entryway signage and four wayfinding 01:21:26
signage as well that that is that is the quote we have to we we've got out state we've got two out we've got one outstanding quote 01:21:32
that has not been in but. 01:21:39
This is a really good quote. I don't have pictures up online, but these are examples of some of the signs they've done, so they'll 01:21:46
be similar to that same material. It's called a high density urethane. 01:21:51
And it works well in the weather. It's I think this is similar to the design we talked about except for the brick around. It's 01:21:57
going to be more just a wood structure with some hardware holding the sign. 01:22:03
So, but we'll work on that and we'll also work on landscaping and all that we get those in. 01:22:10
I think it's wonderful and I am impressed at how quickly this has come together because as Brian said earlier, sometimes it takes 01:22:19
longer than we hope and this looks like. 01:22:24
Knock on this. 01:22:30
This will happen, so I'm I'm already to make a motion. 01:22:33
I would say it might be worth looking. The one on old Bishop Rd. was kind of fine where it was. Now there's there's two driveways 01:22:37
there. I don't know if it's worth looking at potentially moving that slightly. The one on 441. 01:22:44
There's three houses that are going in there. We've told the people that are building there, that's where we parked our spot, but 01:22:52
we'll we'll look at that one before we make a final decision. 01:22:57
Yeah. 01:23:02
And then next Tuesday we'll share preliminary renderings and introduce all the city logo stuff and stuff like that at City Hall, 01:23:03
so. 01:23:07
530 here. 01:23:12
Tuesday. Yep. Yep. OK All right. We have. Do we have a motion? You made a motion to approve. All right. To appropriate the 20,000 01:23:15
from spots three. Do we have a second? 01:23:20
All right. We have a motion. We have a second. Any further discussion? 01:23:26
All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 01:23:31
Motion carries. 01:23:35
All right. Next item is adoption of a request to the state legislature for a local act to create the City of Watkinsville Public 01:23:37
Facilities Authority. Attorney Reitman and manager Dickerson, if you guys could update council on this and then we will. 01:23:44
We will discuss. 01:23:52
Yeah. Yeah. I'll, I'll start just to give you a little background and then I'll let the attorney step in. So the city has recently 01:23:54
engaged a registered municipal advisor to assist us with financial services. We're continuing to grow. 01:24:00
It will give us the ability to another funding mechanism. It will help us obtain longer, we can get enter into longer term lease 01:24:40
agreements, issue and sell revenue bonds, obtained favorable financing for public facilities, land building equipment, Rd. 01:24:47
sidewalks and services. So it's just it's just another tool that we need as we're as we're growing and and maturing. It's 01:24:55
something that I think is really worthwhile. We will be meeting with our financial services advisor later this week. 01:25:02
To start that process of getting them the information they need so that we can start. 01:25:10
Moving in, moving towards this, but in the meantime, in order to do this, state law requires that you ask get your state 01:25:14
delegation to bring forward a local act. And I'm going to turn that over to the attorney and let him handle that piece of it. And 01:25:21
this is the normal legislative process of a resolution be passed unanimously at this level. Then it would go to the state 01:25:28
legislators. You've seen sample legislation that is attached as an exhibit to the resolution that Sharon and I have worked on. 01:25:36
It may differ slightly from that. 01:25:44
Done a little bit of research on this and the synopsis of it, and I noted as I did my preliminary research that a number of cities 01:25:46
use this mechanism, not the city's local governments counties as well. It's become a very popular mechanism. As you said, kind of 01:25:54
leverage the resources of a city or county as the case may be to open up more options to give you more tools in the toolbox for 01:26:01
things such as recreational facilities, public safety facilities. 01:26:09
Educational slash, cultural slash historical facilities, transportation facilities administrative facilities. So it runs the 01:26:17
gamut. It really does again give you another option and financing opportunities typically low rate, low interest rate financing 01:26:24
through revenue bond issue. And I I don't see a downside to it as I've done my preliminary research and we'll delve a little 01:26:32
deeper into it. But what is proposed is documentation that what city was that now what Milton was it. 01:26:40
All right. So what you see is that again, we're not reinventing the wheel. We're not a Guinea pig where we're going following the 01:26:47
the groundwork laid by numerous other cities and counties before us. And and certainly I think you'll be beneficial to the city, 01:26:54
particularly with the recommendation of the financial advisor of the benefits thereof. You all have any questions? 01:27:01
Prior notification before a bond issue. 01:27:44
Public Superior Court process. If there's ever a bond issue, it's a revenue bond, which means income. Let's say that the authority 01:27:47
creates a whatever facility, whether it's a Police Department, a cultural historical facility, and then leases to the city. Stream 01:27:55
of income pays the bond as opposed to the full faith and credit of the city. The city will not be incurring debt. 01:28:04
The authority would incur debt, but it would be based on a revenue bond with a proposed income stream and that is I think an 01:28:12
important consideration here just for fiscal responsibility. It's a, it's kind of a conservative approach to obtaining funds and 01:28:18
providing a higher level of city services. 01:28:24
All right. Questions from council. 01:28:36
And again this. 01:28:39
Again, has to be, has to go through the state legislature, then we would have to appoint the body or it would be us. 01:28:41
It would all be done in public. There are no plans to activate or do anything with this in short order. It's against. 01:28:47
The idea of giving us some more capability should we have an opportunity to use them and the ability to move quickly on 01:28:54
opportunities. 01:28:57
Questions for council or the manager? 01:29:01
All right. There's no questions. I'll entertain a motion. 01:29:05
Make a motion to approve a resolution to request the state budget plate legislature for a local act to create the City of 01:29:08
Watkinsville Public Facilities Authority. 01:29:13
That's a mouthful. Can I have a second? Second, we have a second? Any discussion. 01:29:18
All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 01:29:24
All right. Thank you both. We are now up to public comments. 01:30:02
This is the broad public comment, same procedures as previous. 01:30:07
It's OK. Lawrence or Kathleen, anything you want to share? 01:30:11
Thank you, Julie. We got anything from the publisher online? All right, no, nothing online. Then we will close the public 01:30:17
comments. 01:30:22
Mayor's report. 01:30:26
Couple quick updates. 01:30:29
Since this Saturday at Wire Park. 01:30:32
And I doubt there's any other town of a few thousand people in Georgia have had the Braves World Series Championship trophy visit 01:30:35
twice, but Watkinsville does, so we're glad to have it back. It was here previously for the opening of the Miracle League Field. 01:30:42
With a little bit more of a smaller audience, So 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Wire Park and it's going to be more than the trophy. 01:30:49
Sharon, do we have one more slide? Yeah. So they're going to have several of their businesses that have yet to open, are going to 01:30:54
have space. There's going to be about tables and booths. 01:30:59
There's going to be a bounce house. 01:31:04
So it's going to scoops is going to have an ice cream truck, there's going to be Gelato food truck. I think the weather is 01:31:06
actually supposed to be kind of cool on Saturday. 01:31:10
So it's going to be, I think it's going to be a really nice day. 01:31:14
For Wire Park. So this Saturday Braves trophy coming to Wire Park. 01:31:20
As we mentioned earlier, these are some of our current logos. 01:31:27
You can see why we need. 01:31:32
And went through a branding exercise. 01:31:35
We're excited to reveal that Tuesday night here at City Hall at 5:00. 01:31:37
So that will that will be then and then we'll share information with the public after that meeting. 01:31:42
Somebody has a birthday coming up, is that right? Or had a birthday? I'm sorry last week. Chuck, we happy birthday to you. 01:31:48
Appreciate the. 01:31:52
Another great trip around the sun for you, so couple other little things. Does anybody notice anything different about this room 01:31:57
from last month? 01:32:01
There's windows in the doors back here. 01:32:13
So we have new front doors and then here off the back what normally was a little wall, we actually have some sunlight that comes 01:32:17
in now so you can see out to the park. 01:32:21
We'd hope to make those a little bit bigger, but then we realized if we made them bigger, it would be a security issue. People 01:32:27
could reach in and open those doors in reverse. So, but we did get a little more natural light in here, and I love natural light, 01:32:31
so I'm excited about that. 01:32:35
And then lastly, I had the opportunity to visit South Main Brewing and get a tour last week. They were installing their tanks. 01:32:40
They're making some great progress there. I think they're hoping to open up in September. 01:32:45
But if you see those guys around town, those the team that's doing that, they're making quite an investment in Watkinsville. 01:32:53
So if. 01:33:00
You know, if you. 01:33:02
Feel the spirit, give them a pat on the back and tell them, tell them thanks because it is a big, it's a big lift and it's 01:33:04
exciting to have some local guys doing that. So, so anyway, more to come in September from them hopefully. So that's all I have. 01:33:09
Oh, we were going to have an election, but it looks like we're not going to have an election in Watkins. We'll still have people 01:33:13
here. 01:33:18
But congratulations to Mayor Pro Tem Tucker, Councilman Campbell, Councilman Thomas. 01:33:24
Who will not have any competition for their upcoming election? And I think that's quite an endorsement of the jobs you guys are 01:33:30
doing. So congratulations and thank you. 01:33:35
With that, we'll move on to council, reports Councilman Garrett. 01:33:41
Councilwoman Massey. 01:33:47
Councilman Thomas, I have nothing. 01:33:49
Councilwoman Tucker, we are moving forward with getting the DBA. 01:33:52
Activated and. 01:34:01
Starting the hunt for a director? Well, OK, great. That was budgeted and that position is supposed to start around December, 01:34:04
right? 01:34:09
So Downtown Development Authority. So just to just to clarify, she's getting really excited. I'm excited. 01:34:15
I'm going to, I'm going to pull her back just a little bit. So the council has to approve a job description which will be part of 01:34:22
the paying compensation study that will come before you guys hopefully in September or October and then once we have that job and 01:34:28
y'all then we'll be able to advertise for that. But yeah, January is when we're we're planning for that we'll we'll get there. 01:34:33
All right, great. Great update, Councilman Campbell. 01:34:41
Following those lines, I'll be going Monday to make in for the training for the DEA. 01:34:46
No. 01:34:52
Class all day, training. So then we'll start meeting more regularly. 01:34:53
Move forward. 01:34:59
Perfect. All right. I realized I skipped over something that we added on the agenda and that's the Girma. 01:35:01
Item sharing. 01:35:07
And I don't. Do you have a briefing on that? 01:35:12
Mayor Garment is our property and liability insurance company. Y'all may recall that we get a, we get a rebate essentially of our 01:35:17
premiums up to $6000 in grant money for safety items. And So what we've what we put together the this year it snuck up on as well 01:35:26
actually change the date last year it was a little bit later but now it's due, I think it's due ASAP basically. 01:35:34
No later than I think the early part of September. So our plan is to go ahead and get to get you guys to approve this bucket list. 01:35:43
We're only going to be able to get $6000 or so. We put quite a few different items in there because they get to pick what what we 01:35:49
get or what, what we're going to be able to what they're going to award to us. But the intention is to enhance what we have as far 01:35:56
as our public, our public vehicles, our police vehicles, our public works vehicles, don't have any emergency roadside assistance 01:36:02
type things. 01:36:08
Our police officers really can't jump off a car because it will fry the the systems that are in there, so we're looking at getting 01:36:14
some some jacks. 01:36:17
Pack. 01:36:22
Some warning triangles, things that will obviously enhance the safety of our not just our employees, but are the citizens here. So 01:36:23
Chief, do you have anything you want to add about what we're asking for in the in the safety grant? 01:36:29
We put in some more barricades. I mean we may get some more of those, but we've got a lot of those now they're they're they're 01:36:38
plastic and just easily movable And so citizens like at the fall festival can move them versus the the wooden metal ones that are 01:36:45
challenging to say the least. So but we'll see what they come back. We'll submit it in September, early part of September. 01:36:51
All right, council, that's the recommendation of police chief and the manager is that we approve. 01:37:00
I'm happy to entertain a motion to that effect or a. 01:37:07
Council to find option. 01:37:10
I'll make a motion that we approve this middle of the Girma and, Jim, a safety grant application. All right. Do we have a second? 01:37:13
Any discussion? 01:37:17
All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 01:37:21
I don't think we have any need for an executive session tonight. Is that accurate? 01:37:24
OK, No. OK. Unless anybody wants an executive session, then I'm going to ask for a motion to adjourn. I make a motion to adjourn. 01:37:28
Do we have a second second? All in favor, say aye. 01:37:36
We always have an exact like the last month we've been able to like. 01:37:47
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Transcript

Event transcript
All right. Welcome everybody to the. 00:00:04
August City Council meeting. 00:00:07
Appreciate. Appreciate everybody who's here with us and who's watching online. We do have a quorum here. 00:00:10
Tonight. Thanks. Looks like we have perfect attendance. Thanks everybody for being here. And with that, we will kick off with the 00:00:16
Pledge of Allegiance. Officer Rachel Stearns. If you could lead us in the pledge, that would be great. 00:00:21
I. 00:00:26
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, 00:00:33
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:39
Thank you. 00:00:47
All right, Council, you have had the packet for several days at this point at this point. 00:00:55
And ask for approval of the minutes from the July 20th, July 20th meeting if you have. 00:01:00
Unless there are any edits to those meetings. 00:01:07
I make a motion to approve the Minutes. 00:01:10
We have a motion. Do we have a second? 00:01:13
We have a motion and a second assuming there's no discussion, all in favor of approving the minute say aye. Any opposed? 00:01:16
All right. We have 40. Thank you. I always wonder why people vote to approve the minutes of a meeting they don't attend. So, 00:01:24
Councilman Thomas, thank you for abstaining there. 00:01:28
The Just a couple quick housekeeping reminders that I forgot to do at the start. This meeting is being broadcast online. That 00:01:33
said, it's not interactive, so if you have a comment or something that you wish to make, please try to do that in advance. The 00:01:40
packet is posted in advance online, so any citizen, yes, or anyone else who wants to review that online has access to that. 00:01:47
We are a little less formal here in Watkinsville than other municipalities, so if anyone does have a comment that they wish to 00:01:55
make on a matter that before the council, that's at council, Mayor and legal counsel's discretion. There are certain parts were 00:02:01
required to accept feedback, but if you have something that you want to discuss with council, please raise your hand, indicate 00:02:07
that and if council sees fit, we will let you comment on it. Of course, no arguing. 00:02:13
Debate with Council and if you make comments to council, they need to be towards Council, not towards the audience as it is 00:02:20
tonight. 00:02:24
Approval of the agenda. We do have two items to add to the agenda tonight under public hearing. We want to add Item 6A council 00:02:29
vote on amendments to the subdivision ordinance. 00:02:34
And then under new business, we want to add item eleven approval, approve submittal of Girma and GMA safety grant application 00:02:38
Manager. Dickerson will walk us through both of those and what we need to do. But if you are comfortable making those additions to 00:02:44
the agenda, then I'll take a motion to that effect. 00:02:49
I would like to ask that we table I have not had a full. 00:02:57
Chance to dig a deep dive into the amendments of the subdivision ordinance. I don't know if everybody else. 00:03:02
Did but I'd like to table that till next. I looked through it today and it is red line which I greatly appreciate and. 00:03:09
It's pretty. There's also that summary page. Yeah. Of it it's. I mean it's it's things like taking instead of faxing, emailing 00:03:18
digital copies and then taking County out where it's not. I mean, yeah, so I I read through all the highlighted red stuff today, 00:03:26
all 87 pages of that. But in reading such I I I dove down into a few more things and you. 00:03:33
Things in there that I would like to discuss further as a Council. 00:03:42
That probably ought to be relooked at. So what? 00:03:46
We. 00:03:50
Have the hearing, but hold the vote. Have the hearing or I mean. 00:03:52
To me, reading through it, there were things that were long overdue and just getting cleaned up. So what if we? 00:03:57
Consider still consider it tonight. 00:04:04
But maybe we need to add later to look more in depth. 00:04:06
The actual like let's do this, let's let's approve the agenda, let's keep that on and then let's have this discussion. When we get 00:04:12
to the agenda item, we can always decide the table and we get to the agenda item. For now, let's if if we can add those two items 00:04:18
under new business, then we will kind of talk about the subdivision regs conceptually and whether we want to adopt them as they 00:04:24
are but can but come back with some more edits perhaps the next month once Councilman Thomas had a chance to review. 00:04:30
I need, I think. I need. I think I need a motion. I make the motion to accept the agenda with those two additions. All right, we 00:04:37
have the motion. Do we have a second? We have a second. Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor, say aye. All right, The agenda 00:04:42
is approved. 00:04:46
All right. We will move on to administration. We have a brief overview of our public input process. 00:04:51
Earlier we've had two more people come in, but those two know the rules because they come to our meetings frequently. So welcome 00:04:57
Kathleen and Lawrence. Glad you guys are here tonight. So we will turn it over to City Manager Dickerson to walk us through our 00:05:02
financials, economic development reports and then we'll turn it over to the Chief for the eagerly awaited Police Department 00:05:06
report. So. 00:05:11
Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Everyone should have gotten the the profit loss for the revenues and expenses we are. 00:05:17
Trending fine. We're actually at the first of the year. A lot of things don't come in as a norm, you know come in after July. So 00:05:26
we they came in in July, we don't see them till August. So right now we're doing fine expenses wise and revenue wise. If there any 00:05:32
questions on that, I'm happy to take those, but we are doing fine on that. 00:05:37
On the splice, we've got three to look at SPLOST One, This is the remaining money. The remaining money here will be used for the 00:05:44
water and sewer project, Sewer line A that is going through the industrial park. 00:05:50
And it will be coupled with money that is in and and neither one of spots one or two are still receiving revenues. All these 00:05:56
revenues this, these have closed out as far as revenues go there remaining money in here for the most part is going towards sewer 00:06:00
line A as well. 00:06:05
Any questions on these? 00:06:13
All right on Spice 3. 00:06:16
Things to note, we have encumber. We've extended money on the jaws of life for the fire department, relocating the metal 00:06:19
playground and some. 00:06:23
Preliminary electric at Rocket Field resurfacing and fixing a storm pipe at Leo Lane and working on the branding and signage 00:06:28
effort. So and then we've encumbered some funds for some capital equipment you guys did in the fiscal year 22 budget. We are 00:06:34
trending about $8000 more a month right now we are expecting. 00:06:41
You know, to see more once Costco opens and stuff. We'll see more money come in with that. Any questions? 00:06:49
On that on two or three, just just for clarity for those who are watching online, we're trending 8000 more on the positive on the 00:06:55
revenue side not on the expense side. Yeah, we're collecting $8000 more and this this shows you the. 00:07:01
Sort of house it's. 00:07:07
So our bank balance is a little bit more than half a million. 00:07:12
For this right? 00:07:15
I know questions on that AARP. So the ARP, I think I reminded y'all last meeting that that that we were due the second transfer, 00:07:18
the second deposit from the US Treasury which flowed through the state to. 00:07:25
Another $548,000. 00:07:32
Roughly. 00:07:36
760 Sixty $1000 that you have not appropriate to a specific project. 00:07:38
This money is sorry, I did not mean to hit that. What happens when you're looking at it. So this money is now essentially general 00:07:44
fund money. It's the state offered, the federal government offered the opportunity for cities that we're getting less than $10 00:07:52
million to use this money as a lot revenue replacement loss revenue option, a standard allowance. And so the city did take that 00:07:59
allowance. And so basically this is general fund money. I still have to report annually on this. 00:08:06
However, you don't have to use it in those categories that were required by the US Treasury before. Like you don't have to use it 00:08:14
for COVID measures or or public safety or or essential employees. You can use it for whatever you want, which is good because you 00:08:19
that gives you a lot of flexibility, however. 00:08:24
I think certainly. 00:08:31
The the guiding principle is that it be used for transformational purposes within your community. 00:08:33
With that said, you you still have some transformation to do decide how you're going to spend it. So any specific questions on 00:08:38
those? 00:08:42
We did. I do want to point out that during the fiscal year 22 and you'll learn about this in the in the audit. 00:08:48
You all approved, I think it was $132,000 for public safety personnel to to amend the budget to so we wouldn't have to go in the 00:08:54
general fund. We use some of this money. You may note up there we only used 87.5. 00:09:01
So that money rolled back into your non appropriated amount. 00:09:08
So that's good. And when we get the audit, when the audit auditors come back in November to do the report, you'll hear about that. 00:09:13
So did that reduce the impact on fund balance? I'm assuming is that accurate in terms of how that impacted the well, so this money 00:09:18
was being used instead of fund balance? 00:09:23
So fund balance wasn't affected because we use this instead, but because we didn't need all of it, it just went back into into 00:09:29
this. So OK, back but. 00:09:34
Actually, it never left, did it, chief. So right. 00:09:41
OK. 00:09:46
All right, Economic. 00:09:47
We don't have any, believe it or not, for business, alcohol or insurance this month. 00:09:50
Kind of unusual. We usually have a couple on the permanent side we have. 00:09:56
27 building permits for 14 projects, the majority of which are Trove single family residential homes that are going up. 00:10:01
And four of them are also related to the Wire Park development project. 00:10:07
Any questions about those? 00:10:14
Good evening, Mayor Council. 00:10:24
Good evening. It's always a pleasure to be in front of you again. 00:10:25
I have submitted a couple of reports, one rather lengthy report, and that's a comparison report that the mayor asked me for last 00:10:29
month. 00:10:33
And my monthly report that I produce for you on a monthly basis, Are there any questions over the monthly report? 00:10:38
No questions. OK, pretty clear cut, Straightforward. 00:10:47
All right. Well, let's move on to the comparison report. 00:10:53
So it was very interesting, Mayor asked me last month. 00:10:57
Look at some comparison. So I went back and looked at some historical data from the signs, the sign locations, and so it was 00:11:02
imperative that I found signs that were in the same locations for that duration of time from from 2020 to 2022. 00:11:08
Then if you remember way back in March of 2020, we had a thing called a pandemic where we locked everybody down and kept everybody 00:11:16
from going anywhere. 00:11:20
So I had to kind of evaluate what months I picked up, so I got as close to current. 00:11:25
2020. 00:11:30
Months wise, July and. 00:11:32
So June, we were starting to emerge. 00:11:34
June of 2020, we're starting to emerge from the COVID era and we're starting to see traffic gains and things like that, So it's a 00:11:38
pretty good comparison. 00:11:41
So what does it show? Shows a lot of stuff, actually. 00:11:45
There's a fluctuation in quantity of vehicles that naturally over the over the time frame each each roadway saw a fluctuation of 00:11:49
vehicles that was generally a very significant increase in vehicles. 00:11:54
The interesting part is, is that every roadway experienced a percentage of reduction from, you know, generally 4 to 7%. 00:12:02
The largest being Barnett Shoals at 52%, but that's largely in part due to the speed change reduction from 35 to 25. 00:12:11
So that that that's why that's such a significant number. 00:12:18
But the other element that was very intriguing to me. 00:12:22
Is the fact that I've highlighted in the summary report that the one that five mile an hour over is posted speed? 00:12:26
So if your speech is 25, it starts recording at 26. That's a violation. The sign sees as a violation, so one to five. 00:12:34
Saw a significant increase on all the roadways. The six to 10 saw a significant increase on the roadways. Well if you go back to 00:12:43
2020 and look at the 15 to 20. 00:12:47
Those were high. Those all decreased. So we're taking those violators that were violating. 00:12:52
The speeds that would have gotten them pulled over and wrote tickets. 00:12:58
And we've got them in a range that now is a much more manageable and appreciable speed. 00:13:02
So that, I think, is a win all the way around. 00:13:07
Anybody have any questions or any comments? 00:13:12
To clarify the. 00:13:15
The speeding 5 between 1:00 to 10:00 mph is actually higher than it used to be, but anything over 10 mph has gone down a lot. Yes, 00:13:19
yes, absolutely. So just as an example here, the 11 to 20 mile per hour violations reduced on Experiment Station by 4000 vehicles 00:13:27
from 2020 to 2022. The one to five increased by 11,000 vehicles. 00:13:35
And the six to 10 mile an hour violations increased by 11,600. And there, you know, here's a significant one signed up to Bridge. 00:13:44
1120 mile an hour violations were reduced by over 34,000 vehicles. 00:13:53
The one to five mile an hour violations increased by 29,500. 00:13:58
And then the six to 10 decreased by over 6200 vehicles but. 00:14:04
The. 00:14:10
And again, the interesting element to that is when you start looking at. 00:14:11
11 to 20 and higher, you see a decline in those numbers, significant decline which is which I think is a. 00:14:16
Very relevant to the fact that we're we both educated, we've got public that's driving through, that's aware and we're visibly 00:14:24
present and taking enforcement action. 00:14:29
Yeah. All right. 00:14:36
Other things we had going on, we had Taser certification class last Friday. 00:14:40
That was a lot of fun. It was a shocking experience for a few. 00:14:44
Was we actually ended up Tasing four of our own. Five of our own. Five of our own for getting them certified. 00:14:49
In. 00:14:57
And we had five deputies from the Sheriff's Office who were deploying the Taser 7. So they were in attendance and learning how to 00:14:59
deploy the new weapon that's that was a great thing. And then I'm very happy to announce that we are on the verge of being able to 00:15:05
release a motorcycle unit, a new tool in our arsenal. 00:15:11
For speed traffic enforcement, it'll be a. 00:15:18
Unexpected surprise for a few that would be out there, unsuspecting to see a motorcycle pull them over. 00:15:22
The interesting thing about this is Major Tedderton is owed a great deal of credit. He found these motorcycles on Gov deals. 00:15:31
Made a telephone call. Made a serious, serious personal connection with the person in Cary, NC. 00:15:38
They had them on the Gov Deals website to be sold at. 00:15:44
He told him we wanted to put him in, in in service to, you know. 00:15:49
Do traffic enforcement with them. They pulled them off the auction and went to council and gave both motorcycles. 00:15:53
To US for $1500. 00:16:01
These are, you know, BMW RT12 hundreds that you know, 10 to $15,000. 00:16:05
So it's a great asset and it's going to be a great tool to employ and. 00:16:11
Give a Give a new shot of the Walkersville Police Department. 00:16:16
Any questions over the most of? 00:16:19
We're excited to see them in service and and out there on the roadway and then doing it. I've got 2 motorcycle operators that are 00:16:22
itching to get on what we get behind the wheel. 00:16:27
All right. And last Friday evening, I was honored to be in attendance with a Academic Achieving Honor Graduate. 00:16:33
Of the Piedmont Technical College for the police Academy. 00:16:44
Rachel Stearns and if the mayor would do us the honor. 00:16:47
I would love for you to. 00:16:51
Swear this. 00:16:53
Rachel, turn and face me. 00:17:12
All right. All right. You're going to repeat. 00:17:15
Take one step closer. I think Sharon's trying to get you right for the camera. She's trying to get a picture. OK, all right, OK. 00:17:20
All right. 00:17:26
Raise your right hand and repeat after me, OK? I Rachel. Zoe Stearns. 00:17:27
Do hereby solemnly swear that. 00:17:33
Do hereby solemnly swear that I will support and defend. 00:17:36
The Constitution of the United States of America. 00:17:40
Of the United States of America, I will support and defend the Constitution. 00:17:44
All support independent hospitals of the State of Georgia. 00:17:48
I will support and defend. 00:17:52
The Charter and Ordinances of the City of Watkinsville. 00:17:55
I am not the holder. 00:18:02
Of any office of trust. 00:18:04
Under the government of the United States. 00:18:07
Under the government of the. 00:18:09
Any other state or any foreign state. 00:18:11
Any other state or any foreign. 00:18:14
Which I am by the laws of the. 00:18:16
Which I am by the laws of the state of Georgia prohibited from. 00:18:19
Of Georgia prohibited from. 00:18:24
I am otherwise qualified. 00:18:26
To hold the office of a peace officer. 00:18:29
According to the Constitution. 00:18:34
And laws of the State of Georgia. 00:18:37
I am not the holder. 00:18:40
Of any unaccountable public. 00:18:42
Of any unaccountable public money do. 00:18:44
Or any public political subdiv. 00:18:48
For any public political subdivision or authority thereof. 00:18:51
And I accept the law. 00:18:56
Code of Ethics of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. 00:18:59
The International Association of Chiefs of Police as my standard of conduct. 00:19:04
While on and off. 00:19:10
And swear to, faithfully abide by and defend the. 00:19:13
Those were faithfully abide by, and do the same, and. 00:19:16
I will faithfully follow the orders of the Chief of police. 00:19:21
Order. 00:19:24
Follow the orders that you and to the best of my ability. 00:19:25
Faithfully and justly perform. 00:19:29
That's all right. The duties and obligations. 00:19:34
Of a. 00:19:39
In. 00:19:41
Benevolent. 00:19:42
And Civil Man. 00:19:45
During my Commission. 00:19:46
During my Commission, so help me God. 00:19:48
Congratulations. 00:19:51
All right, You want to come up for a picture? Don't have your family up. We do the badge fitting. 00:19:58
All right, it hasn't. As a matter of honor and tradition, we like for the newly sworn officer to be pinned by one of their loved 00:20:07
ones. 00:20:12
If you would come forward. 00:20:17
Just like we practice. 00:20:22
All right, y'all, come on right up here. 00:21:12
Switch. 00:21:25
Right. 00:21:28
You. 00:21:52
That concludes our four other AM if there's any other questions. 00:22:27
Chief Where? So I think one of the things. 00:22:33
Is important and you know I want this to be in the record. 00:22:37
The improvement and the speeds around the city have been a goal for what? I mean three or four years, you know, through several 00:22:40
different administration, several different city councils, and I think you know. 00:22:45
Speed limit. Changing the speed limits is one thing, but you have in the resources you need to enforce. 00:22:51
And get that done for the citizens of Watkinsville. It's a real tribute to you guys in a tough hiring environment. You've rebuilt 00:22:56
the department as we've had a lot of transitions. So credit to you into the major and Y'all's leadership and it's always exciting. 00:23:02
Swearing new officers too, but I think it's important to connect the dots. This is the second month in a row that we've done this, 00:23:09
but even as all that transitions occurred to see the tremendous drop in speeds, which was a huge, huge. 00:23:15
I would say it's a complaint for many of our citizens who live on those quarters. So even though it's frustrated some people from 00:23:22
outside the city, I think that's a big win for our citizens. So thank you. Thank you. 00:23:27
I would love to see. I didn't. Maybe I missed it and all, but your report on the on the changes was it. I'm not the only one, 00:23:37
Chief. I did not see that in there either. I'm seeing this. 00:23:42
I didn't say I would love just a like get that because that's something that would be good to have on hand because, you know, 00:23:50
people still like it's good to be like no speeds have really decreased, I mean. 00:23:57
Let me do this for you. I'll give you my copy. 00:24:05
You. 00:24:09
Now I see them now they're definitely in there. Somehow I missed. 00:24:11
This page. 00:24:15
I understand, I understand. I print so many documents for the Council. I just planned everything. There's plenty of paper. All 00:24:18
right. Well, chief, thank you and thank you to your team. 00:24:23
I'm looking at the scrolling one that has it all. 00:24:30
The attorney I'll indicate when you step forward and the hearing is open, 4 minutes per person. We're not going to debate on that. 00:25:06
Address your comments to the council, but before we do the zoning map public hearing, we will turn it over to the manager for an 00:25:11
update on that. 00:25:16
So the real brief update on this is simply that since 2009, the Council has made decisions. 00:25:22
Most of them actually in the last three years about zoning matters that need to be reflected on the map and all we're simply doing 00:25:29
is making sure that the map is current with those changes. So good example would be Wire Park. You see off in the eastern part of 00:25:35
the of the map, you see that big orange with a couple yellow squares, that's Wire Park. That was a huge project that you guys 00:25:41
rezoned. So we're just simply trying to make sure the map reflects those decisions. 00:25:48
That's really all it is. 00:25:55
OK. 00:25:58
Well, I think we're going to do public hearing and then it'll come back to us under new business, correct? 00:26:00
So at this point, I do have a couple questions about that, but I think we'll follow the process so we have a public hearing. 00:26:05
Is there anyone who wants to make a comment a member of the public? The public hearing is now. 00:26:11
Any members of the audience wish to make a comment on the zoning map? 00:26:16
You'll have a chance. We are going to talk about Rocket Field, Kathleen. So you know, I mean, so you'll have your chance. You'll 00:26:24
have your chance. 00:26:27
You need to go. You have to go. Well, I can't see the matter. 00:26:30
Yeah. And I'll provide just. 00:26:34
Is there going to be another hearing office? 00:26:37
No. Think we'll adopt it tonight unless you bring up something. 00:26:41
This is what we already have, and we're just going to make sure. We just need to make sure the colors are right. 00:26:44
All right. OK. All right. We'll hold on to it because we'll come back to it if you have a comment and we can ask it. OK. Did we 00:26:49
receive anything online, Julie, on this one? OK. So no online comments, no comments from the public. With that we're going to 00:26:55
close the public hearing council this, we will come back and discuss this under new business. 00:27:01
And then also for public hearing we have. 00:27:08
The ordinance. The amendments to the subdivision ordinance. 00:27:13
This also comes back to us. Does this come back under new business or no, it does not. Or yes, it does. 00:27:17
So we're going to vote on that after the public hearing. 00:27:24
So at this point, this is a part we're going to open another public hearing, this time for amendments to our subdivision ordinance 00:27:30
Manager Dickerson, if you want to give a overview of that as necessary, and then we will proceed with the public hearing. 00:27:36
All right. Thank you. Thank you, manager. Mayor, sorry. 00:27:43
So the subdivision regulations are part are also part of our zoning code. So this is only the first phase. I've got to bring that 00:27:48
before you guys the zoning code and updated as well. But the main focus of this is simply procedural. We're trying to make sure 00:27:54
that you know prior to me coming on board and even prior. 00:28:00
Clarify to reflect the regulations, who's doing them. I tried not to get too particular with with. 00:28:42
Too many. There was a lot of places that are put manager or his or her designee to give some flexibility so that we don't have to 00:28:49
come back and do this again. For instance, there's a place in there we talked about. 00:28:54
With a building or the city contracts with a building inspections permits, company Bureau, Veritas and I didn't want to put them 00:29:01
in there because it may change. So it's Simply put in city manager or his or her designee. I did also make some reference of some 00:29:07
changes where it said mayor because now the city manager has those for those administrative functions. 00:29:13
There are places in there where we left County and Oconee County because they're relevant, but only in the case where they're 00:29:20
where they have departments like the fire department or their Public Utilities department or something like that. 00:29:26
So again, this the, the work that was done, and I started on this actually in October and got sidelined and got back into it after 00:29:33
the first of the year. Our city engineer, who's not here tonight, look through it. Toby Cartilage, our compliance officer and 00:29:39
public works supervisor, looked at it. The attorney looked at it and then we sent it out to y'all so that you could look at. I 00:29:44
tried today. I got up a clean copy. I'm sorry, I meant to get one up earlier because some people look at clean copies better than 00:29:50
looking at Redline. 00:29:55
It's just such a huge task. There was no way we would have had time to go through all of this at the same time. So what we did was 00:30:38
we adopted it as it was and knowing that we were going to have to go die back in and fix it. So we fixed, we're fixing this. 00:30:45
And you're going to see the zoning code come back at some point, maybe after the first year. We'll see. 00:30:52
That's what that is. 00:30:57
OK. So to remind council, we're going to a public hearing, we'll hear from the public, then we'll close the public hearing, then 00:30:59
we'll have discussion behind the rail. OK. So any comments from the public on the subdivision code changes? 00:31:05
Court client to be received any. 00:31:12
No Sir, OK. 00:31:14
Right. With that, I'm going to close the public hearing to bring it back behind and we'll go to item 6A, which is discussion. 00:31:16
And potentially. 00:31:22
There were several items when I was looking through it that I felt like needed to be updated. 00:31:54
Because a lot of times we reference to G dot specs which we have to remind ourselves G. 00:31:59
Does not build subdivisions. 00:32:07
So some of it's kind of beefed up, but one. 00:32:09
In particular was the curbing. 00:32:12
And the recycled asphalt and it's that language is still in here. 00:32:15
That, I feel like, needs to be. 00:32:22
Addressed and taken out because. 00:32:24
Ton of asphalt was put down. Today is recycle. 00:32:28
Oconee County put that in. 00:32:32
Back in the mid 80s, I mean 2008 somewhere around in that range. 00:32:35
In this anyway, so it's kind of contradicting itself when it's. 00:32:42
We refer back to G dot specs. 00:32:46
We cannot run recycle. 00:32:51
OK. All right. Every, every time that you see laid down today is that? 00:32:54
And the curb in. 00:32:58
In the cross section is showing the L back curb in every subdivision in Watkinsville has what we call the Hollywood Rollover 00:33:02
Curve. 00:33:06
So that's a more that's geared more towards subdivisions where the L back is good in the cul-de-sac. 00:33:11
For water drainage, you know, controlling the water right and on the roadways, but. 00:33:19
In the subdivision we should give the. 00:33:25
Developer the option. At least give the developer developer the. 00:33:28
As high as concrete is today. 00:33:33
If you put the hell back in there, every time there's a driveway, it's got to be cut. 00:33:37
New concrete's got to be cut taken. 00:33:42
Hauled off before you can put the driveway. 00:33:45
When you use the Hollywood it it you just tie right into it. 00:33:48
Yeah, so that was one of the ones I noticed as well. That's page, page 62, item B, Curb and Gutter. 00:33:55
Referencing specifically the six inch vertical. 00:34:03
6 inch vertical curving. Alright, so let me, let me, let me just let's have a philosophical discussion real quick. Let's hear from 00:34:05
the manager because. 00:34:09
And let me hear from Joe first. Actually, if we want to make some more changes to this, does it have an advertising requirement or 00:34:14
is it a one month turn like say that? 00:34:19
Adopt these tonight, but then Chuck and Brett get sharing their thoughts. 00:34:24
In the next week or two, can we then make, can we then have another public hearing and adopt additional changes, right, since we 00:34:29
had an advertised public hearing for what has been presented, what has been available online, I think that's the primary item for 00:34:35
consideration tonight. And then have a subsequent discussion on Hollywood versus L back 6 inch curbs etcetera, etcetera, the 00:34:41
technical side of things, recycled asphalt etcetera at next month's meeting. But my recommendation from a purely attorney legal 00:34:47
perspective is. 00:34:53
We need to handle as a matter of housekeeping and legalities and enforceability. Let's get this to modern standards, reflecting 00:34:59
our actual practices, and get that done now and then come back and make these changes next month. You know from a legal 00:35:06
perspective that that would have to be my advice. The only question I do we. I don't. 00:35:12
1st I believe we have any pending building that this. 00:35:19
Come under question in the next month. Correct me if I'm wrong. Well, you never know. But we may have. I mean, we do have. 00:35:24
Things happening in town. So there could be something that it would be nice. You know, another little thing I noticed in there is, 00:35:31
should our sidewalks be 6 feet wide instead of five feet wide, You know, things like that, you know that that I think is a would 00:35:38
be a healthy change to make, you know, so, but we didn't advertise that. So I'd be more comfortable if we move forward I think 00:35:44
adopting what was advertised, but we all get our feedback to Sharon or call Sharon or sit with Sharon. 00:35:51
In the next week. So we can do another round of this in the next month or two because Chuck, I think you raised some great points. 00:35:58
Brett, it sounds like you have other thoughts. So I've got several. 00:36:03
So what's? What's Maybe, if you are comfortable, what's Sharon's made a lot of sausage here. Let's go ahead and get that, get that 00:36:09
taken care of, and then let's. 00:36:13
Make some more in the next month and bring that back before us and we can do that. Is that agreeable to y'all? Because everybody's 00:36:18
making good points, but I'd rather. 00:36:21
Us get this cleaned up because the last thing we want to do is have some. 00:36:25
I mean, technically, you know, somebody might be able to hold our feet to the fire and say, well, your process is different than 00:36:28
what you outline and your subdivision, Oregon, you know, everybody's been willing to work with us. But it's a little bit awkward 00:36:33
to have to for Sharon or Toby to say ignore what you're reading on the website. That's not our process. Here's a piece of paper 00:36:38
that shows our actual process. So. 00:36:42
So if we can live with that, let's propose. 00:36:48
To adopt this. 00:36:51
And then let's get. 00:36:52
And if you need to sit down with Sharon, if that's easier than do that, well, let's get that information to her so we can then get 00:36:54
that process for the as soon as possible for the next month. 00:36:57
All right. OK. All right. So I'll entertain a motion to adopt. 00:37:02
Adopt updated the changes to the code for subdivision section. CI make a motion that we adopt the changes to the code Appendix C 00:37:06
subdivisions. All right, we have a motion. Do we have a second? 00:37:12
We have a motion. We have a second. Any further discussion? 00:37:19
All in favor, say aye, any. 00:37:23
All right, Motion carries 5 O. Think I heard everybody right. 00:37:26
All right. We have only one appearance tonight, and I think she's on the screen and that is. 00:37:33
Congratulations to our City Engineer Mark Campbell on the addition of the lovely Sydney Dorrett. Let's keep Mark and his. 00:37:40
In our prayers as they begin this new phase of life that's very exciting. So beautiful little girl. 00:37:48
So any other appearances manager? Dickerson? 00:37:57
So that's a good night, right? All right, Rocket Field. 00:38:00
We had two great public input meetings, Christine and Connie. I think we're able to. 00:38:06
Make make one of those each if I remember right. 00:38:13
And based on that input, I'm going to what do we have coming up per share? Is it a do we have the summary or just the renderings? 00:38:17
OK. The summary, the summary is in your packet, but I'm going at a high level, I'm going to recap what we heard. OK, this so the 00:38:25
things that there were people every you know people came in and they had like one one person might have wanted something, right. 00:38:31
But the things that were consistent themes that we heard in feedback around Rocket Field. 00:38:37
We had a group of folks who are interested in a tank. 00:38:43
OK. 00:38:47
We had requests for Play area and Play spaces. 00:38:49
We had a request for nobody liked the gazebo, but everybody liked the idea of a shady spot or a potential place. You know, if you 00:38:53
wanted to have a place for people to sit or even a small stage, like was it Mayor Dave's thing? You know, something like that, A 00:38:58
gathering point. 00:39:02
So we had a lot of support for. 00:39:07
The dog people were all thrilled that there's still space for the dogs. They did request if there's a possibility to have some 00:39:09
shade towards the middle of the field that they like to use that. 00:39:14
And so those were very little input on the actual ball field design. 00:39:20
And then there was some technical feedback around electric and stuff that we can work through. 00:39:25
But those were the four big areas. You know, what's a, what's a? Is there some sort of a play space? 00:39:29
Can there be not a gazebo, but something else that we might be able to gather? 00:39:34
From the dog owners, can we have more shade? 00:39:40
You know, make sure there's water or some shaded benches. And then we had a new Lawrence and Kathleen were passionate about it and 00:39:44
some other people. 00:39:48
Bat. 00:39:54
So I think we've got and what I want to do tonight is I want to walk through this. Certainly Kathleen and Lawrence if you want to 00:39:55
offer feedback on what you see please, you'll have the opportunity to do it after I walk through them. These renderings aren't 00:40:00
exactly perfect but we were kind of we had our last public input session last Tuesday night. 00:40:06
So they turned them around for us really quickly, which was nice. So, but just keep in mind that these aren't perfect. It's not 00:40:12
how. 00:40:15
You know, rendered, but it'll give you an idea of where we're going I think. So Sharon, let's kind of start working through and 00:40:19
I'll just work you through this is option. 00:40:24
Not the ideal view but I wanted to capture it so you guys could see it. So this. 00:40:30
Shows. 00:40:35
What's called a it's it's kind of a simple sort of architectural playscape. It's a climbing net sort of structure. 00:40:37
In that northwest corner that's closest to, that's at the intersection. You're looking here at the intersection of 2nd and School 00:40:44
St. 00:40:47
OK, so that's kind of a simple sort of play scape in that corner. 00:40:52
What you see on the other corner is a is it is kind of a stage or a covered pavilion. 00:40:56
A lot of people asked for something different than a gazebo, but I think you know, most people thought, hey we could use something 00:41:03
like that what we were able to do by moving it to the other corner share and you can probably Click to the next slide if I'm 00:41:07
remembering the order correct. 00:41:11
When I got up next is. 00:41:16
OK. All right. Well, we'll go to. We'll stay here for a second then. 00:41:18
The the idea being by putting it in the other corner, it kind of balances out the concession stand and the scores tent. It also if 00:41:23
you wanted to have a gathering, a small concert, the fall festival is a very logical place to kind of have. 00:41:31
A stage or gathering area where people can access the whole field. We still with this design it's not shown would anticipate that 00:41:38
fence through the middle that could be removed that would allow the dog park the same space that it had but by putting the shade 00:41:44
structure in the middle. 00:41:49
And the pavilion? It acknowledges one of the requests of the dog park folks, which is, hey, that's a really hot side of the field. 00:41:55
How about we How about we take advantage of? How about we take advantage of that? 00:42:03
So let's go ahead to the next one. 00:42:08
And one of the solutions that we like for Patak was easily forgotten about Rocket Field is there's this little island of space 00:42:11
right up by Okaf. And we thought that by capturing that space we could plant trees, have some picnic tables. 00:42:18
I don't antis he didn't render it without the play space. I don't anticipate keeping the playscape in that area, but the idea 00:42:26
being that would be an ideal space for the patent courts where they have their own space. 00:42:31
But also during the in Lawrence, ignore the wooden surround of the sand. I'm sure we do something different than that, but the 00:42:37
idea being we can capture this small space we need to remove some power poles. 00:42:43
And we'd have space to do 2 to three different patent courts there. Plant some trees, you have a nice shaded area. 00:42:49
And it could be used for that. And in the fall festival, we could still put picnic tables in that area. We could still utilize 00:42:55
that area around with the food trucks and things like that, but you'd have a dedicated area. 00:43:00
For the patent court. So that's one option. OK, yeah, go ahead. What is the talk? 00:43:06
Yep. 00:43:12
It's bocce. It's bocce ball. Next question on that now that I know it. 00:43:14
Where do we anticipate keeping these balls so they don't wander off? 00:43:23
Yeah. 00:43:31
I love watching ball. I just never heard of. 00:43:34
Court, if you will, the same size as the box football court. 00:43:40
So like a wire park, they have bocce ball that set up that water park. 00:43:44
We did these to Lawrence suspects, what you sent us. So we did everything we did. I think we used your measurements, although you 00:43:50
had a much wider. I think you wanted for room for four. There's room for three in the space. He just didn't render it. But my 00:43:54
thought is we, I think we could fit three courts in this space. 00:43:59
So that looks like the entrance to the dog. Yeah. So there there's a little bit. I'm just, I'm just telling you, all these aren't 00:44:04
perfect, but it gives you a. 00:44:08
I mean, I think 4 is going to be a stretch just giving away the space is set up, but there may be I've rendered it multiple ways. 00:44:13
This was as good as I could get it for the meeting. Just the conceptually. The idea being I think we could do 3. 00:44:19
Baton slash bocce courts in that little island there and have some picnic tables and have some trees. 00:44:25
Can you Orient me to our map here? 00:44:31
If you go to your left, that's OCAF right there in front of. 00:44:35
No. So this is the other side. You've never, you might not have even ever noticed that Brett, but there is. 00:44:42
There. 00:44:48
Point. 00:44:49
.42 acre space that's just a grass island that sits next to the old the workshop room, so it goes over by the road that goes to 00:44:51
Pecan Bluff. That's right. So this is city owned property. 00:44:56
That is doing nothing but holding power poles right now. Yeah. So we want to recapture that property. 00:45:03
You know, and again, this is something I want to discuss, this could also be a great space for a little playground. But, but you 00:45:09
know, the thought is there's pros to that, right? You're close to parents sitting on the bleachers. The cons, they're crossing a 00:45:14
road to get back and forth to to that. 00:45:19
Built a $2,000,000 one right here and and so that so and that's my point with the simple the net structure is it's very simple. 00:45:28
It's relatively it's it's it's a artistic aesthetic. 00:45:33
It's doesn't we don't have to build up you know 8 foot surround made out of wood chips. You know it's it's very basic in terms of 00:45:39
what goes in but it's fun. 00:45:43
You know, so that was my thinking that it's something that's. 00:45:47
Somewhat kind of structural, but fun, but it's not, we're not going and buying. It's one piece of equipment that we install when 00:45:50
we keep going through and then we'll get the comments. Yeah, it's fine. So let's keep going. Sharon and I'll just walk y'all 00:45:55
through it. This is another view of. 00:45:59
The same sort of idea, but it would put both the patent courts and the. 00:46:04
The net, the net structure in the same corner there. 00:46:10
OK. So this would be just two patent courts, so it kind of? 00:46:13
The number of courts you can. The advantage to this side of the field is that it's the most shaded area. 00:46:17
OK, right now, currently. 00:46:22
Sharon. 00:46:25
Go ahead, let me just walk you through while we're getting opinions. 00:46:26
The fall festival, right. Yeah. So that's that's there's pros and cons there's trade-offs in all these This is another view that 00:46:34
shows a little bit more of how the. 00:46:38
The the stage structure and the concession stand playoff each other, they rendered in kind of some guys with some drums there just 00:46:42
to show that a light touch but. 00:46:47
Begins to show you sort of the feel, regardless of what's in that right corner. 00:46:52
The. 00:46:57
You can have things at each corner but still keep the the field open and you know, fully have it. Have a nice aesthetic to the 00:47:00
field. But I like the way that there's two structures balance each other and you can make them, you kind of ignore the 00:47:04
architecture, they could get pretty harmonious there, so. 00:47:09
Yeah, we'll come back to it. 00:47:15
All right, this is another view that shows it again with the dog entrance. Here we made that shade structure larger at the request 00:47:17
of the dog owners, but also know that the the the pavilion area could also function that way for the dog owners. They requested a 00:47:23
shady spot to sit so it could work that way. 00:47:30
This is an aerial view of how that would work. Again, it's missing that middle fence divider that we discussed for the. 00:47:37
We discussed this one does show the patent courts on the field rather than up in the island area. Again, I think the island area 00:47:44
is would probably be my preference for where to put them. 00:47:49
All right, let's go ahead. This is another view again from the higher up elevation sharing one more. This gives you an idea of 00:47:55
what it would look like from that pavilion space. 00:48:00
You see that they rendered a scoreboard in obviously ones green, ones black. I think the idea is once we have our new logo and our 00:48:08
branding, we can have a little bit of fun with that whatever we do with it. If we, we've got to raise private funds to do a 00:48:12
scoreboard. So we'll even have to see if that's possible. 00:48:16
Sharing. Is there more? I can't remember how many renderings we. 00:48:22
So those are the renderings. There's more, Brett. What was the one you were asking about another, the score scores? 00:48:25
Yeah, I had one of those and I don't think I teed it up. 00:48:32
I'm trying to think of the best picture of that. 00:48:36
Yeah, I can walk. I can talk you through it. So anyway that's that's kind of where we've gotten to I think at this point. 00:48:40
Council, we need to discuss these, get y'all's feedback and then. 00:48:47
Certainly Lawrence and Kathleen would love y'all's y'all's input or questions that y'all have to. So maybe like normal, let's 00:48:52
start with citizen feedback and then we'll bring it back behind the rail and discuss it so. 00:48:58
Up there, it may have been turned off. 00:49:08
I think I can speak loud enough without being Mike. 00:49:16
I think we probably have 80 or 90 people watching online tonight. 00:49:20
So I I think I speak for the local potent people that. 00:49:28
The the one with the rendering inside the. 00:49:33
Would be our preference because of the existing shade and you can use it for. 00:49:38
For Fall festival because there's no signs on. 00:49:44
It's not like bocce where you play. 00:49:47
The sides it's just flat, it's just. 00:49:50
So you could drive over it or? 00:49:54
Put something over there. 00:49:58
That would that would work. 00:50:01
Oh yeah, Actually we play on a parking lot. 00:50:06
And we have 4. 00:50:11
A gravel parking lot, Yeah. 00:50:15
Yep. And that's really, it's really, it's great. 00:50:20
A full of vagueness in *******. 00:50:25
That we there's so many people. 00:50:31
So is there a lead? Oh yeah, there's two town clubs in Athens right now. It's international. You actually have to join if you if 00:50:34
you go to one of these. 00:50:40
Clubs and you play for a certain amount of times, after which you are obligated to join the international potent club and I think 00:50:47
the dues. 00:50:51
$25 a year. 00:50:57
And in November, there's a big competition down at Amelia Island and they'll be coming from Canada, France. 00:51:01
All over Southeast, I think they're closer to three. 00:51:10
And workshops, so. 00:51:15
And then putting. So what they'll do is out of the tournament, like we'll go play them then. 00:51:20
Hopefully up here we had. 00:51:26
It's really a big reason. So that measurement that Laura Rose left. 00:51:28
You can layout 8 quarts right. 00:51:33
And there's no line, just pull strings what they do in these big terms. So they are so very used. I mean you can use them all the 00:51:37
time for anything for park really. 00:51:42
So you could do just a big gravel parking lot. 00:51:48
All of a sudden. 00:51:51
So really an overlap. 00:51:54
Fall festival is not really a problem. 00:51:56
The other thing I really want to mention was I mentioned after that the meeting. 00:51:59
We can put anymore shade out in the middle I think for that second all events like fall festival, everybody. 00:52:03
Under 3 so. 00:52:12
I think it's possible. I go down to the park every day with my dog and. 00:52:14
So I. 00:52:19
In the morning 90s there. 00:52:20
That. 00:52:23
I believe our current concern is the folks that are out there, there are a numerous amounts of dog owners that don't clean up 00:52:27
after their dogs and so like currently on the Little League field, make the Little League players play in dolphins. 00:52:38
And that's the concern. Well, now you'll have this fence separating the two. And there are people that dog owners who go out and 00:52:49
pick up other people's dog poop and that should not happen. I know that. But sometimes they get even down there, they get talking 00:52:55
and their dogs over here and they don't see it. 00:53:02
And. 00:53:10
Are you researching Fatah? 00:53:12
Yeah. 00:53:18
I love the addition of the the music pavilion. I think that's great and and I like the fact that from my I believe it's pointing 00:53:21
back towards Okat, is that correct? So that you would be bouncing the sound off of that versus if it was any other way be bouncing 00:53:29
off residential. And I forgot to mention an important part about that set up so the folks at school St. Studios. 00:53:37
Are you know and again this would be low five would not be loud. It's not you know it's more like what Mayor Dave's event. So this 00:53:45
folks at School St. Studios actually want to do a small series of you know concerts using local musicians and they've offered to 00:53:51
help put that together which I think would just be lovely in that space I do think. 00:53:58
You know, the good thing is the fences are removable. The outfield fence and the one in the middle. So look if nobody's using the 00:54:04
space on the right side. 00:54:08
And we want to turn dogs loose out there. That's fine. If a ton of people are throwing Frisbees and are actually activating that 00:54:12
space then. 00:54:15
We'll keep, we'll keep dogs out of there. So that's one thing that's flexible about this whole design is that if we find it wise 00:54:18
to open up that space, we don't have a permanent fence structure in there. We can use it or if there's a concert. 00:54:24
And we want to pick. 00:54:30
All the poop and just leave the one outfield fence. You know we can do that and everybody can gather around. So again that's in in 00:54:32
the building behind is designed in such a way that it. 00:54:37
Fingers crossed can hold all those that temporary fencing the concession, concession area. Yeah, so and the other problem with 00:54:43
this design is there's a lot of people from. 00:54:48
From the ung who park on this piece of. 00:54:53
Right. But we're going to, that's going to go away. I mean, I love that they might park there, but the reality is we've got a 00:54:58
patch of green space and yeah, and I'm going to turn it into something that's going to get used. 00:55:03
And I do like the net structure. Lawrence has built playgrounds for many years, as you know. 00:55:09
He built the one out here. 00:55:16
Called eight bridges. 00:55:19
Yep. 00:55:23
If it's inside the fence and your kid is playing. 00:55:25
Baseball you can sort of see. 00:55:29
From the from the stands and it's enclosed, I've seen about. 00:55:34
Well, they don't use that field. 00:55:39
Which field? 00:55:42
Rocket Field football. 00:55:44
In the last few years, hasn't been as busy because it's been busy. 00:55:50
I've been in that area 35 years and it's been busy. 00:55:58
I think the code. 00:56:02
Alright, sometimes you see your dad down there where this daughter. Well, if it rains, they can't use it for a few days. If you 00:56:04
get significant rain because the drainage is so bad, there's no outfield fence. So you can't play a game there. You can practice 00:56:10
there, but you can't have a you can't have a true game because you can't. There's no fence to stop the ball. The ball, you can't 00:56:15
hit a home run, right? You know, So none of that can happen. So that's one of the reasons why. 00:56:20
You know, so there's some practices there, there's T-ball, a little bit of stuff, but you know, the condition of the field. 00:56:26
Makes it where it's it's limiting the use. Yeah so, so Little League, we have a contract with Little League, at least with Little 00:56:32
League they maintain it. This would allow it would allow for more use of the field. But I think that's the idea is let's make it 00:56:38
into a place to be proud of and still allow all the uses so. 00:56:43
I'll have a look at that top later. You're talking about that triangle, Yeah. Yep. And see, because since. 00:56:50
It's a nice overlap with parking and if the school I guess owns near land, ends the school and starts. 00:56:57
Score OK if I think. 00:57:04
That's Watkins. Well, the parking lot is ours, but the parking lot where the school board is all that is the school boards. 00:57:12
So all that city property for Ung Parks now? Yep, yes. 00:57:19
So yeah, I'll see, because if that needed to be resurfaced or something to turn into a now, if it could be both, that would be 00:57:23
wonderful. But in in. 00:57:27
Well, if if we just gravel, gravel that then and that would work for you guys, then that could be a reason. I'd like to still put 00:57:33
some trees there. I think it'd be nice to have shade, you know? 00:57:39
It's essential you're talking about people in their 60s, seventies, 80s, we we can't get hot. 00:57:46
Kathleen, I know what you do all day, I know, but I'm acclimated and I have a lot of practice. 00:57:53
Well, it's not, it's not summer all year long. Let's remember that most of the year in Georgia, it's actually a decent climate. 00:57:59
So, but let's. OK, any other feedback from you guys because I want to get, I need to get. OK, yeah. 00:58:04
So there will be Patonk one way or another out there. And I'm going to be blunt with you guys. One of the things I told people 00:58:10
about is we're going to put it in because it's also cheap. If nobody's using it, we'll find something else to do for it. But if 00:58:14
you guys use it, like say you're going to use it, that's that's great, but you know. 00:58:19
But I'm like, it's a very low cost of investment. 00:58:24
You know, if it's going to be gravel or if it's going to be that you know, then OK. If if it's empty all the time, then you know 00:58:27
there's other things we can do with the space. So, all right, Thank you. 00:58:31
What's that? That's right, yeah. 00:58:38
I've already Well, we're going to work on that. OK, go ahead. Y'all feedback from council. This is actually just piggybacking on. 00:58:41
But, and it has nothing to Rockfield has to do with this park, so it's just real quick. 00:58:49
Something that maybe we think about is we've already talked about the current gravel space that is parking down there in the 00:58:56
master plan that is not going to be parking most of the time. That's going to be space that's used. 00:59:03
And then it can, it's going to be kind of closed off. 00:59:11
And then it can be opened up for parking for bigger events and so I'm wondering if that if that's already gravel and is eventually 00:59:14
not going to be. 00:59:19
If all the town courts need is like gravel and then it's overflow parking, that I'm not saying we shouldn't do. I'm not trying to 00:59:25
to mix it from this, but it it might just if you also have here that has the potential for 10 like something that's tournament 00:59:31
worthy. It's just something to think about to maybe have some here that people are you know a couple might be OK if you have 00:59:37
people. 00:59:43
You know the neighborhood people coming, like when I came and played with y'all? Well, some people are having their, you know, 00:59:50
like the normal community stuff. But maybe for tournaments we could figure out something down here. So that was. 00:59:55
Follow up question that do the gravel like little pea gravel or is it like #57 big gravel? I'm not just never itty bitty, almost 01:00:02
like sand like itty bitty. 01:00:08
Small ground, Yeah. I'm about to Google because I guess my idea is let's do something. If we're going to do it, I'd rather do 01:00:14
something that feels. 01:00:18
Relatively nice and for the sport, not feel like this is your gravel parking lot, You know so. 01:00:22
And we want them to play there, then walk down the street, go to chopping hops. That's when they're done. And instead, money. 01:00:31
With that area it looks like. Could that whole island in that picture be gravel, if you will. 01:00:38
With I just saw one picture in France that showed it looked like there's a playground. They're just all gravel to be stone benches 01:00:44
around. 01:00:49
And showed these people, you know, sitting there, I just realized you kind of toss the ball, you don't roll it like Pachi. And 01:00:53
that's why it doesn't have to be perfectly smooth like I was thinking in my mind. 01:00:58
And you don't, actually. 01:01:04
Like you don't want sand ball rolls too much, yeah. 01:01:06
But yeah, so my question is, could you? 01:01:13
That island not have to go see it to get a better feel myself like you mentioned, but could the whole island. 01:01:17
In essence, be gravel. 01:01:23
And create some neat stone benches around and possibly a tree someone there like they have around the edges to eventually have 01:01:24
shading and then you have string maybe to divide the courts. 01:01:29
Is. 01:01:34
Possible or acceptable? 01:01:36
Yeah, I think the you probably have to squeeze it in a little bit, but if. 01:01:44
I guess at the end of the day, conceptually, if we like this as a potential location, then Lawrence, I'd. I'd love to have you 01:01:48
guys come out there and look at it and let's talk about what it could look like, because I do kind of like the idea of giving you 01:01:53
a dedicated space because it's kind of like. 01:01:57
Watkinsville actually has. 01:02:02
Of a top court. It's just not a gravel square. But we're if we're going to do it, I'd come to rather lean into it. 01:02:04
You know, yeah. One something that look, it's. 01:02:10
Acceptable for professionals if you. 01:02:13
I'd like to do it. That will come here to play because it's a neat place to play. 01:02:16
Again, would be more than happy to meet you out there. 01:02:23
OK. 01:02:26
Right, let's. 01:02:28
So we've we've worked the baton pretty hard. Let's get through the rest of we can come back to it if we need to. But I'd like 01:02:30
y'all's feedback on the rest of these concepts because as you know we have a pretty fast timeline and once we land on a concept 01:02:34
that we. 01:02:39
We've got to get it rendered, we've got to get it result drawn, we've got to get it estimated, we've got to move into. 01:02:43
If you remember writing a, you know, kind of an MO you situation with our partner and then we want to be adopting that in October. 01:02:49
Or September so we can move. 01:02:56
Move into construction as soon as possible after the fall festival and hopefully have something open again. I've learned the hard 01:02:58
way nothing gets done as fast as I want to, so I'm going to say summer, but you know anyway. 01:03:04
Other feedback on the plans, what you like, what you don't. 01:03:10
I think it's great and I I love the changes after the public feedback. The having it be more of a stage instead of a gazebo with 01:03:14
the covering in that corner I think is brilliant and I I this picture here that is up. I think the I do think the baton courts 01:03:21
need to be separate. I think just the play structure. 01:03:27
Over there And then the Open. I mean, I think it's great. Yeah. I don't like the play structure right beside the baton courts 01:03:35
because if you're trying to play Patonk, you don't want a bunch of three-year olds running around to you, possibly running and 01:03:41
grabbing your ball thing. It's it's funny. 01:03:46
Play in the morning. 01:03:52
Or Early afterno. 01:03:54
Not when kids typically are. 01:03:56
Yeah, I was just. 01:03:59
Separate. 01:04:01
Yeah, I'm with you. I would prefer to leave the field a field. 01:04:04
And let's build. 01:04:09
Courts up on the Hill if. 01:04:12
Poss. 01:04:15
But I love it. I think a good sustain. Is that right there? 01:04:16
I think that will I reminisce the days that we spent over at. 01:04:21
Umm. 01:04:27
Ashford House, Yeah, doing concert. It was amazing. I love the summer days, being able to do concerts there. 01:04:30
Greatest thing? 01:04:37
The one thing I will mention since I forgot to include the close up, we did expand the concession stand and scoring building. 01:04:40
I think we'll be able to. 01:04:48
Most of the temporary fence in there now you probably couldn't have a concession stand in the fence stored at the same time. So 01:04:50
anyway we may have to work out the the storage situation, but and they did adjust that to being kind of brick on the bottom to 01:04:55
match the OCAT buildings with siding on top. So it's kind of a mixed structure. 01:05:00
You know, kind of white. Anyway, it's going to be designed to match Rocket Hall and to match the older Ocas buildings to look in 01:05:06
the field. That was some feedback that we got to from the public. 01:05:11
And then the other thing that we did, it doesn't show on here. 01:05:18
One suggestion, Sharon, if you could go to the one that's the direct overhead. 01:05:21
Yeah, that's either one of those. Last two is fine. We added in. I suggested maybe adding in some of those exercise stations in 01:05:25
between the sidewalk and the trees if we can do it with grading. And so that way if someone is just they're watching their child 01:05:30
or they just want to go for a walk and they could actually do some other kind of movement driven things and like a lot of European 01:05:35
towns. 01:05:41
So anyway, so if we can, we want to see if we can afford that. But I thought that was kind of a interesting idea as well. And then 01:05:47
we removed the bleachers from the plan. 01:05:51
East side, and again that that'll be a space where the existing tree canopy will allow you just to use your use your camp chairs 01:05:56
or other kind of chairs to sit there. 01:06:01
So those were just some minor changes that were that were also. 01:06:06
I'm not sold on the scoreboard location. I'm not sure if that's the right place there. So yeah, what to think about that? 01:06:10
An upload for that to be something old school if we do it, you know, maybe something that looks historic and it just looks big. 01:06:17
Anything I think on the outfield is going to look strange. 01:06:23
Of the flow, I mean because if sometimes we take that the field fence away to do something, it's going to just feel strange. So I 01:06:28
mean can you do it closer up to the concessions That might be a cool idea to put something closer. 01:06:35
Perpendicular to where it is and put it in center field up against the. Looks like a light bulb or something that's right there. 01:06:43
That way it's directly in front of the move it all the way outside the envelope, and then it's where the scorekeepers can see it, 01:06:50
and the people in the stands can see it well as well. 01:06:58
Change its orientation and put it in front of that light. 01:07:05
No. Well, on the other side either side, yeah, that's good. So we'll look at locations for that. 01:07:10
All right, keep going, Council. I haven't heard from the neighbor yet, and I need to hear from Connie. So. 01:07:19
Well, I again think we need to attempt to find. 01:07:30
Other than Rocket Field for a dog park. 01:07:35
Hopefully there's some place in town we can find another place for dogs. 01:07:39
Again, I'm concerned. 01:07:43
That somebody is going to get out there and slip and fall. 01:07:45
On not being clean. 01:07:49
Piles and get hurt right when they were working on the ball, the dog field. 01:07:52
Veterans Park and all those people just showed up without even asking. 01:07:58
If they could bring their dogs to Rocket Field. When I walked up, just as I was grabbing hold of the fence and was going to say 01:08:02
something, somebody. 01:08:06
I stepped in a pile and if I hadn't been hanging on to that fence I would have fallen. So that concerned me. Well, we're going to, 01:08:10
we are going to. This does not show it, but Sharon, if you can draw a line from the left side of. 01:08:16
Of that pavilion, to the center of the fence. The other pavilion, Yeah, that that fence will still be there. So, Connie, it will 01:08:23
be. 01:08:27
We will have a dedicated space for just dogs, so dogs will not. 01:08:31
Where And there's not going to be a gate for them to go through to get into the rest of the facility. 01:08:36
And and we will, I mean we're going to enforce it, You know and we made that clear to the dog folks when they were here. And the 01:08:41
dog folks I think we're pretty satisfied with the space. I mean I don't think they expect to have the whole. 01:08:46
I'll. 01:08:52
There's going to be space for dogs, but the days of the dogs and the ball feed the ball. 01:08:53
And. 01:08:58
They're going to need to end and if we have. 01:09:00
If we have to get the PD cruising through there a little more regularly to make sure that it's going to happen, I'm just guessing. 01:09:03
I mean that's. 01:09:06
That's probably 150 feet. 01:09:10
A good, I mean good, 150 feet run from the shady spot to the corner over here. Where the? 01:09:13
This page is. It's more than that. It's 200 to 2:25 I think. 01:09:20
The people who somebody that I asked about, he said that even the space that we had for the patent courts, he said that's bigger 01:09:27
than a lot of dog parks that they that they. 01:09:31
Like apartment communities and places like that. So even that space but we don't put the dogs over there. Thought it might be 01:09:36
better for but don't. 01:09:39
Is that the stage big enough? 01:09:44
I don't know if you had a band that. 01:09:46
The stage was designed to the specs for from. 01:09:50
School St. Stadium. 01:09:53
Does it happen happen in? 01:09:55
I knew I was getting it wrong anyway. 01:09:57
The Huffman studio, they gave us some specs. Now what they want us to do, they do want to add go ahead and include some risers for 01:10:00
and have it wired appropriately to for performances, so. 01:10:05
So they gave us specs in the patent. Folks gave us specs. So we got specs from. 01:10:11
Two very dedicated, dedicated. 01:10:16
Upcoming. I just want to make sure that if we did have a five piece or seven piece band that it could fit up there. 01:10:20
I think it's 20 by 25 maybe. 01:10:27
And while we're building it, we have to feed the feedback forms, make it to you guys. Sharon, do you ever if they're in your 01:10:32
packet or Kathleen got it? 01:10:36
Kathleen, can you flip? I hate to ask you to do this. 01:10:41
There's some specs on the There's a sketch. 01:10:45
And you know, I'm sorry to be making the sausage at the meeting, but I feel like we need to get through this tonight so we can 01:10:54
move forward with clarity on. 01:10:57
How to get this? 01:11:00
16 by 20. 01:11:06
Steps on two sides. It's not shown exactly like that, but generally I think that's. 01:11:09
That's the idea. So we would probably add steps off the point off the left side, as the plan shows, also so the dog park people 01:11:13
could access it. 01:11:17
But the dogs, there need to be a gate scenario there so the dogs can't get up. 01:11:22
Run through to the other side. So or we could just put a shade structure off of that side and rearrange it. 01:11:26
OK, we've heard from everybody but Councilman Garrett. 01:11:32
Councilman Garrett, do you have any thoughts for us? 01:11:36
All right, well then as a conceptual then what I'd like, y'alls I'd like. 01:11:45
I guess a motion from you guys. 01:11:50
To refine, refine the plan and begin working towards. 01:11:56
Refine the plan and begin working towards. 01:12:01
An MO U with our partner. 01:12:04
Would be the appropriate motion that would give Sharon and I the ability to refine the plan. I'll certainly keep you all in the 01:12:07
loop the whole way. Lawrence will meet with you guys and talk about. 01:12:12
The how the island could work for a patunk area work on refining. 01:12:18
I'll stay in touch with you guys every e-mail, but I'd love a motion that allows. 01:12:23
Work, move forward on the concepts and then. 01:12:27
Begin preparing the legal documents. We need to get this going potentially in October, but nothing will start without y'all 01:12:31
looking at it. All Council looking at it will come back before you again. 01:12:35
So I make a motion that we accept the concept and continue to move things forward. 01:12:42
All right. Can I have a second? 01:12:48
All right. All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 01:12:51
OK, so we have passes 4/1. 01:12:55
All right. 01:12:58
New business We're back to the zoning map. 01:13:01
2. 01:13:06
All right. Sharon, is there anything? 01:13:11
You need to cover on this or did you give the update before? 01:13:16
Just just a reminder, just a reminder that this just simply puts on a map what you've already put in on paper. 01:13:21
And this is just a visual for all of us to have so that the zoning is updated. 01:13:27
Graphically, pictorially for us, and it has to be official and it hasn't been official for what, 13 years? We're going to do my 01:13:33
math here, 13 years since 2009. So it's been official. You've been hand marking the changes, which is perfectly legal and 01:13:40
permissible, but for the sake of the public and to have accessibility online and updated map is very important piece of 01:13:47
housekeeping. I don't see Watkinsville Woods. 01:13:53
Watkins, so you have to keep in mind, I think you all need to remember zoning, yeah, zoning and use are two different things. 01:14:03
Zoning exact It's zoned a certain way but it's being and it's it can be used as a park. So yeah and I actually, I went through 01:14:12
this conversation with Mark our city engineer about because I was like what you know why is that that and. 01:14:19
You gotta remember we've got zoning and then you've got the use of that and so you've got a park and it does in a detached 01:14:26
residential area. That's fine. 01:14:30
But we could always reset it. 01:14:34
Yeah, absolutely. To Park Recreation, My only other question on the Sharon, did we get the hatchery right or did we miss the 01:14:37
hatchery, the hatchery? 01:14:41
Is there some kind of variance that allows detached residential to cover the? 01:14:44
Or did we forget to catch that one? 01:14:48
Because it's it's not president, I don't think. I think we changed the zoning on the hatchery, so just. 01:14:51
I mean, Julie and I, we spent several months looking. I don't think, I mean I don't know what we would have missed that Julie. 01:14:58
Didn't we change the zoning on it? 01:15:02
Because we had to annex it. Wasn't there some. 01:15:07
Because that wouldn't be. It's not used as attached residential, it's a legal use and it would not be a legal use and detached 01:15:11
residential. So if we do, if you do a special. 01:15:16
For. 01:15:23
I feel like we approved it for mixed-use office, but I could be. 01:15:25
We'll have to check on. I mean just thinking about the. 01:15:31
The soda works. That's in there. 01:15:35
Well, there's, I mean. 01:15:40
That there are any homes and well, yeah, there's homes and around the rest of it, I'm sorry, in that there's two businesses. 01:15:42
Yeah. 01:15:51
And it's not like a business that they live there too. I mean, they're just pure businesses. So would you prefer knowing that's 01:15:53
one outlier, Would you prefer for us to approve this tonight and do what we did before and advertise again or do you want to table 01:15:56
it? 01:16:00
And bring it back? Or do we have to advertise it all over again once it's tabled? How does that work? 01:16:05
Well, I mean, I I guess I I defer to the attorney, but I mean I would like to go ahead and approve it and let's get it set and 01:16:10
then we can, if we need to at the next meeting, we find out between now and the next meeting. 01:16:15
That's something. Then we can amend it. I don't mind advertising it again, but I'd like to get that set too. 01:16:21
OK. I mean, I don't mind. Let's just check on that one. 01:16:28
Where we're fixing to. 01:16:36
There, no, it's mixed. If there is, you may work, you may remember that. 01:16:39
There was those lots on Water St. except for the one that was kept mixed-use and we did the best we could because we don't have it 01:16:47
that hasn't been subdivided yet. So we're doing the best we can to. 01:16:52
Worked with the planners at Northeast Georgia Regional Commission to do that. You'll see that little orange, that little piece is 01:16:57
the part that did not get pulled into the development and the rest of it is Arkansas and that that's what was zoned for even 01:17:03
though, OK, it's attached residential departments. 01:17:08
All right, so we're going to prove this. You'll check on the hatchery, and we'll see if we need to do something else, or anything 01:17:16
else. Council, if you'll notice other things. And please just reach out to Sharon, but I'll entertain a motion to approve. 01:17:21
The updated zoning map. 01:17:26
I make a motion to approve the updated semi map. All right, do we have a second? 01:17:30
All right. Any discussion? 01:17:35
All in favor, Say aye. 01:17:37
Everything. 01:17:40
All right, we will move on to new business. Approve an appropriate 20,000 from spots 3 for new entryway signage, long-awaited 01:17:45
signage and entryway stuff. Sharon, why don't you brief us on that? 01:17:50
Thank you, Mayor. 01:17:58
So I can't share with you the branding yet, but I can tell you that we did go ahead and get some estimates on this. So part of 01:18:01
your your response monies that you had. 01:18:06
It might hurt her to come back on it. Dedicated have been set aside for coming up with a brand because you can't have a sign. If 01:18:12
you want a new size, you need a branding. That was the direction we went, so the branding effort has finished. Next Tuesday night 01:18:18
it will be there will be a reveal on a launch of the brand. 01:18:24
The first important thing that we talked about doing was signage. The the entryway signage. There are 4 entryway signs currently 01:18:31
in place on North Main, South Main Hwy. 15, Greensboro Highway, and Experiment Station Rd. 01:18:38
There are four other entrances do not presently have signs, but for which we all felt like you needed to have a sign. I've got a 01:18:46
map just to depict that. So you see that every entrance into Watkins will have a sign. 01:18:52
Location specific. Other than the four that are out there, they're going to replace an exact same location they're in. The other 01:18:58
four will have to determine. 01:19:02
And we'll need to make sure you know I'll, I'll work with the mayor make sure he's aware of what we're thinking and and clear 01:19:06
that. But we don't have those locations exactly on the map yet, but close to where the where the city limits are. So do we 01:19:14
anticipate having to purchase right away or anything for that? No, no, we will we get to those other four will. 01:19:21
Look at where what we might have as far as you know, county facilities or city facilities and if need be we can come up with, you 01:19:29
know, we come back to Y'all with a you know, lease arrangement or something with somebody. 01:19:34
The, yeah, the ones that are on the the four that are out there now are as far as we're concerned their grandfather in and we're 01:19:40
going to handle them that way so. 01:19:44
So we'll worry about the other form. We get to them, the. 01:19:50
The other piece of this are some wayfinding signs, specifically one here at the corner of VFW and Experiment Station Road for the 01:19:54
police, the ESP. For the playground, ESP. City Hall. 01:20:00
Not sure how we'll handle the hair Shoals, but it'll be there'll be something, so we'll figure that out. I'm not sure with all the 01:20:08
changes that may be happening on the Experiment Station Road there may not. 01:20:12
We'll we'll deal with that sign separately anyway, but we'll we'll direct people from that angle too. The three locations along 01:20:18
Main Street have not been determined, but we do anticipate we'll need three. We'll figure that out as well. Work with the mayor to 01:20:23
make sure he's aware of where those go and they'll be double sided as well. 01:20:28
We did get an estimate. It's actually this estimates about 200 something dollars higher because they had a tax and we don't pay 01:20:35
tax, so but we're asking for 20,000. We've estimated that the 8 entryway for wayfinding signs will cost a little bit more than 01:20:40
$19,800 or $19,600. 01:20:46
Production is four to six weeks. 01:20:53
If we get approval tonight, then it's possible, barring any supply issues, that we might be able to at least get the four main, 01:20:56
you know, the the four replacement signs up. 01:21:01
And we'll work with the, you know, with the mayor to, you know, make sure he's good with the look of it and of course share it 01:21:06
with y'all as well, so. 01:21:10
So we're asking for it for you to go ahead and approve an appropriate $20,000 for these signs. 01:21:14
And then direct us to move forward with getting them up. 01:21:19
All right, questions for the manager. 01:21:23
I just want to read and I want to be clear the $20,000 will talk to all eight of the signage entryway signage and four wayfinding 01:21:26
signage as well that that is that is the quote we have to we we've got out state we've got two out we've got one outstanding quote 01:21:32
that has not been in but. 01:21:39
This is a really good quote. I don't have pictures up online, but these are examples of some of the signs they've done, so they'll 01:21:46
be similar to that same material. It's called a high density urethane. 01:21:51
And it works well in the weather. It's I think this is similar to the design we talked about except for the brick around. It's 01:21:57
going to be more just a wood structure with some hardware holding the sign. 01:22:03
So, but we'll work on that and we'll also work on landscaping and all that we get those in. 01:22:10
I think it's wonderful and I am impressed at how quickly this has come together because as Brian said earlier, sometimes it takes 01:22:19
longer than we hope and this looks like. 01:22:24
Knock on this. 01:22:30
This will happen, so I'm I'm already to make a motion. 01:22:33
I would say it might be worth looking. The one on old Bishop Rd. was kind of fine where it was. Now there's there's two driveways 01:22:37
there. I don't know if it's worth looking at potentially moving that slightly. The one on 441. 01:22:44
There's three houses that are going in there. We've told the people that are building there, that's where we parked our spot, but 01:22:52
we'll we'll look at that one before we make a final decision. 01:22:57
Yeah. 01:23:02
And then next Tuesday we'll share preliminary renderings and introduce all the city logo stuff and stuff like that at City Hall, 01:23:03
so. 01:23:07
530 here. 01:23:12
Tuesday. Yep. Yep. OK All right. We have. Do we have a motion? You made a motion to approve. All right. To appropriate the 20,000 01:23:15
from spots three. Do we have a second? 01:23:20
All right. We have a motion. We have a second. Any further discussion? 01:23:26
All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 01:23:31
Motion carries. 01:23:35
All right. Next item is adoption of a request to the state legislature for a local act to create the City of Watkinsville Public 01:23:37
Facilities Authority. Attorney Reitman and manager Dickerson, if you guys could update council on this and then we will. 01:23:44
We will discuss. 01:23:52
Yeah. Yeah. I'll, I'll start just to give you a little background and then I'll let the attorney step in. So the city has recently 01:23:54
engaged a registered municipal advisor to assist us with financial services. We're continuing to grow. 01:24:00
It will give us the ability to another funding mechanism. It will help us obtain longer, we can get enter into longer term lease 01:24:40
agreements, issue and sell revenue bonds, obtained favorable financing for public facilities, land building equipment, Rd. 01:24:47
sidewalks and services. So it's just it's just another tool that we need as we're as we're growing and and maturing. It's 01:24:55
something that I think is really worthwhile. We will be meeting with our financial services advisor later this week. 01:25:02
To start that process of getting them the information they need so that we can start. 01:25:10
Moving in, moving towards this, but in the meantime, in order to do this, state law requires that you ask get your state 01:25:14
delegation to bring forward a local act. And I'm going to turn that over to the attorney and let him handle that piece of it. And 01:25:21
this is the normal legislative process of a resolution be passed unanimously at this level. Then it would go to the state 01:25:28
legislators. You've seen sample legislation that is attached as an exhibit to the resolution that Sharon and I have worked on. 01:25:36
It may differ slightly from that. 01:25:44
Done a little bit of research on this and the synopsis of it, and I noted as I did my preliminary research that a number of cities 01:25:46
use this mechanism, not the city's local governments counties as well. It's become a very popular mechanism. As you said, kind of 01:25:54
leverage the resources of a city or county as the case may be to open up more options to give you more tools in the toolbox for 01:26:01
things such as recreational facilities, public safety facilities. 01:26:09
Educational slash, cultural slash historical facilities, transportation facilities administrative facilities. So it runs the 01:26:17
gamut. It really does again give you another option and financing opportunities typically low rate, low interest rate financing 01:26:24
through revenue bond issue. And I I don't see a downside to it as I've done my preliminary research and we'll delve a little 01:26:32
deeper into it. But what is proposed is documentation that what city was that now what Milton was it. 01:26:40
All right. So what you see is that again, we're not reinventing the wheel. We're not a Guinea pig where we're going following the 01:26:47
the groundwork laid by numerous other cities and counties before us. And and certainly I think you'll be beneficial to the city, 01:26:54
particularly with the recommendation of the financial advisor of the benefits thereof. You all have any questions? 01:27:01
Prior notification before a bond issue. 01:27:44
Public Superior Court process. If there's ever a bond issue, it's a revenue bond, which means income. Let's say that the authority 01:27:47
creates a whatever facility, whether it's a Police Department, a cultural historical facility, and then leases to the city. Stream 01:27:55
of income pays the bond as opposed to the full faith and credit of the city. The city will not be incurring debt. 01:28:04
The authority would incur debt, but it would be based on a revenue bond with a proposed income stream and that is I think an 01:28:12
important consideration here just for fiscal responsibility. It's a, it's kind of a conservative approach to obtaining funds and 01:28:18
providing a higher level of city services. 01:28:24
All right. Questions from council. 01:28:36
And again this. 01:28:39
Again, has to be, has to go through the state legislature, then we would have to appoint the body or it would be us. 01:28:41
It would all be done in public. There are no plans to activate or do anything with this in short order. It's against. 01:28:47
The idea of giving us some more capability should we have an opportunity to use them and the ability to move quickly on 01:28:54
opportunities. 01:28:57
Questions for council or the manager? 01:29:01
All right. There's no questions. I'll entertain a motion. 01:29:05
Make a motion to approve a resolution to request the state budget plate legislature for a local act to create the City of 01:29:08
Watkinsville Public Facilities Authority. 01:29:13
That's a mouthful. Can I have a second? Second, we have a second? Any discussion. 01:29:18
All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 01:29:24
All right. Thank you both. We are now up to public comments. 01:30:02
This is the broad public comment, same procedures as previous. 01:30:07
It's OK. Lawrence or Kathleen, anything you want to share? 01:30:11
Thank you, Julie. We got anything from the publisher online? All right, no, nothing online. Then we will close the public 01:30:17
comments. 01:30:22
Mayor's report. 01:30:26
Couple quick updates. 01:30:29
Since this Saturday at Wire Park. 01:30:32
And I doubt there's any other town of a few thousand people in Georgia have had the Braves World Series Championship trophy visit 01:30:35
twice, but Watkinsville does, so we're glad to have it back. It was here previously for the opening of the Miracle League Field. 01:30:42
With a little bit more of a smaller audience, So 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Wire Park and it's going to be more than the trophy. 01:30:49
Sharon, do we have one more slide? Yeah. So they're going to have several of their businesses that have yet to open, are going to 01:30:54
have space. There's going to be about tables and booths. 01:30:59
There's going to be a bounce house. 01:31:04
So it's going to scoops is going to have an ice cream truck, there's going to be Gelato food truck. I think the weather is 01:31:06
actually supposed to be kind of cool on Saturday. 01:31:10
So it's going to be, I think it's going to be a really nice day. 01:31:14
For Wire Park. So this Saturday Braves trophy coming to Wire Park. 01:31:20
As we mentioned earlier, these are some of our current logos. 01:31:27
You can see why we need. 01:31:32
And went through a branding exercise. 01:31:35
We're excited to reveal that Tuesday night here at City Hall at 5:00. 01:31:37
So that will that will be then and then we'll share information with the public after that meeting. 01:31:42
Somebody has a birthday coming up, is that right? Or had a birthday? I'm sorry last week. Chuck, we happy birthday to you. 01:31:48
Appreciate the. 01:31:52
Another great trip around the sun for you, so couple other little things. Does anybody notice anything different about this room 01:31:57
from last month? 01:32:01
There's windows in the doors back here. 01:32:13
So we have new front doors and then here off the back what normally was a little wall, we actually have some sunlight that comes 01:32:17
in now so you can see out to the park. 01:32:21
We'd hope to make those a little bit bigger, but then we realized if we made them bigger, it would be a security issue. People 01:32:27
could reach in and open those doors in reverse. So, but we did get a little more natural light in here, and I love natural light, 01:32:31
so I'm excited about that. 01:32:35
And then lastly, I had the opportunity to visit South Main Brewing and get a tour last week. They were installing their tanks. 01:32:40
They're making some great progress there. I think they're hoping to open up in September. 01:32:45
But if you see those guys around town, those the team that's doing that, they're making quite an investment in Watkinsville. 01:32:53
So if. 01:33:00
You know, if you. 01:33:02
Feel the spirit, give them a pat on the back and tell them, tell them thanks because it is a big, it's a big lift and it's 01:33:04
exciting to have some local guys doing that. So, so anyway, more to come in September from them hopefully. So that's all I have. 01:33:09
Oh, we were going to have an election, but it looks like we're not going to have an election in Watkins. We'll still have people 01:33:13
here. 01:33:18
But congratulations to Mayor Pro Tem Tucker, Councilman Campbell, Councilman Thomas. 01:33:24
Who will not have any competition for their upcoming election? And I think that's quite an endorsement of the jobs you guys are 01:33:30
doing. So congratulations and thank you. 01:33:35
With that, we'll move on to council, reports Councilman Garrett. 01:33:41
Councilwoman Massey. 01:33:47
Councilman Thomas, I have nothing. 01:33:49
Councilwoman Tucker, we are moving forward with getting the DBA. 01:33:52
Activated and. 01:34:01
Starting the hunt for a director? Well, OK, great. That was budgeted and that position is supposed to start around December, 01:34:04
right? 01:34:09
So Downtown Development Authority. So just to just to clarify, she's getting really excited. I'm excited. 01:34:15
I'm going to, I'm going to pull her back just a little bit. So the council has to approve a job description which will be part of 01:34:22
the paying compensation study that will come before you guys hopefully in September or October and then once we have that job and 01:34:28
y'all then we'll be able to advertise for that. But yeah, January is when we're we're planning for that we'll we'll get there. 01:34:33
All right, great. Great update, Councilman Campbell. 01:34:41
Following those lines, I'll be going Monday to make in for the training for the DEA. 01:34:46
No. 01:34:52
Class all day, training. So then we'll start meeting more regularly. 01:34:53
Move forward. 01:34:59
Perfect. All right. I realized I skipped over something that we added on the agenda and that's the Girma. 01:35:01
Item sharing. 01:35:07
And I don't. Do you have a briefing on that? 01:35:12
Mayor Garment is our property and liability insurance company. Y'all may recall that we get a, we get a rebate essentially of our 01:35:17
premiums up to $6000 in grant money for safety items. And So what we've what we put together the this year it snuck up on as well 01:35:26
actually change the date last year it was a little bit later but now it's due, I think it's due ASAP basically. 01:35:34
No later than I think the early part of September. So our plan is to go ahead and get to get you guys to approve this bucket list. 01:35:43
We're only going to be able to get $6000 or so. We put quite a few different items in there because they get to pick what what we 01:35:49
get or what, what we're going to be able to what they're going to award to us. But the intention is to enhance what we have as far 01:35:56
as our public, our public vehicles, our police vehicles, our public works vehicles, don't have any emergency roadside assistance 01:36:02
type things. 01:36:08
Our police officers really can't jump off a car because it will fry the the systems that are in there, so we're looking at getting 01:36:14
some some jacks. 01:36:17
Pack. 01:36:22
Some warning triangles, things that will obviously enhance the safety of our not just our employees, but are the citizens here. So 01:36:23
Chief, do you have anything you want to add about what we're asking for in the in the safety grant? 01:36:29
We put in some more barricades. I mean we may get some more of those, but we've got a lot of those now they're they're they're 01:36:38
plastic and just easily movable And so citizens like at the fall festival can move them versus the the wooden metal ones that are 01:36:45
challenging to say the least. So but we'll see what they come back. We'll submit it in September, early part of September. 01:36:51
All right, council, that's the recommendation of police chief and the manager is that we approve. 01:37:00
I'm happy to entertain a motion to that effect or a. 01:37:07
Council to find option. 01:37:10
I'll make a motion that we approve this middle of the Girma and, Jim, a safety grant application. All right. Do we have a second? 01:37:13
Any discussion? 01:37:17
All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 01:37:21
I don't think we have any need for an executive session tonight. Is that accurate? 01:37:24
OK, No. OK. Unless anybody wants an executive session, then I'm going to ask for a motion to adjourn. I make a motion to adjourn. 01:37:28
Do we have a second second? All in favor, say aye. 01:37:36
We always have an exact like the last month we've been able to like. 01:37:47