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>> RECORDING IN PROGRESS. [NOISE]
[I. Call to Order]
>> THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DECATUR PLANNING COMMISSION FOR MAY THE 9TH, 2023.
MY NAME IS HAROLD BUCKLEY, I WILL BE SHARING WITH COMMISSION THIS EVENING.
THIS IS A SEVEN MEMBER COMMISSION OF DECATUR RESIDENTS APPOINTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
THE COMMISSION HEARS APPLICATIONS FOR LAND USE AND ZONING CHANGES, CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS, SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, AND LAND SUBDIVISIONS.
IT ALSO REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDS CHANGES TO THE CITY'S ZONING REGULATIONS AND FUTURE LAND USE PLANS.
I WOULD LIKE TO ACQUAINT YOU WITH THE PROCEDURES OF THIS COMMISSION FOLLOWS IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS MEETINGS.
WE WILL HEAR APPLICATIONS TONIGHT IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE LISTED ON THE PRINTED AGENDA.
APPLICANTS ARE GIVEN TIME TO PRESENT THEIR CASE WHEN THEIR APPLICATION IS CALLED.
SUPPORTING AND OPPOSING PARTIES ARE ALSO GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR REMARKS TO THE COMMISSION.
PLEASE BE SURE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR REMARKS.
SINCE THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON THE APPLICANT TO CONVINCE THE COMMISSION TO VOTE IN THEIR FAVOR, APPLICANTS ARE ALSO ALLOWED TO PRESENT REBUTTAL TO ANY OPPOSITION AGAINST THEM.
OPPOSING PARTIES ARE NOT GRANTED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REBUTTAL.
WE DO NOT FORMALLY LIMIT THE TIME FOR MULTIPLE PARTIES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO AN APPLICATION.
BUT GIVEN THE NUMBER OF FOLKS HERE TODAY, I SUSPECT THAT WE WILL NEED TO LIMIT INDIVIDUAL REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY SIDE HAVE LESS THAN 10 MINUTES.
INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO BE AS CONCISE AS THEY CAN WHEN MAKING THEIR REMARKS.
ONCE ALL INTERESTED PARTIES HAVE BEEN HEARD, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE APPLICATION.
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ANY APPLAUSE OR DIALOGUE DURING OR AFTER PRESENTATIONS.
ALL REMARKS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMMISSION AND WE ASK YOU TO REFRAIN FROM ENGAGING ANYONE ELSE DIRECTLY.
PLEASE SHOW THE SAME RESPECT TO ANYONE WHO IS SPEAKING THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO RECEIVE YOURSELF.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION RENDERED SPINAL DECISIONS ON SUBDIVISION APPLICATIONS, BUT IT MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ON ALL OTHER APPLICATIONS TO THE CITY COMMISSION, WHICH HAS FINAL DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY ON THOSE CASES.
WE ARE SUPPORTED THIS EVENING BY ANGELA THREADGILL, OUR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK MY FELLOW PLANNING COMMISSIONERS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES STARTING AT MY RIGHT.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M GREG CHILIK.
>> BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE HERE FOR BEING LATE.
IT IS A RATHER IGNORABLE OCCURRENCE BECAUSE MY INTENTION IS TO RESIGN MY POSITION ON THIS BODY IMMEDIATELY UPON THE CONCLUSION OF THIS MEETING, AND THIS IS NOT THE LAST IMPRESSION I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE.
[II.a. Approval of Minutes from April 11, 2023 regularly scheduled meeting.]
UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS, WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 11TH, 2023 REGULAR MEETING.HAS EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THOSE MINUTES?
>> ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE MINUTES? [NOISE] DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED?
>> FORWARD A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT OR APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM APRIL THE 11TH, AS PRESENTED.
>> THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THE NEXT TWO PIECES OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS ARE RELATED CASES, SO WE WILL READ THEM HERE THEN TOGETHER.
BUT WE WILL NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THEM SEPARATELY ONCE THE DISCUSSION IS DONE.
[Items II.b. & II.c.]
THE FIRST APPLICATION IS BY SMARTIES ACADEMY, CARE OF BOGNA KABAT.I HOPE I DID THAT OKAY, I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T.
OWNER WHO HAS REQUESTED AN AMENDMENT TO A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO INCREASE THE ENROLLMENT OF A DAYCARE AT 465 CLAIREMONT AVENUE.
THE SAME APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED AN AMENDMENT TO A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO EXPAND OPERATIONS OF A DAYCARE AT 465 CLAIREMONT AVENUE.
I INVITE THE APPLICANT TO COME AND PRESENT THEIR CASE.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND CHAIRMAN BUCKLEY.
BEFORE I BEGAN, TO CLARIFY, YOU MENTIONED CHAIRMAN BUCKLEY THAT YOU'D GIVE EACH PERSON HERE THREE MINUTES.
SHOULD I PLAN TO PRESENT FOR THREE MINUTES? I JUST WANTED TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW TO PASTE THIS PRESENTATION.
>> NO. WHAT I SAID WAS THAT EVERYONE EXCEPT THE APPLICANTS WILL GET THREE MINUTES.
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>> GREAT. YOU ALL SEE MY PRESENTATION?
>> I'LL FLIP IT SO YOU CAN GET A FUEL ANGELA.
APOLOGIES. I HAVE A PRINTED COPY HERE WITH NOTES, AND SO I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO LET ANGELA SEE AS I MOVE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU AGAIN.
MY NAME IS JENNA LEE AND I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH CHAPMAN PAPER AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF SMARTIES ACADEMY.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT WE HAVE THE MEMBERS OF OUR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING TEAM HERE AS WELL.
IN THE EVENT WE HAVE QUESTIONS AS WE MOVE THROUGH MORE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSAL, THEY'RE HERE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME UP.
AGAIN, FORGIVE ME. I'M TRYING TO LET ANGELA SEE AS I MOVE THROUGH.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, SMARTIES ACADEMY IS A SPANISH IMMERSION EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FACILITY THAT OPENED AT THIS LOCATION IN 2012.
THE PROPERTY WAS REZONED TO INSTITUTIONAL IN 2022, AT WHICH TIME, A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WAS GRANTED TO ALLOW FOR THE DAYCARE FACILITY WITH A MAXIMUM OF ABOUT 148 STUDENTS.
AT THAT TIME, THE PROPERTY WAS ALSO APPROVED WITH A CONDITIONAL SITE PLAN AND WE'LL GET TO THAT ONE OF OUR REQUESTS THIS EVENING.
SMARTIES CURRENTLY EMPLOYS 38 STAFF AND EDUCATORS AT THE FACILITY.
AS YOU I'M SURE KNOW, HAS A LONG HISTORY OF NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AGAIN, AS I'M SURE MOST OF YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE SMARTIES IS LOCATED ON THE SCREEN, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE JUST THE LOCATION MAP TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
IT'S AT THE CORNER OF CLAIREMONT AVENUE IN ERIE AVENUE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE GREAT LAKES NEIGHBORHOOD AND ON THE SAME STREET, ERIE AVENUE AS CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND IMPORTANTLY LOCATED IN WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY A CHURCH.
TO REITERATE, WE'RE HERE FOR TWO SPECIFIC ZONING REQUESTS.
THE FIRST IS TO AMEND THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT WAS GRANTED IN 2022 TO ALLOW FOR THE DAYCARE FACILITY, AND THAT KEPT TOTAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT TO 148 STUDENTS.
THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION THAT WE SUBMITTED FOR THIS AMENDMENT TO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUESTED A TOTAL ENROLLMENT OF 300 STUDENTS.
YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE AMENDED THAT REQUEST TO 255 STUDENTS, AND WE'LL TALK THROUGH THIS, I THINK IN MORE DETAIL AS I MOVE THROUGH THE SLIDES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS WHEN THE APPLICATION WAS ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED, WE'VE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM NEIGHBORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM DECATUR STAFF, AND SO THIS REDUCTION IN TOTAL ENROLLMENT WAS A RESPONSE TO THE FEEDBACK WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR.
OUR SECOND REQUEST THIS EVENING IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
AGAIN, I'LL SHOW YOU THE AMENDED SITE PLAN, WHICH HAS BEEN AMENDED A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION SUBMITTAL.
BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE SITE PLAN IS TO ALLOW FOR AN EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING DAYCARE FACILITY.
BRIEFLY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EXISTING DEMANDS AND NEEDS ON THE SITE AND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE THE MOTIVATION FOR THE REQUESTED ZONING AMENDMENTS.
SOME OF THEM ARE SITE-SPECIFIC, WHICH WE'LL GET INTO.
BUT THE PRIMARY NEED IS JUST A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SEATS AND CLASSROOMS TO MEET FAMILY DEMAND AND COMMUNITY DEMAND FOR SMARTIES DAYCARE FACILITY.
THE SMARTIES CURRENTLY HAS A WAITLIST OF APPROXIMATELY 587 FAMILIES.
THE EXISTING SPACE, AGAIN, IT'S IN A HISTORIC CHURCH, IS TOO CONSTRAINED TO SERVE ALL OF THE CHILDREN OF EXISTING FAMILIES WHO CURRENTLY HAVE A CHILD AT SMARTIES.
OF COURSE, WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT COMES FROM BEING LOCATED AT IN AN OLDER CHURCH IS THAT THE EXISTING FACILITY IS AGING AND IS IN OF SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS AND UPDATES.
AGAIN, AS WE'LL SHOW AND SPEAK ABOUT IN GREATER DETAIL WHEN WE GET TO THE SITE PLAN, THE EXISTING SITE HAS TOO FEW PARKING SPACES TO MEET EXISTING NEED FOR EXISTING FAMILIES AND STAFF.
PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, I MENTIONED THE NUMBER OF WAITLISTED FAMILIES WHO ARE ON THE LIST TO GET A CHILD INTO THE SMARTIES DAYCARE.
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FIFTY FOUR PERCENT OF THOSE WAITLISTED FAMILIES LIVE IN DECATUR ZIP CODE.WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE TONIGHT WHO PREPARED A DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY AND JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE AGAIN THAT THE DEMAND FOR QUALITY DAYCARE IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF DECATUR IS INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT.
IF ANY OF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, YOU KNOW THAT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THERE TO BE YEARS-LONG WAITLIST AND LOTTERIES TO GET IN FACILITIES AND DAYCARE PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY THE MOST REPUTABLE PROGRAMS. AGAIN BRIEFLY, SOME OF SMARTIES GOALS.
THERE ARE MANY, AND IF YOU KNOW, THE FOUNDER AND OWNER OF SMARTIES ACADEMY, BOTH NICK ABOUT, YOU KNOW THAT SHE HAS A VERY LOFTY VISION AND GOALS FOR HER FACILITY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS TO ACCOMMODATE MORE CHILDREN, TO BRING THEM INTO THE DAYCARE PROGRAM, AND IN PARTICULAR, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF HER EXISTING FAMILIES.
AGAIN, MANY OF THE FAMILIES HAVE ONE CHILD IN THE PROGRAM, HAVE OTHER CHILDREN ON THE WAITLIST AND ARE IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO DIFFERENT DAYCARE DROP-OFFS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH SPACES IN SMARTIES FOR ALL THE CHILDREN.
AGAIN, ANOTHER GOAL TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH UPDATED CLASSROOMS, TECHNOLOGY IN COMMUNITY SPACES, AND TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORING CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU CAN SEE IT, IS THE AMENDED COMPREHENSIVE SITE PLAN AND I'LL STRESS THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS AND THIS HAS BEEN AMENDED YET AGAIN TO REFLECT FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE FROM NEIGHBORS, FROM DICTATOR STAFF AND SO I HOPE T'S MORE LEGIBLE ON YOUR SCREEN THAN IT IS ON MINE.
THE PROPOSED BUILDING AREA EXPANSION HAS BEEN SHIFTED ON THE SITE AND THE MASSING AND THE SCALE OF THE HEIGHT HAS BEEN SHIFTED TO BRING IT AWAY FROM THE IRI AVENUE NEIGHBORS AND TO GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL BUFFER, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HEARD FROM STAFF AND FROM NEIGHBORS, OF COURSE.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD STAFF'S COMMENTS ON THE EXISTING PARKING LOT AND YOU'LL SEE IN GREEN HERE THAT WE'VE PROPOSED TO REMOVE A NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES THAT WERE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED FOR THIS CORNER OF THE PROPERTY ALONG IRI AVENUE.
SO WE'LL REMOVE THOSE PARKING SPACES AND REPLACE IT WITH BIKE PARKING AND STROLLER PARKING, WHICH GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE FACILITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
LET'S SEE, ANOTHER PROPOSED UPDATE TO THE SITE PLAN, WHICH IS SHOWN IN BLUE ON PLAN NORTH EAST, IS TO MOVE THE DUMPSTER FROM THE ORIGINAL LOCATION TO THE OTHER FURTHER SOUTH CORNER ON THE EXISTING PARKING LOT.
SO AGAIN, YOU CAN'T SEE MY CURSOR.
BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU THE LAY OF THE LAND ON THE SITE PLAN, THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED NOW IS AGAIN, WE'VE SHIFTED THE PROPOSED BUILDING EDITION AND THE INTENT IS THAT FOLKS ACCESSING THE SITE WOULD ENTER FROM IRI AVENUE AND YOU TRAVEL THROUGH THE EXISTING PARKING LOT AND THEN DOWN TO THE PROPOSED NEW PARKING LOT AND CIRCULATE THE NEW PARKING LOT AND THEN IT WOULD BE EXIT [NOISE] ONLY ALONG THE, WHAT'S THIS? THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY BACK ONTO CLAIREMONT AVENUE AND THAT'LL BECOME MORE IMPORTANT AS WE TALK THROUGH THE TRAFFIC STUDY AND THE PROPOSED SITE CIRCULATION IN A FEW MINUTES.
LET'S SEE. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE SOME MORE DETAIL ON THE COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN STANDARDS FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS ONLY A CONCEPT PLAN, BUT WE HAVE SOME PARAMETERS THAT WE INTEND TO DEVELOP THE SITE WITH THEM.
PARKING SPACES. EXISTING PARKING IS 47 SPACES PROPOSED.
AS IT IS WRITTEN HERE IS 67 BUT I THINK IF WE REMOVE THOSE SIX SPACES THAT WE SHOWED IN BLUE ON THE SITE PLAN, THEN WE COME DOWN TO 60-ISH, GIVE OR TAKE.
AGAIN, THE NEED FOR EXISTING PARKING IS TO MEET PARENT NEEDS, DROP-OFFS.
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WE HAVE LITTLE KIDS COMING INTO DAYCARE.YOU KNOW THAT YOU DON'T JUST USHER THEM OUT OF THE CAR AND THEY RUN IN, YOU GOT TO STOP. YOU'VE GOT TO COME IN OFF.
WOMEN HAVE, MOMS AND DADS HAVE THEIR BABIES AND CARRIERS AND STROLLERS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.
TOTAL BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE EXISTING IS 13,700.
PROPOSED ADDITION IS 16,500, WHICH BRINGS US TO A TOTAL OF 30,200 SQUARE FEET.
TO PROPOSE, TOTAL HEIGHT IS TWO STORIES AND THE TOTAL HEIGHT IS APPROXIMATELY 43 FEET AT THE HIGHEST POINT AND 34 FEET, IF YOU'RE MEASURING FROM THE EAVES AND, WELL, I THINK YOU'LL SEE ON THERE ARE BUILDING MASSES THAT THE PROPERTY HAS SOME SIGNIFICANT SLOPES AND TOPOGRAPHY SO THE MEASUREMENTS, IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT AND STUDY THE SITE PLAN, GIVE A FEW DIFFERING HEIGHTS AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE SLOPE CHANGE AND THE DIFFERENT TOPOGRAPHY OF SITE.
BUT AGAIN, TOTAL OF TWO STORIES AND WE'VE HEARD FEEDBACK AND UNDERSTAND THAT TWO STORIES IS THE MAX THAT WE WOULD GO HERE ON THIS SITE.
LET'S SEE, SETBACK TO RESIDENTIAL.
THE EXISTING BUILDING IS SET BACK APPROXIMATELY 22 FEET FROM THE ADJACENT SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET, GIVE OR TAKE, FROM THE MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH.
UNDER THE PROPOSAL, THE BUILDING EDITION WILL BE SET BACK 30 FEET FROM THE ADJACENT SINGLE-FAMILY LOT AND 73 FEET FROM THE MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTY.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SOME DETAIL ABOUT THE PARKING.
THIS IS GETTING MORE DETAILED AND MORE TECHNICAL SO BEAR WITH ME.
AGAIN, WE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM THE CITY ON OUR PROPOSED PARKING LAYOUT AND SO WANTED TO GIVE SOME EXPLANATION AND HOW WE'VE PROPOSED TO ADDRESS THE COMMENTS AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
AS I ALREADY MENTIONED, WE'VE UPDATED THE SITE PLAN TO REMOVE THE SIX PARKING SPACES ADJACENT TO THE CHURCH AND WE'LL REPLACE THAT WITH BIKING STROLLER PARKING.
WE WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXISTING PARKING LOT WILL NOT BE REGRADED.
[NOISE] THE INTENT IS TO SIMPLY STRIPE AND UPDATE THE EXISTING PARKING LOT.
IMPORTANTLY, THE EXISTING PARKING LOT OR THE FRONT PARKING LOT, I THINK AS WE REFER TO IT IN A COUPLE OF PLACES, THE EXISTING DRAINAGE PATH WILL NOT BE ROUTED TO THE NEW STORM WATER MANAGEMENT FACILITY THAT'S PROPOSED FOR THE LOWER PARKING LOT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW AND OPERATE AS IS.
AGAIN, I'M SORRY, I KEEP SAYING AGAIN AND POINTING AHEAD TWO SLIDES WE'RE GOING TO COVER.
BUT WE KNOW THAT TREE PRESERVATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE CITY AND SO THE PARKING HERE IS DESIGNED IN THE SITE.
FRANKLY, IT'S DESIGNED TO PRESERVE EXISTING TREES AND MAXIMIZE THAT TREE PROTECTION AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE PARKING LOT DESIGN, NEW TREES AREN'T PLANTED EVERY EIGHT SPACES.
BUT THE OVERALL TREE COUNT DOES FOR THE NEW PARKING SPACE, EXCUSE ME, PARKING LOT, DOES MEET THE ONE TREE PER EIGHT PARKING SPACES THRESHOLD.
AGAIN, SOME MORE TECHNICAL DETAILS THAT WE WANTED TO CLARIFY AND PROVIDE TO YOU ALL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
STORMWATER CONSIDERATIONS AND AGAIN, OUR ENGINEERS HERE.
IF YOU HAVE MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE ISSUES, WE HAVE OUR ENGINEER HERE AND OF COURSE SHE CAN PROVIDE MORE DETAIL.
BUT TO MENTION AGAIN, THE EXISTING FRONT PARKING LOT WILL MAINTAIN THE EXISTING DRAINAGE PATH.
IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE PROPOSED NEW PARKING FACILITY ON THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SITE.
THE PROPERTY SLOPES DOWN HERE AS YOU GO SOUTH EAST ON THE SITE AND SO DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT SLOPE AND THE AMOUNT OF FILL THAT WE'LL NEED IN THE REAR PARKING LOT IT'S SIMPLY NOT AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR PERVIOUS PARKING.
SO THE ENGINEERS PROPOSED AN UNDERGROUND PERFORATED SYSTEM WHICH WILL HAVE THE EFFECT OF REDUCING FLOW RATES TO THE SAME RATE AS PRE-DEVELOPMENT FLOW RATES.
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THAT'S MY LAWYER'S WAY OF TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT THE NET IMPACT WITH THAT UNDERGROUND SYSTEM SHOULD BE ZERO, IT'S GOING TO REMAIN THE SAME FLOW RATE.AND DISCHARGE FROM THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM WILL BE ROUTED THROUGH A PERFORATED PIPE AT ZERO PERCENT SLOPE, INSTALLED HORIZONTALLY WITH THE CONTOURS AND WRAPPED IN STONE.
THIS WILL MIMIC SHEET FLOW CONDITIONS, WHICH IS THE CURRENT SITE CONDITION.
THAT'S WHY IN THAT, IF ANY OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON HOW THAT WORKS, I'LL OF COURSE REFER TO OUR ENGINEER.
BENEFITS OF THE EXPANDED FACILITY. THERE ARE MANY.
AGAIN, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THOSE IS THE ABILITY TO WELCOME AND INVITE MORE STUDENTS TO SMARTIES ACADEMY, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR SMARTIES VISION.
THEN OF COURSE, VERY IMPORTANT, GIVEN THE EXISTING FACILITY IN A CHURCH THAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, THE PROPOSED EXPANSION AND NEW BUILDING ADDITION WILL ALLOW SMARTIES TO HAVE UPDATED TEACHING FACILITIES, SPACE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 13 CLASSROOMS AND OF COURSE, AS WE JUST SHOWED YOU, THE ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES ON-SITE FOR THE STAFF AND FAMILIES AND TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENT BODY.
NOW, MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE A FEW BUILDING MASSINGS.
AGAIN, THIS IS A CONCEPT PLAN AND SO USING THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN PARAMETERS ARE ARCHETYPES WHO IS ALSO HERE DEVELOP THESE BUILDING MASSINGS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THIS SITE, THE PROPOSED BUILDING EXPANSION IS CONFIGURED ON THE SITE AND WHAT THE SCALE OF IT, IT FEELS LIKE RELATIVE TO THE EXISTING CHURCH.
THE FIRST BUILDING MASSING VIEW, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE PACKAGE THERE, I THINK EIGHT OR NINE, BUT WE PICKED OUT A FEW THAT GIVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE SITE.
THE FIRST IS AN AERIAL SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING CHURCH FRONTING IRI AVENUE.
DIRECTLY BEHIND THE EXISTING CHURCH IS THE EXISTING ANNEX BUILDING WHICH IS WHERE THE DAYCARE IS CURRENTLY OPERATING.
WITH JUST DIRECTLY BEHIND THE SANCTUARY AND THEN YOU SEE TO THE LEFT OF THE EXISTING ANNEX, THE PROPOSED BUILDING ADDITION.
THE OTHER BUILDING YOU SEE THERE IN PLAN NORTH, WHICH IS ACTUALLY SOUTH, IS A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME THAT'S DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY.
MOVING ON TO THE SECOND BUILDING MASSING, YOU'LL SEE AGAIN, THIS IS A VIEW LOOKING AT THE SITE.
IF YOU'RE STANDING ON CLAIREMONT LOOKING AT THE SITE, YOU HAVE THE EXISTING SANCTUARY AND THE BUILDING ANNEX, EXISTING FACILITY DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU.
BEHIND YOU, YOU SEE THE PROPOSED BUILDING ADDITION.
AGAIN, MOVING TO THE NEXT MASSING.
THIS IS ANOTHER ONE, MORE OF AN AERIAL FROM CLAIREMONT.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE BACKGROUND HERE THE PROPOSED BUILDING EXPANSION WHICH I'LL ADD AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW HAS BEEN REVISED A NUMBER OF TIMES IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK FROM NEIGHBORS, THE DESIGN, THE SCALE, AND THE LOOK AND FEEL.
ALTHOUGH THIS MASSING DOESN'T GIVE ME MUCH OF THE LOOK AND FEEL BUT I HOPE IT DOES SHOW YOU THE SCALE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER BUILDINGS ON THE PROPERTY.
FINALLY THE LAST ONE IS A VIEW AS IF YOU'RE STANDING ON THE EAST OF THE PROPERTY OFF THE PROPERTY LOOKING DOWN.
AGAIN, LOOKING DIRECTLY ON TO THE BUILDING EDITION FROM THE EAST.
GETTING TOWARDS THE END, THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE OF GOING THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, I ALREADY MENTIONED WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TREE PRESERVATION AND PRESERVING THE TREE CANOPY AS THE CITY OF DECATUR.
WE'VE HEARD THAT FROM RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS OF COURSE AS WELL.
SMARTIES AND THE DESIGN FOLKS HAVE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH SOME IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME VERY IMPORTANT TREES AND EXISTING VEGETATION IS PRESERVED.
THIS IS THE EXISTING CONDITIONS PLAN FOR THE CURRENT TREE CANOPY AND SHOWS WHICH TREES WILL BE REMOVED.
YOU'LL SEE PARTICULARLY ALONG THE PROPOSED PARKING LOT TO THE LOWER PARKING LOT THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TREES THAT WILL COME DOWN ALONG THAT PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.
IF YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PLAN, THE TREE REPLACEMENT PLAN YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTALS HERE WE
[00:25:02]
HAVE 32 TREES TO BE REMOVED AND 67 TREES TO BE REPLACED WHICH WE BELIEVE KEEPS OUR TREE CANOPY AS WHOLE AS IT CAN BE WHILE ALLOWING SMARTIES TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND THIS PROPERTY.MOVING ON TO THE NEXT, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR TRAFFIC STUDY.
THIS HAS ALSO CHANGED SINCE I THINK WE'VE SUBMITTED PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC STUDY WHICH WAS BASED ON THE 300 STUDENT ENROLLMENT NUMBER.
WE REVISE THAT TRAFFIC STUDY TO REFLECT THE 255 STUDENTS AND THE 2025 BUILD SCENARIO HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.
I'M GOING TO TAKE JUST A MINUTE TO WALK THROUGH THAT.
IF YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE LEFT TWO COLUMNS YOU HAVE THE NO BUILD 2025 SCENARIO AM, PM DISMISSAL AND ON THE RIGHT YOU HAVE THE BUILD 2025.
IF SMARTIES MAKES THIS EXPANSION WE ENROLLED AT 255.
THIS IS OUR OUTCOME AND YOU'LL SEE THAT AS ONE MIGHT INTO IT.
A DAYCARE FACILITY, ITS PEAK HOURS ARE A LITTLE OFF FROM YOUR TYPICAL AM, PM RUSH HOUR, PARTICULAR PM RUSH HOUR.
OUR DISMISSAL TIME IN THE BUILD SCENARIO REMAINS AT A C. I THINK DISMISSAL WAS CATEGORIZED AT 3PM, OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER IS HERE AND IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, BY ALL MEANS.
BY THE WAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT ROW 1 WHICH IS FOR THE SOUTHBOUND APPROACH ON IRI AVENUE.
THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT WITH THE REDUCTION IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT TO 255 AND GIVEN THE SITE CONFIGURATION IN WHICH YOU ENTER ON IRI AVENUE, THERE'S AN EXIT ONLY ON TO CLAIREMONT, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PRESERVE A SATISFACTORY LEVEL OF SERVICE EVEN IN THE BUILD SCENARIO.
YOU'LL SEE THAT FOR THE IRI AVENUE LINE 2, THE WESTBOUND APPROACH AND SOUTHBOUND LEFT, IT MAINTAINS AN A LEVEL OF SERVICE OR B.
AGAIN, SOME OF THESE PROJECT DELAYS FOR 2025 BUILD SCENARIO DO ACCOUNT FOR JUST THE 2% YEARLY INCREASE IN TRAFFIC THAT YOU BUILD INTO A MODEL REGARDLESS OF A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
SOME OF THAT INCREASE HERE IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH OR WITHOUT SMARTIES BUT WE THINK THAT OVERALL THE IMPACTS ARE NOT SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE OVERALL ENROLLMENT OF 255 AND THE PROPOSED SITE LAYOUT THAT WE'VE PROPOSED HERE.
FINALLY TO WRAP UP AND JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE GOING THROUGH THIS.
WE PROVIDE THE SITE PLAN AND THE PROPOSED DETAILS HERE A NUMBER OF TIMES.
WE'VE LISTENED TO NEIGHBORS AND HEARD FEEDBACK AND HOPE THAT YOU'LL SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL.
OF COURSE WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
>> CAN WE GO BACK ONE SLIDE PLEASE? DO I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DESIGN HAS CHANGED SINCE WHAT WE WERE PRESENTED WITH LAST MONTH?
>> SINCE YOU WERE PRESENTED LAST MONTH?
>> THE SITE PLAN HAS NOT CHANGED.
THE TOTAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT HAS CHANGED.
>> BUT THE BUILDINGS AND THE LAYOUT ARE EXACTLY THE SAME?
>> VERY DIFFERENT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THE BUILDING LOCATION IS THE SAME, THE TOTAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT HAS GONE DOWN.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I CAN CALL ON OUR ENGINEER IF ANY SPECIFICS.
>> THAT'S FINE. THE DESIGN HAS CHANGED.
HAS THIS GONE BACK TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION?
>> NO. TO CLARIFY, YOU MEAN THE BUILDING DESIGN? YES. THIS HAS NOT GONE BACK TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION.
WE HAVE SHIFTED THE LOCATION OF THE BUILDING.
THE SCALE AND SIZE OF THE BUILDING HAS CHANGED IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK, JUST MASSAGED AND RECONFIGURED.
>> THE SCALE BEFORE US WHERE THERE WERE ADVERSE RECOMMENDATION FROM HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION?
>> WE HAVE NOT BEEN BACK TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION.
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>> THAT RECOMMENDATION WILL GO ON TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
IT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET JUST SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THEIR CONVERSATION.
BUT THE HPC HAS PLAYED THEIR ROLE, HAS PROVIDED THE RECOMMENDATION, AND SO IT WILL BE FORWARDED ON.
THEY TECHNICALLY DO NOT HAVE TO RETURN TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR THE COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
BUT THEY DO HAVE, LET'S JUST SAY IF THIS DOES GET APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION THEY WILL NEED TO RETURN TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION TO SEEK A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AND THEY WILL THEN GET FURTHER INTO THE DETAILS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BASED ON IF THE COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS APPROVED IN THIS MANNER.
>> BUT THE EVIDENCE IN THE RECORD SAYS THAT THEY DON'T MEET THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION REGS?
>> AT THE PREVIOUS APPLICATION THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE BUILDING, THE ADDITION, AND THEY PROVIDED THEIR COMMENTS TO THAT.
>> TO BE CLEAR, THE BUILDING LOCATION HAS CHANGED.
YES. THE BUILDING EDITION HAS SHIFTED.
>> THEN I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THAT SECOND TO LAST SLIDE BECAUSE IT HAD THE TRAFFIC STUDY INFORMATION ON IT.
WHAT I SEE IS THAT AT CLAIREMONT AND IRI AM PEAK, WE'RE GOING FROM AN A NO BILL TO A B LEVEL OF SERVICE POST DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S IN THE EAST BOUND LEFT APPROACH, THE SOUTH BOUND APPROACH GOES FROM A C TO A D, NO BILL TO POST DEVELOPMENT.
AT IRI AVENUE AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE SITE WE GO FROM AN A MORNING AND EVENING PEAK TO A B MORNING AND EVENING PEAK.
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WE STILL, EVEN WITH THE REDUCED NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE'RE SEEING A REDUCED LEVEL OF SERVICE POST DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT AND MAKE SURE I'M READING THAT CORRECTLY.
>> I THINK YOU'RE READING THAT CORRECTLY BUT IF I MAY ASK OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER TO WEIGH IN AND GIVE SOME MORE FEEDBACK ON HOW THESE LEVELS OF SERVICE ACTUALLY.
>> I'M JUST ASKING PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS.
>> YES. WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS.
THE A TO B BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME NUANCE THERE IN HOW AND WHY THOSE NUMBERS ARE LEVEL OF SERVICE RATINGS WORK.
>> ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I HAD A COUPLE. SINCE THE PACKET WE WERE GIVEN TO REVIEW DID NOT INCLUDE A NUMBER OF THESE CHANGES, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I'VE GOT SOME OF THE CHANGES WRITTEN DOWN CORRECTLY.
ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT WERE PRESENTED ARE IN YOUR PACKET.
>> I CAN SAY THE BIKE AND THE STROLLER.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. THEIR RESPONSE TO THE SITE PLAN REMOVING PARKING, CHANGING WHERE THE DUMPSTER IS LOCATED, THAT IS IN RESPONSE TO COMMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED IN THE STAFF REPORT.
>> TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT THERE, THOSE MODIFICATIONS ARE, WE JUST MADE THOSE AS WE HEAR YOU, WE AGREE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES TO OUR SITE PLAN.
WE'VE NOT MADE FORMAL REVISIONS TO THE SITE PLAN AND RESUBMITTED THOSE TO THE CITY.
WE JUST SAW THE COMMENTS AND SAID GOT IT, WE CAN MAKE THOSE UPDATES.
>> THANK YOU. THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
>> YOU WERE SAYING THAT YOU WEREN'T SURE WHAT TIME DISMISSAL WAS. CAN WE CHECK WITH THEM?
>> WHAT IS THE DISMISSAL TIMEFRAME IN THE TRAFFIC MODEL?
>> THREE O'CLOCK LIKE YOU SAID.
>> THAT IS THE TIME THAT THE SCHOOL DISMISSES BECAUSE I THINK I'M ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO SAY I WENT TO THE OPEN HOUSE THAT WAS HOSTED LAST WEEK AND I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE BUT I ATTENDED IT.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU MAY HAVE SAID SOMETHING DIFFERENT AS TO THE DISMISSAL TIMES.
>> IT'S 5:30. IT'S EXACT BUT IT'S BETWEEN FOUR O'CLOCK TILL 5:30 WHEN OUR PARENTS USUALLY PICKING UP CHILDREN. [OVERLAPPING]
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ABDUL AMIR WITH ANR ENGINEERING TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
WHAT WE DID WAS IN THE AFTERNOON STUDIED ESSENTIALLY CONTINUOUSLY FROM 2:00 PM TO 6:00 PM IN TERMS OF DATA COLLECTION.
[00:35:04]
THE WAY WE DEFINED THE DISMISSAL PEAK WAS, ANY HOUR OUTSIDE OF THE ADJACENT STREET PEAK, WHICH TYPICALLY OCCURS AS YOU KNOW, AROUND FIVE O'CLOCK.ANYTHING BEFORE THAT THAT PEAKED FOUR CONSECUTIVE 15 MINUTE INTERVALS WE JUST DEFINE IT AS SCHOOL DISMISSAL PEAK.
WHEN WE SAY SCHOOL, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST THE DAYCARE.
THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS CAUSING A PEAK THERE.
WE'RE STUDYING THE COMBINED EFFECT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND DAYCARE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 2:00 PM TO THE 5:00 PM ACTUALS I JUST WENT STRAIGHT TO PEAK AND WE JUST CALL THAT HOUR OF FOUR 15 MINUTE GUTS TO GET A 15 MINUTE INTERVALS, AS SCHOOL DISMISSAL PEAK. THANK YOU.
>> THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD IS, YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT HAD DECAYED OR ZIP CODES, AND SO I WAS HOPING YOU CLARIFY IS THAT CITY OF DECATUR OR IS THAT ALL ADDRESSES WITH DECATUR?
>> THOSE, I BELIEVE IT INVOLVED THREE DECATUR ZIP CODES, NOT CITY BOUNDARIES NECESSARILY, BUT WITHIN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
WE DO HAVE DETAILS ON THAT AND THAT PACKAGE WAS SUBMITTED OR THAT STUDY WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THAT STUDY WAS SUBMITTED TODAY, SO IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT MARKET STUDY, THOSE QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ASKED TO THEM BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE HAD CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT INFORMATION.
>> CAN YOU PROVIDE THE ZIP CODES THAT COMPRISE THE DECATUR [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT WE HAVE IN YOUR MARKETS.
>> WE HAVE THOSE. IF I COULD ASK ONE OF OUR MEMBERS LUWI TO COME AND PULL THAT UP, WE CAN SHOW YOU THOSE ZIP CODES. THANK YOU.
>> CAN I HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE YOU START?
>> I DON'T REMEMBER IF YOU PROVIDED YOUR ADDRESS TOO, SO IF YOU DIDN'T WE NEED YOURS BEFORE YOU WRAP UP.
>> 600 PEACHTREE STREET, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30308.
I'M WITH FOURSQUARE RESEARCH AND OUR ADDRESS IS 3631 CHAMBLEE TUCKER ROAD, SUITE 225.
>> TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, CAN YOU GUYS SEE THE SLIDES OR NOT?
>> I'M OPENING UP ON THE COMPUTER RIGHT NOW.
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU CAN SEE ALSO?
>> YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SHARE THE SCREEN BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANGELA HAS BUT MAYBE I CAN JUST GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A TOTAL OF FOUR ZIP CODES ASSIGNED TO SETUP DECATUR.
THIS IS BASED ON THE CENSUS BUREAU.
THEY ARE 30030, AND 30033 AND 30052, EXCUSE ME, NOT 52, 32.
I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON, AND THE THE LAST ONE IS 30034.
SOME OF OUR POSTCODES, THEY'RE NOT ACTUAL ZIP CODES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE IN.
>> THOSE ARE FAR OUTSIDE THE CITY OF DECATUR.
I GREW UP IN 30034 AND I GREW UP OUTSIDE THE PERIMETER.
>> CAN I GIVE YOU SOME MORE DETAIL ON THAT? 30030, WHICH IS MY ZIP CODE, AND I LIVE ON SOUTH MCDONALD'S STREET, IT'S 40% OF THIS TOTAL AND 30034 IS ONLY 1%, 30032 1%, 30033 11%.
YOU'LL SEE IN THESE SLIDES, I APOLOGIZE, WE DID JUST SUBMIT THESE TODAY, BUT YOU CAN SEE IN THE SLIDES THERE'S AN ACTUAL MAP SHOWING WAITLISTED FAMILIES.
YOU'LL SEE, OF COURSE, IT'S CONCENTRATED IN AND AROUND DECATUR, BUT YOU DO HAVE THOSE OUTLIERS WHICH ARE 1% BETTER, FAR-FLUNG.
IF YOU SPEAK TO MS. [INAUDIBLE], HERE, THERE ARE FOLKS FROM MUCH FARTHER AWAY THAT DRIVE TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO SMARTIES BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A NEED, AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND QUALITY CHILDCARE.
>> YEAH. JUST TO QUICKLY ADD ON THE CURRENT FAMILY, 40% IS IN THAT 300302.
>> IS THAT 40% OF THE TOTAL OR 40% OF THE 54?
>> OF THE CURRENT SMARTIES FAMILIES IS FROM THEIR ZIP CODE.
>> I'M SAYING 40% OF THE 54 OR 40% OF THE [OVERLAPPING].
>> ALL. THEN, IF YOU LOOK, WE LIST, THE FAMILY, RIGHT NOW, THE SMARTIES HAS ABOUT MORE THAN FIVE TO ONE RATIO.
FOR EVERY ONE FAMILY AS SMARTIES, THERE'S AT LEAST A FIVE AND MORE ON THE WAITING LIST.
YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT WAITLIST FAMILIES, 39% IS IN 30030,
[00:40:03]
AND 12% IS IN 33.THEN YOU HAVE THE 34 YOU MENTIONED THE 30034 AGAIN, IT'S ONLY 1% SO THE VAST MAJORITY IS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> YES. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
HOW MANY CLASSROOMS DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IN EXISTING BUILDING?
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
>> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION? WHEN YOU GET STARTED WE'RE ON A THREE-MINUTE CLOCK, WHEN YOU GET TO TWO MINUTES, I'LL DO THIS.
THEN WHEN YOU GET TO THE END, I'LL DO THIS.
>> DEAL. [LAUGHTER] GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS ANNA KELLY AND I'M A DIRECTOR OF SMARTIES ACADEMY.
I'M IN THE SUPPORT OF SMARTIES EXTENSION.
I'VE BEEN WITH SMARTIES FOR OVER 14 YEARS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN MYSELF WORKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN LONG TERM, BUT THANKS TO THE VISION AND THE PASSION OF MS. BOGNA THE OWNER, AND [INAUDIBLE] SERVING YOUNG FAMILIES BECAME MY MISSION AS WELL.
SMARTIES CULTURE IS MORE THAN CARING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
IT IS BRINGING PARENTS AND TEACHERS TOGETHER IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THRIVES ON OPEN COMMUNICATION, CONTINUED GROWTH, AND SUPPORT.
SMARTIES CREATES OPPORTUNITIES NOT JUST FOR THE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN BUT FOR ITS EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
THAT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR CHILDCARE SETTING.
IT SPEAKS VOTES PROGRAM AND FOR ITS LEADERSHIP.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW US, BUT IT'S BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE, WE SERVE THE VERY YOUNGEST CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT IS SIX WEEKS UP TO FIVE YEARS OLD.
OUR SCHOOL IS A FULL SPANISH IMMERSION WITH ENRICHMENT PROGRAM.
THERE'S HOLISTIC APPROACH AND ORGANIC MEALS COOKED FROM SCRATCH.
OUR ENROLLMENT HAS BEEN REMAINED FULL FOR MANY YEARS NOW, AND THAT INCLUDES COVID TIME, THAT IN DEMANDS OF UNCERTAINTY AND SCARE FOR MANY FAMILIES, MS. BOGNA NEVER LOST HER GOAL OF SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY IN EVERY WAY WE COULD.
PERHAPS INITIATION DONE IN THE TIME WHERE WE WERE TEMPORARILY CLOSED, ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS CAME UP WITH LESSONS PLANS, VIDEOS, AND RESOURCES ONLINE FOR PARENTS, WE SHARED RECIPES, COOKING TIPS FOR STAFF AND FAMILIES.
WE EVEN ORGANIZED THE ZOOM SESSIONS FOR THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN AND THAT INCLUDES INFANTS.
PARENTS, MS. BOGNA AND ALL OF OUR STAFF SUPPORTED EACH OTHER THROUGHOUT THAT TIME.
WE ALSO HAVE THE CHURCH DONE IN THAT TIME WITH ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE.
WE DIDN'T LET GO OF ANY EMPLOYEE, NO CONTRACTOR.
WE KEPT FULL ENROLLMENT AND WE ALSO CREATED AN IN-PERSON ONLINE SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN IN MANY DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN DECATUR.
TOGETHER WITH SMARTIES PARENTS, DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS, WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH COVID GUIDELINES AND SAFE RETURN PROCEDURES BEFORE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE US ONE.
THE INCLUSION, OPEN COMMUNICATION AND THE HIGH STANDARDS THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE CORE VALUE OF SMARTIES AND ITS OWNER, MS. BOGNA.
THIS IS WHAT SMARTIES MIX IS ABOUT AND THAT'S HOW IT MAKES US DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE.
THE NEED FOR EXPANSION IS DRIVEN BY MANY FAMILIES IN DECATUR AREA THAT ARE LOOKING FOR HIGH-QUALITY CARE, BUT ARE LEFT TO LOOK ELSEWHERE.
THEY WISH TO EXPERIENCE WITH SMARTIES IS ALL ABOUT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE SPACE FOR THEM.
>> NOW YOU CAN FINISH YOUR SENTENCE, BUT YOU ARE OUT OF TIME. [LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION? [BACKGROUND]
>> CAN I? I BROUGHT MY WING GLASSES SO THAT I CAN SEE. [LAUGHTER]
[00:45:01]
I START COUNTING NOW. I JUST WANT TO MAKE TWO QUICK POINTS.ONE IS FROM ME AS MANAGING PARTNER OF FOURSQUARE RESEARCH, WE ARE A COMPANY.
WE DO A LOT OF RESEARCH FOR NON-PROFITS, AND LOT OF THEM ARE CHILDCARE CENTER AND WE WORK WITH THEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AS A NATIONAL TREND IS VERY MUCH IN HIGH DEMAND.
THE SECOND POINT IS I CAN SHOW YOU WHICH IS THE DATA, YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU BUT I CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU, THE CARER IS ACTUALLY LACKING OF SUFFICIENT CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
THE FIRST DATA I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS FOR THE ZIP CODE 30030, WHICH IS THE MAJOR ZIP CODE FOR DECATUR, WHO RIGHT NOW, BASED ON THE LISTING, THERE'S ONLY A TOTAL OF 23 CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
THAT'S BASED FROM THE BUSINESS LISTING FROM THE SMALL MOM-POP SHOP, TO BIG ONES.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, OF THOSE PROVIDERS THERE'S NONE OF THEM HAS REVENUE MORE THAN $1 MILLION.
THE BIGGEST ONE IS ABOUT HALF MILLION DOLLARS, IT'S NOT A SMARTER ECONOMY.
IN COMPARISON, IF WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMPARABLE SUBURBS OF ATLANTA, AND I GIVE YOU TWO EXAMPLES.
ONE EXAMPLE IS ALPHARETTA, ZIP CODE 30004.
FOR THAT ZIP CODE, IT HAS SIMILAR NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS, FAMILY AND INCOME LEVEL.
FOR THAT ZIP CODE THEY HAVE A TOTAL OF 35 CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY, TWO OF THEM HAS MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN REVENUE, I MEAN, IT'S A BIG CHILDCARE CENTERS.
THAT'S NOT ONLY IN QUANTITY, IT'S ACTUALLY 13 PROVIDERS MORE THAN DECATUR AND ALSO QUALITY BECAUSE THE SALES VOLUME INDICATING THE QUALITY, THE SIZE OF THE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, IS A LOT MORE THAN DECATUR.
THE SECOND ZIP CODE I WILL SHARE WITH YOU IS THE JOHNS CREEK, THE NEWEST SUBURB, AND THAT'S 30097 AND HEY HAVE 32 PROVIDERS AND THEY ACTUALLY ALSO HAVE TWO MAJOR PROVIDERS, MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN SALES REVENUE, AND ONE OF THEM IS CLOSE TO $1.7 MILLION.
LOOKING AT THOSE MARKET AUDIT COMPARISON, SUITABLE DECATUR IS VERY MUCH IN NEED OF NOT ONLY QUANTITY, BUT ALSO QUALITY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
THEREFORE, I THINK EXPANSION LIKE SMART ACADEMY IS VERY MUCH NEEDED FOR THE COMMUNITY OF DECATUR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK AND SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION? YES.
>> HI, MY NAME IS DANA RITCHIE, I'M A SMARTIES PARENT.
I CURRENTLY HAVE MY DAUGHTER WHO'S FOUR AND MY SON.
>> IT'S 2967 PONDEROSA CIRCLE DECATUR 30033.
>> I HAVE TWO CHILDREN ENROLLED IN SMARTIES.
MY DAUGHTER IS FOUR AND MY SON IS TWO, AND THEY'VE BEEN ENROLLED SINCE FALL 2021.
I JOINED THE WAITING LIST FOR SMARTIES IN AUGUST 2018 WHEN I WAS EIGHT WEEKS PREGNANT WITH OUR FIRST CHILD, A POSITION OPENED UP TWO YEARS LATER.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO ATTEND SMARTIES.
HAVING PREVIOUSLY BEEN ENROLLED IN A DIFFERENT DAYCARE CENTER WE WERE UNHAPPY WITH THE SIGNIFICANT STAFF TURNOVER RATES, LACK OF INDIVIDUAL CARE FOR CHILDREN, AND STUDENT-TEACHER RATIOS THAT WERE OFTEN OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH STATE MANDATED REQUIREMENTS.
FINDING AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION WAS DIFFICULT GIVEN THAT WAITING LISTS THAT OTHER DAYCARE CENTERS IN THE AREA OFTEN EXCEEDED SIX MONTHS.
FINDING GOOD CHILDCARE IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES IN DECATUR SOMETHING ANYONE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE AREA WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO.
WHEN WE BEGAN ATTENDING SMARTIES THE CONTRAST BETWEEN SMARTIES AND OTHER DAYCARE OPTIONS WAS DRASTIC.
WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE TEACHERS AND STAFF, ALL OF WHOM KNOW US BY NAME AND CARED DEEPLY ABOUT OUR CHILDREN.
OUR DAUGHTER'S FIRST TEACHER AT SMARTIES IS NOW OUR SON'S TEACHER AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE CONTINUITY AND RELATIONSHIP THAT IS UNMATCHED IN OTHER DAYCARE ENVIRONMENTS.
THE ENVIRONMENT AT SMARTIES IS ONE IN WHICH THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF ARE BEING MET AND IT IS CLEAR THAT DECISIONS ARE BEING DRIVEN NOT JUST BY FINANCIAL BENEFIT, BUT RATHER BY LONG-TERM BENEFITS FOR ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
THE CULTURE IS DIFFERENT, IT'S NOT JUST STAFF MEMBERS MAKING SURE CHILDREN ARE FED AND CHANGED, THEY ARE LOVING THE CHILDREN.
THROUGH THE RELATIONSHIPS I'VE DEVELOPED WITH SMARTIES, OWNERSHIP AND STAFF.
I'VE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK WITH BOGNA ABOUT THE EXISTING BUILDING AND EXPANSION.
SHE GENUINELY CARES ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE CHILDREN AND HAS MADE THAT A TOP PRIORITY IN DECISION-MAKING FOR THE SCHOOL.
[00:50:01]
OPTIMAL INDOOR AIR QUALITY, DAYLIGHTING, THOUGHTFULLY CURATED, HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS AND A SAFE PLAYGROUND ENVIRONMENT ARE JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF BUILDING DESIGN AND OPERATION ELEMENTS THAT BOGNA HAS PRIORITIZED TO EXCEED MINIMUM CODE REQUIREMENTS TO BENEFIT THE CHILDREN.AS A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA WITH EXPERTISE IN HEALTHY BUILDING DESIGN STRATEGIES AND THE DATA DEFENDING THE IMPACT THOSE STRATEGIES HAVE ON THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF BUILDING OCCUPANTS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME.
IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT OTHER DAYCARES ARE REQUIRED TO CONSIDER.
BEYOND THE BUILDING DESIGN, THE KIND AND SUPPORTIVE CULTURE FOSTERED AT SMARTIES IS ONE FOR WHICH I'M GRATEFUL.
I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT THE VALUES AND SOFT SKILLS MY CHILDREN ARE LEARNING THROUGH EXAMPLE ARE THE SAME THAT I WISH TO IMPART ON THEM IN MY OWN HOME.
ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALITY, EMBRACING DIFFERENCES AND EMPHASIZING KINDNESS COME NATURALLY TO THE STAFF AND TEACHERS AT SMARTIES, AND I CAN SEE THOSE VALUES MIRRORED IN MY CHILDREN.
IN CONCLUSION, I FULLY SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF SMARTIES AS THEY SEEK TO EXPAND THEIR DAYCARE CENTER TO SUPPORT A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO BENEFIT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF YOUNG CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILIES, STAFF AND TEACHERS AND THE COMMUNITY.
ANY PROGRAM THAT CAN HELP WORKING FAMILIES IN THE CITY OF DECATUR TO HAVE RELIABLE CHILDCARE WITH STAFF AND TEACHERS WHOM PARENTS CAN TRUST, WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE AND HELP FOSTER THE CITY OF DICTATORS MISSION, "WORK WITH THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WHILE SERVING ALL WITH RESPECT AND INTEGRITY. THANK YOU.
>> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT? YES.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RICKY KLAUS AND I LIVE AT 2306 SUTTON STREET, SOUTHEAST ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I AM A FAN NUMBER ONE FOR SMARTIES.
THAT PLACE IS A WONDERFUL PLACE FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO GROW, TO LEARN, AND TO FEEL LOVED.
I'M A LITTLE [NOISE] WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOLS, I THINK YOU CAN WALK IN AND FEEL THAT ENERGY AND I REALLY WOULDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT SMARTIES.
THAT EXCELLENCE THOUGH DIDN'T MATTER AT ALL TO ME WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT A LACK OF AN OPTION FOR MY THREE-MONTH-OLD TO ATTEND ANY SCHOOL.
I APPLIED ON THE WAITLIST AT PLACES IN ATLANTA AND DECATUR A YEAR AGO.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE SITTING AT THE DINING ROOM TABLE BEWILDERED, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO SEND OUR CHILD? WE BOTH HAVE TO GO TO WORK TO AFFORD TO LIVE, AND WE HAD NO OPTIONS.
I'VE PAID $200 AND THAT MONEY WILL NEVER BE REALIZED BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO BE GOING TO THOSE SCHOOLS THAT I'M STILL ON A WAITLIST FOR DOZENS OF PEOPLE DOWN.
THIS IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO ME, THE SITUATION, IT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 19TH NEWS, WHICH IS A REPUTABLE NEWS ORGANIZATION OUT OF TEXAS, RECENTLY REPORTED THAT MANY WOMEN IN PARTICULAR, BUT PARENTS IN GENERAL ARE HAVING TO CHOOSE TO QUIT THEIR CAREERS BECAUSE THEY LITERALLY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR KIDS IN TERMS OF CHILDCARE.
THAT'S A REALLY SAD SCENARIO AND REALLY UNHEALTHY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND IS REALLY OFF.
THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF DEMAND, THERE'S WAY TOO LITTLE SUPPLY AND A PLACE LIKE SMARTIES IS WHERE ANY KID DESERVES TO GO, BUT VERY FEW KIDS CAN GO.
WHILE THE COMMUNITY HAS REALLY IMPORTANT CONCERNS, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BUILDING IS BEAUTIFUL, THAT THE TREES ARE PRESERVED, AND THAT THERE AREN'T TOO MANY CARS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL OF THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE.
I HOPE THAT IT'S ALSO CONSIDERED AND IMPORTANCE PLACED ON IT, THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, THAT NUMBER OF ALMOST 600 FAMILIES ON THE WAITLIST TO I THINK 185 WHO ARE CURRENTLY ATTENDED THAT'S A HUGE GAP IN SERVICE.
ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND JUST IMPLORE YOU TO JUST THINK OF PERHAPS YOUR CHILDREN OR YOUR GRANDCHILDREN AND THE LACK OF CHILDCARE THAT'S AVAILABLE AND THE NEED FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES IN DECATUR AND BEYOND.
TO ME THAT LOOKS LIKE SMARTIES EXPANDING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT? YES.
I LIVE AT 204 LUCERNE STREET, DECATUR 30030.
MY NAME IS PRIYA SCHAFFNER AS I MENTIONED.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE IN DECATUR SINCE 2017.
[00:55:02]
I'M A GERIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER HERE IN THE CITY.MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'M A MOM TO TWO WONDERFUL GIRLS, KAVIAR, THREE-YEAR-OLD, AND KINARA, WHO IS ONE.
ENTERING PARENTHOOD IS HARD FOR ALL NEW PARENTS AND UNIQUE TO OUR GENERATION OF NEW PARENTS WAS THE ADDED FEAR OF BRINGING CHILDREN INTO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
IN THE FACE OF COVID AND ALARMING GUN VIOLENCE, I FELT TERRIFIED TO RETURN TO WORK AFTER HAVING KIDS AND LEAVING OUR KIDS IN DAYCARE.
BUT LUCKY FOR US, SMARTIES WAS THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM MOST.
WHERE THEY TOOK INCREDIBLE PRECAUTIONS TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE AND HEALTHY, WHERE MY KIDS LIVES ARE ENRICHED, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHERE THEY TRULY FEEL LOVED BY THEIR TEACHERS.
SMARTIES WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND DURING COVID TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE, ADOPT, AND IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES TO REMAIN SAFE, AND WORKED WITH FAMILIES TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE PART-TIME OPTIONS.
I FEEL BEYOND GRATEFUL FOR THE VALUES MY CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED WHILE AT SMARTIES, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ENRICHED WITH THE SPANISH LANGUAGE AND LATINA CULTURE FROM TEACHERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT MYSELF OR ANY OF THESE WORKING PARENTS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THIS COMMUNITY WITH OUR UNIQUE SKILL SETS IF WE'D ALSO DIDN'T HAVE A SCHOOL THAT WE KNEW WAS ENRICHING THE LIVES OF OUR KIDS.
THUS OUTLINING THE FAR-REACHING AND PROFOUND IMPACT THAT SMARTIES HAS FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATION, AS WELL AS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
NOT ONLY IS THIS VALUABLE EDUCATION IN HIGH DEMAND AS EVIDENCED BY THE WAITLIST OF FOLKS WANTING TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SMARTIES, BUT THIS IS ALSO THE BEST PLACE IN THE CITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN AND GROW.
IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT FAMILIES CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THIS BEAUTIFUL ACADEMIC COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW WE HAVE ONE MORE, AT LEAST.
WE LIVE AT 523 PONCE DE LEON MANOR, ATLANTA 30307.
I'M JOINED BY MY WIFE, WILLA PATEL.
OUR HOUSE IS NO MORE THAN FIVE-MINUTE DRIVE FROM SMARTIES AND ROUGHLY 25, 30 MINUTE WALK.
WE BORN AND RAISED IN DECATUR AT DECATUR MEDICAL CENTER.
I'M NOW 31, WE DECIDED TO PLANT OUR ROOTS HERE, AND CURRENTLY WE DRIVE 30 MINUTES OUT OF THE WAY IN TRAFFIC TO OUR CURRENT DAY CARE, WHICH WE'RE HAPPY WITH.
BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TO MAGNIFY THE OVERALL EFFECTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. LOOK, IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM BECAUSE YOUR HAND WAS UP FIRST AND THEN ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT CAN SPEAK AFTER YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DAVID METZGER.
I LIVE AT 432 LOCKWOOD TERRACE, DECATUR, GEORGIA 30030.
I'M ALSO A REAL ESTATE LAWYER AT THE LAW FIRM OF WILLIAMS TEUSINK HERE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
I ALSO HAVE A FOURTH GRADER IN CITY OF DECATUR SCHOOLS WHO WENT TO SMARTIES ACADEMY FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS, AND I HAVE A 16-MONTH-OLD WHO IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AT SMARTIES ACADEMY.
I WANT TO SIMPLY SAY THAT SMARTIES IS A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE CITY.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME DOWN ON THIS ISSUE, I THINK THEY'D ALL AGREE THAT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS NEED FOR HIGH-QUALITY CHILDCARE THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY, AND ALSO PARTICULARLY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SUPPORTING SMARTIES AND THIS EXPANSION MEANS THAT THIS CITY WILL BE SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
NOW, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS DEVOTED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVING THE WALKABILITY, THE ACCESSIBILITY, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IF YOU GO TO SMARTIES ON A WEEKDAY MORNING, YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF FAMILIES WALKING THERE WITH THEIR CHILDREN, RIDING THEIR BIKES THERE, DRIVING ONLY A VERY SHORT DISTANCE TO GET THERE AND THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY LIVE VERY CLOSE TO SMARTIES.
THAT IS BECAUSE OF SMARTIES CURRENT LOCATION, WHICH IS VERY CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
ALLOWING EXPANSION IN THIS LOCATION MEANS THAT MORE FAMILIES CAN BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY
[01:00:01]
TO HIGH-QUALITY CHILD CARE AND THEY WON'T HAVE TO DRIVE TO MIDTOWN OR TOCO HILLS OR EMORY OR SOMEWHERE ELSE TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN.IN OTHER WORDS, THE LOCATION IS AN ASSET.
IF WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE WALKABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AREAS THAT PEOPLE NEED TO GO CLOSE TO WHERE THEY LIVE, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE HERE.
NOW, THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS YOU DO HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEARBY.
I CAN SAY THAT BASED ON THE CHANGES I'VE SEEN IN THE PLANS, THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT CONSIDERATION TO THOSE VOICES.
THE FEEDBACK MEANS THAT SMARTIES HAS ADJUSTED ITS PLANS TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
THIS IS A GOOD THING, AND I URGE YOU TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT? YES.
>> TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW. MY NAME IS JESSE KANE.
I LIVE AT 2043 COLLEGE AVENUE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30317.
I RECOGNIZE THAT IS KIRKWOOD, IT IS NOT DECATUR.
BUT I SPEND MUCH OF MY TIME ON THE WEEKENDS IN DECATUR.
OAKHURST IS WALKABLE FROM MY HOUSE.
I HAD BOTH OF MY CHILDREN AT EMORY DECATUR, AGES FOUR AND TWO.
MY FOUR-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN AT SMARTIES SINCE SHE WAS IN THE INFANT ROOM IN MARCH 2019.
WE DID TAKE THEM OUT FOR A TIME DURING THE PANDEMIC AND WE HAVE A STORY THAT MATCHES MANY OF THE MOMS WHO ALREADY SPOKE.
WE SPOKE WITH BOGNA AND EXPLAINED OUR INDIVIDUAL SITUATION.
SHE WORKED WITH US TO WORK OUR CHILDREN BACK INTO THE PROGRAM WHEN WE WERE COMFORTABLE TO COME BACK.
THE SCHOOL IS SO TRANSPARENT, IT'S REALLY COMMUNICATIVE.
DURING THE TIME-FRAME AFTER THE PANDEMIC, I COMPARED THE WAY SMARTIES SPOKE WITH ME AS A MOM AND AS A PATRON OF THAT SCHOOL, AND AS MY CHILDREN IN THAT SCHOOL, AND COMPARED IT TO OTHER DAYCARES.
THEY WERE NOWHERE NEAR THE SAME COMMUNICATION.
AT TIMES IT ALMOST SEEMED TO BE TOO MUCH.
BUT THE POINT IS SHE LISTENS AND YOU HEARD THE LAWYER SAY THIS MULTIPLE TIMES, THEY'VE TAKEN THE FEEDBACK INTO THIS SCENARIO.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND THAT'S PARTIALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE LISTENING.
NOW THE OTHER THING PART OF THIS IS I SPEAK GERMAN.
I WAS RAISED IN A GERMAN-SPEAKING HOUSEHOLD.
I HAD NO ACCESS TO FINDING A GERMAN SPEAKING DAYCARE IN THIS AREA.
I WORK FOR A CONSULTANCY THAT'S ACTUALLY REGIONAL TO ATLANTA, AND I WORK UPWARDS OF 60 HOURS A WEEK.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SPEAK GERMAN TO MY CHILDREN, BUT I WANTED THEM TO LEARN A LANGUAGE.
THIS IS NOT JUST A DAYCARE, THIS IS A SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAM.
THERE AREN'T MANY IN THE AREA.
THIS IS ONE THAT FEEDS THE DEMAND THAT IS GROWING IN THE ATLANTA AREA AND THAT IS BY FAR BY THAT 500 NUMBER UNMET.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS. IT'S GOOD FOR CHILDREN'S BRAINS, BUT IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND INCLUSION.
THAT'S THE REFLECTION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND IT REFLECTS BACK BY ALSO HOW MUCH THE COMMUNITY CARES ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
I COULDN'T SAY IT BETTER THAN THE MAN THAT WAS BEFORE ME, BUT INVESTING IN A SCHOOL THAT ALLOWS CHILDREN TO THRIVE IS GOING TO LAY A FOUNDATION FOR A LONGER-TERM THAN A MALL OR A GROCERY STORE.
WE'RE ASKING TO EXPAND SOMETHING THAT IS GREAT, THAT WILL ALSO PROMOTE CHILDREN WITHIN DECATUR AND THE OUTLYING NEIGHBORHOODS FOR A MUCH LONGER TERM.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT? YES.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS JENNISHA LOTU.
I RESIDE AT 3695 MIDVALE ROAD IN TUCKER, GEORGIA.
LIKE SO MANY OTHER FAMILIES HERE I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE SMARTIES COMMUNITY SINCE 2019.
MY HUSBAND AND I TRANSFERRED OUR FIRST-BORN SON FROM ANOTHER DAYCARE WHEN HE WAS TWO YEARS OLD AFTER RECEIVING A CALL FROM SMARTIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE WAITING LISTS, A WAITING LIST WE HAD ADDED OURSELVES TO OVER A YEAR BEFORE.
WE SELECTED SMARTIES FOR MULTIPLE REASONS, THE LANGUAGE IMMERSION, THE LOW TURNOVER RATE AND THE HIGH STANDARDS OF CARE AND SUPPORT THAT THE SMARTIES EXPERIENCE PROMISE.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR MY FAMILY WE SELECTED SMARTIES BECAUSE IT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR KIDS LEARN FROM PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM, TO BE EDUCATED WITH OTHER KIDS WHO LOOKED LIKE THEM AND REPRESENTED THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY ACTUALLY LIVE IN.
I HAD SOMETHING LONGER PREPARED BUT I KNOW
[01:05:02]
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE LONG SO I'LL SPEAK FROM THE STANDPOINT OF GIVING OTHER CHILDREN ACCESS TO THAT AND AFFIRMING AND ENRICHING A MURMUR.THE SMARTIES EXPERIENCE IS REALLY UNIQUE IN THAT RESPECT.
WE CHOSE IT FOR THE DIVERSITY BOTH IN THE STUDENT POPULATION AND IN THE TEACHER POPULATION.
IT WOULD BE VERY SAD IF OTHER KIDS WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THAT ENRICHING ENVIRONMENT THAT MY KIDS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE.
THANK YOU AND I HOPE YOU DECIDE IN SMARTIES FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT? YES.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE POST AND MY ADDRESS IS 1519 NORTH AMANDA CIRCLE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30329.
TODAY I COME AS A SMARTIES ACADEMY PARENT, EMPLOYEE AND FORMER NEIGHBOR.
I'M HERE TO SAY THAT I AM HONORED TO BE PART OF THE SCHOOL.
WHAT IT OFFERS IS TRULY SOMETHING SPECIAL AND SOMETHING I HOPE WE CAN SHARE WITH MORE PEOPLE.
I LEARNED ABOUT SMARTIES IN 2012, I WAS A 449 RESIDENT RIGHT NEXT TO THE SCHOOL AND WAS LOOKING TO TEACH SPANISH TO YOUNG CHILDREN.
WHEN I INTERVIEWED I INSTANTLY KNEW IT WAS THE PLACE FOR ME.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 10 YEARS NOW.
THIS IS A PLACE THAT OFFERS SUPPORT TO ITS MEMBERS IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD FROM CARING FOR THE STUDENTS TO ASSISTING WITH PARENTS NEEDS TO PROVIDING STABILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF.
I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY AS AN EMPLOYEE AND A MOTHER IF IT WEREN'T FOR SMARTIES ACADEMY.
AS AN EMPLOYEE I WISH EVERYONE COULD WITNESS THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE WITH MS. BOGNA, THE OWNER.
IN REGARDS TO THE PROGRAM THE VISION, THE PLAN FOR GROWTH EVERY SINGLE DECISION IS MADE WITH STUDENTS, TEACHERS, PARENTS AND NEIGHBORS IN MIND.
I LEARNED THE TRUE MEANING OF MINDFULNESS THROUGH HER EXAMPLE AND IT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY CORE VALUES EVER SINCE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING LIKE MYSELF AND IT GOES TO SHOW THE COMMITMENT ENVIRONMENT WE PROVIDE FOR OUR STAFF.
AS A PARENT I WISH PEOPLE COULD WITNESS AND SPOKEN AS HEARTFELT AND SUPPORTIVE OF CONVERSATIONS SHE AND OUR STAFF HAVE WITH PARENTS ABOUT THE JOYS AND STRUGGLES THAT COME WITH PARENTING.
ABOUT THE POSITIVE IMPACTS SMARTIES HAS HAD ON THEIR FAMILIES ABOUT THE NEED FOR OUR QUALITY OF SERVICE TO OTHER FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY.
ABOUT HOW MANY FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ARE EAGER TO BE PART OF OUR PROGRAM.
OUR PROGRAM IS UNIQUE TO OTHER PROGRAMS FROM THE CURRICULUM WE USE, THE ENRICHMENT COMPONENTS WE ADD TO OUR LESSONS.
THE SPANISH IMMERSION SETTING, THE EXCELLENT NUTRITION AND FOCUS ON HEALTH TO THE PARENTS SUPPORT WE PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILIES.
A BIG COMPONENT OF OUR SUCCESS HAS BEEN PARENT FEEDBACK.
WHEN PARENTS EXPRESS A NEED WE FIND WAYS TO HELP MEET THESE NEEDS.
WHEN PARENTS SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE ON SOMETHING THAT WOULD POSITIVELY IMPACT OUR PROGRAM WE TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION TO LEARN MORE, AND IMPROVE.
I HAVE SEEN BOTH OF MY BOYS THRIVE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
MY OLDEST WHO IS NOW AN ELEMENTARY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN HIS JOURNEY AND IT'S THANKS TO THE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED BY THIS WONDERFUL SCHOOL.
AS A FORMER NEIGHBOR I WISH PEOPLE WOULD APPRECIATE THE MINDFULNESS APPROACH MS. BOGNA HAS HAD FOR THE NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY FROM SUPPORTING THE CHURCH WITH NEEDS AS FAR AS THE UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BUILDING TO MAKING SURE WE MAINTAIN POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS AND CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY.
WHEN I LIVED NEXT DOOR I ALWAYS APPRECIATED HAVING A SCHOOL AS MY NEIGHBOR RATHER THAN A HIGH-RISE APARTMENT BUILDING LIKE YOU SEE CURRENTLY BEING BUILT JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY.
THE VISION MS. BOGNA HAS FOR SMARTIES IS TO PROVIDE A PLACE THAT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
A PLACE TO SUPPORT YOUNG FAMILIES, A PLACE WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE CARED FOR IN A LOVING AND ENRICHING ENVIRONMENT THROUGH CURRICULUM AND NUTRITION.
A PLACE WHERE PARENTS CAN HAVE PEACE OF MIND, A PLACE FOR STAFF, STUDENTS, FAMILIES MAKE LASTING CONNECTIONS.
I FULLY SUPPORT THIS EXPANSION.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT? SEEING NONE, ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICATION?
>> HAS ANYONE CHECKED TO SEE ONLINE AS WELL?
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ONLINE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT?
>> THEY CAN EITHER TURN ON THEIR VIDEO AND WAVE THEIR ACTUAL HAND OR THEY CAN RAISE THEIR VIRTUAL HAND.
[LAUGHTER] THERE'S A WAY TO, [NOISE] RAISE THEIR VIRTUAL HAND.
>> WELL, IS THERE ANYONE WHO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? YES.
I LIVE AT 128 AREA AVENUE DECATUR, GEORGIA.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AMONGST THE [NOISE] PROPOSAL.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP I THINK THE CENTRAL POINT HERE.
I KNOW THIS IS A GREAT DAYCARE BUT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT PUTTING A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[01:10:02]
I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU I'M AMAZED AT THE SCALE OF THIS.THERE HADN'T BEEN REALLY ANY REDUCTION IN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL.
SHE'S TALKING ABOUT ADDING 255 STUDENTS WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE 228 STUDENTS AT CLAIREMONT SO THAT'S ABOUT 400, 500 STUDENTS.
SHE'S ADDING 30,000 FOOT STRUCTURE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, 69 PARKING SPACES.
SHE'S GOING TO ADD, NOBODY'S TALKED ABOUT THIS THE OTHER USE AND SHE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT SHE'S GOING TO ADD A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, PARENT FOOD SERVICE, CAFE, COFFEE AND EVENT FACILITIES WITHOUT EXPLAINING IS THAT 24/7, WHAT'S THE DURATION? THIS IS A REALLY LARGE ENTERPRISE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MEAN, THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVES BUT IT IS WHERE IT IS AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT NOVEMBER 7, 2022 THE COMMISSION DENIED A BEDROOM LODGING HOUSE AT 620 PINE TREE DRIVE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, HOLDING EVENTS MAXIMUM PER YEAR.
THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF EVENTS, PARKING, TRAFFIC, IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, OUTDOOR NOISE THAT WAS REJECTED UNANIMOUSLY.
THESE ARE THE EXACT SAME ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW EXCEPT THIS IS ON A HUGE SCALE.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION? COME ON UP.
WELL I TELL YOU WHAT, FOLKS WHO WANT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION LINE UP ON THE WALL HERE SO THAT WAY WILL KNOW WHO WILL BE GOING NEXT WHEN THE TIME COMES.
[NOISE] [LAUGHTER] COME ON DOWN, MA'AM. SIR.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JAMES KOBLIN AND I LIVE IN ONE 36TH ERIE AVENUE.
[NOISE] I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE PARENTS WHO HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS AND ARE SPEAKING TODAY IN SUPPORT OF SMARTIES ACADEMY [NOISE] ARE SINCERE AND THERE WERE REPORTS OF POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH THE DAYCARE.
JUST AS THE FAMILIES OPPOSING THE EXPANSION CURRENTLY HAVE A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SMARTIES.
[NOISE] HOWEVER, I ASKED THAT THE COMMISSION CONSIDER THAT WHAT THESE PARENTS SUPPORT IS SMARTIES THE WAY IT IS NOW.
THEY LIKED THE SMALL SIZE, THEY'RE PRETTY BUILDINGS, THE UNCONTESTED DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP, THE PARK-LIKE GROUNDS, THE CHANCE TO KNOW ALMOST EVERYONE.
THE MODEST-SIZED FOOD PREPARATION OPERATIONS WITH SNACKS AND LUNCHES FOR CHILDREN AS THE FOCUS AND THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO THE OWNERS AND BE HEARD.
AN EXPANDED SMARTIES WILL NOT BE ANYTHING LIKE WHAT IT IS NOW.
IT WILL ALMOST DOUBLE IN SIZE, INCLUDING STAFF INCREASES.
IT WILL BECOME MORE BUREAUCRATIC.
THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE EXPOSED TO ALMOST DOUBLE THE CHANCE OF SIX STAFF AND SIX CHILDREN COMING TO SCHOOL.
RULES WILL HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED.
TURNOVER IN STAFF WILL CLEARLY BE MORE FREQUENT.
THE FOOD PREPARATION OPERATION WILL BECOME LARGE AND LOSE ITS FOCUS ON JUST THE CHILDREN.
DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP WILL BECOME CONGESTED AND TAKE MUCH LONGER.
YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION WILL CAUSE NOISE POLLUTION, DUST, DIRT, AND MAY STRANGERS PRESENT ON THE SITE, ALL OF WHICH WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THEIR SMARTIES EXPERIENCES.
YOU SHOULD RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THESE APPLICATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND ENROLLMENT EXPANSION AND INSTEAD ENCOURAGED SMARTIES TO OPEN SIMILAR SIZED OR SMALLER BRANCHES IN OTHER PARTS OF DECATUR THUS PRESERVING THE ASPECTS OF SMARTIES THAT THESE PARENTS SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
I KNOW YOU ALL DO A LOT OF LISTENING AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
OUR FAMILY IS BEEN HERE'S A 34, 35 YEARS.
I'M ALSO A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER.
MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN IN THE AREA OF TRAUMA PSYCHIATRY.
BUT I'VE ALSO WORKED IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.
I'VE BEEN TRAINED IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.
THE FOUNDATION, ALL MY TRAINING AND ALL MY WORK IS ALL BASED ON TRUST.
THAT'S THE BEDROCK OF EVERYTHING.
TO HAVE TRUST, YOU NEED REALLY GOOD COMMUNICATION.
YOU'VE HEARD THE STAFF AND PARENTS TALK TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNICATION, THEY'RE STRONG,
[01:15:01]
EVIDENTLY A VERY STRONG SENSE OF TRUST, WHICH IS GOOD, THAT'S NECESSARY WHEN DEALING WITH CHILDREN, YOU MUST HAVE A STRONG ABILITY FOR THE PARENTS TO TRUST WHAT'S HAPPENING.HOWEVER, THERE ARE SEVERAL KEY PLAYERS LIKE THERE HAS BEEN MENTIONED OF COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SEVERAL KEY PLAYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR COMMUNITY INCLUDE SMARTIES AND THEIR PARENTS AND STAFF AND OWNER, AND IT INCLUDES US IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I FEEL LIKE THERE IS VERY STRONG TRUST BETWEEN SMARTIES IN HOUSE.
HOWEVER, I DON T FEEL LIKE THERE'S TRUST THAT'S BEEN BUILT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU'VE HEARD SEVERAL COMMENTS THAT WELL, WE'VE HAD A MEETING AND WE'VE CHANGED THINGS.
THAT MEETING WAS BETWEEN THESE TWO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS.
I'M TRAINED AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.
THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE THE FIRST PLAN WAS PUT FORTH.
WE ARE A KEY PLAYER, AND THEY ARE KEY PLAYER.
WE'RE BOTH KEY PLAYERS AND FOR US NOT TO HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPENED.
I DO NOT FEEL IS ADEQUATE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT PERSON IN OPPOSITION?
I'M DAVID KAY, 143 ERIE AVENUE.
ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE EXTREMELY CLOSE PROXIMITY BETWEEN SMARTIES AND CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE ALL KNOW THEY'RE BOTH ON EVERY AVENUE THERE.
IN FACT, ONLY 225 FEET APART, JUST THREE SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES SEPARATE THE TWO SCHOOLS.
THE PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY TOUCH IN THE REAR.
IT'S SO CLOSE THAT A GOOD NFL QUARTERBACK COULD STAND AND SMARTIES PARKING LOT AND THROW A FOOTBALL AND HIT CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE, IT WILL HAVE A STRONG IMPACT ON CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC.
NOW, THE APPLICANTS REFERRED YOU TO THE 2025 ESTIMATE OF TRAFFIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO REFER YOU TO THE 2030 ESTIMATE OF TRAFFIC IN THEIR APPLICATION.
THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION, WHERE THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR 300 STUDENTS, THAT PROJECTED BUILD SCENARIO WHERE THE EXPANSION IS APPROVED, WOULD TURN THESE LEVEL OF SERVICE IN BOTH THE AM AND PM TO F. ON A SCALE OF A TO F, IT'S THE WORST CATEGORY GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS A CATEGORY FOR.
NOW, IT HAS BEEN AMENDED AS I UNDERSTAND TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT 255 STUDENTS INSTEAD OF 300, WHICH CHANGES IT FROM BEING AN F FAILING GRADE OF TRAFFIC TO AN E IN BOTH THE AM AND PM.
IN THE YEAR 2030, SMARTIES IS ALLOWED TO EXPAND AS THEY DESIRE.
WE CAN APPRECIATE GOING FROM THE CURRENT KNOW BUILD SCENARIO OF A TO D AT THE WORST TO E IN BOTH THE AM AND PM, WHICH I WOULD POINT OUT IS AS MUCH AS 42 SECONDS PER CAR TO GET THROUGH THE INTERSECTION.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BECAUSE CERTAINLY 2030 IS ONLY SEVEN YEARS AWAY AND I SEE NO REASON NOT TO FOCUS ON THAT YEAR INSTEAD OF 2025. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS BRADEN GORDON.
I GREW UP INDICATOR ON ERIE AVENUE.
I SPENT ALL MY TIME OUTSIDE FROM AFTER SCHOOL IS OVER UNTIL DINNER TIME, SKATEBOARDING, RIDING MY BIKE OR SCOOTERING OUT ON THE STREET.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS ADDITION WILL CAUSE A LOT MORE TRAFFIC AND A LOT MORE KIDS COULD GET HIT BY CARS OR GET INJURED.
I ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE WOODS BACK THERE.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF WOODS INDICATOR SO WE'D PLAY WITH NERF GUNS IN THE WOODS AND YOU ARE TAKING AWAY SOME WOODS. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS JULIA BROWN.
I LIVE AT 128, ERIE AVENUE, DECATUR GEORGIA 330.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT MOST OF US HERE LOVE AND APPRECIATE SMARTIES.
WE JUST DO NOT LOVE AND APPRECIATE SMARTIES ON STEROIDS.
WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THAT THEY NEED TO EXPAND IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR WAITLIST,
[01:20:04]
ONE ASSUMES THAT THEY ARE OPERATING AT CAPACITY.I THINK WE KNOW FROM THE LAST PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THAT SHE ACTUALLY HAS AN ENROLLMENT OF NOT MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN.
>> BASED ON THE LAST PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, I THINK WHAT WE HEARD IS THAT SHE HAS AN ENROLLMENT OF NOT MORE THAN 100 KIDS BASED ON SITE VISIT REPORTS THAT SHOW ATTENDANCE.
FOR THE STATE LICENSURE VISITS THAT HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY.
SHE HAD ATTENDANCE THAT RANGED ON THAT DAY OF THE SITE VISIT FROM A HIGH OF 95 TO A LOW OF 69 IN 2020.
ON AUGUST 15, 2022, WHICH IS THE DATE OF THE LATEST AVAILABLE SITE VISIT REPORT, THERE WERE 94 CHILDREN IN ATTENDANCE THAT DAY AND SHE'S LICENSED FOR 146.
MY POINT IS THAT WE REALLY HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED EVEN THE FULL AT CAPACITY AMOUNT OF 146.
THAT'S POINT 1. POINT 2, I DON'T THINK IT'S REALISTIC TO THINK THAT SHE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE HER SCHOOL WHILE SHE'S DOING THIS CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S 16,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, WHICH IS 3,000 SQUARE FEET, BIGGER THAN THE CURRENT CHURCH.
THERE IS JUST NOT ENOUGH ACREAGE THERE TO STAGE THIS CONSTRUCTION.
HOW CAN YOU HAVE ALL THESE KIDS COMING AND GOING AND PARENTS ON THIS CONSTRUCTION SITE? SHE WILL GET TO PROBABLY RELOCATE HER SCHOOL SOMEWHERE ELSE TEMPORARILY AND WE WILL BE LEFT THERE IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE WHICH WILL MAKE OUR HOUSES UNINHABITABLE.
IF THAT COMES TO PASS, THEN YOU TRULY WILL BE TRANSFERRING VALUE FROM RESIDENTIAL USES TO COMMERCIAL USE, AS IN SHE IS A FOR PROFIT BUSINESS.
THIRD, I URGE YOU NOT ONLY TO NOT RECOMMEND APPROVAL, BUT TO ALSO CONSIDER SOME ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS ON HER USE.
SHE PLANS TO HAVE A COFFEE SHOP, TO GO MEALS FOR PARENTS, AND TO LET HER SANCTUARY BE USED AFTER HOURS AND ON THE WEEKENDS BEST MORNINGS, CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
>> LAURA SIMMS, 166 ERIE AVENUE. I'M GOING TO JUMP RIGHT IN.
LOTS HAS BEEN SAID, MORE IS GOING TO BE SAID.
TO ME, THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE ABOUT WHAT A GREAT SCHOOL SMARTIES.
WE KNOW IT'S AN AMAZING SCHOOL.
THIS IS ABOUT A BUSINESS, A GROWING, THRIVING, AMAZING BUSINESS.
BUT A BUSINESS LIKE THIS THAT'S GROWING AND THRIVING, IT NEEDS TO GROW NOT NECESSARILY ON ERIE AVENUE.
THE REASON WHY I THINK THIS IS THAT I'M A MOTHER OF THREE.
I UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS TO GET YOUR KIDS INTO PRE-K AND ALL THE WAY UP.
I COME FROM NEW YORK CITY, PLEASE.
I KNOW IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY.
BUT RAISING MY THREE KIDS, AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO WHAT SOMEONE ELSE SAID WHEN IN.
THE KIDS THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE'RE IN THE GREAT LAKES.
WE ARE SQUEEZED BETWEEN CLAIREMONT AND CHURCH, BOTH WHICH HAVE HAD LAIN REDUCTIONS RECENTLY.
WE'RE ALL FEELING THAT TRAFFIC IN THE GREAT LAKES.
WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE CUTTING THROUGH EVERY DAY.
IT'S FROM 6.00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL ABOUT 9 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
WE HAVE MORE AND MORE TRAFFIC COMING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM CLAIREMONT.
MY SON IS GRADUATING FROM CLAIREMONT THIS YEAR.
THERE ARE KIDS OUTSIDE ALL DAY THROUGHOUT CLAIREMONT.
WE HAVE TRAFFIC UP AND DOWN THAT STREET.
WE'VE GOT BUSES COMING IN, NOT JUST IT SERVICE CLAIREMONT, BUT SERVICE TALLY, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR UPPER MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THEY'RE COMING IN AND OUT OF OUR STREETS DOING PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF.
YOU'VE GOT THE SQUEEZED FROM CLAIREMONT AND CHURCH.
BRAND IS OUTSIDE SKATEBOARDING SO ARE MY KIDS, THEY'RE PLAYING BASKETBALL IN THE DRIVEWAY.
I AM BATTLING AND AT THE POINT OF THROWING EXIT CARS EVERY DAY.
I AM FRUSTRATED BY THE TRAFFIC OUTSIDE OF AN EXPANSION.
TO ME, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE WELFARE OF THE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY, HOW THEY ARE OUTSIDE AND THEY'RE JUST SAFETY IS A MAJOR ISSUE.
[01:25:03]
WE'VE GOT THIS EXPANDING BUSINESS THAT SHOULD EXPAND.THAT'S AMAZING AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT THEY'RE THRIVING BECAUSE EDUCATION FOR KIDS IS SO IMPORTANT, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY BELONG ON ERIE.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT A LOT AND REALLY TOP OF MIND FOR ME IS SAFETY FOR OUR KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE TRAFFIC IS INSANE AND I'M WORRIED.
THAT'S PROBABLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
I MEAN, I HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO SAY, BUT I'M ALREADY GOING TO GO.
>> THANK YOU. I'M BRIAN SIMPSON.
I ALSO LIVE AT 166 ERIE, AND I BELONG TO THAT HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.
[LAUGHTER] I'M NOT GOING TO STUFF ON WHAT MY WIFE SAID, BUT I WILL REITERATE A FEW THINGS.
WE MADE A VERY CONSCIOUS DECISION TO MOVE TO CATER FROM NEW YORK ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO.
THE REASON FOR THAT WAS IT WAS THE VERY BEST COMBINATION OF EDUCATION COMMUNITY RESOURCES, BUSINESSES AND LIFESTYLE FOR US COMING FROM AN ISLAND WITH 8 MILLION PEOPLE ON IT.
THAT'S 11 MILE LONG AND TWO-AND-A-HALF MILES WIDE.
HAVING LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR SEVEN YEARS, ARE CHILDREN WHO ARE ALL IN THE CITY SCHOOLS DECATUR.
I'M THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT MY KIDS ARE GETTING IN CITY OF DECATUR SCHOOLS.
THEY ARE DOING BETTER THAN WE WOULD HAVE IMAGINED, AND IS PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF OUR WONDERFUL NEIGHBORS.
I THINK YOU CAN APPRECIATE AS A GROUP, HOW WELL-PREPARED THEY ARE.
NOWHERE NEAR AS WELL-PREPARED.
EXTREMELY WELL-PREPARED TO COMBAT THIS EXPANSION AND THIS EXPANSION THAT'S THE ISSUE IS NOT THE BUSINESS, IS THE EXPANSION THAT WILL CAUSE A LOT MORE TRAFFIC ON THE STREET.
I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES I'M BACK IN NEW YORK ON THE STREET HAVING TO POLICE AND HELICOPTER MY CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PLAY IN THE STREET.
I GREW UP IN THE STREET RUNNING AROUND IN A STREAM PLAYING.
MIKE, I WANT MY CHILDREN TO HAVE THE SAME THING, THEY HAVE THAT NOW WITH THIS NEW EXPANSION.
I'M CONCERNED THAT THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC WILL CAUSE THAT SITUATION TO DETERIORATE EVEN FURTHER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> HELLO THERE, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS MARIA ALVAREZ AND I LIVE AT 449 CLAIREMONT AVENUE ON G4.
I AM DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE FACILITY.
LAST TIME THAT I WAS HERE, I SPOKE ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN THAT THE CITY, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WE HAVE HERE IN DECATUR, THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER AS A CITY.
THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION OR INCREASE ENLARGEMENT, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, WILL ACTUALLY GO AGAINST.
I COULD GO AND DO MY LIST AGAIN.
BUT FROM THIS PARTICULAR SESSION THAT WE HAVE HERE, A FEW THINGS COME INTO MIND.
ONE OF THEM IS LIKE THE SCHOOL PEAK HOURS THAT THEY SPEAK OFF.
THEY SAID THAT IS THE PEAK THAT ALSO IS WITH CLAIREMONT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY CLAIREMONT IS NOT THE ONE THAT THE SCHOOL IS, THAT IS BEING INCREASED.
THAT CAPACITY IS GOING TO STAY THE SAME.
THEREFORE, THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC IS ACTUALLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THAT INCREASE, NOT TO CLAIREMONT WHATSOEVER.
THE OTHER THING IS LIKE THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS OUT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE, I WANT TO CONDUCT A QUICK SURVEY.
HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM LIVE THAT DO OPPOSE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SCHOOL THAT ARE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY THAT DID NOT WORK FOR THE FACILITY? IF THEY COULD RAISE THEIR HANDS, I WANT TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE IN HERE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE IMPACTED THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
>> NO. [LAUGHTER] YEAH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT OLDER PEOPLE WHO SPOKE WERE EITHER EMPLOYEES OR THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE FAMILIES THAT WERE ALREADY IN THERE OR SOMEHOW IN THERE.
THAT DOES PRETTY MUCH IN A NUTSHELL.
WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT THE STATUS QUO.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT A BAD THING TO HAVE AN INCREASE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IS ALL JUST DIFFERENT THINGS ARE GOING TO OCCUR BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE.
I WANT TO SUM THIS UP THIS WAY AS WELL.
THERE WAS ONE THING THAT WAS SAID.
IT'S LIKE, THAT NOT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS ARE OVER $1 MILLION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
[01:30:06]
IF I REMEMBER THIS CORRECTLY, THE TUITION'S PER MONTH IS 1,500 ON AVERAGE HERE. THAT IS NOT AFFORDABLE.SOMEBODY SAID IT'S AFFORDABLE AND IT'S NOT AFFORDABLE.
I AM A SPANISH SPEAKING PERSON.
MY NEPHEW AND MY NIECE, THEY SPEAK SPANISH, THEY SPEAK PORTUGUESE, THEY SPEAK ITALIAN AND IT WAS ALL IN HOME.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE IN SCHOOL.
YOU CAN JUST PICK IT UP IN HIGH SCHOOL AT A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WE HAD EXCELLENT PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
I'M JUST GOING TO DROP IT THERE. [LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME'S GARRICK CLIFFORD.
I'M AT 512 CLAIREMONT AVENUE IN DECATUR.
I HAVE LIVED THERE FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.
I WANT TO RAISE JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS, REITERATE SOME THINGS.
THE MAIN CONCERN I HAD WAS THAT THE TRAFFIC PLANS SEEM TO HAVE ALL THE TRAFFIC EXITING ONTO CLAIREMONT AVENUE, WHICH IS A FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY AND PEOPLE ARE SPEEDING DOWN THERE AT 40-50 MILES AN HOUR, EASILY EXCESS OF THE POSTED LIMITS.
THAT'S ON A GOOD DAY. NOW, ALL THE TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE SWITCHING OUT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING 250 CARS IN THE MORNING, 250 IN THE EVENING, TRYING TO GET ACROSS FOUR LANES.
AT LEAST HALF OF THAT IS GOING TO BE TRAVELING NORTH, TRYING TO CROSS THE INTERSECTING TRAFFIC.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A RE-ANALYSIS OF THAT.
I THINK THAT GIVEN THE NEW TRAFFIC FLOWS ON CLAIREMONT WITH THE TWO LANES BOTTLENECKING INTO ONE, GOING DOWN TOWARDS THE MARRIOTT THERE.
I DON'T SEE HOW SUDDENLY THIS INCREASE IN TRAFFIC HAS BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH SUFFICIENTLY.
THEN THERE'S THE NEW APARTMENT AT THE CORNER OF COHEN'S AND CLAIREMONT THAT HASN'T BEEN POPULATED YET THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE TRAFFIC FLOW AS WELL.
I'VE GOT CONCERNS THAT THE SHRINKING OF THE ROAD, INCREASE IN OCCUPANCY THERE IS GOING TO BACKUP THE TRAFFIC EVEN MORE.
WE'RE ALREADY SEEING A LOT OF BACKING UP OF TRAFFIC AS YOU'VE HEARD.
MY SECOND POINT IS THE QUESTION OF ISSUE OF DEMAND AND SERVICE.
I THINK THAT THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT I CATEGORIZE MYSELF AS A NUMBER 2 FAN OF SMARTIES HERE.
MY YOUNGEST ATTENDED, WE LOVED IT.
IT'S A FANTASTIC NURTURING ENVIRONMENT.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE IN GROWING UP SPEAKING MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, I WISH EVERYONE COULD AFFORD TO SEND THEIR KIDS THERE.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A QUESTION OF, SHOULD WE BE EXPANDING THERE AND CAN THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF DECATUR AFFORD THIS? SHOULD WE BE PROVIDING AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR DAYCARE INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT EXPANDING ON ONE SINGLE SITE? THAT'S IT. I'M DONE. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M KATE LAWES.
I RESIDE AT 510 CLAIREMONT AVENUE, 30030 IN DECATUR.
SO MANY PEOPLE BEFORE ME HAVE BROUGHT UP SO MANY PERTINENT ISSUES AND HAD LIGHT BULBS GO OFF.
THE SAFETY, THE CONSIDERATION OF LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THIS TRAFFIC, WHICH IS HARD TO DISCERN NOW, THAT GENTLEMAN SUGGESTING, WE NEED TO LOOK 3-5 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, LOOK FURTHER, SEVEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I FEEL LIKE IN THE APPLICANT'S WORDS AND I'LL REFER TO THEIR APPLICATION, IT SAYS, LET ME PREFACE THIS.
I LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF AS A GOOD NEIGHBOR, JUST AS THE PARENTS AND THE OWNER OF SMARTIES HAVE PRESENTED THEMSELVES AND I DID ATTEND THE MEETING ON THURSDAY NIGHT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT WENT INTO THAT.
MADE ME WISH I HAD LITTLE GUYS AGAIN.
MY KIDS WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET A WALDORF EDUCATION FROM KINDERGARTEN 3-5 YEARS OLD BEFORE WE PUT THEM IN CITY OF DECATUR SCHOOLS.
WE FOUND THAT SIMILARITIES AND THAT STYLE ARE VERY VALUABLE TO THEIR NURTURING.
BUT IN BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR OR NOT BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, NUMBER 4 IS, TO WHAT EXTENT WILL OR COULD THE PROPOSED USE CAUSE AN EXCESSIVE OR BURDENSOME USE OF EXISTING STREETS, TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, UTILITIES, OR OTHER PUBLIC FACILITIES? THE RESPONSE.
APPLICANTS DAYCARE IS A LOW IMPACT USE OF THE PROPERTY AND WILL NOT CAUSE ANY HARDSHIP TO THESE ISSUES.
I FOUND THAT TO BE SHORTSIGHTED AS A RESIDENT OF THE AREA.
I THINK I SUPPORT THE SCHOOL AS IT IS IN ITS CURRENT ENROLLMENT.
I THINK THAT THE FACT THAT THEY REFER TO THEMSELVES ALSO IN THEIR APPLICATION,
[01:35:07]
NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE, BUT MANY TIMES BECAUSE IT IS AS IT SHOULD BE, THEY REFER TO THEMSELVES AS A BUSINESS.WE MOVED HERE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE EXPANSION OF A BEAUTIFUL EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER INTO A LARGER BUSINESS IS VERY DISRUPTIVE TO OUR FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS. THANK YOU.
>> I'M DEBORAH PAINTER. I LIVE AT 320 SUPERIOR AVENUE.
I KNOW THAT SHE'S DONE SOME STUFF WITH THE TRAFFIC AND I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY A REALLY BIG ISSUE HERE.
BUT IF SHE'S GOT ONE EXIT COMING OUT OF THERE ON THE CLAIREMONT ROAD, PEOPLE CAN'T TURN LEFT SO THEY'RE GOING TO TURN RIGHT. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND CUT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES NEIGHBORHOOD.
SOMETIMES WE ALREADY HAVE A HARD TIME CROSSING SUPERIOR AVENUE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TRAFFIC CUTTING THROUGH.
ADD THAT MUCH MORE, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM TO AVOID THE CORNER AT CLAIREMONT AND SCOTT BOULEVARD.
WHEN SHE BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY A YEAR AGO AND CAME TO YOU ALL ABOUT HAVING IT AS A DAYCARE, SHE KNEW WHAT SHE BOUGHT, SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO AND NOW SHE SAYS, SHE'S GOT 500 MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE WAITING LIST.
IT'S A GREAT SCHOOL, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES SHE COULD EXPAND IN DECATUR THAT WOULD NOT IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT IMPACT THE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS ALREADY BAD ENOUGH. THANK YOU.
OUR FRONT DOOR LOOKS OUT IMMEDIATELY AT THE CHURCH DOOR, SO WE'RE STRAIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
I'M PRESENTING A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT OPINION.
I'M IN THE OPPOSED CATEGORY, BUT I PERSONALLY DON'T FEEL OPPOSED TO THEM EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THERE.
MY HEART RESONATES WITH THE PARENTS HERE AND THE NEED TO EDUCATE CHILDREN AND THE SERVICE THAT THAT PROVIDES TO THE COMMUNITY.
MY CONCERN IS DIVIDING THE EDUCATIONAL FUNCTION OF THAT SCHOOL.
EDUCATING AND FEEDING THE KIDS WITH SOME OF THE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES WHICH THEY'VE TACKED ON.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE DEVELOPING A CATERING FACILITY TO DO THE COOKING, POSSIBLY LEASING SPACE, EXPANDING THE PARKING TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO COME IN.
I FEEL AND I THINK THE LAST POINT IS THAT THEY TALK ABOUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
AS ELLEN SLACK WHO FIRST CAME IN, THIS HAPPENED REALLY LATE.
THEY HAVE MADE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE NEW PLAN.
I FEEL LIKE THIS WHOLE THING SHOULD HAVE BEEN ROLLED BACK TWO MONTHS BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION HASN'T FINISHED YET.
I QUESTION WHETHER THERE MAY BE A WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE A WIN-WIN.
THEY COULD EXPAND THE SCHOOL, THEY GET RID OF THE COMMERCIAL, OUTGOING LEASING TYPE ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD BRING IN MORE TRAFFIC.
THEY FIND WAYS TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE GETTING THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL, MAYBE LIKE ANOTHER BUS SERVICE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CARS COMING IN.
THEN EVERYBODY CAN GET THEIR WAY AND THERE'S MORE CHILDCARE.
PERSONALLY, THE LAST THING IS I THINK THEY ARE A JOYOUS NEIGHBOR.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE LITTLE PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND. THANK YOU.
I LIVE IN BUILDING K, WHICH IS RIGHT TO THE BACK OF WHERE THE PROPERTY LINE IS.
I KNOW THAT THEY'VE MADE CONCESSIONS TO MOVE THE PROPERTY OR MOVE THE NEW EDITION BACK AWAY FROM ERIE, BUT THAT JUST PUSHES IT RIGHT UP AGAINST OUR PROPERTY LINE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TREES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN DOWN.
IT SAID THAT THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO TAKE DOWN 30 TREES AND PUT UP 60 SOMETHING.
BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S MISLEADING BECAUSE LAST OCTOBER THEY HAD ALREADY STRIPPED DOWN LIKE A PARCEL OF LAND.
I ACTUALLY HAVE AN EMAIL FROM THE CITY ARBORIST WHO WROTE AN EMAIL TO OUR HOA BOARD MEMBER ABOUT HOW THEY ONLY HAD EMERGENCY APPROVAL TO REMOVE A DEAD STANDING TREE AND CLEAR INVASIVE OVERGROWTH BY HAND MEANS.
THEN THE ARBORIST HAD TO PUT A STOP WORK ORDER.
[01:40:02]
I'M WONDERING IF THOSE 30 ADDITIONAL TREES, IF THEY'RE ADDITIONAL OR THEY'RE THE ONES FROM THAT THEY'VE ALREADY CLEAR CUT DOWN.I AGREE WITH MY FELLOW NEIGHBORS WHERE I FEEL LIKE THE PROGRAM SOUNDS GREAT, BUT THE EXPANSION IS JUST TOO MUCH. THANK YOU.
>> HI, MY NAME IS KATE SCHRUM AND I LIVE AT 449 CLAIREMONT AVENUE AND BUILDING J4.
MY FAMILY BOUGHT THE CONDO IN 2007 RIGHT AFTER THEY WERE RENOVATED SO I'VE LIVED THERE SINCE 2007.
I WANT TO POINT EVERYBODY BACK TO THE PAGE 11 IN THE PACKET WHICH OUTLINES HOW CLOSE THE SUGGESTED PARKING LOT WILL BE TO THE PROPERTY LINE OF THE 449 PROPERTIES.
THAT PROPERTY LINE, THAT VIEW, HAVING ALL OF THOSE CARS WILL PROBABLY BE ABOUT 12 FEET FROM THE BACK DECK OF THE PERSON WHO JUST SPOKE OF HER UNIT.
IT'LL AFFECT ABOUT 10 RESIDENTS.
TEN UNITS ACTUALLY, THERE'LL BE MORE RESIDENTS THAN 10 UNITS, ARE ALONG THAT PROPERTY LINE.
I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT I THINK THE ATTORNEY SAID THAT THE PLAN IS MEANT TO PRESERVE EXISTING TREES.
WELL, THAT'S VERY CONVENIENT HAVING CLEARED THAT LAND.
THOSE TREES EXISTED BEFORE THESE PROPOSALS CAME UP IN FRONT OF THE CITY.
WE WERE VERY SURPRISED WHEN THE LAND RIGHT BEHIND OUR CONDOS WAS CLEARED AND THAT WAS AN ENORMOUS DRAW FOR US TO PURCHASE OUR PARTICULAR UNITS.
I REMEMBER ACTUALLY WAITING FOR MY PARTICULAR UNIT TO BE DONE BECAUSE IT LOOKED ONTO THIS GREEN SPACE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CONNIE DAVIS MOORE AND I LIVE AT 219 LUCERNE STREET.
I DID SPEAK AT THE LAST PLANNING MEETING, AND I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF POINTS FROM TONIGHT'S MEETING AND REPEAT A COUPLE OF THESIS THAT I HAVE ABOUT THE EXPANSION.
FIRST OF ALL, THE ADDITIONAL IMPERVIOUS AREA OF 23,000 SQUARE FEET SOUNDS LIKE A LOT.
SECONDLY, IF WE GO AND LOOK AT DECAL.GA.GOV, WHICH IS THE LICENSING BODY FOR LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTERS IN THE CITY OF ACROSS THE STATE, I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT THERE IS EXISTING CAPACITY FOR SOME EXPANSION IN TERMS OF THE ENROLLMENT AT SMARTIES THAT'S BASED ON THIS STANDARD OF 35 SQUARE FEET PER CHILD.
AGAIN, GO AND LOOK AT THOSE REPORTS AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY HAVE EXPANSION TO MEET THE 144 AS WELL AS SEVERAL SCHOOLS.
GOOD QUALITY CHILDCARE CENTERS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR ALSO HAVE CAPACITY, AND THAT'S WHAT I DO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT POINT.
I THINK YOU WOULD FIND A GROUP OF PARENTS IN EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS THAT WOULD ATTEST TO THE HAPPY EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'VE HAD FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
CONGRATULATIONS TO SMARTIES FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HARD CHILDCARE WORKERS IN THE STATE AND IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
WITH THAT, THE ARGUMENT WAS MADE THAT THERE ARE NO LARGE MILLION DOLLAR PLUS CHILDCARE CENTERS IN DECATUR LIKE WE HAVE IN ALPHARETTA AND JOHNS CREEK.
I THINK WE DON'T WANT TO BE ALPHARETTA AND JOHNS CREEK, THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE'RE IN DECATUR. ONE LAST THING.
WHY IS THE EXPANSION SO CHALLENGING? BECAUSE THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY HAS HAD A LOSS OF 100,000 EMPLOYEES SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC AND IT'S NOT RECOVERING.
PLEASE GO LOOK AT THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE THAT I REFERENCED IN MY LAST COMMENTARY, AND THIS IS TRUE.
FINALLY, LAST WEEK OR LAST MEETING, SOMEONE FROM ON BOARD OF THE LEGACY PARK WARNED US TO PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE GIVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A FOR PROFIT ENTITY, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER HERE. THANK YOU.
>> HI, GEORGE LAW, 510 CLAIREMONT AVENUE.
I WANT TO TOUCH ON ONE THING THAT HASN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT QUITE ENOUGHI BELIEVE.
[01:45:04]
THAT IS THE POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL POSSIBILITIES THAT ARE INHERENT IN THE PROPOSAL THAT'S BEEN PUT FORTH BY THE APPLICANT.SHE'S CLEARLY A VERY SAVVY BUSINESSWOMAN.
CREATING THIS NEW EXPANDED FACILITY WILL DEMAND THAT THERE'LL BE EXPANDED INCOME AND HOW SHE GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT.
IN ADDITION TO HER REQUESTS FOR FURTHER ENROLLMENT, SHE'S ALREADY TOUCHED UPON AND IT'S BEEN TOUCHED UPON HERE, THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE SOME KITCHEN ACTIVITIES, WHICH SHE'S TALKED ALREADY ABOUT HAVING SUMMER CAMPS, ABOUT HAVING POSSIBILITY OF LEASING FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
ONCE THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS GIVEN, THERE'S NOTHING THIS COMMISSION OR ANYONE ELSE CAN DO TO RESTRICT FUTURE ACTIVITIES ON THAT PROPERTY AS LONG AS THEY DON'T VIOLATE WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS ARE IN THAT SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
SHE CAN HAVE CAMPS AND ACTIVITIES AND DANCES ALL SUMMER LONG IF SHE WANTS THERE TO GENERATE INCOME FOR HER BUSINESS, AND IT IS A BUSINESS AND I DON'T BEGRUDGE HER FOR THAT, BUT THAT IS THE BARN DOOR THAT'S BEING OPENED BY THE EXPANSION OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, FOR WHAT IS A STRICTLY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
YES, IT'S A SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, A PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, 300 AND SOME FEET AWAY.
AS EVERYONE ELSE HAS SPOKEN ABOUT, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDCARE IN THE EXPANDED METRO AREA.
GREAT, IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, START ANOTHER ONE SOMEWHERE ELSE OR GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO EXPAND.
BUT THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND OPENING IT UP TO A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE, THAT WILL HAVE NO RESTRICTIONS ON WHATEVER ACTIVITIES CAN OCCUR THERE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE A PARENTS NIGHT THERE, IF YOU HAVE 250 CHILDREN, YOU POTENTIALLY HAVE 250 PARENTS PLUS STAFF, PLUS GUESTS AND VISITORS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PARK? YOU'VE GOT 67 PARKING SPACES.
THEY'RE GOING TO FLOOD THE SIDE STREETS.
ANYTIME THERE'S A SPECIAL EVENT OR AN ACTIVITY THERE THAT ENCOURAGES A LARGE TURNOUT OF THE PARENT BODY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE FLOODING THE SIDE STREETS WITH PARKING.
YOU JUST REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND HAVE LIVED FOR DECADES AND DECADES.
IT IS NOT PART OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. THANK YOU.
I LIVE AT 455 CLAIREMONT, WHICH IS ADJOINS THE SMARTIES PROPERTY ON TWO SIDES.
A YEAR AGO WHEN SMARTIES FIRST CAME BEFORE THIS BOARD FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM RESIDENTIAL 62 INSTITUTIONAL, I SPOKE OUT BRIEFLY IN OPPOSITION TO IT BECAUSE I WAS JUST CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
BUT AT THAT TIME, THE BOARD NEGOTIATED WITH SMARTIES TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THIS EXPANDED USE TO OPERATE A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS IN COMMERCIAL DAYCARE IN WHAT WAS THEN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, AND IT IS, IT'S STILL RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT THEY PUT A CONDITION ON IT.
THAT BOARD SAID, WELL, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO YOU HAVE? MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT THEY SAID 122 AND THEY SAID, WELL, WHAT IF WE CAP IT AT 122? THEN THEY SAID, WELL, NO, OUR LICENSE IS 148.
THE BOARD SAID, WE WILL CAP IT AT 148.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WAS THE POINT IN TIME IN WHICH THE CAMEL'S NOSE WENT INTO THE TENT, AND WE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS COMMERCIAL BUSINESS OPERATING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE OWNER OF SMARTIES AT A MEETING LAST THURSDAY NIGHT THAT SHE IN SPITE OF WHAT WAS SAID, TO THE COMMISSION AT THAT MEETING, SHE HAD ALWAYS INTENDED THIS EXPANSION AND NOW SHE'S BROUGHT IT FORWARD IN LESS THAN SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS AFTER THAT.
AFTER THAT MEETING, SHE WAS ALREADY MEETING WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY PLANNING THE EXPANSION THAT SHE HAD SAID SHE WOULD NOT DO TO THIS BOARD, BUT WHICH SHE ALREADY PLANNED TO DO.
[01:50:01]
HERE THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IT.THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALLY BIG BUSINESS WHEN IT GETS UP TO THIS SIZE OF 30,000 SQUARE FOOT, BUILDING IS GOING TO BE SITTING ON THIS PROPERTY ALONG WITH THIS PARKING THAT GOES BACK INTO WHAT WAS FORMERLY THE WOODS? THIS IS JUST WHOLLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS LOCATION.
THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO BE ENORMOUS.
THIS IS A RELATIVELY SMALL SITE FOR THIS CONSTRUCTION.
THEY'VE GOT A PARKING LOT AND THEN I GUESS THEY'LL BUILD ANOTHER PARKING LOT JUST FOR STAGING THE MATERIAL BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALLY BIG CONSTRUCTION SITE AND IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY TAKE 18 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS TO STAGE AND BUILD THIS OUT, AT WHICH TIME THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE DURING THAT ANYWAY, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'LL BE ABLE TO OPERATE ON THE PROPERTY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING THIS BIG IN THAT LIMITED A SITE BECAUSE OF LACK OF PARKING AND LACK OF ACCESS WHEN THEY USE THE PARKING LOT FOR STAGING.
ANYWAY, I'M OPPOSED TO THIS EXPANSION, AND HERE WE ARE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS DEVIN GORDON.
AS MANY NEIGHBORS HAVE SPOKEN THIS EVENING I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE SCHOOL AND ITS CURRENT STATE AND THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT IT OFFERS.
WE ARE VERY CONCERNED HOWEVER, ABOUT THE OVERTLY COMMERCIAL EXPANSION ALREADY IN PLACE.
IN MY OPINION, THIS EXPANSION FLIES DIRECTLY IN CONTRADICTION TO THE PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTIONAL DISTRICT, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS FOR PUBLIC USE BUILDINGS SUCH AS MUSEUMS, CHURCHES, COLLEGES, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, NOT OVERLY COMMERCIAL EXPANSION.
A NUMBER OF THINGS HAVE BEEN MENTIONED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
LET'S PUT IT IN REAL TERMS. FOR A 100-STUDENT INCREASE, ASSUMING A EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF AGES ACCORDING TO THE TUITION PUBLISHED ON THE SMARTIES WEBSITE THE ANNUAL REVENUE INCREASE FOR SMARTIES WILL BE BETWEEN $1.8 AND $2.2 MILLION.
I DON'T REGRET ANYONE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS, I WISH THEM WELL BUT THIS IS REAL MONEY.
THIS IS ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL USE OF AN INSTITUTIONAL DISTRICT WITH FURTHER EXPANDING COMMERCIAL USE LIKE WE'VE HEARD WITH TO-GO MEALS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
THAT'S A RESTAURANT, AN EVENT SPACE, THAT IS A COMMERCIAL USE.
FROM A TRAFFIC PERSPECTIVE, SEVERAL NEIGHBORS HAVE MENTIONED TRAFFIC PATTERNS OF INDICATOR HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE JANUARY DATE THAT THE TRAFFIC STUDY WAS CONDUCTED ON THAT ONE DAY.
IS THE STUDY STILL VALID? I QUESTION WHY THE STUDY DID NOT EVALUATE AND CONSIDER PONCE DE LEON PLACE.
AS YOU SEE IN THE TRAFFIC STUDY MAPS, PONCE DE LEON PLACE INTERSECTS CLAIREMONT, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPERTY.
ALL TRAFFIC ENTERING OR EXITING FROM PONCE DE LEON PLACE ONTO CLAIREMONT WILL AFFECT AND WILL BE AFFECTED BY DAYCARE TRAFFIC, PARTICULARLY THAT TRAFFIC THAT IS EXITING THE EXIT ONLY.
WHY WAS PONCE DE LEON PLACE NOT INCLUDED IN THE TRAFFIC STUDY? THAT SEEMS LIKE AN OVERSIGHT.
WHY WAS DAYCARE ATTENDANCE NOT CONSIDERED IN THE TRAFFIC STUDY? THE TRAFFIC STUDY TOOK A ONE-DAY TRAFFIC AND THEN DID A MATHEMATICAL USE ON WHAT ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC WOULD LOOK LIKE EXCEPT THE ASSUMPTION, I PRESUME IS THAT THERE WERE 148 STUDENTS THERE THAT DAY.
IN CONCLUSION, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CONSIDER THIS.
IF YOU WERE STARTING FROM SCRATCH, WOULD YOU APPROVE TWO FACILITIES WITH ROUGHLY 250 CHILDREN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET LESS THAN 100 YARDS APART? THANK YOU.
>> ANGELA, IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION?
>> THEY EITHER NEED TO RAISE THEIR VIRTUAL HAND OR TURN ON THEIR CAMERA AND WAVE AT US.
>> I DON'T SEE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION ONLINE.
[01:55:01]
THE APPLICANT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REBUTTAL AT THIS TIME?>> YES. THANK YOU. WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE COMMENTS IN SUPPORT, AND AGAINST.
I WANT TO MAKE JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK POINTS TO ADDRESS A NUMBER OF THE COMMENTS, PROVIDED SOME DETAILS THAT WERE JUST INCORRECT, INCORRECT NUMBERS AND LEVEL OF SERVICE, TRAFFIC IMPACTS THAT WERE JUST SIMPLY INCORRECT.
I'M SURE PART OF THAT IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY A RESULT OF THE FACT WE HAVE CHANGED THE SITE PLAN AND WE HAVE UPDATED THE TRAFFIC STUDY TO REFLECT THE NEW PROPOSED STUDENT ENROLLMENT AT 255 STUDENTS.
I WON'T GO BACK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION IN DETAIL AND GO OVER THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN BUT I DO WANT TO CLARIFY JUST A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT POINTS THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HERE AND THE NEIGHBORS UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PROPOSED BUILDING EXPANSION IS NOT 30,000 SQUARE FEET, IT IS 16,000 SQUARE FEET.
THAT PROPOSED BUILDING EXPANSION, WHEN COMBINED WITH THE EXISTING CHURCH SANCTUARY AND THE CHURCH ANNEX, WILL RESULT IN A TOTAL BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE OF APPROXIMATELY 30,000.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, FORGIVE ME.
AGAIN TO CLARIFY, THE PROPOSAL HERE IS TO CAP ENROLLMENT AT 255 STUDENTS, NOT 300.
ANOTHER MINOR DETAIL MAYBE, BUT I THINK IMPORTANT ALSO TO UNDERSTAND THAT A BIG MOTIVATOR HERE IS FOR SMARTIES TO SERVE EXISTING FAMILIES.
FAMILIES THAT HAVE A STUDENT ALREADY IN THE PROGRAM WHO HAVE SIBLINGS WHO WOULD ALSO JOIN THE PROGRAM.
OF COURSE, IT IS AN INCREASE IN TOTAL ENROLLMENT BUT IT'S NOT SIMPLY ADDING 100 FAMILIES AND THEREFORE 100 NEW CARS EVERY DAY.
IT'S VERY NUANCED WITH FAMILIES, SIBLINGS, AND COMING TO SMARTIES AND COMBINING TRIPS.
THEN A COUPLE OF MORE POINTS THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS.
FIRST, A LOT OF NEIGHBORS MENTIONED COMMERCIAL USE AND I WANT TO PUT THAT TO BED.
I KNOW THAT MS. CARBIDE HAS ALREADY MENTIONED THAT THERE'S RUMORS ABOUT WHAT SERVICES SHE DESIRES TO OPERATE OUT OF THIS SITE AND TO BE CLEAR THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A RESTAURANT OR A COFFEE SHOP THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
IN PROMOTING THE PROPOSED EXPANSION BOGNA HAS AGAIN, PART OF HER VISION AND HER MISSION HERE IS TO SERVE FAMILIES AND THE FAMILIES OF THE CHILDREN IN HER PROGRAM.
SHE HAS TALKED ABOUT HAVING HER SPACE BE A PLACE THAT'S EASY FOR PARENTS TO DROP OFF THEIR CHILD AND COME AND SIT AND HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE.
AND THERE'S DISCUSSION OF THIS AMENITY FOR FAMILIES WITHIN THE PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN, I THINK, EXAGGERATED A LITTLE BIT TO BE A BIGGER COMMERCIAL OPERATION, AND IT IS NOT THAT.
OF COURSE, WE CAN PROVIDE MORE DETAIL ON THAT IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
A LOT OF CONCERN AND UNDERSTANDABLY ABOUT THE PROPOSED LOCATION HERE.
IF I DON'T KNOW, ANGELA, IF WE COULD GO BACK TO OUR I THINK IT WAS SLIDE NUMBER 3 ON OUR PRESENTATION THAT JUST SHOWS THE CONTEXT MAP HERE THAT SOMEONE WHO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION MENTIONED IT.
I'D LIKE TO REITERATE THAT WE BELIEVE IN FACT THAT THIS IS THE IDEAL LOCATION FOR THIS DAYCARE CENTER AND FOR THE PROPOSED EXPANSION.
SMARTIES VIEWS THE PROXIMITY TO CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY TO BE AN ABSOLUTE ASSET AND THE CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY, FOR INSTANCE, I MIGHT MISS-STATE THIS WITHIN THE TECHNICAL LANGUAGE BUT USES SMARTIES ACADEMY AS AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION LOCATION.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, CLAIREMONT EVACUATES TO SMARTIES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CONTEXT MAP JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO LOCATE AN EXPANDED DAYCARE EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING FACILITY IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
YES, THE SANCTUARY BUILDING FRONTS ERIE, BUT WE ARE ON THE CORNER OF ERIE AVENUE AND CLAIREMONT AVENUE.
AGAIN, TO STRESS WHAT A NUMBER OF FOLKS HAVE ALREADY SAID, WE VIEW THIS LOCATION AND ITS PROXIMITY TO
[02:00:02]
CLAIREMONT AND TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS ITS BIGGEST ASSET.OUR GOAL IS TO REDUCE CAR TRIPS.
I KNOW A NUMBER OF FAMILIES AT SMARTIES ALSO HAVE CHILDREN AT CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY.
IN AN IDEAL WORLD, THAT'S ONE FEWER TRIPS ON THE ROAD WHEN LAST CAR THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AGAIN, I HATE TO FOCUS ON THIS MAP SO INTENTLY, BUT WITH THE PROPOSED CONFIGURATION, THE NEW TRAFFIC FLOW ON THE EXIT ONLY OFF ONTO CLAIREMONT FROM THE PROPOSED ADDITIONAL PARKING LOT.
WE BELIEVE IN, I THINK IT'S SMARTIES' HOPE THAT THAT'S GOING TO REDUCE IMPACTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND KEEP TRAFFIC PULLING BACK ON CLAIREMONT, THE MAJOR CORRIDOR, AND AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD HERE.
AGAIN REITERATE, WE THINK THIS LOCATION IS IN FACT THE BEST LOCATION FOR A DAYCARE AND THAT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE DAYCARE ARE COMPATIBLE WITH A SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND AN ASSET TO A SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANY OF US WHO MOVED TO DECATUR LIKELY MOVED HERE BECAUSE WE ENJOY WALKABILITY AND WE VALUE THE ABILITY TO WALK OR PUSH OR STROLL OR BIKE YOUR CHILD TO DAYCARE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ALL OF US WOULD BE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THIS EXPANSION WOULD, AGAIN, NOT BE A COMMERCIAL OPERATION, BUT WOULD ALLOW AND INVITE SMARTIES TO SERVE MORE FAMILIES AT THIS VERY IDEAL LOCATION ON ERIE AND CLAIREMONT AVENUE.
TWO MORE POINTS MY THIRD POINT IS CHANGE.
I UNDERSTAND FROM NEIGHBORS WHO'VE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A LONG TIME, IT'S HARD TO SEE CHANGE IT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO WATCH IN THIS EXPANSION.
THIS BUILDING EXPANSION WILL CHANGE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE SITE, WHICH HAS BEEN USED HISTORICALLY AS A CHURCH AND FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS AS SMARTIES ACADEMY.
WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S GONNA BE SOME GROWING PAINS THERE BUT THIS IS SMARTIES PROPERTY AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, WE THINK THIS IS AN ASSET.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK AND OUR DESIGN TEAM AND ENGINEERING TEAM HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO HEAR THE NEIGHBOR'S FEEDBACK AND RESPOND WITH A REVISED SITE PLAN, THE SCALE OF THE BUILDING, THE LOCATION OF THE BUILDING, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING ITSELF, THE ARCHITECTURE, THE DESIGN DETAILS AND THOSE FEATURES ARE GOING TO GO BUY THROUGH THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS PROCESS.
AGAIN, WE'RE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT THIS HAS CHANGED.
THIS ISN'T A CHURCH ANYMORE, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS EVOLUTION AND GROWTH FOR SMARTIES WILL ALLOW SMARTIES TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC CHURCH, MAINTAIN THIS PROPERTY, AND BRING THE HIGHEST QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTER TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CITY OF DECATUR, AS WE CAN.
ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN WHO SPOKE IN OPPOSITION MENTIONED, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THIS SENTIMENT THAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE A WIN-WIN HERE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR SMARTIES.
EVERYONE RESOUNDINGLY AGREES THAT SMARTIES IS A FANTASTIC FACILITY AND I HOPE THAT WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED TONIGHT, WHILE I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION AND IT'S BEEN GRANULAR AND TECHNICAL AND WE'VE PROVIDED A LOT OF DETAIL, THE TAKEAWAY HOPE IS THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO THE NEIGHBORS AND WE'VE TRIED TO PREPARE A SITE PLAN AND A PROPOSED BUILDING EDITION THAT MEETS ALL OF THESE MAYBE COMPETING, TOO STRONG OF A WORD, THESE INTERESTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RESPECT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE FOLKS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND WE DO THINK WE CAN FIND A WIN-WIN.
IF THAT MEANS WE NEED TO TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE TRAFFIC FLOW, THE BUILDING, MASSING, AND UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY WHAT'S PROPOSED HERE AND WHAT'S NOT.
GOING BACK TO MY NUMBER 1 COMMENT ABOUT COMMERCIAL USES WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT, ABOVE ALL, THERE TO BE MISINFORMATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE I HOPE I DON'T OVERSTATE WHEN I SAY THAT BOGNA HER PRIORITY HERE IS TO PROVIDE A SERVICE
[02:05:06]
IN A PROGRAM THAT IS ENRICHING AND MEANINGFUL TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO LOOK FOR THAT WIN-WIN AND APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.>> WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND KICK OFF OUR DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THE ISSUE HERE IS A FEAR OF CHANGE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE ISSUE AT ALL, AT LEAST NOT FOR ME PERSONALLY.
I THINK IT'S AN ISSUE OF TRUST.
BASED ON WHAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR, AT LEAST ME PERSONALLY, I FIND THE FOLLOWING FACTS TO BE EVIDENCED FROM THE RECORD.
FIRST, THERE IS AN ISSUE OF CREDIBILITY BECAUSE WE APPROVED THE ZONING THAT ALLOWS SMARTIES TO GO IN SCARCELY A YEAR AGO.
THEN WE WERE TOLD THAT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF STUDENTS WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THEM TO OPERATE.
THE WHOLE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE INITIAL ZONING APPROVAL WAS DEMAND FOR DAYCARE. WE APPROVED IT.
WE CONDITIONED ON 148 STUDENTS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE WERE TOLD WAS AN APPROPRIATE NUMBER AND THEN SCARCELY A YEAR LATER WE HAVE A NEW APPLICATION ASKING FOR A LOT MORE STUDENTS FROM AN APPLICANT WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION SO SCARCELY WHAT, 6-8 MONTHS AFTER WE APPROVE THAT APPLICATION? HERE WE WERE BACK AGAIN AT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION.
THAT'S INDICATIVE OF A PATTERN OF ISSUES WITH THE FACTUAL RECORD.
WHEN THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT WHEN DISMISSAL WAS THERE WAS A REPRESENTATION MADE HERE TODAY, BUT APPARENTLY, THERE WAS A DIFFERENT REPRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE AT A PRIOR MEETING THAT WAS ATTENDED BY A MEMBER OF THIS BODY WHO HEARD IT FROM HER MOUTH TO HIS EAR.
IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC, THERE WAS A REPRESENTATION MADE THAT TRAFFIC WOULD NOT BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE EXPANSION OF SMARTIES WHEN THE INFORMATION BEING PRESENTED AT THE SAME TIME SHOWED THAT THAT CLEARLY WAS NOT THE CASE WHEN YOU COMPARE IT, NOT JUST DISMISSAL TIME, WHATEVER THAT IS BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NO BUILD TRAFFIC EXPECTATION AND THE BUILD SCENARIO POST DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE ARE THE FACTS BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE SEEN NOW, THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF WIDTH FROM OUR LAST MEETING LAST MONTH, WHETHER THEY WERE TREES THAT WERE PROPERLY REMOVED OR NOT.
THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT THE SCOPE OF SERVICES AND WHAT THEY ARE OR NOT.
IN ORDER TO BELIEVE ALL OF THAT, THERE HAS TO BE CREDIBILITY AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THAT WE ARE BEING TOLD RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THIS PROPERTY.
BASED ON THOSE FINDINGS OF FACT, I CONCLUDE THAT A POTENTIAL HARDSHIP ON THIS APPLICANT, AGAIN, BARELY A YEAR AFTER WE ALREADY APPROVED THE ZONING, DOES NOT OUTWEIGH THE HARM THAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST BOTH OF THESE APPLICATIONS.
MY COLLEAGUES CAN DISCUSS AS THEY WILL, WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO WITH IT.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION I SUPPOSE FOR YOU, ANGELA, AS THE SITE PLAN SITS CURRENTLY, IS THIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UDL AS FAR AS THE PARKING IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT?
>> I'M GOING TO BRING UP THE SITE PLAN.
SO TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT PARKING, WHENEVER THERE'S A DAYCARE, THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS ARE TWO SPACES PER CLASSROOM.
SO EARLIER THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT HOW MANY CURRENT CLASSROOMS THERE ARE.
SO RIGHT NOW THEY ARE MEETING OR EVEN EXCEEDING THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
UNDER THE PROPOSAL, THEY WOULD BE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 13 CLASSROOMS. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD TONIGHT.
SO THAT'S 23 TOTAL CLASSROOMS. AND SO MULTIPLYING THAT BY TWO, THAT'S 46.
SO 67 SPACES IS CERTAINLY MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS.
IF YOU ALL NEED TO DECIDE WHETHER THAT IS SUFFICIENT FOR WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS, INSTITUTIONAL ZONING DISTRICTS ARE UNIQUE BECAUSE IT ANTICIPATES GROWTH AND CHANGE OF THE USE THAT'S ON THAT PROPERTY.
[02:10:03]
AND THE COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT IS SHOWING THE PROJECTED GROWTH OF THAT USE.AND SO IT DOESN'T HAVE THE TYPICAL ZONING DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU WOULD SEE, SAY, IN AN R60 ZONING DISTRICT OR A C2 ZONING DISTRICT WHERE EVERYTHING'S PRETTY CUT AND DRY.
BUT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT TYPICALLY IN THE INSTITUTIONAL ZONING DISTRICTS, IN PAST DECISIONS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, NOT NECESSARILY THIS SPECIFIC BOARD, WE HAVE SEEN BUILDINGS THAT REACH CLOSE TO 45 FEET WHEN IT'S ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL LIKE R60 OR R85 ZONING DISTRICTS.
WE STILL SEE A MINIMUM SETBACK OF 30 FEET FOR BUILDINGS AND A 15 FOOT PLANTED BUFFER.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A REQUIREMENT BETWEEN C2 AND RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS.
SO SOMETIMES WE SEE THOSE REQUIREMENTS CARRY OVER INTO COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLANS BASED ON CONDITIONS THAT YOU ALL IN THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD PLACE ON THAT.
I THINK THAT SOME OF MY COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THE STAFF REPORT AND JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, OUR CIVIL PROJECT ENGINEER, AS WELL AS OUR CITY ARBORIST ALSO REVIEWED THESE PLANS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND THAT YOU ARE ALSO REVIEWING TONIGHT AND THEIR COMMENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE STAFF REPORT.
BUT COMMENTARY ABOUT TREES, THERE'S SOME STILL SOME OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS FROM THE SENIOR ENGINEER ABOUT THE SPREAD AND THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT.
I THINK WE HEARD SOME OF THE ANSWERS TONIGHT.
I KNOW THAT OUR CITY ARBORIST WOULD NOT BE HAPPY TO SEE THAT SOME OF THE TREE REQUIREMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN PARKING LOTS, ARE NOT BEING MET.
THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT SHE WOULD WANT TO SEE IF THIS WAS TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST HAVING A TREE EVERY EIGHT SPACES, THAT REDUCES THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND HAS MORE BENEFITS THAN JUST THAT.
SANITATION PICKUP, MOVING THAT AWAY FROM THE STREET, THAT'S OFTENTIMES SOMETHING THAT WE REQUEST OF MOST ALL COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, AS WELL AS INSTITUTIONAL PROPERTIES.
PARKING. RIGHT NOW, THIS IS A CORNER LOT.
THE EXISTING CONDITION PUTS PARKING BEYOND THE FRONT BUILDING WALL CLOSER TO THE STREET, WE TYPICALLY LIKE TO SEE PARKING BEHIND THE BUILDING LINES.
SO IT'S NOT BETWEEN THE BUILDING LINE AND THE FRONT YARD, SO TO SPEAK.
THEY'RE KEEPING THE EXISTING CONDITION.
OVERALL, IT'S TYPICAL OF WHAT WE SEE IN INSTITUTIONAL ZONING DISTRICTS.
BUT THERE'S STILL THOSE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS OF GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND AMENDING A COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
IN THE STAFF REPORT, IT LAYS OUT THE CRITERIA THAT YOU ALL WOULD BE USING.
AND YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER AFFIRMATIVE TO EACH OF THOSE, MAKING SURE THAT THERE ISN'T A HARDSHIP OR A BURDEN ON OUR TRANSPORTATION, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, ETC.
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER AFFIRMATIVE TO EACH OF THAT CRITERIA.
>> I SUPPOSE IT'S A FOLLOW-UP. CAN I ASK A QUESTION?
>> SO TO THE APPLICANT. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES? I TOOK A LOOK.
IT LOOKS LIKE CLAIREMONT ELEMENTARY DOWN THE STREET HAS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS, BUT A QUICK COUNT FROM GOOGLE MAPS LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE ABOUT 30 PARKING SPACES, WHICH IS LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL ARE ASKING FOR.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT TO THE NEED FOR 70 PLUS PARKING SPACES OR 60 PLUS.
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE PROPOSED NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES ARE THE DESIRED NUMBER TO ACCOMMODATE PARENTS AND STAFF AS THEY COME AND GO TO SMARTIES AND TO ALSO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT VISITORS TO SMARTIES PARK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ON THE STREET.
[02:15:02]
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD BE AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES TO ENSURE THAT SMARTIES VISITORS AND PARENTS AND STAFF ARE PARKING ON THE SMARTIES PROPERTY AND NOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.>> I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY WHEN WE WERE HERE ONE YEAR AGO, WHAT WAS PUT IN FRONT OF US WAS A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM RESIDENTIAL TO INSTITUTIONAL, AND THE NEIGHBORS EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS THAT IF THAT ZONING CHANGE WAS MADE, IT WOULD OPEN UP A RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES FOR ACTIVITY ON THE PROPERTY TO BE MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE THAN THE WHAT SMARTIES WAS DOING IN THE LEVEL AT WHICH THEY WERE OPERATING AT THE TIME.
AND THE APPLICANT ASSURED THE NEIGHBORS THAT THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR LEVEL OF ACTIVITY.
AND I'M NOW REPEATING WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID.
THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH THE CAP AT 148.
THAT WAS THE COMPROMISE WE MADE TO ACCEPT THE ZONING CHANGE.
THE ZONING CHANGES IS SIGNIFICANT ACTION BY THIS BODY.
AND NOW WE ARE HERE ONE YEAR LATER REVISITING THIS AND APPARENTLY DISCUSSING AND EVALUATING WHAT THE ORIGINAL PLANS FOR EXPANSION.
AND WE TOOK THE APPLICANTS' ASSURANCE IS ONE YEAR AGO IN GOOD FAITH.
AND THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS THIS BODY TO NEGOTIATE COMPROMISES AND THE BEST PATH TO SATISFYING BOTH THE CONCERNS OF THE GREATER COMMUNITY AND THE NEEDS OF THE LANDOWNERS.
BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT GOOD FAITH, THAT ABILITY TO TO BALANCE THESE IS LOST.
AND I'M ECHOING MY COLLEAGUE AGAIN AND I DON'T FEEL WE HAVE A GOOD FAITH RELATIONSHIP WHEN WE'RE GIVEN THE APPLICANTS' INTENTIONS FOR WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.
EITHER I WASN'T THERE, [LAUGHTER] OR I DON'T REMEMBER IT.
I DON'T THINK I WAS AT THAT PARTICULAR MEETING AND I WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE OF TRUST.
I THINK THE PLANNED EVOLUTION THE SITE PLAN IS VERY COMMENDABLE FRANKLY, AND IS NOT INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE SITE IN GENERAL, I DON'T THINK THE IMPACT ON TRAFFIC IS ACTUALLY THAT SIGNIFICANT.
ANY CHANGE IS GOING TO HAVE SOME IMPACT, THAT'S TRUE, BUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE STARTING FROM THIS SPOT AFTER A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE OF DISTRUST ON WHAT USES WOULD BE AND WHAT PREVIOUS UNDERSTANDINGS WERE, LEAVES ME VIEWING IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN HAD I SEEN THIS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, I GUESS, OBJECTIVELY LOOKING AT IT.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED.
I DO THINK THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE WERE REACHING OUT AND MAKING A LOT OF VERY POSITIVE ADJUSTMENTS TO FIT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER AND TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE POSSIBLE IMPACTS HAS BEEN VERY GOOD.
THERE ARE LOTS OF LITTLE THINGS LIKE, ARE YOU GOING TO ALLOW LEFT TURNS TO CLAIREMONT? THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE WORKED OUT FOR SURE.
I THINK SOME OF THE TREE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHICH ONES ARE WE CUTTING DOWN AND WHICH ONES MIGHT HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN.
ALL OF THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DISTURBING TO ME, BUT I WISH WE WERE IN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SPOT ON HOW THIS HAD GOTTEN TO THE COMMITTEE.
>> I WASN'T HERE A YEAR AGO, BUT I DID GO BACK AND I LOOKED AT THE MINUTES, BOTH FROM THIS COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE CITY COMMISSION.
AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT AT THAT TIME, 148 WAS ALL THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD NEED.
NEW ON THIS PLANNING COMMISSION, I FOUND IT ODD ONE YEAR LATER TO BE HERE ASKING FOR ANOTHER HUNDRED.
AND JUST LOOKING AT SOME QUICK NUMBERS, 13 CLASSROOMS RIGHT NOW AT THEIR CURRENT CAPACITY THEY HAVE ABOUT 8-10 PER CLASSROOM OR AT THEIR CURRENT CAPACITY THERE WOULD BE EIGHT.
THEIR CURRENT DENSITY IS ABOUT 15 PER CLASSROOM,
[02:20:04]
SO THAT WOULD BE 195 WITH THE NEW 13 MORE.SO I'M CONCERNED IN ANOTHER YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO SEE ANOTHER REQUEST TO GO FROM 255 TO 300.
LAST MONTH I SAID IN GIVING THE APPLICANT TIME, I SAID I HOPE THEY CAN FIND A SOLUTION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
MAYBE THEY CAN GET TO A WIN-WIN, BUT THEY'RE NOT THERE.
THE CONCERNS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS REGARDING TRAFFIC AND USE AND FLOW AND SAFETY, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE VALID.
PART OF WHAT I NEED TO LOOK AT IS THEIR CONCERN.
THIS IS A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.
THE OTHER THING I HAVEN'T SEEN, IT WASN'T PRESENTED AND MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T DONE IT, IS THIS TRULY THE BEST SPOT FOR THIS FACILITY.
WHAT OTHER PLACES WITHIN 330 EXIST THAT COULD SUPPORT A PROGRAM FOR 300 OR MORE STUDENTS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROGRAM.
I APPLAUD THEM FOR DOING THAT, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THEY'VE GOTTEN TO THAT SOLUTION.
I HOPE THEY WOULD GET TO A MONTH AGO.
AGAIN, I CAN'T SEE IT MOVING FORWARD.
>> I WASN'T A PART OF THE COMMISSION A YEAR AGO EITHER.
I WENT BACK AND LISTENED TO AND TOOK A LOOK AT THE MINUTES AND ALL.
IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP THEN HAVE STILL NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS THE EXIT ONLY LAYING OUT TO COMMERCE AND THE SAFETY THERE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL WHERE HUNDREDS OF KIDS ARE WALKING ALONG EVERY DAY AND EVERY ADDITIONAL CURB MAKES THAT SLIGHTLY LESS SAFE.
KNOWING THAT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP A YEAR AGO, BUT APPARENTLY NOT ADDRESSED.
ADDITIONALLY, THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE WAS BROUGHT UP.
I ASKED YOU IN ANY OF THE PARKING SPACES, SOMEHOW PHEROMONE ELEMENTARY IS ABLE TO HANDLE THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH LESS THAN HALF THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES.
TO REITERATE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID AS WELL.
>> WE HAVE TWO APPLICATIONS BEFORE US.
I'M NOT TRYING TO STIFLE DISCUSSION, BUT WHENEVER WE DO GET AROUND TO THE POINT WHERE WE MAKE A MOTION, WE NEED TO ACT ON EACH OF THESE APPLICATIONS SEPARATELY.
IF THERE WAS ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'M HAPPY TO LET THAT CONTINUE.
IF NOT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HANDLE THESE INDIVIDUALLY.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE APPLICATION TO AMEND THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT?
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COMMISSION REJECTION OF THE APPLICATION FOR CONDITIONAL USE.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTION ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? I THOUGHT IT WAS UNANIMOUS. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
DO WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE SECOND APPLICATION FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN?
>> I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THE REQUEST TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
>> IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY QUESTION ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
IF I READ THE AGENDA CORRECTLY, [BACKGROUND].
IF EVERYBODY WOULD EXIT THE ROOM QUIETLY, WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEETING.
WE HAVE FOUR RELATED APPLICATIONS.
[Items III.a. - III.d.]
ALL FOUR OF THEM ARE PROPERTY AT 11:20 AND 11:23 CLAIREMONT ROAD.THE FIRST APPLICATION IS TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE PROPERTY FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO SEE COMMERCIAL AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
[02:25:08]
THE SECOND APPLICATION IS TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM O&I, OFFICE INSTITUTIONAL, TO R 75 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL TO PO, PROFESSIONAL OFFICE.THE THIRD APPLICATION IS A REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A MEDICAL OFFICE AT THOSE ADDRESSES.
THEN THE LAST APPLICATION SEEKS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION FROM SECTION 8, 2, 3 G1 AND 3 OF THE CATERER UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE TO CONSTRUCT PARKING BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND WITHIN 30 FEET OF A PUBLIC STREET FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR TO THE APPLICANT, MS. HAZARD.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS ANA MARIA HAZARD.
I'M AT 303 PEACHTREE STREET, SUITE 5,300, ATLANTA, GEORGIA AT 30308.
I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES, BRETT MORGAN AND DAN BASKERVILLE, AS WELL AS BRADFORD LENDER WHO IS THE APPLICANT HERE.
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID. [LAUGHTER]
>> WE HAVE FOUR APPLICATIONS BEFORE YOU, BUT ONE PRESENTATION, SO HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS.
AS YOU SAID, IT'S A REZONING IN A LAND USE AMENDMENT, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND A SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
THERE ARE TWO APPLICATIONS THAT AREN'T BEFORE YOU BUT ARE RELEVANT HERE.
ONE IS THE ANNEXATION PETITION, AND ONE IS A LOT CONSOLIDATION.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE THREE PARCELS.
I'M SORRY. I'M GOING TO TURN THIS SO SHE CAN SEE.
>> HOLD ON ONE SECOND. LET HIM CATCH UP. HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
>> EILEEN, LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE THREE PARCELS; 1119, 1121, AND 1123.
THEY'RE LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE DECATUR YMCA.
1119 IS AN ABANDONED HOME IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
1121 IS A SMALL RESIDUAL PARCEL.
IT'S LITERALLY A LITTLE TRIANGLE, ALSO IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
1123 IS A SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE THAT HAS BEEN CONVERTED AND IS CURRENTLY BEING USED AS A HUMANLY OFFICE, AND THAT IS AN UNINCORPORATED TO CAPE COUNTY.
THAT ORANGE LINE IS THE CITY OF DECATUR'S JURISDICTIONAL LINE.
ALL OF 1119 IS IN CITY OF DECATUR, 1121 IS IN UNINCORPORATED DEKALB COUNTY AND THEN 1123 IS IN CITY OF DECATUR AND UNINCORPORATED DEKALB COUNTY.
THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS LOVELY TAX BILLS WITH THIS PROPERTY.
THE NEXT PAGE JUST SHOWS YOU THE ZONING.
IN CITY OF DECATUR, IT IS SURROUNDED BY INSTITUTIONAL ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH IS THE YMCA, ARE 60 AND THEN WHEN YOU GO INTO UNINCORPORATED DEKALB COUNTY THE PORTION OF THE SITE THAT IS IN UNINCORPORATED DEKALB COUNTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED OSI, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY INSTITUTIONAL.
IT IS SURROUNDED BY MORE OFFICE USES, AS WELL AS SOME MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED-USE.
LIKE WE SAID, THE [NOISE] 1123 IS CURRENTLY HUMANLY OFFICES.
THAT'S THE STRUCTURE TO THE NORTH AND 1119 IS REALLY JUST AN OLD HOUSE.
THE PLAN HERE IS TO CONSOLIDATE THE LOTS AND EXPAND THE USE FROM JUST THAT ONE BUILDING INTO BOTH BUILDINGS.
HOWEVER, THE BUILDINGS WILL NOT BE DRAMATICALLY ALTERED.
IF YOU'VE DRIVEN BY 1119, YOU'LL SEE IT DOESN'T LOOK THAT GREAT RIGHT NOW.
OF COURSE, GET UP TO CODE AND LOOK A LOT BETTER.
THE TOP IS 1119, AND THE BOTTOM SHOWS 1123, AND 1119, 1123 IS THAT WHITE BUILDING.
BASICALLY, WHEN YOU DRIVE BY, IT WILL LOOK JUST LIKE THAT EXCEPT 1119 WON'T BE BOARDED UP AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE [NOISE] IT'S MEANT TO BE LIKE AN OFFICE CAMPUS.
I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF OFFICE BUILDINGS WHERE THERE'S MULTIPLE CAMPUSES.
THAT'S WHAT THIS ONE WILL BE LIKE.
THE ANNEXATION WILL ALLOW FOR EVERYTHING TO BE ONE JURISDICTION SO THAT WE CONSOLIDATE THE LOTS AND CONNECT THE PARKING.
THERE IS ONE POINT OF AN INGRESS FOR THE ENTIRE SITE, AND THAT SHOULD HELP WITH TRAFFIC FLOW AND ANY ISSUES IN THE SURROUNDING STREETS.
[02:30:01]
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 23 PARKING SPACES.CURRENTLY, THERE ARE 15 SO WE'RE NOT ADDING THAT MANY.
THE ZONING DISTRICT ALLOWS US TO GO ALL THE WAY UP TO ONE SPACE PER 200 SQUARE FEET, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 50 SPACES AND WE'RE ONLY DOING 23 SPACES.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HUMANLY OPERATION.
IT IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE A PRIVATE MEDICAL OFFICE CO-WORKING SPACE.
IT ALLOWS FOR RENTAL SPACE OF OFFICES EITHER HOUR, DAY, OR MONTHLY, DEPENDING ON WHERE THE PRACTITIONERS ARE IN THEIR PRACTICE.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE DOING ON THE SIDE, THEN MAYBE THEY WANT HOURLY IF THIS IS THEIR FULL-TIME PRACTICE AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF PATIENTS OR PEOPLE COMING IN.
THEY MAY BE THE ONE TO DO MONTHLY.
THE PURPOSE OF HUMANLY IS TO FOSTER CONNECTION BETWEEN PRACTITIONERS AND TO PROVIDE CO-WORKING AND COLLABORATIVE SPACES.
THERE'S ONE OTHER LOCATION IN MIDTOWN AT 17:20 PEACH TREE AND THE PRICES ALLOW FOR FLEXIBILITY FOR THESE PRACTITIONERS.
EMORY HEIGHTS IS A SMALL FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY, THAT IS RIGHT THERE.
WE'RE NOT HUGE, BIG DEVELOPERS.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BULLDOZE THESE AND BUILD HIGH-RISES OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
REALLY IT'S WORKED WELL IN THE BUILDING ON 1123 WHEN WE MOVE IT OVER TO 1119.
HERE'S A LITTLE OUR PROPOSED ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL ARE ASKED TODAY.
AGAIN, THE ANNEXATION PETITION WILL BE SUBMITTED.
WE BELIEVE IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH THE CURRENT AND SURROUNDING USES, ESPECIALLY THE PORTION THAT IS AN UNINCORPORATED TO DEKALB COUNTY.
IT'S ALREADY FUNCTIONING THIS WAY AND SO WE DON'T BELIEVE IT'LL BE A DRASTIC CHANGE AT ALL AND IT WON'T CAUSE AN INCREASED BURDEN ON THE STREETS OR ON THE FACILITIES.
THE REZONING. THE SAME THING AGAIN, THE PROFESSIONAL OFFICES COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING DEKALB COUNTY DISTRICT.
ONE THING WE'LL NOTE THAT WE MADE SURE IT WAS POINTED OUT IN OUR ANNEXATION PETITION, BUT 1121, WHICH IS THAT LITTLE TRIANGLE, THE RESIDUAL PARCEL SOMEHOW IS ZONED OUR 75.
WE DON'T KNOW WHY THERE'S NO ACCESS TO THAT PARCEL.
WE THINK THERE'S JUST REMAINING THERE SO IT'S TECHNICALLY GOING HIGHER BUT THE COUNTY RECEIVED NOTICE, AND THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS THERE FROM THEM.
AS FAR AS THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT BECAUSE THIS IS AN OFFICE USE, THE PO ZONING DISTRICT REQUIRES A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE OFFICE USE AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL THERE AND OF COURSE, IF THERE ARE ANY MAJOR CHANGES, WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DO ANY BAIT AND SWITCH AND GET A LARGER BUILDING.
WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO AND IF WE DO CHANGE, OUR MIND, WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU AGAIN.
>> BECAUSE SHE WON'T BE BACK IN EIGHT MONTHS?
>> NO. [LAUGHTER] WE WILL NOT BE BACK IN EIGHT MONTHS.
[LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW BACKGROUNDS BECAUSE OF THE WEIRD JURISDICTIONAL THINGS ON THE SITE.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
WE STARTED TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ARE WE GOING TO GO ALL IN DEKALB COUNTY.
ARE WE GOING TO BE CITY OF DECATUR? WE CHOSE YOUR LOVELY CITY BECAUSE IT'S LOVELY.
THEN WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHERE EVERYTHING WAS AND HOW TO DO IT.
AS YOU SEE, WE HAD A LOT OF APPLICATIONS GOING ON.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG THOUGHT-OUT PROCESS, PROBABLY MUCH LONGER THAN BRAD EVER ANTICIPATED.
[LAUGHTER] WE'RE IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL.
THEN THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION IS TO ALLOW FOR PARKING BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE BUILDING AND REALLY THAT'S JUST SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO IF WE GO BACK HERE TO THE SITE PLAN.
SEVEN. YEAH, AND THAT'S REALLY JUST SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE PARKING AND NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO THESE BUILDINGS.
WE WANT TO KEEP EVERYTHING LOOKING THE SAME AS YOU DRIVE DOWN THE STREET.
WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE LIKE, WELL, WHAT'S THIS NEW THING AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE JUST HAVE TO BE CREATIVE AS TO WHERE WE'RE ADDING PARKING AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THAT REQUEST.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OF COURSE, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU'LL MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. HAZARD?
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT INCREASING PARKING TO THE MAXIMUM THAT YOU CAN, BUT HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THE NUMBER OF SPACES THAT YOU ARE?
>> YEAH, IT'S THE NUMBER OF SPACES WERE DETERMINED BY WHAT WE THINK THE CAPACITY IS FOR THIS EXTRA BUILDING, AND THEN JUST HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE WE GOING TO NEED SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING CAN ACTUALLY PARK AND THINKING THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME OVERLAP IN TERMS OF APPOINTMENT TIMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE LOOKED AT AND WE TRIED TO BE RELATIVELY CONSERVATIVE.
>> TO CLARIFY, THE BUILDING THAT'S IN UNINCORPORATED, DEKALB IS CURRENTLY FUNCTIONING IN THIS CAPACITY.
[02:35:02]
THAT IS THE BUILDING.IT HAS A HUMANLY SIGN OUTSIDE.
IT IS FUNCTIONING, AND THAT'S THE LARGER BUILDING.
THAT'S HOW IT'S CURRENTLY FUNCTIONING.
>> WHEN WAS THE 1119 PROPERTY PURCHASED? I TRIED TO FIND THAT DATE ABOUT TWO YEARS.
>> IS THE PARKING IN THE DRIVEWAY IS IT STRIPED FOR ONE-WAY FLOW OR?
>> IT WILL BE ONE WAY IN WHERE THE GRAPE PART IS AND THEN I WANT TO DRAW THROUGH AND THEN YOU'LL GO OUT ON THE NORTHERN SIDE.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S THE PART.
>> YEAH, I HAD TO GET MY OLD PERSON HELP HERE.
>> HELLO CAN ASK TWO OF DESIGN QUESTIONS?
>> OF COURSE, YOU CAN. [LAUGHTER]
>> GO OVER TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROPERTIES, MOST PARTICULARLY THE 1119 BECAUSE I WAS THAT BEING IN THE CITY OF DECATUR RIGHT NOW IS WHAT'S REALLY SEE HOW IT LOOKS AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT ONE-WAY FLOW BECAUSE I DID TRY TO MAKE OUR I DID MAKE A LEFT OUT OF THAT DRIVEWAY BACK ONTO CLAIREMONT.
I'M GLAD TO HAVE AN ELECTRIC CAR BECAUSE IT ACCELERATES VERY QUICKLY.
[LAUGHTER] I WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED TO DO THAT IN MY WIFE'S VOLVO.
BUT I'M LOOKING AT YOUR THREE SPACES UP THERE AT THE TOP AND I KNOW THERE'S LARGE TREE UP THERE.
THAT TREE RIGHT ON THE BORDER AND I'M JUST WONDERING FROM A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, HAVE YOU EVALUATED AND INSTEAD OF DOING THREE SPACES, DOING YOUR TWO HANDICAPPED SPACES UP THERE? I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE MY FATHER USES A HANDICAPPED PARKING SPOT, HE'S 88 AND A HILL CAN DO HIM IN AND THAT OTHER ONE YOU HAVE IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL.
JUST FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT PAD UPFRONT BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY A PAD.
I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO HAVE PARKING IN FRONT.
WELL, THERE'S ALREADY A PARKING PAD THERE.
I SAW IT. I PARKED ON IT. I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND.
IT SAYS PRIVATE PROPERTY, BUT I DID PARK ON IT.
YOU COULD PROBABLY PRESERVE MORE OF THAT LANDSCAPING.
HAVE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER PAD TO HANDICAP SPOTS UP TOP.
JUST SOME THOUGHTS I HAD AS I WAS LOOKING AT THIS.
>> YEAH, I THINK THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER HANDICAP FURTHER NORTH THAT'S JUST EXISTING.
>> YEAH, I SEE THAT ONE THERE.
>> SEE YOUR POINT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AT LEAST SOME HANDICAP TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
I THINK THAT WE'RE WILLING TO LOOK AT A CONFIGURATION THAT MAYBE CAN CHANGE THAT.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME TOPOGRAPHICAL ISSUES WITH HOW AND WHERE WE CAN FIT IN THE PARKING.
>> SECOND, IF IT'D BE LESS INTRUSIVE OF THE SIZE OF THE PAVED AREA AT FRONT AND MAYBE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS THE HANDICAPPED LOCATION BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE.
IT WOULD FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE IN KEEPING AND JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS IN YOUR FACE.
>> I WILL MENTION THAT THE HANDICAPPED SPACES NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT WIDER.
POSSIBLY PUTTING TWO HANDICAPPED SPACES UP THERE WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FACT THAT THE HANDICAPPED SPACES ARE UPFRONT.
>> ON EITHER SIDE IF THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO THERE THAT YOU GAIN IN EFFICIENCY.
>> YEAH, WE'LL LOOK AT IT FOR SURE.
>> IS THERE A REASON THAT HANDICAP NEEDS TO BE UPFRONT AS OPPOSED TO BEING IN THE BACK OF THEM?
>> WELL, SOME OF IT IS THE SITE.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE FAR TO WALK FAR TO GET TO, AND THEN THEIR PROXIMITY TO THE DOOR.
>> THERE'S NO ENTRANCE ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE BUILDING?
>> WELL, THERE IS, BUT IF YOU SEE, THEY'LL HAVE TO LIKE IT'S JUST A FARTHER ROUTE TO GET ON THAT BACKSIDE TO GET UP TO THE BUILDING SO THERE'S LIKE MEDICAL OFFICES.
WE ALWAYS TRY TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE OR TWO HANDICAPS THAT ARE JUST RIGHT BY THE DOOR.
>> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION? YES.
>> HEARING NO ONE IN SUPPORT, IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICATION? IF YOU ARE IN OPPOSITION AND YOU HAVE A QUESTION, YOU CAN PRESENT THAT QUESTION DURING YOUR PRESENTATION OR YOUR REMARKS.
[02:40:03]
THE FIRST-PERSON IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME FORWARD, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN SHARE YOUR REMARKS.>> MY NAME IS GEORGIA SPAVY ASHBAR, AND I LIVE AT 1111 CLAIREMONT AVENUE G1 DECATUR, GEORGIA 30030.
THAT'S AN UNINCORPORATED DEKALB AND IT'S WHAT'S BEHIND OUR DOWNHILL.
CAN YOU PULL THAT PARKING MAP UP AGAIN? THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD MAP FOR JUST DISCUSSION PURPOSES.
I STOOD HERE FIVE YEARS AGO WITH A PETITION OF SOMETHING LIKE 90 PEOPLE AGAINST A WAREHOUSE THAT STEIN PROPERTIES WANTED TO PUT THERE AND Y'ALL HELPED US WITH THAT.
WHAT I SEE IS THE REZONING, I DON'T THINK DEKALB COUNTY HAS ANALOGOUS ZONING CODE TO CITY OF DECATUR.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO GO FROM OFFICE TO COMMERCIAL WITH SOME SUBCATEGORY OF OFFICE IN CITY OF DECATUR.
THAT MAYBE OPENS UP THE DOOR NEXT TIME FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND SAY, WELL, IT'S ALREADY HALF-PAVED AND IT'S ALREADY CONSOLIDATED AND IT'S ALREADY COMPLETELY IN CITY OF DECATUR'S CONTROL, IF YOU WILL.
I HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT REVISITING THAT WHOLE WAREHOUSE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY UPFRONT.
ONE OF THE REASONS IS RUNOFF AND THE PARKING LOT, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD BUILD A PARKING LOT THAT CLOSE TO OUR DRIVEWAY.
IT TOUCHES THE PROPERTY LINE THERE AT THE BOTTOM, THAT'S THE LONG ENTRANCE INTO CLAIREMONT.
THERE ARE CONDOS AND REGARDING CONDOMINIUMS. [NOISE] THAT'S A 25 FOOT DROP FROM CLAIREMONT ROAD UP THERE DOWN TO THE BACK PROPERTY LINE WHERE THAT HOUSE IS.
>> ONE MORE MINUTE? TWENTY FIVE FEET IS PRETTY STEEP AND IT'S GOING TO CREATE MORE RUNOFF FOR US.
THERE'S TWO PIPES UNDERGROUND GOING OUT INTO OUR PARKING LOT, WHICH IS ALSO AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT SWELL THAT GOES INTO A CREEK ON OUR PROPERTY.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM USE PAVERS WITH SOME TYPE OF VEGETATION BETWEEN THEM.
I GOT GIDDY THINKING ABOUT THAT HANDICAP SPOT BACK BEHIND MY HOUSE BECAUSE I WOULDN'T TRY TO DO IT IN A WHEELCHAIR UNLESS IT HAD REALLY GREAT BRAKES AND BIG MOTOR.
IT'S STEEP. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF RUNOFF ISSUES AND I DON'T SEE ANY PLAN FOR THAT AND I DON'T SEE ANY BORDER OR A BUFFER BETWEEN THE PARKING LOT AND OUR DRIVEWAY.
IT'S JUST THIS WIDE. IS MY MINUTE UP?
>> ALMOST. YOU HAVE EIGHT SECOND. [LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. [LAUGHTER]
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION?
>> GARRY CLEVER, 512 CLAIREMONT AVENUE AGAIN.
I'M NOT REALLY SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION OR FOR, I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE PROPOSAL OR QUESTION OF WHAT THEY INTENDED TO DO WITH THE AREA BEHIND THE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND IF THEY WERE INTENDING TO DEVELOP THEM IN THE FUTURE, OR WHETHER THEY WERE JUST GOING TO KEEP IT AS THE WOODED AREA? ALSO A QUESTION ABOUT HOW DO THEY ANTICIPATE THAT TRAFFIC FLOW? I'VE DRIVEN THERE.
I'VE GOT A FRIEND WHO'S GOT A CONDO THERE, SO I'VE DRIVEN THROUGH THAT LOOP THERE AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE MAIN ACCESS POINT IN AND OUT TO THOSE CONDOS AT THE BACK THERE.
WILL THIS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT THAT TRAFFIC FLOW FOR THEM? THAT'S MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION.
>> WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL ALLOW THEM TIME TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTIONS WHEN THEY DO THEIR REBUTTAL.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION?
>> GEORGE LAWS, 510 CLAIREMONT.
I.M NOT REALLY SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, SIMILAR TO ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS HERE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS 2, 3, 5 YEARS FROM NOW IF THIS USAGE IS ALLOWED.
THE ANNEXATION OCCURS, NOW WE'VE GOT A BIGGER MORE VALUABLE PARCEL.
[02:45:02]
WHAT THEN? OBVIOUSLY, IT'S UNDERUTILIZED WITH THE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THAT AMOUNT OF PROPERTY.I DON'T REALLY OPPOSE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO NOW BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, IF THAT IS WHAT WOULD OCCUR FROM THIS APPROVAL PROCESS, SHOULD YOU GIVE IT, WOULD YOU CONSIDER PUTTING SOME CONSTRAINTS ON THAT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? A DEVELOPER CAN'T COME IN AND PUT AS BIG AN IMPACT ON THAT PROPERTIES THAT COULD CONCEIVABLY PUT GIVEN THE SQUARE FOOTAGES THERE.
AGAIN, IT'S LIKE OPENING THE DOOR TO WHAT LIES IN THE FUTURE, NOT SO MUCH WHAT THE APPLICANT IS APPLYING FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION?
>> DO WE NEED TO ALLOW 10 MINUTES TOTAL IF SHE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY?
>> DO WE NEED TO ALLOW 10 MINUTES TOTAL IF SHE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?
>> MY NAME IS ROBERT SPAVIN I LIVE AT 11/11 CLAIREMONT AVENUE, M4.
MAY I HAVE TWO AND 1.5 MINUTES?
MY PROPERTY ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY AND THE ENTIRE DOWNHILL EASTERN BOUNDARY OF THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY LINES.
SHE DIDN'T SAY SHE'S SURROUNDED.
I OWN THE SO-CALLED CONC SIDEWALK AND THE PRIVATE DRIVE ADJACENT TO THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY LINE.
MY NEIGHBOR'S SITUATION IS THAT SHE WANTS AN ASSEMBLAGE.
SHE WANTS TO BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY, THAT IS HER PREROGATIVE, THAT IS HER PRIVILEGE.
SHE WANTS A BIGGER PARKING LOT, NOT SO MUCH.
SHE WANTS TO PUT A PARKING LOT ON THAT CONC SIDEWALK THAT I PROVIDE WITH THE LAMP POSTS THAT I PROVIDE, PUSH YOU OFF.
HERE'S THE RUB. MY NEIGHBOR SAYS THAT HER ASSEMBLAGE SHOULD BE ZONE COMMERCIAL BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HER BIG HOUSE IS ALREADY.
NOW HER LITTLE HOUSE IS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, IS NOT.
I IMAGINE YOU'VE HEARD THE WORD ALL READY UNTIL YOU'RE SICK AT YOUR STOMACH.
HERE'S MY REQUEST BECAUSE YOUR TASK IS TO CHOOSE WHAT'S BEST FOR DECATUR CITIZENS.
THEN I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER A COUNTERPOINT.
KENNEDY ONCE SAID TO HIS AGE, DON'T HANG ANY HARD NUMBERS ON ME IN THE SAME FASHION, COULD YOU STILL ACCEPT THE ASSEMBLAGE AS 100 PERCENT RESIDENTIALLY ZONED INSTEAD OF CONFORMING TO THE LLC'S POINT OF VIEW.
THEN IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO ALLOW THE EXPANDED BUSINESS TO CONTINUE UNDER EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE THE APPLICANT OWNS THE LAND, MAYBE AN AGREEMENT COULD BE REVIEWED FROM TIME TO TIME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AS MY COLLEAGUE HAS ASTUTELY OBSERVED, WE HAVE NOT GIVEN THE OPPOSITION THE FULL 10 MINUTES SO IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ADDITIONAL REMARKS, IF THERE'S NO ONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, WE'LL ENTERTAIN THAT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT 10 MINUTES OF MINIMUM TIME.
>> GEORGIA, I SENT YOU ALL AN EMAIL EARLIER AND IT REALLY IF YOU READ IT, IT HIT ALL MY POINTS.
[02:50:01]
WE HAVE READ THERE IS A PIPE THAT TAKES IN THE SOIL WATER FROM THAT HILL THAT DROPS DOWN AND WE'VE REDONE THAT UNDERGROUND PIPE THREE TIMES SINCE 2019.I DIDN'T BRING ALL THE BILLS WITH ME.
I JUST GOT BACK ON THE BOARD RECENTLY FOR THE THIRD TIME SINCE THE '80S AND WE WERE BAILING AS FAST AS WE CAN AND I HAVE REALLY THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR THAT USED TO BE LOCALS, IT'S NOW HUMANLY AT 11:23 DOES HAVE PAVERS INSTEAD OF JUST SOLID ASPHALT.
AGAIN, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO REQUEST SOME RUNOFF PLAN, SOME CONTROL THERE.
THEY'RE REMOVING A WALL AT THE END OF THAT DRIVEWAY AND THAT WALL NEXT TO THAT HOUSE, IT'S LIKE THIS AND THAT'S WHERE THEY SAY THEY'RE GETTING RID OF A PARKING SPOT THAT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOUSE.
IT'S ON THAT MAP AND THAT WALL WAS THERE FOR A REASON.
IT WAS RUNOFF I MEAN, IT'S A BIG DROP AND THEY'RE REMOVING THAT AND SO THEY'RE NOT JUST ADDING SEVEN SPACES AND THEY'RE ADDING THE MANEUVERABILITY FOR VEHICLES AND TWO MORE, ONE ENTRANCE AND ONE EXIT TO THE NEW LOT.
THAT'S A LOT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE AND IT'S NOT ON THEIR MAP.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THANK YOU.
ANGELA OR EILEEN, IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE?
>> WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON WHO IS ONLINE WITH US AND IT LOOKS LIKE MINDY.
IF SHE WANTS TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE, SHE COULD RAISE HER VIRTUAL HAND OR TURN ON HER CAMERA AND LET US KNOW IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
MISS HAZARD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR YOUR REBUTTAL.
>> THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS.
AGAIN, THE EXISTING SITE, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY BE HALF OF THE ENTIRE SITE WAS ZONED OFF AS INSTITUTIONAL.
WE COULD HAVE CHOSEN OFF INSTITUTIONAL OR OFFICE AND WE FELT OFFICE WAS CLOSEST FIT AND LEAST INTENSE IN THIS SITE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A COMMERCIAL ZONING, WE'RE ASKING FOR A PO, WHICH IS PROFESSIONAL OFFICE, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN OFFICE, NOT A WAREHOUSE OR A STORAGE, AND WE HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF BUILDING A WAREHOUSE OR A STORAGE.
AGAIN, MR. FREELENDER BRAD [MUSIC] IS NOT A BIG DEVELOPER, HE'S NOT IN HERE JUST TRYING TO BUILD THINGS ALL OVER.
THERE ARE NO PLANS TO READ ABOUT THE BACK OF THE SITES WHEN ASKED ABOUT THAT.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY A REQUEST TO PUT IN A CELL TOWER THAT WE DENIED BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT TO LEAVE IT AS IT IS.
I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE 1119 HAS ESSENTIALLY TWO LEVELS SO THE HANDICAP SPOT IN THE BACK IS ACTUALLY FOR THE PEOPLE TO ENTER THAT LEVEL AND SO WE HAD TWO HANDICAP SPOTS IN THE FRONT THEN SOMEONE PARKED IN THE FRONT, THEY'D HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BUILDING.
WE TRIED TO PUT IN A LOCATION WHERE THE TOPOGRAPHY IS LESS CHALLENGING.
AGAIN, WE COULD HAVE ASKED FOR UP TO 50 PARKING SPACES, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO BE CONSERVATIVES AND ASK FOR WHAT WE NEEDED SO WE DON'T OVERDEVELOP THE SITE AND OVER, INCLUDE PARKING, SO WE'RE ONLY ASKING FOR 23 PARKING SPACES, WE'LL BE SURE TO MEET ALL THE UDL REQUIREMENTS FOR SITE DEVELOPMENT AND BUFFERS.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE'VE SHOWN THAT THE REZONING LAND USE, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUESTS REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET AND WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE OUR APPLICATIONS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. CAN YOU SPEAK VERY BRIEFLY TO THE CONCERN ABOUT RUNOFF BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN BY THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR THAT THERE MIGHT BE ADDITIONAL STORM WATER RUNOFF ACROSS THEIR PROPERTY.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SITE, A GOOD PORTION OF THE SITE IS REMAINING UNDEVELOPED AND SO THESE RESIDENTS ARE IN THE BACK OF THE SITE.
THERE SHOULD NOT BE INCREASED RUNOFF BECAUSE THE PAVED AREAS ARE TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE SITE.
THE WATER WILL RUN TO THE BACK OF THE SITE AND THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT IMPERVIOUS SPACE THAT THE WATER CAN BE ABSORBED BACK IN, SO IT SHOULDN'T BE A HUGE CONCERN.
AGAIN, IT'S AN EXTRA SEVEN PARKING SPACES, IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT IMPERVIOUS SPACE.
THEN THERE'S A LARGE PORTION AT THE BACK THAT WILL STILL HAVE THE TREES AND VEGETATION THAT EXISTS THERE SO WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ISSUE WITH THE RUNOFF.
[02:55:04]
HOWEVER, WE OF COURSE, WILL MEET ALL OF THE SITE DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN.>> WITH THAT, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE HEARING.
>> MAY I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO QUESTION THE OTHER SIDE NOW THAT SHE GOT OUT ONCE AGAIN?
>> NO, SIR. SHE HAS A RIGHT OF REBUTTAL AS THE APPLICANT AND THE OPPOSITION DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO REBUT THE REBUTTAL. I'M SORRY.
>> THERE'S NO SUCH THING THESE ARE STUPID PEOPLE JUST [NOISE]
>> THANK YOU. DOES ANYBODY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANY OF THE PARTIES OR ANY DISCUSSION?
I WAS LOOKING AT WHAT THIS STAFF REPORT AND THE FOUR THINGS WE HAVE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON VERSUS RELATED TO THE ANNEX PROPERTIES.
IT SAID BASICALLY, IF WE WERE TO ANNEX THEM WITH LAND USE TYPE WILL BE ASSIGN TO THEM IN ZONING WE WOULD ASSIGN TO THEM IN.
THE AFRICAN IT'S ASKING FOR COMMERCIAL, HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL LAND USE AND ZONING RATIONAL OFFICE.
THOSE SEEM COMPLETELY IN KEEPING WITH THEIR CURRENT ZONING LAND USE EVERYTHING I DO NICE POINT TO POINT OUT THAT PROFESSIONAL OFFICE IS NOT A WAREHOUSE OR SOMETHING ELSE.
IT'S A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE, WHICH IS HOW IT'S BEING USED AND QUITE FRANKLY, VERY SIMILAR TO I THINK THE SITE JUST NORTH OF THAT.
FROM THAT STANDPOINT, I FEEL LIKE I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
THE NEXT ONE WAS WHAT CHANGE WOULD WE MAKE TO THE PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF DECATUR? THAT ONE MY GENERAL THOUGHT IS, LET'S KEEP THAT UP 60, [NOISE] AND THEN LET'S ALLOW THE USE WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
PART OF THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS IF IT SELLS AND WE'VE REZONED IT, WE'VE CHANGED THE LAND USE? IT'S RIGHT UP AGAINST A HIGHER-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
IT CREATES A BUFFER OF NOTHING ELSE.
ONE ASPECT OF THAT IS, UNDER OUR CURRENT TREE ORDINANCE 560 REQUIRES 60 PERCENT TREE CANOPY COVERAGE AS A MINIMUM.
BUT IF WE CHANGE THAT TO OFFICE INSTITUTIONAL, IT DROPS TO 45 PERCENT.
WELL, WE'VE GOT A CITY GOAL TO GET TO HAVE 65 PERCENT AROUND THE CITY IF WE START CHANGING LAND USE AND DROPPING THE MINIMUM, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET TODAY.
WE'RE NEVER GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
THAT BEING A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ALREADY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND THAT CAN MAKE IT BIGGER AND CERTAINLY, THEY'RE ADDING SOME PARKING.
WHERE THEY'RE ADDING THE PARKING, I TOOK A LOOK.
IT'S GRASS RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE NO TREES TO SPEAK OF IN THAT AREA.
THERE IS ONE LARGE TREE IN THE FRONT, AND ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE TREE ORDINANCE IS, THE FRONT YARD HAS TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE LARGE CANOPY TREE.
THEY'VE GOT IT RIGHT NOW AND I THINK THAT THEY'D REWORK THAT FRONT PARKING, SHRINK IT DOWN, MAYBE DROP INTO TWO SPACES, NOT THREE, KEEP THE ONE HANDICAP.
MORE LIKELY THAT THE TREE ARBORIST WOULD SAY THAT TREE CAN STAY AND IT'S RIGHT ON THE EDGE.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, NUMBER 2, I WOULD SAY, LET'S KEEP THE ZONING EXACTLY AS IT IS.
NUMBER 3, WHAT'S OUR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT? YES. ALLOW IT WITH SOME CAVEATS.
NO CHANGE TO THE STRUCTURE AS THEY'RE PROPOSING. I APPRECIATE THAT.
COMPLY WITH THE TREE ORDINANCE FOR OUR 60, INCLUDING THE FRONT YARD CANOPY THAT TAKEN OUT THAT FRONT LANDSCAPE BUFFER.
IT'S A BUNCH. IT'S SOME NICE LARGE SHRUBS THAT CREATED A NICE SCREEN.
CERTAINLY, IF YOU'RE MAKING A LEFT OUT OF THERE, IT'S A CHALLENGING ISSUE BUT IF YOU'RE MAKING A RIGHT AS THIS PROPOSES ONE WAY, THAT SCREENING, I ACTUALLY WOULD SEE THAT AS AN AMENITY TO THAT USE OF THE BUILDING, NOT A DETRIMENT ESPECIALLY MAKING THAT NOW A ONE-WAY.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE NOT MAKING THAT A MANDATORY PART OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, BUT A LANDSCAPE BUFFER WAS NICE.
THEN ON NUMBER 4, WHICH WAS RESPECT TO THE ALLOWANCE OF FRONT PARKING AS I SAID, THE PAD IS ALREADY THERE.
I WOULD ALLOW THE PAD TO BE EXPANDED TO SUPPLY ONE HANDICAP AND ONE OTHER SPACE.
I DON'T KNOW, I COULD SUPPORT THREE.
THERE'S JUST A LITTLE NUANCE THERE BUT THE PAD IS ALREADY THERE.
[03:00:03]
IT'S THERE.THAT'S MY THOUGHTS IN A NUTSHELL.
MAYBE NOT SO MUCH A NUTSHELL. [LAUGHTER]
>> SURE. I WENT TO THE UDO TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS RIGHT.
BUT THE CHALLENGE WITH LEAVING ANY PART OF IT RESIDENTIAL IS THAT OFFICE IS NOT ALLOWED AS A USE ON RESIDENTIAL ZONING AND SO WE WOULD EITHER HAVE TO APPROVE THE REZONING AND APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR LEAVE IT RESIDENTIAL AND DENY THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE ONE FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPROVE A NON-CONFORMING USE.
IS EVERYTHING DESTRUCTIVE. [LAUGHTER]
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN PREVIOUS REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN THE TWO ZONING TYPES AND IE IN A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE ONE? IS IT MUCH LESS STRINGENT RELATIVE TO THE RUNOFF QUESTION THAT'S BEEN RAISED? NOW ANGELA.
>> THERE R60 ZONING DISTRICT ALLOWS FOR UP TO 40 PERCENT LOT COVERAGE.
IF YOU GIVE ME A MOMENT, I'M GOING TO NEED THIS.
>> BARCELONA AROUND 19, EVERY STATE RESIDENTIAL, THEY COULDN'T USE IT AS A MEDICAL OFFICE.
THE ONLY WAY TO ALLOW THAT IS TO CHANGE IT TO COMMERCIAL ZONING PROFESSIONAL OFFICE.
>> IN THE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE ZONING DISTRICT, THE MAXIMUM LOT COVERAGE FOR OFFICE OR A CIVIC BUILDING LOT IS 50 PERCENT, MAXIMUM.
>> DETENTION RUNOFF, WATER QUALITY THAT WOULDN'T BE CONNECTED TO THAT.
THEY GOT TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS REGARDLESS.
>> IT IS. ANYTIME THAT A PROPERTY OWNER INCREASES IMPERVIOUS SURFACES BY MORE THAN 500 SQUARE FEET, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS, DO YOU KICK IN? WE ARE GOING TO SEE REQUIREMENTS OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.
>> WHEN A PROPERTY IS CONVERTED FROM RESIDENTIAL TO AN OFFICE AND THE UPGRADES ARE MADE, DO THE ADA REQUIREMENTS NOT KICK IN BECAUSE THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY WANTED THE HANDICAP SPACE UP FRONT AND THE HANDICAP SPACE IN THE BACK DUE TO LIKE ONE FOR EACH FLOOR OF THE BUILDING? BUT I'M CURIOUS, WOULD THEY DON'T NEED TO INSTALL AN ELEVATOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO BRING IT UP THE CODE DURING THAT PROCESS?
>> THE FIRE MARSHAL WOULD MAKE THAT CALL AND IT DEPENDS ON THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE, WHETHER IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT, AND HOW MUCH OF AN IMPROVEMENT TO MEET ADA REQUIREMENTS.
YOUR ADA PARKING SPACES ARE THE MINIMUM EXPECTATION FROM A FIRE MARSHAL.
AS WE HEARD TONIGHT FROM THE APPLICANT, WE DO HAVE A LOWER OFFICE LEVEL AND UPPER OFFICE LEVEL FOR BOTH OF THE BUILDINGS.
BEING IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FIRE MARSHAL, I THINK SHE WOULD HAVE THAT EXPECTATION THAT THERE BE ADA PARKING SPACES AT BOTH LEVELS.
WHETHER OR NOT AN ELEVATOR WOULD BE REQUIRED, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WOULD BE AT THIS POINT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> UNLESS YOU DID THE CHANGES TO THE BUILDING ITSELF.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT BUT I CAN.
>> GOING ALONG WITH THAT, I TOOK A LOOK AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND WHERE THE CLOSEST COMMERCIAL, AND THE APPLICANT POINTED OUT THERE IT FITS IN WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA, BUT ALL THE SURROUNDING AREA THAT OFFERS PARKING IN THE FRONT IS UNINCORPORATED TO CAB, WHICH IS NOT CONTROLLED BY ANY ORDINANCE TO GET THERE.
THE CLOSEST THING TO THAT PROPERTY THAT ALLOWS PARKING UPFRONT IS, I BELIEVE THE AUTO BODY SHOP ALMOST ALL THE WAY INTO DOWNTOWN OR THE AUTO SHOP NOT AUTO BODY SHOP.
[03:05:02]
ALL THE WAY AT THE END OF CLAIREMONT AND THAT ONE, RATHER, THAT'S AN OLDER STRUCTURE THAT'S BEEN GRANDFATHERED IN.I GUESS MY PROPOSAL SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I THINK THE SINGLE PARKING PAD THAT EXISTS, I HAVE NO PROBLEM LEAVING THAT INDIVIDUAL PARKING PAD, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT EXPANDING IT.
>> THIS BIG NUMBER FOR HANDICAPPED.
THAT'S LARGE ENOUGH FOR HANDICAPPED LOT.
YOU CAN SEE EVEN ON THIS, THEY'VE GOT IT. YOU SEE HOW BIG IT IS?
>> THIS MEANS THE SIZE OF HANDICAP.
>> DO WE KNOW THE SIZE OF THIS PAD COMPARED TO THAT ONE I'M NOT FAMILIAR? [OVERLAPPING]
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT'S THAT WHITE, OR IS THAT LITTLE BOX RIGHT THERE.
>> THAT MEANS BASICALLY WRITING THE RIGHT THING.
>> I JUST WORRY BY ALLOWING ADDITIONAL PARKING UPFRONT THAT WE'RE OPENING THE DOOR FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO POINT TO THIS IN THE FUTURE.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS? JUST LIKE THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL, WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE GET TO A MOTION, WE NEED TO TAKE EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY.
I BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE INCLINED TO APPROVE AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SWAY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CONDITIONS THAT THE STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE WOULD WANT TO INCORPORATE IN ANY AFFIRMATIVE MOTION.
YOU ALL HAVE DRAFT ORDINANCES THAT I HAVE PREPARED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
IF YOU WANT TO ADD OR TAKE AWAY ANY OF THE SUGGESTED CONDITIONS.
>> THAT MIGHT BE GOOD. [LAUGHTER]
I'M BRINGING UP THE FIRST ONE THAT IS RELATED TO AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN.
LET'S SEE HERE. THERE AREN'T REALLY ANY CONDITIONS RELATED TO THIS ONE AND I WANT US TO REMEMBER.
>> IF WE CHANGE LAND-USE OF INDICATOR PROPERTIES TO COMMERCIAL WITH THE ZONING PO CAN BE PUT ON THEIR REQUIREMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO STAY AT THE HARSH 60 TREE ORDINANCE, MINIMUM CANOPY COVERAGE.
>> YES YOU CAN MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
>> THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO THIS.
I WOULD SUPPORT IT WITH THAT CAVEAT THAT WE KEEP OUR TREE ORDINANCE FOR PARTIAL FOR OUR 60, WHICH IS 60 PERCENT.
>> I WOULD ASK THE APPLICANT IF WE WERE TO ADOPT A CONDITION LIKE THAT, WOULD THAT IMPOSE ANY HARDSHIP ON YOUR USE OF THE PROPERTY?
>> I'M GOING TO JUMP RIGHT TO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THESE ARE THE SUGGESTED CONDITIONS IN WHICH YOU CAN MODIFY AND AS MR. MCFARLAND HAS SUGGESTED ADDING.
THE FIRST ONE, THE PROPERTY SHALL BE DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO PLANS, SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THOSE SUBMITTED ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT B.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY SUGGESTING THAT THIS IS A SITE PLAN SPECIFIC CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THE NEXT TWO ARE ACTUALLY PULLED RIGHT FROM OUR CODE.
IT'S CITING OUR CODE SO THAT FOR THE ENTIRE DISTANCE ALONG THE EAST AND SOUTH OF BUDDING PROPERTY LINES, A SOLID FENCE OF AT LEAST SIX FEET IN HEIGHT, OR A LANDSCAPE BUFFER OF PLANT MATERIAL THAT WILL PROVIDE A DENSE SOLID SCREEN OF AT LEAST SIX FEET IN HEIGHT WITHIN THREE YEARS SHALL BE INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED FOR THE DURATION OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THAT IS A REQUIREMENT BECAUSE IT'S ADJACENT TO A RESIDENTIAL USE.
[03:10:04]
THEN THE THIRD IS, AGAIN, RIGHT FROM THE CODE, NO MAJOR AMENDMENTS DEFINES UNLESS THEY COME BACK THROUGH THIS SAME PROCESS AND THEN IT DEFINES WHAT MAJOR AMENDMENTS ARE.CHANGES TO ANOTHER USE IN INCREASE IN DENSITY OR INTENSITY, ENLARGING, EXPANDING OR INCREASING THE SIZE OR INTENSITY OF THE APPROVED USE, INCREASE IN THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OFF STREET PARKING SPACES, SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE TO THE EXTERIOR APPEARANCE OF BUILDINGS THAT IS VISIBLE FROM ANY PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY OR THE ADDITION OF OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY.
>> ORDERS FOR MINIMUM TREE CANOPY PROPORTIONALLY [OVERLAPPING].
>> THAT WOULD GO IN THE CONDITIONAL USE
>> YES, I WOULD ADD THAT INTO THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT ORDINANCE, WHICH THEN IS FORWARDED ONTO THE CITY COMMISSION, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY NIGHT, AND THEN THEY WOULD TAKE ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
>> I WOULD SAY IT IN ITS ENTIRETY BECAUSE THAT ONE LARGE CANOPY TREATMENT IN THE FRONT IS ALSO A LARGE ASPECT OF THAT TREE ON IT.
>> ANGELA, ARE CONDITIONS ONE AND TWO HERE IN CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER RECALLING THE SITE PLAN, THAT'S EXHIBIT B THERE WAS A CORNER OF THE PROPOSED PARKING THAT WENT RIGHT UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PUT IN A LANDSCAPE BUFFER OR FENCE WITH THE PROPERTY CORNER IN THE PLACE THAT IT IS.
>> THERE WE'RE TALKING 1119 CLAIREMONT AVENUE?
>> I HEARD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS TONIGHT.
ONE IS TO KEEP THE PAD AS IT IS AND NOT ESSENTIALLY THAT'S THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
>> YEAH THAT'S A SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
>> YEAH. THEN IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE IS ALREADY A FENCE OR A WALL THAT IS AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
>> YEAH THERE'S A BRICK WALL [OVERLAPPING]
>> I BELIEVE THERE WAS PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE PARKING AND HOW THAT WAS COMING VERY CLOSE TO THAT SIDEWALK.
YOU ALL MAY WANT TO SUGGEST TO PULL THAT BACK FROM FROM THE PROPERTY LINES SO IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER AND SO THAT THEY CAN PLACE THE APPROPRIATE FENCING OR LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS THERE.
>> THEN IF THE COMMISSION DOES HAVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO KEEP THE PARKING PAD AS IT CURRENTLY IS, DOES THAT CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF EXHIBIT B?
>> IT WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO.
I WOULD SUGGEST KEEPING IT AS NUMBER ONE BECAUSE THAT REALLY DOES BECOME THE SITE PLAN BUT THEN THESE ARE THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE BEING PLACED ON THE PROPERTY OWNER TO INSTALL OR MAINTAIN OR NOT DO.
>> REPHRASE EVERY WORD THAT [LAUGHTER] I'M PERPLEXED AND WORRIED.
>> IS IT TO DEVELOP ACCORDING TO PLAN SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THOSE AND SUBMITTED AS ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT B WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS?
>> YEAH WITH FOLLOWING CAVEATS EXCEPTIONS. YEAH.
>> WE'RE JUST SHOEHORNING THESE IN UNDER CONDITION ONE.
>> COULD WE JUST START WORKING FIRST? THE EXISTING PAD AREA CAN REMAIN FOR PARKING.
THEY NEED TO FIX THE CONCRETE.
WE NEED TO ALLOW THEM TO FIX THE CONCRETE AND PROBABLY WILL.
BUT ONE SPACE IN THE FRONT, ONE HAND SPACE IN THE FRONT IS [OVERLAPPING] NOT TO BE EXPECTED TO DO.
[03:15:02]
>> THE SECOND EXCEPTION THAT THE PARKING BE CITED IN SUCH A WAY TO ACCOMMODATE CONDITION TWO TO DEVIATE FROM EXHIBIT B, TO RE-SITE THE PARKING ALONG THE SOUTHERN PROPERTY LINE TO ACCOMMODATE THE REQUIREMENTS OF CONDITION TWO
>> I THINK I'M THE FIRST ONE RATHER THAN SAY THE EXISTING PATCH, YOU WANT TO SAY IT'S ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE A SINGLE.
>> NOT NECESSARILY KEEP THE FOOTPRINT JUST A COMMENT [OVERLAPPING].
>> IF THE APPLICANT DECIDES TO TURN THEIR PARKING SO IT'S COMPLETED.
I MEAN [OVERLAPPING] YEAH MORE PARALLEL TO THE LINE.
THE MAJORITY OF THIS APPLICATION IS PARKING RELATED.
IT SEEMS LIKE IS THAT STILL GOING TO BE QUALIFIED AS SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THE APPLICATION?
>> YES. BECAUSE REALLY WHAT THIS IS DOING IS SETTING. IT'S A BIT NEW ASPECT.
IT'S SETTING IN STONE THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS, THE PARKING LOTS, THE BUILDING LOCATIONS, THE CIRCULATION, THE ONE WAY IN AND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN OUT, THE FOOTPRINT AND THE LOCATION OF THE BUILDINGS THIS IS KEY BECAUSE REMEMBER YOU DON'T WANT TO ALLOW EXPANSIONS UNLESS THEY COME BACK THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
>> I THINK HOW THEY SEEM GENERAL, HOW THAT PARKING IS LAID OUT, KEEPING ONE SPACE UPFRONT, THE PARKING IN THE BACK BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING IN THE BACK IT'S BASICALLY ON A GRASS YARD.
IT'S NOT THAT THE TREES ARE FURTHER TO THAT.
>> THE FACT THAT DECREASE THE NUMBER OF TOTAL SPACES? THREE SPACES.
>> THEY MIGHT LOSE ONE TO [OVERLAPPING] [NOISE] PERHAPS THEY CAN RUN ANOTHER SPACE NORTH IN 1123 SOMEWHERE.
PARKING CONSULTANTS CAN GET VERY CREATIVE IN FINDING SPACES.
>> THE COVERAGE TO MATCH OUR 60 PERCENT MINIMUM AND MORE THAN ANY EXISTING PROPERTY
>> YES. THERE WERE 1119 PORTION OF THE CONSOLIDATED PROPERTY.
>> ACTUALLY 1123 HAS SOME NICE CANOPY TREES IN THERE, IN THE FRONTYARD TOO.
>> WE GET THAT ALTOGETHER? [LAUGHTER]
>> YES. WHAT I'M HEARING IS UNDER ONE, WE'RE CREATING TWO EXCEPTIONS, SO WE'LL CALL THAT 1A AND 1B, THE FIRST ONE BEING THAT THE EXISTING PATHS SHALL NOT BE EXPANDED EXCEPT TO PROVIDE ONE ADA PARKING SPACE, THE SECOND 1B, BEING THE PARKING AT 1119 CLAIREMONT AVENUE SHALL BE RECONFIGURED AT THE SOUTH PROPERTY LINE TO ALLOW FOR FENCE OR LANDSCAPING TO COMPLY WITH CONDITION NUMBER 2.
THEN I GUESS MAYBE AN EXTRA CONDITION WOULD BE THE CANOPY COVERAGE SHALL NOT BE REDUCED BELOW 60%.
THAT WOULD BE NUMBER 4? SURE, NUMBER 4.
>> THERE'S ONE LARGE CANOPY TREE IN THE FRONT YARD.
>> WE'LL TAKE THAT OUT. I'LL BE OKAY.
>> I'M A BIT HESITANT BECAUSE I WANT TO RELY ON A CERTIFIED ARBORIST TO COME OUT AND EVALUATE THE TREE BECAUSE IF IT IS DEEMED UNHEALTHY, MAYBE IT LOOKS HEALTHY BUT IN ACTUALITY IT ISN'T.
THE WAY THINGS STAND NOW WE HAVE THE FIRST APPLICATION FOR THE LAND USE CHANGE, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE ANY RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS BY STAFF.
WE HAVE THE APPLICATION FOR REZONING, WHICH ALSO DOES NOT HAVE CONDITIONS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
[03:20:02]
WE HAVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WHICH HAS CONDITIONS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF AND ALSO ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS DISCUSSED BY THIS BODY.THEN WE HAVE THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION WHICH STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS IF WE WANT TO APPROVE THAT.
I JUST WANT TO SET THAT FRAMEWORK.
THE FIRST TRAIN THAT'S GOING TO HIT US IS THE LAND USE AMENDMENT.
THAT WOULD JUST BE AN UP OR DOWN VOTE IF WE HAVE A MOTION.
>> IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT THIS BODY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE LAND USE DESIGNATION CHANGE TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY CONCERNS ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE REZONING APPLICATION WHICH DOES NOT HAVE ANY RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS FROM THIS PLANNING STAFF.
THAT WOULD JUST BE AN UP OR DOWN VOTE.
>> MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THAT ZONING.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REZONING REQUEST TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY CONCERNS ON THE MOTION?
>> I THOUGHT WE HAD A SECOND. EXCUSE ME.
NOW IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR CONCERNS ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE THIRD APPLICATION, WHICH IS FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WHERE THE MOVE IT SHALL HAVE TO ARTICULATE THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ATTACH TO THEIR MOTION.
>> I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS. SO C AND D, IF D IS ALL RELATED TO ADDING ADDITIONAL PARKING UPFRONT, THAT'S ALL NOW BEING HANDLED UNDER C, IS THAT IT?
RIGHT NOW THAT PARKING PAD IS LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING, WHICH ALLOWS IT TO REMAIN AS IT IS, BUT IT TIES THEIR HANDS TO A LARGE DEGREE AS TO WHAT THEY CAN DO TO IT.
SO EVEN IF WE WANT TO RESTRICT IT TO WHAT IT IS NOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION SO THAT WE MAXIMIZE THEIR ABILITY TO IMPROVE IT AND MAKE IT BETTER EVEN IF IT'S NOT TO INCREASE THE SIZE.
>> I'LL TRY TO ARTICULATE C, WHICH IS TO PROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH THE EXCEPTIONS, WITH THE CAVEATS THAT WILL THEY MEET PASS TREE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENT FOR 60 PERCENT MINIMUM TREE CANOPY COVERAGE ON 1119 CLAIREMONT AVENUE, THAT THE REAR PARKING BE ADJUSTED TO ACCOMMODATE THE SIX-FOOT LANDSCAPE BUFFER OR FENCE REQUIREMENT, AND ALLOW FOR ONE HANDICAPPED PARKING SPOT AT THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
WHEN DO WE WANT TO COVER THAT?
>> WE'LL COVER THAT. I THINK WE'LL COVER THAT IN THE NEXT ONE.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT FROM THE [OVERLAPPING].
>> PAULETA, ANOTHER PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER AMEND MY MOTION SO FAR.
>> IF I MAY AMEND IT THIS WAY, [LAUGHTER] I WOULD RECOMMEND THE MOTION BE THAT WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION WITH THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS AND THE ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS AS ARTICULATED BY THIS BODY. WILL THAT WORK, ANGELA?
>> ALRIGHT. IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION WITH THE CONDITIONS AS LISTED BEFORE.
ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS OR ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE LUCKY LAST APPLICATION FOR THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
>> I WILL MOVE TO PUT FORWARD A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUEST FOR 1119 CLAIREMONT AVENUE AND 1121 AND 1123 CLAIREMONT ROAD.
[03:25:05]
ARTICULATE WHAT'S IN THAT SPECIAL EXCEPTION.>> WELL, WE WOULD NEED TO CONSTRUCT THE PARKING BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND WITHIN 30 FEET OF A PUBLIC STREET.
>> IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PARKING LIMITED TO ONE HANDICAP SPOT.
>> YES. WITH THE SPECIFIC CONDITION TO LIMIT THE PARKING WITHIN THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO ONE HANDICAP SPOT.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED THAT WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION SUBJECT TO A CONDITION LIMITING THE PARKING PAD AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY TO ONE HANDICAP SPOT. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR CONCERN ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ALL FOUR APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.
ANGELA, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH?
[IV. Other Business]
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT ON MONDAY NIGHT THERE WILL BE A WORK SESSION.
IT'S A JOINT WORK SESSION BETWEEN THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND THE CITY COMMISSION.
IT'LL BE A DRAFT PRESENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN MASTERPLAN, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE DOCUMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ON THE PROJECT WEBSITE.
JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THAT WORK SESSION SHOULD BE STARTING AT 6:15.
IT WILL BE LIVE STREAM JUST LIKE THE MEETING TONIGHT AS WELL AS ON ZOOM.
IF YOU HAVE TIME TO BE THERE, YOU ARE WELCOME TO BE THERE.
MR. GRECO HAS BEEN SERVING ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND REPRESENTING THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ENERGY TOWARDS THIS EFFORT.
>> WE'LL SEE IT IN JUNE AS WE CONTINUE WITH HOPEFULLY THE ADOPTION PROCESS.
>> WHEN IS THAT MEETING TIME AGAIN?
>> THE WORK SESSION IS AT 6:15 AND IT IS MONDAY THE 15TH. THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
>> WELL, HAVING TAKEN CARE OF ALL BUSINESS AND DISCUSSED ALL THE NEWS THAT YOU CAN USE, THIS MEETING IS HEREBY ADJOURNED.
>> THANK YOU. LET ME TURN EVERYTHING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.