[ I. Call to Order]
[00:00:06]
I THINK WE CAN CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
I THINK WE HAVE A QUORUM, RIGHT? WE DO.
WELL, I WILL READ THE QUICK RULES HERE JUST TO KIND OF SET THE TONE FOR HOW THE MEETING IS GOING TO BE RUN.
REGULAR MEETING OF THE DECATUR PLANNING COMMISSION FOR APRIL.
I WILL BE CHAIRING THE COMMISSION THIS EVENING BECAUSE OUR CHAIRMAN IS OUT OF TOWN TODAY.
WE'RE A SEVEN-MEMBER COMMITTEE OF DECATUR RESIDENTS APPOINTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
WE HEAR APPLICATIONS FOR LAND USE AND ZONING, CONDITIONAL USE CHANGES OF THE ZONING REGULATIONS AND FUTURE LAND USE PLANS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HEAR APPLICATIONS TONIGHT IN THE ORDER THEY'RE LISTED ON THE PRINTED AGENDA.
APPLICANTS ARE GIVEN TIME TO PRESENT THEIR CASE WHEN THEIR CASE IS CALLED.
SUPPORTING AND OPPOSING PARTIES ARE ALSO GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
PLEASE BE SURE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR REMARKS.
APPLICANTS ARE ALSO ALLOWED TO PRESENT REBUTTAL.
WE DO NOT FORMALLY LIMIT THE TIME FOR MULTIPLE PARTIES TO SPEAK, BUT WE DO ASK THAT IF YOU ARE MAKING A CONSISTENT ARGUMENT OF REPEATING OUR WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION THEY HAVE FINAL AUTHORITY.
[III. Approval of Minutes ]
THE MARCH.I'D LIKE TO MAKE A ONE REQUESTED CHANGE WHICH IS JUST IN THE WITH RESPECT TO THE TWO MOTIONS THAT WE PASSED THAT THE FULL TEXT OF THE MOTION WHICH INCLUDES THE ANNOTATIONS THAT I MADE FOR ON THE STREET SHAPE GUIDELINE.
IN DETAIL AND THE ORDINANCE THAT THAT BE INCLUDED WITH THE MINUTES SO SHOULD CITY COMMISSION WANT TO SEE THE FULL DETAIL YEAH SO THAT'S ALL I WANT OKAY IS THERE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? THERE IS NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT? I HAD TO STAND BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE.
[Items V.a - V.c]
BUSINESS.WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THREE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED BY THE WILD CENTER.
I THINK WE COULD START WITH THE APPLICANT, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP.
CAN YOU PULL IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT? IS THAT A LITTLE BETTER? ALRIGHT, MY NAME IS ALEXIS CROMARTIE.
WE ARE LOCATED AT 303 PEACH STREET STREET NORTHEAST, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30308.
I AM JOINED WITH MY COLLEAGUE, ANA MARIA MEANS, ALSO WITH DENTON'S, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WEILL CENTER.
IF EVERYONE HERE FOR THE WEILL CENTER COULD PLEASE STAND.
WE ARE HERE FOR A TO REQUEST A LAND USE AMENDMENT, A REZONING AMENDMENT, AND A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ON-SITE PARKING SPACES FOR THE WILD CENTER OAKHURST GARDEN.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE SLIDE THAT THIS IS A AN IMAGE OF THE RENOVATED PROPERTY SITE PLAN.
SO THIS IS A RENDERING OF WHAT THE WILD CENTER LOOKED LIKE AFTER THE RENOVATIONS FINISHED IN DECEMBER OF 2024 YES OKAY I WILL NOTE THAT THE LAND USE AMENDMENT THE REZONING AND THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION ARE NOT FOR ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION IT'S JUST SO THAT THE USE THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1997 CAN BE BROUGHT INTO CONFORMANCE WITH THE CURRENT CODE WE DID WORK WITH THE MANAGER OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHICH LAND USE DESIGNATION AND ZONING DISTRICT WOULD BEST FIT THIS LOCATION.
THE HISTORY OF THE WILD CENTER IS A NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY GARDEN AND ENVIRONMENTAL
[00:05:01]
EDUCATION CENTER LOCATED IN THE OAKHURST NEIGHBORHOOD.THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF A RENOVATED BUILDING WHICH SERVES AS THE WILD CENTER'S MAIN OFFICE, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
THE OUTDOOR GARDENS INCLUDE OPEN GATHERING SPACES, A CHILDREN'S GARDEN, CHICKEN COOP, GREENHOUSES, AND SEVERAL PLANTED GARDENS.
THE SITE IS OPEN DAILY TO THE COMMUNITY AT NO CHARGE.
THE SITE HAS BEEN USED FOR YOUTH AND ADULT HANDS-ON EDUCATION PROGRAMS, PLANT SALES, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, YOGA IN THE GARDEN, AND AN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE FOR WILD CENTER EVENTS AND ALSO PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TYPES AND THE DETAILS OF PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS.
THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT 45 EVENTS SINCE 2003 AT THE OAKHURST GARDEN.
THE TYPES OF EVENT RENTALS THAT NORMALLY OCCUR ON THE PROPERTY ARE BIRTHDAY PARTIES, CORPORATE EVENTS, COUPLES RETREATS, CELEBRATION OF LIFE.
THERE WAS A REPASS THERE AS ONE OF THE MORE RECENT EVENTS.
THE AVERAGE PRIVATE EVENT RENTAL IS THREE EVENTS PER MONTH SINCE THE RENOVATION WAS COMPLETED, AND THE AVERAGE GUEST COUNT IS ABOUT 34.
THERE WERE THREE EVENTS IN 2025 WHICH HAD AMPLIFIED SOUND.
THAT WAS AN ENGAGEMENT PARTY, A 16TH BIRTHDAY PARTY, AND A 70TH BIRTHDAY PARTY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE EVENT RENTAL INCOME IS CRUCIAL TO HELPING FACILITATE THE OAKHURST GARDEN MISSION BY CONTRIBUTING TO THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. THESE NUMBERS THAT ARE LISTED ARE ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE.
WE HAVE A LIST OF RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS TO HELP ENSURE THAT OUR EVENTS ARE NOT DISRUPTIVE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I BELIEVE THOSE ARE BEING PASSED AROUND NOW.
SO THESE ARE UPDATED ONES BY THE APPLICANT.
I'M ASSUMING IT'S BECAUSE OF THE COMMENTS YOU HEARD.
THESE ARE ADDITIONAL SELF-IMPOSED CONDITIONS.
I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.
OH, I THINK SHE'S GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT ALL OF THEM ARE.
OKAY, IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THERE WERE SOME INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS THAT HAPPENED AMONGST NEIGHBORS THAT WERE IN REALLY CLOSE PROXIMITY, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO 2026.
BUT IN TERMS OF FORMAL COMMUNICATION, THERE WAS 33 LETTERS DISTRIBUTED TO IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS IN FEBRUARY OF 2026.
THERE WERE TWO MEETINGS HOSTED IN MARCH OF 2026 WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO DISCUSS THE PROJECT, NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS, AND TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS.
THERE WAS NO ONE SHOWED UP TO THE FIRST MEETING, BUT THE SECOND MEETING HAD EIGHT NEIGHBORS SHOW UP TO THE MEETING TO ASK QUESTIONS, PRESENT THEIR CONCERNS, AND OF COURSE THERE WAS WILD CENTER STAFF THERE TO WALK THEM THROUGH.
YOU KNOW, ANY ISSUES THAT THEY HAD AND TO DISCUSS THEM, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
FROM THE MEETINGS, WE HEARD FROM NEIGHBORS THAT THE PRIMARY CONCERNS WERE THE OUTDOOR AMPLIFIED SOUND, THE PARKING, THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES AT EVENTS, AND CONCERNS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF INCREASED DENSITY ON THE SITE IN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, FOR SOME REASON, THE WILD CENTER WERE NOT TO OCCUPY THE PROPERTY.
TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE FOLLOWING POLICIES.
THESE ARE POLICIES THAT WERE ALREADY IN THE PRESENTATION, SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE SLIGHTLY MODIFIED, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR SHORTLY.
SO REQUIRE ALL DELIVERIES FOR PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS TO LOAD AND UNLOAD IN THE DRIVEWAY TO AVOID ANY INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND RIGHT-OF-WAY STREET PARKING.
TO CAP PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS AT 10 EVENTS PER MONTH WITH NO MORE THAN 100 GUESTS PER EVENT.
I KNOW IT SAYS 150, BUT AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE HAVE MODIFIED THAT TO 100 GUESTS PER EVENT.
AN EVENT RENTALS COORDINATOR WILL WORK WITH THE HOST OF PRIVATE EVENTS OF 50 OR MORE GUESTS TO ESTABLISH AN ALTERNATIVE PARKING SOLUTION AND, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE BIKING, MARTA, CARPOOLING, AND WALKING.
AN EXAMPLE OF AN ALTERNATIVE PARKING SOLUTION WOULD BE PARKING AT A LOCAL LOT AND THEN BEING YOU KNOW BUSSED OVER TO THE CENTER.
REQUIRE ALL EVENTS TO END BY 10 P.M.
AND TO REQUIRE ALL EVENTS TO ABIDE BY THE NOISE ORDINANCE.
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUE ANA MARIA MEANS.
SHE'S GOING TO BRING FORTH THOSE ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO CODIFY THE POLICIES SO THAT THEY WILL RUN WITH THE LAND.
[00:10:01]
WITH DENTON'S I'M GOING TO GO OVER A LITTLE BIT THE FORMAL REQUEST AND THEN THE CONDITIONS THAT WE RECOMMEND SO THE LAND USE STANDARDS OF COURSE WE'RE REQUESTING A CHANGE IN THE LAND USE DESIGNATION CURRENTLY THE LAND USE DESIGNATION IS AT LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL WE'RE REQUESTING A CHANGE TO COMMERCIAL AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL THIS IS REALLY TO ACCOMMODATE THE DESIRED ZONING DISTRICT AND SO AGAIN THERE WON'T BE ANY INCREASE IN DENSITY OR ANY CONSTRUCTION ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION AT THIS SITE BUT THE ZONING DISTRICT WHICH I WILL GET TO THE NEXT SLIDE REQUIRES THIS LANE USE DESIGNATION AS YOU KNOW THE LANE USE DESTINATION NEEDS TO MATCH THE ZONING DISTRICT FOR THE LANE USE DESIGNATION I'M SORRY, FOR THE REZONING, WE'RE REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT FROM R60, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, TO NMU, NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE.I WILL NOTE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE ZONING DISTRICT RESTRICTS BUILDINGS TO 10,000 SQUARE FEET, RESTRICTS INDIVIDUAL USES TO 02,000 SQUARE FEET, AND LIMITS ALL HOURS OF OPERATION FROM 6 TO 11 P.M.
THERE ARE ALSO OTHER USES THAT WE'RE NOT REQUESTING.
I'M HERE BUT YOU KNOW SORT OF THINKING OF THE FUTURE AND WHAT ARE THE WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL UNDER THE ZONING DISTRICT SO FOR EXAMPLE WHILE IT DOES ALLOW A RESTAURANT USE IT LIMITS THE OUTDOOR SPACE FOR A RESTAURANT TO 500 SQUARE FEET AND SO ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WHY THIS NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED-USE DISTRICT IS A GOOD ONE IS BECAUSE IT REALLY RESTRICTS SORT OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN AND WHILE IT ALLOWS IT ALLOWS FOR A MIXED-USE AS IT SAYS IT RESPECTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN WE'VE ALSO REQUESTED A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO ALLOW FOR A REDUCTION OF THE ON-SITE SPACES.
THE SITE IS REQUIRED TO HAVE THREE ON-SITE SPACES, AND WE'RE REQUESTING REDUCTION DOWN TO ONE.
THAT IS MAINLY BECAUSE THE SPACES ON-SITE, ONE OF THEM IS AN ADA SPACE, WHICH OF COURSE...
THE OTHER SPACES WE WOULD LIKE TO USE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING SO THAT'S NOT HAPPENING ON THE STREET AND TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURE HAPPENING ON THE STREET.
AND THAT LEADS ME TO THE CONDITIONS.
SO OUR PROPOSED CONDITIONS, WE CAME UP WITH THOSE AFTER THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, AFTER PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS WITH RESIDENTS.
WE HAD ONE TODAY WHERE WE SORT OF WENT IN AND CHANGED THESE CONDITIONS A LITTLE BIT TO REFLECT THAT.
THE FIRST ONE IS ALL DELIVERIES FOR EVENT.
SHOW LOAD AND UNLOAD IN THE DRIVEWAY ON SITE AND AGAIN THAT'S TO ALLEVIATE THE PRESSURE ON THE STREET YOU KNOW WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOADING AND UNLOADING IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE PARKING SPACE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN FLOW FREELY THROUGH THE STREETS THE SECOND ONE IS THAT PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS CANNOT EXCEED 10 EVENTS PER MONTH AND NOT MORE THAN 100 GUESTS PER EVENT THE WILD CENTERS OVERALL CAPACITY IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 350 PEOPLE AND WHILE WE YOU RECOGNIZE THAT'S THE OVERALL CAPACITY.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO IN ORDER TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT WE'RE LIMITING THE NUMBER OF GUESTS PER EVENT TO AROUND A HUNDRED AND AS YOU SAW ON OUR SLIDE MAJORITY OF OUR EVENTS DON'T REACH THAT NUMBER BUT BECAUSE THESE EVENTS ARE HELPED TO HELP GENERATE REVENUE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME LEEWAY THERE TO MAKE IT RELATIVELY ATTRACTIVE.
WE WANTED TO SPECIFY THAT THE PRIVATE EVENTS DO NOT INCLUDE EVENTS SPONSORED OR HELD BY THE WILD CENTER.
BASED ON OUR FEEDBACK FROM THE NEIGHBORS, THEY SEEM TO NOT MIND AND APPRECIATE THE WILD CENTER'S SORT OF FUNDRAISING EVENTS, PLANT SALE EVENTS, WHERE ALL THAT KIND OF GOES DIRECTLY TO THE WILD CENTER AND IS MISSION-DRIVEN.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY NOT INCLUDED.
SO AGAIN, THE ZONING DISTRICT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO GO TILL 11.
WE REALIZE 11 CAN BE A LITTLE BIT LATE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SO WE HAVE BUMPED THAT UP TO 10 P.M.
NO PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS WILL HAVE OUTDOOR AMPLIFIED SOUND, WHICH MEANS LIVE MUSIC, DJS, OR BANDS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S SORT OF LIKE CONTINUOUS NOISE.
AND AGAIN, WE UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CAN BE DISRUPTIVE.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT RESTRICTION DID NOT APPLY TO THE USE OF MICROPHONES.
OR ANNOUNCEMENTS AS ALEXA SAID.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE HERE AND REPASS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND OF COURSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET ON THE MIC AND MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS OR SAY SOMETHING ABOUT A LOVED ONE WITHOUT TRIGGERING A VIOLATION OF THE ZONING REGULATIONS AND OF COURSE WE DON'T ANTICIPATE SOMEONE IS GOING TO SIT THERE AND TALK FOR THREE HOURS OR WHATEVER UNTIL 10 P.M.
WE WILL MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE MINDFUL OF THAT BUT AGAIN THAT WON'T INCLUDE THINGS LIKE SINGING OR LIVE MUSIC.
WE ALSO WILL HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR A DESIGNATED WEILL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE TO BE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED FOR ALL EVENTS.
SO IF A NEIGHBOR HAS CONCERNS AND THOSE ARE CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.
AS WE TOLD THE NEIGHBORS, WE CERTAINLY PLAN ON ENFORCING THESE RULES.
AND HOLDING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
[00:15:01]
RENTING FOR THE EVENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE RULES, BUT PART OF THAT IS WE NEED TO KNOW WHEN IT'S DISRUPTIVE, WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WRONG.AND LASTLY, ALL EVENTS WILL COMPLY WITH THE NOISE ORDINANCE.
I BELIEVE THE NOISE ORDINANCE HAS A 65 DVA DURING THE DAY AND 55 DVA AT NIGHT, AND WE WILL, OF COURSE, ABIDE BY THAT.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ORDINANCE.
ENJOYMENT OF LIFE AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE NEIGHBORS ARE ABLE TO GO TO SLEEP AND ENJOY THEIR DAY.
OF COURSE, WE WOULD RESERVE ANY TIME FOR REBUTTAL.
AND QUESTIONS AND WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF OUR APPLICATION.
WE MAY ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS SO IF YOU WANT TO HANG OUT, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
I THINK WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, BACK TO FINDING QUESTIONS, NOT DEBATE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE GROUP.
CAN WE JUST GO ALL THE WAY BACK UP TO THE TOP? I APOLOGIZE IF THIS MAYBE Y'ALL SAID THIS BUT I'M NOT I'M NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR ON WHY THE GARDEN NEEDS TO DO THIS.
I MEAN IT SEEMS LIKE I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE EVENTS AND THE PARKING AND THAT ALL MAKES SENSE.
IT JUST WHAT'S WHAT MOTIVATES THE NEED FOR THIS? WHY WHY CAN THEY NOT CONTINUE DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS IT STANDS? SO YOU KNOW THE ZONING AND THE LAND USE DO NOT CURRENTLY MATCH THE EXISTING USE.
AND WHEN THESE RENOVATIONS HAPPENED, THAT SORT OF, SO OF COURSE YOU HAVE LIKE LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING USES AND YOU CAN CONTINUE THEM.
WHEN THE RENOVATION HAPPENED I THINK THAT KIND OF GRAYED THE LINE A LITTLE BIT.
AND SO WE WERE ASKED TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, WHICH WE WERE HAPPY TO DO SO BY REZONING, SO CHANGING THE LAND USE, CHANGING THE ZONING, AND THEN ASKING FOR THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
BUT THIS USE HAS STARTED IN 1997, AND IT'S NOT REALLY CHANGING.
SO WE'RE SORT OF CONTINUING THE SAME THING THAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.
SO IT'S NOT A FUNCTION OF THE UPDATE TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OR TO THE LAND USE.
IT'S JUST A FUNCTION OF THE RENOVATIONS THAT HAPPENED.
ACTUALLY, I CAN EXPLAIN, AND I'VE SHARED THIS WITH HER.
EVERYONE SO THIS PROCESS KIND OF BEGAN WHERE WE WORKED WITH THE WILD CENTER LATE LAST YEAR IN THE FALL BECAUSE THERE WAS AN EVENT THAT WAS A PRIVATE EVENT AND WE RECEIVED A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT SO WE RECEIVED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE NOISE AND THAT THE PARKING WAS BLOCKING THE STREET.
SO MAYBE PEOPLE KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING, OR MAYBE IT WASN'T HAPPENING TO THE LEVEL THAT IT WAS.
THEIR RENOVATION IS GORGEOUS, Y'ALL.
IT ABSOLUTELY IS, SO I'M SURE THAT LEADS TO MORE PEOPLE WANTING TO USE IT.
SO ONCE WE IDENTIFIED THE COMPLAINT, LOOKED INTO THE ZONING, LOOKED INTO WHAT WE HAD ON OUR CITY RECORDS AS TO HOW IT WAS BEING OPERATED, IT REALLY DIDN'T SHOW THAT ANYTHING WAS.
HOSTING PRIVATE EVENTS LIKE THIS YET IT WAS POSTED ONLINE SO WE REACHED OUT TO THE WILD CENTER TO WORK WITH THEM TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY WERE OPERATING? WHY HOW LONG IT'S BEEN THERE THINGS LIKE THAT? SO THIS WAS REALLY THE ATTEMPT TO BRING THE ENTIRE ALL OF THE USES INTO A CONSISTENT ZONING DISTRICT THAT WOULD MEET ALL OF THOSE FUNCTIONS GOING FORWARD A.C., QUESTION FOR YOU.
CAN WE ALLOW A SPECIAL, CAN WE NOT REZONE IT, BUT ALLOW A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO THEN ALLOW EVENTS IN THE RESIDENTIAL? YES, SO THE WAY THE ZONING WORKS IS EACH DISTRICT HAS ALLOWABLE USES.
AND EVENT CENTERS ARE A USE THAT'S HELD IN OUR COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS, BUT NOT AN OPTION AS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
THE GARDENS, THE ABILITY TO SELL THEIR PLANTS, ANYTHING THEY DO ON SITE, ALL OF THAT, THE EDUCATION CENTER IS ACTUALLY ALSO HELD WITHIN THIS ZONING DISTRICT.
SO THIS WAS REALLY JUST AN ATTEMPT TO GET IT INTO THE CORRECT ZONING.
SO THE REZONING AND THE REDESIGNATION OF LAND USE.
BECAUSE I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING.
THAT'S THE ONLY AVENUE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THE EVENT.
YOU CAN JUST SAY, OKAY, KEEP THE ZONING BUT ALLOW THE EVENTS.
WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM BY WHICH THEY COULD APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IF I MAY, I BELIEVE ALSO JUST THE COMMUNITY GARDEN.
IT IS INCLUDED IN THIS ZONING DISTRICT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, ARGUABLY, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WHICH IS MAYBE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, OUR PRIMARY USE IS A COMMUNITY GARDEN, AND THE EVENTS IS AN ACCESSORY USE THAT SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY GARDEN.
AND SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COME BEFORE YOU AND SAY, LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO FLIP THIS AND NOW IT'S, LIKE, THIS HUGE EVENT HALL.
PRIMARY USE IS THE COMMUNITY GARDEN AND THE EVENTS ARE SECONDARY.
[00:20:01]
OF COURSE, THE COMMUNITY GARDEN IS OPEN EVERY DAY.AND AVAILABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS IN A WAY THAT IT'S NOT OPEN EVERY DAY AND AVAILABLE ALL DAY.
JUST FOR MY BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE, CAN YOU DESCRIBE THIS RENOVATION? SURE, STEPHANIE? YES.
I'M STEPHANIE VAN PARIS, AND I LIVE AT 530 ANSLEY STREET IN DECATUR.
AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND SO WE RENOVATED THE BUILDING IN 23-24.
WE TOOK A, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY THE 1950S, 1,400-SQUARE-FOOT DUPLEX BRICK AND REMODELED IT, RENOVATED IT, AND ADDED 700 SQUARE FEET TO THE SIDE.
AND SO THE SOLE PURPOSE OF RENOVATION OF THE BUILDING WAS TO BE ABLE TO ADD A COMMUNITY ROOM THAT COULD BE USED FOR EDUCATION.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF FIELD TRIPS AT THE SITE.
WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 1,000 KIDS COME THROUGH IN A YEAR.
AND WE NEEDED AN INDOOR CLASSROOM THAT COULD HOLD 25 STUDENTS COMFORTABLY.
AND THE BUILDING WAS OLD, AND IT WAS NOT UP TO STANDARD.
AND SO WE WERE FEELING THE PRESSURE THAT WE NEEDED TO UPDATE.
AND WE HAVE A NICE KITCHEN, AND WE HAVE FOUR BATHROOMS. SO THAT'S ANYWAY, SO IT'S A NICE BUILDING TO COMPLEMENT THE SPACE AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE DO THERE.
AND THE INDOOR SPACE IS USED FOR, HAS BEEN USED FOR PRIVATE RENTALS AS WELL.
I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE INTENTION OF THE UNDERLYING, THE INTENTION IS TO UPDATE THE UNDERLYING ZONING SO THAT YOU HAVE CONFORMANCE.
TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I DON'T MENTION IT.
AS STEPHANIE JUST SAID, THERE'S BEEN EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS HERE.
WHILE CENTER INTENDS TO STAY, THERE IS, AT THIS MOMENT, NO INTENT TO SELL OR, YOU KNOW, WILDLY CHANGE WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN 20, 30, 40 YEARS.
AND WHAT THE NEIGHBORS BROUGHT TO US IS, WELL, YOU CAN PUT A RESTAURANT HERE, YOU CAN PUT A BEER GARDEN, WHICH, YES, IS ALLOWED UNDER THE ZONING DISTRICT, LIKELY WOULD REQUIRE SOME CONSTRUCTION, PROBABLY WOULD REQUIRE...
SOME OTHER YOU KNOW PERMITS FROM THE CITY OF SOME SORT AND SO WE WANTED TO POINT TO THE FACT THAT THE NMU DISTRICT ALREADY HAS A LOT OF CONSTRAINTS ON THE SIZE AND THE DENSITY OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN I THINK IT'S LIKE NINE UNITS PER ACRE IT'S NOT A VERY HIGH DENSITY AND THEN OF COURSE THESE CONDITIONS SPEAKING TO AMPLIFIED SOUND AND THINGS LIKE THAT WILL MAKE IT SO THAT IF IN 40 50 WHATEVER YEARS FOR SOME REASON THE WILDE CENTER ISN'T THERE WHATEVER IS THERE STILL HAS TO FOLLOW.
HOW MANY ACRES IS THE ROW CENTER? 1.25.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CONDITIONS WOULD ESSENTIALLY FOLLOW THE SALE OF THE LAND.
YES, THEY WOULD RUN WITH THE LAND.
I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
ONE SAYS WITH FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
OKAY, AND THEN THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS THAT YOU GUYS ARE PROPOSING.
AND YOU SAID THERE MIGHT BE SOME ADDITIONAL ONES UNDER CONSIDERATION, OR IS THIS A FINAL LIST? THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING BASED ON OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY VARY SLIGHTLY FROM THE POLICIES THAT YOU SEE IN THE IN THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE LITERALLY CHANGE THESE AT LIKE 3 30 TODAY TO SPEAK TO THE CONCERNS WE HEARD FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE USED TO SEEING IS THE CONDITIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN THE ORDINANCE AND THOSE CONDITIONS THAT WERE DRAFTED IN THE PACKET YOU HAVE ACTUALLY CAME FROM THEM BUT THEN AFTER THEIR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE INVOLVED THEY'RE ACTUALLY UPDATING THEM TO BE MORE RESTRICTIVE BY ADDING THE ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS.
I GUESS BY THE TIME WE GET TO BOARD OF COMMISSIONS WE'LL THINK THE TWO DOCUMENTS.
CASEY, THIS IS TECHNICALLY THREE PROPERTIES.
I'M SORRY, WHAT'S THAT? THIS IS THREE PROPERTIES.
TECHNICALLY, IT'S THREE PROPERTIES.
THEY DID APPLY TO HAVE THEM COMBINED.
BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, I DON'T THINK SOMEONE TOOK IT ACTUALLY TO DEKALB.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY SHOW IT AS THREE PARCELS.
I THINK DEKALB COUNTY SHOWS IT AS ONE.
IT'S OKAY, I JUST- ALL OF THESE ISSUES WITH THE CABIN, DECATUR- I PUT
[00:25:02]
ALL OF THE ADDRESSES, THAT'S JUST BECAUSE OF HOW OUR VIEWER SHOWS IT, SO I DIDN'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY CONFUSION WHERE, YOU KNOW, NOT THE WHOLE PROPERTY WAS CONTAINED, SO.AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE CLOSE THE LOOP ON THAT.
THE EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROBLEMATIC WITH THE NEIGHBORS, ARE THOSE PRIMARILY AT NIGHT, OR ARE THEY ALSO THE- SO WE RECEIVED, THE MOST RECENT COMPLAINT WE RECEIVED WAS IN THE EVENING.
AND FRANKLY, THE COMPLAINT WAS RECEIVED AND IT CAME BACK TO THE WILD CENTER.
AND WE CANNOT FOR SURE IDENTIFY WHAT WAS THE EVENT, WHAT WAS THE DAY, WHAT WAS QUITE GOING ON.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING.
BY THE TIME IT CAME BACK TO US, THERE WAS A COUPLE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED AROUND THAT TIME, SO WE CAN'T IDENTIFY QUITE THE EVENTS, BUT IT WAS IN THE EVENING.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS PAST 10.
I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE BUSING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THERE ARE SCHOOL BUSES THAT DROP KIDS OFF REGULARLY, AND THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE DAYTIME EVENTS ARE AN ISSUE.
SO, THEREFORE, BUSING FROM THE PARKING LOT TO THE SITE FOR EVENING EVENTS PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE EITHER.
THE EVENTS THAT YOU GUYS SPONSOR YOURSELVES THAT WOULDN'T BE EXEMPTED FROM THIS, WHAT'S THE NATURE OF THOSE? ARE THOSE SEPARATELY PERMITTED IF IT'S A BIG EVENT? THEY HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE PAST.
IF IT'S JUST A PLANT SALE, IT'S DIFFERENT.
IF YOU WERE TO DO A BIG, THERE WOULD BE SEPARATE TRIGGERS FOR BIG EVENTS ANYWAY, RIGHT? YEAH.
WELL, AS LONG AS EVERYTHING IS SOLELY UPON THEIR PROPERTY, THERE IS NO SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT.
IF BY CHANCE SOMETHING WAS TO SPILL OUT INTO THE ROAD OR THE SIDE.
WOULD STILL APPLY TO OUR EVENT.
NUMBER OF GUESTS, RIGHT? THE NUMBER OF GUESTS WOULDN'T APPLY TO OUR EVENTS.
OUR EVENTS WOULDN'T COUNT TOWARDS THE 10 PER MONTH.
AND THEN OUR EVENTS COULD HAVE MUSIC.
OKAY, BUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE.
CORRECT, YEAH, EVERYTHING COMPLYING WITH THE ORDINANCE.
THE 10 EVENTS A MONTH, EVENT EVERY THREE DAYS, OR PROBABLY THE EVENTS WOULD BE CONCENTRATED AROUND WEEKENDS.
LIKELY AROUND WEEKENDS AND I'LL SAY AGAIN THAT THAT IS A MAXIMUM NUMBER IT IS OUR AVERAGE IS THREE EVENTS A MONTH BUT AGAIN IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE WILD CENTER WE WANT TO HAVE SOME LEEWAY IN THAT NUMBER.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A LOT MORE EVENTS HAPPENING IN THE SUMMER, AND SO WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THERE ARE GOING TO BE 10 EVENTS PER MONTH EVERY MONTH, BUT PERHAPS IN AUGUST THERE MIGHT BE EIGHT EVENTS, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SPACE TO HAVE THOSE EVENTS.
HAVE A DISCUSSION YET? OUTDOOR LIGHTING, I DON'T SEE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON OUTDOOR LIGHTING.
IS THERE CURRENTLY, DO YOU USE OUTDOOR LIGHTING? OKAY.
ARE THE EVENTS- SOME EVENTS ARE, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY PROBABLY COLDER MONTHS, RAINY.
SOME EVENTS ARE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM OUR GROUP BEFORE WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY COME UP? OKAY.
WE NOW INVITE THE COMMUNITY, LET'S SAY PEOPLE THAT ARE FOR, AND IS THERE ANYBODY ONLINE? DO WE KNOW? WE DO NOT HAVE THE ZOOM LINK.
OKAY, WE'RE HEARING NOT ANYBODY SPEAKING OUT IN OPPOSITION.
I LIVE AT 507 SOUTH MCDONOUGH STREET, DECATUR, GEORGIA.
MY HUSBAND AND I OWN OUR HOME.
I HAVE OWNED MY HOME SINCE 1996 AND HAVE PAID...
[00:30:06]
I HAVE NEVER BEEN BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.I HAVE NEVER BEEN BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
FOR ANY EVENT OR ANY ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO THE COMMUNITY GARDENS, THEY HAVE BEEN A GOOD THING.
I AM CONCERNED, AND I DON'T BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE THE SECOND PAGE TO MY LETTER.
I INTENDED TO TRY TO SAVE SOME TREES, AND I...
I HAVE TO HAVE THE LETTER AND MY COMMENTS BE PLACED IN THE RECORD.
I WILL EMAIL THOSE TO THE ZONING AND LAND USE MANAGER AND I WILL PROVIDE.
TO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE AMENDED CONDITIONS.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED TO ME BY THE APPLICANT.
I WILL SAY THIS, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THE APPLICANT'S LAWYER THIS MORNING AND APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME AND THEY FULLY LISTENED TO OUR CONCERNS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CURRENT USE IS NOT INTENDED TO HAVE 10 PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS PER MONTH.
THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE SEEKING THE AUTHORITY FOR.
THAT'S EVERY FRIDAY, EVERY SATURDAY, AT LEAST TWO SUNDAYS, TILL 10 O'CLOCK.
I DON'T WANT TO BE LISTENING TO CELEBRATION TILL 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
AND I HAVE A VERY LARGE CONCERN THAT IF THE USE IS NOT LIMITED TO A COMMUNITY GARDEN, SHOULD THE COMMUNITY GARDEN SELL? COMMUNITY GARDEN CHANGE ITS MISSION, THERE IS NO LIMITATION.
AND I REALLY DON'T WANT UNIVERSAL JOINT IN MY BACKYARD.
I WAS NOT AWARE UNTIL TONIGHT OF THE LOT MERGER, SUCH THAT THERE ARE NOW THREE LOTS THAT ARE COMBINED.
AND THIS IS NOT AN APPLICANT'S FAULT, BUT I DO AND WILL RAISE THIS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
I DO HAVE A CONCERN WITH TWO SPACES, TWO ON-SITE PARKING SPACES FOR A HOME.
THAT MEANS, AT 150 GUESTS, THAT BOTH SIDES OF THE ROADWAY, DOWN OAKVIEW AND UP SOUTH MCDONOUGH, WILL BE FILLED WITH CARS.
I RECOGNIZE, AND YOU SEE IN MY LETTER, THAT I AM NOT CONCERNED WITH MISSION...
I DO WANT MISSION DRIVEN EVENTS TO BE DEFINED IN THE CONDITIONS, AND I'M NOT CONCERNED WITH EVENTS THAT OCCUR WITHIN THE STRUCTURE IN THE GARDEN.
TRAFFIC, NUMEROSITY, AND NOISE AND SOUND CONCERNED WITH 150 GUESTS.
NOW, THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATION INDICATES A PARKING PLAN.
FOLKS, THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.
PARKING PLAN IS NOT IN THE DETAILS.
CONDITIONS ARE SIMPLY NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS.
SO WHAT I AM ASKING THIS EVENING IS FOR A DEFERRAL.
A DEFERRAL FOR ANOTHER SET OF PUBLIC HEARINGS AT YOUR JUNE MEETING.
THAT WILL ALLOW ME AND OTHER POTENTIALLY INTERESTED PROPERTY OWNERS THE ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE APPLICANT AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DETERMINE CONDITIONS THAT ACTUALLY PROTECT THE PROPERTY.
REALLY WHAT I'M LOOKING AT AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT THE ORDINANCE BE AMENDED TO PROVIDE A LAND USE CATEGORY AND A ZONING DISTRICT THAT APPLIES TO THIS COMMUNITY GARDEN.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE A FENCE IN MY BACKYARD.
THEY OWN PROPERTY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CREEK, SO THEY ARE DIRECTLY ADJACENT.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS TRUE WITH ANY OF THE OTHER ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO...
LIMIT IT TO THE COMMUNITY GARDEN AND TO A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF PRIVATE EVENTS.
YOU WILL SEE IN MY LETTER, I DON'T DEFINE THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO ON THE FLY THIS AFTERNOON OR THIS EVENING.
AND I RECOGNIZE THERE ARE NOT A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS HERE THIS EVENING IN OPPOSITION.
IT'S ME AND MY HUSBAND, OUR NEIGHBOR.
AND THAT MAY VERY WELL BE BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T THAT INTERESTED.
IT MAY ALSO BE A RESULT OF THE SIGNAGE FOR THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
WHILE THE SIGN FOR YOUR, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPH AT THE BACK OF THE PRESENTATION, YOU SEE A VERY SMALL SIGN.
[00:35:02]
I ASKED TO BE GIVEN A COPY OF THE APPLICATION.MS. VAN PERRY DEMURRED AND SAID SHE WOULD NEED TO TALK TO HER LAWYERS.
AGAIN, NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE APPLICANT, BUT ONLINE APPLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL YOUR AGENDA IS PUBLISHED.
AND I DO THINK THAT WHEN I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY PULL AND COPY THE 30-PAGE APPLICATION AND SAW THAT THE CONDITIONS ARE SIMPLY JUST TOO NEBULOUS TO BE ENFORCEABLE, THAT IS THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING.
I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN AND LET SOME OTHER FOLKS TALK, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I LIVE AT 108 WEST DAVIS STREET.
WE ARE DIRECTLY BEHIND THE GARDEN.
WHAT THEY DO AFFECTS US VERY DIRECTLY.
PLANNING MEMBERS, THIS IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
OAKHURST GARDENS WAS CREATED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
RATHER THAN FIT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE SEEKING TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO SUIT THEIR NEEDS RATHER THAN THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE LIVED ON THE PROPERTY SINCE 1988, BEFORE THE GARDEN WAS EVEN BEGUN.
I KNEW THE GARDEN FOUNDER, SALLY WILD, AND I KNEW HER VISION.
HER VISION WAS FOR A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD RETREAT WITH GARDEN PLOTS TO ENCOURAGE AND TEACH ABOUT NATURE AND FARMING.
SHE DID NOT ENVISION A CONCERT VENUE, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
MUCH OF THE PUSHBACK TO THE GARDEN IS IN REGARD TO EVENTS, AND PARTICULARLY CONCERTS THAT THEY'VE BEEN INSTITUTING ON THEIR PROPERTY.
EVENTS, AS MENTIONED, CAUSE PARKING PROBLEMS. WEST DAVIS STREET IS ONE BLOCK OFF THE GARDEN.
THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS WHERE CARS HAVE PARKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.
WEST DAVIS IS A RATHER NARROW STREET, WHICH MEANS CARS CAN ONLY GO IN ONE DIRECTION, AND IT BLOCKS.
THE MUSIC AND NOISE HAS BECOME AN ISSUE FOR MANY NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE AMPLIFIED MUSIC THAT THE GARDEN WILL PERMIT IN THEIR CONCERTS.
THEY CLAIM THAT THE CONTRACTED EVENTS DO NOT USE AMPLIFIED MUSIC.
I ASSURE YOU THAT IS NOT THE CASE, HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE.
TO COMPLY WITH THE NOISE ORDINANCE, THE GARDEN ADVISES THAT FOR FUNDRAISING EVENTS, THAT THAT DOESN'T APPLY.
THEY CAN HAVE AMPLIFIED MUSIC AS MUCH AS THEY WANT.
THE CITY OF DECATUR, I'M SURE ALL OF YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONED A NOISE STUDY FOR PURPOSES OF REDEFINING THE CITY NOISE ORDINANCE.
THE STUDY DONE BY GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY.
ANALYZED NOISE COMPLAINTS TO THE POLICE FROM 2018 TO 2023.
THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT BY A LARGE MARGIN WAS NOT NUISANCE, WAS NOT CONSTRUCTION, IT WAS MUSIC AND PARTIES BY A LARGE AMOUNT.
IF YOU WISH, I HAVE A COPY OF THE GRAPH OF THOSE COMPLAINTS THAT I'LL BE HAPPY TO GIVE TO YOU.
WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED THE ANNOYANCE OF LOUD AMPLIFIED MUSIC, PARTICULARLY PERHAPS THE LOUD THUMPING SOUND OF BASS MUSIC THAT VIBRATES YOUR HOME WINDOWS.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE THIS HAS OCCURRED IN THE GARDEN, LASTING UP TO FOUR HOURS.
MEMBERS, WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED THE ANNOYANCE OF SO-CALLED BOOMBOX CARS THAT PLAY EXCESSIVELY LOUD MUSIC IN BASS.
IN FACT, IT'S ILLEGAL IN GEORGIA TO HAVE MUSIC EMANATING FROM A VEHICLE THAT CAN BE HEARD 100 FEET AWAY.
IT'S A MISDEMEANOR IN THIS STATE.
IMAGINE THAT THAT VEHICLE IS PARKED IN YOUR DRIVEWAY WITH THAT BOOMING, THUMPING SOUND.
IMAGINE HOW ANNOYING THAT WOULD
[00:40:03]
BE TO YOU.MOST OF US WOULD FIND IT ANNOYING, AND I SUSPECT THAT MS. VAN PERRY, THE DIRECTOR, WOULD FIND IT ANNOYING IF IT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE.
BUT THAT IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING AS DIRECT NEIGHBORS OF THE GARDEN.
THEY INSIST THAT AMPLIFIED MUSIC IS PERMITTED BY THE CITY FOR FUNDRAISING AND OTHER EVENTS.
THAT THE CITY PERMITS THIS AMPLIFIED MUSIC AND THAT THEY INTEND TO CONTINUE BLASTING IT INTO THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE IT SUITS THEIR NEEDS.
THE GARDEN HAS RECENTLY EVEN INSTITUTED A CONCERT SERIES AND THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THEIR FUNDRAISING MUSIC EVENTS.
FORGET THAT IT DISTURBS THE NEIGHBORS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY MOVED INTO.
IT SUITS THEIR FUNDRAISING NEEDS.
AND THAT IS THEIR RATHER CAVALIER POSITION, THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO STOP THE AMPLIFIED MUSIC, ESPECIALLY FOR FUNDRAISING EVENTS.
JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD DO SOMETHING IF YOU WANT TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND RESPECT YOUR NEIGHBORS.
THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE THE GARDENS HAD A ROOSTER ON THEIR PROPERTY.
CROWING IN THE EARLY MORNING, EVERY EVENING.
IT TOOK THEM MONTHS TO FINALLY GET RID OF THAT.
THAT'S WHEN SALLY WILD WAS THERE, AND THANKFULLY THEY REMEDIED THAT SITUATION.
CHANGING THE ZONING HAS UNKNOWN FUTURE RAMIFICATIONS.
THE EXPANSION OF THE PROPERTY, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING AN EXPANSION OF THE EVENTS.
WHAT THEY CALL A CONCERT SERIES.
WE ONLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO EXPAND IT TO.
HAVING THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EVENT THERE EVERY THREE DAYS OUT OF A WEEK IS UNREASONABLE.
IF YOU LIVE BEHIND THEM AND HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, ESPECIALLY AMPLIFIED MUSIC AND BASS THAT RATTLES YOUR WINDOWS.
I'M NOT UPSET WITH THE GARDEN, JUST WHAT THE GARDEN IS AND WHAT IT'S BECOME.
FOR THESE REASONS, I'M OPPOSED TO THE ZONING CHANGE, ANY CHANGE THAT'S GOING TO PERMIT THEM TO EXPAND THEIR MUSIC AND CONCERT ACTIVITIES.
I HAVE THAT GRAPH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, ABOUT THE MUSIC, BUT I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF IT.
I'M HERE AT MILLER STEVES BROTHER.
I JUST NEED YOU TO GO TO THE PODIUM.
MILLER 108 WEST AVA STREET STEVES BROTHER, NEIGHBOR OF VIVIAN AND KEN ERNST.
THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE LONG-WINDED AND THERE MAY BE SOME OVERLAPPING FROM WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY SAID, BUT WHEN WE MOVED IN THERE IN LATE DECEMBER OF 1988, WE HAD THE REASONABLE EXPECTATION THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A SERENE, TRANQUIL NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE DIDN'T BARGAIN FOR THIS INTRUSIVE NOISE, AS THEY'VE ALREADY STATED.
WE'RE GOING TO, AT SOME TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SELL THIS HOUSE.
AND ANY PROSPECTIVE BUYER, IF THEY'RE NOT FROM DECATUR AND THEY HAVE ANY SENSE IN THEIR HEAD, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT GARDEN AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE AN INTENSE INVESTIGATION.
AND WE'VE GOT AN ALBATROSS AROUND OUR NECK AS FAR AS SELLING THIS HOUSE.
I CHALLENGE ANYBODY TO COME OVER.
AND LISTEN TO THAT NOISE AND ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE POSSIBLE EFFECT OF DEPRECIATED PROPERTY VALUES, ESPECIALLY AT AN AGE WHERE WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO SELL.
I'M A CHAIR OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
I'LL JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
KATIE BRADY AND I LIVE AT 713 SOUTH MCDONOUGH STREET.
IT'S ABOUT A BLOCK AND A HALF FROM THE WILD CENTER.
I'VE LIVED THIS BEFORE SO I KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO BE.
MY NEIGHBORS DON'T UNDERSTAND BUT I LIVED BY THE FRASER CENTER AND THEY HAD HAD NICE WEDDINGS FOR FIVE YEARS BUT I LIVED THERE MANY YEARS BEFORE AND THEY GOT A NEW DIRECTOR AND HE DECIDED WE WANT TO HAVE MANY MORE EVENTS AND WE WANT TO HAVE MUCH LOUDER EVENTS.
[00:45:01]
AND WE WANT TO HAVE RECEPTIONS AND EVERYTHING ON THE PROPERTY.SO WE WENT FROM HAVING 25 EVENTS TO HAVING 80 EVENTS A YEAR.
AND THAT MEANT THAT FROM 6 A.M.
WHEN THEY CAME TO SET UP THE TENTS OR THE CHAIRS OR WHATEVER UNTIL 11.30 WHEN THEY FINALLY, THE PEOPLE CAME TO COLLECT ALL THE STUFF FROM THE CATERER, THAT YOU GOT TO LISTEN TO IT ALL DAY LONG.
LONG AND THEY HAD NOT REZONED WHEN THEY STARTED DOING THAT SO WE AS A COMMUNITY SPENT THREE YEARS GOING THROUGH THE DEKALB COUNTY REZONING PROCESS TO GET THEM A SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT THAT HAD THE SAME RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAD ASKED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
I HOPE THAT THIS DOESN'T END UP BEING THAT WAY, BUT BY PASSING THIS ZONING YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE OPENING UP THIS PROPERTY, BE IT WITH THE WILDE CENTER OR THE NEXT OWNER OR WHOEVER, TO BE USED IN WAYS THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY USED AND IN WAYS THAT WILL DEEPLY AFFECT A VERY QUIET AREA OF DECATUR.
THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I AM REQUESTING IS NO AMPLIFIED SOUND EXCEPT FOR THE SIX FUNDRAISING EVENTS THAT THEY DO EACH YEAR.
NO AMPLIFIED SOUND FOR ANY EVENT, NOT JUST FOR PRIVATE EVENTS, BUT FOR OTHER EVENTS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, LIKE IF YOU HAVE GOAT YOGA AND THAT'S A WILD CENTER EVENT AND THEY'RE OUT THERE TALKING ON THE MICROPHONE TO THE GOAT.
THAT'S ANNOYING TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT THE NOISE ORDINANCE SAYS, IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED TO GET THAT ENFORCED, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT.
I WOULD INVITE YOU TO LOOK AT PLACES LIKE THE EDMOND PARK HAS A TROLLEY BARN THAT THEY RENT OUT THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT THEY CAN DO THERE.
THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THIS ARE OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
CHARLIE BARN IS OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
716 WEST IS OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
THE SOLARIUM IS OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
THE HAWKINS DINING HALL IS OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
ALL OF THESE OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THIS.
ARE OWNED BY THE CITY OR ANOTHER ENTITY, NOT BY A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ZONING IS THAT IT TRAVELS WITH THE LAND.
SO IF THE WILD CENTER DECIDES THAT THEIR END IS BETTER MET BY...
SELLING THAT PROPERTY, IT COULD BECOME, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED, THE U-JOINT.
WELL, IF THE U-JOINT IS ALLOWED TO THEN HAVE AMPLIFICATION, EXCEPT FOR PRIVATE EVENTS, THEY CAN HAVE A BAND OUT THERE EVERY SATURDAY.
SO I JUST ASK YOU TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE AMPLIFICATIONS, NOT JUST FOR TODAY, NOT JUST FOR THE WILD CENTER, BUT FOR THE NEXT 10, 15, 20 YEARS.
UM I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME LETTERS FROM OTHER PEOPLE I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM BUT I I'M A MUCH MORE ARTICULATE LETTER WRITER THAN I AM A SPEAKER UM BUT ANYWAYS WE'VE INCLUDED IN THEIR PACKET OKAY GREAT WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I JUST SINCERELY HOPE THAT WE CAN PUT SOME LIMITS ON THIS THAT MAKE THE WILD CENTER WORK BUT ALSO PROTECT US IN THE FUTURE.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST? YES, YOU GUYS WELCOME TO RESPOND.
OF COURSE WE RESPECT THE PUBLIC PROCESS AND OUR NEIGHBORS RIGHTS TO SPEAK THEIR CONCERNS.
I WILL NOTE IF YOU LOOK AT THE SITE PLAN, THE NEIGHBORS ON MCDONOUGH ARE PAST THE CREEK.
AND WELL BEHIND THE BUFFER TO THE NORTH.
IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR PACKET, THERE IS AN EMAIL FROM A NEIGHBOR ON OAKHURST, WHICH WOULD BE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET, SUPPORTING THE WILD CENTER, SUPPORTING THE EVENTS, ACTUALLY ASKING FOR...
AN EXPANSION OF THE WILD CENTER, WHICH WE ARE NOT PROPOSING HERE.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THERE ARE VARIED OPINIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN FACT, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALSO LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SO SHE DOES REALLY RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S CONCERNS, AND SHE HAS TO LIVE THERE AS WELL.
IN THE LAST FEW DECADES, WE'VE ONLY RECEIVED ONE OFFICIAL COMPLAINT, AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THINGS HAVE NOT BEEN DISRUPTIVE, BUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT OF THE REASON WHY WE HAVE THE CONDITION WHICH WILL REQUIRE SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS AND SO THAT WE CAN ACT ON THEM AS WE GET THEM AND WE'RE AWARE OF THEM AND WE'RE AWARE OF THE CONCERNS.
AGAIN, THE SITE IS THE SAME SITE.
THE FUNDRAISING EVENTS THAT WERE MENTIONED, THIS CONCERT SERIES, IT WAS A ONE-HOUR CONCERT FROM 7 TO 8.
[00:50:01]
FOR THAT REASON.AGAIN, WE DO RESPECT THE NEIGHBORS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE ZONING DISTRICT IS MADE FOR THAT.
IT'S NOT A REGULAR MIXED USE DISTRICT.
IT'S NOT ALLOWING THINGS THAT AREN'T COMPATIBLE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS MENTIONED ABOUT PARKING, AND I'LL REMIND YOU ALL AGAIN, ALL THAT'S REQUIRED FOR THIS SITE IS THREE PARKING SPACES.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT SPECIAL EXCEPTION IS SO THAT THE LOADING DOESN'T HAPPEN ON THE STREET AND THE 88 PARKING SPACE CAN BE .
WE CANNOT CONTROL PUBLIC PARKING.
YOU ALL CANNOT CONTROL PUBLIC PARKING.
BUT WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE SAID WE WILL DO IS A PARKING, TRY TO ENFORCE A PARKING PLAN SO THAT THE PEOPLE ATTENDING THE EVENTS HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF ALTERNATIVE MEANS OR AT LEAST SUGGESTIONS TO GET TO THE SITE.
WE HELD TWO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
AS ALEXIS STATED ONE OF THEM NOBODY ATTENDED THE SECOND ONE WE DID HAVE ATTENDANCE AND WE'VE RECEIVED EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS AND THAT FEEDBACK IS REFLECTED IN THE CONDITIONS THAT WE GAVE YOU WE PASSED OUT 33 LETTERS IN FEBRUARY AND SO THERE HAS BEEN AMPLE TIME FOR US TO HEAR FROM THE NEIGHBORS AND THEIR CONCERNS AND ADDRESS THEM IN THE CONDITIONS AND SO THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR DEFERRAL WE WOULD ASK TO ALLOW THIS TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN AMPLE TIME WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE BELIEVE OUR CONDITIONS ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS YOU'LL SEE IN THE CONDITIONS SPECIFICALLY SAYS WILD CENTER EVENTS ARE NOT PRIVATE EVENTS.
SO AGAIN, IF THIS PROPERTY WERE TO GO INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S HANDS AND THEY HAD EVENTS, THEIR EVENTS ARE NOT WILD CENTER EVENTS, AND SO THAT SORT OF LIMITS FUTURE ISSUES.
AND I'LL ALSO NOTE A TAX AMENDMENT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE GENERALLY APPLICABLE.
SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
THE WAY TO CONTROL USES OF SPECIFIC PROPERTIES IS REZONING AND ZONING CONDITIONS, WHICH IS WHAT WE PUT BEFORE YOU.
WE THINK THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DO SO.
IF THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE ZONING CODE IN GENERAL OR THE NOISE ORDINANCE IN GENERAL, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED CITYWIDE.
NOT FOR JUST THIS SITE AND NOT FOR JUST THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE A BROADER CONVERSATION BUT WE HOPE THAT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND THE CONDITIONS THAT WE PUT OUT KEEP ALL THAT IN MIND AND SO WE WOULD ASK NOT TO STALL OUR APPLICATION TO DEAL WITH POSSIBLY BROADER CONCERNS WITH THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND WE'LL ALSO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE GARDENS AND THE GARDEN CENTER AND THE EDUCATIONAL USES ARE FREE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, FREE TO THE CITY, FREE TO ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC.
THIS WILD CENTER STARTED WITH THAT PURPOSE AND THAT MISSION, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M SURE, IT'S VERY HARD TO KEEP A FREE CENTER RUNNING FOR FREE.
AND THE WAY THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO THAT IS THROUGH THESE EVENTS.
AND SO, AGAIN, THESE EVENTS ARE NOT THE MAIN USE.
THE EVENTS ARE NOT THE MAIN PURPOSE OR THE MISSION.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THEM AS LEAST INTRUSIVE AS POSSIBLE WITH THE CONDITIONS.
SO, AGAIN, WE HOPE THAT YOU RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR THIS COMMUNITY GARDEN AND ITS SUPPORTED EVENTS.
I HAVE ONE QUESTION BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
THERE'S A DISTINCTION THAT'S BEING MADE BETWEEN EVENTS SPONSORED OR HOSTED BY THE WILD CENTER AND THEN THE RENTAL, LIKE THE THIRD-PARTY EVENTS.
DO YOU KNOW ROUGHLY HOW MANY A YEAR OF THOSE DIRECT WILD CENTER EVENTS THERE ARE? THEY'RE AMPLIFIED.
AMPLIFIED OR OVER, LIKE IN GENERAL? JUST ALL.
YEAH, SO SOME OF THEM ARE LIKE PLANT CELL DURING THE DAY, SOME OF THEM ARE THE ONE HOUR CONCERT.
SO TEN, AND THOSE ARE NOT ALL AMPLIFIERS, MAYBE HALF OR SOMETHING.
LOOKING AT THE SITE PLAN, SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PARKING, ANY AND ALL EVENTS, THE PARKING WILL BE ON THE STREET? YEAH.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN PARK ON THE STREET.
I MEAN, THEY CAN PARK AT OAKHURST, THEY CAN PARK IN DUNA, THEY CAN PARK AT A LOT AND WALK OVER, BIKE OVER, WHATEVER.
WE CANNOT RESTRICT PUBLIC PARKING UNLESS THE CITY RESTRICTS IT IN SOME WAY WITH A PERMIT.
AND WE CANNOT TELL PEOPLE COMING TO THE WILD CENTER THEY CANNOT PARK ON THE STREET.
[00:55:01]
HAVE THE POWER TO DO.THIS PARKING PLAN THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE EXTENT OF WHAT WE CAN DO.
WHAT IS YOUR PARKING PLAN? THE PARKING PLANS ARE MEANT TO CHANGE PER EVENT, RIGHT? SO IF YOU SAW ON THE SLIDE, THE AVERAGE EVENT ONLY HAS...
IF IT'S LIKE A KID'S BIRTHDAY PARTY AND THERE ARE 30 PEOPLE THERE, ALL THOSE KIDS ARE NOT DRIVING THEMSELVES.
AND SO WHAT WE, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, AND WHICH IS WHY WE DON'T HAVE SORT OF THESE STRICT RULES IS TO BE ABLE TO, WITH OUR EVENT COORDINATOR SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE YOU'RE HAVING THIS TYPE OF EVENT, THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING, MAYBE THEY'RE COMING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, MAYBE THEY'RE COMING FROM FAR AWAY, LET'S COME UP WITH A PLAN AND SOME SORT OF GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTIONS YOU CAN GIVE YOUR ATTENDEES TO SAY, WE PREFER YOU TAKE MARTA, WE PREFER YOU PARK OVER HERE AND WE'RE GOING TO GET A SHUTTLE TO BRING YOU OVER HERE, WE PREFER, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT WITH KIDS, WE PREFER YOU RIDE YOUR BIKE OR WALK.
SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE EVENT AND OUR CONCERN WAS IF WE PUT THESE STRICT RULES.
AND IT'S LIKE AN EVENT WITH 10 PEOPLE, THEN THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE AN ISSUE.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK PER EVENT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS BEST AND WHAT'S LEAST INTRUSIVE.
SO YOU'RE BASICALLY WANTING TO BE FLEXIBLE SO THAT DIFFERENT EVENTS HAVE DIFFERENT PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
AND AGAIN, BECAUSE WE CAN'T RESTRICT PUBLIC PARKING, ALL WE CAN DO IS SAY COME UP WITH A PLAN, ENFORCE IT, PUT IT IN YOUR INVITATION, AND THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO.
YOU SO MAKING THAT A CONDITION, THOUGH? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT A CONDITION, RIGHT? OR IS IT? I KEEP SKIMMING THIS, BUT AM I MISSING IT? IT'S NOT A CONDITION.
JUST A GENERAL INTENT TO HAVE A PARKING PLAN, NOT SOMETHING SPECIFIC.
YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH ADDING A CONDITION SAYING THAT FOR ALL EVENTS, I BELIEVE IT'S IN OUR PRESENTATION THAT WE PLAYED, SO KIND OF CODIFYING THAT, ALL EVENTS, 50 OR MORE, MUST WORK WITH OUR EVENT COORDINATOR TO ESTABLISH.
A PARKING PLAN I THINK YOU SHOULD SUGGEST YOU OKAY TO DESCRIBE WHAT THE PARKING PLAN IS LIKE JUST LIKE YOU WERE SAYING JUST NOW YEAH YEAH I MEAN I I GUESS I WOULD STRUGGLE BECAUSE IT'S GONNA IT WILL VARY I THINK THE PART WE CAN SAY THE PARKING PLAN WILL ENCOURAGE WALKING MARTA THERE IS A THRESHOLD NUMBER RIGHT ANYTHING ABOVE 50 CHECK OUT TWO OTHER LOCKS FOR AGREEMENTS TO ALLOW YOU TO DO OPTEC.
WE HAVE IT BECAUSE FRANKLY OUR AVERAGE EVENT IS LIKE 30 PEOPLE, SO WE HAVEN'T REACHED THAT POINT WHERE IT'S BECOME YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HUNDRED PEOPLE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN AND SO AGAIN WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SORT OF THE CORE USE IS A NON-PROFIT GARDEN USE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH A PARKING LOT WHERE WE HAVE TO SORT OF PAY THEM AND THEN WE END UP NOT USING IT AND SO A LOT OF THESE CONDITIONS ARE KIND OF SEE IN THE FUTURE RIGHT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS OUR TIME TO COME BEFORE YOU AND SET CONDITIONS AND WHILE I THINK ARGUABLY WE DON'T NEED THESE CONDITIONS FOR THE ACTUAL EVENTS THAT WE ARE HAVING TODAY WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT MIGHT EVOLVE A LITTLE BIT UM AND SO THEY'RE ALMOST LIKE FUTURE-PROOFING CONDITIONS MENTION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE EVENTS IN THE SUMMER THAN DURING THE WINTER THAT'S WHY WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT, OKAY, IF WE DO LIKE A PER YEAR, THEN THE CONCERN WOULD BE WE CAN KIND OF LIKE, I MEAN, NOT THAT WE ACTUALLY DO THIS, BUT THERE COULD BE SOME CONCERN THAT IF WE SAY, YOU KNOW, 100 EVENTS PER YEAR, WE COULD DO 100 EVENTS IN LIKE THREE MONTHS.
YOU'RE SAYING DO IT LIKE A MONTHLY CAP AND THEN A YEARLY CAP? YEAH, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU GUYS WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT.
I THINK WE'RE FINE WITH A MONTHLY CAP.
I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE AMPLIFICATION OF MUSIC IN PARTICULAR, NOT THE SPEECHES AND WHATNOT.
SO IF A PRIVATE EVENT DOES NOT HAVE A BAND, HOW DO THEY PLAY MUSIC? IF THEY DON'T HAVE A BAND? NO.
OH, THEY COULD, LIKE, YOU'RE SAYING...
HOW DO THEY PLAY MUSIC? I MEAN, THEY COULD HAVE A DJ.
THEY COULD PLAY MUSIC THROUGH A SPEAKER.
AND SO THE CONDITION IS MEANT TO CUT OFF, LIKE, ALL THE AMPLIFIED MUSIC FOR PRIVATE.
THEY COULD NOT HAVE LIVE MUSIC.
[01:00:01]
THEY COULDN'T HAVE A DJ.YEAH, THEY COULD HAVE A BAND, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE AN AMPLIFIER.
AND YOU TALKED ABOUT MUSIC, BUT I WANT TO BE VERY SPECIFIC.
A PRIVATE EVENT WITHOUT AN ACOUSTIC BAND PLAYS ZERO MUSIC.
A GUITAR, JUST A GUITAR THAT'S NOT AMPLIFIED.
THAT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE AS I READ IT.
UNLESS THAT GUITARIST IS SINGING CELEBRATION, THERE IS NO COOL IN THE GAME.
AND IF THE GUITAR EXCEEDS THE NOISE ORDINANCE, IT'S ALSO NOT ALLOWED.
I'M ON SET LISTS HERE NOW, JOHN.
WELL, LET ME PUT THAT IN THE SIMULATION.
I HAVE REASONS TO DO IT ACROSS MY MIND THAT YOU CAN HAVE AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, BUT YOU CAN'T.
OKAY, I JUST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU TELL SOMEBODY THEY CAN'T HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY, THEY CAN'T PLAY MUSIC.
RIGHT, LIKE A RAFI OR SOMETHING, RIGHT.
RIGHT, OH, YOU JUST HAD THEM PLAY VIOLIN OR...
AS LONG AS THEY DON'T CONNECT WITH AN AMPLIFIER AND A SPEAKER.
WE DO NOT HAVE REQUIREMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO JUST GO BACK TO THE NOISE ORGAN.
THEY DON'T OPEN UNTIL 9, SO IF SOMEONE WERE TO TRY TO DROP SOMETHING OFF, THEY'D HAVE TO JUST LEAVE IT IN THE FRONT.
THEY TYPICALLY CLOSE AT 5, BUT OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S AN EVENT.
BUT IF SOMEBODY'S CLEANING UP FROM A WEDDING, I GUESS.
I THINK WE CAN RESTRICT LOADING AND LOADING TO 90 MINUTES BEFORE AND AFTER.
OH, SO IT'S IN THE RENTAL AGREEMENT.
WE'RE HAPPY TO PUT A CONDITION THAT 90 MINUTES BEFORE OR AFTER.
A QUESTION RELATED TO THE IMPORTANCE OF EVENTS IN THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE WEILL CENTER.
OBVIOUSLY, NONPROFITS HAVE CONSTRAINED INCOME.
I UNDERSTAND THAT TRYING TO GET OTHER STREAMS OF INCOME IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF KEEPING THE MISSION ALIVE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ON THE RELATIVE IMPACT OF THESE EVENTS ON THE WILD CENTER AND WHAT OTHER INCOME STREAMS THAT MAYBE DON'T COME WITH SUCH OTHER INTERESTING CONDITIONS LIKE AMPLIFIED NOISE ARE ALSO A POSSIBILITY FOR THE WILD CENTER AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THOSE HAVE BEEN EXPLORED.
ALL RIGHT, SO I GET THIS QUESTION ON SITE VISITS WITH FOUNDATIONS AND SUCH.
SO OUR BUDGET IS ABOUT A MILLION, AND PRIVATE EVENT RENTAL AT THIS TIME ACCOUNTS FOR $20,000, AND THAT IS SPREAD OVER OUR FOUR SITES.
SO THERE IS ROOM FOR GROWTH WITH RENTALS, YOU KNOW, AT ANY OF OUR SITES AS INCOME, BUT IT IS NOT SIGNIFICANT.
SO WE GET, YOU KNOW, ABOUT 30% FROM FOUNDATIONS.
21% FROM INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS, PROGRAM INCOME, THAT INCLUDES THE PLANT SALE AND EDUCATION, THAT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER 25%, AND THEN ALL OF OUR OTHER INCOME BREAKS DOWN FROM THERE.
SO WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST FUNDRAISING REGIME, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, AT THE ORGANIZATION, AND THIS IS JUST A PIECE OF IT.
SO THE EVENT RENTAL INCOME IS NOT SIGNIFICANT FOR US, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT, AND IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
FOR GROWTH, BUT OUR OTHER INCOME STREAMS ALSO GROW.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT IT, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, FOR GOODWILL, FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
SO I'M MEETING CHILDREN ALL THE TIME.
I HAD MY BIRTHDAY PARTY AT YOUR GARDEN WHEN I WAS FIVE, AND THEY'RE 20 NOW.
WE PARTNER WITH OTHER NONPROFITS, AND THEY'LL HAVE THEIR BOARD
[01:05:01]
RETREAT.AT OUR LOCATION, AND THAT OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR NETWORKING AND COLLABORATION, WE HAVE HOSTED THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER FOR AN EVENT.
COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKETS HAS HAD AN EVENT AT THE OCHRE'S GARDEN INSIDE.
SO IT IS, AND WE'VE HAD GRADUATION PARTIES.
SO PEOPLE LOVE, AND IN FACT AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WE HAD THE OTHER NIGHT, THE FINAL QUESTION I HAD WAS HOW CAN I RENT THE GARDEN? YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HAVE THANKSGIVING WITH MY FAMILY, AND I'D LIKE TO USE YOUR SPACE BECAUSE MY HOUSE ISN'T BIG ENOUGH.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF GOODWILL THAT COMES OUT OF THIS, OUT OF THESE RENTALS THAT WE DO, AND MOST OF THEM ARE.
I MEAN, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE NOT AMPLIFIED.
AND THEN, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AN AVERAGE OF 30 PEOPLE.
SO THE IMPACT HAS BEEN, ANYWAY, YEAH.
SO THAT'S A LONG ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT FINANCIALS.
BUT IT DOES ANSWER, I GUESS, THAT YOU DO HAVE, IT SEEMS THAT LISTENING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S REALLY THOSE AMPLIFIED EVENTS THAT CONCERN AMONG THE NEIGHBORS.
JUST TRYING TO LISTEN TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
I DID SPEAK TO A NEIGHBOR, AND I THINK THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WROTE THE LETTER AFTER THE COMMUNITY THEY WERE, THEY JUST CAME INTO THE GARDEN BECAUSE THEY LIVE ACROSS THE STREET.
AND I DID ASK HIM, I SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU WEREN'T AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING TONIGHT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM US AND YOU HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WITNESSING THE PARKING AND EVERYTHING FOR YEARS.
AND THEY SAID, OH, IT'S PUBLIC PARKING.
IT DOESN'T, WE DON'T BOTHER, IT DOESN'T BOTHER US.
AND WE ENJOY THE ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE AT THE LOCATION.
SO, YEAH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS, EVERYBODY GETS SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND SOME PEOPLE, YEAH, SO THE AMPLIFICATION FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, OUR RENTALS IS, IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF OUR RENTALS.
AND IF THEY WENT AWAY, IT WOULD NOT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT.
THE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS.
IT WOULD NOT DEMOLISH OR DECIMATE THE ACTIVITY AT THE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE WE HAVE PLENTY OF OTHER PEOPLE OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ENJOY THAT SPACE IN A VERY QUIET AND RESPECTFUL MANNER.
I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION JUST TOUCHES ON MY FIRST QUESTION AGAIN AND JUST RELATED TO THE FUTURE LAND USE.
I THINK YOUR RESPONSE WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT CAME IN WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK.
WHAT'S THE OBJECTION TO JUST LIMITING THE USE TO THE EXISTING? YOU KNOW, I THINK SORT OF FOR TODAY, RIGHT, WE DON'T PLAN ON HAVING THOSE USES, AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.
NOT TO SAY YOU COULDN'T DO IT, BUT WE'D JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER REZONING, RIGHT? IT WOULDN'T BE LIKE...
LIKE, WE COULD TECHNICALLY, I THINK, PUT, I GUESS, NINE MULTIFAMILY THERE WITHOUT NECESSARILY GOING THROUGH A REZONING.
I THINK WE COULD TECHNICALLY PUT A BEER GARDEN WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A REZONING.
I WOULD SAY FOR TODAY, THOSE AREN'T THINGS THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN DOING, BUT OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU KNOW, ZONING RUNS WITH THE LAND.
AND SO TO ADD RESTRICTIONS ALSO RESTRICT THE MARKETABILITY OF THE PROPERTY LONG-TERM, AND WE CAN'T PREDICT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN 50 YEARS.
AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE WILD CENTER IS THERE FOREVER AND NEVER HAS TO CHANGE HANDS.
BUT TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE TO, IF WE HAVE ALL THESE CONDITIONS RESTRICTING THE USE, IT LIMITS THE MARKETABILITY.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SELL.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS TO SELL IT.
BUT IDEALLY, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO LIMIT THAT.
IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO COME BUILD A MIXED-USE PROJECT, THEY WOULD JUST COME.
THAT WOULD BE ADJUDICATED AT THAT TIME.
IF THEY HAD A RESTAURANT, I'M SURE THEY WANT MORE THAN ZERO PARKING SPACES.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS ACTUALLY CLOSED, SO NOW IT'LL GO TO BOARD DISCUSSION.
TECHNICALLY SUPPOSED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC MEETING, RIGHT? CASEY, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION THEN.
[01:10:02]
USE, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE R-60.CAN YOU QUICKLY SUMMARIZE WHAT THE COMMERCIAL HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL LAND USE WOULD OR WOULD NOT ALLOW, HYPOTHETICALLY? YES.
THE WAY OUR ZONING CODE IS SET UP, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW WE HAVE A FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
SO THAT IS YOUR LAND USE DESIGNATION.
ACTUALLY, IT SHOULD BE RIGHT THERE.
SO WE HAVE LOW-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, MEDIUM-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, AND COMMERCIAL AND HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
THE WAY OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE WORKS IS IN ORDER TO GET A SPECIFIC ZONING, SO IN THIS CASE THE NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED-USE ZONING, MUST HAVE A COMMERCIAL AND HIGH-DENSITY LAND USE DESIGNATION.
IT CANNOT, IF YOU WOULD TO, I GUESS I WANT TO PUT IT IN SOME CLEARER TERMS. IF YOUR MOTION, THERE'S A REASON THE MOTIONS ARE IN THIS ORDER, IS BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAPPEN THAT WAY.
SO IF BY CHANCE YOU DO NOT WANT TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE LAND USE CHANGE, YOU CANNOT VOTE ON THE ZONING AMENDMENT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, LAND USE IS A GUIDE, BUT THE ACTUAL ZONING DESIGNATION IS THE LAW.
THE WAY WE DO IT IN DECATUR, OUR ONLY RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS IN THE SINGLE FAMILY ARE THE R-50, THE R-60, AND THE R-85.
MOST OF OUR PROPERTIES ARE ZONED R-60.
THE MEDIUM DENSITY WOULD ACCOUNT FOR OUR RS-17, RM-18, RM-22, AND I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE, I'M SO SORRY, 23-47, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
INSTITUTIONAL IS INSTITUTIONAL.
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
OBVIOUSLY THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS ALLOW MORE DENSITY AND THEN OF COURSE OUR COMMERCIAL AND OUR C2 DISTRICTS ALLOW THE HIGHEST DENSITY.
C2 IS UP TO 70 UNITS PER ACRE.
THAT'S A LOT RIGHT? SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING WHICH MAY NOT BE COMPLETELY IDENTIFIABLE THE PROPERTY ON THE CORNER IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE CITY SO WILD CENTER OWNS THREE INTERNAL PARCELS.
THERE IS ONE PORTION OF LAND WHICH THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS APPLICATION THAT THE CITY DOES OWN CLOSEST TO SOUTH MCDONOUGH SO IF I LOOK AT THAT AND GO BACK TO THE SITE PLAN THEN THAT THAT PIECE AGAINST MADONNA AND ALL COURSES OVER THE CITY YES AT THE CORNER I SEE I'M SORRY I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE TRACKS.
I KNOW THEY INCORPORATE IT ON THEIR PLAN BUT IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT EXHIBIT B, THAT PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY, THE CORNER PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE CITY.
BUT THIS IS NOT SUBJECT TO THAT PROPERTY.
THIS REQUEST IS NOT SUBJECT TO THAT.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE GEO SURVEY, THAT DOESN'T READ THE SAME WAY.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE GEO SURVEY, IT SAYS TRACK TWO, TRACK ONE, AND THEN THERE'S A PIECE
[01:15:01]
OF PROPERTY IN THE MIDDLE.NO, THERE'S A BIGGER, THERE'S A LARGER VERSION OF IT SOMEWHERE.
YEAH, LIKE, IT'S TRACK TWO, TRACK ONE, AND THERE'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY IN THE MIDDLE.
THE TOOTH DOESN'T SEEM TO READ THE SAME.
SO IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW, YOU'LL SEE WHERE IT'S DESIGNATED THAT CORNER PROPERTY SAYS THE CITY OF DECATUR.
RIGHT, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NORTH TO SOUTH, LIKE ALMOST A LOT OF PROPERTY LINES, IT SAYS TRACK ONE.
THEY COMBINE TWO PIECES OF PROPERTY TOGETHER.
AND THEN THERE'S ONE WHERE THE BUILDING IS, WHERE THE CENTER IS NOT REGISTERED.
IS IT PART OF TRACK 2? IT'S PART OF TRACK 2.
SO TRACK TWO IS ALL THREE OF THOSE? SO THE THREE PIECES COME TOGETHER AS TRACK TWO.
THE OTHER TWO PIECES COME TOGETHER AS TRACK ONE.
AND THEN THE ONE TO THE FAR RIGHT IS THE CITY.
I THINK THAT'S HOW IT RUNS, RIGHT? SO THE DUST SHOWS UP HERE.
CASEY, WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR HAVING AN EVENT ON CITY PROPERTY WITH AMPLIFIED SOUND? I'M NOT CLEAR THAT WE RESTRICT IT OR DON'T RESTRICT IT.
FOR A COMMERCIAL SPACE TO A RESIDENTIAL SPACE, ARE THERE BUFFER REQUIREMENTS THAT MIGHT HELP WITH AMPLIFIED SOUND? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SO FORMAL BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY BUILDING SOMETHING, BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD WANT, WE COULD LOOK AT WORKING WITH THE ARBOR.
...ESCAPE PLAN THAT COULD MITIGATE SOME OF THE SOUND.
EXCEPT FOR WILD CENTER EVENTS AND THEN SOMEBODY MAKING A SPEECH.
EXCEPT FOR THE WILD CENTER EVENTS.
EXCEPT FOR THE WILD CENTER EVENTS.
BUT THERE'S NO CAP ON THE WILD CENTER EVENTS.
YEAH, SO IT WOULD ONLY BE IN PLACE IF IT WAS.
YEAH, THAT'S WHERE I'M A LITTLE BIT LOST.
WHAT, I MEAN, NOT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A LOOPHOLE, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT MAKING, IF IT'S NOT A FOR RENT SITUATION, IS THAT THE DEFINITION? IF IT'S A FUNDRAISER FOR WILDE CENTER AND YOU'RE STILL THERE.
SO THE WAY THE ZONING CODE WORKS, WE CANNOT DICTATE, LIKE WE JUST HAVE EVENT RENTALS, RIGHT? SO A PROPERTY CAN EITHER HAVE EVENTS ON IT OR HAVE NOT.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN ODD ONE BECAUSE I THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS KNOWN THAT THEY HAVE DONE THEIR OWN.
SO I THINK REALLY THE CONDITIONS OF DEFINING THE DIFFERENCE IS MORE FOR THEIR PURPOSE SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY KEEP THEIR EVENTS WHERE AS IT COMES TO THE CITY WE DON'T NECESSARILY DESIGNATE IT'S STILL AN EVENT.
I WILL SAY WITHIN OUR NOISE ORDINANCE WITHIN OUR DISTRICT IF YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER YOU COULD HAVE AMPLIFIED SOUND ON YOUR PROPERTY YOU WOULD ALL ALSO JUST HAVE TO MEET ALL, I THINK YOU DO KNOW, YOU DO HAVE TO MEET THE NOISE REQUIREMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK A LOT OF THOSE CONDITIONS WERE REALLY, YOU GUYS CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, AS TO THE FEEDBACK THEY HEARD BACK FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
HOW COULD THEY MITIGATE THE CONCERNS WHEN IT IS NOT THEIR OWN PRIVATE EVENT? BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN THE CODE THAT WOULD SAY FOR PROFIT, NOT FOR PROFIT, MONEY COLLECTED.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO AMPLIFIED SOUND, IT ALL GOES BACK TO THE NOISE ORDINANCE.
WHAT COULD BE DEVELOPED CURRENTLY VERSUS IF IT'S AN MMU? CURRENTLY IT'S R60, WHICH ALLOWS FOR A QUAD PLUS AN ADU PER...
THEY DO CURRENTLY HAVE THREE TAX PARCELS UNDER, WELL, WE PULL FROM THE GIS, SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE DISCREPANCY HAPPENED, BUT WE ACTUALLY RECOGNIZE IT STILL AS THREE PARCELS.
IF WE DO AN NM NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE FOR THOSE THREE PARTIALS, IT'S NINE? IT'S NINE UNITS PER ACRE.
SO I THINK, ARE YOU AT NINE? FOR GROSS ACREAGE OR FOR BUILDABLE ACRE? JUST FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.
[01:20:17]
I GET A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS.WELL, AND THEY ALREADY HAVE A BUILDING ON SITE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.
WELL, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THIS DISTRICT DOES NOT ACTUALLY ALLOW LARGE DEVELOPMENT, SO ALL BUILDINGS ARE RESTRICTED TO NO MORE THAN 10,000.
FEET AND THEN IF THERE WAS BUSINESSES LET'S JUST SAY THERE'S FOUR BUSINESSES IN THERE THEY STILL COULDN'T BE MORE THAN 2,000 SQUARE FEET EACH SO THE WAY THEIR CURRENT BUILDING IS DESIGNED THEY ACTUALLY DO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFICALLY YOU CAN DO 10,000 SQUARE FEET WITH NINE UNITS ABOVE WITH THE NMU DESIGNATION YEAH I MEAN THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I COME DOWN I MEAN I THINK WE'RE NOT ...FOR A FUTURE APPLICATION.
THE ZONING HAS TO, CHANGE HAS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF...
CASEY, SO THE FIRST THING THAT SHE JUST DID WAS LIKE THIS CONDITION THAT SAID...
YEAH, SO I THINK SEVERAL OF US KIND OF, MANY OF YOU KIND OF CALLED AND WE HAD A SIMILAR CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ACTUAL USES AND WAS THERE ANYTHING MORE...
I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF MARK'S LAST QUESTION THAT HE ALLUDED TO, WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY RESTRICT THE SPECIFIC USES.
SO THE FIRST HANDOUT, I APOLOGIZE, WAS ACTUALLY...
ME ADDING THAT CONDITION THAT WOULD LIMIT THEM TO THE ACTUAL USES THAT THEY HAVE CURRENTLY AND WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING.
SO THOSE USES WOULD BE LIMITED TO THE COMMUNITY GARDEN, A MARKET GARDEN, FOR OUR ZONING CODE A MARKET GARDEN ALLOWS SITE, AN EDUCATION CENTER, COMMUNITY PROGRAM, AND PRIVATE EVENT RENTAL.
AND THEN, SO SOMEONE COULDN'T OPEN A UNIVERSAL JOINT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY COULDN'T, NOR COULD ANY FUTURE? THEY COULD, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MODIFY THOSE CONDITIONS.
THEY'D HAVE TO COME BACK HERE.
THAT WOULD BE A WHOLE OTHER SET OF APPROVALS IN THE FUTURE.
SO THREE PER PARCEL, SO A TOTAL OF NINE.
NO, ACTUALLY JUST FOR THEIR BUILDING RIGHT NOW, WE JUST RUN IT OFF OF THE MAIN BUILDING.
ALSO, I THINK WHAT I HEARD IS THAT'S TO ALLOW SPACE FOR LOADING, WHICH OF COURSE IS NOT GOING TO BE 24-7.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME THERE'S THREE SPACES EXISTING, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING IT.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE THREE OFF-SITE PARKING SPACES AVAILABLE MUCH OF THE TIME, IT SOUNDS LIKE.
BUT THEY'RE RESERVED FOR LOADING, SO THOSE CARS ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE.
ESSENTIALLY, THEY KIND OF HAVE TWO, WELL THEY KIND OF HAVE LIKE THIS LONG DRIVE AISLE.
SO ANOTHER, SO IN THIS, SAY HYPOTHETICALLY, THIS MOVES FORWARD, THERE ARE THESE STIPULATIONS ABOUT NO AMPLIFIED MUSIC, EVENTS, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY VIOLATE ANY OF THOSE STIPULATIONS? SURE, SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE COMPLAINT DRIVEN IN HERE.
SO IF WE RECEIVE A COMPLAINT, OBVIOUSLY OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WOULD DETERMINE TO DOCUMENT IT.
WE DO HAVE A PROCESS BY IF ANYTHING IS IN VIOLATION.
YOU KNOW, WE CARRY EACH COMPLAINT AS THEY COME IN AND HAVE TO TAKE THEM THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNEL.
SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO RECTIFY IT.
I GET THERE'S MAYBE THERE'S AN EVENT ON SATURDAY.
IT'S NOT THAT SERIOUS, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE WRITTEN AS A CITATION.
I CAN TELL YOU I HAVE HAD BUSINESSES WHERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED CITATIONS FOR NOISE ON THE SPOT.
SO IT COULD BE RAISED TO THAT LEVEL IF IT REACHES THAT.
IF IT IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM THAT IS DOCUMENTED, WE ALSO HAVE THE RECOURSE OF TAKING IT TO THE CITY COMMISSION TO
[01:25:02]
POSSIBLY REVOKE A BUSINESS LICENSE OR MAYBE BRING IT BACK THROUGH THIS PROCESS IF THAT'S REQUIRED.SO THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT STEPS TO GET US TO THE LARGER ONE, BUT WE DO HAVE MECHANISMS BUILT WITHIN THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDERS TO DEAL.
WHAT LEVEL OF SOUND OR TYPE OF SOUND WOULD TRIGGER THE CITY NOISE ORDINANCE? ACTUALLY ANY NOISE TRIGGERS IT.
YEAH IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE AMPLIFIED SOUND.
THAT'S EXACTLY HOW OURS IS DRAFTED.
PULL UP THE ORDINANCE, IT WAS CHANGED RECENTLY, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THE DBA CHANGES, I BELIEVE THE HOURS COULD POSSIBLY CHANGE.
I DO BELIEVE RESIDENTIAL IS UNTIL 10PM AND COMMERCIAL IS UNTIL 11PM, BUT I MAY HAVE TO CHECK THAT AND CONFIRM.
AND PERHAPS JUST IS THIS SOMETHING WE MIGHT CONSIDER AS...
THE ELEMENTS OF THAT NOISE ORDINANCE ARE PER THE R60, NOT AT THEIR PROPERTY LINE, IT IS PER R60.
WE COULD PLACE THAT AS A CONDITION.
SO NOW IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT HAS TO MEET THE SAME NOISE.
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH THE HOUSE ON EAST LAKE WHERE WE SAID, YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ANY BIGGER THAN A HOUSE WOULD NORMALLY BE ALLOWED, EVEN THOUGH WE CHANGED IT TO COMMERCIAL.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THEIR INTENT IN THE ONE CONDITION TO END THE EVENT EARLIER.
SO YOU MAY BE ABLE TO CO-MEET ALL THOSE.
YEAH, IF THE DECIMAL LEVEL WAS THE SAME AND IT'S JUST A TIME, THEN I WOULD...
I MEAN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE 10, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION, LIKE, ABOUT THE MONTHLY VERSUS YEARLY CAP, AND WHAT I THINK I HEARD IS THAT THE...
THE CAP OF 10 PER MONTH WAS AN ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM TO ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY, BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT'S LESS.
I WOULD THINK IF SOME MONTHS THERE'S ZERO, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S NOT UP TO ME TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER, BUT IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE PRETTY SOUTH OF 120 IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO IT ANNUALLY.
NO, IT'S GOING TO BE THE MAX OF 10 PER MONTH, BUT NO MORE THAN 50 A YEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, BUT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO SET...
IT'D BE LESS THAN 120, I WOULD EXPECT, BECAUSE IF 10 A MONTH IS THE MAX, THEN...
...WHAT THE AVERAGE RENTAL IS ON A...
PERHAPS THERE'S A NUMBER AT WHICH, WITH 100 EVENTS A YEAR, THE REVENUE POTENTIAL FOR THAT PROPERTY BEING A PARTY SALE, TAKING ON THE EVENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE PROPERTY.
I GUESS THERE'S ONE OF WHAT'S BEEN THE HISTORY VERSUS WHAT'S BEING ASKED FOR.
BUT THEY CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND ASK FOR MORE.
AND THEN IF THE 30 PER YEAR IS...
SHOULD WE DECIDE THAT NUMBER OR SHOULD IT GO BACK TO, YOU KNOW, CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE...
WE COULD KICK AROUND NUMBERS ALL DAY LONG.
[01:30:01]
WE'D JUST BE GUESSING.IT'S GOING TO BE LESS THAN 120.
I WOULD THINK IT'D BE MORE THAN 30, BUT THAT'S STILL A BIGGER RANGE.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY UP TO THEM TO DETERMINE.
I GUESS IN THE INTERVENING TIME.
OKAY, IS THAT THE CASE? THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY, I MEAN, I GUESS IT WOULD BE, CURRENTLY THEY CAN'T HAVE A PRIVATE EVENT, RIGHT? ARE THEY RESTRICTED FROM DOING ANY EVENTS UNTIL THIS GETS RESOLVED? I MEAN, SOMEBODY COULD COMPLAIN, RIGHT? TECHNICALLY, THEY SHOULDN'T BE HOLDING PRIVATE EVENTS.
THAT'S THE, THAT WE DEFER AND- I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A LOT OF, LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD FAITH EFFORT THAT'S BEING MADE HERE TO ADDRESS.
I MEAN, WHAT I SEE IS THREE, WHAT I HEAR IS THREE THINGS.
NOISE, PARKING, AND FUTURE LAND USE.
THOSE ARE THE THREE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH.
I SEE IN THESE CONDITIONS THAT THE NOISE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED QUITE FAIRLY.
THE PARKING IS GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IF ANYTHING NORTH OF 50 PEOPLE HAS TO HAVE A COORDINATOR AND AN ALTERNATE PLAN.
AND THAT ALSO COUPLED WITH, LIKE YOU POINTED OUT, THAT...
PARKING ON PUBLIC STREETS ONLY HAS LIMITED CONTROL BY THE RESIDENTS, BY ANY OF THE RESIDENTS, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S IN FORCE BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING, BUT THERE'S A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE NOISE AND THE PARKING THAT I SEE.
AND THEN THE FUTURE LAND USE, WHEN I WAS READING THROUGH IT, THAT CONCERNED ME AS WELL.
LIKE, ARE WE SETTING THE TABLE FOR THERE TO BE A HIGH RISE HERE IN 25 YEARS? PROBABLY NOT, BUT WHAT I'M HEARING NOW, AS WHAT CASEY'S DESCRIBING, IS THAT THE DEVELOPMENT METRICS ON THE NEW LAND USE AND THE NEW ZONING ARE VERY RESTRICTIVE AS THEY STAND, AND ANYTHING THAT VARIES FROM THAT IN THE FUTURE WOULD BE A SEPARATE PROCESS.
IT WOULD HAVE TO GET AN APPROVAL.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST RUBBER STAMPING ANYTHING TO GO THERE LATER.
I THINK THAT'S ALMOST TRUE, BUT I DO THINK YOU COULD DO A 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING, I THOUGHT YOU WERE ARGUING FOR NOT PUTTING THAT IN.
NO, NO, I THINK HAVING IT IN IS GOOD.
SO I DON'T, I MEAN, GIVEN ALL OF THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
I WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO HOLD UP THE CONVERSATION JUST BASED ON THE ANNUAL VERSUS MONTHLY DISTINCTION.
I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO RESOLVE THAT.
WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE CHARGED WAS SIGNAL.
I MEAN THAT CAN BE A CONDITION OF OUR APPROVAL RIGHT SO IT CAN STILL BE WORKED OUT BEFORE IT GOES TO THE CITY COUNCIL OR WE CAN JUST SAY SIX FIVE A MONTH NO MORE THAN WAIT SO THAT LIKE THE NUMBER THE ANNUAL CAP TIMBER MONTH CAN WE IF WE IF WE PICK A NUMBER WE PICK A NUMBER AND WE PUT THAT INTO OUR MOTION THAT NUMBER STILL COULD CHANGE.
THE CITY COMMISSION CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.
SO WE DO HAVE A QUICK TURNAROUND, AND I DO ACTUALLY NEED A MOTION WITH A NUMBER.
BUT MANY TIMES WE WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO KIND OF CLARIFY SOME OF THE DRIVING QUESTIONS, AND I'M SURE IT WOULD BE BROUGHT BACK UP AT THE CITY COMMISSION AS TO WHY THEY DO READ THE MINUTES AND ALL OF THAT.
SO AT THE CITY COMMISSION THEY COULD MODIFY A PORTION OF YOUR CONDITIONS OR A NUMBER WITHIN A CONDITION.
OH YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULD PUT FORTH A NUMBER? YEAH.
I'LL JUST THROW OUT 60, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD NO MORE THAN 30. BUT IT'S 30 IN THREE YEARS.
WELL FAIR, BUT I MEAN, OKAY, I CAN DO LESS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M LIKE THINKING.
I'M COMFORTABLE COMING UP WITH A NUMBER JUST BECAUSE I DON'T...
WELL, WE DON'T COME UP WITH A NUMBER.
IN THE FUTURE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE INTERESTING TO SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO PUT AN EVENT BUSINESS THERE, EDUCATIONAL AND PLANT BUSINESS.
TO THAT POINT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE, I WOULD ADVOCATE WE SHOULD GO LOW ON THAT NUMBER.
SOMETHING THAT INCENTIVIZES THE KIND OF USES FULL-TIME IN THE EVENT THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD.
[01:35:01]
BUT AS IT'S WRITTEN NOW, THEY COULD DO 120, WHICH IS A MUCH BIGGER NUMBER.SO I GUESS I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING FOR ME AS STAFF BECAUSE WE WILL BE HAVING TO ENFORCE IT.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET IT STRAIGHT IN MY HEAD.
SO THEY ARE REQUESTING 10 A MONTH.
AND THEN I WANT TO BE CLEAR, WOULD YOU BE REDUCING THE NUMBER OVER THE YEAR? BECAUSE WHEN WE DO GET, LIKE IF WE DO GET COMPLAINTS OR IF WE JUST GO OVER AND ASK THEM, HEY, WE'RE CHECKING IN FOR OUR ANNUAL REPORT, COULD YOU JUST GIVE US HOW MANY MONTHLY EVENTS YOU HAD? AUGUST OF WHATEVER YEAR.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GATHER TOO MUCH INFORMATION SO IF THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE TEN, BUT THEN A MONTH, BUT THEN THEY'RE CAPPED AT SIXTY NOW I NEED A WHOLE YEAR'S WORTH.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND THIS IS JUST PRIVATE EVENTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE EVENTS FOR THE 10 PER MONTH.
THEY WERE NOT REALLY ADDING IN THEIR EVENTS.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, CORRECT.
I THINK FOR THE SAKE OF CONSISTENCY, JUST TO KEEP IT APPLES TO APPLES NOW, AND YES, TO YOUR POINT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK TWO QUESTIONS.
AND THEN THAT'S JUST ONE SUGGESTION.
I JUST FEEL LIKE CONSIDERING THE...
THE NATURE OF THE USE RIGHT NOW AND THE FACT THAT IT IS IN SUCH A RESONANT THING AS THAT.
WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT? IT'S GOT A...
STARTING WITH A LOW NUMBER, THE MECHANISM FOR GETTING A BIGGER NUMBER IN THE FUTURE IS...
THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND I HEAR HIM SAYING IT'S NOT A CRITICAL PART.
SO WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, THEN, LEAVE IT AS WRITTEN? NO, I'M SAYING MAYBE SAY, I SAID 60, YOU SAID 30.
I DON'T KNOW IF 60 EVEN FEELS A LITTLE BIT LOW.
I'M JUST SAYING BECAUSE THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN CURRENTLY IS 120, AND WE'RE SAYING CUT THAT IN HALF.
UNDERSTOOD, BUT I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY TO SAY WHATEVER, MAXIMUM OF X NUMBER OF EVENTS PER YEAR, BUT NO MORE THAN 10 PER MONTH.
I MEAN, AGAIN, THERE'S A DEGREE OF RANDOMNESS TO ALL THIS, BUT LIKE HALF OF THIS AND HALF OF THAT AND, YOU KNOW.
I'D BE SATISFIED WITH THE SIGNAL OF THE CITY COMMISSION.
I KNOW EVERYONE'S THINKING OF THIS AS LIKE BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND THINGS.
CODE DOESN'T DEFINE WHAT THE RENTAL IS FOR, SO WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER MAYBE A COMPANY ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD WANT TO BE THERE DURING THE DAY.
ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE, AND THOSE WOULD COUNT TOWARDS THAT NUMBER.
JUST, I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE SEES KIND OF THE WHOLE PERSPECTIVE.
SO I'M NOT OFFENDED BY 120 EVENTS THAT AREN'T AMPLIFIED.
OTHER THAN THE PARKING, RIGHT.
BUT THAT'S ALSO BEING ADDRESSED.
RIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO ADD THAT.
IF IT REACHES A THRESHOLD, YOU'VE GOT TO WORK WITH THE COORDINATOR TO MAKE ALTERNATE PARKING PLANS.
I'LL ARGUE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF HAND-WAVING AT THE PARKING RIGHT NOW.
CUZ THEY SAID WE'RE GONNA DO A PARKING PLAN BUT THEY DIDN'T GIVE US ANY EXAMPLES OF A PLAN.
NO, AND I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE- SO THAT PLAN COULD BE PARK ON THE STREET OR- YEAH.
AND EVERYBODY SEES, WELL, THERE'S STREET PARKING, THEN THERE'S YOU GONNA PARK ON THE STREET.
I MEAN, SO IT WAS A BIT OF A HAND WAVE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY TEETH ON THAT PARKING PLAN.
WE DON'T SAY THE PARKING PLAN MUST NOT ALLOW PARKING IN FRONT OF ANY NEIGHBORS' PROPERTIES, LIKE- BUT WE CAN'T SAY THAT.
I MEAN, WE CAN, WE CAN SAY ANYTHING WE WANT.
IT'S UP TO STAFF TO TRY TO ENFORCE WHAT WE SAY AND THE CITY POLICE.
[01:40:01]
OF YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR HAD 120 EVENTS IN A YEAR.IT'S BETTER TO HAVE A LOOSE ARRANGEMENT WITH SOME GUY WHO- YES, PARKED IN FRONT OF YOUR YARD.
AND MAY I ADD SOMETHING? BE REALLY ANNOYING.
US AS STAFF ARE, WE WORK WITH.
THAT WE HAD A LOT THE FOOD HUB AND THEY HAVE NO ZONING CONDITIONS THEY JUST HAVE TO FALL WITHIN THE CODE.
I WORKED WITH THEM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS TO DETERMINE HOW TO MANAGE THEIR PARKING UNDERSTANDING THEIR BUSINESS MODEL AND NOT HAVE AN OVERFLOW ON THE STREET BACKING UP ON EAST COLLEGE SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NO PLAN, IF WE HEAR A PROBLEM OR WE SEE A PROBLEM OR WE TELL PD, HEY, I'M GOING TO NEED YOU TO MONITOR THINGS, BECAUSE WE DO.
WE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE AT ALL TIMES.
WE WOULD THEN WORK WITH THEM DIRECTLY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLAN IS TO FIRM IT UP SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT CONSISTENTLY COMING BACK I DO UNDERSTAND IT'S A LITTLE BIT AMBIGUOUS YEAH LUCY THERE BUT YOU KNOW THAT'S ALSO OUR STAFF'S JOB OUR JOB AS STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTENT OF THESE CONDITIONS IS BEING MET ANOTHER ALSO GOOD YOU'RE RIGHT, PUTTING SOME TEETH TO IT.
THE NEAR NEIGHBORS WERE GONNA BEAR THE BRUNT OF PEOPLE PARKING, AND PARK THEIR CARS.
I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT, LIKE TO YOUR POINT, JOHN, IF THERE'S FIVE PARCELS THERE PLUS THE CITY PARCEL, RIGHT? SO IF YOU TAKE THE FRONTAGE ACROSS OAKVIEW DRIVE, JUST ON THAT SIDE, JUST ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STREET, LIKE YOU COULD FIT 20 TO 25 CARS THERE EASILY.
SO THAT'S 50 PEOPLE RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? AND THAT'S JUST REGULAR ON-STREET PARKING ON OAKVIEW.
THAT'S NOT ONEROUS IN ANY WAY.
THAT'S PARKING IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTIES THEY OWN ON A STREET THAT HAS A FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S PROBABLY OVERFLOW AT TIMES THAT GETS TO OTHER STREETS, BUT AT LEAST AS A BASELINE, I SEE SPACE FOR 20 TO 25 CARS THERE, WHICH IS RIGHT AT THAT 50-PERSON THRESHOLD.
OBVIOUSLY, IT GETS MORE THAN THOSE CARS GO OTHER PLACES.
SERIOUSLY, THE PARKING PLAN FOR ANY EVENT MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE OR 50.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
WHERE DO THE, I DON'T SEE THE, I MEAN, IT'S IN THE.
I WROTE SOMETHING UP IF YOU ALL WANT ME.
YEAH, WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER? SO IN LISTENING TO THEM TALK, I KIND OF DRAFTED A COUPLE THAT I THOUGHT YOU ALL MIGHT WANT TO ADD.
THE FIRST ONE WAS THAT ALL EVENTS WITH 50 OR MORE PEOPLE SHALL WORK WITH THE EVENT COORDINATOR TO DEFINE THE ALLOWABLE PARKING PLAN, SUCH AS A SHUTTLE, MARTA, RIDESHARE, OR OTHER SIMILAR METHOD.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WOULD WANT TO INCLUDE THIS, BUT THIS WAS A DISCUSSION AS WELL.
ALL LOADING AND UNLOADING FOR ANY EVENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO 90 MINUTES BEFORE OR AFTER THE EVENT.
BEFORE AND AFTER SURE YEAH YOU'RE RIGHT.
I ALSO HAD A LITTLE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE WE WERE CHATTING AND I COULDN'T PULL UP THE NOISE ORDINANCE IT IS NOW UNIVERSAL OKAY AGAIN ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS THERE'S NO DECIMAL SO IT'S JUST A TIME SO BY LIMITING IT TO 10 P.M.
DO LIKE NUMBER ONE USE DESIGNATION IS LIMITED TO THE USE OF COMMUNITY YARD.
WELL, BUT WE'RE GONNA- EIGHT AND NINE.
WE'RE GONNA ADD WHAT YOU JUST WROTE.
OH, YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THAT ONE.
I KNOW WE'RE DEALING WITH TWO DIFFERENT ONES BECAUSE THERE WAS A LIST DEFINED, BUT WE DO HAVE THE APPLICANT'S CONDITION.
[01:45:01]
PLAN AND THEN THE ONE FOR THE LOADING AND UNLOADING.DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THEM? YES.
I THINK FOR THE SAKE OF OUR GUESTS AS MUCH AS OURSELVES.
SO IF IT IS YOUR PLEASURE OR ANY MOTION, THESE ARE THE CONDITIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORTH.
BETWEEN STAFF, YOU ALL, AND THE APPLICANT.
ONE WOULD BE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED-USE DESIGNATION IS LIMITED TO THE USE OF A COMMUNITY GARDEN, A MARKET GARDEN, AN EDUCATION CENTER, COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, AND PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS.
ALL DELIVERIES FOR EVENT RENTALS SHALL LOAD AND UNLOAD IN...
PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS CANNOT EXCEED 10 EVENTS PER MONTH AND NOT MORE THAN 100 GUESTS PER EVENT.
PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS DO NOT INCLUDE EVENTS SPONSORED OR HOSTED BY THE WILD CENTER.
ALL EVENTS SHALL END BY 10 P.M.
PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS SHALL NOT HAVE OUTDOOR AMPLIFIED SOUND TO INCLUDE LIVE MUSIC, BANDS, OR DJS.
THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT APPLY TO THE USE OF A MICROPHONE FOR AMPLIFIED ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SPEECHES.
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR A DESIGNATED WEILL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE MUST BE PROVIDED FOR ALL EVENTS.
ALL EVENTS SHALL COMPLY WITH THE CITY NOISE ORDINANCE.
ALL EVENTS WITH 50 PLUS PEOPLE SHALL WORK WITH THE EVENT COORDINATOR TO DEFINE THE ALLOWABLE PARKING PLAN, SUCH AS A SHUTTLE, MART OR RIDESHARE OR OTHER SIMILAR METHODS.
ALL LOADING AND UNLOADING SHALL BE LIMITED TO 90 MINUTES BEFORE AND AFTER THE EVENT.
AND ALSO TO BE CLEAR, THOSE CONDITIONS WOULD APPLY TO THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING AND TO A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, BUT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE LAND USE CHANGE.
I CAN ADD THEM TO THE LAND USE CHANGE.
ARE THEY NOT? I GUESS IN TYPICALLY ZONING, WE DON'T DO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE LAW, BUT WE CAN ADD IT TO ALL THREE.
I WANT TO TOUCH ON ONE OTHER POTENTIAL.
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THEY, YOU KNOW, FUTURE, THEY SELL IT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY STILL HAVE THESE OTHER, YOU KNOW, AND THIS WAS, THIS IS AN AND, SO THEY STILL HAVE TO KEEP, I MEAN, IT IS INTERESTING TO THINK, THEY STILL HAVE TO KEEP A COMMUNITY GARDEN, MARKET GARDEN, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING.
BUT THEN THE NEW OWNER SAYS, I REALLY WANT TO INCREASE PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS.
I'M GOING TO BUILD A PRIVATE EVENT, AN EVENT SPACE.
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THINKING THIS IS R60, IT'S IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, LIMIT WHAT THEY COULD DEVELOP TO WHAT THEY COULD DEVELOP IF IT WAS R40.
YEAH, SO THIS MIGHT TAKE ME MORE.
SO IF YOU LIMIT THE DEVELOPMENT TO THE FLOOR AREA RATIO, IT IS ACTUALLY APPROXIMATELY 21,000 SQUARE FEET, WHERE THE ZONING DISTRICT ACTUALLY RESTRICTS A BUILDING AT 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
WELL, I KNOW I HAVE IT LISTED AS THREE LOTS HERE, BUT THEY DID ACTUALLY SUBMIT A COMBINATION.
SO, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT'S JUST A CLERICAL ISSUE BETWEEN WHEN IT WAS RECORDED AND MAYBE DEKALB ACTUALLY TOOK IT TO GIS.
THAT WASN'T SOMETHING WE COULD FIX RIGHT NOW.
WHEN I WENT THROUGH THE RECORDS, I REALIZED.
IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT ACTUALLY I THINK THE ZONING DISTRICT MAY BE MORE RESTRICTIVE.
OKAY, BUT I THINK IT'S STILL WORTH EVERYBODY HEARING.
SO WHAT IS IT? SO WHAT IS IT? NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE, AND THEN WHAT IS THAT? HOW MUCH IS THAT ALLOWED? SO OUR COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS DO NOT HAVE A FLOOR AREA RATIO.
IN THIS ONE, IT IS LIMITED TO BUILDING SIZE.
WE ALSO HAVE SPECIFIC SETBACKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND
[01:50:01]
HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS.I THINK WE HAVE TO DO THIS IN ORDER.
YES, I DO NEED YOU TO ACTUALLY MAKE THREE SEPARATE VOTES IN THE ORDER, AND THEN THE CONDITIONS CAN BE ATTACHED ON ALL THREE OF THEM IN THE SAME MANNER.
DO WE NEED TO? IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? TO THE VOTE? RIGHT NOW IT'S PROPERTY ADDRESS.
I MEAN, IT'S ALL THE APPLICATIONS, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME HOW YOU STATE IT.
THE RESOLUTIONS THAT MOVE FORWARD WILL HAVE ALL OF THOSE ADDRESSES.
I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN, THE FIRST ITEM.
WITH SORRY WITH THE WITH THE NINE CONDITIONS THAT CASEY JUST READ THANK YOU SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ON-SITE PARKING SPACES ALL IN FAVOR ALL OPPOSED MOTION PASSES THANK YOU SO I DO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS WILL MOVE FORWARD TO THE CITY COMMISSION AND THAT MEETING WILL BE WE DO SOME PROCLAMATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SURE, SO THE CITY CLERK POSTS THEM APPROXIMATELY NOON ON FRIDAY BEFORE THE MEETING. SURE. IF YOU WANT TO SHOOT ME AN EMAIL, ONCE IT'S POSTED, I CAN ACTUALLY SEND YOU THE DIRECT LINK IF YOU WANT TO. THEIRS HOLDS IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT
[VI.a. Next meeting: June 9, 2026. ]
LOCATION THAN OURS DOES, BUT IT'S ALL UP THERE. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ANY OTHER BUSINESS. NEXT MEETING IS JUNE 9TH. THAT'S CORRECT. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY APPLICATIONS FOR MAY, SO WE WILL SEE IF THERE ARE ANY FOR JUNE. I DO WANT TO ADD SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T PUT THAT ON AT THIS POINT. BUT JASON IS ACTUALLY YOUR DESIGNEE ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE, BUT WE DO HAVE A NEW ROUND OF...THE MEETINGS WILL ACTUALLY BE THIS THURSDAY. THERE ARE DROP-IN HOURS AROUND LUNCHTIME. WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN IN ANOTHER TWO WEEKS, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER SET OF DEEP DIVES THAT WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON APRIL 30TH.
WHERE WE WILL DISCUSS, LET ME SEE IF I GET THIS CORRECT, PARKS AND RECREATION AND SUSTAINABILITY. AND THEN IN MAY, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE, I APOLOGIZE, WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION. MANY TIMES OUR CONSULTANTS ARE SETTING UP SOME CONVERSATIONS BEFOREHAND, AND SO DON'T BE SHOCKED IF I ASK A COUPLE OF YOU TO JOIN IN ON CERTAIN ONES. THE FIRST DATES AGAIN. THE FIRST DATES OF THE FIRST. THE FIRST ONE IS THIS THURSDAY. THAT'S THE HOUSING ONE? YES, THE 16TH.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE 70TH. WHAT TIME IS IT? SO THE DROP-IN HOURS, WE'VE BEEN A LITTLE FLEXIBLE, JUST TRYING TO GET THE MOST PEOPLE IN AT TIMES. SO IF YOU JUST FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, OR I CAN ACTUALLY SEND YOU AN INVITE, AND PLEASE DO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOUR. NEIGHBORS AND YOUR FRIENDS AND THEN YOUR OH AND THEY WILL ALSO BE AT THE JAZZ CONCERT IN OAKHURST THIS THURSDAY NIGHT SO YOU CAN
[01:55:01]
ALSO SEE A PART OF THE CONSULTING TEAM THERE IF YOU WANT TO JOIN OKAY, ANYTHING ELSE?* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.