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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Johns Creek City Council Meeting – February 9, 2026

City Council — Monday, February 9, 2026
BodyJohns Creek, Georgia
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, February 9, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 30:05

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:01

Thank you, Mayor.

0:01

We're recording.

0:03

I just want to welcome everyone to this Johns Creek City Council meeting this Monday, February 9th.

0:09

And we are starting at 708.

0:13

Thank you, Mayor.

0:14

At this time, I'll call roll.

0:15

Please.

0:15

Councilmember Tunky.

0:16

Here.

0:17

Councilmember Skinner.

0:18

Here.

0:18

Councilmember Aramelli.

0:20

Present.

0:20

Councilmember Coughlin.

0:21

Present.

0:22

Councilmember at DBSC.

0:23

Here.

0:23

Councilmember Elwin.

0:25

Thank you, Mayor.

0:25

We have a quorum this evening.

0:27

Okay, fantastic.

0:28

Next slide.

0:28

Thank you.

0:29

At this time, I would like to invite Lydia Park from One Johns Creek Coalition to come forward and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:37

If everyone could please stand while she makes her way up.

0:44

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:52

One nation under God and divisible with liberty and justice for all.

1:05

Mayor's opening remarks.

1:07

Yeah, I just want to bring to your attention that we will have the annual lunar new year celebration coming up.

1:14

It's Saturday, February 21st from 11 a.m.

1:17

to 3 p.m.

1:18

at the field across from the Atlanta Athletic Club.

1:21

You may know that as Heisman Field.

1:24

And the City of Johns Creek, our lunar new year celebration is presented by Deju U.S.

1:30

group.

1:31

It's a family-friendly event, commonly known in the uh Asian uh continent as a spring festival in our new year commemorates the beginning of a new year on the traditional luna solar Chinese calendar.

1:46

So look forward to that.

1:48

And if you are looking for any other information about city events or things going on in the city, encourage you to go to our website at JohnsCreek GA.gov.

1:57

Thank you.

1:58

Thank you, Mayor.

1:59

The next item on the agenda are the minutes.

2:01

You have January 12th.

2:03

There was a special called meeting, work session, and also council meeting minutes for consideration.

2:08

Council, any motions?

2:10

Mr.

2:10

Bear, I'd like to make a motion to accept uh the meeting minutes as presented, please.

2:15

All right.

2:15

Thank you.

2:16

Councilmember D.B.

2:17

Is there a second?

2:19

Second.

2:19

Thank you, Councilmember Coughlin.

2:21

Is there a discussion?

2:24

Seeing none, all those in favor.

2:28

Thank you.

2:29

The next item is the approval of the meeting agenda this evening.

2:33

Make a motion to approve the meeting agenda as presented.

2:37

All right.

2:37

Thank you, Councilmember Aramelli.

2:39

Is there a second?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████24%
Transportation Safety█████████████████17%
Arts And Culture██████████████14%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████14%
Technology and Innovation██████████████14%
Parks and Recreation████████8%
Public Safety██████6%
Active Transportation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Johns Creek City Council Meeting – February 9, 2026

The Johns Creek City Council met on Monday, February 9, 2026, at 7:08 PM. The meeting included the approval of prior minutes, a consent agenda item, the monthly manager’s report, and a key ordinance vote on electric-assisted bicycles (e‑bikes). The council also heard announcements regarding upcoming events and city projects.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes: Unanimously approved the January 12, 2026 Special Called Meeting, Work Session, and Council Meeting minutes. (Motion by Councilmember Bear, second by Councilmember Coughlin)
  • Agenda: Unanimously approved the meeting agenda as presented. (Motion by Councilmember Aramelli, second by Mayor Pro Tem Elwin)
  • P. Humphries Agreement: Unanimously approved the consent agenda item. (Motion by Councilmember Coughlin, second by Councilmember Tunkey)

Reports – Manager’s Monthly Report (December 2025)

City Manager presented highlights aligned with the city’s five strategic priorities:

  • Arts & Culture: Partnered with the Johns Creek Veterans Association for Wreaths Across America at the Veterans Memorial Walk and Macedonia Cemetery.
  • Public Safety: Conducted annual live fire training with interagency cooperation.
  • Economic Development: Boehringer Ingelheim celebrated a sledgehammer event for its new North American animal sciences headquarters renovation at the Medley.
  • Recreation & Parks: Volunteers removed over 300 pounds of invasive privet; maintenance continued across parks. The boardwalk will open in two phases: the North Pond (behind City Hall) on April 3 for the Bunny Hop, with a grand opening in June, and the pedestrian tunnel open by July 3 for America 250 celebration.
  • Transportation & Connectivity: Cross‑departmental collaboration on e‑bike education and a planned ordinance adjustment.

Discussion on specific projects:

  • Bice Road Bridge: Expected closure from March to August (5 months, weather‑dependent), reopening before school starts. Variable message signs and social media will notify the public.
  • Gravity Financial Software: Implementation is underway to improve financial reporting transparency. Once live, it will allow detailed drill‑down for council and potentially the public.
  • Financial Reports: Councilmember requested continuity of current report format until Gravity is operational; staff agreed.
  • Makerspace: Not discussed in detail; will be addressed at the upcoming strategic planning retreat.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were submitted or offered during either of the two scheduled public comment periods.

Discussion Items

New Business – Ordinance 2026‑02‑03: Electric‑Assisted Bicycles (e‑bikes) Director O’Connor presented the proposed amendment to City Code Section 54‑6, reflecting the council’s January 12 work session consensus on “Option One”:

  • Allow Class 1 and Class 2 e‑bikes on all sidewalks and trails except within city parks.
  • Restrict Class 3 e‑bikes to roadways only.
  • Enforcement would rely on e‑bike classification labels (speed enforcement on sidewalks deemed impractical).

Council debate followed:

  • Councilmember Skinner moved to approve the ordinance as presented (Option One). Councilmember Tunkey seconded.
  • Councilmember Coughlin (later supported by Aramelli and Tunkey) opposed the motion, favoring Option Two (allowing all e‑bikes on trails and sidewalks, including parks) for inclusivity, especially for mixed‑ability riders, older adults, and children. He argued that restricting e‑bikes in parks is inconsistent with multimodal policies and that enforcement would be difficult.
  • Councilmember Aramelli noted that Class 3 e‑bikes are often needed on steep gradients (e.g., Old Alabama Road); forcing such riders onto roads raises safety concerns.
  • Councilmember Elwin expressed concern about preserving pedestrian‑friendly park experiences, especially in parks without bike‑specific infrastructure like Newtown Park or the Collie Creek 5K trail.

After further discussion, no amendment was formally offered. The main motion to adopt the ordinance as presented (Option One, with the city parks exception) was called to a vote.

Key Outcomes

  • E‑bike Ordinance: Passed 4‑3. The ordinance amends City Code Section 54‑6 to allow Class 1 and 2 e‑bikes on sidewalks and trails except in city parks, and restricts Class 3 e‑bikes to roadways. (Count: 4 in favor, 3 opposed – Councilmembers Skinner, Coughlin, and two others? Note: the transcript indicates 4‑3, but specific name tallies were not repeated; the mayor did not announce the roll call during the vote.)
  • Executive Session: The council voted unanimously to enter executive session to discuss land, legal, and/or personnel matters and later adjourned.
  • Next Steps: The strategic planning retreat is rescheduled for Thursday, February 12 at 9 AM. The next regular meeting will be Monday, March 2, 2026, with a work session at 5 PM and council meeting at 7 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you, Mayor. We're recording. I just want to welcome everyone to this Johns Creek City Council meeting this Monday, February 9th. And we are starting at 708. Thank you, Mayor. At this time, I'll call roll. Please. Councilmember Tunky. Here. Councilmember Skinner. Here. Councilmember Aramelli. Present. Councilmember Coughlin. Present. Councilmember at DBSC. Here. Councilmember Elwin. Thank you, Mayor. We have a quorum this evening. Okay, fantastic. Next slide. Thank you. At this time, I would like to invite Lydia Park from One Johns Creek Coalition to come forward and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. If everyone could please stand while she makes her way up. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God and divisible with liberty and justice for all. Mayor's opening remarks. Yeah, I just want to bring to your attention that we will have the annual lunar new year celebration coming up. It's Saturday, February 21st from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the field across from the Atlanta Athletic Club. You may know that as Heisman Field. And the City of Johns Creek, our lunar new year celebration is presented by Deju U.S. group. It's a family-friendly event, commonly known in the uh Asian uh continent as a spring festival in our new year commemorates the beginning of a new year on the traditional luna solar Chinese calendar. So look forward to that. And if you are looking for any other information about city events or things going on in the city, encourage you to go to our website at JohnsCreek GA.gov. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. The next item on the agenda are the minutes. You have January 12th. There was a special called meeting, work session, and also council meeting minutes for consideration. Council, any motions? Mr. Bear, I'd like to make a motion to accept uh the meeting minutes as presented, please. All right. Thank you. Councilmember D.B. Is there a second?

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