OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Marietta City Council Meeting Summary - May 14, 2025

City Council Archive View — Wednesday, May 14, 2025
BodyMarietta, Georgia
SessionCity Council Archive View
DateWednesday, May 14, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
⇩ GET FROM SOURCE

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Good evening.

0:05

I'd like to call the city council meeting to order for Wednesday, May the 14th.

0:09

I'd like to call upon Councilman Gosteen to introduce Rabbi Elder to uh lead us in our invocation.

0:20

Um Rabbi Rabbi Adler, would you please come down?

0:22

He is Rabbi at uh my synagogue at Synagogue at Shayim.

0:27

Um I believe you started at the synagogue uh within the past two uh past year, right?

0:32

So I'm glad I'm very glad to have you and please give the invitation.

0:36

Thank you.

0:41

Our God and God of our ancestors, with compassion and mercy, accept this prayer on behalf of our city council this evening.

0:49

Pour out your blessing upon this city, upon its inhabitants, and upon its leaders and officials who faithfully devote themselves to the needs of Marietta.

0:58

Ribono Shal Alam, master of the universe, as our council members exercise their solemn duties and their roles.

1:06

We ask that you grant them understanding of your justice, so that peace and to security, happiness, and freedom will never depart from our city.

1:16

Endow them with wisdom and guide them with your light for a successful future for Marietta and all who dwell within it.

1:24

Shalom Bim Ramav, God who brings peace from on high.

1:29

May you continue to bless Marietta and all its residents, enabling us to focus on the true gifts you give every day love, friendship, community, and above all, may you send a great peace from the heavens to envelop all men, all humankind, so that maybe so that we may lie down and sleep safe and sound.

1:53

For you, O Lord, keep us secure, and let us say.

1:57

I mean.

2:02

Thank you, Rabbi.

2:05

Okay.

2:05

Everyone please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:09

A Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America.

2:32

You don't need to.

2:34

We're gonna do all the voice.

2:37

Yeah.

2:46

Yes, we have a very special presentation tonight.

2:49

We have some graduates of the Citizens Government Academy.

2:53

I'm gonna let Bill get the detail, but it's a great way uh for citizens to interface with the city.

2:59

Unfortunately, you have to end up in the council meeting.

3:01

What you see working with the city is probably the better part of our city.

3:06

So uh I think that's what you learned.

3:08

Bill said this has been a dynamic class with a lot of interest.

3:12

Uh participation was amazing in what y'all learned and all.

3:16

He's just they've been delighted.

3:17

And he said, Y'all the model class, and we're delighted to have you as graduates now.

3:22

So, Bill.

3:23

Thank you, sir.

3:24

Absolutely, thank you.

3:26

Uh, this is a great day.

3:27

Uh it's a culmination of a lot of weeks of work uh by the folks that you see here that are in blue, but also the folks that you see up around that are the departments.

3:36

First of all, though, I want to thank Kelly Mabry.

3:38

She's the one who coordinates this for us and has done a great job, whatever he does.

3:47

And also thank the city council for allowing us to do this every year.

3:51

So it's a great thing, I think, for the citizens.

3:53

And uh want to thank the department heads and other members of the departments that you got to meet, you got to meet a lot of people, and I want to thank them for spending their time, most well all of which was after hours, uh, to be able to get with you and kind of show you what they do and go into all the the equipment that we have and all the things that they do on a daily basis to make this great community what it is.

4:13

Uh if you don't know what the Citizens Government Academy is, uh something that we started back in 2001, uh and it's been going ever since, except for COVID.

4:21

We had to stop there for a little bit.

4:23

Uh but ever since we've been doing that, and uh it's an opportunity for anybody in the community that wants to get involved and learn more about government and learn more about Marietta.

4:32

So you just apply, there's no fear or anything.

4:34

Uh we sign you up, get you ready to go, and then we give you a workbook.

4:38

This is big workbook that has the other all like, yeah.

4:42

They got nervous first when we thought we were gonna come and have fun, and we end up a workbook like this.

4:46

Um but it has all this great information in it about all of our departments and what they do, and it has contact information also about everybody that works for us, all the folks that we have in the different departments.

4:57

And so it's really a primer on how Marietta works.

5:01

And so then they get to do the fun stuff.

5:03

They get to go to all the departments and they get to have meetings with individuals.

5:07

They get to see their equipment, sometimes they get to use their equipment.

5:10

They get to uh find out, you know, what police does, what power does, what uh public works does, all of that, and all the internal departments that serve everybody, and get to ask a lot of questions about things they're interested in.

5:24

So what we hope happens, and I think with this class, as the mayor said, this is one of our best classes for sure.

5:29

And I do not say that every time.

5:31

But this is I love everybody that goes to it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████████████32%
Zoning and Land Use█████████████████████21%
Community Engagement███████████████15%
Affordable Housing█████████9%
Public Safety███████7%
Building Safety█████5%
Youth Programs█████5%
Public Engagement████4%
Business License██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Marietta City Council Meeting Summary - May 14, 2025

The Marietta City Council met on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting included presentations, proclamations, several public hearings, consent agenda approvals, and a number of votes on variances and land use permits. Key outcomes included the approval of a special land use permit for a church, a procedural tabling of a variance request, and approval of a senior housing development after a failed substitute motion.

Presentations and Proclamations

  • The 2025 Citizens' Government Academy graduates were recognized. Several graduates spoke, praising the city's services, culture, and staff dedication. Particular appreciation was expressed for the police, fire, public works departments, and the welcoming atmosphere. One graduate noted the city's commitment to keeping Marietta unique and safe.
  • A proclamation was issued declaring May 2025 as Building Safety Month, highlighting the city's accredited building department and the importance of safe construction.
  • The Marietta High School Girls Track and Field State Champions were recognized by Mayor Steve Tumlin for winning the 2025 state championship. Coach Houstoulakis and the team were celebrated for their hard work.

Announcements

  • Mayor Tumlin announced that Marietta was named the #1 most generous city in the U.S. by GoFundMe for the third time, the sixth consecutive year in the top three. A celebration will be held on May 30th in Glover Park.
  • The city's IT Director, Ronnie Barrett, was named one of the top 25 doers, dreamers, and drivers by Government Technology magazine.
  • Upcoming events: Canyonland concert featuring Michelle Malone on May 30th; Brown Bag concert series (Tim Between on May 15th, School of Rock West Cobb on May 22nd, Marsupial on May 29th).
  • The Marietta Fire Department reminded of the statewide ban on outdoor burning effective May 1st.
  • Memorial Day observance at the National Cemetery on May 26th.

Consent Calendar (Approved 5-0)

  • Approval of minutes from April 9, 2025 regular meeting and April 29, 2025 special meeting.
  • Reappointment of Christopher G. Brown to the Marietta Historic Board of Review (Mayor's appointment) for a two-year term.
  • Reappointment of Mark Maloney to the Board of Zoning Appeals (Ward 3) for a three-year term.
  • Reappointment of David Freedman to the Historic Board of Review (Ward 2) for a two-year term.
  • Reappointment of Jesse D. Bonner, Jr. to the Historic Board of Review (Ward 5) for a two-year term.
  • Reappointment of Jim Trimble to the Historic Preservation Commission (Ward 4) for a three-year term.
  • Denial of claim for Edgar Mejia.
  • Authorization to advertise a zoning ordinance amendment regarding advertising periods for quasi-judicial decisions (effective July 1, 2025).
  • Approval of preliminary plat for Highvale (23 single-family detached homes on 11.5 acres off Colston and Breckinridge Roads).
  • Approval of detailed plan for Kennesaw Battle at Tower and James Street (Z2024-12) – note: Council Member Goldstein disclosed a relationship.
  • Variances for Comcast fiber optic cable installations along Kirkpatrick Drive and Barrett Parkway.
  • Donation of right-of-way at 210 Cobb Parkway South (1,467 sq ft) and 50 Powers Ferry Road (795 sq ft).
  • Authorization for a speed study on Cole Street from Lemon Street to North Marietta Parkway.
  • Easement acquisitions for intersection improvement projects: 970 Burnt Hickory Road ($103,200), 696 New Hope Road ($7,860), 662 and 642 Wylie Road ($92,600), 645 Cobb Parkway S ($3,800 with stipulations).
  • Exercise of city's right to repurchase property at 550 Franklin Gateway.
  • Approval of amendment to the Order of Bond Schedule (Council Member Goldstein voted against).
  • Consideration of MEAG 2024 Year-end Settlement refund election form.
  • Approval of May 12, 2025 action and minutes of the Marietta Board of Lights and Water.
  • Tabling of variance V2025-05 (Mike Panjwani) to June 11, 2025.

Public Hearings & Testimony

Z2025-10 – Special Land Use Permit for 1016 Whitlock Avenue (Living Waters Ministries)

  • Applicants James and Marjorie Edwards requested a special land use permit to continue operating a church (place of assembly) on a 1-acre R-2 zoned property. The applicant explained the lapse in business license renewal was due to a mail forwarding issue during the pandemic. No opposition was voiced. The council approved the request unanimously.

V2025-12 – Variances for Prestwick Land Holdings (879 Roswell Street, et al.)

  • The applicant, in partnership with the Marietta Housing Authority, proposed a four-story, 70-unit affordable senior housing development (55+) with 3,000 square feet of commercial space, 109 parking spaces, and amenities. Variances sought included: less than 20% floor area dedicated to commercial/office, residential units on ground floor, and all units renter-occupied.
  • Public testimony: Several speakers expressed support for the development, noting the underutilized Roswell Street corridor and the need for housing. One speaker (Donald Barth) argued that the commercial overlay requirement should be maintained, but that the development was valuable. Another speaker (Sam Foster) supported the project but questioned the targeting of senior housing specifically. A third speaker (Kirk Tucker) advocated for maintaining commercial requirements and expressed concern about apartments versus condos.
  • Motion: Council Member Kent made a motion to approve the variances as requested. Council Member Goldstein offered a substitute motion to approve only the third variance (allowing all residential units to be renter-occupied), effectively adding a commercial requirement. The substitute motion failed 3-2. The original motion to approve all variances passed.

Discussion Items

Kennesaw Battle Detailed Plan

  • Council Member Carlyle Kent made a motion to table the detailed plan for Kennesaw Battle at Tower and James Street, stating the design could be improved and that it should be sent back to the JL (likely the Judiciary/Legislative Committee) for review. The motion was seconded and passed 4-1.

V2025-09 – Variance for Total Property Advisors (Waterman Street/South Avenue)

  • This item was tabled at the beginning of the meeting because the council member from Ward 1 (Cheryl Richardson) was absent due to illness. The applicant agreed to table until July 2025 due to new 30-day advertising requirements.

Key Outcomes

  • Special Land Use Permit Approved: Z2025-10 for Living Waters Ministries at 1016 Whitlock Avenue was approved unanimously.
  • Kennesaw Battle Detailed Plan Tabled: The plan was sent back to committee for redesign review, with a vote of 4-1.
  • Variance V2025-09 Tabled: The variance request for 486, 490, 494 Waterman Street and 160 South Avenue was tabled to July 2025 due to the absence of the Ward 1 council member.
  • V2025-12 Variances Approved: The variances for the Prestwick Land Holdings senior housing development were approved (original motion), with a substitute motion to require commercial space failing 3-2.
  • Consent Agenda Approved: All items on the consent agenda were approved 5-0, including routine approvals, appointments, and various utility and right-of-way motions.
  • New Business: None from unscheduled appearances.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I'd like to call the city council meeting to order for Wednesday, May the 14th. I'd like to call upon Councilman Gosteen to introduce Rabbi Elder to uh lead us in our invocation. Um Rabbi Rabbi Adler, would you please come down? He is Rabbi at uh my synagogue at Synagogue at Shayim. Um I believe you started at the synagogue uh within the past two uh past year, right? So I'm glad I'm very glad to have you and please give the invitation. Thank you. Our God and God of our ancestors, with compassion and mercy, accept this prayer on behalf of our city council this evening. Pour out your blessing upon this city, upon its inhabitants, and upon its leaders and officials who faithfully devote themselves to the needs of Marietta. Ribono Shal Alam, master of the universe, as our council members exercise their solemn duties and their roles. We ask that you grant them understanding of your justice, so that peace and to security, happiness, and freedom will never depart from our city. Endow them with wisdom and guide them with your light for a successful future for Marietta and all who dwell within it. Shalom Bim Ramav, God who brings peace from on high. May you continue to bless Marietta and all its residents, enabling us to focus on the true gifts you give every day love, friendship, community, and above all, may you send a great peace from the heavens to envelop all men, all humankind, so that maybe so that we may lie down and sleep safe and sound. For you, O Lord, keep us secure, and let us say. I mean. Thank you, Rabbi. Okay. Everyone please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. A Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America. You don't need to. We're gonna do all the voice. Yeah. Yes, we have a very special presentation tonight. We have some graduates of the Citizens Government Academy. I'm gonna let Bill get the detail, but it's a great way uh for citizens to interface with the city. Unfortunately, you have to end up in the council meeting. What you see working with the city is probably the better part of our city. So uh I think that's what you learned. Bill said this has been a dynamic class with a lot of interest. Uh participation was amazing in what y'all learned and all. He's just they've been delighted. And he said, Y'all the model class, and we're delighted to have you as graduates now. So, Bill. Thank you, sir. Absolutely, thank you. Uh, this is a great day. Uh it's a culmination of a lot of weeks of work uh by the folks that you see here that are in blue, but also the folks that you see up around that are the departments. First of all, though, I want to thank Kelly Mabry. She's the one who coordinates this for us and has done a great job, whatever he does. And also thank the city council for allowing us to do this every year. So it's a great thing, I think, for the citizens. And uh want to thank the department heads and other members of the departments that you got to meet, you got to meet a lot of people, and I want to thank them for spending their time, most well all of which was after hours, uh, to be able to get with you and kind of show you what they do and go into all the the equipment that we have and all the things that they do on a daily basis to make this great community what it is. Uh if you don't know what the Citizens Government Academy is, uh something that we started back in 2001, uh and it's been going ever since, except for COVID. We had to stop there for a little bit. Uh but ever since we've been doing that, and uh it's an opportunity for anybody in the community that wants to get involved and learn more about government and learn more about Marietta. So you just apply, there's no fear or anything. Uh we sign you up, get you ready to go, and then we give you a workbook. This is big workbook that has the other all like, yeah.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com