December the 10th, mid of city councilor order, please.

First item on the agenda is Mr.

Ghostie will lead us in the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.

I've actually got uh my normal prayer and also an additional prayer.

Um uh given the fact that this is the last regular council meeting for this council.

We have three members retiring, and we have a new council starting on up.

There's a prayer in my religion called the Traveler's Prayer that I'd like to read, and then I'll get into the normal prayer after that.

May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our ancestors that you lead us towards peace, guide our four footsteps towards peace, and make us reach our desired destination for life, gladness, and peace.

May you rescue us from the hands of every foe, ambush along the way, and from all manner of punishment that assemble to come to earth.

May you send blessing in our handiwork and grant us grace, kindness, and mercy in your eyes, and in the eyes of all who see us.

May you hear the sound of our humble request, because you're our God who hears prayer, prayer requests.

Bless you uh Lord who hears prayer.

Our God and God of our ancestors, we ask your blessings for our country, city, and state, for its government, for its leaders and advisors, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority.

Teach them insights from your laws, that they may administer all affairs of state fairly, that peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst.

Creator of all flesh, bless all the inhabitants of our country with your spirit.

May citizens of all races and creeds forge a common bond and true harmony, to banish hatred and bigotry, and to safeguard the ideals and free institutions that are the pride and glory of our country.

May this land under your providence be an influence for good throughout the world, uniting all people in peace and freedom, helping them to fulfill the vision of your prophet for the time that nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they experience war anymore.

And let us say amen.

And to the Republic, for which it says, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Yeah.

And Dunay, I think.

Come on up here with me today.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

It's my pleasure and the pleasure of uh our PAL executive director today, Bodio McRae, to my left here, to make some presentations tonight.

We'll give you a little background on this.

The uh Marietta Police Department in the past has sent out uh Christmas cards, holiday cards every year for as long as I can remember to various community members, community organizations, other law enforcement agencies, etc.

And um when it came time to do that this coming year, I got together with uh with the name.

We talked about it a little bit and decided that we were going to spice it up a little bit, and instead of just buying some stock cards, we decided to have a contest with our POL students and let them draw draw is really the wrong word.

This is some fast fantastic artwork, which you see behind me on the on the uh screen.

And we we're gonna have a contest and have four of the winners have cards designed, which we will send out, and we have already sent out.

So, with all that said, we're gonna recognize the winners tonight, and I'm gonna turn that over to Danae and she's going to call the names up and we're gonna recognize them.

Thank you, Chief.

Good evening, everyone.

So if my amazing pal kids can please come forward as your names are called.

First up is eight-year-old Miss Jocelyn Mendoza.

Please come forward.

Nine-year-old Miss Anna Alevier.

Miss Anna, please come up.

Last but not least, recommending representing the gentleman, Mr.

Sean McQuear McQuery.

15 years old.

Please come forward.

And so I want to say that they did this beautiful artwork, just kind of for the fun of it.

They didn't know that this artwork was going to turn into holiday cards that would go out all over the area.

And so now, for the big announcement, who got third place, second place, first place.

So we had a tie for third place.

And those winners are Miss Jocelyn and Miss Anna.

Miss Anna.

Second place goes to Mr.

Sean.

And so our first place winner is Miss Sarah.

Second place.

Thank you, Council.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Next item is a proclamation to Dr.

Mel Pender.

Dr.

Pendercoast through any of y'all that were watching ABC in 1968, this is the Olympic Gold Medal is right here.

Nice.

All right, we have this uh amazing proclamation for uh Dr.

Mel Pinder.

Um let me just read it.

Whereas Dr.

Mel Pinder is an Olympic gold medalist.

Wow.

World record holder.

Nice.

Uh Hall of Famer, Vietnam veteran, and longtime Cobb County resident.

And whereas Dr.

Pender has launched his foundation for children, the gathering of eagles, and whereas Dr.

Pender's foundation represents his life's journey, overcoming obstacles, striving for excellence, and always giving back.

I mean, he's a generous, him and his wife are generous in the community in giving back.

This is my way of enduring that children have tools, resources, and engagement they need to pursue their dreams.

And that's from Dr.

Pender.

Whereas Dr.

Pender is best known for winning gold in the four by one hundred meter relay at the 1968.

1968.

A lot of people in here weren't born in 68.

But in 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

And Dr.

Pender is now focused on leaving a lasting legacy for children through education, mentorship, and athletic enrichment.

Alongside his wife, Debbie.

Dr.

Pender is introducing a new children's book.

It's a series highlighting the childhood stories of notable athletes, including his own story.

And whereas Dr.

Pender will be sharing his journey with media veterans, schools, and community groups all across Atlanta, inspiring young people and community members alike.

Now, therefore, our mayor, Steve Tumlin, do hereby declare Wednesday, December 10th today, as Dr.

Mel Pinder Day.

Don't know what to say, but say thank you.

I I've gotten so many awards in my lifetime.

I just turned 88.

I look good, don't I?

I I I really appreciate this award.

Uh, I appreciate anything I can get from Cobb County.

This is my home.

Uh I'd like to thank my lovely wife for doing so much work and putting this foundation together to help young people.

I kids need I kids need to know how to read.

And we have some great books, uh, children's books that I think every family should have to help those kids read.

And the one the best one is about me.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, and thank you, Mayor.

City Council.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

And the first one of the three speakers is Mr.

Donald Barr.

Please come forward and be heard and show us your new Christmas time.

Here comes Santa Claus.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor.

Council.

Glad to be able to say that.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor.

You don't know how good that sounds.

And congratulations, I hear you won a good award again.

We're doing great.

We're doing great.

And I'm here tonight to tell everyone happy holiday.

And when I was thinking about the holiday, I also wanted to think about the chess board.

And recently we were doing the thing, and we got the king, and we got the queen on the back row.

And we got a rook, knight, and our bishop.

You were the guys that protected the king.

Our king, and people don't want to hear that, but our mayor was very important to us.

All this time, you guys have stayed up there and done some remarkable work.

So I want to thank you guys.

And then while we were talking about that, I wanted to remind y'all.

Santa Claus wanted to remind y'all that when y'all went in, this is what you look like.

I never looked like that.

I need to.

Y'all were young and had hair.

Santa Claus was forgiving, but God knows.

We're gonna send you home.

Just like that.

And this is a good thing.

Y'all have succeeded in lasting through all of the thick and all of the thin.

And again, I want to thank you.

So for everything y'all have done, a couple of you got some coal in here.

Really got some coal.

Switches.

But overall, I just came in to say thank you.

Have a happy holiday, whether it's Christmas, Hanukkah, anything you celebrate again.

This will be the last time I get to see you up there, you up there, and you up there.

Maybe we'll all be back around here later on.

But anyway, thank you for what y'all did.

Very crucial.

Thank you.

Next picture is Kathy Schloss.

Sure, switch.

John, you're a hard act to follow.

Good evening all.

I'm Kathy Slough.

I have uh on my home since uh 2004, and when I moved here as a woman, I looked at the council.

I reviewed the minutes, I looked at our first responders, wonderful Chief Beam and our Marietta Police Department, our fire department up there, Bill Bruton, and you got a phenomenal assistant.

Don't let her go anywhere, okay?

Because she knows me.

And Mayor Tumlin.

And it looks like uh Joseph Goldstein.

I'll be in his ward starting January.

I have been at Andrew Sims Ward.

You came out, sir.

I remember when the fire department was putting uh smoke alarms in.

Joseph Goldstein has been to my condo complex three times getting to know our homeowners.

Councilwoman uh Richardson, I've seen you out and about, and you put heaps of valuable information on next door.

So even though I'm not your ward, you have still helped me.

I am proud to call Marietta home.

I was raised in this uh small farmland community in Ohio.

My mother received the an Americanism award and community activist award from the VFW up there, and I made a promise to her to follow in her footsteps.

Um I have volunteered for MPD.

I've also volunteered for Marietta Powsley.

That's a phenomenal organization.

And I just want to thank you all, and I want to wish you happy holidays, a Merry Christmas, a blessed Hanukkah, happy Carranza Health and Happiness New Year, and I'll see you all next year.

Thank you for your time.

Thanks, ma'am.

Council member for two more weeks, Mr.

Johnny Walker signed up.

You might need some tissue.

You might need tissue.

Oh Lord, I got the I use the word amazing a lot in my prepared uh remarks, and I couldn't come up with another word because mainly what I'm speaking about is the city staff here.

But I would like to start by thanking all the citizens of Marietta for allowing me to serve you the past 12 years.

This has been a remarkable experience.

I surely could not have been successful without the entire city staff.

You all are amazing.

With my five minutes allotted time, it would be impossible for me to mention everyone who has helped me, so please know how special each of you are.

Chief Beam, Chief Milligan, and your entire team.

Thank you for making for doing such a great job keeping Marietta safe.

Thank you, Mark Rice and the entire public works department.

It amazes me.

Everything this department does, and always just a phone call away and it's fixed.

Thank you, Shelby.

You have been a total go-to person.

I wish I had a dollar for every call I've made to you.

You are a blessing to the city of Marietta.

Thank you to the Parks and Rec department.

Wow, what a great job you do.

Keeping our 40 plus parks going is not an easy task, but y'all make it look simple.

Rich Bus, congratulations on your retirement.

Keisha Patina.

And your entire staff, you all are amazing.

Thank you for all you do.

Our sanitation department is also amazing.

Wow, what an incredible job this department does.

Thank you, Scott Reese, and the entire team.

I would like to thank Ron Mull and his entire staff, the Board of Lights and Water for being the bright light of our city.

Thank you, Sandra Lloyd.

It has been a pleasure to serve on the historic board of review, and you have done an amazing job.

It looks like we might finally get the hole in the square of new shiny, beautiful building.

Maggie Moss, you are a rock star.

You have done so much for our great city and are so appreciated.

I cherish our friendship, and I want to give a loving shout out to our late Joanne Ellers.

She was the best.

Maybe Rachel will let you own on her show, the Rachel Show.

The future of our city is bright with you too.

Betsy Kelly, thank you for making Thunder look good.

You also are amazing.

Thank you to our IT department.

Our technology is always one step ahead.

Ronnie Barrett, you and your team do a great job.

To the wonderful Sherry Rashad, thank you for your dedicated service to the city.

Sherry is actually the longest ever tenured employee at the City of Marietta.

I go back to high school days with her, and she is as pretty now as she was back then.

I'd like to pause for just a second.

I have a few more remarks, but I would like to make a couple of presentations.

Was the hiring of our multimedia specialist Kelly Health.

Kelly, would you come up, please?

All right.

This guy right here, I've known him.

We stole him from the Marietta Journal, thank goodness.

Uh he knew him, spent a lot of time in the football games with him and everything, got to know him.

And he's just a great photographer, great videographer, and he puts these incredible videos together.

I'd like to present him.

Uh the Eye of the Tiger Award.

Thank you for your friendship, your mentorship, and all you do for helping make Marietta shine through your many talents presented by me.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Yeah, yeah.

Rachel.

Rachel wants another shot.

Okay.

Yes, sir.

The City of Marietta is lucky to have this guy too.

I don't I don't know how many years he's been the city attorney, but he is very appreciated and appreciated by me.

I'd like to present Doug the best of the best award for outstanding and dedicated service to the city of Marietta.

Johnny, thank you so much for the lesson.

Oh, and we we do hold the tennis championship.

Everybody we play on the council.

We we wear them out.

We've never lost.

Never lost.

I haven't played against them.

Bill Bruton, come on down.

I'm on the year.

And I have this guy.

I mean, he's he's the best of the best, too.

I mean, he's the best city manager in the country, probably, and uh he just got uh voted today, or not voted, got awarded the Marietta Citizen of the Year.

And I would like to present him the Great City Manager Award.

In grateful recognition of the many years of service to the City of Marietta.

Bill Bruton has made Marietta a better place to live, work, and play.

Thanks, sir.

Come on down, Stephanie.

Yeah, I've her award is gonna I I'm not gonna go into everything.

She's just an incredible lady.

Uh she's been with the city for a long time, and uh what a blessing it is to have Stephanie Guy be our city clerk.

But I would like to honor Stephanie with the Miss Wonderful Award.

Thank you for 12 years of extreme excellent excellence with the utmost grace.

All right, let me just finish up here.

It has been an honor to serve with my fellow council members and Mayor Tumlin.

We have accomplished so much in helping Marietta be the best city in the state.

The future of our community is in great hands with you all.

Congratulations to the newly elected council members, Daniel T and Jason.

You will do great things.

The best advice I can give you is to listen before you speak and be kind to the staff.

Without them, you have nothing and will not be successful.

It would be inappropriate for me not to mention the guys that keep us on our toes.

Don Barth, Larry Wills, Tracy Stevenson.

I know you will make sure no one gets out of line.

Rosser Sutherland, you are the most loyal attendee at our council meetings.

I look forward to seeing you serve in four years.

You will be a great addition to the council.

Last but not least, I want to thank God and the 6,754 true Marietta lovers that help re-elect the great mayor Steve Tomlin.

I will continue to stay involved in our community and will not be far.

Thank you again.

May God bless.

May God continue to bless Marietta and wish y'all all a Merry Christmas.

Thank you.

Now the reason I didn't get the best mayor's award to go back and get something we just missed.

It was uh announcement of general community information.

Any announcements from this from this diocese?

Yes, sir.

I would like to let everybody know that we're gonna have a recognition ceremony uh and reception that is gonna take place next Thursday.

That'll be the 18th, and that'll go from three to five uh over at the fire museum, and that is gonna be for the three members of council who have served so ably uh and are gonna be going off of council uh as of January.

So three to five, Thursday over at the fire museum.

Um also like to recognize Bill Bruton for being there uh as mentioned by Johnny, he is the citizen of the year for the city of Marietta.

So congratulations, Bill.

And uh than that, as we're going into the holiday season, um I believe Temple Coleman has a manora lighting on the square on December 18th in the evening.

Congregation there to meet has another um uh minora lighting on the square Saturday, December 20th.

And uh other than that, uh may everyone have a happy holidays with whatever you celebrate, whether it be a Merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzaa, or another holiday, and a happy new year.

Thank you.

I'm planning on having my first town hall meeting of the year on Tuesday, January the 27th.

I'm working on that date.

Anything else?

Across America this Saturday it's at noon.

We're this beautiful eight o'clock on noon.

Noon.

Oh, it starts at 12 all across the nation.

That's right.

That's a great event.

We what we have close to 18,000 here in Marietta, so that all the volunteers we could get, we'd appreciate them.

And you'll enjoy it too.

Anything else?

I'd like to call Councilman Johnny Walker do the consent agenda, please.

Yes, if everybody would take out their agenda, I notice on the left side of most of the items tonight.

It has a little asterisk.

That means it's on the consent agenda, meaning we've gone through several meetings, and we're gonna assume that these will all have passed, and we'll vote on them all at one time in order to save time.

Mr.

Haney, is there any changes to the consent agenda?

Yes, sir, Mr.

Walker.

With your permission, I'll go through uh the changes identifying them by page.

The first change is on page five.

The final plat for high veil phase one has been moved to consent based upon a revised plan showing sidewalks for phase one.

The uh city council meeting dates also on page five will be moved to consent.

The next change.

With the changes.

Yeah, I'm yes, with yes, as modified.

And the last changes on page eight, the BLW minutes are moved to consent.

That's it.

Ms.

Guy said that's it.

All right.

Any questions about the consent agenda?

Uh I make a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Please cast your vote or second.

Got a motion, a second, all cast your vote.

Consent agenda is approved 7-0.

Thank you.

Next item is rezoning meeting number 057.

Excuse me, rezoners Z 2025-17.

I'm gonna pass the gavel to Mr.

Walker if you could, Mr.

Mayor Pro Tim, conduct the rest of the meeting.

Just gone down.

The first item is rezoning Trayton, LLC.

Doug who conducted.

Doug, you're going to conduct the meeting.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Barker, City Council.

This will be the public hearing on item C 2025-17, rezoning by Trayton LLC for property on Herbert Drive, Blanch Drive, Crestridge Drive.

Is there anyone here tonight that would like to speak in opposition to that?

Is there any opposition to that matter?

I can see a hand.

Thank you, ma'am.

We'll come to you in just a minute.

Mr.

Cummings, if you'll kick this off, please, the public hearing is now open.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Haney.

For KZ 2025-17, Trayton LLC is requesting the rezoning of 19.451 acres of property located at 222, 224, 226 Herbert Drive, 1454 and 1462 Blanch Drive, 1651 Crestorids Drive, from R2 single family residential, R4 single family residential, and RRC Regional Retail Commercial, to PRDSF for the construction of 76 detached single family homes.

Mr.

Kevin Moore is here to present on behalf of the applicant.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor, Council members, Kevin Moore here on behalf of the applicant, Trayton Homes, and the owner in this application for rezoning that's been introduced to you.

You heard a very robust presentation and public hearing last month that was tabled for us to look at a and look and evaluate a couple of issues, and I want to make sure I address those as well with you.

So the presentation is not going to simply be a repeat, but I want to highlight certain aspects of this application and the proposed community from Trayton for you and for your consideration.

But first, just to remind you, as Mr.

Cummings said, the zoning of this property, as you can see, it's highlighted for you in the middle on your zoning map of this nearly uh 20-acre site.

The far and away vast majority of the property is zoned RRC, regional retail commercial, uh, your most intense commercial category and retail category in in the city uh is RRC.

Uh just to give you the context again of what zoning is actually present on the property today.

Going straight to the actual proposal, uh, which is the site plan for your consideration.

This this is an updated site plan uh from last month.

What we're still bringing you and what Trayton is proposing is an all single family detached residential community uh for the entirety uh of the property.

Last month we had a proposal for you, which was a total of 79 homes.

Uh you asked us to look at specifically uh issues related to driveway links, uh specific as to the alleys that were contained.

So I want to address two things for you.

First, this plan uh has been reduced by three homes by three units, so it's been reduced from a total of 79 to 76.

And the reason for that reduction was not simply to make it 76 instead of 79.

It was very intentional.

That's the result of us addressing the driveway length issue.

Those units in that room were then used uh by the engineer who did an excellent job in my opinion, such that all driveways uh on this development for the homes are a minimum of 20 feet in length, except for uh those uh homes that are on alleys, and there's four alleys in this proposal, you know, two on the kind of the left side of the site plan and two on the right adjacent to the amenity.

Those alley driveways, if you remember, had the the large concern last month uh were a minimum of seven feet.

Uh those are now a minimum of 18 feet.

Uh so a real improvement there from in terms of driveway links, and I think a real accomplishment of how they were uh able to fit this and make this work and retain what I think is the spirit and the intent and the real vision for the residential community that's before you.

As you can see, we're able to maintain uh as you come from left to right the open space park areas as well as the full amenity areas as well as maintain throughout uh the undisturbed areas.

Those open space uh areas are vitally important for the vision here, and that is that when somebody is either walking through this community or driving home, it becomes a place where they're passing by landscaped open space parks that are can be used uh by residents and others alike.

It break has a the sense of breaking up the community so you're not just seeing houses, but you're seeing open space parks that you can use and you can enjoy as well as having the other product.

The purpose for the alleys is so that we can add uh rear loaded front facing home product and homes here.

So again, it adds that nice visual from a streetscape standpoint that Trayton can accomplish and execute here to create an interesting place to live, to create an interesting place to call home and can create a community uh that people want to buy a house in and want to live in.

Uh that's what's the purpose here is to do that and to create that level of community here.

Speaking of the uh open space parks, I'm gonna show you again that vision for what Trayton has accomplished in other communities with both the amenity and you can see the level of open space park that we have.

When we call it open space park, we're not simply meaning just scrub that we haven't touched.

Trayton does a fantastic job with its park areas and its passive park areas in its developments.

Think of Montgomery Park, uh, which is just close to where we're standing and sitting right here tonight.

Trayton did that development, executed it beautifully, and it's been an outstanding example of development of Trayton that shows you what they can do when they incorporate their idea of an open space park, which is what you see on the right on your screen here.

Something that's beautiful, can be very much enjoyed, and is a welcome addition uh to any community.

Also, I wanted to uh remind you again of what type of home product is being proposed by Trayton here.

I think it's important that you see the representative examples that we'll go through with the home product itself, and you can see the types of homes that they're proposing uh with the architecture, not just the same house over and over again, but with the variety of architecture that Trayton can put on their homes and create the type of community and vision they have for this property.

You can see the type of homes that we're talking about here that fit very well with the overall fabric and architecture of Marietta and the overall community in which this will find itself as a proposed residential subdivision in this specific community.

Last month you'll also remember we talked at length about the traffic study that had been conducted, and we went through in some in some rather detail about that traffic study.

I'm not going to do that tonight.

We heard that last month, and the traffic study hasn't changed.

If there's any questions about it, certainly we can I can address those specifically.

But I do want to remind you of the conclusion of that traffic study that based on the analysis results, the impact on traffic operations in the study network, which was that entire Cloverdale Heights neighborhood from Powers Ferry to Franklin Gateway, that the impact on traffic operations in the study network from the proposed development will be minimal.

This was a traffic study that was conducted by an independent traffic engineer, professional engineer who put his stamp on it.

It was reviewed and accepted by your public works department.

And I think those are very important items that were completed and tasks that were covered by Trayton as part of doing this proposal and making sure that the information is available for you and complete in terms of the overall studies that have been done.

What did all this lead to?

It led to certain stipulations and conditions, and I really want to highlight these for you.

And there's a full letter that's that's plenty plenty long and has plenty of length to it.

But I really think it's important for you to just from and for me to highlight for both you and those who are here what the what the result of those studies were.

Number one, the result of that study was discussions with public works, and we've agreed to a contribution to the City of Marietta in the amount of 107,000 dollars to go to the road improvements that are needed for Scott Drive and Crestridge Drive.

Those are really improvements that are needed now for those streets.

But Trayton has stepped forward as a result of its proposed development if approved.

38 percent of the estimated cost of those street improvements is that 107,000 dollars.

That's derived directly from the traffic study and report that showed approximately 38 percent of traffic using those roads from this neighborhood.

We've also specifically agreed that there'll be no construction traffic on the neighborhood streets.

Construction traffic will be limited to coming in from Blanche and no other residential streets at all.

This development will have a full and robust declaration of covenants and mandatory homeowners association.

That ensures the value and consistency going forward once we have homeowners there.

Again, I want to remind you of a 5% rental limitation.

That's certainly a stipulation.

It's also codified in your PRD zoning ordinance.

We think that's likewise important as you look at and review this particular proposal.

Also, if you recall on our site plan, we have full protection of all stream and stream buffers.

That was important for us.

It's important for this plan to make sure that we are environmentally sensitive and conscientious about the type of development that Trayton is going to put in, and we have full protection of all streams, all state, city, stream buffers, as well as impervious setbacks.

And that's what's resulted is then more than seven acres of the 20.

So over a third of the acres of this development are actually just left undisturbed, not graded and landscaped, but left undisturbed.

And I think that's outstanding and it's an outstanding result of the planning that Trayton took for this particular project.

Lastly, I want to review in this instance what I consider and what Trayton considers, and I want to highlight what I think are benefits that we think you should consider and hopefully do for this proposal.

First, rezoning this property from RRC, which is an intense commercial category for a residential community.

I think everybody can agree.

This property where it sits in the neighborhood in which it sits does not need to be zoned RRC and open up that community to what could happen with RRC.

So what I think certainly a highlighted benefit is that a rezoning approval here changes this 20 acres and allows for a residential single-family detached home community to be developed and built.

Positive impact on schools.

Last month, Councilman Sims asked about if there'd been conversations with our school system and with our school district, particularly Saw Your Elementary, since that would be the elementary school here.

We undertook it to have those conversations with the school district, took that even further with those conversations.

Mr.

Grant Rivera actually reviewed it, met with the school board itself, and was authorized by the board to come back to us and give us this comment.

And that is that Sawyer Road Elementary has more than sufficient capacity to handle this development.

In fact, it's actually 200 students under capacity at Sawyer Road.

And then from their standpoint, it's a positive impact on the school system if approved as a development.

Also, positive residential support for Franklin Gateway CID.

And I don't mean the CID, the entity itself, but the Franklin Gateway CID area is an area as you are so very, very familiar, that is in a stage of redevelopment on at various levels.

We believe that having this type of development, single family detached homes, putting residents who have invested into this community along the Franklin Gateway CID at the tip of it, adds to the future success.

It continues to have a halo halo effect for that gateway CID.

What do they need to inject other uses for that gateway and Franklin Gateway properties?

What do users of those want to see?

They want to make sure that there's residents that are invested nearby that will be future customers and users of the types of the products and services that they are going to provide.

We think this will have an undoubtedly positive support for the Franklin Gateway CID owner area.

Lastly, this proposal is 76 homes, which is an increase of home ownership and housing options within the city.

We don't have many 20-acre tracks in the city.

We just don't.

There's not a lot of tracks of this size in the city where we can add 76 homes, if approved, of single family home ownership within the city and create additional housing options for those who want to buy a home in the city, who want to live in the city, or want to come back here and live in the city because they grew up here.

This is an opportunity to do that, and not by six or seven houses.

Those are just as important too.

But in this instance, it's an ability to approve of development by Trayton homes that does increase the percentage of home ownership that will occur in the city if approved.

Again, we believe this project and the history of this property with all the different types of proposals that have been here, with proposals that have come before you, where you had standing room-only opposition to a proposal that was made for residential and over 130 units to have trayton homes come back and work diligently since summer with the meetings, working with staff, working with planning commission members, working with city council concerns that have been identified, working with other community members to have input and to make changes to their plan each and every time.

We believe the plan that is before you right now is not just simply an opportunity, but it's a fantastic opportunity with a plan that from our standpoint, we certainly hope it will be from your standpoint as well.

Checks every single box.

We've worked with public works, they're pleased with our plan.

We've worked with FIRE, they're pleased with our plan.

And changes have been made all along to make sure that that was the case.

We've worked with community members to the greatest extent we possibly could to present a plan that can be executed and can be successful and made changes to the plan.

I think that's the type of balance and relationship that results in not just a good proposal, but the best proposal for this property.

And we hope you agree with that and respectfully request your approval of this rezoning application with the stipulations that are set forth in our letter.

Thank you.

Any questions, Mr.

Moore?

Any questions?

Carl, I'll go first and I'll go.

My question is concerning the park.

You said the park would be available for the residents and others.

Is that mean that other if there are other residents that want to come through and use the park?

Because I know there is an issue over at Montgomery Park now where they are not allowing kids to come over and play in the in their area.

So I want to make sure if we approve it, you know, whether it will or will not have that option.

Sure.

So two different things.

The amenity itself would be just for residents in their guests, because it obviously it has uh certain requirements and requirements for its maintenance upkeep and yearly and so forth, and there are certain rules that go with that.

This is a this is a public street that will come through and connect uh all the way through.

Uh if residents come through and are walking and want to walk through, and they happen to stop at the park, those open space kind of landscape park areas.

I don't know why they would be kept out.

I mean, it's they're just walking along the street.

So it's there's no it's not gated, it's not private.

Um so I don't see an issue with that.

Certainly with the amenities, but that's understandable.

Yeah, I'm not talking about the amenities, just the open space, if there's a bench or something, somebody.

And again, they won't be public parks because obviously they're not going to be owned by the City of Marietta.

Uh but uh there's no there's no particular reason why they wouldn't.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you for your question.

Mr.

Yellowstein.

Um, last month there was that there was a lot of questions.

Some of the talk about the numbers, so about the traffic, and one of the things also the alignment with Matthews.

Yes.

Given the fact that the traffic study um is focusing on traffic going to other places besides Matthews with this being aligned with Matthews.

Is there was there any thought put into that in the pat in this past month?

Yes, there was um uh a good deal of thought.

Uh and where you're looking at the top left of the plan uh where that access road is coming in.

The the issue is that the parcels to the left that that you see, if you want to move it from Matthews, you you see parcels that are outside the property that that we have.

Um that next parcel is not owned by us, not owned by Trayton.

It's not owned by our seller.

Uh and it's not one that can be has been able to be put under contract or able to be purchased from that owner, despite efforts and efforts for quite a while uh and and conversations that has not been available.

The only way to move that entrance further away uh than where we're showing it now uh would be to acquire that parcel.

Once you if you could do that, then it could be moved down, but that's not feasibly possible.

We'll still continue to try, uh, but it's not it's just not feasibly possible.

We can only buy the property that is offered for sale and try to get that what's for sale and and and work with what we have.

Uh I know that there's been a there's been a ton of concern on that.

I have I think I've expressed that express similar concerns in the fact that I'm worried about that, I'm worried about that road.

Because if it's getting the more it's aligned and stuff there, the closer it gets to being possibly used as a thing there when that road isn't the best one to be used for that.

Um just to remind that one of the public works comments is for us to try to you know is to when you get to the final design to move it as far as we can.

And we'll continue to do that.

Um another thing that came out brought up last time was dealing with the uh some no uh noise concerns.

Um did you take a look at that during the time period as well?

Yes, so just to if you look at the site plan from left to right, uh down on the left is where you have the smallest or the smallest amount of buffer from I-75 is the top left.

That's about a hundred feet that's undisturbed, and then that grows to over 200 to over 300 feet as you continue.

All of that is going to be left undisturbed between the interstate and where this development is going to start.

Uh undisturbed vegetation is perhaps the best noise buffer there can be.

Uh beyond that, uh, the only other uh item would be some sort of uh uh you know noise abatement walls that you see G DOT put up along the highway, and I understand uh that's something that's going to be looked at from a city and state as as state geo uh DOT standpoint.

Uh but we believe the buffer that we're leaving is more than sufficient from a noise standpoint, certainly for our residents.

Okay.

And one final thing that I was made aware of on the sent for sanitation.

Um I believe the 20-foot and I might need Mark Rice on this one to make sure I'm correct on this.

On the 20-foot, they can get the trucks on through with a 16-foot.

They can't get the trucks on through.

So something else needs to be done with regard to sanitation pickup for those units.

What is the plan on that?

Sure.

So, yes, uh per um, Mr.

Rice with public works for the for the 16-foot alleys.

Uh he thinks those are going to be too tight for uh sanitation truck.

So for those, we'll work with work with Mark Rice to uh ensure there is a plan simply put, those residents, which there's it's only a small handful of all the residents, it's just the ones that are on the alleys, uh, would simply have to pull their garbage cans around to where they're to where the public street is, which is should not be an issue on our end.

Um speaking to Mr.

Rice about that, um, he agreed it's something we can work out as we get closer to make sure that that that happens.

Truth be with this, uh somebody that's buying a home on the on the alley, that's going to be something that would not be strange to them to have to pull their can around to the front.

Uh what's really strange for most people if they haven't lived in here in the city is to is the fact they don't have to pull their can to the street often.

So I don't think that's going to be an issue for us and our residents, and certainly not working with Mark Mr.

Rice on that.

Um thing I've been asking about have been the uh the billboards.

Yes.

The lease terms of those.

Yes.

Because this property at this point would be if if it was approved, it would be shifting from a commercial use to now a more residential use.

Um are billboards truly appropriate to be on the property for something like that.

Is it something that might take a look at?

Um moving if it happened to be approved.

Right.

So as lease terms ended.

We cannot agree to uh a condition that the billboards would be removed upon the expiration of the current lease term.

We can't agree to what staff recommended as a condition as it relates to the billboards.

And that's not because of traiton.

Uh the truth be told, I mean, it's I mean, it's the the property owner that has those four billboards.

Um they are in various stages of uh automatic renewing terms on rolling five-year lease terms.

Uh and I think what staff has put in here is to ensure that they are somehow that they remain in their current nonconforming status.

So this decision doesn't suddenly make the nonconforming billboards conforming in any way.

It is assures that they continue to be nonconforming in that status, so that at some point um they could go away if that was if those conditions existed.

But in terms of agreeing to have those removed, it's not something I can agree to.

Other questions, Mr.

Moore?

Okay.

Um I'll have a question for Mr.

Rice later on.

Okay.

Other question, Mr.

Moore while he's up front.

Mr.

Moore, if you'll have a seat.

Thank you for your questions.

I believe there's at least one person that wants to speak in opposition if you'll come forward.

Rules for the opposition is give your name and address.

You have five minutes to make your comment, please.

Lily Reed, 230 Scott Drive Southeast.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak.

As I noted at the last meeting, the city zoning ordinance has several stated purposes as defined in Code Section 700.3.

I would like to highlight five key directives.

One, to protect existing development in the city, like my neighborhood.

You have zoning codes in place for that reason because they represent best practices for protecting existing development.

The most significant issue here, which I believe is underemphasized in the staff report and by Mr.

Moore, is that code stipulates that connections for developments over 51 units should be to arterial or collector streets, whereas the only possible connections in the circumstance are to local neighborhood streets.

There is a reason for this requirement.

Why would you allow a developer to ignore that reason?

Reason two, to prevent overcrowding of schools, I would remind this body, in spite of the capacity at one school, half of the schools serving this development are already over capacity.

I would also remind you of the 247 apartments and 39 townhomes already under construction within the district less than one mile away.

Number three, to achieve such density distribution and design of land development as will prevent traffic hazards.

Aside from the fatal wreck on June 19th, 2022 at the intersection of Scott Drive and Powers Ferry, just this past month, Marietta Power and Water was involved in a wreck at that same intersection.

There are clearly issues that the traffic study provided by Mr.

Moore does not catch or address.

I would argue that existing conditions already present a demonstrable traffic hazard, particularly for pedestrians who are an important component of neighborhood street traffic that remain entirely unconsidered by the professional traffic studies submitted by Mr.

Moore.

I am far more concerned about pedestrian and vehicular safety in my neighborhood than I am about how this development will impact my ability to exit the neighborhood.

Number four, to secure accessibility, design and density of land development as will reduce fire hazards.

Mr.

Wrights spoke to this at Planning Commission.

Additionally, the data appendix in this application states that life safety, fire, and Georgia accessibility codes and local ordinances are not adequately satisfied.

Reason five, to improve the quality of life through protection of the city's total environment, including the protection of air, visual, water, and noise pollution, among other things like billboards, I question whether the sound impacts of this development have been fully addressed because twenty acres of unbothered vegetation will still reduce more noise than a hundred feet.

I agree that a residential designation is most appropriate for the site.

I do support residential designation.

However, there are multiple instances where it feels like the developer asked for a variance rather than working to improve their site plan.

Variances should be reserved for exceptional cases.

They should not be used as a workaround for site plans that are not in alignment with the city's own development regulations.

I would argue site conditions are not sufficiently difficult to require variances that better site planning would address those issues handily.

There's a simple solution that will allow the city to address all of these issues.

Cap the development at 51 units and make sure that number is a condition of the rezoning.

51 units would allow compliance with street widths for state fire code, larger lot sizes more compatible with surrounding development, and for the city to maintain compliance with its own code of ordinance, which sets a better precedent for future development in the city.

Mr.

Moore likes to plead negligible traffic impacts.

I would argue that is a matter of perspective.

I've heard him claim that lowering the number of units would require them to eliminate the active amenities for this development, which feels like a distraction from the central issue.

I would remind this body that the active amenities will be available to no one but the new residents, while the negative impacts will be borne by all.

Ma'am, your five minutes is up.

I have three minutes and fifty-five seconds on my clock.

Mr.

Moore mentioned that 51 units would render this proposal unfeasible due to cost.

I question whether it is actually cost or simply that equity partners would not receive the payout they envisioned if limited to 51 units.

City Council does not exist to safeguard the speculative investment of developers.

Your aim should be to balance the inevitability of growth in our community with protections for existing residents and taxpayers.

I would implore this body not to be distracted from the foundational issues you are here to enforce by talk of amenities, traffic impacts, or financing issues.

The greatest amenities you could secure for your residents, current and future are safe neighborhood roads, manageable traffic, and sensible precedents for land development.

All I request is that if you approve this rezoning, you do so with the condition that the number of units not exceed 51.

Thank you.

This is probably curious.

Anyone else that would like to speak on this matter?

Mr.

Barnes, come forward, please.

Wow, we've come a long way with this thing.

We met with uh Kevin Moore.

We met in his office, we talked about it, and we've given them our feedback on it, and here we are today.

And some of the only things that I am concerned about is those two billboard signs.

I say two, there's four.

Two of them are way down there in that thicket.

Two of them are right off Van Barry or whatever we're gonna call it blanch today.

All I'm saying is that I want Mr.

Moore and the Traitons to understand we want them to succeed.

We want this to be the best traiton project they ever built in Cloverdale Heights is a growing neighborhood.

So all I'm saying is if there's anything that they can do, say the sales slow down because they left those two billboards up.

I mean, they're like a sore thumb standing one's really bad right now with the leaves down.

But there's only two that are really an issue.

You have to have access to work on those billboards.

It's not like they're just sitting there.

When we talk about the land that's not going to be bothered, there are roads in there that they have to go in and out.

The only thing I'm telling Mr.

Trayton, Mr.

Poston, and uh is we need to talk about those billboards only.

It's not a setback on us, but it's going to be a problem if we don't sell those units.

Thank you.

This is public hearing.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

Yes, sir, Mr.

Wills.

You have five minutes.

Uh I look at these things a little bit different from everybody else, I think.

When I look at these site plans, I think uh what would keep me from buying a house in here?

And what would what would I object to if I already live next to them.

And three things pop out about this site plan that bother me.

One is uh the city has a noise ordinance and standards.

And I-75 generates a lot of noise.

And I think you need to do a noise survey to make sure that you're not allowing something to be built that's gonna be in violation of the city standards when it comes to noise.

The other thing is the I-75 corridor is probably the most heavily polluted air pollution problem area in the county.

The fine particulate matter that's put out by these thousands of cars and diesel trucks that go up and down through there every day, is uh creates creates a corridor of air pollution that would keep me from buying a house this close to I-75.

The third thing that bothers me about this is the uh is the stream through the middle of the uh development.

I don't know if you're proposing a bridge or a covert, but your yard uh structure ratio is pretty bad, and there's a lot of impervious area that you're putting into there.

And there's a better be careful about flooding.

And if I was a homeowner, and we had a flood that washed out that covert or that bridge and it had to be replaced.

I don't know if you've got enough homeowners in there to afford to replace that.

It would cost them a small fortune to repair that.

So those are the three reasons I wouldn't buy in this area.

Uh but you know, maybe somebody else would.

Thank you.

Um else that would like to speak on this matter.

One second.

Larry.

Yes.

Mr.

Larry, Mr.

Wills.

Larry.

Mr.

Wills, back up here.

Oh, sorry.

Mr.

Gold.

Mr.

Goldstein has a question for you.

For the record, state can you say your name and address too, please?

Speak up.

Can you for for the record?

Can you speak state your name and address?

I'm sorry, I still can't hear you.

Say name where you live.

I want you to say your name and address.

Oh, Larry Will.

I thought y'all already knew me.

We do, but we need to remember the record.

We know his address.

Y'all know it by hearts.

Larry Wills, 60 Oakmont Drive, Marietta, Georgia.

Thank you.

You got a serious question for me.

Is there anyone else that would like to speak on this matter?

Anyone else?

Now, let's see.

The public part of this is closed.

You want to ask Mr.

Rice a question?

I have a question for Chief.

Yes.

Okay.

I want to ask can you ask one question under the public.

I mean the.

Yes, sir, please.

Will you describe the easements for those four billboards?

I mean, the access easements.

I can just generally describe that.

Um, they are, and I was just curious.

I can only do it generally.

Uh they'll they'll be located specifically uh at final design where that's reserved.

It's not something Trayton is we're not purchasing the billboards, the owner is retaining that.

So I understand, but I'm quite we we're talking about the buffer and if they took cut down all the trees.

Right.

No, because the that that's the buffer disappeared.

Sure.

No, the buffer will not disappear.

The access that's there now is through the woods, and that's how it will remain.

It just will remain in an area where they can get to it.

It's not gonna be shown in here, but it's kind of uh one um one page.

Yeah, there you go.

Uh can some the mouse can someone use the mouse real quickly?

We could.

There's one that has them.

Um, you have to look down on the right, yeah, the far right against the interstate.

They're s kind of spaced out because they have to be per G dot rules.

So there's a photo.

There's a photo.

Stephanie, can you get to that?

And then in the packet, there is a photo.

Staff report.

Staff report that shows exactly where they are.

I don't know if they can reach that.

She doesn't have it.

Okay.

Stephanie didn't know.

Maybe the zoning people do.

But to answer your question, Mr.

Mayor, there will not be roads built to access those billboards where it takes down existing vegetation.

I asked how the engagement was.

Right.

It's just an It can't grow any more than it is now.

Correct.

Not a Mr.

Moore.

Joseph, okay.

Thank you.

Mayor time public hearing is closed unless the uh board members want to ask questions of staff.

I I just have a question of Chief Milligan or whoever in the fire department.

So thank you, Chief.

So I know that the one person who spoke in opposition had a concern about the fire code and the fire safety, and I I thought that we had addressed that.

So can we just discuss that one more time?

Absolutely.

Are the alleys sufficient or are there sufficient other access for those units that are on the 16-foot um drives?

So the review process, you know, the plans come in, they work with our team.

It's not usually it's not right the first time.

Um and so it takes a couple iterations to get everything worked out just right.

What I can tell you is what you before you this evening in the package doesn't meet all the requirements for the state law and the fire safety code.

Okay.

And I know we asked this on Monday, but I want to ask again for the record.

There's a question or there's a statement on the uh staff review that talked about the dead end.

Is there are there any issues with that dead end?

Will there be issues for fire apparatus?

No, that dead end doesn't meet the length requirements in order for have the turnarounds uh in there, and so yes, all the roads, the other ways aren't our concern, those aren't our access points to the houses.

It's the main roads and they all meet the requirements.

All right.

Thank you, Chief.

And Mr.

Rice.

Uh I don't think he heard you.

Mr.

Rice.

Mr.

Rice.

You got to speak up.

I don't think it's understood.

Um first, uh no there was a question that I I received a question from a resident earlier um earlier this um earlier today.

Um uh on the part for Scott and Crestridge that's being uh proposed to being approved improved.

Is that all within the right-of-way?

Yes, it will all be within the right-of-way.

We will not need any additional way to widen that.

So no no additional land is needed from any property owner along those streets?

No, sir.

Okay.

And we we will be making those improvements um at some point in the future.

Okay.

Um, the the one thing I've had one thing I've had conversations on is since the last since the last thing, the Matthew Circle alignment.

What was the reasoning behind that and sort of reason why um reason why it needed to be closer to line versus moving it further away to try and keep it, try and make sure that you're not having the traffic going up that street?

Yes.

We any time we have an intersecting driveway for development like that, access road for development.

We try if it's if there's a corresponding street across, we try to get those lined up in order to, especially with the number of units we're gonna have coming out right there, potentially coming out right there.

In order for traffic control in order to get them safely out onto the main road right there.

So we want that to line up in order for traffic control so we can make that a full stop condition right there at that intersection.

This is a public street, isn't it?

Yes.

So they're all public.

Development's gonna be public streets, and then they're coming on to public.

If a pipe washed away something we would take care of, the city would take care of putting that back in order.

That wouldn't be responsibility of the homeowners association.

No, sir, it will not, and we're gonna make sure that they use the proper materials that hopefully it will last.

Because you turn it over to turn it over to you after 15 months or something.

That's correct.

And like I said, we're gonna learn from our past experiences with some pipe washouts and from previous events.

Uh we're going to make sure the proper materials are used that hopefully last 75 or 100 years, and we shouldn't have any issues with that anyways.

Okay.

Um there's also no variance about the center line radius of 100 feet.

Are you okay with that?

Yes, we're fine with that.

Uh that's uh that is that is in the code to ensure we have proper movement uh for our fire access as well as our sanitation trucks, and and they meet all of that, so we're fine with that variant.

And the alley sanitation uh you're okay with the what was proposed to be done on that or yes, the uh as I stated uh the 16 foot uh wide alleys, of course, we we cannot get our sanitation trucks through there, it's not safe.

Um but we will work with uh uh the builder developer uh to work out whatever proper way to collect that sanitation.

Mayor tell me the city council, the public hearing is closed unless the elected officials have other questions or comments.

Well anybody else have anything?

I'd like to only the care recognizes well yeah.

I'm gonna recognize Mr.

Goldstein from Ward 7 to Yeah, no, um I've been thinking on through um to me the I know I know my call uh some of my colleagues might not agree on that and just for me the I'm so worried about the fact the thing directly across from Matthews there on some of the stuff.

Uh the while we have the work on the uh alley to try and get some of the try and work on some of the sanitation stuff, I would still prefer that to be the 20-foot so that we don't have to worry about the truck uh moving stuff because I don't want uh because I want a future council person to have to deal with the uh concern about some of the stuff there.

So uh if you could take a look at it for me, it's more of take a take a look at some of those concerns one more time, maybe just take a look, see.

I know there's other things.

Uh my um I'll make a motion and I'll see if I get a second.

Um table for months so you can take a look at some of the some of the stuff that was raised there.

What's your motion?

Table is mine.

I'm gonna second that just to see where it goes.

Uh-huh.

I'd like my substitute's motion to approve it.

I'll second that.

Is that second to approve?

Yes.

Okay.

So we have a we do the second motion.

On the second motion.

Yeah, do we have discussion on the second motion?

I just think they're showing that they've done an awful lot to to make this thing go through the noise that place has got what 250 to 350 feet of buffer off 75.

I don't think there's hardly anything like that that has that much noise buffer.

Um anyway.

I think it's a positive thing.

They're all, you know, the single family detached.

We're not talking about townhouses.

We're talking about single family detached houses.

And uh they complement the neighborhood and they'll they'll uh raise the value of their neighborhoods.

I agree with Griff.

I think it's a good addition for the city.

I think it's uh especially considering what it could be, you know, if it was if we didn't have somebody like Trayton willing to to do this, I think it I think it'll be good.

Yeah, could be an Amazon parking lot.

For me, uh as as I as led in with my motion, I have made my concerns known about stuff.

Yeah, I'm gonna do that.

So that's I see that you have, yeah.

Yeah.

I my my only remaining concern are the billboards, but I kind of feel that way about all billboards.

But that's not from from what I'm hearing, that's not anything that the developer can do about that.

And I mean, I would love to see them gone or at least gone at the end of their lease, but I I get that that's not yours to do.

Um the billboards, that does bother me.

Mr.

Walkie, you would call for vote on the substitute motion first.

Yeah.

Motion to approve.

So any other comments?

All right, we have a motion and a second uh to approve.

Substitute motion to approve, put everybody cast their vote.

Oh man.

So it's me and you, Johnny.

Where are we going?

Motion is true.

Isn't it?

Well, uh the amendment fails.

Substitute.

Fails four to three.

I guess we go back to the first motion to the table.

Do we have a motion and a second?

Yep.

You already have one.

So do everybody want to cast their vote.

What do we got?

Motion carries to Are you are you giving him the button?

Does he have control of the button?

Well, yeah, I can see you can still the veto power source.

I just saw you sit up.

I'm trying to see what's going to happen here.

I always look at it.

Okay.

No.

Five two vote, and they get another shot at it.

No.

I think this for here.

Yep.

So this has been table forward month, and uh thank you.

Thank you.

I see Kevin here so much that I can't imagine.

Next item on the agenda is item number 2025 rezoning or 615 COVID.

Mr.

Walker, the public hearing is now open on 615 parkway.

Is there anyone here that would like to speak in opposition to the rezoning request at 615 parkway?

Anyone in opposition?

Mr.

Cummings, the floor is open.

The public hearing is open.

Thank you once again, Mr.

Haney.

So for case Z 2025-24, the owner Gyrom Inc.

is requesting the rezoning of.702 acres of property known as 615 Cobb Parkway South from CRC community retail commercial to CRC with an additional use of outside storage, outdoor storage, rather.

And Mr.

Parks Huff is here to present on behalf of the applicant.

Did I see no one stood up and not to speak in opposition?

No, no one.

Okay.

But they can still speak in opposition.

Oh, I know.

Um I won't take off 15 minutes then.

For the record, my name is Parks Off, and I represent the applicant in regards to this uh rezoning application before you.

This is a nonconforming lot.

Uh it's adjacent to a motel.

It's off of 41, but very limited front road frontage.

It's been used for many, many years as a storage lot for some surrounding businesses parking new vehicles on the property uh for sale, uh, passenger vehicles.

And the request was to rezone it and to embed variances that would allow it to become a conforming use.

The staff actually recommended that it be uh approved as a continuation of the nonconformity, allow it to re-establish that was unestablished because of the failure uh administrative failure to get the business license.

So we actually agree with the staff's position of allowing the nonconformity use to be re-established.

Uh part of that would be in one of the conditions that we've added is that we would create a an opaque fence on the front uh that is not there currently, that we would also plant landscaping in front of that uh opaque fence, and the gate would become an opaque gate.

So it would be a much more attractive condition than it is now.

It would allow the property to be it candidly, it's an interim use, waiting for areas on both sides to get developed because of the limit road frontage.

It has limited utility right now, but eventually it will get absorbed with properties either left or right.

So this is a great way to get some utility from the property, support surrounding businesses, get a business license that uh it helps the city and uh keep it on the tax rolls uh producing uh revenue that way also.

So uh it's improving it.

Your planning commission reviewed the request unanimously recommended approval, as I stated with the uh re-establishment of the nonconformity use.

Uh and so that's what we ask you to do is that we ask you to follow your planning commission recommendation for approval, subject to uh the conditions that they added in the details uh of my letter dated December 10th would add some more details about how that fencing and landscaping would be done.

During the work session, you uh heard Mr.

Cummings say that that condition complied and would allow the staff to enforce it because you have codes that detail what opaque fencing and landscaping would be.

And so that's all we are asking you to do is is allow this uh use to continue as it has for many years to sports ray businesses, and uh I'm here to answer any questions that you had.

Um before I wrap up, if I can gratuitously say uh thank you for the council members that are coming off council.

I've enjoyed being before you uh for for many years and very much appreciate all you have done for the city.

Any questions of Mr.

Huff?

Any questions?

No.

This is a public hearing.

Is there anyone that would like to speak on this matter?

Anyone would like to speak on 615 Cow Parkway?

Mayor Tum and City Council, the public hearing is over, closed.

Thank you.

I would like to refer this down to Cheryl Richardson, Councilman for Ward 1.

Um my motion is to approve the application with the stipulation provided to us today that the fencing shall be opaque fence instead of the existing chain link, and that the area will be landscaped between the fence and the right-of-way and that the gravel outside the fence will be gone.

So with the stipulations in the STIP letter, I move to approve.

A second.

We've got a motion and a second.

All in favor or cast your vote.

Motion carry six to one approved.

Thank you.

I'm gonna miss Andy.

Uh next item on the agenda, we're going to jump over to page seven.

I believe this is the last item.

Uh right.

And Rosewood Creek Drive stop sign request.

Public hearing is required, Mr.

Henney.

Will you handle the public hearing?

Yes, sir.

I will.

Thank you, Mr.

Walker.

This is a public hearing related to Bryan Pond Way and Rosewood Creek Drive stop sign request.

And uh Mr.

Rice will present the evidence, the comments, and the hearing will be open to the public after Mr.

Rice.

Mr.

Rice, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr.

Haney.

Public Works received a request to evaluate the installation of a three-way stop at Briar Pond Way in Rosewood Creek Drive with the associated pedestrian improvements for crosswalks at this intersection.

We completed this evaluation.

We do not find any issues with the installation of the three-way stop condition with pedestrian crosswalks.

These improvements will require the installation of pedestrian crosswalks and improvements to the sidewalk essays points.

Total estimated cost for these items are $2,500.

This is located in Ward 6B.

Public hearing is now open.

Would anyone like to comment on the matter related to uh Brian Pondway and Rosewood Creek Drive?

Anyone would like to comment?

Yes, sir.

Please come forward, state your name and address.

You have five minutes to make your comments.

My name is Thomas Rhodes.

I live at 1452 Rosenwood Creek Drive in Briarwood Subdivision.

I am president of the association.

And after looking at uh what Mr.

Rice has suggested to do, we approve that.

And I thank you so much.

Thank you, sir.

Anyone else?

Mayor Tumman City Council, the public hearing is closed.

I am sorry, Mr.

Walker and City Council, the public hearing is closed.

All right.

I would like to miss this over to Andrew for Ward 6 to make a motion.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um I did also speak with the um your assistant uh regarding the uh three-way stop and um my recommendation is to approve and move forward with it.

We have a motion and a second.

Any conversation or I please guess your vote.

Motion is approved 7 0.

Thank you.

I believe that that is it.

Uh Mr.

Haney or Bill, is there any reason to go into executive sessions?

Oh Lord.

Anyone that like would like to speak under unscheduled appearances, you have a five minute limitation.

Come forward, state your name and address.

Good evening.

I'm Laura Keith, and I'm the executive director of Yelse, which is youth empowerment through learning, leading and serving, and we lead mentoring and after school programs that empower youth and families as the leaders that shape their Franklin Gateway community.

Uh we've been on Franklin Gateway helping youth raise their voices since 2008, and we feel very blessed and grateful for each of your partnerships and this partnership with the city that's helped us in so many ways and been a part of um supporting the work we do on Franklin Gateway.

And we are really excited that the city has control of the property that was previously owned by IKEA on Franklin Gateway, and we're really looking forward to working with you and any other players that are at the table to collaborate and elevate the community voices throughout the process and see how we can make sure that this is a true win for the community that lives on Franklin Gateway and cares deeply about their neighborhood.

Our families really are excited to share their thoughts and ideas.

They've been already talking about, oh, this could be um very helpful in a lot of different ways.

And our youth came out on Monday, and we're here tonight to make sure that the community's voice is raised throughout this whole process.

And on that note, I'd like to turn it over to one of our teens.

Thank you.

You didn't state your address.

Um Laura Keefe, and my address is 1156 Piedmont Avenue, Northeast Atlanta 30309.

And then I work at Yells on 779 Franklin Gateway.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Daniel.

I mean Damon, and I'm a Yale's teen and I'm proud and I'm a proud Franklin Gateway resident.

I'm here tonight because I care about my community and want to make sure the voices of the people who actually live here, especially the youth, are heard.

With the new property of the city that that the city has purchased, Franklin Gateway has an amazing opportunity to become something truly special.

And as teens who live here, we have big dreams about what this space could be a community garden, a full rec center, or a community amphitheater, are just few of the ideas they are, but they are only beginning of what's possible.

Most importantly, we want to make sure our community is part of the conversation and present every step of the way as decisions are made.

With these ideas, we're asking for opportunity, the opportunity for fun, unity, and positive spaces that help kids and families starve.

Thank you for listening and for following us to be part of this moment.

We're ready to partner with the city and help build something amazing for Franklin Gateway.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor.

Good evening, Council.

My name is Amy Lunar, and I live at 730 Franklin Gateway.

I previously lived at Preston Chase, now the Franklin Sports Complex, and at Marquise Place.

The empty lot the city has just bought back.

I'd like to start off saying that I understand and support the goal to pursue athletic endeavors within our city.

I worked part-time with the city of Merida in the Parks and Rec Department and saw firsthand how sports and related events bring the community together and how the care that goes into them.

However, this isn't like the Franklin Sports Complex, which, although free not free to residents, is still accessible via rentals and benefits the city at large.

You will be doing a disservice to the city and in turn the residents of Franklin by turning this property into a private set of fields.

We will not benefit from this.

One of which is privately owned and forced out two full apartment complexes full of families.

We see what you're trying to impose on the residents of Franklin by demeaning us behind closed doors and trying to force us out with high rent, gasping at the sudden opportunity of nearly vacant residencies to turn into private soccer fields, that our streets are unsafe and hoarded with criminal activity.

I, for one, have only felt unsafe walking and biking Don Franklin in areas where the city has failed to finish the sidewalk and fix the broken lamps.

I see families struggling every day, young adults my age fighting to stay afloat, the rising cost of living, which is now anywhere from 12,000 to 15 uh 1,200 to 1,500 per single bedroom apartment.

Franklin Gateway is an area too affordable, I've heard as of late.

But that's only because of the demographic that lives there, which is closely tied to low income.

Franklin is not affordable anymore.

Our families deserve better and our residents deserve better.

We deserve to live in a beautiful street full of laughter with local businesses that keep the economy in our city going.

I look forward to a decision that best fits our residents' needs, and I hope you look forward to my further involvement in the town I call home.

I may even consider moving back across the street to represent the underrepresented sector of town.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Greetings, everyone.

Uh my name is Jerome Boitang.

I live at Westchester Circle.

Uh last month I came here and talked about uh how I walk a mile and a half to get to the to and from the bus stop.

And I have a 56-year-old friend who also does the same thing but walks even further.

This time I'm gonna speak a little bit more life because one of my favorite things to do is come to the Marietta Square.

However, some of the hardest things to do there is to find parking.

Today I had to walk all the way from Walgreens just to come over here because the parking lot was full.

Imagine if we had an event and we had everybody coming here.

It would be impossible.

However, one of the best ways you can ensure that everyone is able to participate in the events in Marietta and be able to find adequate parking is to increase and expand the bus lanes through Whitlock Avenue and Polk Street.

I think that it would allow many citizens to be able to participate in the city and be able to have a lot more convenience as they walk throughout and as they move throughout the city as well, without needing to have a vehicle on hand, without needing to walk several miles just to get to the nearest bus stop.

So I feel the confidence in the drivers of Coblink to be able to drive through residential areas and to be able to make our lives a lot easier, a lot better for people who drive the bus, or for people who ride their cars anyway, because there's going to be less traffic.

So I think that expanding the bus lanes through Whitlock all the way through Polk Street, it would just make things a lot easier for everybody.

Thank you guys.

Karen LeBrock, 395 Edwards Drive Northeast.

I wanted to say thank you to all of the wonderful folks who put themselves out for uh positions, elected positions in our in our city.

As all of you know, anyone who's run for office, it's hard work.

It's going and giving up your time, your money, and all your family time.

So all of you who have done that, I want to say thank you.

We appreciate that.

Whether you were elected or those that were not successful, we all owe you uh our gratitude.

And for all of you that went out and knocked on doors to get elected, I encourage you to continue to visit all those places that not just when you're running for election, but just to keep in touch.

And I hope that you continue or it maybe even start to go to places that you haven't been before.

Places where you haven't met the people, you don't know them, they're not your friends, they're not even they don't even feel like your people, but they are because we are a community.

So thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next speaker, please.

Uh Franklin Gateway resident, mother of this gentleman right here.

And so yes, I am in agreement with the property that is on Franklin Gateway, that it does become something for the Franklin Gateway children and that community.

Um I have another one.

That's his brother.

So I have two 14-year-old boys.

They need something to do that is not something that they have to think of, but something that they can go there and get some training, get assistance, play basketball or something like that.

So just yes, I am definitely in agreement with it becoming something for the community, other than a garden or something.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next speaker, please.

Hello, Sam Foster.

I live near Marietta High School.

Um happy holidays.

Uh it is a wonderful time of year.

Uh as for the Franklin Gateway discussion that we're having, I'm very happy uh that we have bought back that parcel.

That was a good decision.

Thank you for that.

Um I am concerned about the discussions of what it could potentially turn into.

Um it seems like we are projecting our desires on what we want that parcel to look like without asking the people who actually live there.

And no matter what I think, no matter what any elected official thinks, the people who live there should be the first people to decide what happens on that parcel.

Whether you we want it to be a giant picklebar court, we want it to be mixed use.

It doesn't matter.

It's not up to me.

It should be up to the people who live there.

That is my main concern, and that is why I think it's such a huge issue uh if we are giving 60 acres away to a singular person, essentially.

Uh this amount of land that we're talking about, this parcel, 33 acres, is the entirety of Glover Park and the building surrounding it, if we are going throughout comparisons.

If we're looking at what that parcel could be, it could not only be a place where people can gather, it can be a place uh that when people think of Marietta, they're like, let me go to Franklin Gateway.

Let me uh spend my weekend here.

It could be another uh booster for the entire city, not just for one person.

Uh so I hope uh as we go through this process, we engage with the residents of Franklin Gateway and we uh have a bigger imagination on what uh Franklin Gateway can look like going into the future.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Next speaker.

Okay.

Mr.

Walker, the public unscheduled appearance section is now closed.

Thank you, Mr.

Haney.

Um reason to go into executive session?

Yes, sir.

Or we would need to go in executive session for legal matters.

Okay.

Make a motion to go into executive session for legal.

Second.

All in favor.

We have a motion and a second.

All in favor going into executive session for legal.

Oh, sorry.

Motion carries.

Uh Griff.

I think it's best to stay down here.

And man right on.

Can we ask also uh the the uh three elected members uh that we have in the audience that they would be a part of this too?

There's only two left.

Okay, the two that are here.

Any objections?

No objections, no objection.