OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Marietta City Council Committee Meetings and Work Session - June 23, 2026

City Council Archive View — Tuesday, June 23, 2026
BodyMarietta, Georgia
SessionCity Council Archive View
DateTuesday, June 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:03:19

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

I didn't know if you were gonna do it first.

0:02

I'd like to call it a special call city council meeting to order.

0:06

Mr.

0:06

Mut the first item of Minnesota's request for the World Cup.

0:12

Will you take it and run with it?

0:13

Yes, sir.

0:14

Be happy to.

0:15

Um we're real excited about the fact that the United States uh team men's team is already in the round of 32.

0:21

Yes.

0:22

So uh doesn't matter what happens on this next game.

0:24

They're they're they've won their bracket, and so uh their group and uh are gonna be moving forward.

0:30

So uh that game is actually gonna be on Wednesday, July 1st, and it'll be at 6.

0:36

It's the game's actually at 8 p.m.

0:38

So what we were gonna do is if council gives a blessing to it, is go ahead and repeat what we did on the watch party previously that we did on the Friday night uh for their first game.

0:48

So we'd have a watch party on the square set up the exact same way.

0:52

We'd have the two screens uh that would be basically where the strand is uh in that intersection.

0:57

So you'd be able to use um either East Park Square or North Park to sit, and people bring their chairs and do that.

1:05

There really wouldn't be that much that we have to do for it uh other than just renting the screens, getting them there.

1:10

We'd close off uh the parking spaces at six o'clock, get get everybody out at that point, and uh we've got the DMDA considering the possibility of co-sponsoring it with us as far as paying for the screens, and so they're gonna be meeting on that this week to see if they want to do that.

1:29

Um, and there really isn't anything else that we would do other than have trash cans out there and just provide security uh for what's going on.

1:37

Uh, we wouldn't have to organize any events or activities.

1:40

Uh we might have a we probably would have a city table there uh with some of our different gear and different things we've got.

1:46

We do have some stuff left over from uh the prior events that we did that we could have out there uh as far as uh things people could buy or have giveaways.

1:56

Um so what we would need though to do this is the city's authority through the council to block off the street, uh the two streets for that event, and also by having the city vote on it as a sponsor, then that allows the restaurants to be able to come out, and so then they would be able to sell uh to all the folks that are there's your motion, I'll make sorry.

2:23

Uh mayor'd like to make a motion to approve as presented.

2:26

Yes, sir.

2:27

Please do ask presenting your second, second.

2:32

Just as a conversation, it's gonna be could cost us as much as seven thousand for the rentals.

2:39

It's I think it's seventy-three hundred is what we've got, and we do for the city portion of that.

2:43

If we do half of it, we do have money left in the allocation that council did uh for uh the FIFA World Cup events this year.

2:52

So we do have money left in that account to pay for that half, and if DMDA picks up the other half, that'd be great.

2:58

And DMDA did agree to have a they already got a quorum set for Thursday night at 5 30.

3:06

And it's a good deal for them because we won't be competing with them.

3:11

Like like the other festivals do.

3:13

I mean, I mean the merchant, excuse me.

3:15

It'll just be our own people that are there.

3:18

Any further discussion?

3:20

Mr.

3:20

Mayor, I'm probably just going to I'm gonna have a stand on this particular item.

3:23

Okay.

3:27

Okay, well that I mean this is tying us in with Frank and Row, which is good too.

3:34

I mean, that's Murietta gets mentioned a lot because of the two soccer teams.

3:41

That halo to the square is awful good.

3:44

Thank y'all for doing that.

3:46

And you all have a lot of hours during the summertime, don't you?

3:51

Staff has a lot of work they have to do during the summer, especially this summer.

3:54

So I want to commend all of them.

3:56

So we we've got a lot of people that you know, whether it's last weekend, the week before that, um, they're here all three days uh doing things.

4:04

So really uh really got a great great group of people that are working for us.

4:12

Yeah, first game.

4:14

Oh, that for the game, yeah.

4:16

That we had we know we know we at least had two thousand people there for that game.

4:20

Wow.

4:23

I had a front row seat.

4:25

Yes, sir.

4:26

Any further discussion?

4:29

Here we know I'd like to call to question.

4:31

Uh all in favor, please raise your right hand.

4:34

All opposed, like son.

4:36

Motion carries 70 601.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████17%
Parks and Recreation█████████████13%
Zoning and Land Use████████████12%
Public Safety███████████11%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%
Cannabis Regulation████████8%
Budget Equity Analysis██████6%
Environmental Protection█████5%
Waste Management█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Marietta City Council Committee Meetings and Work Session - June 23, 2026

This series of meetings on June 23, 2026, included a Special Called City Council, Finance Committee, Parks and Recreation Committee, Judicial Legislative Committee, Public Works Committee, and a Special Called Council Work Session. Discussions covered a World Cup watch party, financial reports, opioid settlement fund allocation, Sunday alcohol sales, a new park committee, a controversial preliminary plat, tree ordinance reforms, SPLOST project updates, and trash collection issues.

Special Called City Council

  • World Cup Watch Party: Council approved a July 1, 2026 watch party on the square, similar to a prior event. The city will close streets at 6 PM, rent screens (at a cost of up to $7,300), and provide security. The Marietta Downtown Development Authority (DMDA) may co-sponsor. The vote was 6-0-1 (one abstention).

Finance Committee

  • Consent Calendar: Approved corrected minutes from May 26, 2026, and received and filed monthly hotel/motel tax ($330,611 for April, second highest in four years), auto rental tax ($125,831, a fiscal year high), and general fund revenue report (97% of adjusted budget, $80.76 million year-to-date).
  • Opioid Settlement Fund – Land Acquisition: Approved a budget amendment (to be forwarded to the July 8 council meeting) to use $519,690 from the Opioid Settlement Fund to reimburse the general fund for acquiring property at 517 Page Street, plus earmarking $118,000 for a pavilion on the site. Additional funds remain for future construction; Councilman Richardson expressed reluctance to commit all remaining settlement funds at this time.
  • Tree Replacement Fund (278 off the Parkway): Moved forward a payment already received to the next fiscal year’s budget, consistent with policy.
  • Sunday Sales for Specialty Beer and Wine Markets: After discussion, the committee directed staff to draft an ordinance to allow on-premises Sunday sales for such establishments, similar to Roswell, Johns Creek, and Milton. The item was tabled and will return with a proposed ordinance at the July committee meeting.

Parks and Recreation Committee

  • Consent Calendar: Approved minutes from May 26, 2026.
  • 2009 Parks Bond Report: Presented interest earnings and project updates (Larry Seminsky Park wayfinding signage, Burris Park drainage engineering).
  • Franklin Road Gateway Park Committee: Motion passed to create a council-appointed committee, with Councilman Richardson as chair, to oversee development of the new 10-acre park. The committee will include stakeholders (e.g., Yells CID, residents, fire department). A proposed format will be brought to the next meeting.

Judicial Legislative Committee

  • Consent Calendar: Approved minutes from May 26, 2026.
  • Preliminary Plat – 1440 Sumter Drive: Discussed an 18-unit subdivision on 13.16 acres (R2 zoning). Key issues: a $21,846 tree fund payment due to insufficient on-site tree density, a non-exclusive access easement for neighboring properties, and downstream stormwater/flooding concerns. The committee voted 3-0 to move the item to the July 8 council meeting with a public hearing (no recommendation).
  • Tree Protection and Landscaping Ordinance: Councilman Richardson initiated discussion on strengthening tree protections after a recent destructive tree removal on city property. City attorney and staff will research increasing the tree fund fee (currently $220 per caliper inch, unchanged since 2004) and other enforcement measures. No vote, but direction given to bring recommendations to a future Judicial Legislative Committee.

Public Works Committee

  • Consent Calendar: Approved minutes from May 26, 2026.
  • SPLOST Reports (2016 & 2022): Received updates. Key items: Rottenwood Creek Trail contractor beginning work; $400,000 additional ARC funding for North Marietta Parkway Streetscape engineering; Roswell Road Corridor study grant awarded. Traffic signal pole replacements and McDonald Street stormwater project complete.
  • Departmental Report: Polk Street crosswalk installation scheduled for June 25-26. Trash collection issues due to a miscommunication about the Juneteenth holiday; city will pick up all extra trash this week without charge and improve notifications for the upcoming July 4th holiday.

Special Called Council Work Session

  • Approved minutes from May 26, 2026.
  • Moved into executive session for legal advice and pending/potential litigation (four topics).

Key Outcomes

  • Approved World Cup watch party (6-0-1).
  • Approved opioid settlement fund use for land acquisition and pavilion (forwarded to July 8 council).
  • Directed staff to draft Sunday sales ordinance for specialty markets.
  • Created Franklin Road Gateway Park committee with chair.
  • Moved Sumter Drive plat to July 8 council meeting with public hearing (3-0).
  • Directed staff to research tree ordinance enhancements.
  • Agreed to address trash pickup issues and improve notifications.
  • Entered executive session for legal matters.

Meeting Transcript

I didn't know if you were gonna do it first. I'd like to call it a special call city council meeting to order. Mr. Mut the first item of Minnesota's request for the World Cup. Will you take it and run with it? Yes, sir. Be happy to. Um we're real excited about the fact that the United States uh team men's team is already in the round of 32. Yes. So uh doesn't matter what happens on this next game. They're they're they've won their bracket, and so uh their group and uh are gonna be moving forward. So uh that game is actually gonna be on Wednesday, July 1st, and it'll be at 6. It's the game's actually at 8 p.m. So what we were gonna do is if council gives a blessing to it, is go ahead and repeat what we did on the watch party previously that we did on the Friday night uh for their first game. So we'd have a watch party on the square set up the exact same way. We'd have the two screens uh that would be basically where the strand is uh in that intersection. So you'd be able to use um either East Park Square or North Park to sit, and people bring their chairs and do that. There really wouldn't be that much that we have to do for it uh other than just renting the screens, getting them there. We'd close off uh the parking spaces at six o'clock, get get everybody out at that point, and uh we've got the DMDA considering the possibility of co-sponsoring it with us as far as paying for the screens, and so they're gonna be meeting on that this week to see if they want to do that. Um, and there really isn't anything else that we would do other than have trash cans out there and just provide security uh for what's going on. Uh, we wouldn't have to organize any events or activities. Uh we might have a we probably would have a city table there uh with some of our different gear and different things we've got. We do have some stuff left over from uh the prior events that we did that we could have out there uh as far as uh things people could buy or have giveaways. Um so what we would need though to do this is the city's authority through the council to block off the street, uh the two streets for that event, and also by having the city vote on it as a sponsor, then that allows the restaurants to be able to come out, and so then they would be able to sell uh to all the folks that are there's your motion, I'll make sorry. Uh mayor'd like to make a motion to approve as presented. Yes, sir. Please do ask presenting your second, second. Just as a conversation, it's gonna be could cost us as much as seven thousand for the rentals. It's I think it's seventy-three hundred is what we've got, and we do for the city portion of that. If we do half of it, we do have money left in the allocation that council did uh for uh the FIFA World Cup events this year. So we do have money left in that account to pay for that half, and if DMDA picks up the other half, that'd be great. And DMDA did agree to have a they already got a quorum set for Thursday night at 5 30. And it's a good deal for them because we won't be competing with them. Like like the other festivals do. I mean, I mean the merchant, excuse me. It'll just be our own people that are there. Any further discussion? Mr. Mayor, I'm probably just going to I'm gonna have a stand on this particular item. Okay. Okay, well that I mean this is tying us in with Frank and Row, which is good too. I mean, that's Murietta gets mentioned a lot because of the two soccer teams. That halo to the square is awful good. Thank y'all for doing that. And you all have a lot of hours during the summertime, don't you? Staff has a lot of work they have to do during the summer, especially this summer. So I want to commend all of them. So we we've got a lot of people that you know, whether it's last weekend, the week before that, um, they're here all three days uh doing things. So really uh really got a great great group of people that are working for us. Yeah, first game.

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