Norcross City Council Regular Meeting – November 3, 2025

The Norcross Mayor and City Council met in regular session on Monday, November 3, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. Mayor Craig Newton, Mayor Pro Tem Marshall Cheek, and Councilmembers Andrew Hixson, Josh Bare, Matt Myers, and Bruce Gaynor were present. The Council approved previous minutes, set the agenda, heard citizen comments, held a public hearing on a 21-lot cottage-home rezoning, approved a board appointment and consent agenda, and discussed and approved FYE2025 budget amendments and short-term rental regulations. The meeting adjourned to executive session at 8:34 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the October 6, 2025 Regular Council Meeting minutes and the October 20, 2025 Special Called Meeting and Policy Work Session minutes (motion: Bare; second: Hixson; unanimous).
• Accepted the agenda and approved the consent agenda after moving 2025-279 (FYE2025 Budget Amendments) and 2025-284 (Short-Term Rental Ordinance) to discussion (motion: Bare; second: Gaynor; unanimous).
• 2025-276: Approved a temporary noise ordinance waiver for Norcross Porchfest, allowing amplified music at designated porches from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2026, within the approved footprint.
• 2025-278: Accepted and appropriated a $1,500 donation from Norcross Gallery & Studios for the NPAC White Squirrel Project.
• 2025-280: Approved the 2025 Employee Handbook Revision to update emergency closing and rehiring policies.
• 2025-288: Approved changing retiree Medicare coverage from the Hartford Medicare Supplement plan to a Humana Medicare Advantage Plan. The Hartford renewal included a 17.07% rate increase, or $79.72 per retiree/spouse per month; the Humana plan totals $175,950 annually, and retirees and spouses will see a $10 monthly premium increase in 2026 instead of the $25 increase under Hartford.
• 2025-282: Authorized the Mayor to sign the Request for Certification Letter for the City of Norcross application to become a Certified Local Government with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The grant cycle runs December 2025 through February 2026.
• 2025-277: Approved a modification of the April 1, 2016 Tax Allocation District Intergovernmental Agreement with Gwinnett County, extending it through December 31, 2032. The TAD fund holds about $400,000, and the prior IGA had expired because no construction had begun by the deadline.
• 2025-285: Approved the custodial contract amendment and price increase with Good Success, adding a Day Porter and expanded cleaning frequencies. The annual contract cost rises from $77,880 to $81,000, a $3,120 increase, supported by an $11,000 budget amendment.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ann Hall from Norcross Gallery & Studios clarified that the $1,500 donation was a private gift rather than a gallery budget expenditure, thanked the community for supporting a silent auction, and praised the city's parking plans.
• Hasan Aziz raised concerns about traffic safety at the Methodist Church and Bella apartments, citing multiple accidents and requesting action from the city, county, or state.
• Booker T. Washington, founder and CEO of Techie Homes, expressed excitement about the proposed development's potential to address housing affordability and thanked the city for its support.
• Mary Dowdy expressed concern about the short timeframe for addressing issues at policy work sessions, supported the parking plan around City Hall, and praised efforts to preserve green space.
• Casey and Brad Willis, nearby residents, said they learned about the project that day and worried that the homes' price range and quality could affect their property values; they requested more information on density, rezoning, and parking.
• Joe Beach offered a historical comparison, saying Norcross was turning from a Norman Rockwell painting into a Jackson Pollock.
• Lynne Ward said she was unaware of the Techie Homes project, suggested pausing it because of unfavorable reviews and declining pricing, and argued the city already has enough parking.
• Tynne Willis said she supports affordable housing but is concerned about this project's location and suitability after reading negative reviews of a similar development.
• Anne Beach criticized the lack of public information about developments and urged better communication so affected residents can provide feedback.
• Jim Eyre thanked the Council for supporting Porchfest, recommended broader local representation on the TAD IGA board, appreciated action on short-term rentals, and emphasized the need for stronger property management.

Public Hearing – REZ2025-003: 21-Lot Cottage PRD at 636-658 West Peachtree Street

• Staff and the Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval of the Planned Residential Development for 636, 646, 656, and 658 West Peachtree Street and parcel 6253 288, with 14 conditions and a concurrent variance to exceed the Hopewell Woods Character Area maximum of 12 units per acre for Medium Density Residential.
• Economic Development Director David Versel explained that the city issued an RFP in mid-2024, Techie Homes was selected, and the property was transferred to the developer. The net density would be 12.57 units per acre on the 1.67-acre site, rounding to 13 units per acre. The plan includes 21 cottage-style homes, 36 parking spaces (about 1.71 spaces per unit), and an Architectural Review Board-approved elevation and color palette. Condition #10 was revised to clarify that homeowners may choose from an approved palette of paint and siding colors.
• Techie Homes representatives, including Booker T. Washington and Eva Cross, defended the project's quality and affordability. Washington said homes will exceed $250,000 but not exceed $300,000, and that the company maintains homes in its communities and has a waitlist of interested buyers. Eva Cross disputed statements that the homes are 600 square feet or have been sold for $215,000.
• Resident Keith Scott raised concerns about a single entrance and exit, parking levels, congestion on West Peachtree Street toward Jimmy Carter Boulevard, HOA oversight, and cost per square foot, saying he needed more information before deciding.
• A resident asked about the condition allowing 15 percent of units to be rented; the response stated those would be long-term leases, not short-term rentals or Airbnb.
• The Council approved the PRD, the variance, and the attached ordinance with the 14 listed conditions. The recorded vote was 3-2: AYES Cheek, Myers, and Gaynor; NAYS Hixson and Bare. The minutes label the result UNANIMOUS, which is inconsistent with the recorded no votes.

Discussion Items

• FYE2025 Budget Amendments (2025-279): City Manager Eric Johnson presented the item because Finance Director Jon Robinson was absent. The amendment authorizes the Finance Director to make budget transfers to maintain the adopted FY25 appropriation. The adjustment is $98,743 within a total budget of more than $50 million, moving money between departments for items such as credit card fees, printing supplies, municipal court equipment, and parks and public works expenditures. The motion passed unanimously.
• Short-Term Rental Ordinance (2025-284): City Attorney Bill Diehl presented amendments to Chapter 8, Article XII, Sections 8-500 through 8-523 of the Code of Ordinances. The ordinance expands the hotel and motel definition, defines short-term rentals as single units rented for fewer than 30 days, and adds licensing, local maintenance agent, occupancy, parking, advertising, quarterly income reporting, and license revocation requirements. Councilmember Gaynor requested income disclosure and Councilmember Myers requested cleanup revisions. The ordinance passed unanimously.

Board Appointments

• Ashley Gilliam was appointed to the Discovery Garden Park Board with a term expiring June 1, 2027 (motion: Bare; second: Gaynor; unanimous).

Reports and Announcements

• Mayor Newton read a proclamation declaring November 8, 2025 as Elliot Brack Day in Norcross, honoring Brack's 90th birthday and more than five decades in journalism and civic leadership.
• City Manager Eric Johnson reported on infrastructure improvements, including resurfacing 46 of 115 city roads in one year compared with a prior average of 1.5 roads per year. He also said pedestrian crossings are scheduled this month and responded to traffic-safety concerns by noting the West Peachtree corridor is a state highway and that GDOT standards make a new traffic signal unlikely.
• Councilmembers announced upcoming events including the First Friday Concert with Pangaea on November 7, the Veterans Day ceremony on November 11, Coffee With Council on November 15, the Historic Norcross Holiday Open House on November 15, the Policy Work Session on November 17, and Thanksgiving sanitation delays on November 27-28.

Key Outcomes

• The 21-lot cottage PRD rezoning was approved with 14 conditions and the density variance by a recorded vote of 3-2 (Cheek, Myers, and Gaynor yes; Hixson and Bare no), despite the minutes labeling the result UNANIMOUS.
• All remaining consent agenda items, the Discovery Garden Park Board appointment, the FYE2025 budget amendments, and the short-term rental ordinance were approved unanimously.
• Porchfest organizers will next notify residences within 300 feet of the event footprint, as required by city notification rules.
• The city will submit the Certified Local Government application to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and will execute the extended TAD IGA for Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approval.
• The meeting adjourned to executive session for legal, personnel, and real estate matters at 8:34 p.m.; the vote to adjourn was unanimous, 5-0.