All right.

We will begin in just one minute.

Just one minute.

We will begin.

All right.

All right.

Good.

All right.

Good evening and welcome everyone to the committee meetings for January 13th, 2026.

The elected body present, Mayor Mary Robichot, Councilmember Christine Hall, Councilmember Alan Sells, Councilmember Aaron Brumley, Councilmember Christopher Zek, Councilmember Jennifer Philippi, Councilmember Sarah Beeson.

I'm Randy Knighton, the city administrator, along with City Attorney David Davidson and the executive assistant to the council and deputy city clerk Michelle Miller.

The purpose of committee meetings are for the city departments to convey information to the mayor and city council and discuss initiatives listed on the published agenda, as well as provide updates of vital information essential to the operation of city government.

And by ordinance, the committee consists of the mayor, members of the city council, and the city administrator.

And the ordinance mandates that the city administrators serve as the chair of committee meetings.

This is a public meeting, but not a public hearing, and therefore, while we certainly welcome members of the public, we do not take public comments unless or questions during committee meetings unless specifically authorized.

Public comments and questions are received at the regular city council meetings on the second and fourth Monday of each month and fifth Monday in open forum.

We do encourage residents to engage our online platforms.

And if you have questions or need information, we certainly encourage you to reach out to our staff.

Also, the city's web service portal is a mechanism to report issues or concerns, and please visit Roswell365.com for a calendar of events and for our committee meetings.

Uh this evening will be explained by the respective members of our staff and for those items that will ultimately need a formal approval by mayor and council.

We'll ask this committee to motion and approve those items moving forward to a formal uh mayor and council meeting if they are so inclined.

The first item on the uh meeting agenda is the approval of the committee meetings for December 9th, 2025.

Motion to approve by Councilmember Beeson, second by council member Sells.

Any further discussion, all in favor?

All right, that passes unanimously.

Thank you very much.

As listed on the agenda, item number two, consideration of a text amendment to the unified development code, Article 9, use provisions, section 9.6.6, warehouse and distribution, and this is for initiation, uh, presented by Jeannie Payton, our planning and zoning director.

Ms.

Payton.

Hi, good evening, Mayor and Council.

Um, I have two text amendments to present to you.

Um it looks like the first one that got put on the agenda is section 966.

So these go alongside the moratorium discussion for data centers and help further refine um our code immediately to allow for clarification of what um interpretation of our code allows for.

So the first section is 966 warehouse and distribution.

Um you can see that we add the word physical to further define and reduce like ambiguity about what kind of goods we um define warehouse use for.

Um we explicitly eliminate data and digital storage centers as a use that's allowed.

And then while we're in here cleaning it up, we also suggested um refining trailer and box truck storage as temporary and um as a and not allowed as a primary standalone use.

Um then we further uh define the use standards for industrial flex area for warehouse and distribution.

So our industrial flex area is a less intense industrial area than our light industrial area.

So this is where we don't want to see those heavy warehouse uses, and so we refine it by asking it to be a limitation of on direct vehicular access to a state highway and having a maximum size of 25,000 square feet.

Any questions?

Ms.

Paige, if we would, can you explain just a little bit about the process for initiation and then as it relates to planning commission elseably mayor and council?

Sure.

So when we suggest a change to the code, we initiate it in this committee format, and that allows us to start the process.

The next step would be planning commission.

Planning commission votes recommendations, and then we bring those recommendations to you in the first reading.

The first and second reading at Mayor and Council allow you to make any changes you want, kind of discuss them previous to suggest them, and then you have a second even opportunity before the adoption.

And so it is required that we have those first and second readings.

So text amendments always start with initiation, go via planning commission to gain some recommendations, additions to that text, and then end up at a first and second reading with mayor and council.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Beeson, I believe you had a question or comment.

I did.

Regarding the question, you said that the data and digital storage center is outright disallowed, or has it become a conditional use?

So we have not refined the use.

The moratorium is for us to explore what that use designation will be.

But unfortunately, we started, I should have uh changed the agenda.

We want to define it.

So when I when we get to the next um definition of 14.2, you'll see where we define it.

We have kind of have a whole.

Um so what we did was disallow it in the warehouse use.

So that way, if someone calls and says, well, you know, a data center just has one employee, it's just a stagnant warehouse use.

We have further looked at it and said, no, that is we definitely know that that's it's it does not align with what we see as a warehouse, it's its own separate use.

Got it.

Yep, perfect.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments pertaining to this item?

Yes, Councilmember Sales.

We should know this, but would would any other zoning allow a data center, commercial or something like that?

So not our code doesn't speak to a data center at all.

Right, but so there is, yeah, section.

It could possibly be a use in some other code sector or uh zoning.

I think with a misinterpretation of the code.

So I would explain it as when our code was drafted, data centers as a use were not a thing.

I mean, they might have been in the inception phases, but not something that our code considered as a use.

And so we have uses like this that over time evolve where one time like a smoke shop now has become a vape shop and might be very different than buying uh tobacco for your pipe versus what vape shops have become.

This is kind of one of those uses that have evolved over time.

So our code doesn't speak to it.

It does allow for some loopholes of misinterpretation or legal um kind of holes that could be poked in finding a use that is most like it.

And that's where warehouse kind of that warehouse cleaning up is important because it's easy for someone to say, well, it's most like a warehouse, therefore the zoning director should have said.

I understand what you're doing here.

I'm I'm asking sort of a slightly different question.

And that question is you know, if somebody uh came to us and it was already zone commercial.

Yes.

And is there a use case under commercial that would allow that they could say we we have a right to put a data center here as in a commercial space or it would not outright.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Hall.

Thank you.

Um, just following up on Councilmember Cell's question, uh the definitions as we define them, those will carry through to other zoning areas.

So basically, if there is a um uh nebulous area in and CX or C C, we would go to the definition and basically yes.

So section nine of our code ref defines the uses and puts limitations in certain areas, so uses can be permitted, conditional or limited, or just the permitted is outright permitted and then not permitted.

So section nine is where kind of that magic of a use is defined.

If we need a buffer, that's what that cleaning up is.

Um section 14 is where we define those uses.

So they then go into all the code where we see whether something's allowed.

So if in a district it's allowed as permitted versus limited, we then reference those other sections to make sure the definition fits with the use and that it's permitted in that certain way.

And you're going to address that next in the next item.

Yes, yes.

Because there may be applications that we would consider a data center.

Absolutely.

And that's what the moratorium is allowing us to research is how we regulate them.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yes.

Council Member Zach.

I have a process question.

You kind of give into examples of the tobacco store becoming the vape shop and our code not handling that.

And similarly, we have the data center.

What's the process for kind of identifying those shifts and kind of new businesses and how you identify that and bring it up to council for like a need for a code change?

I think there's a few different processes we use.

It's professional development.

We expect the planners to stay up to date on hot topic items.

And when we recognize a trend, such as requests for uses that are not defined, then we identify that as an issue and then bring it up, you know, the chain, if you will.

And then I guess the second thing would be just focusing on requests that come in for information and knowing that we have a hole in the code.

Thank you.

Any further questions or comments regarding this item?

Seeing none, we'll entertain a motion to move this forward.

Motion by Council Member Beeson.

Second by council member Sells.

Any further discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor?

All right.

That passes unanimously.

Thank you very much.

Item number three, consideration of a text amendment to the unified development code, Article 14, definitions, section 14.2, defined terms.

This is an initiation.

Ms.

Payton.

So another initiation to the defined terms.

We mentioned computer or data processing as a term in our code right now, but there was lacking any sort of definition of that.

And that left that hole for someone interpreting a data center as data processing.

And then we go one further as to add a definition that we felt is our best foot forward at this point for the definition of data and digital storage centers.

As part of the moratorium, we will make sure that this fully encompasses what we define as the definition, but right now this closes that loophole that right now exists in our office code.

So in section nine, where the use of office is defined and regulated, we have computer and data processing allowed.

And without a definition and further a definition for data centers themselves, that was that's the big gaping hole that we had in the code that we need to take care of.

This front end.

So we've done if you'd like, I can read computer and data center processing.

We define it further as a specific office and commercial use, and where electronic data is processed by employees, including and without limitation, data entry, storage, conversion, analysis, subscription, and credit card transaction processing, telephone sales, order collection, mail order, catalog sales, and mailing list preparation.

And you can see where we really drilled down on the processing part of it, that it cannot be misconstrued and interpreted as a data center.

And then the idea, yeah.

Um I don't see anything in regard in like mining for Bitcoin, that kind of thing.

Okay, that's something we can consider.

All right, thanks.

Council Member Rumbling?

Um, yeah, there are like facilities that that's what they do, they do the data processing.

I see that it's not specific that they're just using it just for mining bigger.

Which is like this big things.

Would you think that's a size statement?

In other words, like I mean, I one of my partners did it from this basement, right?

So I'm just uh you are you trying to get at the data center or the act of data mining?

What would what's the instruction?

Well, I see that the computer or data processing, and I see some um analysis that creates graduate section processing.

I think we need to add that in that area.

That would be allowed under definition compute the well, computer or data processing, we're just simply making a definitional statement there.

Exactly.

And you're going to add data mining to that.

And how is computer data processing?

This is in the definition.

So where in the code does it fall under light industrial?

Is that where it is?

No, it falls under office.

So this is an office commercial use.

You would see it where you'd see an office, retail, um center.

So if uh I imagine I I need to do some research, but that this is something that you would not notice a difference in the intensity or the activity on the site versus an office for like a law firm or a real estate agent.

Um so that would probably be most appropriate added to that computer data processing versus the data set.

We're sort of chasing the ball down the hill, and I get that.

I mean, that's some you know the way we heard about this particular one, there's a transaction that is occurring, and one of the potential buyers came mentioned this to us.

That's how this came popping up, I guess, is through economic development, I would say.

But generally speaking, do we allow um they're going away, but server farms, you know.

So do we have any server farms in the city of Rossell that you know of?

I believe we have two uses that are kind of alongside what you're defining.

I would have to do some further research, but we have the ATT building here on the corner of Oak and Ellis, and then there's a Verizon location closer to Mansell, and I would say that's more kind of I would define it as like a switching, you know, kind of like there's some you're switching happening, not so much like a data center.

So it they kind of float between those two.

Definitely more industrial, low intensity, but you know, not something you want next to your residential.

Yeah, just I'm I'm I'm really uh you know, I hadn't given this a lot of thought, yeah.

So I know it's it's perking up and and it's away for sure, but uh all uh a data warehouse is just a server farm or on steroids.

I mean it's the same exact, it's the exact same actions.

Uh and I I would be surprised if we don't have any server farms in Roswell.

I I'd be surprised.

I mean, yeah.

So that again is the beauty of the moratorium.

It gives us that 90-day timeline to begin to research these different tentacles of a use and say, how do we define it?

How do we define it on a big scale?

What we all recognize as a data center nowadays because we've seen it in the news and a smaller scale, something like what you're mentioning.

There may be some best practices out there that other cities are doing.

I don't know, but uh uh obviously this is emerging, and we're not like you know, cutting edge technology people, at least I'm not.

Um so uh and there will be more work dedicated to that when with the data.

Thank you, Mayor.

Glad you asked.

Yes, Councilmember Beeson.

I'm sorry, wait a minute.

Um Council Member Hall, she had her hand up.

I'm sorry.

Council Member Hall.

No.

Mayor, maybe uh mayor has some connections to find out what they're looking at in these 40 days that that might be helpful.

So I just wanted to add that.

Yeah.

Councilmember Beeson.

I was just I realize at this point we're purely defining it, but seeing that it's potentially used for light industrial use.

My understanding looking at the zoning map is there are some areas that are residential that are but light industrial within our code.

Um, unlike some other industrial uses, data centers could be quite loud because of air conditioning units that run on the outside of the building, so it's a constant white noise or whirr that people can hear inside their homes.

It's a complaint from other municipalities.

Um is there a way that we'd be able to restrict anything that was defined as data digital storage center, which for all intents and purposes is a data center.

Could we restrict that to conditional use moving forward?

Yeah, so that will happen as part of the work with the moratorium.

So what we'll effectively get is if we look back at the 9.6.6, we'll end up with a use definition for data centers that takes it beyond just defined terms, defines it on that front end just like we did um warehouse and distribution, and then limits it.

So if it's a conditional use, here are some things we expect.

If it's a limited use, we can add buffers, we can add um you know noise analysis components, um, and analysis of you know, water consumption, electricity, things like that.

And that's that work we'll do with the moratorium.

Thank you.

Mayor RoboShow.

So just um also in the definition of the data and digital storage center, I'm making an assumption on the fourth line where it says including but not limited to those specific things that you state, gives us more of that flexibility from a legal perspective as we move forward to consider these things and then set what we believe.

Certainly, and I want to assure you again that we will re-look at this definition with the the work on the moratorium to make sure that we're capturing everything, even beyond the text amendment we're doing now.

All right.

Thank you.

Any further questions or comments regarding this item?

Um all right.

With that, we'll entertain a motion.

Motion motion.

Motion by council member Zek.

Second by Council Member Sales.

Second by Councilmember Brumley.

Yeah, I had the team.

Um any further any further discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor.

All right, that passes unanimously.

Thank you very much.

Item number four consideration for the mayor and or city administrator to award a contract to ready power LLC for construction of the water treatment plant generator and an amount not to exceed 210,000 dollars.

Mr.

Watson.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Whoops, sorry.

Yeah, very excited to be here on your very first committee.

Um, and we are excited that we get to talk to you about two exciting projects.

Um the first one is uh basically the last step in the generator uh that we need for our water treatment plant.

Um we've been actually we've actually come to council five times on this one because it's a it's a federal grant, so each time we make a step, we've got to come back to council to get approval.

And so to kind of help with that, since a few of you are new, we thought we could give you just a little bit of a background.

But before I get uh going, I I definitely want to make sure that you uh notice that to my right, your left is uh Chris Boyd.

Um he is our water utility manager, and um you've probably seen him in different awards that he and his team have won.

Um, and he has been instrumental in this uh both of these projects.

So I just want to make sure that um you have opportunity to meet him.

So uh the history of the the generator uh goes back quite a ways.

Uh you know, we have a water treatment plant here in the city, it services about 20% of the city of Roswell.

The other 80% is uh provided by Fulton County.

Um the water treatment plant that we have now was uh designed in 2015, and due to cost constraints, there were some things that were pulled out of the design.

One of those was a standby generator to basically provide backup power power.

Um we've uh each uh every three years we get an audit from EPD that looks into uh our sanitary survey sorry um sanitary survey, and uh we have been noted a couple of times that we've had a minor deficiency within our water treatment plant because we did not have a backup generator.

The reason we were able to get by with that as a minor deficiency is because even though we do have a water treatment plant, we also have connections to Fulton County water.

So even though if our plant did go down, we do have the ability to still provide residents with water, but from a from the state's perspective, because we did not have a backup generator, it was seen as a minor deficiency.

So in 2018, um we were we had that identified.

We also had that in 2022.

Uh also in 2022 is when we actually started submitting for federal dollars to obtain uh a standby generator.

Um you can see some of the other dates there.

Um, but in January of 2025, we got uh notice of award from GEMA that we were uh that we were going to get a generator, which was exciting.

Um one of the first actions that we did with council after that is we actually had to order the generator because it's a very long lead time.

So back in July of 2025, we ordered the generator, and now the exciting part is they're ready to deliver it, so now we have to get prepared for it, and so the next step is the actual construction of the site that the uh the generator is gonna sit on.

So um this is probably goes without saying, but just to kind of give you some information on you know why do we what what is the benefit of having a backup generator?

Um it provides an auxiliary power source so that we can meet the minimum standards that have been set by the state.

Uh to give you an idea of some of the costs that it that the utility has incurred.

Um this is just going back to October of 2020, the treatment plant lost power for three days.

Um, like I said, when we lose power, we can actually purchase water from Fulton County.

Well, that cost us just under 12,000 to purchase water for those three days.

Um, and we also had to replace just over $4,000 of equipment.

So if we would have had a standby generator, that would have been avoided.

So we've got a lot of these instances where when our plant is down due a power outage, the that generator would have come in come in handy.

Just to kind of give you all a breakdown of how the costs came about.

So you know the total project cost was just over $600,000.

There was a federal component and a state component, and then the highlighted there highlighted area is what the the city had to match, and that came out of the water utility.

So as I mentioned, we are in the last phase of this project which is the construction.

We put the project out to bid uh in October.

Um we received one bid in November from Ready Power.

Uh their bid was just over what we had allocated for construction dollars.

Uh so our team worked with um uh not only worked with Ready Power, the contractor, but worked with other parts of the city, namely Transportation, who's actually gonna be able to uh put together the concrete pad that we're gonna put the generator on.

So we ultimately negotiate with Ready Power to 210,000 dollars.

Um we also want to allocate 21,000 for any unforeseen uh circumstances that pop up during construction.

Um, and with that I'll take any questions.

Thank you, Mr.

Watson.

Yes, Councilmember Zach.

I've got two questions.

First is what's the shelf life for this generator?

I want to say 20 years, but is that 20?

Yeah, I think it's 20 years.

Um I'd have to get back to you on the exact number, but I feel like it's 20 years.

Okay.

They typically are a very expensive generator could be 30.

Um, this is a good size generator, so that I'm expecting a 20-year time frame.

Okay, thank you.

And uh a question to you, I think you told me that for the procurement process we had one bidder.

This might be a question for Bill.

Um, in this scenario where we only get one bidder, do we we have a follow-up process to kind of in the future try to get more people in that process?

Uh we do this is a very unique situation, and and the primary reason that I think that we only had one bidder is because of the size of the generator.

It's a thousand kilowatt generator.

Um, also when you get contractors and they bid on federal projects, sometimes there's regulations and requirements through what they have to do and what they have to report.

So sometimes you'll get fewer people who will respond to those solicitations.

So good question.

Yeah.

All right.

Uh, any further questions or comments regarding this item?

Seeing none will entertain a motion.

Motion by council member Philippi.

Second by Council Member Sells and Brumley.

Um seeing none, um, then seeing none, all in favor.

All right, that passes unanimously.

Thank you very much.

And then item number five is consideration for the mayor and or city administrator to approve conversion of a private water utilities to public water utilities for Garrison Hill subdivision and budget amendment 505444, 00-01-26-26 of $18,942 from additional revenue and expense in the water fund.

Mr.

Watson.

Thank you, Mr.

Knighton.

Um, so uh this is your first committee, and this is a very rare policy that gets used.

It has been used two times since its existence, so this is this is exciting.

Um so essentially what this is is there are within the footprint of the water utility, there are several uh subdivisions that have a master meter that services their subdivision, and then once the water goes past that meter into their subdivision, the HOA owns all of the infrastructure within that subdivision.

So there is a policy that the city has that upon the HOA inquiring, and I'm gonna take you through a little history, but on basically on the HOA reaching out to the city and saying we would like the city to take over our infrastructure.

Um there's a process that uh the HOA can go through, and Garrison Hills uh was um Garrison Hills, sorry, um opted to do that, and we do have two representatives from Garrison Hill and in the um in the audience there, the president of the HOA and her husband.

So if we have any questions, I may have to ask them if you get into details on the HOA.

So let me give you a timeline because this again, this is not a common thing that you will see, but I think it's uh it's important.

So in 2015 is when the city adopted the policy.

In 2019 Garrison Hills uh first approached the city about taking over the infrastructure in 2021 the very first uh system that the city took over was Ashley Manor and in 2023 uh St.

Charles Square was the second water system to kind of give you that timeline.

So in 2025 Garrison Hills reached back out basically getting that conversation moving forward of of the city taking over the HOA submitted a letter of interest to the city which basically is the first step of the process and to do that that means their HOA conducted a vote within their members and was I think it was unanimous I have to check on that.

But basically to to move forward um Chris and his team go out to the site they evaluate all of the um uh infrastructure identify what costs would need to be incurred by the HOA to convert over fortunately Garrison Hills when the the subdivision was built the developer actually had this in mind so oftentimes a lot of the costs that would be incurred are utility easements um but everything was set up that this was a pretty easy conversion so uh from our standpoint it was it was very nice and then in uh after we worked out the cost breakdown and I'll get into what those costs are um we worked with legal came up with a letter that went out to the HOA they signed it and that is what is in your packet that's the signed packet that um that shows all the stipulations of of the agreement so in case you do not know where Garrison Hills is it's off of 120 Marietta Highway just west of here are 22 homes in the neighborhood and so here are the fees that would be incurred so there's there's basically two sets of fees one fee set of fees would actually come from the individual homeowner.

So each homeowner would need to purchase a meter which is two thousand dollars and they would purchase that directly from the water utility.

The second cost is the 18942 and those costs are to uh rehab the the water vault that is there to do a bacteria test and also do some casing piping the the reason that we have to bring this forth to you this is this is basically uh a break even that the city is not making money on this but because the city receives funds you all have to vote on it so that it can be incorporated into the into the water utility budget so this is basically to accept the funds so here the next steps um you know we're presenting tonight uh upon approval we we'd be coming back to the mayor and council on the 26th of uh january um we would then hopefully with February get an executed agreement uh with both parties and then the construction would be sometime between February and April most likely March or April just because of the the temperatures and then upon uh the conclusion of construction and upon our evaluation it basically be turned over to the city and with that any questions that you all might have thank you Mr.

Watson yes Councilmember Bromley what what defines that the city takes over the water system as opposed to Fulton County so well there's two reasons I'll I'll give one you probably have another one if it's within our footprint and it's it's in the the footprint that the water utility serves and we already provide water to the master meter it would fall upon the city that we we have like I don't know if it's first writer refusal would that would is that what you would call it if it was a HOA that was serviced by Fulton County that was in our footprint I haven't had to deal with that but what would Chris what would that be?

So I'm gonna re-emphasize that it's within our footprint plus we're the only water lines in in this community now there are subdivisions that are served by Fulton County within our footprint along Woodstock Road if they as the HOA decided they wanted to be a Roswell water customer they would need to come to us and say hey we want you to be our water customer they're within our footprint we would just have to find out how we would tie them in to that service and they would also have to work with Fulton County to have their meters hold at some point in time.

Yeah, one of the things that I think was a larger question is there are service areas per service delivery agreements, which are established essentially every 10 years or so, every 10 years or so by the cities, the 15 cities and Fulton County.

Service delivery agreement.

The last one was done back in 2009 and was held in abeyance all of these years.

And now we'll have to get into the service delivery arrangement with the cities and Fulton County the end of this year.

Yes, and so this is this is essentially essentially there are service areas, for instance, where Fulton County may serve, where Johns Creek may serve, where City of Broswell may serve, and that's to avoid the duplication of services.

In other words, to ensure that taxpayers don't pay twice for water lines running down the same street, essentially.

That is the that is the impetus behind it.

That goes for all services that cities and or and the county provide.

And so we'll have a very robust uh conversation about service delivery, which is something that will be done that will need to be done essentially by the end of the year with Fulton County and the various cities.

Um but that is essentially how that is done in terms of a service area that it's established and negotiated by Fulton County and the cities.

Again, it's been quite a while since that's been done in that fashion, but essentially that is um the purpose of having those service areas.

Any further questions or comments regarding this item?

Yes, Councilmember Hall.

Um it I noticed on the next slide.

Are there more subdivisions?

I know Stonegate was inquiring.

I have a friend in there that was inquiring.

There are a few others that have that could Stone Gate is the only one.

Stone Grove Stone Grove, Weatherford Place.

Have they reached out there?

I think Stone Grove is the only one that's reached out.

Weatherford has reached out.

Okay.

They just have not responded back to me after I sent them the policy that's in place.

So just waiting to hear back from you.

Norcross village had reached out a couple years ago.

Um, just had no movement movement on that one.

Well, everybody would want to be on Roswell Water.

We do have the best utility in the Southeast, yes.

Thank you.

Indeed, yes.

All right, any further questions or comments regarding this item?

Seeing none, we'll entertain a motion.

Motion by Councilmember Beeson.

Second by Councilmember Sells.

Any further discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor?

All right, that passes unanimously as well.

That does conclude the agenda items for the committee's meeting for Tuesday, January 13th, 2026.

There are a couple of information items in the packet as well, just for your uh review and information.

Um, and with that, uh, we'll entertain a motion for adjournment.

Motion that's unanimous.

Motion by everyone, seconded by everyone.

Um all in favor.

All right.

Thank you all very much.

Have a wonderful evening.

Thank you.

I think they're going to have