Meeting Minutes – March 11, 2020

1. OPENING REMARKS

2. MOMENT OF SILENCE

   1. For neighborhood losses over the weekend

3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

   1. Favor 8 Oppose 0 Abstention 0

4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

   1. Favor 8 Oppose 0 Abstention 0

5. CHAIR REPORT

   1. Fulton County voted down on Community Grant

   2. Wes Mooreland is holding a work session on Friday, 03/13 1pm-2pm in the Committee Room 101 at City Hall

   3. Representative Winslow has two tickets to the Botanical Garden on 03/23

   4. NPU-T executives all attended meeting for training last week e. Neighborhood Grant application was submitted to City of Atlanta Planning

   5. Subarea Plan and LCI Meeting last week went well, 200+ people came out

   6. NPU Ordinance final report letter was also submitted

6. CITY DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES

   1. (ATL PD) Captain Woody - Zone 1

      1. 19 total crimes in the past crime, increase in car break ins

      2. New graduating police class coming up in April, May, and July

      3. Crime has decreased 14% overall in Zone 1

      4. Larceny decreased by 6%, auto theft by 7%

   2. (ATL PD) Lt. Shaker - Zone 4

      1. Increase in shoplifting in the last 30 days; (could be attributed to changes in EBT benefits for people ages 18-49, now have to work 20 hours min.)

      2. One robbery in the past 30 days, car was stolen on 1079 Cascade

      3. Arrests made last month at Howell Park for campers

      4. Expect more bike units on patrol v. Resident Comment: white van has been parked there on Lucille & Atwood, has been doing oil change on the street

   3. (ATL FIRE) Captain Fuller

      1. Note to residents: make sure to change batteries in smoke detector

      2. City will give out smoke detectors for folks in need, call 404-546-7000 to Mrs. Claudia Nash

      3. Also giving out car seats if necessary

   4. (MARTA PD)

      1. Reminder to be mindful when exiting and entering the train, no general updates

      2. Will be rolling out hand sanitizing stations very soon e. (CITY PLANNER) Nathan

7. PLANNER’S REPORT

   1. (ZONING CHAIR) Walter Slaton - three updates

      1. b

         1. Trying to get a food truck on site, no street closures

         2. Recommends support (16 YAYS)

      2. Willie A. Watkins Day, 05/25

         1. At Howard Park, 1-6pm

         2. There will be street clearance for staging

         3. Recommends support (16 YAYS)

      3. Alcohol License Application for West End Stock N Shop, 75 Lee St. change of ownership is reason for application

         1. Applicant has said that he has met with residents at the WEND meeting, and in an effort of good faith, will power wash building, provide bigger trash cans, will hire private sector security from 6- 8pm to curb crime, and has already installed security cameras.

         2. Applicant doesn’t believe there is a serious crime problem.

         3. Applicant also proposing to become a member of WEND

         4. Lots of comments from residents against this application including:

            1. People found sleeping in the parking lot often b. Conditions outside have been bad for a long time, including trash and public urination; residents have to dial 311 very often

            2. Issues have been raised to applicant at least 2-3 times a year for the past couple years

            3. President of WEND Tony McNeal does not recommend support for application

         5. Applicant’s lawyer said there had been miscommunication, but one resident commented you shouldn’t use being a member of WEND, as a bargaining chip to be a better, was seconded by others; applicant himself refused to speak during discussion

         6. City official also comments that they’d received several complaints on the trash problem

         7. Ann Bond, VC of Westview, commented that an FDA report in Oct. ‘17 sited Stock N Shop for selling to underage minors, but applicant’s lawyer commented business had only been in possession since Dec. ‘17 / Jan. ‘18; this was a point of contention at the meeting

         8. NPU-T votes to not support application (18 NAYS)

      4. Recommends support for Zoning Change Ordinance (14 YAYS)

      5. NPU-T votes to approve latest draft of LCI for West End

         1. There will be another public meeting on 03/23, then will be forwarded to City Hall for adoption

   2. (TRANSIT CHAIR) Alan

      1. Fulton County has allocated $173B for transportation projects

      2. $11B of that is for public transit, $10B of that is for mobility projects

      3. 03/15 is MARTA Board meeting

      4. Reminder about Bus stop Census by MARTA Army, goal is for 25% of Atlanta bus stops to be surveyed by the summer

8. PRESENTATIONS

   1. (CODE ENFORCEMENT) Sandra Edwards

      1. Has added 6 month vacancy to checklist for vacant properties when inspected

      2. Moving forward on civil service cases

   2. (PROPERTY PUBLIC WORKS) - Mr. Obisi, takes 66 days to review comments

   3. (SOLID WASTE) Officer Knight

      1. Multiple violations have been issued and cleaned up

   4. (WATERSHED MANAGEMENT) Denise Steward

      1. Reminder to check for leaks in your home

      2. There is an application for senior citizens to lower their water bill

      3. Reminder that MOST tax is coming up on ballot this year

      4. Care and concern program for seniors to help with plumbing issues is in the process of rolling out v. 404-546-1410, Denisewat@atlga.gov

   5. (ATL HOUSING) Wanda Whiteside

      1. Choice Atlanta 2020 Scholarship, deadline 04/06

      2. Grant Program is open 04/01

      3. 404-685-4913, atlantahousing.org

   6. (MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MED) Sabrina Mobley

      1. All engagements for time being are cancelled

      2. There is a DNA focus group seeking out participants, contact Sabrina at smobley@msm.edu

   7. Sharifa Edwards

      1. District 2 is having a monthly meeting

      2. Still looking for a Superintendent, will be a meeting on 4/1 at 6-8pm at Washington H.S.

      3. KIPP is requesting 200+ additional seats from Washington Douglass cluster, request has been pulled for now

      4. Don’t want to rename Brown M.S., no confirmation yet that name will not be changed

   8. Finance Committee has applied for a neighborhood grant, want to start back giveaways

   9. Terry Ross, Parliamentarian

      1. Developers Information Meeting on Mon. 03/30 at 6pm at Empire Board of Realtors; put on by West End Merchants Coalition, $25 fee for non- members

   10. Business Impact Survey from Beltline - sign in sheet provided on back table, deadline is on 03/31.

   11. GT graduate student is doing a study on the impact of Beltline development, wants feedback from the neighborhood; will give a $10 Amazon gift card to participants, information on the back table.

   12. Tennis in March event will be on March 14th at Washington Park

9. COMMENTS FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS

   1. Council Winslow

      1. Thanks to all those who came out on Saturday for voter hall registration training

      2. Fall 2020 Oct. 7th, Atlanta Affordable Housing Conference @ AM State College

      3. John Hope Bryant has $20M for minority maintenance vendors in Atlanta, need vendors for this.

The Design Awards are an opportunity for the public to nominate a project, place, program or person that is making Atlanta a better place to live, work or play. There are two types of awards the public can submit nominations for: The Awards of Excellence and the Community Design Awards. The Awards of Excellence are physical projects, programs, and sometimes people located in the city of Atlanta that have improved the city’s physical character. The Community Design Awards are projects, programs, or people who have worked to make the city or a neighborhood a better place to live. Submission deadlines are March 18th for Awards of Excellence and March 31st for the Community Design Awards. If you have questions, please contact Doug Young in the Office of Design at dyoung@atlantaga.gov or 404-330-6702.