Opening remarks – The meeting was called to order at 7:30pm.
Approval of the minutes for the January 2025 meeting – The meeting notes were approved without objection.
City/State/School/Other Elected Officials – 5 minutes per presenter
Lt. Godwin: 3 vehicle deaths, 2 burglaries over the last 30 days. If you get an audible burglar alarm, please call 911; time is of the essence.
Liliana Bakhtiari (via Patrick Husbands): Use of heavy equipment to clear encampments is now prohibited. Homeless field advocate program from District 5 is being expanded citywide. MARTA is in the process of redesigning bus routes; let your voice be heard.
Mo Ivory (via staff): If you are interested in being appointed to a county, citizen board please contact Mo Ivory. Kysha Ferguson should be our primary point of contact (kysha.ferguson@fultoncountyga.gov).
Announcements – 5 minutes per item
Beautification: Progress update and Financial Agreement with Urban Farm Ormewood (UFO) – Progress is stalled; next steps belong to UFO, Inc. Benteen Park upgrades are expected to be complete by the end February – ADA compliance work and repaving is expected to be complete in March. Can SAND be the fiscal sponsor for Friends of Benteen Park? – A motion to approve SANDS’s role as fiscal agent for Friends of Benteen Park was approved without objection. Festivals – Open chair positions for Ormewood Park Makers Fest and Benteen Park Fall Fest. Status of festivals in 2025: Makers Fest 2025 is not feasible in Spring 2025 (and not advisable in summer 2025). Single SAND Festival fall for 2025 and ongoing – a festival director is needed ASAP. Host small events – limit the need for any permits, and reduce expense, effort, and risk. A suggestion was made for an art/craft sale in November. Other suggestions were movie nights and band nights.
Transportation – Bill Kennedy Way/I-20 Update: Ken Boff provided an update on previous accomplishments. Additionally, he provided an update on replacing the concrete barricades on Bill Kennedy Way along the BeltLine. The barrier replacement is the responsibility of ATLDOT. The next update meeting will be March 20. A request for enhanced traffic enforcement at Glenwood Avenue and Hemlock Circle 4-way stop was made.
SMAWG updates: The HUD CFP grant to address the Intrenchment Creek aqueduct is not yet implemented. Finding a fiscal agent/project manager is proving challenging.
Sign toppers – CMG sign topper progress update.
SAND 2025 open elected positions – In particular, we are looking for a webmaster.
The Porch Press: Paul Bolster was confirmed as the SAND board member. The transition of The Porch Press from a for-profit to a nonprofit is being finalized and should result in significant cost reductions for mailing.
Matters for Voting
V-24-232 – 1038 Portland Avenue – Applicant Nina Gentry for Property Owner Lindsey and Justin Castagnacci. Applicant requests a variance to reduce the half-depth front yard setback from 17.5 feet to 6 feet and a special exception to reduce the required front porch from the required minimum 12′ wide and 8′ deep to 12′-9″ wide and 6′-5′ deep, reduce the front facing garage door setback from 10′ to 9′-8 1/2″ and increase the amount of retaining walls in the front yard from 2 walls to 3 walls. LUZ result – Motion to approve from the NPU-W LUZ Committee. The motion from NPU-W LUZ Committee was denied. 2 In Favor, 3 Against, 5 Abstentions. A motion to deny the application was approved 4 In Favor, 1 Against, and 5 Abstentions
Z-25-004 – citywide ordinance allowing for administrative variances to be granted for setbacks when trees can be preserved as a result, using specific parameters from the City Arborist. – LUZ Result – Defer. A motion to deny was approved without objection.
Z-25-005 and 24-O-1687- citywide ordinances to revise the definition of “Party Houses” and revise their allowed/prohibited districts (Z-25-005), and to revise application requirements for Short Term Rentals (24-O-1687). LUZ Result – Defer. A motion to deny was approved without objection.
Matters for review and comment. Neighborhood Announcements. Next NPU-W general body meeting – February 19 at 7:00pm.
Closing Remarks– 2 minutes.
Adjournment – A motion to adjourn was approved without objection at 9:39pm.
