SAND Meeting Minutes
submitted by Melissa Hugh-Girdhari
September 14, 2017
Call to order Welcome new residents and guests. 7:33PM
Introduce SAND Governing Board
Announcements
- Seeking the following positions to be filled: Transportation Chair, McDonough-Guice neighborhood representative and Glenwood Park neighborhood representative
New Business (vote)
- Social Chair Dan Murphy- voted unanimously
- Secretary Joshua Lorenz- lives in Benteen and is voted unanimously as Secretary
Committee Updates
Zone 6- Lt. Gruen; Inman Park was hit hard with vehicle break-ins; -10% in Zone 6 crime reduction, North side of the community (4th ward) with more homeless in the Parks due to shelters closing, weekdays are busier with home break-ins and car break-ins on the weekends.
Question- illegal ATV riders, combine efforts to arrest riders and seizing vehicles and run a detail when vehicles aren’t running.
Statement- Maynard is making huge strides with truancy so it may be helping with the decrease in crime
City/State/School/Other Elected Officials- Carla Smith informed on procedures for the trees and power. Trees know a power line down, GA power comes and turns off the power, then City comes and cuts down the trees, GA power comes back to restore power. And if the Ga power pole is knocked down that takes even more time. If cable busted from being pulled out of your house that takes even longer. Call Carla if you need assistance 404-330-6039. She also ordered the street sweepers the entire district all the way to Cleveland.
Leslie Grant- School board member- King Middle school event this weekend; next Friday is Jackson Cluster night. 1st Friday and Saturday education chats and come to the coffees. Mileage rate Board of Ed will keep it the same rate.
Beautification
- Seeking feedback… what you would like to have in the community – want a park in our neighborhood? What the committee wants to chase after
- 2nd week in October; Planting season is almost here- suggestions for streets that could use street trees or other public areas that need sprucing up email beautification@sandatlanta.org. Want street trees? see Mike.
- Play Anywhere Grant- seeking people to be on the committee to submit a grant 3K to 30K to make spaces where children can play- anything that challenges them to interact with their environment
- Carla is introducing nuisance plants removal
- Asking for what local folks want and create a committee
Communication
- Email blast (email anything you want in the blast email communications@sandatlanta.org
- Yard signs are in. Please place in yard one week before monthly meeting and remove after meeting. Let communications know if you want one.
Transportation
- Renaming of Confederate Avenue. Ask neighborhood associations to make a recommendation regarding the name change of Confederate Avenue. The transportation committee will make a recommendation in to the Full Body meeting in September. This is a request from the Mayor’s office and wrote by Carla’s office and this legislature creates a committee to look at all the confederacy street names and monuments to then give a recommendation to the Mayor. City council will have 4 people and 5 people from the Mayor’s office to create the committee. Doug Blackmon, Brenda Muhammad and Nya Gentry have all asked to be on this committee as appointed by City Council. The neighbors in the community got together to discuss the possible name change for confederate.
- Question- has there been any discussions for monument Ave in East Atlanta? Carla- no.
- Sand decided to vote on the ordinance (SAND passes unanimously) and the street name change for East Confederate if all folks on the street agree (in favor 11 votes, 4 opposed, 3 abstentions)
Treasurer
- Monthly Treasurer report for August
- Amazon Smile (.5% goes to SAND)/ Kroger Rewards (don’t have to renew every year)- join for more money to SAND
- Be sure to renew your membership for 2017; updated membership will be provided at next meeting
Schools
- Parkside Screen on the Green- Lego Batman September 29t
- MJHS Talent Show @ MJHS Auditorium, Friday, 9/15/17 @7PM $7
- 2nd Annual Taste of King Block Party Saturday 9/16/17 @ King Middle School 545 Hill St., Atlanta GA, 30312; 1pm-4pm
- Jackson Cluster Football Friday, 9/22/2017 @ 5:30PM @ Grady Stadium- wear your Jackson cluster spirit wear and help march around during half time
- APS Football at Mercedes Benz Stadium Saturday, 10/21/2017 1PM MJHS vs Grady, 4PM South ATL HS vs Booker T Washington HS, 7PM S. Paulding vs Benjamin E. Mayes HS
- Inaugural King MS Fall Festival Saturday, 10/28/17 @ King MS 10am-2pm
Social
- Halloween (Tuesday 10/31/2017) Woodland Street closure & hotdogs at the church- annual event for the neighborhood; SAND pays for half of the supplies, and street closure
- Question- Street closed time?
- Glenwood Park Bocce Ball tournament this weekend, they need 2 more teams
Public Safety
- Update from Monroe Group meeting recap- Monroe Group are the owners of Trestle Tree. Carla meets with Trestle Tree quarterly. It is privately owned and receives HUD funding. Two weeks ago, there was a shooting between two people and one person ran to Parkside. Atlanta police arrested him and are looking for the other shooter. The next night there was another shooting of over 30 shots. Monroe Group came and met with a group of community members and created goals- video integration. Packing company will have stickers on their cars and other cars will be towed. We need to think about the kids and how we will support the kids and families. The community spoke at the meeting and Monroe listened. The Good Neighbor agreement wasn’t signed but will be considered.
- Question- have SAND meeting at Trestle Tree? SAND can’t go on property unless given permission.
- Suggestion- have meeting at Parkside (across the street)
- Monroe group has a HUD loan for 50 years and bonds on the property.
- How do we need to help Trestle Tree and help build community?
- Carla Smith meets with Trestle Tree quarterly… requested she invite SAND to next meeting
- Suggestion- send direct mailers to Trestle Tree residents to inform them of SAND
- FB break out Good Neighbor committee (we need to find a person)
- Hire a Trolley to take folks from Trestle Tree to King Fall Festival
Land Use and Zoning (LU&Z) (vote)
- V-17-226 972 Ormewood Terrace
Applicant seeks a variance from the zoning regulations to reduce the required north side yard setback from 7 feet to 2 feet to alter an accessory structure in the side yard setback. LUZ Committee vote- approved unanimously; SAND approved unanimously
Approval of August Meeting Minutes (see back side) (vote) Minutes unanimously approved; meeting adjourned 8:57pm.
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