Call To Order / Start Meeting Recording – 7:00pm. October 10, 2023 Meeting Minutes approved without dissent. Approval of October 2023, Treasurer Report approved without dissent.
Elected Officials’ Reports: Commissioner Johnson’s Office – Not present. Council Member Bakhtiari’s Office – Patrick Husbands was on Zoom but didn’t speak. See info from him in chat.
Committee Reports
Arts & Culture – Lisa Miscio: Christmas Tree Lighting: Saturday, December 2, at 6:00pm; Flat Shoals Avenue and Glenwood Avenue. Join us for our annual Christmas Tree Lighting in the Village. The tree will be lit around 6:00pm with caroling and hot chocolate to follow. Volunteer to help decorate at noon by contacting artsculture@eaca.net. Hanukkah Menorah Lighting: Thursday, December 7, at 6:00pm; Flat Shoals Avenue and Glenwood Avenue. Join us each evening of Hanukkah for the Menorah lighting in the Village. The menorah will be lit around 6:00pm each evening. We’re looking for individuals, friends, and families to lead the prayers and blessings each night. Holiday Lights Home Decoration Contest: Judging taking place Sunday, December 10. Please email us at artsculture@eaca.net if you’d like to help with the holiday lineup (e.g., organize events, livestream the menorah lighting, communications).
Outreach – Ishita Chordia: Update on our Unhoused Outreach program and key highlights of our first training session with Intown Cares. Introduction of case-worker Michael Nolan, who started fulltime on October 1. Michael has engaged with 39 people, enrolled 10 people in the line for housing, getting 23 people document-ready, 3 people are document-ready and waiting for housing to open up. The hotline to call or text Michael is 943-213-7510. He will get back to you within two business days. When you call 911 or 311 for PAD, please make a note of the time, date and response time to the call and send that info to Michael. He and Councilmember Bakhtiari are working to improve 911 service and response. When you text Michael for the first time, include your name, whether you are affiliated with a business and/or whether you’re a resident and where you live. He’ll put you in his phone. Please remember this is a pilot program, so be patient and also feel free to provide feedback to outreach@eaca.net. Ishita can pay $40 for feedback interviews as part of her thesis work. Rebecca Kern on Eastside food and clothing closet – there is a Slack group to help keep the closet stocked and organized. The closet is emptied and filled multiple times per day. If you have closet items you’d like to have picked up, contact outreach@eaca.net If you want to join the Slack, it’s EAVStreetOutreach.
Parks update, Matt Day – Playground likely to open in early March, pavilion in late June, tennis court revamp to start in March. Community garden cleanup day is on December 9, from 9:00am-12:00pm.
Land Use and Zoning – Chase Miller: 515 Flat Shoals “Churchill Grounds”- designer Jordache Avery and co-owner Joe Seymour speak. Parking Exception Vote passes. Count: In person 20 yes, 1 no. Zoom 24 yes, 1 abstain. Total 44 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain. Background: Lot/building at northwest corner of Flat Shoals Avenue and Glenwood Avenue. Applicant seeks a special exception to reduce the required parking requirement from 50 spaces to 26 spaces (20 Spaces Shared, 6 onsite). Key Thing to Review: Overview presentation outlining the request and the draft list of “conditions” that EACA LUZ worked through with the owner (slide 3) Motion from EACA LUZ: Committee recommends approval of the parking special exception request for a reduction of 24 parking spaces (i.e., 26 vs 50 spaces) with the below conditions which will be drafted into an agreement signed by owners and EACA: CONDITIONS: Owners will maintain the historical marker and sign in their current locations. Owners to collaborate with Community to redesign the corner area to blend in with new design of building while maintaining a central community/celebration area (including to be used for annual holiday celebration with Christmas tree). Owners will seek a “Bar” Alcohol License (vs. Nightclub) as Community was not receptive to a “nightclub” type of establishment (e.g., high traffic with congestion, noise, potential for public disturbances). Food truck will follow all food truck guidelines as outlined in City of Atlanta law and County Board of Health. Offsite parking of 17 spaces at 500 Flat Shoals Avenue can be accessed via valet but must be free valet (due to prohibition on paid parking in NC-2). Same conditions would apply to additional 9 spaces. Community requests additional bike parking (as many as feasible but at least 6 total) in order to encourage people to bike vs. drive.
714 Moreland Avenue – Local Honey Salon (Z-23-067) Vote passes. In the room 23 yes, 1 no, 0 abstain. Zoom: 17 yes, 3 no, 1 abstain. Total 40 yes, 4 no, 1 abstain. Link to Application. Summary: Applicant seeks a change of conditions to allow the operations of this business within 500 feet of one other personal service establishment, a barber shop. Motion from EACA LUZ: Committee recommends approval. Committee requests that the condition be added if possible: This change in zoning would apply to the “one facility in Suite A only.”
Z-23-035 and CDP-23-004: Bouldercrest Triangle Neighborhood Commercial-16 (NC-16): Several property owners (~8) expressed their lack of support during recent ZRB hearing and via a letter to Councilmember Bakhtiari. Due to this, CM Bakhtiari asked that the legislation be “held” in October’s ZRB and CDP and she is calling a meeting of all property owners to hear feedback, understand sticking points, and determine if adjustments are needed. Final copies of the legislation that was submitted from NPU-W to the City can be accessed here. The new expected timing for this legislation is to be confirmed following property owner meeting.
1640 Flat Shoals update – this is also known as the Grace Street development. If you’re interested in this project, please attend the next Land Use and Zoning committee meeting on Monday, November 27.
Announcements / Community Updates
EACA Officer Elections: Next month we will hold Officer Elections (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer). NPU-W General Elections: NPU-W will have Elections for Elected Representatives in October & Officers in November. Submit candidacy at NPU-W.org/Leadership.
Event Line-Up for Rest of 2023: Saturday, December 2: Christmas tree lighting; 6:00pm; Thursday, December 7: Menorah Lighting; 6:00pm; Night 1 (continues each night thereafter)
Tuesday, December 12: EACA Meeting, Officer Elections, Cookie Swap and Light Apps.
EACA Call for Volunteers – We’re excited for our role in shaping East Atlanta to be the community we envision for the future. But we won’t get there without engaged members of the community to help make it happen. Please reach out to president@eaca.net or any member of the EACA Executive Committee to find out how and where you can support. You can also find a List of Open Positions here. Ongoing Recruitment for Committee Involvement – Arts and Culture, Communication, Community Outreach, East Atlanta Parent Network, Education, Fundraising and Grants, Land Use and Zoning, Membership, Neighbor in Need, Parks and Greenspace, Public Safety, and Transportation.
Closing Remarks and Adjournment – Adjourn 8:11pm.
