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EACA Monthly Meeting 11/11/14

Agenda:
Welcome / New Neighbor Introductions
Community Announcements
Review September Minutes and Treasurer’s Report
Save the Prison Farm Update
EACA Board Nominations
Bound to be Read Books Update
Memorial Drive Corridor Study Update
Public Safety Update
Roguewood Restaurant Group – Graveyard Tavern
Land Use and Zoning
Committee Updates
Approval of Minutes
All Other Business
Adjourn
Notes:
Meeting opened at 7:05pm with new attendee introductions
Copies of October minutes and treasurer’s reports are available at the front of the room / on the website
Community Announcements:
Northstar Trees (Keith Johnson) are coming back to East Atlanta Village
Setting up in the same parking lot as last year, starting the weekend before Thanksgiving
Donating a tree to the Village
Doing a fundraiser for Maynard Jackson High School and Hopewell Elementary
East Atlanta Craft Market
Saturday, November 15 in parking lot behind Midway Pub, 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Neighbor in Need will benefit from booth fees
More craft markets in December
Saturday, December 6, coinciding with East Atlanta Santa
1st three Thursdays in December with the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market
Come support your local economy!
East Atlanta Village Farmers Market is hosting a “Giving Thanks” dinner on Thursday, November 20
Bring a side or dessert to share
East Atlanta Santa will be on December 6; more details in the newsletter
EACA will host a potluck for the December meeting (Tuesday, December 9)
Bring a side or dessert to share
Public Safety, Sgt. Raymond
Direct phone number for 911 is 404-658-6666
Concern about robberies and burglaries
Two special details deployed, multi-jurisdictional
If you know a victim, encourage them not to cancel bank card immediately
APD has a unit tracking use of debit cards
Their money is federally protected
Arrest on 2 robberies at Shell station, including a person using a debit card and another on the other side of Moreland, also likely related to debit card theft
Maynard Jackson High School “riot”
There was a fight involving teenagers over a neighborhood dispute
3-4 students were arrested
Be alert during holiday season; close curtains at night
Save the Prison Farm, Scott Peterson
Won a battle in DeKalb County
Thanks for all the letters to DeKalb County officials
Large amount of contaminated petrochemicals were burned last week; it’s a very dangerous situation
DeKalb County Commissioner has $35M for green space acquisition
We’re seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and a great eco park in our future
Hope to tie into Constitution Lakes / South River Trail, which connects to Arabia Mountain and Panola Mountain
Please keep being a polite pain in the neck with DeKalb County officials and City of Atlanta mayor—phone numbers are on the flyer and on the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/atlantaprisonfarm)
NPU-W EACA representative nominations, Ed Gilgor
NPU-W elections happened tonight
8 EACA representatives have been nominated
Accepting all 8 by acclimation
Approved
EACA board nominations, Henry Bryant
It’s the time of the year for officer elections
If you have an interest in being an EACA officer, see a member of the Nominating Committee, which includes Henry Bryant, Laird Ruth, and Tony Crump (membership@eaca.net) or call Henry (404-377-6148)
Elections will be held at the December meeting
Bound to Be Read Books update, Henry Bryant
The background for BTBR’s purchase of the hardware store was to prove that retail could work in the Village
Currently trying to get a group together to contribute money and save the bookstore
Roguewood Restaurant Group, Dustin Saboorian
Taking over Graveyard Tavern, including the liquor license
Plans to continue safety efforts; good relationship with APD
New chef
Making it more family friendly
Community member asked Dustin not to get rid of wing night, and to do more about trash (owner is working on the parking lot)
Land Use and Zoning, Andy Schneggenburger
Reminder that NPU-W Land Use and Zoning meetings are the 1st Tuesday of each month at 7 PM at Eastside Church; applications are posted to the website
1605 Glenwood (corner of Maynard Terrace)—application for side and rear yard setback reduction
Asking to reduce rear setback to 11 feet (from 16’) and side setback to 5’ (from 7’) to accommodate 2 car garage with woodshop
Existing curb cut and driveway / relief from maximum allowable size from 30% up to 54% of the size of the house
LUZ voted to approve since it’s a single structure
EACA approved 18-0-2
1205 Metropolitan (Paces Properties, former Gordon School)—reduction of useable open space (UOS) requirements by 10% to 5,388 sq. ft.
Open space includes everything other than the structure; usable open space is space that doesn’t include parking (green space, pool, etc.)
LUZ recommended approval 7-3
Paces Properties will be addressing environmental standards, window standards, affordable housing, earthcraft; looking at environmental sensitivities
All ground floor apartments have access stoops to the sidewalk, so true activation with streetscape
70% of median income earners in the area can afford to live there, so it is considered affordable housing and will not be subsidized
Tree is being removed—it’s dead and needs to go
Open to the possibility of an opportunity to expand to a parking deck in the future
Trying to keep as much as possible (e.g., cornerstones), don’t want to erase history
The property is called The Alexan. Paces partner in the build is Trammel-Crowe and their brand is called “Alexan”
Q&A
Can the fire station area be made into green space?
Not fully designed yet, that’s a separate proposal, but looking at something commercial in nature
Ralph said he’s sad about not being able to fix some of the parking issues
Aware of parking issues; community parking deck is needed but this isn’t a central site
What type of materials will be used?
Brick, cement sides, hardy panels; colors haven’t been defined. Request was made to not use “bathroom tiles” like fire station has on the outside
Landscape plan isn’t shown since it’s not complete
Concerns about churches on the street being negatively impacted, applicant hasn’t responded to good faith efforts; concerns about fence going down the back end of the church, so access to the church will be restricted
Question about variances / regulations—we’re being asked to vote for variances, but why? To help the builder make more money?
Regulations are very detailed but code recognizes that not every regulation can be applied to every requirement, so variances exist for that reason
4 requirements have to be met; of the maximum square footage allowed this property is building 30% less. The shape of the space and fire access/ingress/egress requirements limit how the entire space can be designed
Very common in older neighborhoods to ask for variances for useable space calculation—it’s designed around the kind of density in garden apartments
In tight urban space it doesn’t work on a cost per unit basis
Streetscapes / fire safety
The benefit is not for the community but for the residents
Motion to approve variance request approved 14-1-5
Memorial Drive Corridor Study, Elizabeth Vason
Putting together LCI application for capital improvement on Memorial Drive
Current issues with Memorial Drive include traffic issues, poor design for pedestrians (sidewalks / crosswalks), and lack of cyclist connectivity
Possible changes will include changing speed limit to 25 MPH, adjusting traffic signals, fewer lanes, connectivity with trails, new real estate opportunities
Community feedback is key
Closing
October minutes and financial report approved
Reminder about beautification cleanup this Saturday, November 15, 10:00am to 12:00pm
Meeting adjourned at 8:45pm


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