Call to Order at 7:04pm
Opening Remarks/Introductions
State/City/County Elected Officials
Maria Banjo, for Representative Bee Nguyen (House District 89): Important bills: Anti-trans bill, which Bee opposes. Covid immunity bill, which Bee opposes because it covers businesses and not employees. Bill to expand the definition of family violence and thus expand services. School Voucher bill, Bee opposes. Bill on absentee ballots, which Bee opposes because it doesn’t give enough time to mail absentee ballots. maria@beeforgeorgia.com. Kevin Friend, for Councilwoman Natalyn Mosby Archibong (City of Atlanta, District 5. He has comments on other agenda items.
Approval of Meeting Minutes (January 12, 2021) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-IIsaWmACcKZwhHfCpkfKORqOwAxikVh.
Committee Reports:
Membership (membership@eaca.net) EACA Membership Survey – thanks to all who have taken the survey. Please take it if you haven’t. Please be sure to renew your membership on the EACA website. Welcome to several new members at tonight’s meeting. Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSKL3senGnzN0wc7CXUEGQrSeAOKptC_OIXyKMTLmJnTTFoQ/viewform?usp=sf_link. Join EACA! www.eaca.net/join-eaca. $20 membership (per household); $45 (membership and sign)
Education/Schools (education@eaca.net). If you would like to be on the education committee to work on higher-level issues affecting East Atlanta, please contact Jeanne at education@eaca.net. Q: Do you work with early learning centers
A: Yes, if they’re public, but we have connections with some private centers. Re-opening specifics…Check with your school! APS: (Grades 6-12) In-person learning option begins February 16. APS: Advocating for revision to districts for Atlanta Board of Education members; Parent group formation – Call for household participants for future meeting. DKSD: Re-opening delayed; Virtual Town Hall for Parents, February 11, 2021 at 6pm o Pre-K3 and Pre-K Lottery (Feb 1-March 8) www.dekalbschoolsga.org/pre-k/. DKSD: Parents group formation – Call for household participants for future meeting.
Public Safety and Welfare-The Georgia Vax App – Receive text notifications when your local county Board of Health is offering new Covid19 vaccine appointments (https://discodroid.ai/vaxapp/). Text “VAX” to 844-554-4024. Georgia Department of Public Health (https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine). Georgia COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline (866)399-8938
Land Use and Zoning (landuse@eaca.net): 453 Haas Avenue V-21-027 – Application for special exception (SEP) to allow active recreation in yard adjacent to street (Metropolitan Place) to install a swimming pool. Applicant is Nate Minor. Committee received 11 letters of support from neighbors. Committee recommends EACA support the exception. Nate: They want to build a pool in the backyard of their home on Haas Ave., but the backyard is adjacent to Metropolitan Place, so they need the exception. Otherwise, the pool follows the rules. EACA votes to support the committee’s recommendation, 29-0, with 4 abstentions. (BZA hearing date: March 11, 12:00pm; via audio/video conference.) 525 Moreland V-21-023 (Masonic Temple development) – 5 variances sought to allow mixed-use development of (42) affordable apartment homes, approx. 16,500sf of new office/retail, and preservation of historic Masonic Lodge building for approx. 15,000sf of commercial retail use. (BZA hearing date: March 11, 12:00pm; via audio/video conference.) Reduce required useable open space from 21,742sf to 13,400sf. Reduce required useable open space from 18,762sf to 13,094sf. Increase max building height from 35’ to 49’ for portions of buildings #100 and #200, within 150’ max height offset from adjacent R-parcels. Reduce the transitional yard requirement to allow for community garden. Decrease required off-street parking spaces from 69 to 53 spaces. Increase max fence height in rear yard from 6’ to 8.’ Jesse Clark, Andy Schneggenburger, and Matt Monroe spoke for the development to explain the variances listed above. EACA votes on approving the committee’s recommendation, 28-2, with 6 abstentions. Update on 1078 Moreland – Neighborhood information session was on Wednesday, Jan. 13. Site plan shows up to 160 townhomes between Moreland and Shadowridge. The committee is gathering information on the development. That information will be posted on the EACA website. Neighbors are doing a lot of the legwork on gathering info. If you’d like to work with the neighbors on this project, email landuse@eaca.net. Karla has been working on having EACA be more pro-active about neighborhood development. If you’re interested in that, please send a message with Growth in the subject line to landuse@eaca.net
Transportation (transportation@eaca.net): B*ATL multi-use trail update – this would be a trail on unbuildable/public land that goes through East Atlanta and would connect to the beltline. Plan once had backing and funding from the PATH Foundation and then fell through. Transportation committee is trying to resurrect this plan with the help of Council Member Archibong and Kevin Friend of her staff. Friend is working on a meeting for March. District 5 has pledged $250,000 to ensure ATL.DOT will pay attention to the project. Jeanne Fore suggests there might be funding available because the project would give elementary school students a non-Glenwood route to Burgess-Peterson. If you have ideas on this, contact transportation@eaca.net. They meet first and third Mondays every month.
Rideshare designated pickup/drop off zones project with EABA — City planners and department of transportation have reviewed this plan and were fine with three of four zones. That is being worked out and then the last step will be working with the rideshare companies.
Glenwood/Moreland Realignment Update: On-site meeting Thursday, January 28 P2K, City of Atlanta Capital Improvements, Councilwoman Archibong’s office, EABA, and EACA representatives met with business owners (Bookish, Carolina Hemp, Maintain Tattoo) and Branan Towers representative to discuss timeline on sidewalk construction. Sidewalk construction will start in early March and there were concerns about access to businesses and Branan. Contractors said they will try to minimize disruption to the businesses, including working at night and using fast-setting concrete. Those at the meeting are looking into possible means of compensation for lost traffic at the businesses. Sarah will follow up with Renew ATL representative who was at the meeting.
Sgt. John Miller, Zone 6 (470) 476-9836 – Auto larcenies are down in Zone 6. Crime suppression unit has made 7 arrests in last two weeks of auto theft and auto larceny suspects. He says many cars that are stolen are new ones and owners have left the key fobs in the car. Also, valet parkers will sometimes sell GPS info, from your car so don’t program your home address into your GPS.
NPU-W Update and Alcohol License, Ed Gilgor. — NPU will meet on Zoom on Feb 24. See chat (at bottom of minutes) for info on the regular committee meetings. Alcohol license application: 1111 Moreland Ave SE. This did not come to EACA in time for a vote. It is in Ormewood Park, but should have come to EACA as well, because it is within 300 feet of EACA’s boundary. Meanwhile, Ed notes that votes on licenses are straightforward; either applicants meet requirements, or they don’t. In general, if a citizen wants to look at alcohol licenses, they can find pending applications at https://cityofatlantanpu-w.org. Community Impact Grant Application (Vote results, 11-10): The grant topic that won is the communications study to establish an outreach program for NPU-W and community associations that moves beyond digital so all members of the community can be reached. It is meant to increase transparency.
Treasurer, Ralph Green. Approval Treasurer’s Report – January 2021 Approved unanimously. Proposed budget for 2021 – Please look at the budget and it will be voted on at March meeting. If you have questions, contact treasurer@eaca.net. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B__q14ZO8vCbM21lSmRIWHY4eHM.
Council Member Archibong: (see her note in the chat about $7,500). Dept of Public Works decided today to stagger services. Garbage will be picked up on the regular schedule, but recycling and yard waste will be picked up every other week. If you need another recycling bin, let Archibong’s office know and they will get one delivered to you. Also, they will waive the limit on the number of yard bags and will bring shovels and other tools necessary to pick up the bags if the bags have suffered due to wet weather.
Announcements: There will be Trees Atlanta plantings on February 13. All volunteer spots are full. If you volunteered, meet at Brownwood Park or at EAV Branch Library at 9:00am. There will be an EACA spring clean-up, tentatively scheduled for March 20.
New Business: Intrenchment Creek land swap update, Allen Doyle of the South River Forest Coalition. The county has approved the swap and StopTheSwap.org is planning legal action to oppose the county’s action. Go to StopTheSwap.org for more info. Allen will leave his email address in the chat.
Closing Remarks and Adjournment
Next meeting: March 9, 7:00pm
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