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REGULAR
CITY
OF DAHLONEGA COUNCIL MEETING
JULY 11, 2005
CALL TO ORDER:
The Dahlonega City Council met
in regular session at City Hall on July 11, 2005.
Council members present were Michael Clemons, Guy Laboa, Dudley Owens and
Bill Scott. Mayor Gary McCullough
called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. Guy
Laboa opened the meeting with prayer. Mayor
McCullough requested that everyone stand for the Pledge to the American Flag.
A joint city/county proclamation was presented to Lieutenant Col. Douglas
Flohr who has served as the commander of the 5th Ranger Training
Battalion at Camp Frank D. Merrill. LTC.
Flohr has been assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Army.
LTC. Flohr stated that it has been his honor to serve in
Dahlonega/Lumpkin County and he appreciated the support he has received from the
community.
A proposal was presented to the Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners who
were present at the meeting. The
proposal is a strategy to provide water services to the Lumpkin County Community
to accommodate growth, provide for the health, safety and welfare of its
citizens, promote economic development and create a stronger, more balanced tax
digest. A motion was made by Bill
Scott to approve the city’s proposal. This
motion was seconded by Michael Clemons and approved by all members present.
County
Commissioners
were requested to consider the proposal and a special meeting will be set as
soon as possible to discuss the details.
MINUTE APPROVAL:
A motion was made by Dudley
Owens to approve the minutes of the regular council meeting held June 6, 2005.
This motion was seconded by Michael Clemons and approved by all members
present. A motion was made by Dudley
Owens to approve the minutes of the special council meeting held July 5, 2005.
This motion was seconded by Guy Laboa and approved by all members
present.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
REZONINGS
City Attorney Doug Parks advised
that the public hearing scheduled for James Adkins has been cancelled.
The application has been withdrawn. A
public hearing was opened for a rezoning application submitted by Lee Roy Martin
for his property located at
408 West Main Street
. Doug Tittle spoke representing
the property owner and advised that he would like to open a billiard parlor with
food sales. A billiard parlor is a
permitted use in a B-2 zone and the property is now zoned as B-1.
Robert Bridges spoke against the rezoning.
He advised that B-2 zoning could be a problem for the area if the
business fails. Mr. Tittle
advised that he does not plan to fail and he does not plan a large sign for the
business. Planning Director Chris
Head advised that staff recommends approval of the rezoning.
The Dahlonega Planning and Zoning Commission also recommended that the
property be rezoned from B-1 to B-2. A
motion was made by Dudley Owens to approve the recommendations of the commission
to rezone to B-2. The motion
was seconded by Guy Laboa and approved by all members present.
A public hearing was opened for a rezoning request submitted by Steve
Fuller and Bill Hardman for their property located on
Alicia Lane
. The application requested
rezoning from R-2 to B-2 in order that a doctors’ facility could be
constructed on the property. Mr.
Hardman advised that he would like to amend the application to change the use to
a licensed professional office building.
Lynn Pfeiffer spoke against the rezoning to B-2 and requested that the
rezoning be changed to O-I to limit retail businesses in the area.
Robert Bridges also spoke in opposition to the rezoning.
He advised that B-2 zoning would allow retail space which could produce
problems in the future. The
Dahlonega Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the rezoning be approved
with a condition that the only use allowed is for medical offices.
Planning Director Chris Head advised that property rezoned conditionally
will be coded on the city’s zoning map and will alert citizens interested in
changing the usage of the conditions of the zoning. Ms.
Head also advised that staff
recommends the conditional rezoning to B-2.
A motion was made by Michael Clemons to approve the rezoning to B-2
conditional upon the only allowable use of the property be for licensed
professional offices. This
motion was seconded by Dudley Owens and approved by all members present.
PUBLIC HEARING
SUBDIVISION APPROVAL
A public hearing was opened for
an application for preliminary subdivision approval for James Parks for his
property located off
Wimpy Mill Road
. Mr. Parks presented a revised plan
for 13 lots which will be accessed off of
Wimpy Mill Road
. Mr. Parks advised that the
development will be constructed to city standards.
City water and sewer is available at the street.
Mr. Parks stated that after engineering has been completed the lots may
be decreased but not more than 13 lots will be created.
There were no comments from the public.
Planning Director Chris Head advised that the plan meets all city
specifications and the Dahlonega Planning and Zoning Commission recommends
approval. A motion was made by
Dudley Owens to approve the recommendations of the commission concerning this
request. The motion was
seconded by Guy Laboa and approved by all members present.
CITIZENS:
City Clerk Janet Jarrard advised
that all paperwork has been completed for a beer and wine license to be issued
for Dominique Chambon’s Restaurant located on
North Grove Street
. The background checks also
indicated no record for Mr. Chambon. A
motion was made by Michael Clemons to approve the beer and wine license.
The motion was seconded by Dudley Owens and approved by all members
present.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS:
Mayor Gary McCullough advised
that reports have been received from the city’s planning and code enforcement
offices for the activities of each department during the
month of June, 2005.
DAHLONEGA HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION:
Susan Newell, Chairman of the
Dahlonega Historical Preservation Commission, advised that the commission met on
June 15, 2005 and approved a sign request for A Child’s Garden
and the
Buisson
Arts
Center
. An application for exterior
alterations was also approved for the
Buisson
Arts
Center
. An application for additions to
Pueblo
’s Restaurant was also approved. Ms.
Newell advised that the commission discussed the City of
Dahlonega Historical Business District Sign Ordinance
, Article 9 Section 9.5 concerning abatement and removal of illegal and
abandoned signs. Historical
Preservation members recommended that the ordinance be amended to state that
illegal or abandoned signs must be removed by the building owner within 30 days
of their becoming abandoned. City
Attorney Doug Parks was requested to prepare a draft amendment.
FIRST
READING
ORDINANCE 2005-5-ANNEXATION:
The Dahlonega Planning and
Zoning Commission recommended approval of an annexation request submitted by
Bill Hardman. Mr. Hardman has
requested annexation of approximately 1.425 acres identified as Tax Map 62A,
Parcel 91 located adjacent to the Pizza Hut on Hwy 60 South.
The requested zoning classification is B-2.
A motion was made by Dudley Owens to approve the first reading of
Ordinance 2005-5 to annex the property and zone it as B-2.
The motion was seconded by Guy Laboa and approved by all members present.
SECOND READING ORDINANCE 2005-4-RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT PLAN:
City Manager Bill Lewis recommended that the ordinance to establish a
reservoir management plan for the city be amended to prohibit public access to
the two existing parking areas on Morrison Moore Parkway and that the hours for
fishing and other uses of the reservoir be limited to 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
year round. Mr. Lewis advised that
fishing will be allowable beginning tomorrow.
A state license will be necessary and state officials will patrol the
area to be sure all state regulations are followed.
A motion was made by Bill Scott to approve the second reading of
Ordinance 2005-4 with the above recommended amendments.
This motion was seconded by Michael Clemons and approved by all members
present.
CITY MANAGER’S COMMENTS:
City Manager Bill Lewis advised
that modifications are needed to the water and sewer master plan agreement.
Consideration was given for city staff to assist J J & G Engineering
with the sewer system mapping and inventory and thereby reduce the project cost.
These negotiations were based on the assumption that staff would be
available and would have the time to complete the tasks in a timely matter so as
not to delay the overall project. Mr.
Lewis stated that staff has been able to participate and achieve some savings by
providing historical and technical data for pump station flows and information,
they have not been able to participate to the level anticipated due to other
projects taking up significant staff time. This
is interfering with JJ & G’s ability to economically finish the project on
time. Mr. Lewis recommended
that the contract with JJ & G be amended to include the sewer system mapping
and inventory at a cost not to exceed $19,320.00.
The total project cost will be $167,320.
A motion was made by Dudley Owens to approve this recommendation.
The motion was seconded by Guy Laboa and approved by all members present.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS:
Mayor Gary McCullough advised
that Bob Saba does not wish to be reappointed to the Dahlonega Historical
Preservation Commission. Mayor
McCullough asked for recommendations from council and citizens present.
Mayor McCullough also advised that the city and county will host the
GMRDC meeting July 28. Dudley Owens
was thanked for serving on the GMRDC Board.
Guy Laboa has been requested to serve on the GMRDC Board. McCullough
recommended that a clean up campaign be held July 25-29.
Extra trash will be picked up at no additional charge.
There will be $25.00 charge to pick up old appliances.
A motion was made by Michael Clemons to approve this recommendation.
The motion was seconded by Bill Scott and approved by all members
present.
CITY ATTORNEY’S COMMENTS:
FIRST
READING
AMENDMENT 2-ORDINANCE 99-3-TAXICABS:
City Attorney Doug Parks advised
that an amendment is needed in the wording of the Memorandum of Understanding
for the Porter Village Agreement. A
motion was made by Dudley Owens to approve the amendment.
The motion was seconded by Michael Clemons and approved by all members
present. Mr. Parks also
advised that the agreement will still allow the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s
Department to provide police protection to
Porter
Village
but there will also be an overlay of protection provided by military police.
Mr. Parks advised that the amendment to the Taxicab Ordinance has been
completed to reduce the amount of liability insurance required to the minimum
required by state regulations for taxicab providers.
A motion was made by Dudley Owens to approve the first reading of
Amendment 2 to Ordinance 99-3 to change the limit requirement for insurance.
The motion was seconded by Bill Scott and approved by all members
present.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Arthur Atkinson and Madelyn
Walker requested further amendments to the Taxicab Ordinance.
Mr. Atkinson also requested a 30 day temporary permit to operate within
the city limits. Mayor
McCullough requested that Mr. Atkinson submit a proposal to the city clerk and a
special meeting will be held.
ADJOURNMENT:
A motion was made by Dudley
Owens to adjourn to Executive Session to discuss litigation and possible land
acquisition other than the reservoir. This
motion was seconded by Guy Laboa and approved by all members present.
The regular session was reconvened at 7:45 p.m.
It was announced that no action was taken during the Executive Session.
A motion was made by Bill Scott to adjourn the meeting at 7:46 p.m.
This motion was seconded by Michael Clemons and approved by all members
present.
APPROVED BY ME THIS _____________ DAY OF______________,2005.
MAYOR
Attest: CITY CLERK
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