Minutes of the
REGULAR MEETING
For the
City Council of Lookout Mountain, Georgia
February 19, 2009
PRESIDING: Thomas G. Gifford, Mayor
PRESENT: Council Members David Bennett, David Fussell, Sandy Gothard, Catherine Kelley, City Attorney Bill Pickering, and City Clerk Dana Driver.
ABSENT: Vice Mayor Dennis Eischeid
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Gifford called the meeting of the City Council to order at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1214 Lula Lake Road, Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the regular meeting held January 29, 2009 were approved as submitted.
JANE FERGUSON – Jane Ferguson and Caroline Williams came before the Council to discuss the building and property on McFarland Road that borders their properties on Scenic Highway. Ms. Williams presented photographs to the Council depicting trash, drums, equipment and debris left and/or stored on the property. Ms. Williams asked the Council how to remedy the situation together. The Mayor thanked both women for bringing this situation to the Council’s attention and that the City would meet with the property owners about cleaning up the McFarland Road property.
GAIL BRYAN - Gail Bryan came before the Council to express concern about the current draft version of the PUD ordinance that the Planning Commission unanimously approved to the Council. She urged to Council to proceed with deliberation and slow consideration, especially in our current economic state. She requested that 1) the City hire a professional land planner independent of the work done to date and any potential developer 2) the Town Center be addressed in a separate document from the proposed PUD ordinance and 3) Citizens have input into the proposed PUD ordinance. Mayor Gifford thanked Ms. Bryan for her comments and her concerns would be addressed in the future.
BILL GLASCOCK – Mr. Glascock made a public statement urging the Council to hire a professional land planner to look at the proposed PUD ordinance and to look at the undeveloped property within the City limits.
PUD/ REPORT FROM MUNCIPAL PLANNING COMMISSION –Mayor Gifford read the report submitted by Municipal Planning Commission Chairman Earl Carstens on February 18, 2009 recommending the City Council approve proposed PUD ordinance with the various revisions made to it. The report is attached herewith to the minutes. The Mayor stated that the latest draft will be posted on the city website in the next 24 hours. He also clarified that the proposed PUD ordinance, the proposed Chapelbrow development and the proposed Town Center redevelopment are three separate items and passing a PUD ordinance doesn’t in anyway approve the proposed Chapelbrow development. The Mayor announced that the public hearing on the proposed PUD ordinance will take place on Monday, March 16th at 6:30 p.m. hopefully at the Catholic Church. If the Church is unavailable, the location would be changed and that the public would be notified by a letter from the Mayor. The meeting was ultimately scheduled and advertised for the Fairyland Club.
1827 LULA LAKE RD. REZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – 2nd READING - The Ordinance to rezone 1827 Lula Lake Road from Single Family District to a Municipal District was passed on second reading.
EXISTING FENCE ORDINANCE – AMENDMENT – The Mayor announced that the Planning Commission has submitted an amendment to the existing fence ordinance which would limit or prohibit chain link fence except in the case of extreme hardship with certain conditions applying. City Attorney Bill Pickering advised the Council that a public hearing must be held before passing this ordinance. A public hearing on the chain link fence amendment would take place on Monday, March 16, 2009 at 6:00 PM at the location to be announced later.
INVASIVE PLANT ORDINANCE - Motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to pass the ordinance prohibiting the use of invasive plants in new developments or plantings.
APPOINTMENT TO MUNICIPAL PLANNING COMMISSION – Thompson Pettway has been recommended by the Planning Commission to fill the vacancy and the Council voted unanimously to accept the nomination.
RENTAL PROPERTIES – It has come to the Council’s attention the condition of some rental properties in Fairyland as well as other properties not being kept up. Councilwoman Catherine Kelley expressed concern about the upkeep of the properties as well as many parked cars in the front yards. City Attorney Bill Pickering advised the Council that these problems could be addressed by amending the existing nuisance ordinance. He will do some further research and present his recommendations at the next regular scheduled Council meeting.
MONTHLY STORMWATER & SEWER REPORT – Copies of the current storm water activity report were distributed to the Council a copy of which is attached.
MAYOR’S REPORT
1) The Mayor announced that the City received $51,766.73 in additional SPLOST revenue.
2) The Mayor asked the Council approve up to $45,000 for the purchase of a new Public Works dump truck with a hydraulic lift and safety gear. The City has received three bids and is waiting on one more bid before purchasing.
In other business, Cindy Whitaker came before the Council to request that they consider hiring a professional land planner before passing the proposed PUD ordinance.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Dana Driver
City Clerk