THE CITYOF  Doraville  Diversity. Nitality. Commanity City Council Work Session  Monday,July 19,2021 City Hall Council Chambers 3725 Park Avenue Doraville, Georgia 30340  Meeting Minutes 6:30 p.m.  Arika Birdsong-Miller Interim City Clerk  I.  CALL TO ORDER  Mayor Joseph Geierman called the meeting to order.  II. ROLL CALL  Council Members Gerald Evans, Andy Yeoman, Rebekah Cohen Morris, Christopher  Henshaw, Maria T. Alexander and Stephe Koontz were present.  III. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA items to the October Work Session:  Council Member Koontz made a motion to Approve the agenda moving the following Amendments to Commercial Transition, R-3 and R-4 Zoning Districts Amendment to the. Accessory Structures Regulations Council Member Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion carried by unanimous AYES/YES: Evans, Yeoman, Cohen Morris, Alexander, Henshaw and Koontz  vote (6-0). NAYS/NO: - ABSTAIN: NEW BUSINESS 1. Solar Policy  IV.  Russell Seifert, Founder and President of Creative Solar USA, explained to Mayor and Council some road blocks that occurred in other municipalities in Solar Permitting and how to overcome the issue with al better understanding oft the solar platform. Mr. Seifert explained the Solar permit process for a commercial establishment has the same requirements as residential with an additional need for a stamp or written letter by Structural PE. Engineer with stamp ofs structure and a copy ofinsurance. Mr. Seifert further explained what the inspectors should look for and what the process should look like when implementing solar panel requirements in the City ofDoraville. Council Member Cohen Morris asked ift there was an option for solar panels being placed in the ground instead ofon an housing structure. Staffwill look at the City ofl Decatur's Solar Panel Policy. Brad Jones, Senior Project Manager, presented projected plans for updating the parks in the City ofDoraville including Autumn Park, Brook Park, Chicopee Park, English Oak Park, and Honeysuckle Park. Council Member Koontz likes the idea  2. Park Action Plans Update    oft the dog park at Honey Suckle Park. Council Member Evans asked are the proposed trails paved with concrete. Mr. Jones informed Council Member Evans that the trails are asphalt trails. Council Member Alexander asked was permanent mulch not considered because oft the higher cost for material. Mr. Jones said that the permanent mulch was al lot more expensive. Council Member Cohen Morris thanked Mr. Jones for all his work ont the park plan update and is excited about the restroom additions at the parks. Council Member Yeoman would like to see a dog park and recommended wel be strategici in thei restroom locations inj parks.  3. Conditional Use Permit Rescissions  Director of] Planning and Community Development Naomi Siodmok explained tol Mayor and Council that the proposed amendment would get rid ofthe Commercial Transitional (CT) district and combine R-3 and R-4 into a singlemultifamily. residential zoning  district.  4. Digital Information Sign Options  Director of] Planning and Community Development Naomi Siodmok explained to Mayor and Council that this is aj proposal to use money from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to acquire digital informational signs for City properties. Parks and City Hall are the proposed location, but this open fori input. Signs would be used to display public information, including events, emergency: notices and other reminders.  5. Multi-use Trail Requirements  Director ofPlanning and Zoning Director Naomi Siodmok explained that this text amendment is for easements and construction ofmulti-use trails. It will provide specific limitations and establish design standards for the Peachtree Creek Greenway. Director Siodmok detailed that this creates criteria for land dedication and construction ofmulti-use trails. Creates design standards for Peachtree Creek Greenway consistent with Chamblee, Brookhaven, & Peachtree Creek Greenway Inc. And also allows variances from design standards, but not easement and construction requirements. Council Member Alexander wants to ensure that the trails lead somewhere. Council Member Cohen Morris thinks that the Multi-use' Trail Requirements is a good idea and lays groundwork for the future. Council Member Henshaw thinks that the maximum width for the trail should be 14: feet and suggest that we consider 101 feet instead. Council Member Yeoman explained that Doraville has al lot ofresidents and organizations that do al lot ofwork for the City that goes unrecognized. Council Member Yeoman further explained that hel has been amazed at all the volunteerism related to the Sesquicentennial Committee. Council Member Yeoman stated that we have hero organizations in our schools and1 business community. The proposed Doraville Difference Maker is a recognition program tol honor people and organization for all their hard work. There was an agreement amongst Mayor and Council that this was a great idea and we should begin implement the Doraville Difference Maker program next month at our monthly Council Meetings.  6. Doraville Difference Maker  2    7. Budget Committee  Mayor Geierman explained that to aid in the budget process and to ensure the resulting budget reflects Council values he is proposing implementing a Budget Committee. Each year, the committee is made up oft the three council members who are not up for reelection (so this year, it would be Council Members Yeoman, Cohen-Morris and Alexander. Following the next election, the committee for the '24 year would be made up oft the three council members who come out ofNovember's election. The committee would change again for the '261 budget year. Before the budget is created, the department heads would each have ai meeting with the committee to go over their individual budget requests for the following year. The committee could cut or add items from thei request by unanimous agreement. Committee members who do not get unanimous agreement about a change could still submit an amendment to council during the budget process. The was a consensus amongst Council that the Budget Committee  should be implemented for the budgeting process going forward. 8. Committee Proposals for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)  Council Members were assigned to two committees each composed ofai member from each ofthe 3 Districts to decide how the City should use the remaining $400,000 in ARPA funds. After discussing both committee's proposals, Mayor and Council agreed that City Attorney Cecil McLendon would research to into the new guideline for the American Rescue Plan Act to ensure we are allowed to spend the money for various proposed City expenditures. City Manager Chris Eldridge laid out the action plans for Council to consideringi including Short-term Action Items (0-61 months), Mid-term Action Items (6-18 months), and Long-term Action Items (18 months). City Manager asked for direction from Mayor and Council on how toj proceed with the Downtown Doraville project. Council Member Koontz stated that the TAD has tol be fixed and that she is against ai massive City Hall. Council Member Evans thinks that we should hire a consultant to assist us with the great opportunity. Council Member Henshaw thinks that this project should be discussed at the Council Retreat and thinks the City needs ai needs assessment. Council Member Alexander thinks ai needs assessment is a great first step to seel how much square footage is necessary. Council Member Cohen Morris stated that we should hire a consultant and hire an Executive Director of Downtown Development Association. Council Member Yeoman thinks ai needs analysis  9. Urban Land Institute (ULI) Next Steps  needs to be completed before we hire a consultant.  V. OTHER BUSINESS VI. EXECUTIVE SESSION  Council Member Henshaw made a motion to enter Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. Council Member Koontz seconded the motion. The: motion carried unanimously (6-0). AYES/YES: Evans, Yeoman, Cohen Morris, Alexander, Henshaw and Koontz  NAYS/NO:- ABSTAIN:-  3    Council Member Henshaw made ai motion to adjourn from Executive Session. Council Member  Koontz seconded the motion. Thei motion carried unanimously(6-0). AYES/YES: Evans, Yeoman, Cohen Morris, Alexander, Henshaw and Koontz  NAYS/NO:- ABSTAIN:-  VII. ADJOURNMENT  Council Member Koontz: made ai motion to adjourn the City Council meeting. Council Member Cohen Morris seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously (6-0). AYES/ YES:- Yeoman, Cohen Morris, Evans, Alexander, Henshaw and Koontz  NAYS/NO: - ABSTAIN:  There being no further business to come before City Council, the meeting adjourned.  Approved:  AAk  Attest:  Bngm. ika Birdsong-Miller, InteripCityClerk  4