Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

If everybody could please take your seats, please. I'd like to call to order the regularly scheduled planning commission meeting for the city of East Point, November 6, 2025 uh at 7:07 p.m. Secretary, please call the role. Miss Moody, here. Miss Naylor, here. Yes. Miss Julinsky. Yes. Chairman D Hunt.

Yes. In the interest of clarity, I think it's safe to say that there may be a whole ple of questions about the court building, hence not keeping these poor ladies here any longer than they need to be. Moving on to the first hearing of the public. You have three minutes to speak. If you wish to speak on items regarding uh the public hearing item A, I'm sorry, first hearing of the public. Uh if you wish to speak on items in that, please keep your comments for that public hearing. Otherwise, you have three minutes to say whatever you want to have to say. Please be nice and write your name down on the confirmed pad of paper.

It's okay. Um Jennifer Nicholas, East Point resident. Um I actually have a couple questions about the new multi-family unit. Um well that and first of all the the ones that we have at Kelly and Toeer those are not occupied yet. I know that there was an issue with the air conditioners being stolen a month or two ago but as I drove by there again just this week it looks like they are still empty. Um, so I just wondered if you know during comments or that somebody could um give us an update on what's happening with that or if those are are going to be rented anytime soon. And that kind of leads into these other uh multi-units that are at going to be at Beaconsfield in Veronica. Are those also affordable or is there an income requirement for them or are those just straight rentals? Um my Question two is I I was kind of trying to look at the uh map the site plan for it and it just it seems like it's going to be a very tight fit. I didn't know if there's parking like a parking lot there. It didn't seem like I saw one and I don't know that there would be room for one. So is the intention for those nine units to have nine parking spaces on the street and would that be on Veronica or on Beaconsfield? And you know, again, maybe just some clarification on that. Seeing as how this this first project that we have at Kelly and Toe for um is not occupied yet, um thought maybe we would maybe want to hold off a little bit and see how the first one works out before we start building a whole bunch of other ones. So anyways, that's just my thoughts and um if you can address that or I'm sure part

of that will be addressed in new business anyways, but um just wanted to make sure that my questions were out there. Thank you. Does anyone else wish to be heard?

Anyone else wish to be heard? Maybe I'll just as opposed to anyone else? Nope. All right, we're going to close the first hearing of the public. We'll move on to approval of the minutes of October 2nd, 2025. Do we have a motion to approve the minutes of October 2nd, 2025? So moved. Support. We have motion by Miss Naylor. We have support by Mr. Sassic. Secretary, please call the role. Miss Naylor. Yes, Mr. Sassic. Yes, Mrs. Moody. Yes, Mr. Zillinsky. Yes, Chairman Dant. Yes.

Moving on. May I have a motion to open the first public hearing for the only public hearing? So moved. We have motion. Do we have support? Support. Motion by Mr. Support by Miss Moody. Secretary, please call the RO. Mr. Sassic. Yes. Mrs. Moody? Yes. Miss Naylor, yes. Miss Julinsky, yes. Chairman Dant, yes. Before we go into the public hearing, Mr. Myers, would you please just explain, give a little uh introduction as what the public hearing is about and why we're doing it so we can open it up to any questions, comments,

Mr. Mr. Chair, if it's all right, I'll take that one.

Okay. Um, so what has been noticed for this meeting is a set of potential revisions, proposed revisions to the zoning ordinance. We discussed these at the last planning commission meeting. The topic of these is um modifying the definition of event halls, modifying sign regulations, um adjusting when special land uses are required uh in the instance of a um change of ownership or occupancy of an existing licensed business. Um slightly modifying the wording of regulations for landscape islands. um adding regulations for accessory building structures and uses. Adding the definition of contractor's offices and uh where those um where those uses are are permitted. Cleaning up um several typos and uh stray scrier's errors. Um adding and clarifying definitions to support the rest of those um amendments that I just talked about. and a couple map amendments that are a little bit of housekeeping to um rectify split zone parcels that are splitzoned because a development was approved as part of that development. The parcel was combined and now there are two different zoning designations for one parcel. Um the just to refresh and for anyone who's new here um what we are trying to do is uh do some tuneup and maintenance on the zoning ordinance based on the administration's experience enforcing them. Um the ordinance is fairly new and a couple things that were proposed or a couple um regulations are not are not necessarily as easy to enforce or as straightforward as they were envisioned

to be. Um we're striving to make regulations more clear and enforceable and also just respond to current conditions and uh land uses and what development is going on. Um since our last discussion with you, the um the items that we discussed last time and I'm happy to go into detail as it's necessary, but um just for the commission's knowledge um as we talked about or as Mr. Albbright reminded us last time um the the code of ordinances, the police power ordinance um regulates the parking of commercial vehicles. We had an alternative amendment. We scrapped that and just now are proposing that the zoning ordinance refers to the code of ordinances for the regulation of the parking of commercial vehicles on residential streets. Um, and we had talked about a couple regulations to um, potentially allow more non-conforming pole signs to stay when a building is reoccupied. As it is currently written, when a building is reoccupied, any non-conforming sign must be removed, including a the pole signs. We found that many of the pole signs are closer to the right ofway than the regulations allow right now. some of the non-conforming ones um do not pose a problem. As it's written and as was in your packet, we're proposing to be able to allow the structure of those poll signs as long as the rest of the signs meet um meet the standards and the polls themselves don't cause visibility or safety issues. Otherwise, the proposed amendments that you have in your packets are exactly what we talked about last time.

All right. Thank you. Does anybody in the public wish to speak on this matter? If so, you have three minutes, please sign your name again.

Is it green?

I just Okay, there we go. Um, yeah, I mentioned this last time and I still have um in garages we would have in the city if this ordinance was adopted in the way that it's written. Um, we talked again too that there's also um you're changing or adding an ordinance where um if you have to rebuild the garage completely and you have to move it three feet away from the side lot that would possibly be putting the garage too close to the home with the setback from from the principal building. And you know Mr. Meyers had said at the last meeting that that might result in having to reduce the size of your garage which I feel is um you know economically um u a burden. If you have to go from a twocar garage to a one and a halfcar garage that affects your property value. People you know want a two some people want a twocar garage. That's that's, you know, makes a a property more sellable. And having a twocar garage also is a safety issue. I mean, East Point is not the only city that has cars broken into or cars stolen. And the idea of being able to park your vehicles, park two vehicles, you know, in in the garage, um, would be ideal as opposed to only having space for one car and having to leave one car in a driveway. So again, I don't understand why there is this three-foot um minimum from the side lot when you know I'd say hundreds thousands of garages in East Point are two feet away, much less than three feet away. So if that's something that can be maybe amended or adjusted, maybe some verbiage

that it can remain ha as it was if you have to rebuild it being grandfathered in as long as it's not a safety issue to for some reason or um something. But you know it would as a homeowner it would discourage me from building a new garage if I knew that I was going to lose my twocar garage for a one and a half car one. Thank you. [Music] Gary myin East Point resident I agree with Jennifer and my garage is two feet from the fence and there's nothing on the other side. The back of it is two feet from the fence. Then the garage behind me is another two feet. So there's four feet between garages. And there's a lot that are like that just for information. Thank you. Does anyone else wish to be heard? Anyone else wish to be heard? Seeing none, we'll close the first hearing of the public and I will go to speaking loudly again. Um speak

for the audience online. Okay. So item A which is now item B. Mr. Herbiel, would you please introduce Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, this item is an application, a request for site plan approval for um a town for a townhouse development on the corner of Veronica and Beaconsfield. Uh, specifically the southwest corner outlined in blue on the screen. Um the proposal is to build a total of nine twostory uh 1240 square ft a piece units. Um they're townhouse units in two buildings. Uh five units on the west side and four units on the east side. Um they are addressed towards uh Veronica. So, um, the the front doors, I'll go to the floor plans in a second, but the front doors are on Veronica. Um, they are sort of walk up units. You can see there. Um, they are, I believe, proposed to be three-bedroom, threeb town houses. And, um, the landscape plan is illustrated here. The applicant proposes frontage landscaping on Veronica. um some foundation landscaping on the west side and on the Beaconsfield frontage. Uh there's also a proposal to have a shared male kiosk in between the buildings and um a um a an enclosure for um for rolling garbage containers, which

is in the middle there. Behind that, um a set of bike racks for resident use. Um the floor plans are here. As I mentioned, this is a this is the first floor. Um of the townhouse unit, uh in in the the way the plan is oriented, Veronica is to your right. Um there's a bedroom on the first floor and a bathroom, living, dining room, and kitchen. The upper floor has two more bathrooms and two more bedrooms. Um the uh the applicant provided so your the applicant did provide um revisions based on the review that was in your packet. I emailed those out this afternoon. Um the my colleagues in the administration have not had a chance to review them. I've had a chance to skim through them. Um and what I just showed you is the revised set. Um, so I'm I'm I can sort of navigate through some of the things whether it's been addressed or not. I think the applicant can help with that, too. Um, but just so you know, I'm showing you the the set that it was in response to our initial review. Um, there was not an elevation in the original application. This is a typical unit uh elevation. Uh, I believe the siding is intended to be vinyl and um with a with a gabled roof. Um, we don't yet have elevations of the entire project.

Mr. Aiel,

yes. I know that I'm getting old and my eyesight is not what it used to be, but when I drove by that property, either that is a miraculously larger property than I drove past. H how is that possible to put that those two large structures on my side lot might be bigger than this piece of property? Um well I mean the the the property is 60 ft wide to 60 ft of frontage on Beaconsfield. It's about 200 feet long. So I guess this is the what you see is is how that is proposed to happen. Um,

Chairman De Hunt, if I may, please when I first started looking at the original pack, it would be parking on Veronica, but any of us that have lived in this city know that if there's a spot, somebody's going to take it. So, I have concerns there. My biggest concern, and again, Mr. This is not directed at you, but we received revisions at 11:30 this morning, 7 hours before the commission meets. Some of my commission members actually have jobs and would not have had a chance to look at the revisions. The other thing I'm concerned about is even in the revisions, it said there are specific areas that will be addressed once they're available. But you're wanting us to approve a site plan. We don't have all the information yet and it's not practical. I think of another monstrosity we have in the city which is an residents single family residence built on the corner of Seamron and Lexington. And at least they have off- streetet parking in a twocar garage. This plan is making absolutely no safe sense in my head. Thank you, Mr. Oil. Oh, Mr. Myers.

Mr. Chair, if I may, you're correct. Um, Councilman Chair, uh, that we have a couple issues on the table that haven't been met by our request. And so, you might be wise, if it be my recommendation, to table this until further information. we would not grant this big of a piece of property to have only or majority of its parking on the street. And so they have to make some amendments to that standard from what they started if you remember over a year ago uh when we had another presentation to this uh same property issue. So they have some things they have to correct yet when they thought they would be able to get it all done before this meeting got done got here. And as um well done by by Paul, they continue to amend or make recommendations to correcting the site plan and therefore they got late and trying to get it in at the last hour. The 11th hour was not qualified for what we'd like to see happen. The property is going to fit the buildings but not necessarily fit the uh proper setback for um usage of vehicles per unit. Even one per unit won't be meeting our zoning code. So you are correct on those. So, my recommendation at this point is for us to suggest we go back to the drawing board with this organization uh and see if we can get some of the zoning verifications more clarified before we bring it back to you.

Chairman D Hunt, if you'd like, I would make a motion to table this action. Does anybody wish to second that motion?

I I would just have a question on this property. is the only concern the parking or are there other concerns? I know there was a lot of things that to be determined and I know we've had sometime people come and they do things administratively. Is there any administrative things that can be resolved? I know he said he hadn't seen them all but are those administrative factors that can be done administratively and if it's a parking structure uh issue then that would be something different. But um I guess my question would be why are we here if you have not resolved something as major as parking? That would be my question.

Um so the the zoning ordinance does allow um the petitioner to ask the planning commission for flexibility in parking. There's also a provision that says for affordable units um are not obligated to provide the one off- streetet parking space per unit that's otherwise required. Um, I guess we are here and the applicant is here um to discuss the project and to understand your concerns. Um, the applicant is here if you'd like to talk to them to um I mean I I think that there's been some clear feedback already. Um, but I think it's productive to have um the commission and the applicant talk to each other and so that we can this we've been the city's been talking to this applicant for a long time about a project of some kind on this uh piece of land. And so um I guess this is an effort to move it forward even if we do not reach a uh approval today.

So we have a motion to table but we have no support.

Can I add something first? Something else I just realized that I read in the original packet was the core soil samples also. And what I was reading was there was some concern that the clay base may not be conducive to supporting the weight of these particular buildings and that the particular clay base that they were finding has a tendency over time with water levels and whatever changing of shifting which eventually could cause the structure base to be shifting. Again, I'm not an engineer, so I don't know how legitimate that is, but to me, that's a concern.

Chair, if I may. And that did we not read something that said just change the footing, how they structure the footing? Correct. How the footing can address that and it wasn't common in this area? I'm just curious to know because I think I read that after you read that part says about it doesn't happen around here. This would have been the piece that we received this morning. This was in the original packet that I saw the the soil studies. Yeah. From McDonald Associates. Yeah. The boring and the whole packet. They show that in detail. But they they were indicating that there were some potential clay base issues. It was a very in-depth report. I do.

Yeah. But it it resolved it but it came with the resolution. Correct. It came with the resolution. Okay. And it also stated that it was not common in this area. I thought okay that's on page of the February 12th letter I think. Thank you. The three samples.

So we still have a motion to table but nobody has supported that I am aware of as of yet. I ju I councilman I just feel like we're tableabling something before we've had a chance to really discuss everything. True. Well, I just want to find out if the motion dies a motion too because of parking. That's what my question was. Are we tableing because of parking and if the parking zoning does make some um you know accommodations for that? So we're tableling it for what reason? That would be my question. Now I know there were some remarks that came today um but based on what I read it did indicate that's what I'm saying. Could that be handled administratively? When we've had some business come before us, there are some things we don't know all the answers to. Correct.

But it does say it can be handled administratively. So before I would just table the whole package. I would say is there anything that could be handled administratively and is the other issue was parking is something I heard. We just resolved the boring because it was stated. I so from what I saw of the revised submission it um it does address many of the comments not all of them I think things that are outstanding and and I can't speak for my colleagues or the engineers because we did not receive the revisions in time for the engineers to review them um the parking if the planning commission is going to grant any um modification of the parking requirements um

we couldn't do it,

right? That that the planning commission would have to do that and at this scale it would require a public hearing. Um the standard I think is more than 11%. There's also um I am not certain myself of the um of the price point or how we might guarantee that these units are affordable. they are intended to be for sale. Um so since I didn't receive any additional information about that I was going towards the the petition is um the application is to ask the planning commission to modify the parking requirements which has to meet certain standards um which I think I thought I copied them in here. Um this is the process for that. Um, and and the ordinance does state that the planning commission has final authority over granting parking waiverss,

but that would also require public hearing if I'm correct, which we have not had. Correct. And you said that there were other issues that you did not have time to address because it was received at the last moment.

I I did I it was received yesterday morning. Okay. Um it so there was not time to send it out to in your original packet. The uh fire department uh mentioned a concern about the the access down the street if there are cars parked at the end. I mean he the fire marshall has not seen the revised plans or where the applicant in the initial phase the applicant had identified the parking spaces. In this revised phase, the parking spaces are identified. There are nine parking spaces identified on Veronica. Um, not Beaconsfield, Commissioner Sassic. Um, the there were other things. The the building was in the setback or the applicant was interpreting the front of the lot line differently than I was interpreting the front of the lot line. So the setback the comments about the setback and the variances as it's currently presented it would not need setback variances.

Mr. Myers, it look like you're about right. You want to say something?

You're I was answering the the councilman's the the commissioner's question about what else can be done. We cannot do administratively the parking issue. It also needs to be public noticed and then it also needs to confirm for you the use of the parking variances are going to be based on being low mod income structured built and those numbers need to be in front of you so you can make that or we could make that administratively to confirm those kind of guidelines and that's that's just not been completed enough uh at the last dollar as as the modifications have been made and those are our PC responsibilities. Okay.

And please, so my recommendation is yes, I would definitely want to table this because I didn't even know there was another revision today and I'm not going to talk about something I do not have had a chance to review a revision. Um, parking totally a game changer for me. Um, I would like to hear what the applicant has to say. I mean uh and I did not see and maybe it was in m one of the multiple revision packets. Do we have a rendering of a completed look of this proposal? We do not.

Okay. I would like to see that as well. Um and materials. I mean I know that's but um that's my suggestion. Let the applicant speak and if everyone agrees to table it, I would move. So, well, we have a motion to table. We have had no support thus far. Well, we got Caddyy Wampus here. We did

uh Mr. Herbiel. Um, I I was just going to reiterate, I guess, just to say that what we're doing here, I again, I was hoping to advance the conversation, have the applicant hear from the planning commission about concerns about how we can get this to Yes. I I will take the note about whether or not you want to see something before we are fully endorsed or all the eyes are dotted and teas are crossed. We don't know.

We're not going to vote on anything. We're going to listen to the applicant and then make a decision mother to table just so we can as Mr. Beiel said move a little forward. Note to self last minute. No bueno. Okay, folks. Would you like to be heard? Please, if you would put your name on the piece of paper up there. speaking sensitive.

Oh, good lord. There's a little button on the uh and I thought you looked familiar.

I told her I know you. I know. Okay. Thank you. Um I wanted to address the parking situation. So we were working with Bridgetette um prior to John. We've been working with them for over a year and we have the homes are moderate income. Uh we have a grant through MISTA. All that stuff had been verified and we had documentation from Bridgetette that we would have an allowance for parking. Um that that is waved because of the income qualific or the price of the the homes. that was done almost seven months ago and we have documentation from um the previous planning person regarding that. And then um there was a comment regarding the other units that's on Kelly that are not um occupied now. So there was I mean we have nothing nothing to do with it but we know there was um something with the fire suppression system and that you know and mold and all that stuff something happened so that's why they're not occupied

and those um units are um for rent and we are we are um our construction and our development is for um sale and we're trying to and um make sure that we pre-sale those so they won't be sitting there um unoccupied and unopen and um we are working with Huntington Bank, Northstar Bank um to pre-qualify um actual buyers for the properties. So um this is a totally different unit base, totally different um development. So um in in addition to that u we apologize for um bringing to you all or to um u Mr. Ubale um updates but we wanted to get in front of everyone the fact that we were trying to answer the questions and the issues and the concerns that came up so that we would have all the information in front of you.

Um so just want to make that comment as well. um because there were quite a few uh comments and concerns. So, we went back to our civil engineer, had him go through the documents and all of the the questions and issues and comments so he could address them and so that we could have some preparation before this um meeting because officially we didn't get the questions back until last end of last week. Yes. And so we turned it back around to our civil engineer as quickly as we could and as soon as we got it back, we we turned it in to them. So that was the it was based on you know when we got it back from the planning department. Does anybody have

does anybody have any questions for the applicants? Do you have a rendering of a final product? Yes. And is there a consideration if the parking is going to be an issue that you scale down how many units there are currently? Yeah. and that was an option. Okay. We would go from 9 to 8 and that was an option. So, you're being very flexible. We've been very flexible for over a year. Thank you. We started at 10. Yeah. Oh, yes.

Yeah. And just to reference, the homes are 15 by 40 and the lot is 205 by by 60. So, technically 10 because there's a a space in the middle. could. But yeah, we we will we will we are very flexible as it relates to parking because we've had this like I said, we've gone back and forth. Um and then um again, when Bridget Bridgetette gave us a thing saying, you know what, we could they didn't have to vote on it because because of the income restrictions that um that was, you know, that was allowable.

Yeah, I'm not sure on on that area. Um, but I do know that during snow emergencies, as was mentioned, the police will tow the cars and I would hate to have someone go through that. We are very flexible. Appreciate that. Thank you. Well, given the fact that we have some new unknowns with whatever happened between regime.

Sorry, I didn't say your name right. I think we do need to move forward with tableing this so we can get all the tees crossed and not waste time and have everything. So Mr. Sassic made a motion. Did you? Uh I did not. I had questions. Just have a motion. Well, I have one question. If you're considering tableabling this, this is just for the next meeting, correct? All of the information will be together and uh we'll be in a position to move forward at that time. Mr. Ail,

we can I mean yes, we can review the revised submission in time for the next meeting and there can be another iteration. How much time do you ladies need, do you think, to work with your civil engineer to work with Paul and get it where it needs to be? So to be clear, is it the parking that's the issue right now? I mean, is that the only thing that's the issue?

I guess I can't answer that fully um in until the entire administration reviews, but um I think the parking to me the parking was the major um zoning item in addition to the the look the facade of the building. And some of that was because there's a sample unit. Some of that was addressed. It meets the required height. So from what I saw, it looks like things are moving in the right direction. Um the parking to me was the thing that was still outstanding

because to be perfectly honest, when I did the the comparison of what the first submission and a comparison to the second submission that came overnight, it it was everything was addressed. I I I'm confused as to what what we're speaking of aside from the parking because when I read through the information, I it appeared to me as though the um the ladies had answered all of the questions, the civil engineer had they had answered everything there and it seemed to be above board. The only it was one particular thing that I was um the word understood was was placed there. I'm like understood. I need an explanation for that. But other than that, everything was seemed to be fine. So I don't know. And can I just address um when we got it back and had this small window of time before the meeting, we put the pressure on the civil engineer and and um and we've provided some of the comments because he was also the civil engineer for the Kelly project. And so he had some questions around why are we asking some of these questions that he didn't do that weren't applicable to Kelly. And so it was we needed a little he needed a little more clarity because he didn't have enough because he had just done a a same project and that's why we picked him because he knew he was familiar with East Point

and so we we did reach out but unfortunately we weren't able to schedule a meeting with the planning in time before we got here you know so but he did his best he could you know with two days you know notice so I will go back to my initial comment is that if this is going to be table. I think out of a fairness that we should um make it known to them that this will be addressed at the next scheduled meeting.

Mr. Chair, I have no problem with that. We just need to make sure that as the our my concern for them as Rejit and I started the project long long time ago is the parking would be your greatest and the community's greatest concern. And so that would have to be addressed because we don't can't address it in this condition ourselves administratively. It has to come before you. And so I have no problem being ready by next month, but we need the time and a deadline to put it in the public hearing so that everybody knows it's coming. And that's also a short window of time yet. Not un unreachable. I'm just saying if we're going to get it in December's meeting, it just needs to be in the papers appropriately. So the ladies are appearing flexible.

Yes. Changing it. Yeah. I have no problem. I'm just saying you're asking the question that the only piece we have administratively that we can do to support and guarantee you get it here is we got to get all the pieces on the table for them to address to you in the the parking issues in the newspaper in time. So what time what date would they have to have their engineer have everything buttoned down? Absolutely pristine worked out. What date do they need to have it to you? I can't remember that number. I know it's 15 days because you have to publicly so from whatever 15 days back from the next public our next hearing whatever that date would be.

Does that give you guys enough time or do you want to do this in January? Okay. Just for a point of clarification, if the homes are affordable, you still need uh public hearing, although that's what's in your zoning ordinance. Okay. So, all right. So, will you're good for December then? Yes. Okay. Good lord. Right. That's your biggest piece. And then will we be able to get will you all be able to review what you know the updates and get it to your civil engineer or whoever so that then we can get back to ours in time just in case there's some more gaps.

Civil engineer is here so we'll be able to talk to them afterwards. Okay. All right. Very good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you ladies. All right. Mr. Sassic made a motion. Support. We have support. Secretary please call the role for tableabling this item. Mr. Sassic. Yes. and on record that's tabled until the December 4th. I'm sorry, my apologies. Yes. Uh, Miss Yulinsky, yes. Mrs. Moody, yes. Miss Naylor, yes. Chairman Deont, yes. Mr. Kern, if you have a moment later on, maybe you introduce yourself to Miss Clark and Miss Hunter. All right, moving on to item A.

Mr. Abel, do you wish to introduce this grand thing that's going to happen in the city? Um, I will introduce uh the gentleman from AW who will introduce this grand thing to you. Did we forget to pay the heat bill?

Yes, please. I think I could hang meat here. piece up here.

You're on deck, sir. I'm just trying to get the technology to Whoa, there we go. Okay. All right. Let's see if I can do this without creating a lot of feedback.

Are they okay? Okay. So, East Point Police and Court is why we are here. Um, we have been working at AEW with the city for two years. It's been a it's been a while. Um, through a few different administrations and and these sorts of things. Uh, so what you folks have in front of you, I'm starting here with the the rendering um generally of the outside of the of the building. Um, I will say that we plan to have more trees than what is shown. If you look at the site plan, the um site plan itself, that shows a lot more vegetation. It's just when we put all those trees in, you can't see the the building in the rendering. So, some of those get cybernetically cut down. So, but some of the features here, the facility is going to be built basically at the same location as it is now. They bought the property next door and the plan is to construct the facility over here to the east uh while they remain in operation. And then once the building's complete, there'll be a move period, but it should be relatively short. uh and then the parking lot areas will be finished. Uh as far as the amount number of spaces, we tried to keep that down, but there was a a lot of function in terms of the raw number of court staff, the number of police uh staff, police staff at shift change, uh and then as well the uh the public parking for hearings when you have courtrooms that could be over 100 people in them. So the zone here in the south west is the public parking and then as you go up this is court parking and then kind of as you round the corner you get to police parking. The

property has a secure fence around the perimeter uh to keep uh people out of the court and uh police areas for the safety of the staff. And there is a proposed, excuse me, gun range over here that the police department would like to put in as well. So, we tried to get that through there. Um, but as far as site amenities, we have a a pocket park here close to Nine Mile to try to create a little bit nicer of a situation. We've got trees lining Nine Mile Road to be planted in. And then we have an entry plaza. I'll zoom back out here in the front of the building with some raised planter beds that serves two purposes. It can put in vegetation. We're going to use a lot of native vegetation is what I'm seeing in the plans, but with elevated planter beds like that, it also helps for security in terms of discouraging people from accidentally or intentionally ramming into the building. Um, so those are a lot of the site features. Do you have more you want to add to that, Jeff?

Um, so I guess I would uh look for any questions, comments, or concerns from you fine people. As much as I hate to say this, is that enough parking? I unfortunately we are a very active court. Is that enough parking? Isn't there going to be parking too in the lot uh on the other side of Nine Mile? Were we talking about that? Like um where the post office parks the municipal lot that I think they were calling it back there?

Behind the library. Yes. We've had we we meet monthly with the court with the police department administration on the design of the project. We've had several discussions about the parking, making sure that there is enough parking and adequate parking. We've had several discussions with the police chief, the judge, the magistrate administration as far as how much parking that those departments do need as well as how much public parking. We've we've based that our design on those discussions that we've had with with those administrators. ADA comp.

We have to have one for every 25 parking spaces at a minimum. And I know this is probably a silly question, but I I I never want to assume because this says option two. This is the one that has been chosen. That is the option that Okay. I don't want to assume that

anybody will be able to accommodate based upon our discussions. Yes, it would. And yeah, the design they architects can go into that further, but the the court has been designed. It does have two courtrooms in that design. So, if if there is another judge that is added, we have two courtrooms as part of this building. And I know all this had the input of the court employees and and the police department. I think this looks fantastic,

Mr. Chair, if I could add something too. Um, ways that uh courts uh in the area deal with uh challenges in parking is oftent times they will stagger their docket. So they will schedule cases for 8:00 in the morning, 8:30, 9:00, 9:30, so on and so forth. Um or they will schedule um you know probation appointments on a particular day of the week. So there isn't actual court going on. I know the 40th district court. Um I think that the 40th district court probably has and they have two judges over there with two courts going on and they probably have a very similar size uh parking lot as well. And what they do is they they stagger their dockets and that does help in the amount of traffic that is coming to the court. So there isn't just a large group coming all at one time when the building opens.

Mr. Myers. No, I think this is they have mastered the numbers of of parking. They've taken the ADA parking properly, what is meets our the state and the city standards. Um and and I think they're doing very well at laying out the the travel and the transportational location of this of this uh property. I think it's going to it's not going to be congested. I think it'll be a smooth uh transition in and out in in the different types of three driveways that they're going to have in this thing.

Yes. The fire truck has no problem getting in and addressing the the fire. question uh comment more so I was going to ask about the fire department because looking at this one area that seemed kind of narrow but um we've talked about this when other businesses come to the area and we talked about this now there's new development from housing coming to the area our parking and I think we went through our zoning talking about parking

and different ways we can address the parking I think it brings back to topic that we have to um really look at our zoning because the city is not going to get any bigger but yet we say we want more people to come, more businesses to come and this has been a chronic problem with every project. So we have to make a decision if it's going to be the modern city, you know, parking is always going to be the barrier or they going to have to find solutions to address them. Um, I know we have the public hearing we said like in the last case if you know with the income parameters, but you know, I'm looking at this one and I've gone past that. I've had to go to that court and I know he said 8 8:30. It don't mean anything. The judge doesn't show up on time, so they all overlap. So, that parking looks kind of tight to me for court uh proceedings. But, um, I don't know what else. Like you say, there's no new land. Um, I think at some point we have to uh revisit our zoning around parking and we've talked about that for the last two or three years. Um, but we have to really address that.

Probably closer to 10. Yeah. And and not that it's the time right now to bring this up, but um I guess we need somebody to invest in a parking garage. They seem to be all the hit in in other cities. And there's a large parcel on crash right across the street. see if Senator Kleinfeld can find some money to buy the building across the street.

I don't think so. Appreciate the opportunity.

All right. Thank you. Um, so we're on the zoning ordinance amendments, correct? Um, Um, thank you, Mr. Chair. As far as the zoning ordinance amendments, um, I I'm h, as I said, I'm happy to revisit or answer any questions about, um, what we are proposing. Um, it is largely what we discussed last time. I Hm. I will also say that we're not just in response to the comments these with regard to accessory reg the regulations for accessory garages. Um when zoning ordinance was revised two years ago, these requirements were omitted. I believe in an effort to make um make the development of accessory dwelling units which are now permitted in East Point more uh practical. But the unintended consequence of omitting those requirements is that there are not the appropriate regulations for things like private garages. So the what we are proposing here is to restore what was in the zoning ordinance from that was originally written I believe in 2008.

Um those regulations about private garages. So we're not I just wanted to make the point that that was the law or that was the regulation prior to two years ago for quite some time. Um, I think there are I guess I'm I'm interested to hear any opinions about the what was suggested or what was asked about um reducing the setback. I think that there are good reasons for larger setbacks. I also acknowledge that many many private garages in East Point are non-conforming to the three foot rule and the typical lot is very narrow. Um, so some some communities do allow a smaller setback and some communities require a larger one. Um, I just wanted to make the point that um, we were restoring these regulations for the private garages because um, we have inquiries about where they can go and how high they can be and the way the ordinance is currently written makes answering those questions very difficult. Mr. Chair,

so um I kind of drove around. Um we had a garage fire recently near my residence and I'm looking at I looked at my own property. I have an attached so setbacks didn't apply nearly as much. But um I do think there should be some language that if we are going to um have residents that already existed like this guy had a fire. So it was a real life experience and if this was already passed then he would now have restricted behavior on something that was in his yard the whole time he's owned his house. And I think that was something that I wanted to say we should address. If it is an existing home and a homeowner and they have a something like a fire, I don't see where that person should be required to change what they purchased um because they had the tragedy of a fire. So I don't know if there's some language that can be added just like we do with special land use. if somebody buys a building and it's the same use the same person uh sign for the same purpose then they don't have to go through the whole special land use because it's already was in that use but I think if somebody already had a garage there should be some language to protect the homeowner in our city because I happen to have seen someone I think that would be a tragedy if they had to try and now reduce what they had access to.

Tragedy doesn't ever require us to revert back to a new model. It's when a new owner comes in and they choose to take the building down or say uh it was a demolition building because we've required them to take it down because it was un unsafe to be operating and then if they wanted to put one up after it was done not managed or maintained for years and it was requested by the courts or the um code of appeals board that it needs to be dropped then they should bring it back to the current code. I don't have any problem saying if there's a tragedy, the fire starts and they're going to rebuild their garage that they would have to replace it from a different location. But both the facts are remaining. When a fire does happen, and there's three of them in our city right now in a garage, they damage all the other properties. It's not it's they're so close they've already now now the insurance has to cover multiple neighborhoods. But I would support your your analogy that if it's an existing garage and it's damaged and it needs to be rebuilt, it should not have to come off the same platform of which it was established. It should be able to be restored. The other piece we don't have any wording for right now is when they don't have a garage and they want to put one on, we have no guidelines for what a setback is set for at all. So there's three sides of the subject. And the one that says if you have a fire on a garage that is detached and it has to be rebuilt, I would have no problem granting it the right to be back on the same platform of which it was. But there's two other categories and all the other assessments, all the other accessories isn't just about a garage. It's about some of their other sheds they want to put in and and the uh rat walls that don't get put in and and where do they get to be and how close they get to be put from another house.

That's what these other listings are going to add to give the ability to bring safety to the future of the city. So, I don't have any problem collecting uh a wordage that allows a damaged garage that needs to be replaced that's been there for existing can be put back in its same platform. Is this a standard ordinance in a community similar to ours?

Yes, it would be. uh especially if it if the terminology is say a weather destroys the garage then they wouldn't have to put it back to modern zoning unless it depending what they want to use it for. So, example, the other issues uh that this city hasn't addressed completely yet is people have in the recent past even has taken their garages and turned them into residential property. And and now that you're sitting with a furnace and a water supply and you're only one and a half ft away from the neighbor without a fire separation, that becomes a concern if we don't catch that before they put those things together. So, those are some of the things that this city doesn't have or some restrictions on yet that allow us to not necessarily protect people that want to put two residential properties uh two residential primaries on one property.

Okay. Does anybody have any other questions of Mr. Meyers or Mr. Okay. So, do we need to make a motion here? Mr. Sure.

Should we have some language for that? Motion. You've got a proposed motion, Mr. Myers.

Yes. I want to clarify that wording is already in our system. Let me read it for you. It's in in section 1107 uh number D number one. The reconstruction, repair, rebuilding or continues of a nonconforming building including their use, damage by fire, collision, explosion or act of natural disaster or unusual circumstances wherein the experience of the construction does not exist in excessing valuation of the building at the time of the damage according to this permitted is still permitted. So, it's already in our ver ordinance on those categories if it's caused by damage of multiple levels. So, in in your response, it's already in our verbiage that it wouldn't need to be moved.

Okay. So, do we have a proposed motion already written in here that I'm missing? I don't recall seeing

I don't Yeah. I had another before we do the motion. I did have a question. We talked about the event halls at the beginning. I think it was 2.07 table of land use and zoning and then the new language is an event hall. Uh the exper experiential retail. So in the um amendment it says it will no longer be a permitted use under some of these other codes. So what would be the process then if it's no longer permitted in like the M U12 DT etc. So if we're going to just change it from being experiential retail and the description seems to be the same thing to me it seemed to be the same thing as an event hall but now we're changing what's where it's permitted to be used. So the intention there is to um remove the term experiential retail and if so that term was intended for something like painting with a twist um if that if that use um if someone requested to occupy a building with that use under the proposed changes that use would be classified just as retail and be permitted anywhere retail is um is proposed if that is the principal use of the building. Um it in practice that definition was causing some confusion or um encouraging people to um say that they were doing one thing when what they were really doing was opening an event hall. So we're just trying to clarify the difference between the two things.

definitions. So, but the use could be the same. I just I guess that's what I'm asking because it's now saying it's not permitted use. So, what would be the process if somebody did want to do like a painting with a twist? They have to say they're doing it at Vinh Hall. No, that they would they would describe what they were doing and the city would classify that as retail and it would be permitted in the MU districts. Um I think is where general retail is permitted.

Okay. So I I see it then it's just a reclassification that um because I thought you were saying instead of saying the experiential retail is now supposed to be called an event hall. So, if it's an event hall and as is described here um where food or beverages can be served, then that's just a permitted use because it's an event hall. Correct. Correct. It's permitted in certain places. Yeah. Y

but we are if they were going to do this painting with a twist type business or some kind of business where they come in for crafts whatever then they have to get a special land use or something. No, if that's the primary use, if that's all that happens there, then it would just be permitted retail retail. Okay. Just falling on a retail and out. Okay. Correct.

I just wanted to make sure the clarification cuz I was like, we need to keep that. Um I think that was the last thing that share. So, do we have a motion to send this to city council for a recommended approval?

So, move. All right. Should we read Yeah. Would you read item C into the record, please, Gary? Sure. So, I'm making a motion to um consend to city council the revised adopted proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance for the city of East Point. Zoning ordinances section 2.07.01 7.0 three

three Thank you. Uh 7.0 I'm sorry 8.04 9.04 9.05 10.02 10.03 10.05 13.02 and to the zoning map and we are recommending their approval. Yes. Okay. We have motion. Do we have support? Support. We have motion by Mr. Sassic. We have support by Miss Moody. Secretary, please call the role. Mr. Sassic, yes. Mrs. Moody, yes. Miss Naylor, yes. Miss Yulinsky, yes. Chairman Dant,

yes. Moving on to item D. Consider a motion to adopt the 2025 planning commission. Yeah, I was just going to say that too didn't catch that when we approved the agenda. And All right. Consider a motion to adopt the 2026 planning commission meeting schedule and submission deadlines which I believe is the very last page of your packet. We have motion. Do we have support? Support. We have motion and we have support. Secretary, please call the role. Mrs. Moody, yes. Miss Yinsky, yes. Miss Naylor, yes. Mr. Sassic, yes. Chairman Dant,

yes. We have no unfinished business. Moving on to Mr. Meyers in the building department update. I don't have much. There's many things going on at the place right now. We have finalized our fifth uh code officer to be on our on our staff uh in the last week and a half. We're excited about that. We've moved to a five uh district structure uh that allows each person to have one mile radius uh to help begin to be a part of our neighborhood blockwatch to be a part of our business districts and so that that person becomes a connected link from the building department to all the issues of planning, five-year master planning and everything that's going on inside the districts. We're excited about that piece. We're hoping to find the last person in our building department in our clerk uh in the next week or so. Uh we have a proposal on the table for someone that allows us to rewrite all of our programming and our software so that we can become more legitimately and effectively involved um in the city uh digitally. And the goal really here as as this team gets in motion is to present ourselves to the state for audits, for demonstration of accuracy and proficiency in our department for the first time in many, many years. so that you as a planning commission and the city council can have trust and confidence that we are not just people trying to get a paycheck, but we're bringing the ordinance that I'm sworn to uphold, which is life, safety, health, and wellness of a whole community, one parcel at a time, to our city. So, I'm excited about those things. I thank you as a commission for your hard work of reviewing the details. Um, I count on you being thorough. so that there's an accountability to uh the the planner and myself. Thank you for that hard work to

address some of the comments ahead of time. The uh Toeer project is uh just about on the back door of of being open. Uh I've met with the leadership there uh last week. Personally, um the deadline is to find a secure way to not get robbed anymore. Uh to get the mechanical pieces in. There's um a few items on the inside that have to be met uh that are are plumbing inspected required as a final before we can close and give them a CFA which is a a compliance of approval. So we have already granted them the right to start in December one to take applications on and within 45 days from when we had our meeting they should begin to have housing people available to move in. So, the goal is to have them people start being available to walk into that door before the end of this year. So, we have a couple more pieces that they had to finish uh to satisfy um the building department's life and safety, but they're right on the back door being ready to walk in. So, we're excited about that. Uh and that's the biggest project going there. We're still working out some of the final details to open up our marijuana facility on 8 and Kelly. Uh that's just on the back door of being finished as well. Um thanks to the attorney and the city's process, I'm getting a chance to be a little bit more aggressive in our neighborhoods and we now are addressing um unhealthy and unsafe houses in our neighborhoods uh and bringing them to um a nuisance abatement. Um, so I think we have about eight or nine of them that we'll be bringing to the table to clean up and so that getting through this winter, uh, we'll have some less, um, dangerous buildings in the city and that's due to the fact that our staff is

growing and I can address more aggressively um, the housing stock issue that we have um, in the community. So, there's an update that I'm excited to see is moving forward and um you can keep me accountable to see where we're going to go uh into the future because if we can get state's approval that we're following the laws, the rules, and our efficiency, then the city has great hope that we can fix the 5-year master plan uh in a timely manner. Thank you, Mr. Myers. Moving on to the second hearing of the public. If anybody wishes to be heard, you have three minutes.

Jennifer Nicholas, East Point resident. Um, just a couple more questions on the um the development at uh to uh excuse me, Veronica and Beaconsfield. Um, I know I've said this before, but that neighborhood is mostly brick homes, older brick homes. Very nice neighborhood there. So, I think it would be helpful for you to get an actual rendering of what it's going to look like there. Um, somebody had mentioned something about vinyl siding, and I thought that our ordinance said that no vinyl siding is allowed on Kelly or Toeer. That was kind of the issue with the um quadriplexes over at Kelly and Toeer where Mr. Myers informed me that what's on toper isn't vinyl siding. It just looks like vinyl siding which to me just kind of defeats the purpose of of having that ordinance. So, I would hope that whatever is going at Beaconsfield and Veronica's because that is a very lovely neighborhood over there is something that will blend in and um you know be be aesthetically pleasing to that community because there are a lot of homes there. Um other than that, um I think that's it. Thank you for clarifying with the garages and hopefully that, you know, never happens to anybody where their garage burns down and that I understand what you're saying about the safety issue, but and I'm not sure how all of East Point is laid out, but in in my neighborhood, my garage is 2 feet away from a fence and on the other side of the fence is an open backyard. So there is, you know, if it were to be set on fire on fire or something happened, it's not going to damage my neighbor's property. There's nothing there. There's empty backyard. And that's how most of the homes on my block are. So, thank you for um clarifying that and making it more reasonable for for homeowners. Thank

you. Have a good night. Does anyone else wish to be heard? Anyone else wish to be heard? Seeing none, we will the second the public and we'll move on to commissioner comments. Mr. Myers, I have nothing. Mr. I have nothing further. Thank you, Chair. Mr. Wood, I think that's you down there. I have nothing. Mr. Well, Thanksgiving is going to be here in three short weeks. So, I wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Thank you.

Um I'd just like to thank everyone for um coming today, especially for the uh for Miss Clark and Miss Hunter. Uh thank you for your patience with us. Um we're looking forward to seeing the um answers that we have for those questions with respect to the parking and um I'd like to thank everyone here for their service and uh wish them a happy Thanksgiving as well.

Thank you, Miss Yulinski. Thanks. Uh, I don't have much. I actually just um forgot to email you, John, but the U street sign on Grashet and Cousins, and this might be a Darren thing, um, is reversed on the east side of the street. Not a big deal. And I kind of had a Oh, I do have a question. Not kind of. Uh, the parking lot at Auto Clinic, when does he have to have that done? Sunburn noise. 60 days ago.

Oh, okay. That's kind of what I thought. And then um him blocking the sidewalk on Nells really irritates me when I walk. Um, and I wondered if, so since there's a um, uh, coded officer for each sections of the city, is it something that we could put out to the public that they could directly call their person and that would help that person also get to know the or is that not allowable?

Yes, sir. I think that'll be more than allowable as we work alongside of the police with their officer in the same neighborhood. And what we plan to do um is uh get approval to open a public forum so that what we're doing in our community uh with our code officers can be uh reviewed and heard particularly in landlord issues. And so that when they were concerned about how we're now managing our department in in rentals, they'll have a chance to speak directly to me, not about their address, but about the process and the policies. And so, yes, hopefully by the time I get to the second quarter, which starts in January, we might have a strong enough team that if they have a complaint, they can go through our CRA or directly to a code officer to take a look at it. Well, I just and and my thought process for that um was I I I don't know, but I hear that you know people when they call the main city number blah blah blah whatever happens and my thought was if they could go directly to their person and then develop a relationship for each sector you know people would know kind of like when we had yeah the officers for each thing. Um, that was my thought for that. And I think I asked this before not too long ago, so I apologize if it's the same, but our development ready status, we're still on track.

They are redevelopment ready. Okay. RC. Yeah. Sorry. All right. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Miss Moody. Oh, good evening. I I have nothing just to say happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Thank you, Miss Naylor. I don't have anything. Happy Thanksgiving. Uh, sorry I missed you guys last month, but um, yeah, look forward to a nice 2026 and working on our master plan to um, get our city on track and resolve the parking so we can grow effectively and be inviting for businesses, developers, and get us a corridor. Mr. Fantastic.

Happy Thanksgiving to everybody. Um, I just want to clarify too that my concerns when it comes to new buildings, new structures, whatever. I just want to make sure that what's going in is cohesive to the rest of the surrounding area. Um, like I said, there is a monstrosity on Lexington that has basically made itself the most expensive piece of property on the street. And we want property to be able to move within the city, but we also have to consider the total safety of the city. And I know how bad street parking can be at really creating problems for that. So, I'm not trying to be negative about it, but it's something we really have to consider. And I'm looking forward to a very prosperous 2026. Thank you. Thank God you weren't around 25 years ago or 30 years ago when we tore my garage down because my fence went around my garage and it kind of leaned to one side. We were had we had uh garage fires back then, but nobody wanted to torch it. So,

but thank you for your attention to detail. you know, we have just if you could for fun, we have two houses in two city uh parking uh garages right now that they can't fix the the one side of their garage because the fence is within 6 in of their property line and they don't know how to fix it. I said, "You're going to have to ask the neighbor if you can remove the fence completely so you can repair your garage wall so you can put it back together and then put his fence back up because that's how close the the garage is to the fence." Well, I appreciate your attention to detail and I understand that some of the stuff that we do is seems minute and minutia and annoying and just it it takes a toll sometimes on people, but it's all very important that we do it. So, thank you for every every question that's asked, whether we agree with answers or not, it's it's important. So, we had an election this week. Uh congratulations to those who won. Congratulations and thank you to those who ran. We move forward and every election is a is a new day wherever you're at. Whether your person wins or not is irrelevant. We move forward as a community. So no looking back. We drive forward. If you want to get in the rearview mirror and you want to drive backwards, I'm sure there are other communities for you, but we drive forward in the city. With that, can I get a motion to close the meeting?

A motion. We have a motion. Do we have support? Support. We have motion and three supports. Motion. Motion by Miss Moody. Support by Miss Naylor. Secretary, please call the role. Mrs. Moody. Yes. Miss Naylor. Yes. Mr. Sassic. Yes. M. Yes. Chairman to Hunt. Yes. Good night. Good night, everybody.