Mayor and Council - Regular Meeting

My coworker Well, that's good. I think we got the new business. I don't know. You know, they're utility. I had to ask.

Yes. All right, welcome everybody. Everybody, uh, thank you for being here tonight for

our, uh, meeting of the mayor and council. Um, we have with us tonight, Pastor Matt Conn with Waterstone Church, 1464 Spring Street. Um, he's going to lead us in the invocation and pledge. Everybody, please rise.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It's an honor to be here with all of you tonight. Let's pray. Father, we thank you that you have provided the the air that we breathe and this beautiful city that we live in. Lord, you call us to live here, to make it our homes, to enjoy it, and to love it. And I thank you for how this council and the Smyrna City staff do that so incredibly well. Lord, I pray for them and specifically if there's anything going on with their health. Lord, I ask that you'd intercede and you'd comfort them, that you'd provide the resources that they need to take care of it. And ultimately just that you would heal them. I pray that for everybody who's here and everybody who's not, but who still serves and works with the city as well. And I pray that you would not just do that for their bodies, but you would do that for their hearts and for their minds and for their souls, too. Lord, we know in our city and in this day and age, there's a lot of changes that are going on. There's people who are coming and there's businesses that are coming and unfortunately there's people and there's businesses that are leaving as well. We celebrate together. We grieve together. We do all things together here in Smyrna because our desire is to live well connected. And we thank you that you connect us. Would you help this council? would you help this city and all of its staff and leaders lead with wisdom and grace. We know that we can pray this to you now and we know that we are heard because of your son. And it is in his name that we pray. Amen. Would you please join me in the pledge? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, pastor, for being with us tonight. Appreciate you. Uh we do have one agenda change we're going to knock

out real quick. We're adding um this is item A. We're adding uh 26 2026-179 as item B under formal business for certification of the estimated roll back rate for the 2026 property tax assessment notices. Uh this is it'll be for a a millage rate of 8.99 which we've had for the last almost 20 years. So I need a motion to add that to the agenda please. Uh I have a motion by Mr. Lenny. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Pickkins. I should note that uh Miss Hines, Councilwoman Hines is joining us remotely this evening. Um so we have a motion and a second. Everybody for um adding this to the agenda, please vote. And Miss Hines, are you okay with adding this to the agenda?

Yes. Uh, mayor, I vote in the affirmative for it.

All right, so that's added unanimously. Thank you. Uh, next we've got the mayoral report. Um, I want to thank the Smyrna Little League for an awesome uh fundraiser night on Saturday. Uh, I don't know how many people were at StillFire Brewery upstairs, but it was almost as much as it could handle. um and they raised a whole bunch of money to make u make improvements at the park and to make it easier for uh kids to play little league. So, what a great organization that is and um a great event that they had. I had the pleasure of welcoming uh Weeble out of Pack 22 before the council meeting tonight right there uh and and answered their questions and told them a little bit about government and uh I enjoyed having them so appreciate them visiting. Um, I want to make sure everybody remembers that we have the annual Jonal Festival this weekend. Um, Saturday and Sunday. Hope you all come out for that. It looks like it's going to be really nice weather. Um, so uh should be another great festival. And then we got the Jonqual jog coming up on May 2nd that benefits uh support Smyrna and the Campbell High School Education Foundation. Um, I think we had almost 700 runners last year, so it's a a huge thing down here. Um, I wanted to note that um, there's been some talk about the uh, elections coming up and uh, early voting location which has traditionally been at the Smyrna Community Center is now going to be and the elections board just approved this u on April 10th. It's going to be at the Baptist church. So, it's still in our downtown and it is actually, I think, a better location with more parking. So, I'm very thankful to the Baptist church for working with us on that. um and uh making it happen for our citizens. Uh early voting will be at the Baptist church. And I have two personal notes tonight. Uh the first one is uh my

daughter Sam uh went to the state gymnastics meet in Athens and won a state championship for her division. So, I'm uh we'll bring her back one of these evenings with all of the other uh super athletes that we have in our community and uh and honor her. Um speaking of awards, we've got this mayor's education awards coming up on Thursday this week. one of my favorite events of the year where we honor uh and celebrate the uh the best and brightest students in our community, those who have overachieved and u I'm looking forward to that with their families at the community center. We roll out the red carpet for them and um it's fun night for all. And my last personal note um uh and I know he's watching because he watches all of them. My dad in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he uh he had an unexpected surgery last week and I flew up to see him and everything went well. But I appreciate all the well wishes that everybody sent. Um he's home and recovering and honory as ever. So glad glad about it. And with that um we don't have any proclamations and presentations tonight. We do have an election coming up. So I' I'd like to invite if there's anybody running for office. Uh any candidates here? Come on up. Carlos, come on. Is there anybody else who's got questionable decisions and running for something? Uh, Carlos, floor is yours.

Thank you. Just take a minute to introduce yourself.

Thank you. Good evening. Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Good evening, council members. And, uh, I I just noticed in the room as I was Oh, no. I'm one of three now persons with ties on after hours. Um, I was going to make a wonderful lawyer joke, but I didn't think that was appropriate. Um, so, um, my name is Carlos FA. I'm sure you may have seen my signs around the city. Um, it is definitely a pleasure to meet all of you this evening. Um, by way of background, I am an attorney. Um, I currently own my small one-man practice doing wills and estates um, in and around the Smyrna area. And, um, and I wanted to echo something that Pastor Conn brought up in his invocation that kind of caught my ear as to why I'm running, which is change. And Pastor Conn talked about businesses opening, businesses closing, people transitioning, people transitioning out. And in my business, I deal with people transitioning out. So, it's very unusual to be dealing with people transitioning around and um so my decision to run um is mostly driven by helping people transition with dignity and courtesy and respect and and it is my hope that if the voters of Smyrna do select me um to to represent them at the general assembly that I will continue that trend of dignity and respect and courtesy as we move forward during this transition. And I wanted to applaud all of you for a lot of the changes that you have voted for and some of the tough choices that you guys have made um that um are not easy and have I know led to a lot of hand ringing and thoughtful uh prayer and so it is my hope to be a partner with all of you um should the voters select so thank you very much for your time Mr. Mayor. Um thank you all very much and um I feel I think a note I was told to make is which ward I live in and I live in Ward one. So council member Pickkins hello. We we won't hold that against you.

Uh that was the joke the my person said as well. So, thank you very much. Have a good evening. We're glad to have Glenn here. So, we appreciate you taking time to come see us. All right. We'll move on to our uh agenda now. We've got one item under community development, item Z26001. This is a public hearing of resoning request to allow resoning from GC to MU conditional for a mixeduse development with three multifamily units and 1680 ft of office space 28 acres land lot 634 at 1715 Roswell Street. Anthony Aoyet and I'll turn it over to you Joey.

Good evening. Joey Stabs, planner 2 and community development department. This is D26-001. The applicant is Anthony O Boy. This was heard on March 9th by the planning and zoning commission. They reided, excuse me, they recommended approval 6 to zero. The subject property is 1715 Roswell Street. It's a little over a quarter of an acre. There's currently uh one building on the property occupied with a state farm. The proposal is to demolish that building, build a threestory mixed juice building with two 840 foot office units and then residential above. The existing zoning is general commercial. So this resoning would be to MU conditional. Um, just for the surroundings, it's on the south side of Roswell Street is the public storage, Casey Foods. There's a church to the east of the property, and then some retail and commercial um on the west. The future land use is industrial mixed use. That will not change. I'll go over the site plan. Um, this is the three-story building. Like I said, two 840 foot office units on the front of the building and then three multif family units above those office buildings. There will be seven parking spaces for the commercial develop the commercial part and then twocar garages for each multif family unit. It will meet all the men uh MU zoning

district setbacks except the maximum front from 20 ft to 85 ft. And that's mostly due to some infrastructure at the front of the property. And that is really the 20 20 foot sanitary sewer easement that runs along the front of the property that really changes how this property can be developed. Part of the parking in that sanitary sewer easement will be gravel. They've requested a variance for that. There'll be a full access drive in the front of the property and at the back of the property. They'll have five foot sidewalk and two foot grass strip around the property. And we're asking for rideaway improvements on that alleyway to make it a little wider. The dumpster enclosures in the back of the property. And again, they are requesting three variances. The maximum front setback from 20 ft to 85 to allow parking between the building and the public rideway and to allow gravel parking service. These are some renderings of the property of the proposed building. The front is basically brick uh different color brick and accent color. And this would be the rear of the property from looking from the back. These are the floor plans. Again, the office units are at the front and then the garages are in back and then two levels of residential above. This is the subject property as it is today. Some pictures of adjacent properties and this is the property behind the subject property.

Community Development recommends approval of the reszoning from general commercial to MU conditional for mixeduse building with 1680 square foot of office space and three multif family units at a density of 10.7 units per acre with the following conditions. Standard conditions regarding the no hardy plank um utilities have to be underground and they have to meet the tree ordinance. I've consolidated our other conditions to the the main points which is the front setback um variants. They're responsible for fire, water, sewer, and storm water improvements. They will install the sidewalk. They'll have a minimum of seven commercial spaces and three maximum three multif family units with two-car garages. Air conditioners and and dumpster will be screened. They will provide rideway dedication on the alleyway and approval is subject to the site plan and elevations submitted with the application. I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Any questions for Joey? Miss Wilkinson. Thank you, Joey. Um so in looking at the site plan, there's a sidewalk in front of the office um units. Is that correct? Yes. Um, is there any sidewalks like on the like the residential side or I mean on the um the side road? We're asking for sidewalk on the side row, the alleyway in addition to that sidewalk. Okay. And then also is there uh I was looking at it as far as parking, guest parking for those uh residential units or um

the the zoning ordinance calls for one guest parking space and they've got it in the back by the dumpster. And the dumpsters will be for the residential and the it'll be for both that dumpster. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? All right. Thank you. The applicant is here. Is there anything that you want to say? I invite you up now if you'd like.

Good evening, Mr. Mayor and council members. Uh, I think Mr. Joy has uh laid out everything that we plan to do. My contribution, oh sorry, my contribution will be um as you saw the existing building uh we going to tear it up and put a new a new uh you know putting something that uh that is more uh what do you call it? Make the profile more nicer. So, and the business that is there right now is going to be translated to u the new building. So, I think uh it's going to be something that is good for the the place. And

anybody have any questions? The applicant? Thank you. Okay. Uh this is a public hearing. I'd invite anybody who wants to speak for or against this item to come on up now and be sworn in. And I don't see any. So with that, um I'll turn it over to u Miss Hines. You want to make a motion? Yes, sir. And hopefully you can hear me. I I apologize. I was taking care of my parents in Florida and uh 75 got closed down. We can hear you. We can hear you just fine.

Okay, great. So, um yes, I would make a motion um to uh to approve. I think this is a great addition to the area um building up and I know that Casey uh food store is okay with this um because it'll be across from it and I think you can see from the design it'll be a really nice um look of a place uh for that area. So, uh without further ado, I to

have a motion. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Lindley. Everyone, please vote. And that's approved. 70. Thank you. Appreciate y'all being in Smyrna. We don't have any privilege license or show cause hearings tonight. Um we have two items on formal business. Item A is for a code amendment to chapter 22 uh businesses article 8 of the Smyrna code of ordinances on mobile food vendors. This is talking about the requirements for processing applications for mobile food vendors licenses and appeals for application denials. This on for food trucks uh regarding suspension and revocation of mobile food vendors licenses and authorize mayor to sign and execute all related documents. Miss Kristen, any background, please?

Yes, sir. Um, the background is just as the mayor stated, this is just incorporating the standard requirements for applications and appeals uh for mobile food vendors in basically cleaning up the language, right? This is part of a language clean up from a couple of weeks ago. Any questions or discussions from council? May I have a motion? I think Tim got it. Uh, Travis, you want a second? Okay, we have a motion and a second. Everyone please vote. Miss Hines, how do you vote? I vote in the affirmative. Thank you.

That's approved. 70. So we'll move on to item B. This is the added agenda item. This is authorization and certification of the estimated roll back rate to establish 8.99 mills as the millage rate to be provided to the Cobb County Tax Assessor's Office and to the Cobb County Tax Commissioner's Office for 2026 assessment notices. And as noted before, this rate of 8.99, we've had it for almost 20 years, I think, now. Um, is there any discussion or questions from council? I'll entertain a motion. Moved approval by Mr. Lley, second by Mr. Welch. Everyone, please vote. Miss Hines, how do you vote?

Vote in the affirmative. Thank you. Okay. And that's approved. 70. And this short agenda is now to the consent agenda. Miss Kristen, can you please read the consent agenda for council approval?

Yes. Item A, MIN2026-069, approval of the April 1st, 2026 committee of the whole minutes. Item B, MIN2026-071 approval of the April 6, 2020 2026 precounsel meeting minutes. Item C, MIN2026-073, approval of the April 6 mayor and council minutes. Item D, authorization 2026-047, approve the Sunday street closures for the Simrna Market. Um item E authorization 2026-049 approval to renew the property liability insurance with travelers insurance cyber liability with Corvvis drone liability with global aerospace and inmate medical liabilility with Cirrus America with Oakridge Seville as a brokers of record in the amount of 1,332,564 64 and authorize the mayor to sign and execute all related documents. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? So moved by Mr. Lindley. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Pickkins. Everyone, please vote. Miss Hines, you approve the consent agenda?

Yes, I do. Thank you. That's approved. 70. Now we're to our citizen participation portion of the meeting. I don't have anybody signed up for public comment this evening. Move on to ward and staff reports. Miss Hines, you want to start? Yes. Thank you so much. Uh, mayor, I just want to give a shout out to our public safety. They've had a lot going on and um, uh, fire for their golden helmet recognition and then also to the police departments have dealt with a lot of serious issues and the this child abuse uh, prevention month and they had to deal with a very difficult case and I'm just thankful to our public safety. Thanks.

We got the best public safety personnel anywhere in the country right here in Smyrna, Georgia. I'm convinced Mr. Pickicket. Uh, thanks, Mayor. No report this evening. Mr. Lindley. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just a reminder that the city will be hosting the uh, park dedication for the late Dr. David Martin on Sunday uh, the 26th at 12:30 on site there along Concord uh, near uh, Zoya. So, hope everybody can join us. Will Zoya be open by then?

My luck, it will open that day. But uh we've got hope hope to have a good crowd to recognize uh Dr. Martin's many contributions to the community. Mr. Welch, Miss Wilkinson, no report. Thank you. Mr. Ghoul.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just two quick things. Number one, want to thank uh all the folks that came out to support the Campbell High School Educational Foundation today at our annual golf outing, the 28th annual Susan T. Pearson Memorial Golf Tournament. So, it was a beautiful day and a lot of fun was had. And then, um, coming up on next Wednesday, April 29th, we'll have a Smyrna education town hall featuring our two Cobb County School District representatives, uh, Becky Sailor from Post 2 and Michelle Davis, Post 6. It's sponsored by the Smyrna Education Foundation. So, come on out to the community center 6:30. ask questions, hear some updates from our school board representatives, and uh should be a good turnout for us. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Mr. Uglesby. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh just a note, u wart 7 voters are we have a new temporary voting precinct which will be at the Indian Cultural Center. Um and we'll see if that's long term, but for now, that's where we'll be voting. So, please take note. and to Councilman uh Lindley. There is another restaurant just on the other side of the park. They'll be open. I I yield back. And that location is for election day and the early voting is all at the Baptist church. Okay, Jeffrey, anything you have for us? Miss Heather, anything you want to talk about? I would love to speak about advanced voting if I could, sir. All right. I hope I didn't steal your thunder.

You did not. Just a note to Smyrna residents, advanced voting is being held April 27th through May 15th at Smyrna First Baptist Church in their fellowship hall. That will be Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 9 to5. This location does not have Sunday voting nor has a dropbox. However, there are several locations um within a short driving distance that do and you can access that information on our city website or the Cobb County election website. We've also posted um paper copies here at city hall and there's some at the reception desk for you if you would like one. On Tuesday, May 19th, you will need to vote at your assigned polling location from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and you can find a link to check your location at the my voter page. And we have links on our city website as well as Cobb County elections for you to follow that and find your specific location. And thanks again for all your hard work and for the the folks at the Baptist church accommodating us for the early voting. Uh it's going to be good to have that downtown at a place with more parking. Uh if there's no other business be brought before this body, we will say good night from the Jonal city and adjourn at 7:24.