The Senoia City Council has authorized appraisal of an unspecified piece of property.
At their second meeting for May, the council voted to go into closed session to discuss real estate. Real estate acquisition is one of the items allowed for closed sessions in the state law.
Following discussion that lasted less than 15 minutes, the council returned to the chambers of the Senoia Magistrate Court. The council voted to have an appraisal done on a piece of property – and then voted to adjourn.
In other business:
• The council clarified a question from the city planning commission. The council had asked the commission to allow homes the average size of neighboring homes. The planning commission asked if the concept was to be implemented in the entire city or only in the historic district.
“The planning commission would like a little clarification,” City Administrator Richard Ferry told the council.
Mayor Robert Belisle said he only intended the average size rule to apply in the historic district. Councilman Jeff Fisher noted the idea was to allow smaller homes in the long developed historic part of town where there already is infrastructure.
Councilman Bobby Graham said he had no problem with the concept being implemented citywide. “I would prefer to keep it just referring to the historic district,” Belisle said. The council approved Belisle’s concept.
• Approval was given on extending the Highway 16 overlay. Graham said the planning commission – with an eye toward future development – had discussed expanding the overlay from Dead Oak Creek to Peachtree Baptist Church.
Ferry noted property annexed into the city in recent years is included in the overlay. “Of undeveloped property, we’re looking at two lots on Village Circle,” Ferry said. He said requiring overlay rules on those lots would give them different setbacks than neighboring properties in the same area.
“I don’t see a problem,” Councilman Larry Owens said. He said the city could keep the concepts in mind “as we put something in place for future development.”
• The council discussed updating the ethics ordinance. Ferry noted the current draft allows the ethics board to dismiss a complaint as frivolous only if it is politically motivated.
Ferry noted Forsyth has an ordinance that includes “a test to determine if the complaint is frivolous.” That process allows the ethics board to look at a range of issues to determine whether a complaint should be investigated or dismissed.
Ferry said he could incorporate that concept in Senoia’s new ethics ordinance. His suggestion was embraced by the council.
“In effect, you just want to put in some litmus tests?” Belisle asked. Ferry said the ethics board’s first action on any complaint would be to follow the steps to determine whether it is frivolous.
Local resident Don Rehman said he felt the council’s direction on ethics should be counterbalanced “with the plaintiff’s right to show cause.” He said he feared the result of Ferry’s suggestion would be the ethics board spending a few minutes discussing a complaint that then “will be dismissed.”
“I don’t see it as a strengthening but as a defining,” Graham said.
Belisle said the city had sought advice from “noted experts in this fieldâ ¦ experienced knowledgeable people who are recognized in their field” – including the city’s own attorney and the Georgia Municipal Association.
Rehman said the Senoia draft does not mirror GMA’s template. Belisle then noted Senoia’s ethics proposal has been reviewed and okayed by GMA.
• Brian Sullivan from Sullivan Wickley talked with the council about plans for a Dollar General store in Senoia. There was discussion about the number of required parking places. The council eventually reduced the number of parking spaces from 50 to 30-35.
Belisle said having less spaces will leave less of the tract paved, reducing rain runoff.
Sullivan showed a drawing of the facade. The facade will have “real shutters to give the effect of windows, but there are no windows behind those shutters,” he said.
The council also approved a design that has awnings over each storefront and window. “It would not be one continuous awning,” Sullivan said, “I would rather have smaller awnings over each of the windows if that is suitable to the council.”
• The council approved up to $75,000 for improving the bridge area on Bridge Street. Rhonda Moye of the DDA outlined plans for turning the bridge into a covered bridge that might be a draw for weddings or other events.
