Mayor and City Council Work Session Tuesday, October 15, 2024 06:30 PM City Hall, 875 Main Street, Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083

Mayor and Council: Dr. Beverly Jones – Mayor | Post 3 :Mayor Pro Tem Ryan Smith

Post 1: Council Member Anita Bass | Post 2: Council Member Mark Marianos

Post 4: Council Member Gil Freeman | Post 5: Council Member Shawnette Bryant

Post 6: Council Member Teresa Crowe

Staff: Shawn Edmondson - Interim City Manager - City Clerk | Danny Mai - Assistant City Clerk | Jeff Strickland - City Attorney

City of Stone Mountain, GA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CityofStoneMtn/

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I.Call to Order

II.Determination of Quorum

III.Invocation and Pledge

IV.Citizen Comments – Including comments from public/stakeholders (3 minutes per comment)

Comments from the Public

The public comments are reserved exclusively for comments from the public and not for immediate reply. The purpose of public comment is to allow the public to voice city related requests, concerns or opinions only during the public comment portion of the City Council meeting. I. The Mayor and City Council reserves the right to extend or limit the length of public comments based on: (1) the issue under discussion; (2) the number of items on the agenda; and (3) the extent to which the speaker remains constructive in their comments and questions. II. The public may not directly confront the public speaker but must direct all comments and questions to the Mayor and City Council. III. Public harassment of or confrontation with a public speaker will not be tolerated. Members of the public violating tenets two or three will be asked to sit down or leave the premises.

V.Review of the Journal (Assistant City Clerk Mai)

  1. 1.Request Minutes from City Council Meeting [10.01.2024] be approved (Assistant City Clerk Mai) (Pages 4-8)

VI.Reading of Communications 

VII.Adoption of The Agenda of The Day 

VIII.Committee Discussion Items

  1. 1.Stone Mountain Community Garden (Pages 9-12)

  2. 2.Planning Commission (Page 13)

  3. 3.Economic Development/Downtown Development Authority (Pages 14-15)

  4. 4.Historic Preservation Commission (Page 16)

  5. 5.Parks and Recreation Committee

IX.Staff Reports

  1. 1.Public Safety- Police Chief- James Westerfield Jr (Pages 17-19)

  2. 2.Administration- Assistant City Clerk - Danny Mai (Pages 20-22)

X.City Manager’s Report

  1. 1.Interim City Manager - Shawn Edmondson

XI.Council Policy Discussion Topics 

XII.Unfinished Business

  1. 1.Discussion regarding the process  in applying and receiving a bond for SPLOST II. (Interim City Manager  Edmondson)

  2. 2.Discussion regarding the "Small Cities IGA" (Inter-Governmental Agreement) between the City of Stone Mountain and DeKalb County (Interim City Manager Edmondson & City Attorney Strickland)

  3. 3.Discussion on DDA (CM Freeman)

XIII.New Business

  1. 1.1ST READING: Discussion and review of Staff Recommendations for Variance at 844 Sheppard Way (Parcel ID: 18 073 01 135) to allow for the construction of a wooden fence within the stream buffers, with the condition that the fence be at least 50% open to allow for water flow. (City Planner Edwards) (Pages 23-30)

  2. 2.1ST READING: Discussion and review of Staff Recommendations for Variance Denial at 844 Sheppard Way (Parcel ID: 18 073 01 135) to deny the request for a fence in the front yard to exceed 4 feet in height, as recommended by staff and the Planning Commission. (City Planner Edwards) (Pages 30-37)

  3. 3.1ST READING: Discussion and review of Staff Recommendations for Variance Denial at 6204 East Ponce de Leon Ave (Parcel ID: 18 125 03 014) to deny the request for a curb cut exceeding 24 feet in width, as recommended by staff and the Planning Commission. (City Planner Edwards) (Pages 38-46)

  4. 4.Discussion and approval of Open Containers for the "Day of the Dead" celebration and all other major festivals and parades. (CM Marianos)

XIV.New Ordinances and Resolutions 

  1. 1.1ST READING: Ordinance 2024-08 to amend Chapter 5, Article 6, Division 12 – Community Redevelopment Tax Incentive Program of the City of Stone Mountain Code of Ordinances. (City Planner Edwards) (Pages 47-55)

XV.Remarks of Privilege 

XVI.Announcements by The Mayor

XVII.Executive Session to Discuss Personnel, Legal, Cyber Security and/or Real Estate (if needed)

XVIII.Adjournment