---
date: 2002-07-15
title: July 15, 2002 Minutes
source: 2002-07/2002-07-15_July 15, 2002_Minutes.pdf
pages: 1
---

July 15, 2002

CITY OF STOCKBRIDGE SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
HENRY COUNTY, GEORGIA JULY 15, 2002

A Special Meeting of the Stockbridge City Council was held on July 15, 2002 at 6:20 P.M. Mayor Pro Tem
Ronnie Simmons presided and members present were Harold Cochran, Fred Evans, W. A. Gardner, and
Fletcher Turner.

Welcome guests. Julius Ross, Henry County Planning and Zoning and Sharon Matthews, Long Range
Planner, Henry County Planning & Zoning.

Harold Cochran made a motion to convene; Fred Evans seconded and motion carried.

SHORT TERM WORK PROGRAM AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ELEMENT. Mr. Simmons asked City
Attorney A. J. Welch to discuss the adoption of a Resolution of Transmittal to submit the Short Term Work
Program and Capital Improvement Element to the Department of Community Affairs.

Mr. Welch – The Short Term Work Program sets out the activities that we have, the years in which it is
planned, what part of the City government is responsible, the estimated costs where we do have the figures
and the funding source. We ought to take a little time and go through and see if there are any questions.

Ronnie Simmons confirmed we are bringing this up to date to be in compliance with DCA regulations and Mr.
Welch agreed. Everyone has reviewed it. Are there any questions?

Ted Strickland stated that there are a lot of SPLOST funds and a lot of LCI and TEA money for the programs.
There has been a lot of work put into it and we will accomplish some of it and we won’t accomplish some of
it. Another report that says “Report of Accomplishments 2002-2006” shows what is completed, what we
started on and what we are still working on.

Mr. Simmons asked everyone to look at the category activity. Some are more important than others. But
this shows the work done as well as what needs to be accomplished. You can look at the year, costs estimate
and funding source. Mr. Simmons stated that he feels that this is something that the Council should consider
and he would like to entertain a motion that this be approved as submitted.
Harold Cochran made a motion to approve it. Fred Evans seconded. Motion carried.

Mr. Welch asked to point out one thing. Item #10 – $1,000,000. We are showing general fund and SPLOST
Fund to improve the wastewater treatment facility and it is going to be extremely important that we get this
SPLOST passed this time. It is going to take a lot of work on everybody’s part to do that.
We have an agreement whereby we can serve certain areas outside the city limits with sewer and one of
those areas that we have worked so hard to get done is up around Stockbridge High School and Cotton
Indian Elementary School. There is a subdivision coming on up there that will give us more evidence that we
are serving in an area we need these monies for. Last time they knocked this out of SPLOST because we
were only serving inside the city limits and providing no services outside the city. I feel like this is going to
work this time.

Mr. Simmons also stated that #12 for well exploration is also very important. We all have to work to get
everyone to understand SPLOST.

Councilman Simmons asked if Mr. Ross from Henry County wanted to say anything.

Mr. Ross commended the Council for moving ahead on so many projects and stated that this is the transmittal
of all these projects and it will go to the ARC, they will make comments along with the Georgia Department
of Community Affairs and send them back to us and we will come back with another Resolution to adopt it
with the changes that are made if there are any.

Mr. Simmons asked if there was anything else anyone would like to ask. There was no response.
He then presented to the next item.

CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION OVERLAY DISTRICT ORDINANCE. Mr. Simmons turned the floor over to
Mr. Welch to explain. Mr. Welch asked Lynn Buffkin if she wanted to start with an explanation.
Mr. Simmons stated that this is strictly for discussion. Mr. Welch stated that he would go over the adoption
procedures later.

Ms. Buffkin stated that the Atlanta Regional Commission in their coordination report summary suggested that
the COS adopt a Conservation Subdivision Ordinance as part of their LCI and Landuse plan. She drew up
a model that they presented to her and presented that to Mr. Welch and asked him what he thought and do
we want to proceed with this. We wanted to draft an overlay and see if the city thought that this was
something that they wanted to move on. It is entirely the Mayor’s and Council’s decision.
Basically a Conservation Subdivision allows you to take 40% of the land that is buildable and that has to be
preserved for open space. 25% of that 40% has to be buildable land. It cannot be developed on.
Ms. Buffkin stated that her idea was to put this along creeks to preserve the creek bed so there could never
be development along that creek line for as long it exists.

Mr. Welch stated that the ARC put out information on this in the form of some examples of ordinances. Lynn
had worked on that and had improved on it and gave it to us. We have added some additional language that
has been used by other governmental agencies such as Cherokee County, Cobb County and City of Roswell
that have some of these overlay districts. Basically what you are dong is saying that if you have 100 acres
of land, you lay out what you are entitled to build on that property without falling under the Conservation
Program. If you are entitled to build 200 houses on the 100 acres of land, then you can condense that
subdivision down pretty substantially. You wind up with the same number of houses that you would normally
have on the 100 acres but you condense it down to smaller lots, require them to keep the rest of the property
in open land and one of the keys to this is that all the flood plains are left natural, up land is left natural, it
creates more greenspace and makes for impervious area because you have fewer roads and sidewalks and
houses are more concentrated. The procedure for adoption of this is to go through it and see if there are any
changes you want to make and then adopt a resolution recommending it for review to Planning and Zoning.
It has to go to Planning and Zoning for their review and recommendations back to you. Then it has to be
advertised. A hearing can be no earlier than 15 days and no later than 45 days after the notice is run so we
have to give time to get on Planning and Zoning sometime in August or September. They make a
recommendation back to you and then we have to advertise it here for a specific zoning amendment hearing.
Then you decide whether you want to put it into effect. If you do then in the simplest form you are taking the
development and reducing it down and leaving the rest of it open space requiring the restrictive covenants
be put on it, it will be owned by a home owners association and then it cannot be further developed in any
way other than what is authorized in the agreement. There are some areas that have been very pleased with
this. There is one in Henry County. Stonewall Subdivision on Old Jackson Road just north of the Butts
County line. There it was 180 acre tract of land and they could put 180 houses on it, they reduced the lot
sizes down and set aside 55 acres of the 180 acres in greenspace on both sides of the creek. They have
walking trails and club houses and bird boxes and those types of amenities in there and it just stays natural
from now on. There are other ones in Cherokee County, Cobb County and Roswell. There are others along
some of the major waterways up there that have worked out real well.

Mr. Strickland asked if they use wet lands figured in for this. Mr. Welch stated that you look at the total
number of acres but there is a protection of wetlands in there. Mr. Strickland asked if you would include the
wetlands in the amount the greenspace which we don’t do now. Mr. Welch stated that was correct.
Mr. Welch stated they could use part of it but still 25% of the 40% does have to be good land regardless.
The idea is to keep large areas of greenspace and leave it natural and protect the wetlands and protect the
flood plains. Mr. Welch said that a prime example is on Rock Quarry Road where they cut the timber off of
the land before they asked for zoning. The flood plain would have had to be left in a natural condition. Under
the new ordinance, if they wanted to take advantage of this, they would have to replant that flood plain. This
will encourage people not to go in and strip the land and floodplain, wetlands, etc.
It all works for water quality and water quality control which works with the other studies we have been
involved in.

Ms. Buffkin stated this would also fit in with the Governor’s new greenspace program. This will help us move
in that direction.

Mr. Welch said that the public entities are working with this and these will be rated on a point system which
will determine what kind of loans you can get and the interest rate. It will be a reward system. But later it will
become mandated that we will have to do it. ARC did not know how far we have gone in the vertical density
where we require the apartments to stay on the same or less ground and just go up with them. We have had
requests for copies of what we have done.

Mr. Simmons asked it there was any other discussion. He stated that he felt this was something that we
need to move on. Where we are is coming into compliance with a lot of issues with ARC and we are ahead
of the ballgame. This puts it in order to get it approved. We need to consider this by the next council meeting
August 12.

Mr. Welch stated to put this on the agenda and he will have the resolution to send to Planning and Zoning
ready.

Ms. Buffkin asked if we need to define a boundary for an overlay district.

Mr. Welch said they have been discussing this in his office. We think it should be city wide and try to
encourage as many people to get onto this as we can. If we just take the strip down I75 as an example, or
42 or Rock Quarry Road, somebody is going to say west of there I would like to do this and why won’t you
let me do it. The final decision has not been made. We need to talk some more about it. Mr. Welch asked
Lynn Buffkin if she had any feelings regarding this. She stated she had some things to go over with him later.
An overlay district takes precedence over any other zoning currently in place. All other zoning would be void.
Need to define boundaries for city as a whole.

Mr. Simmons asked if they needed to have a meeting before the next council meeting.
Mr. Welch said that he, Lynn and Ted need to decide which way we are going to recommend it. You have
to say this zoning is going to apply to a particular area and all the rest of it is going out the window.

Mr. Strickland mentioned the old Wal-Mart Shopping Center. We are trying to get them to redevelop that.
We don’t want to destroy that commercial district. Be realistic. Also question and 20’ lot fronts and 5’ frontage
for houses, everyone should be sure and read this and make sure you all agree with it.
This is a great departure.

Mr. Welch reiterated that this is a great departure. We have been arguing in the office about instead of it
being an overlay district for certain areas that it be an incentive zone that would apply to all zoning.
It gives the developer another choice of how to develop a piece of property. You make it financially attractive
for him to do this. Less development costs. Not losing density.

Mr. Simmons concern is the unknown in the commercial areas. We don’t know what Wal-Mart is going to
do. Could be problem down the road.

Lynn Buffkin said that she would show her ideas after the meeting. There is a separate corridor for North
Henry Blvd. which strictly goes to commercial development. The Conservation overlay will not cover that.
Each LCI boundary separated districts specific to what is going to be developed there. Possibly there could
be a Conservation Subdivision along Reeves Creek near I75 and Old Atlanta Road. This will not affect North
Henry Boulevard which is a separate overlay.

Mr. Welch stated that he had taken all of the commercial out of this proposed ordinance.

Mr. Simmons said we have two large areas. One at Davidson Parkway and one at the water tower. That will
be commercial.

Ms. Buffkin said that will be a major activity center along North Henry Boulevard. There will be overlays such
as Village neighborhood surrounding the downtown center and then the downtown center itself that will be
another overlay. HGOR separated these when then did their study for LCI. She said she followed their
guidelines.
Mr. Simmons suggested that each council member get familiar with this. He suggested that they divide up
in groups of two. Harold Cochran and Fred Evans, Buddy Turner and W. A. Gardner and Ronnie Simmons
will do it by himself unless Mayor Kelley wants to join him.

Mr. Welch said that there are not house sizes in the ordinance and no exterior building code in it.
Council needs to decide how small the houses should be and what kind of building codes. Also, amenity
packages, will they be required and what will they look like.

Mr. Simmons spoke of concern for future growth. Want to improve quality of city.

Mr. Strickland stated again that what we are doing with LCI is a big departure from what you have done in
the past. Size is important.

Mr. Welch said that they best way to control the quality is through the exterior look of the facilities and the
size of the houses, parking, amenity packages and LCI recommendations. It will work great for us because
of the way we are laid out.

Mr. Simmons asked that before next meeting the council look at all of this. He asked Lynn to provide the
council with a sheet of questions that they need to answer regarding this ordinance. He also mentioned that
we are going to need a new City Hall before long. We need to get this done and have something to present
at next council meeting.

Councilman Simmons asked if there was any other business.

A motion was made to adjourn at 6:52 P.M. by Harold Cochran and Seconded by Fred Evans. Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Brown, CMC Ronnie Simmons
Deputy Clerk Mayor Pro Tem
