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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19980625CCMeeting1 1998 -06 -2S City Council Minutes Mayor Pro Tem Donald E. Anderson, Jr, called the June 25, 1998 Council meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. with the following members of Council present: Ed Merves, Jack Youmans, Michael A. Hosti and Mallory Pearce. City Attorney Edward Hughes was present to guide Council on legal issues. Councilmember Ed Merves gave the invocation with the Pledge of Allegiance following. Ms. Sally Keller addressed Council on her concerns about the dune disturbance at the Public Fishing Pier on the Back River. Ms. Keller said that the steps from the pier are directly in the dunes. Zoning Administrator Byers said that she and Tom Miller of DNR went and inspected and there is vegetation growing under the pier. Ms. Keller said that she is requesting snow fencing from the City to protect the dunes. Youmans stated that steps were the requirement from DNR in order to build the pier. Denny McNeely said that the steps could be moved 30 to 40 feet towards the water. Ms. Keller said that healthy dunes help stop erosion. Ms. Keller said any help from the City would be appreciated. Pearce asked Farmer to give his ideas on this issue to Council. Ms. Keller said that Farmer has been down to the area and is aware of her concerns. Farmer responded by saying that the research has not been done as of this date. Pearce asked Farmer to have a report ready for the July 9th Council meeting. Pearce also asked about giving Ms. Keller some snow fencing. Farmer said that it would be illegal to do so. McNeely stated that he would be glad to purchase the fence. Mayor Pro Tem Anderson opened the meeting for business legally presented to Council. Pearce moved to accept the June 1 lth minutes as presented. Hosti seconded. Vote by Council was unanimous. Assistant City Manager Rowena Fripp presented the revised version of the Capital Improvement Plan stating that the last two pages are from the prior CIP. Fripp asked Council to look over the information carefully and to address any question to Farmer or Fripp. Merves questioned the tennis court renovation stating that it has been in prior budgets, but there has been nothing done to date. Fripp said that Recreation Director D.J. Cameron was in the process of getting a price. Pearce questioned the GMA Lease Purchase - telephones. Fripp explained that the city wide system had cost over $40,000 and that the $13,000 listed will be the last payment. Merves said that the 1997 money listed is money we actually spent. Fripp answered yes, but that she has not checked over the figures and she is learning the lotus program with the help of System Manager Vivian Maxey. The spread sheet is a program of Maxeys'. Merves asked about the $16,000 for Tybee School renovation, does the figure include the $10,000 grant, and can we apply each year for this grant. Fripp said that we missed the deadline this year but plans to try again. Hosti stated that Council had passed $15,000 not to long ago for Tybee School. Fripp said that she can not say for sure if it is listed in the line item. Youmans asked about the $24,000 in 98 for the Gym complex. Fripp said that it is planning money and that it has not been spent. Merves asked about $5,000 the grant that Council approved for the Inlet Avenue park. Fripp said that these figures have not been proofed. Hosti asked who created? Fripp answered, she did by revising Maxeys' original document. Fripp said that she does not know if these figures reflect what Council has approved. Fripp said that this is the 1st draft and that it needs a lot of work and research. Merves asked if the City 1 1 1 could ask Chatham County to help fund the lifeguards. Fripp said she can not ever remember getting funds from the County but the City has received some State funds in the past. Merves said we need to investigate getting any help with the funding , there is talk of consolidating recreation in Chatham. It was mentioned that the lifeguards would like to have access to a ATV. Fripp said that the police have two ATVs . Youmans said that the lifeguards patrol only a small portion of the beach and don't need one. Hosti said that there is no money in Waste Water Treatment plan until the year 2001. Hosti stated that he was under the impression that the City would have to spend approximately 2 million dollars in the near future to bring the plant into compliance. Fripp said that a lot more work is needed on the figures for the CIP. Pearce asked that Council consider a ordinance at the July meeting that would allow for 1 meeting a month in June, July, August, November and December because of vacations and holidays that interfere with attendance of the councilmembers. Youmans said that by having 2 meetings a month a councilmember is able to make at least one. Youmans moved to disband the committee appointed at the June 1 lth meeting to study the setback issues in the C -1 zoning districts. Hosti seconded. Merves asked when the committee is meeting. Byers stated that Monday, June 29th would be their first meeting and it is with the Planning Commission. Pearce said that he feels that the committee is a fair idea because it gives the opportunity for business people and residents to give input for recommendations for Council to consider. Business owners are pleased to be involved and we should continue with the process. Merves said that he would have voted against the proposed change if he had been present at the June 1 lth meeting. Merves does believe that there is a difference between residential and commercial and it is reasonable to have setback for residential construction in the commercial districts, but not on commercial construction. Hosti said that he has had one person call in favor of the change and about 20 who are against the change because they are afraid that their investment will be compromised by the change. Youmans called for the question. Merves stated that owners of commercial property feel their situation is different and they should be allowed to build up to the property line. Residential in C -1 should be the ones to have the setbacks. Hosti said that residential property owners can request a zoning change by applying for a variance. Youmans said that he had called for the question a while back. Hughes stated that the call has to be seconded. Hosti seconded. Voting to call for the question were Youmans, Anderson, Hosti. Opposed Merves and Pearce. Vote by Council on the main motion to disband the C -1 Study Committee was 3 in favor (Youmans, Anderson, Hosti); 2 opposed ( Merves, Pearce). City Attorney Hughes said that he needs to speak with Mr. Barney Paderewski concerning the appraisal of the Pine and Campbell property. Youmans moved to adopt Section 1 -1 -8 General Penalty on its first reading. Pearce seconded. Vote by Council was unanimous. As there was no further business to come before Council Mayor Pro Tem ANderson adjourned the meeting at 8:05 P.M. [ End of Text ] [End Actions] Mayor Pro Tem Donald E. Anderson, Jr. (Ord. City Council Minutes, Added, 07/24/1998) 1