Columbus, Georgia

COUNCIL BRIEFING



April 16, 2002





A Council Briefing was held on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 in the Council Chamber

Conference Room, on the Plaza Level of the Government Center, Columbus,

Georgia. Mayor Pro Tem Jack Rodgers, presiding.



PRESENT: Present other than Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers were Mayor Bobby G. Peters,

Councilors R. Gary Allen, Berry Henderson, Robert Poydasheff, Richard Smith,

Nathan Suber, Evelyn Turner Pugh and Evelyn Woodson. Also present were City

Manager Carmen Cavezza; City Attorney Clifton Fay; Director of Finance Kay Love

and Director of Human Resources, Tom Barron.



ABSENT: None



This meeting was called to order at 8:22 a.m.





ANNOUNCEMENTS:



? Letter was received from the D.O. T. regarding the bridge on Brown Avenue

being on the replacement list. (At this time no date is set)



? On April 22, 2002, there will be a charge to park in the parking garage

located across from the Performing Arts Center (nightly and weekends ) for

major events, as well as on weekends. Note: The weekends are still free

unless there is a major event.



? A meeting is scheduled with the Uptown merchants on Monday at 6:15 p.m. in

the Annex Building.



? The opening of the Performing Arts Center is April 18, 2002.



City Manager Cavezza briefed the members of Council on the following issues:



CONSOLIDATION OF FIRE /EMT DEPARTMENTS: Chief Waters is in the process

of transferring Firefighters who are EMT trained to work on ambulances. He

said it is part of the process and asked for the support of Council members

on this matter, which he then advised the Council members of the Mayor?s

support for this transition.



Responding to Councilor Smith?s question, regarding the promotion policy of

the EMTS, City Manager Cavezza replied that a consultant has been hired to

come by late summer to address all these issues and added that the promotions

would be driven by the results of the test.



Custodial Contract Change: In an effort to save a considerable amount

of money, we are in the process of changing the Custodial Contract in this

building and replacing them with prisoners.



Councilor McDaniel expressed a concern for security, which City Manager assured

Mr. McDaniel that a correctional officer would be present to supervise them at

all times.



Change in the Council Meeting: Request to change the date of the

Tuesday, June 25, (Work Session) to Thursday , June 27 ( Regular Session) due

to a GMA Conference in Savannah.



Three RFP?s on the Agenda: These bids cannot be publicated or

divulged, the price is out there, but we are well within parameters of the

budget. ( A copy of the list was not filed).





TREE ORDINANCE (Cont?d):



Pointing to a chart, City Manager advised the Council members of Speculative

Grading piece discussed last week would be bypassed; however, he said a memo

was received from Mr. Milton Jones, Chairman, Tree Ordinance Revision

Committee outlining changes made to the ordinance subsequent to the Work

Session Briefing and said the last two pages replace Section 6, on Page 13.



He then advised the member of the changes as stated.



SECTION 6: APPLICABILITY (Amended changes to Page 13)





___________moves to Amend Section 6 entitled ?Applicability? of the proposed

Draft as follows:



By striking the same as it presently written and inserting in lieu thereof the

following:



(a) Remains the same

(b) Remains the same

(e) (1 ) ( 1) Any site or development which falls under the

provisions of this Ordinance by virtue of addition

and expansions as specified in (b) this

subsection shall be required to meet the

applicable Tree Density Unit (TDU requirements as

established hereafter y and without regard to any specified

placement of trees contained in Section 8 (a), Parking and (b) (1)

Perimeter Plantings.

(2) Remains the same

(A) Remains the same

(B) Remains the same



(c) For planned developments including the operations of clearing or grading,

the owner shall be required to follow at a minimum the standards set forth

herein and the standards of stabilization as set forth in the Erosion control

Ordinance. Plantings shall not be required until a Certificate of Occupancy is

requested for the developed parcels at that time only the plantings for each

developed parcel should be required. Plantings shall be completed prior to the

issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy or performanceof a final Building

Inspection. This shall ensure that the proper plantings are established for

each use as well as provide for the appropriate timing of plant installation.

See Section 11, Tree Planting Standards, Subsection (b) Planting Specifications

(10 )Out of Season Planting, and Section 14, Fiscal Surety, for procedures

providing for delayed plantings in the appropriate planting season.)



(d) (remains the same )



(e) (Becomes part of d) Any site or development which falls under

the provisions of this ordinance by virtue of redevelopment

as defined in this subsection shall require only

and without regard to any specified placement of trees contained in

Section 8 (a) Parking Areas, and (b) (1) Perimeter Plantings.





INTENT ? To address the expansions on how you deal with the trees and the TDU?s

as it relates to an expansion, he explained that currently, everything is

grand - fathered; however, if there is an expansion or later redevelopment or

expansion, then they will have to go back and make changes and conform to the

ordinance. He then outlined the builder?s three options :



(1) The trees can be planted any place on the site.

(2) Owner can seek additional relief under the variance procedure.

(3) If there is no room to put in additional trees to meet the TDU -

a provision in the ordinance states that the owner can

make a $220.00 per tree contribution to the City

Tree Replacement Fund.



There were continued questions from the councilors regarding the types of

replacement trees, to which City Manager Cavezza responded there is not a

specific type of tree required to replace the ones removed.





Mayor Peters commented that if there is no place to plant a tree, then it

appears they are held hostage by requiring this fee. Councilor Turner Pugh

commented that she was not supportive because of the impact the $220.00 would

be on small businesses. Councilor McDaniel said that the owner should not be

required to pay the fee if they don?t plant a tree. Councilor Poydasheff

expressed his disapproval because he stated that if space is a problem, it is

not within the controls of the person and therefore the person is penalized,

for that reason, he considers the fee to be unfair.

Mayor Peters asked if they can?t plant a tree can they automatic get a

variance, which City Manager replied that could if they ask for a variance.



Responding to Councilor Allen?s question of the appellate procedure for a

variance, City Manager explained that the request has to come through the

arborist; to appeal the decision, it has to go the Tree Committee, as the

Council would make the final decision. He then pointed out the requirement

for the TDU for an addition is only applicable to the ?footprint?and not the

whole site.)





REDEVELOPMENT: Section 6 (d)



The owner has three options:



1. Can plant trees any where on the site.

2. Variance process

3. Paying for the trees



SINGLE FAMILY HOMES:



The requirement greater than two acres would be the same as two acres.



Councilor Henderson commented that having been in the real estate business, and

understanding the sensitive nature of the time element, one problem he

foresees is an inspection and enforcement problem. He said that in regards,

to the Spec houses, there should be a way to construct the ordinance, so that

the tree ordinance is effective at the time of closing, before the purchaser

gets to occupy the home. Councilor Rodgers recommended that the tree

planting takes place 90 days after the house sells before the tree planting is

required.



As the councilors expressed varying degrees of concerns on this issue, City

Manager recommended to bring this matter back next week for a vote.





SECTION 8: (Additional Requirements)



Referring to the chart, City Manager Cavezza explained that 2 acres lots

were rejected and a compromise came back with 1 ? acres and 70% of the TDU be

met by putting the trees on the side or in the back which was accepted by a

vote of the committee. (The complete ordinance is on file.)



GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS



Councilor Woodson pointed out that if a government agency contributes

funds to non-profit organizations; a record of that contribution is supposed

to be made public to the taxpayer. She said there is a law that says if the

total amount is less than the budget for that organization, it does not become

public record. She said she is concerned because when money is given to

agencies, the public feels they should know how their tax dollars are spent;

therefore, she is asking that the disclosure of the amount of funds given to

an agency, is made public record.



There being no other business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 8:51

a.m.









Gloria A. Carey, Secretary