Columbus, Georgia

COUNCIL BRIEFING



March 12, 2002





A Council Briefing was held on Tuesday, March 12, 2002 in the Council Chamber

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

Georgia. Mayor Pro Tem John J. Rodgers, presiding.



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

Councilors R. Gary Allen, Berry Henderson, Julius Hunter, Jr., Charles E.

McDaniel, Robert S. Poydasheff and Richard H. Smith. Also present were City

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

and Director of Human Resources, Tom Barron.



ABSENT: Councilors Evelyn Woodson, Evelyn Turner Pugh and Nathan Suber.



GUEST: Mr. Milton Jones, Tree Ordinance Revision, Chairman













This meeting was called to order at 8:07 a.m.



PROPOSED TREE ORDINANCE:





City Manager Cavezza introduced Mr. Milton Jones as, Chairman of The Tree

Ordinance Revision Committee. He said as a result of questions from the

members of Council during the Work Session, Mr. Jones is here today to brief

the Council on the Committee?s deliberations and to respond to any questions

they may have regarding this issue.



Mr. Milton Jones, Chairman of the Tree Committee, came forward and advised the

members of Council the Tree Ordinance Revision Committee met March 5th to

consider issues raised by Council during the February 26th Work Session.

He said their suggestions were considered as several changes were made to the

proposal. He referred to the memo in the Councilor?s packets which lists the

adopted amendments as follows (The memo is on file in the Clerk?s Office)





ADOPTED AMENDMENTS:





? Tree Board : Section 4, Pages 11 and 12. The addition of four members to

be selected from the community at- large. This expands the Committee from

seven to eleven members.



Responding to Councilor?s Smith question, has it been considered that the

eleven (11 ) board members are selected one per councilor and one by the

Mayor? He responded, no, but the Council is welcome to make those

recommendations.



? Applicability : Section 6, Page 13 . Deleted Rezoning in accordance with

suggestion made by Councilor Henderson. (The only reason it was there was

because it was in the Buffering Ordinance and we were trying to maintain

consistency).



? Applicability: Section 6, Pages 13 and 14.: Re-worked the issues of

Additions and Expansion as well as Redevelopment projects in Section 6,

Applicability, Page 14. While retaining the exemption for either of these type

of projects from specified planning placement language, such as in parking

lots, etc, ? This follows the ?footprint ? made by some councilors.

Re-developments; however, would remain as suggested with exemption from

specified planting placement, but still required to meet the TDU requirement

for the whole project on the rationale that this is a major construction

project and there should be room for the trees if they are going to be tearing

down over half the existing.buildings.



? Applicability : Section 6, - Added Subsections( e) (1) Page 13. Additions

and Expansions. Any site or development which falls under the provisions of

this Ordinance as specified in (b) above shall be required to meet the

applicable tree Density Unit (TDU) requirements as established hereafter only

and without regard to any specified placement of trees as contained in Section

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



? Defined in Section 6 Subsection (b) as: Sites 2 acres or smaller,

additions or expansions greater than 5,000 square feet shall be subject to

this ordinance. This includes addition cumulatively totaling more than 5,000

square feet since the adoption of the Ordinance. On sites greater than 2

acres, additions or expansions greater than 10,000 square feet to an existing

structure shallbe subject to this Ordinance.



? Applicability: Section 6. (2) (A). To determine the required number of

TDU?s (Tree Density Units), you add up the total square footage of the

expansion and or addition or any parking space and plant new trees sufficient

to meet the required TDU?s for that area.(existing trees elsewhere on the site

may not be counted with this option.



? Applicability: Section 6: Subsection (2) (B) Calculate required TDU?s for

entire area according to zoning classification and with this option, existing

trees on the site may be counted to achieved required TDU?s



? Applicability: Section 6: (f) Deals with Redevelopment. Any site or

development which falls under the provisions of this Ordinance by virtue of

redevelopment in (d) above shall be required to meet the applicable Tree

Density Unit (TDU) requirements only and without regard to any specified

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

Perimeter Planting.



Responding to a question from Councilor Poydasheff , if the ordinance would

affect the expansion of South Lumpkin Golf Course to an additional nine

holes, he replied that he assumed it would be affected. Mr. Jones said that

he would review the project and come back to Council with a more definitive

answer.



? Density Requirements : Section 7 (b) page 16. Specified that in the even of

the construction of a single - family home on a site larger than two acres the

TDU requirements would only be required for two acres. This amendment was to

Section 7 (b), page 16, and addresses the question that Councilor Allen raised.



? Variances: Section 14, pages 29 . Added language clarifying that all

appeals to Council are novo. ? Councilor Hunter.



? Nuisances, Disease, Infection, and Emergencies : Section 15, Page 30, .

City Attorney suggested that we add language providing for a hearing before the

City Manager prior to any assessments on the removal of nuisance or infested

trees. This was a due process concern raised by the city?s lawyers.



Councilor Poydasheff suggested that the Council should be the last resort for

the appeals process. After conferring with City Attorney Fay, it was

recommended to add that the final appeal would be to the City Council.



? Section 20, Page 36. Amended the effective date in, so that the Ordinance

will go into effect 120 days after its approval by Council. ?(Concerns by

engineers Landscapes architects about the impact of the Ordinance

on projects in the pipeline for planning.



? Additional Requirements: Section 8(a), Page 17 Amended to add ?. The

planting placement directives regarding trees in parking lots, etc. on sites

less than one and one-half acres (1/2 would not be applicable, but that at

least 70% the TDU requirements would have to be planted or retained in the

front or side yards of said sites, or along the road frontage.



? Replacement Tree Density Units (RTDU), Section 7 (4) . Adopted. The

density of new trees to be planted on site, excluding utility easements.

Calculate the RTDU by subtracting the EDTU from the TTDU.



At this time, City Manager Cavezza pointed out three questions raised at the

Council Meeting:



(1) The exemption of automobiles - the committee considered an amendment to

exempt automobile. (The vote was 6 ayes and 12 nayes and the amendment lost)



(2) The powers of the Arborist ? Remains the same.



(3) The requirement of one tree in the front yards on lots of 7,500 square

feet. Or greater.





Mr. Jones advised the member of Council a letter was received from the Water

Works dated February 22, 2002 to whom eight amendments were recommended by the

Water Work, but the Committee adopted one.

Concluding the report after approximately thirty minutes, City Manager advised

that the next scheduled Work Session held to discuss the Tree Ordinance.



EXECUTIVE SESSION:



City Manager Cavezza requested to go into Executive Session following the

Council Meeting to discus two issues: A matter of litigation and a real estate

issue.





F.Y.I.





q The City purchased Five (5) Dixie Choppers and five (5) Exmark Commercial

Mowers.



q SPLOST authorized five (5) fire trucks and will receive the fourth truck

which delivered to Station #2 located at 1347 29th Street.



q Upatoi - 200 X 200 Ft. lot worked out With Bill Heard.



q Re- schedule the re zoning for the Midland project.



At this point, Councilor Allen suggested that since Mr. Erickson will be out of

town for the next two weeks, if the matter could be delayed for two more

weeks. City Manager advised Councilor Allen to ask for the delay in the

Council meeting.





RECOMMENDATIONS:



? Introduce a resolution naming public facilities, i.e. Williams Road Park

and River Center Parking Garage



There being no other business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 8:41

a.m.









Gloria A. Carey, Secretary