29 attendees

29 attendees

19 attendees; 4 visitors

24 attendees; 5 visitors

36 attendees; 3 visitors

32 attendees; 5 visitors

32 attendees and 1 visitor

APD presentation

• No business from APD zone representative

• No questions from attendees

• Future questions can go to srsmith@atlantaga.gov

Land Use - Lisa Malaney

V-19-261 - Illuminarium Experiences, LLC, 820 Ralph McGill Blvd. (Common Ground building) - Special Exception Application to reduce parking requirement

• A representative for Illuminarium Experiences presented background:

  • Seeking a parking exemption. 

  • In order to have liquor license, must “park” entire space. Parking reduction is required because they would like to apply for a liquor license in the future.

  • Off-site parking for employees; incentive program for public transportation

  • Chris and Jack from Illuminarium presented on the company:

  • Immersive digital experiences with videos presented on the wall, ceiling, and floors; haptic sensors on the floor

  • Representative fielded questions:

  • Expected to open September or October of 2020

  • Off-site parking for employees

    • Anticipate being able to park in larger parking deck once Georgia Power site is developed

  • Number of people admitted:

    • Will “pulse” admission with timed tickets

  • Maximum capacity:

    • 500 to 800 people if everyone is there at the same time; business plan is based on running at 16.7% of that capacity

    • Land Use and Board both voted unanimously to support

    • Lisa motioned to approve the request to lower the required number of spaces from 336 to 221 as requested.

  • o Motion was seconded; Vote in favor 23, opposed 0, abstentions 1

Ralph McGill Parking Discussion

• Tom from 976 Ralph McGill briefed on history: There are a number of no parking signs on both sides of Ralph McGill; most days there is no problem and residents can park anyway, but occasionally enforcement will come through and ticket. Because it is a residential street, the residents would like to change the signage and allow parking on Ralph McGill.

• Further discussion postponed so board can have further discussions with residents

• Next step is to do a study and get something more formal in the works.

Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Planning/Historic District Updates

• Lisa provided update on last planning meeting.

  City will be distributing new notice of intent to nominate package within next two weeks. This will restart city’s part of the process.

• Next planning meeting is December 5.

• Survey will be distributed within a week to ask for input on the planning process.

Update on Renew Atlanta projects

• • Contractor has started work on Blue Ridge sidewalks; other projects are forthcoming as funds become available.

Communications/fundraising update - Tanya

• Upcoming neighborhood happy hour at The Poncey-Highland Café and Coffeehouse on December 4.

• Poncey Highland neighborhood home tour is being planned for 2020.

Miscellaneous Items

• President mentioned APD’s Zone 6 annual toy drive. Must be delivered by December 11; can bring toys to the neighborhood happy hour on December 4.

• President said nominations for the board must be provided by December 9 via email.

32 attendees including 5 visitors

Report from Zone 6 officers, Lt. Bighon and Sgt. Smith

• Meet your beat officer

• Citizens can stop by the precinct and talk with the officers there.

• PATH program - pilot program with the city to help divert homeless; can be an alternative to immediate arrest for trespassing

• Report suspicious activity and remember to keep valuables out of sight and when possible at home!

• Email zone6cid@atlanta.ga.gov if you have issues you want to communicate to APD

• Fielded questions from attendees

• For some nuisance issues please call 311 first. As an example, people working on cars in the street.

Peachy Clean Poncey event on October 12t

• Thank you to our over 60 volunteers for making this event a success!

Halloween Decorating Contest for PHNA

• Please sign up by October 25th to win one of three prizes!

• Signup info can be found here or from ponceyhighland.org

Keith Pepper - fundraising update

• There will be a contest for logo designs for PH’s 100th anniversary

• 4 weeks to submit designs - look out for a posting on the website and in email blast.

Land Use presented by Land Use chair, Lisa

863 Ponce - rezoning and variance application (ZRB Z-19-077 and BZA V-19-192)

• Rezoning/change in conditions for allowed height from 52 to 100 feet

• Variance to decrease required open space

• 50 units, 65 parking spaces, 4 retail spaces

• Special neighborhood meeting was held earlier in October with the developers so that residents and others could offer comments and express concerns

• Land use committee recommended support with conditions including: height capped at 90 feet; use of vines to screen parking deck at the sides and rear of the building; material changes; and reduction of two parking spaces to increase retail space and create more engagement on the park side of the building. Developers have also agreed to let Trees Atlanta select the required trees and implement the tree plan.

• Motion to approve based on the plans date stamped for those presented at the meeting.

• Zoning and variance motions: 22 in favor, 3 opposed (2 absentee), 2 abstentions

1037 North Avenue (BZA V-19-211)

• Homeowner seeking to reduce side and rear setbacks to construct a new garage; previous shed was on the property line

• Land Use committee asked for a grass strip in the new driveway to lower overall impermeable surface from 58% to 52%

• Variance motion: 25 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions

599 Linwood Avenue (BZA V-19-216)

• Homeowner seeking to reduce side and rear setbacks to construct a new carport and looking to add a new driveway

• Permeable pavers and grass strip added to reduce permeable area under 50%. Flo-wells added to design to capture rainwater from the carport.

• Plans were updated to help preserve a tree on the property during the construction process.

• Variance motion: 24 in favor (1 absentee vote), 0 opposed, 0 abstentions

Cory Atkinson, NPU rep, shared information on NPU legislation from the City of Atlanta

•   New definition of small retail stores of up to 12,000 square feet. They would have to be 1500 feet apart with new legislation.

• Meant to encourage larger gaps that can be filled by grocery stores and prevent food deserts.

• Motion made to vote in support and resident discussion followed

  • Neighborhood is not required to vote on this legislation so a vote would only express interest in this legislation.

  • 11 in favor, 3 opposed, 10 abstentions

Atlanta Planning and Variance update

·         City of Atlanta's current interpretation of code means that NPUs can no longer require applicants for liquor licenses or special events to appear before neighborhood community meetings.

·         NPU-N plans to ask Amir Farohki to sponsor legislation that would require these types of applicants to meet with neighborhoods to garner community feedback before coming to their relevant NPU meeting.

Miscellaneous

• No updates on planning and historic district

  • Scheduled October planning meeting is cancelled

• ●      Kayt from PCM Farmer’s Market shared an update on events and efforts to help reduce food deserts.

Report from Zone 6 officer

• Seeing about a 10% increase in crime in Zone 6; most is from theft from vehicles ● Citywide is down about 2%; projected for the year is down 10%

• Fielded questions from attendees 

Malory announced Peachy Clean Poncey event on October 12th.

• Please sign up here using this Google Form to attend. 

Chris Tilley announced Halloween Decorating Contest for PHNA

• Dates and more information to be announced in the near future 

Land Use presented by Land Use chair, Lisa Liquor License, Kroger #695, 725 Ponce 

• Attorney representing Kroger presented application

• Motion to vote on license to sell malt beverages and wine in retail store

  • 42 in support, 0 against, 0 abstention

  • Motion to vote on license to sell malt beverages and wine in restaurant 

•  On-site consumption will be a maximum of 3 drinks

•  42 in support, 0 against, 0 abstentions
  

Elemental Spirits

• ●  Cory Atkinson presented application for liquor license

• ●  Motion to vote on license to sell distilled spirits

  • 43 in support, 0 against, 0 abstentions

  • Motion to vote on license to sell malt beverages and wine

  • 43 in support, 0 against, 0 abstentions 

571 Linwood Avenue 

• ●  Dave Price presented application; Jason and Rachel Kyzer are
  homeowners

• ●  Dave fielded questions from attendees

• ●  Motion to vote on variance request for side and rear setbacks and lot
  coverage 

  • ●  Amended motion to change side setback to 3 feet instead of 2 feet

  • ●  25 in support, 9 against (1 absentee), 5 abstentions

SAP, 891 Ponce de Leon Avenue (Chase Bank proposal) 

• ●  Request variations for fenestration, supplemental zones, driveway curb
  cuts

• ●  Land use committee is opposed to this proposal. PH master plan mandates
  minimum building widths, minimum building heights of two occupied stories, promoting ground-floor retail on Ponce, and encouraging architectural excellence. Also ask that excess off-street parking be reduced.

• ●  Show of hands in support of the SAP

  • 0 in support, 35 against, 3 abstentions 

Robert Hamburger presented neighborhood survey results 

• ●  Results are available on PHNA website

• ●  Hunter Burk is the winner of the staycation at the Hotel Clermont
  Beth McDonald provided update on Poncey-Highland Historic District planning
  

• ●  City felt that it was not in the best interest to proceed with the application as it stood
  

• ●  Office of Design would need to restart nomination process based on a new petition, new
  public notice, and new mailings
  

• ●  Jim McMahel volunteered to get a new petition signed; total of 30 signatures have been
  submitted to the city as of September 17 ~55 attendees according to sign-in sheets
  

Report from Zone 6 Officer

• Please secure vehicles and turn vehicles off! Remove all items, not just valuables.

• ATL 311 is a good way to report potholes and other street issues

• Scooters - the city is working on new rules in light of recent accidents.

Update from Jay Tribbey, Amir Farokhi’s chief of staff

• Amir introduced legislation to support compostable silverware at all city venues

A resident asked about RenewAtlanta work and new signs on BlueRidge about construction

• Contract has been bid out and should start in the near future

• Sidewalk repair, ADA ramps, restriping - Blue Ridge, Seminole, etc..

Land Use Items - presented by Lisa Malaney, Chair of Land Use and Planning committee

• Poncey Highland Cafe - 640 Highland Cafe

  • Requesting liquor license to support the cafe’s dinner program

  • Menus were shared with cocktail program and shareable platters

  • Hours will be open to 10 or so during the week and midnight on the weekend.

  • Motion to approve liquor license ​approved 36-0, 0 abstentions.

Fundraising/Membership Committee

• Tanya Hamburger and Keith Pepper have volunteered to help lead this effort.

• Next year we are looking to celebrate 100 years of Poncey Highland as a neighborhood

  and to get neighbors engaged

• Working on planning 4 tentpole events - examples might include membership drive, tour

  of homes, Lantern Parade, restaurant week

• More information to come!

Poncey-Highland Master Plan Working Group Update

• Lisa went over the history of the neighborhood which starts in the late 1800s - much of

  this timeline is on the updated website at ​https://www.ponceyhighland.org/our-history

• One of the working group members went over the detailed neighborhood inventory that

  was done by the working group in a series of 6 meetings (3-4 hrs each) and a walking survey

  •  No “pure” style buildings but the neighborhood has bungalows and other older buildings from the 1920s

  • Multifamily buildings that look like detached houses in addition to traditional multifamily buildings like Morningside

•  Working group recommendations

  •  Based on 2 months of reviewing the 2010 master plan, walking survey, and

    discussions with consultant and city officials

  •  The 2010 master plan mostly got things right in terms of recommendations for

    growth and development in the neighborhood

  • The committee recommends that the neighborhood partner with the city to

    explore a regulatory tool build on the concept of historic districts with custom zoning based on geographic subareas

  • For example, residential at the Beltline or near Ralph McGill may differ from the core neighborhood subarea east of Freedom Parkway.

• Next steps

  •  Beth McDonald and Doug Young from Atlanta’s Urban Design Commission

    discussed the current Historic Preservation Ordinance and the process that would involve community outreach and input through meetings scheduled and posted on ponceyhighland.org.

  •  Doug and Beth McDonald answered questions from neighborhood members about this effort.

• Upcoming Dates

  •  Poncey Highland community meeting September 5th at Church at Ponce and

    Highland; future meetings posted on the PHNA website.

  •  Peachy Clean scheduled for October 12th

Report from Zone 6 Officer, Sgt. Jones

• ATL+ is enforcing parking restrictions in some private and “No parking” zones with

  increased retail like behind Briarcliff Plaza. They interact with ATL Police often.

• Reminder tips for larceny especially from autos

  • Remember to keep your car clean! Especially be careful leaving about leaving large items like suitcases visible.

  • Don’t let anyone you don’t know use your phone!

•  You can make a complaint against an officer at the City of Atlanta if you are dissatisfied

  with service or interactions with them.

• Attendee Q: Are there laws about permanent trash cans in certain neighborhood

  locations?

  • APD can see if a compliance officer can check into this.

• Q: What’s the status of scooter enforcement?

  • It should be enforced but there’s a learning/enforcement curve..

Beth McDonald - Presentation of Land Use Items

• Scott Wilkins, Bazati

  • Request for liquor license modification to add a wine specialty shop separate from wines sold in the restaurant

  • Supplements larger Beltine-facing space with other shops for customers while they wait for restaurants.

  • Motion to approve change in liquor license ​approved 9-0, 0 abstentions.

• Carey Falcone - New Realm brewery

  • Request for liquor license modification for microdistillery on-site

  • New Realm can only serve alcohol brewed on site because they are a brewery,

    not a brewpub (like Wrecking Bar)

  •  Looking to distill vodka, gin, and whiskey on a small scale starting around

    September

■ No bottle sales or shots

• 100 square feet or so within existing space; no increase in infrastructure

• Motion to approve change in liquor license ​approved 9-0, 0 abstentions.

● Q&A about parking for New Realm from attendee

○ From valet info: 25% park, 75% seem to get there without parking

Kayt from PCM Farmer’s Market

• Shared some vouchers with attendees and that the market is 4-8 PM on Tuesdays.

• Lots of events upcoming - you can sign up for the newsletter at cfmatl.org/poncecity

•  kayt@cfmatl.org​ - You can email with questions or comments

from Zone 6 Officer, Sgt. Jones

Upcoming Important Dates

• July 31st - Planned Meeting Date for Working Group on Neighborhood Planning (later

  rescheduled to August neighborhood meeting)

• October 12 - Peachy Clean Poncey

  Miscellaneous business

● Attendees expressed a renewed interest in neighborhood t-shirts and other items

Report from Zone 6 Officer

• Major Vasquez, our new Zone 6 liaison, will be at the next meeting; Captain Antonio Clay attended this meeting..

• Bike thefts are up; please lock your bike

• Reminder on the clean car campaign

• Scooter usage flyers were made available for attendees

Land use items from Lisa Malaney, head of Land Use and Planning committee

• Southern Belle and Georgia Boy - request for liquor license

  • Unanimous vote for approval (28 votes), 0 opposed, 0 abstained

• Cory and Malory Atkinson - Atlanta Spirits Retail doing business as Elemental Spirits

• Looking to put a package store in the vein of VinoTeca in Inman Park in the space next to Manuels

• ○  Requesting an exemption to the rule for being 600 feet from single family homes.

• ○  Space is limited to 1900 square feet

• ○  Q&A from audience regarding parking and related topics

• ○  Nonbinding vote of support from attendees passed - 24 in favor, 1 abstention

Samara Minkin - Manager of Public Art

• Renew Atlanta Public Art Program is starting to place art across Atlanta in public spaces

  • Atlanta has a lot of small and local art but no large-scale artwork.

• Jaume Plensa sculpture will come to Poncey Highland; working with Freedom Park Conservancy and Trees Atlanta to place the piece at Freedom Parkway and N. Highland (near Babette’s).

  • Will be doing some hard landscaping and will remove two trees. Will have some seating around it. Construction should start in late summer.

Beth McDonald - Master Plan Working Group Update

• Working group for addressing master plan and zoning issues - 30 people applied, 10 people were selected from across the neighborhood/groups
  ○ Other interested applicants will be asked to participate with future focus groups

Report from Zone 6 Officer

• Current major for Zone 6 is transferring.

• Be aware of people asking to use your phone and then accessing your cash apps. Do not allow other people to use your phone.

• Another common scam is people calling and asking you to purchase gift cards.

• With warm weather, people are looking for opportunities to break into cars. Do not leave items visible in your car.'

Land use item from Lisa Malaney, head of Land Use committee

• Lisa introduced special use permit application U19008 from Atlanta Dental Spa to add paid parking to their site during non-business hours (8 spots).

• Tim from Park Place presented on behalf of business.

• Floor was opened for Q&A.

• Enforcement will be via application—checking license plate numbers against cars and ticketing infractions.

• Land Use and Board voted unanimously to support application.

• ●  Lisa made a motion to vote on issue.

• Motion passed 48 to 3

. Trees Atlanta report from Greg Levine

• Planning commission has been working on urban ecology framework.

• Trees Atlanta has received reports on concerns about tree loss in nearby

  neighborhoods, including Virginia-Highland, as single-family homes are removed to put in larger homes. Have not yet seen this as a widespread problem in Poncey-Highland.

• 80 trees over 10 inches have come down from Poncey-Highland in last 5 years due to construction, storms, permitted and non-permitted pruning, etc.

• City hopes to have draft of tree ordinance by August.

• Three points that nonprofits are backing: Plant more trees, buy more forested land, change ordinance to protect more trees.

• Greg encourages neighbors to get involved with protecting tree canopy. Has a form people can sign to support three points.

• Floor was opened for Q&A.

Poncey Highland Master Plan Report and Update

•  Jim M. recapped history of 2010 Poncey Highland Master Plan and progress to date.

•  Keyetta Holmes and Doug Young from City of Atlanta’s Office of City Planning discussed

  their goal of managing the look and feel of neighborhoods alongside zoning.

• Hope to kick off zoning code rewrites this summer. Will be a three-year process from start to adoption by City Council.

  • Poncey-Highland board is looking to review the Master Plan and figure out next steps.

• Vision has not changed, but tools available to carry out the plan have changed.

• ●  Association would like to create a working group to review the Master Plan and

  how to codify land use and design elements.

• ●  Working group will focus on previous efforts and options in May and June and

  have ongoing conversations afterward.