Castleberry Hill Neighborhood Association
General Business Meeting
January 18, 2010, 6:30pm
The Granite Room – 211 Peters St.
MEETING MINUTES
President, Laurel Emery, called the meeting to order at 6:40pm.
OFFICERS’ REPORTS
- Secretary: Motion was made to nominate Allison Harrelson for secretary. The motion 2nd and was carried.
- The 2010 executive committee introduced themselves.
SPECIAL GUESTS: CITY, COUNTY, STATE, & FEDERAL OFFICIALS
- Kwanza Hall – Jay Tribby representing – District 2
- Shared city council assignments and meeting schedules.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Membership
- Scott -Reviewed membership drive
- You can pay through PayPal on the website: http://castleberryhill.org-> Membership.
- $30 for individual, $27 with building membership, and $100 for business membership
Public Safety
- Ko Hassan is new public safety chair. We need a co-chair for public safety or someone who would help attend the meetings.
- CAC meeting run by Major Williams. They are reaching out to condo/lofts where 2 or more crimes occur in a week, you will be included on APD emails.
- Be vigilant in March as criminals will be released from jail due to budget constraints.
- We had 3 big crimes happen this week but no one communicated them to the neighborhood public safety chair, which delayed the BOLO alert for one of them.
- Be aware that thieves are unscrewing the peep holes to determine if anyone lives in an apartment.
- There is a form on the website you can submit an incident report.
- http://castleberryhill.org/wpmu/contacts/public-safety/
Code Enforcement
- There is a new online form to report code violations to the City. You can fill it out through your web enabled phone.
- The process is on the website: http://web.atlantaga.gov/ocf/violationform.aspx
- We still need a code compliance chair.
Neighborhood cleanup
- Steve Burns – The first cleanup this year will be in the spring.
Business Development
- Audrey Johnson of ZuCot Gallery will be business development chair.
- She needs 2 more co-chairs, a restaurant and retail representative.
PR/Communcations
- David Gacsko and Carrie Burns: We have new maps. Will get new signage out for ArtStroll.
Cleopas Johnson Park
- Clay Seymour will serve on this ad-hoc committee for 2010. He will be the liaison between Cleopas Park and CHNA.
- Park Pride is asking us to provide input of what we would like in the park. There is a link on our website for the survey via Survey Monkey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/55LZ9DQ
- First public visioning meeting at Granite Room 02/11.
Land Use/Zoning
- Calvin Lockwood: we still have landmark posters for $10.
Neighborhood Relations
- We still need a chair.
Transportation
- Heather Alhadeff: Truck routes are part of the Connect Atlanta plan. Changes to the Savannah port will increase trucking traffic significantly through Atlanta.
- We made recommendations for out of date routes, such as Bradbury is a truck route and of course should not be.
- January 28th is next public meeting for feedback @ Georgia N. Fulton Chamber/CID 11605 Haynes Bridge Rd., Alpharetta from 6p til 8p.
NEW BUSINESS
JR Crickets – request for letter of recommendation for liquor license with live entertainment license.
- Corporation Name: 309 NELSON ST, INC
- Registered Agent/Attorney: Gerald A. Benda
- CEO: Deborah Emerson
- CFO/Sec: James Sterling
- James Sterling is the majority owner, and will be licensing the business name.
- Located at Castleberry Point, facing the fire station.
- Mr. Sterling has been in the restaurant business over 10 years.
- This will not be a night club, or music club, it will be a neighborhood night spot; there will be a TV. Is a non-smoking restaurant.
- There will be no more 130 seating, though they do not get their fire rating until this week, it cannot be more than that. Less than 2,500 ft for eating area.
- 70% food /30% liquor: Our experience is the food portion will go up with the lunch crowd.
- They have 87 parking spaces. They don’t expect there to be a parking issue. If there is overflow, there is cattycorner to the restaurant a paid parking lot. There will be complimentary valet parking.
- Trash receptacles are enclosed.
- Security: onsite security on an as-needed basis.
- We don’t anticipate any noise issues.
- There will be carryout parking spots.
Open comments/questions
- Resident: people standing outside establishments make noise when they are loitering and in the past it has caused a lot of noise for residents.
- Resident: why is there a need for an entertainment license?
- Attorney: will there be dancing and live entertainment? If a waiter sings the menu, if the neighborhood wanted to have a meeting at the restaurant, if the radio station wanted to have a live broadcast, then they must hold an entertainment license.
- Resident: will the licenses cover bands and DJ?
- Attorney: the city doesn’t provide for a check-off list that explicitly says what will be included in a live entertainment license. We are not going to have a band.
- Resident: Those at Castleberry Point are concerned about the entertainment license part of the application. We have done our own research and the entertainment license is not required.
- Attorney: we understand it will be a financial suicide if we do not listen to the neighborhood.
- Resident: What about sound proofing?
- Attorney: Sound-proofing has been done.
- Resident: What can you do to assure us you won’t do this, the worst case scenario of live music? You have the neighborhood’s support if you just seek a liquor license.
- Jay Tribby: Provide some context for neighbors’ concerns: city does not enforce noise violations and so the neighborhood knows once the business gets their license there will be no repercussions.
- Resident: What about utilizing a neighborhood commitment document, community benefits structure?
- Resident: We asked for a letter of intent, though we know its not legally binding. We also went to Jerry Miller asking for constraints on the space. We just want something in writing to reassure us.
- Attorney (different attorney): We asked you at Castleberry Point to give us a list.
- Resident: We cannot create your letter of intent for you because we do not know your intent.
Motions
- Member made a motion to approve liquor license with no entertainment license. It was 2nd and we utilized ballots.
- 15 yes’ and 2 no’s
- Resident: This is not what the gentlemen are asking us for. We must vote on their license as they have applied for it, which is a liquor license that includes the live entertainment checkbox.
- Member made a motion which moves to approve the license. It was 2nd and we utilized ballots.
- 18 no’s and 3 yes’
OLD BUSINESS
- NPU M meetings are the 4th Monday of each month at Helene S. Mills Sr. Multipurpose Facility 515 John Wesley Dobbs Ave.
- You must attend 2 meeting prior to becoming en eligible voter.
- Please come to NPU M and liquor review board.
Meeting was adjourned.
