4th QUARTER MEETING MINUTES
ChadMurray, HSNA President – opens Zoom meeting at 6:30 pm
Adeline Collot -Upper Westside CID.
- Howell Junction pocket park to be complete in 10 days. Adding a circular seat, new trees, bike tune-up station. Draft master plan for the CID is being written; community can add input on line once it’s available. - Playscape at Northside & 17th. Fundraiser will be a drive-up movie at Westside Paper on Dec 4 &5 – It will give us a sneak peek at Westside Paper location. Two movies will be shown via 40 little pods placed 6-feet apart. Howell Station invited to set up a table to sell made in HS items. Someone will need to take on the table at the fundraiser since Sarah Noble cannot.
Curtis Hearn
Seeks variance to build a home on his 1008 Herndon St. lot. Lot is smaller than minimum lot size-narrow at 34 feet wide. Seeks minor adjustments on setbacks and height of the house. He will share a driveway with his neighbor. Wants variance from 7 feet to 4 feet on the other side of the lot. He has to give letters to adjoining properties to get their support/concern. Zoned R4A.
PamO’Dell–Short Term Rental Association of Georgia. (STROAGA)
Educational Organization teaches owners how to manage their guests so they don’t disturb others. STROAGA workswith AirBnB and VRBO to prevent neighborhoods from being burdened or inconvenienced by a short-term rental. When a private individual complains to AirBnB, they’re not going to get attention. STROAGA has a relationship with AirBnB and when she contacts them, they know it’s a problem. No cost to the neighborhood. Short-term rental owner would have cost. Short-term rentals are not supposed to give parties. By law, a short-term rental is where you lodge. Party house –a residence someone has access to and they just want to give a party. STROAGA works at state level to empower local gov’ts to stop party houses. Howell Station can get involved by giving them addresses of short-term rental properties. We can send out materials or a flier to the neighborhood to make people aware (if we choose to participate).
Chad –we will have internal discussion to see what we want to do about it.
Chris Alasa
Tennis court renovation will be scheduled in next couple of weeks. Will resurface court with basketball, pickleball and tennis outlines. Will replace fencing with sturdier material.
Bridge - Prefab bridge-hopefully arrives tomorrow. We have gotten provisional permission to pour concrete. Library is started as far as conceptual plans. Build-out will be scheduled once we approve the concept. Architect Steve Trimble is working with us.
Pavilion–we are trying to get extra $$via Park Pride for the Pavilion. Due to COVID-19, a lot of demand for legacy grants; we probably can’t get a new one. We could seek extension of our existing legacy grant and work for matching funds. Councilman Brown is aware. Hopefully city will give us more $$to complete some of the work.
Chad – Art Grant.
We won a grant for an art installation in Knight Park. Sarah is working with our chosen artist for an installation - an 1893 covered in mosaic tile. No date yet.
Chad – Remaining events for 2020.
Due to COVID-19, Pumpkin Roll is a no-go for this weekend. Taste of Howell Station cancelled, no pictures with Santa. May want to consider porch portraits for Christmas?
Chad – Gas station update.
Chevron liquor license application was overwhelmingly denied at NPU-K meeting. Grant and others are submitting pictures to show that they’re already violating ordinances. This could be sufficient evidence to prevent them from getting the license. Some homeless people are in the lot now. Please continue to document violations you see so we have an ongoing record of the issue.
Alice Pickett – Pedestrian crossing.
Dangerous to cross the street by the gas station. Signal doesn’t work.
Chad - Marietta Blvd bridge
City to delay fixing; priority given to a nearby bridge that’s in worse shape.
Megan Murphy –Treasurer’s report:
•$62,237 - Friends of Howell Station
•$7,437 - Checking account
•$492 – Savings account
We will begin to solicit neighborhood dues in January, 2021.
Ted -
Online Made in Howell Station Market was successful-not sure of amount raised -about $2K?
Chad - HSNA bylaws
Dated 2006. Not sure when it was updated last. NPUs like to review and update them annually. He has some light recommendations, thinks some improvements and updates can be made. It’s a good idea to look at it once a year.
Board Elections/ Positions for 2021
•Chad – stepping down as President for 2021.
•Ted-remains as Vice President for 2021.
•Anna–remains as Secretary for 2021.
•Meghan–stepping down as Treasurer for 2021.
Ted -
Requests that other board members indicate whether they want to continue in 2021. We decide who will replace outgoing Executive Board members in the beginning of the year.
Cara-could take on treasurer – Ted says he would be willing to switch. Chad – will reach out to board to see who wants to continue next year. Bylaws say if you don’t attend 3 consecutive meeting, the rest of the board can vote on whether they can stay. Ted - We need a social chair – Sarah is probably not going to be continuing. Or possibly get a co-chair.
Meeting adjourned