Tucker’s City Council met Monday night at the City Hall Annex for their first session of the month of April. Among the big issues discussed was a rezoning petition for a 45-unit residential development proposed along the south side of Lawrenceville Highway at Bishop Drive. The plan, which was granted a deferral at the March 26 Council meeting, calls for a mix of single family homes and townhomes. Developer Ardent Companies most recently had asked for 54 townhomes, but modified their plans after hearing feedback at a City Council Work Session on March 30. The rezoning is scheduled for a public hearing and vote at the meeting on April 23.
Council took action on a pair of transportation matters, as they approved contracts for a Transportation Master Plan and a Trail Master Plan. They also heard a presentation from City Engineer Ken Hildebrandt on the City’s Pavement Condition Analysis, specifically how he recommends the City move forward in prioritizing the City’s road resurfacing and repaving efforts.
Council then authorized the Mayor to execute four intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) with DeKalb County. The IGAs, which promise the County will continue to provide roads and drainage, storm water, police and 911 services to the City of Tucker, must now be approved by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners at their meeting on Tuesday.
Economic and Community Development Director John McHenry presented the new Comprehensive Plan to Council for the first of two reads. Eighteen months in the making, the plan will guide land use and development decisions in the City for decades to come. It recently was approved by the state Department of Community Affairs and the Atlanta Regional Commission and will now go before the Council for final approval at their meeting on April 23.
Council addressed four issues impacting the Parks and Recreation Department. Two of those were contracts: approval of a janitorial contract for services at Tucker Recreation Center and approval of a contract with Barge Design Solutions to conduct a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Council also approved purchase and installation of 13 security cameras at Tucker Recreation Center, with funding coming from the City’s hotel/motel tax. They also set the weekly rate for participation in Tucker Recreation Center’s Summer Camp at $95 per week.
The meeting also saw Council vote unanimously to approve amendments to the City’s zoning ordinance. Those amendments will impact measures such as density bonuses and fundamentally change the definition of RSM zoning district.
Finally, Council held a first read and public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2019 budget. City staff are projecting $10.1 million in revenue for FY ’19. There will be a Work Session to examine the budget on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the City Hall Annex. The budget will get a vote at the City Council meeting on April 23.
