InTucker Magazine

City Council Update – January 2018

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ucker’s Mayor and City Council held one, very busy meeting in the month of December. The meeting featured a packed agenda, including three issues requiring public hearings.

The first of the public hearings was an expected second read and vote on a rezoning for a 19-unit single family development on Saren Court. The developer asked for a deferral in order to evaluate the stream buffer impact of the project. Council decided, instead of granting the deferral, to table the matter on a 6-0 vote, meaning the issue could come back up at the City Council meeting on January 8.

The next public hearing was for a first read on a proposed 19-unit urban single family detached development at the intersection of Montreal Road East and Alcan Way. The development, planned for property adjacent to Montreal Park, is expected to go back before the City Council for a second read and vote on January 8.

The last public hearing dealt with adoption of Tucker’s Comprehensive Plan. The Plan, a document that lays out long-term planning and zoning standards and is required by state law, came before Council on a first read. They voted to send the Plan for required review to the Atlanta Regional Commission and the state Department of Community Affairs. It will come back before the City Council early in the new year for final approval.

Earlier in the meeting, Council voted 6-0 to approve an annexation request by five commercial properties off East Ponce de Leon Avenue. These properties are all within the Stone Mountain Community Improvement District (CID), which covers Tucker’s industrial corridor.

Council also voted 6-0 to approve a series of amendments to the City’s contract with services provider CH2M. The vote will create eight new positions in the Parks and Recreation Department, three new positions for court services, as well as a Citizen Responder to be added to the Communications Department. The Citizen Responder will coordinate with residents, answering questions and connecting them to resources, as well as improving engagement with DeKalb County on roads and drainage, transportation, watershed management, police and fire.

Council then heard discussion of a contract for afterschool services at the Tucker Recreation Center. They voted 6-0 to enter into a contract with the YMCA’s Wade Walker facility to provide services, including transportation for students. This will be an important step for the City assuming responsibility of the Rec Center on January 1.

On the real estate front, Council voted 6-0 to purchase the land at 4448 Lawrenceville Highway. That parcel is adjacent to Tucker Nature Preserve and would enable to City to add to its park space.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Mayor and Council members thanked Councilwoman Honey Van De Kreke for her service. After decades of leadership in the Tucker community, including serving the residents of District One as their representative on the inaugural City Council, December’s meeting was the last Council meeting for Mrs. Van De Kreke.

The next scheduled meeting will take place on January 8 at 7 p.m. It will be preceded at 6 o’clock by a reception for the newly-elected Mayor and Post One City Council members. Both events are open to the public.