Brookshire Homeowners Ask for Plans

The City Council approved 2015 goals for Woodstock. Along with these goals, the council members also created two lists of Top Priority and High Priority items that are important to the City.

Top Priority:

1. Neese Road Improvements (Agreement, Funding and Construction)
2. Grid Network: Direction and Funding
3. Ridgewalk Master Plan Implementation
4. Amphitheatre
5. WCC Site Renaming/Branding
6. Greenprints Trails and Parks Master Plan: Purchase of Right-of-Way
7. WaterWells: Explore and Possibly Develop

High Priority:

1. Complete I-575 Interchange
2. Phase I - Arnold Mill and Towne Lake: Funding and Implementation
3. Bell Industrial Park Improvement Plan
4. Evaluate Smart Code
5. Update LCI Plan to Develop a Parking Plan for Downtown
6. Develop a Sidewalk Master Plan
7. Develop a Transportation Master Plan

Recognitions

• Mayor Donnie Henriques swore in the A shift from the . The B shift was also officially sworn in at the last City Council meeting.

Appointments

• Bud Leonard will take over as mayor pro tem for the rest of the year because Bob Mueller is going through personal issues.

Updates

• Ipp’s Pastaria & Bar at 8496 Main St. got its Alcoholic Beverage License approved. They will be selling liquor, malt beverages and wine. Ipp’s has eight locations around the Atlanta area, but the owner is changing up the menu with the Downtown Woodstock to try something new. It will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is projected to open the week before Mother’s Day.
• City Manager Jeff Moon gave update on the selling of alcohol at Wingfest Saturday, June 4. This will be the first event where alcohol is sold in the City Park. Wine-based frozen drinks will be sold along with beer. The group is discussing making Wingfest a two-day event next year.
• Per Moon’s request, Woodstock will use Neese Towing as the sole provider temporarily. The City has had problems with Pee Wee’s Wrecker Service and will look for a potential business to replace them. “It doesn’t impact us on a daily basis, but our officers deserve better,” Moon said.

Streets / Landscape

• Moon reminded the council the Interchange phase is still a year away. This first phase goes  fast, but the next phase involving the bridge is slow.  The mayor also reminded the council about the two environmental studies on the Interchange that were done in 2001 and 2008 with a later revision. The link will be on the City website Tuesday.
• Brookshire Homeowner Association board of director member John Szczesniak approached the City Council with concerns about future plans affecting the Ridgewalk area. In a letter he presented on behalf of the 625 Brookshire homeowners, he said they were concerned a master plan for the area has not been implemented up to this point. They asked for one to be with the inclusion of the potential Horizon Group mall site. The letter stated they are disappointed as is everyone with losing the potential Cousins development of the Avenue, but they will not accept a lower substitute because of this. Henriques said the council is already making steps in that direction. "We are moving right along," he said. "We share your concern, and we are going to do the best we can."

Resolutions

• Fire Chief Dave Soumas requested to trade in a surplus of equipment for credit to the American Fire Safety. The credit would go toward future purchases. The list included damaged and excess equipment.
• An amendment was proposed concerning pawn brokers and dealers. This will allow those who operate locations within the City limits and have other locations within Georgia the ability to transfer goods to another location during the specified holding period of 30 days. Information on where the goods are transferred as well as requirements to produce these goods to the Police Department are included in the revision. Look on pages 19–22 to see the changes.
• The Council unanimously approved the support of the TSPLOST. It will now move on to the county level.

Events/Announcements

March 17-Ward 6 Towne Hall Meeting (T. Basford) at the Deer Run West Clubhouse at 7 p.m.

March 18- Last Day to register for the Woodstock Police Department Citizens Police Academy

March 19-Woodstock Jaycees Benefit Poker Tournament with registration beginning at 2 p.m. for Gabriel Sierra, Fire Chief Soumas’ grandson

March 26-Greenprints Alliance StreetFest 2011 featuring "Drivin & Cryin" in Downtown Woodstock

April 1-Friday Night Live in Downtown Woodstock from 6-9 p.m. The theme is ’80s Night.

April 2-Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show at NW Corner of Highway 92 and Highway 5. All proceeds go to help Gabriel Sierra.