Planning Director Howard Brown asked the commission for the extension.
“We’ve presented a proposed sign ordinance draft to the Planning Commission, but they decided to continue the issue for, I think, 30 days,” Brown said in a pre-meeting briefing. “If they review (the ordinance) and recommend approval, it could be available by your March night meeting.”
Commissioners also voted to grant the Downtown Merchants Association an exemption to the city’s open-container law from 11 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Saturday during the annual Mardi Gras celebration, and approved a request by Downtown Manager Don Buie to pass an ordinance requiring owners of vacant structures to register the structure with the Planning Department within 10 days of receiving notice of the designation by Code Enforcement.
“It’s a matter of safety,” Buie said after the meeting. “By giving a detailed registration of a vacant structure, the owners will provide police, fire and EMS an accounting of any potential dangers associated with the structure.
“Those guys (emergency personnel) are the ones who look at things differently; they’re the ones running into the building when we’re running out.”
Commissioners voted 4-3 to deny businessman Tomy Green an alcohol license for the Red Velvet Lounge, though Code Enforcement Director Mike Tilson told the commission that under city regulations there was no reason to deny the application.
In his appeal to commissioners, Green said, “I don’t think it’s fair to move next to a train track and complain every time a train comes by” in reference to complaints from a resident who lives 10 feet from the establishment.
Tilson explained that noise complaints, under city code, must be made from individuals who live at least 100 feet from an establishment.
Asked after the meeting if Green might have further recourse given Tilson’s assertion that Code Enforcement recommended approval of the license, City Attorney Nathan Davis said, “I have no comment.”
With Ward 1 Commissioner Jon Howard, who opposes all alcohol licenses, voting no on each request, the commission voted 6-1 to approve one-day alcohol license for Easter Seal and Theatre Albany fundraisers on Thursday and March 15, respectively, and regular licenses for the Silver Leaf Restaurant at 2701 Dawson Road, Just One More at 2900 Sylvester Road, Hanu Quick Stop at 716 Johnson Road and East Side Grocery at 326 S. Mock Road.
The commission OK’d resolutions:
• Authorizing the use of Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax V funds for firefighting equipment;
• Authorizing use of SPLOST V funds to install shade structures at Paul Eames Park;
• Declaring city property as surplus for online sales;
• Authorizing the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia to liquidate bonds to return credit to the 49 members of its cooperative and to change wording of the authority’s telecommunications contract, and
• Authorizing up to $150,000 in additional funding for the demolition of delapidated structures.
Commissioners also approved $65,500 in funding (to be provided by Albany Technical College) for a change order on the Lowe Road relocation and $167,500 in funding for replacement of the roof at the Microbusiness Center.