Council approves legislation authorizing agreement for fire equipment
The Atlanta City Council approved legislation Tuesday to authorize the execution of a master lease agreement with JP Morgan Chase Bank for the acquisition of three pumpers and three ladder trucks on behalf of Atlanta Fire Rescue in an amount not to exceed approximately $4.7 million (23-O-1010). The Council approved legislation in 2021 expressing support for the City’s plan to acquire additional fire trucks after Fire Rescue and the Office of Fleet Services identified certain vehicles necessary to ensure the department can consistently meet Atlanta’s safety, rescue, and emergency services needs.
The Council also approved legislation to amend Chapter 122 of the City’s Code regarding secondhand goods to establish rules and requirements to help prevent the theft of car parts, including catalytic converters, and add penalties for failing to comply with regulations (23-O-1012).
Other items approved on Tuesday include:
• An ordinance to amend the City’s Zoning Code to provide language for the operation and regulation of delivery-based commercial kitchens (22-O-1209). Often called “ghost kitchens,” these businesses typically lack dine-in services and only fulfill online orders.
• An ordinance extending the moratorium on the acceptance of any applications for certain administrative, building, and other permits relating to specified uses within the Upper Westside Improvement District Masterplan Study Area for a period not to exceed 180 days (23-O-1030).
• An ordinance authorizing the City of Atlanta to apply for a Fiscal Year 2022 Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in an amount not to exceed $2.5 million with Groundwork Atlanta as a co-applicant (22-O-1904). The grant’s purpose is to help local farmers by launching decentralized, neighborhood farm business sites to help underserved producers through increasing land, capital, and market access.
• An ordinance authorizing the execution of a ground lease agreement with the Historic Oakland Foundation Inc. for the lease of property located at 374 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE for a term of 30 years with an option to renew for two additional consecutive 10-year periods (22-O-1906). This legislation is aimed at building a visitors center at Oakland Cemetery.
• A resolution to oppose federal and state legislation allowing for increased truck weights and lengths on interstates, state routes, and local streets, support legislation freezing current truck weight and length limits, and to urge Congress and the state legislature to pass such legislation (23-R-3002).
• A resolution to congratulate the University of Georgia Bulldogs on winning the NCAA national championship in football. This was an immediate consideration.
On Tuesday, the Council presented a proclamation in recognition of the Atlanta Apartment Association and its 35-year partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
Items were also introduced to be considered in committee, including:
• A resolution to request that the Department of City Planning’s Office of Housing report on the feasibility of creating a web-based affordable housing locator portal to connect Atlanta residents to affordable housing opportunities no later than May 31, 2023.
• An ordinance authorizing the City of Atlanta to accept a donation of an artwork installation dedicated to Xernona Clayton at Hardy Ivy Park, the total value in which to be an amount not to exceed $200,000 from the Xernona Clayton statue project and to accept a donation of $17,500 to support the future conservation maintenance of the donated artwork.
• A resolution authorizing the mayor or his designee to apply for a Fiscal Year 2023 U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant in an amount not to exceed $25 million for the construction of the Atlanta BeltLine Northeast Trail.
• An ordinance to establish the City of Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services and to amend Chapter 2, Article II, Division 3, Subdivision I, Section 2–135(D) to provide that the Committee on Community Development and Human Services will have jurisdiction over the department.
• An ordinance authorizing the mayor or his designee, on behalf of the Worksource Atlanta to accept a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Dislocated Worker Program Grant in the amount of approximately $1.1 million from the Technical College System of Georgia’s Office of Workforce Development.
• A resolution authorizing the City of Atlanta to donate American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Atlanta Police Foundation to support the community safety housing program for sworn police, fire and corrections personnel in a total amount not to exceed $500,000 and authorizing the mayor or his designee to enter into a donation agreement with the foundation.
