Council approves legislation to amend Public Safety Commission
The Atlanta City Council approved legislation Monday to amend 21-R-3441 to expand the Public Safety Commission’s purpose to include crime strategy and amend its membership to add business leaders and neighborhood associations (Legislative Reference №22-R-3056). The commission will be divided into five working groups designed to focus on crime deterrence and the enforcement and application of existing laws within specific geographic areas of Atlanta aligned with the boundaries of the six Atlanta Police Zones.
Other items approved during Monday’s meeting include:
• A resolution requesting the MARTA Board of Directors provide a report to the Council of the funding related to the expansion of the Campbellton Road Corridor project and the Greenbriar Transit HUB that were allocated as part of “More MARTA” to ensure all dollars are being spent and accounted for the intended purposes (Legislative Reference №22-R-3059).
• A resolution requesting the Atlanta Department of Transportation commissioner and Department of Parks and Recreation commissioner create a pedestrian safety plan for Danforth Road to enhance street safety for West Cascade Park (Legislative Reference №22-R-3057).
• A resolution to apply for and accept $4.47 million in funding from the Georgia Department of Transportation for the 2022 Local Maintenance Improvement Grant to resurface certain Atlanta streets (Legislative Reference №22-R-3120).
• An ordinance ratifying the mayor’s executive order extending the City of Atlanta’s employee vaccination incentive program through June 30 (Legislative Reference №22-O-1066). The program offers a $100 incentive to employees who get vaccinated against COVID-19.
• A resolution appointing Council member Matt Westmoreland to the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Regional Commission for a term of four years (Legislative Reference №22-R-3136).
Items were introduced to be considered in committee next week, including:
• An ordinance to amend the City of Atlanta’s Alcohol Code to create a definition of “security plan” and require that a security plan be submitted with an application to obtain an alcoholic beverage license.
• A resolution to recognize 911 communication dispatchers as professional first responders and request that the Department of Human Resources conduct a study to assess the issue of parity and compensation with 911 telecommunicators in similar metropolitan and urban environments and examine the issues related to filling vacancies and employee retention and to identify best practices.
• An ordinance to amend Chapter 150 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances related to traffic and vehicles to add a definition for electric vehicles and amend the traffic enforcement section to allow enforcement of vehicles parked illegally in spaces designed for electric vehicles or electric vehicles not utilizing charging stations.
• A resolution to establish an historical commission study group tasked with making recommendations on amending the City of Atlanta Charter to create a permanent historical commission that will expand the City’s current process for historic designations and incorporate technology into the City’s historic preservation program as an economic tool to increase tourism and interest in the rich history imbedded within various city neighborhoods.
• A resolution to express the City of Atlanta’s support for a planned march from Centennial Olympic Park to Rodney Cook Sr. Park to honor the legacy and accomplishments of Ambassador Andrew J. Young scheduled for March 10 due to the unique public safety considerations thereof.
• A resolution to revise the purpose and functions of the Rodney Cook Sr. Park Historic Oversight Committee to include a provision for members of the community to be involved in the future planning, maintenance, improvement, and continued advocacy for the park.
• A resolution urging the Georgia General Assembly to pass legislation amending the Georgia Music Investment Act related to income tax credits for expenditures by a production company for state certified musical or theatrical productions and recorded music performances.
• An ordinance to rezone property zoned I-2/BL (Light Industrial/Beltline overlay), MRC-1/BL (Mixed Residential Commercial/Beltline Overlay), MRC-3/BL (Mixed Residential Commercial/Beltline Overlay), and R-4A/BL (Single Family Residential/Beltline Overlay) to MRC-3/BL (Mixed Residential Commercial/Beltline Overlay), to encourage transit-oriented development and provide affordable housing in proximity to the Bankhead MARTA Station.
• An ordinance to amend Section 6–4043(E)(7) of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances governing the Atlanta Urban Design Commission to update the Commission’s powers and duties regarding reviewing the in-rem review board-ordered demolition of non-historic properties.
• A resolution urging the Atlanta Police Department to consider implementing policy changes that would allow patrol officers to utilize steady streaming blue lights as a tool to deter criminal activity in all police department zones (1–6).
• A resolution requesting that the mayor or his designee authorize the Commissioner of Human Resources to establish a central repository referred to as ATL University for the retention and advancement programs of the City’s current workforce through job training programs and provide opportunities of City employment to high school students enrolled in Atlanta Public Schools.
