Council to consider legislation to address alcohol license compliancy and nuisance properties
The Atlanta City Council will consider legislation during Monday’s remote meeting to amend the City’s Code of Ordinances to clarify alcohol license requirements for reporting food and alcohol sales at annual renewal and update the mandatory penalties for due cause findings of violations (Legislative Reference №21-O-0059). The legislation aims to address nuisance properties and activities that are considered threats to public health and safety and ensure that establishments licensed as restaurants are operating in accordance with license requirements.
Legislation was adopted during the Council’s meeting on Dec. 7, 2020 to establish annual alcohol audits on a sample of establishments to review business records and ensure compliance with the City’s alcohol license requirements (Legislative Reference №20-O-1741).
The Council will also consider legislation to require a minimum of 33 percent of net revenue collected for school zone speed camera enforcement remitted to the City be used toward surveillance cameras and license plate readers citywide and that a minimum of 33 percent of fund allocations be used toward constructing or improving the City’s Public Safety Training facility (Legislative Reference №21-O-0020). The ordinance is companion legislation to a resolution adopted during the Council’s Jan. 19 meeting to approve an agreement with Atlanta Public Schools for the School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Enforcement Program and authorize the collection and sharing of fines resulting from offenses (Legislative Reference №21-R-3005).
Other items on Monday’s agenda include:
• A resolution requesting that the chief judges of the Superior Courts of Fulton and DeKalb counties share information with the City of Atlanta on how they have adapted court functions to resume operations with the COVID-19 challenges (Legislative Reference №21-R-3039).
• A resolution to establish the City of Atlanta Alcohol Technical Advisory Group III (ATAG III) to make recommendations to implement the ATAG II report, evaluate the City’s Alcohol Code and licensing requirements, and make recommendations to the Council on what additional changes may be warranted (Legislative Reference №21-R-3040).
• A resolution authorizing the City to apply for and accept a grant in an amount not to exceed $1 million per year for up to five years from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to assist high-risk youth and families and promote resilience and equity in communities that have recently faced civil unrest (Legislative Reference №21-R-3037).
• An ordinance authorizing the mayor or her designee to abandon a portion of Capitol Square SW located between Washington Street and Capitol Avenue, execute a quitclaim deed of the abandonment to the state of Georgia, and waive Sections 138–9 and 2–1578 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances (Legislative Reference №21-O-0056).
• An ordinance to amend the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances to repeal the requirement that prospective employees who are not applying for employment in safety sensitive positions undergo a post-employment offer physical examination or a drug test (Legislative Reference №21-O-0046).
• A resolution authorizing an agreement with Gordon Huether + Partners Inc. to create the Eternal Flame Memorial Monument dedicated to Atlanta’s Missing Children pursuant to the City’s Art Master Plan in an amount not to exceed $280,000 (Legislative Reference №20-R-4756).
The Council’s Committee on Council will be held in committee of the whole during Monday’s meeting.
The Feb. 1 meeting will take place remotely at 1 p.m. in response to the telework protocol activated for City Hall. The meeting will be simulcast on the Council’s website, YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter pages, and Channel 26.
Media and the public can tune into the remote meeting by dialing (877) 579–6743 and entering the conference ID number 8315991256.
Pursuant to 20-R-4119, remarks from the public for all remote meetings will be accepted between the hours of 4–7 p.m. on the day before the scheduled meeting.
Residents can participate in the public comment portion of the meeting by calling (404) 330–6001 and leaving a voicemail, including their name and contact information. Public comments for the Committee on Council may be left by calling (404) 330–6069.
