Norcross Policy Work Session, Special Called Meeting Tonight

The Norcross City Council is holding a special called meeting and policy work session at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 18, in the second floor conference room of Norcross City Hall.

The special called meeting, which will take place first, will cover three issues:

• The water and sewer system agreement: The city is looking to sell its system to Gwinnett County, which has made an offer and approved the intergovernmental agreement to purchase it. The city council now has to vote to approve or deny the agreement, which could happen as soon as the April city council meeting. At the special called meeting, the public will be allowed to comment on the issue and the council will discuss it, too.
• The acquisition of the Old Cotton Gin at 125 Lawrenceville St.: The proposal suggests that the city purchase the parcel for connectivity, parking expansion and future expansion for city use.
• Positions on the Downtown Development Authority board

The March policy work session will be held afterward with several agenda items, including:

The proposal for city arts support: The council has been juggling this issue of the city financially supporting the arts for some time now. It was brought up last at the council's annual retreat in January with no resolution in sight, and the council denied the proposal of forming a city-paid arts commission in November. The new proposal takes a slightly different approach and includes dedicating three of its buildings currently hosting arts groups (such as Lionheart Theatre Co. and Kudzu Art Zone) to keep supporting the field.

The approval to change the conditions of the rezoning case for 152 Thrasher St.: The original concept to build six homes at this location was passed in December, but because the plan was revised to better fit the concerns of emergency vehicles on the street, the council needs to approve the change. The item was brought up in the March city council meeting but was tabled 2-1. Councilman Keith Shewbert said he wanted to see the new landscape plan for the proposed homes before making a decision on approving the revision.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): This item concerns the approval of the CDBG project to add a new sidewalk along the south side of West Peachtree Street between Thrasher Park and Holcomb Bridge Road.

Other items on the agenda include: an intergovernmental lease agreement with Gwinnett County for the fire museum on Lawrenceville Street, adding directional signs to parks, a resolution for having alcohol at the summer concert series, converting the restroom at the Norcross Station Depot, and the compensation for the mayor and city council.

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