East Cobb Government

Cobb Public Library System director announces retirement

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Cobb Library System celebrates 'Library of the Year' honor
Cobb Library Director Helen Poyer (holding check) with staff in April, when the system was recognized for being named the Georgia Library of the Year by the Georgia Public Library Service.

Helen Poyer, who has been the director of the Cobb County Public Library System since 2009, is retiring from her post.

On Thursday, Cobb commissioners approved her successor.

He is Keith Schuermann, director of the Harris-Troup Regional Library System in LaGrange.

Under Poyer’s leadership, the 15-branch Cobb library system has undergone a number of expansions and constructed new facilities, including the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center and the replacement Gritters Library, which opened recently.

Those two East Cobb branches are conducting operations with Cobb PARKS to spearhead expanded services and programs.

Sewell Mill offers art and spacemaker classes to the public and conducts events in a blackbox theatre.

The new Gritters Library is housed with the Northeast Cobb Community Center and CobbWorks, the county’s workforce development agency.

Earlier this year, the Cobb library system was named the library of the year by the Georgia Public Library Service “for its commitment to serving its community by partnering with numerous organizations within its county and statewide, and for efforts to expand access to materials and essential services to its community.”

Other library branches in East Cobb, include the East Cobb Library at Parkaire Landing and the Mountain View Regional Library.

Poyer began in Cobb at the South Cobb Library in 2006 before becoming the system’s director three years later.

Schuermann has been in his present role since 2012 and has been a librarian since 2003. He started his library career in the Cleveland, Ohio area, followed by stints at libraries in Cape Coral, Fla., and Gwinnett County.

He will begin his duties in Cobb on Dec. 2.

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East Cobb massage business suspended for nine months

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An East Cobb massage business that has been closed since August in the wake of allegations of improper operations will remain closed for another nine months. 2 more East Cobb massage businesses face license hearings

The Cobb Board of Commissioners last Tuesday voted 5-0 to extend the suspension of the business license of Top Massage (2200 Roswell Road, Suite 150) until August 2025.

Like another East Cobb massage business whose license was revoked in July, Top Massage is accused by the Cobb Community Development Agency’s Business License Division of not having properly licensed therapists on staff or premises (list of alleged violations).

The business license officials and Cobb Police visited Top Massage on April 10 and found two employees working there—one of them performing a message—who had health spa permits but not the required state massage therapist license.

There also wasn’t a state licensed therapist at the business at the time, according to the business license division.

Elisia Webb, the head of the business license division, said there wasn’t a record of treatments at Top Massage as is required, nor was there a list of employees or proof of certification.

Top Massage, she said, was “not licensed or permitted to perform massages in any shape, form or fashion.”

According to testimony at the hearing, the only licensed therapist who had been at the business has returned to China.

Michael Faniletti, the attorney for Top Massage owner Zhe Han, stated that his client voluntarily closed the business when he realized the situation, and has filed a new application for a health spa with a licensed therapist he’s planned to hire.

“All these things have been corrected,” Falinetti told commissioners. A permanent revocation, he added, “would be a harsh penalty. He [Zhe] missed some things and he can see that, but a 90-day voluntary suspension should be considered.”

Sam Hensley, attorney for the business license division, said that “technically, there is no license now.” The Board of License Review had recommended a 60-day suspension that Zhe appealed.

Faniletti said a state-approved licensee “is waiting in the wings” and that his client “would open only with that new licensee.”

Zhe told commissioners he signed a five-year lease on the space where the business is located, and said he has corrected mistakes.

But Commissioner JoAnn Birrell wasn’t sympathetic in making a motion to extend the suspension for a full year—the same duration as Asian Wellness Massage on Canton Road in July.

“These cases we don’t take lightly,” she said. “There’s no excuse not to know the law and our code.”

She said that “there are too many violations here” and wondered how the mistakes have been corrected “if you’ve been closed.”

Under the terms of the decision, Top Massage would be allowed to reapply for a business license in August 2025.

Cobb is currently observing a moratorium on issuing new health spa licenses, following requests from county officials to review those regulations. That moratorium continues through the end of the year.

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Cobb to spend final $3M of ARPA funds on stormwater projects

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Cobb to spend final $3M of ARPA funds on stormwater projects

The last of the $147 million that Cobb County government received in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds will go toward addressing stormwater issues.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to spend the final sum of $3 million on a variety of stormwater projects.

The vote was 4-1 with Chairwoman Lisa Cupid opposed. An agenda item and discussion at the meeting didn’t specify the stormwater work to be done, but stated that those with “critical” needs would be prioritized.

Cupid preferred distributing the money to community non-profits to help those with housing needs, but her colleagues agreed that another longstanding issue that has galvanized public attention in recent months needed to be addressed.

The county had to earmark the funding by the end of the year—the deadline the U.S. government set for using the COVID-era relief money.

After months of contentious meetings, commissioners voted in July to table a proposal by Cupid to establish a stormwater utility fee.

“There’s definitely a need everywhere, but I think that with the balance, I’m for keeping it in county departments,” District 3 Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb said.

Cobb Financial Officer Bill Volckmann said that more than $80 million of the county’s ARPA allocation has gone for housing-related needs, and the rest mainly went to county government departments and agencies.

The stormwater issue arose after major floods in September 2021 affected many homeowners, including in the East Cobb area.

The Cobb County Water System drafted a proposal to change the way the county charges property owners for stormwater services.

Currently, they pay for that according to water usage. Switching to a formula based on amount of impervious surfaces would range from charging $2 to $12 a month for most residential customers, according to water system calculations.

Birrell and Commissioner Keli Gambrill of District 1 in North Cobb have been opposed to the fee, which some critics called a “rain tax.”

Cobb Water System director Judy Jones has said the current system isn’t enough to pay for what’s needed to maintain the county’s aging stormwater infrastructure.

Following a heated town hall meeting in East Cobb in March, and at other venues, commissioners shelved the proposal, and no timetable has been announced for bringing it back.

“That’s something that we can’t continue to not address,” said District 4 Commissioner Monique Sheffield of South Cobb, who supported using the ARPA funds for stormwater work.

“Those issues are real and they’re impacting people.”

District 2 Commissioner Jerica Richardson noted that surveys sent out to the public reflected that stormwater and housing were the top needs that were stated.

But Cupid said the continuing stormwater issues mean that the county will have to continue to look for ways to generate recurring revenue for those purposes.

“I don’t want to give anyone the impression that we’re resolving Cobb County’s stormwater needs through this agenda item.”

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New Gritters Library ‘a community asset for the whole area’

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Gritters Library reopens
A Gritters Library patron browses the shelves at the new facility, located adjacent to the old library at Shaw Park. ECN photos and video.

Four years after groundbreaking, the new multi-purpose building at Shaw Park anchored by Gritters Library is open to the public.

The 20,000-square foot facility, which opened on Nov. 6, includes the relocated Northeast Cobb Community Center and the workforce development headquarters for CobbWorks, the county’s job and employment resource center.

The Gritters building will also serve as an outreach center for civic engagement and health and wellness matters.

At a Thursday ribbon-cutting celebration, officials from those entities and others touted the new center as a dynamic asset for a growing area.

“Wow. Wow,” said Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb, who championed the reconstruction project through financial and other hurdles. “Have you ever seen a more beautiful thing than this?”

The main area of the new Gritters Library features computer work stations as well as bookshelves.

The Gritters replacement project was included in the 2016 Cobb SPLOST, with $6.8 million originally budgeted for the library and $1.2 million for the community center.

There was a ground-breaking ceremony in 2021, but a $2.5 million shortfall emerged due to rising construction costs. Cobb commissioners approved some creative financing in 2023 to set the project in motion.

After thanking the many parties involved in the funding and building—including State Rep. Don Parsons of Northeast Cobb and the Georgia Public Library Service, Birrell declared the new Gritters to be “a community asset for the whole area because of the partnerships invested here.”

When the small wooden frame building that served as the Gritters Library branch opened in 1973, it was designed to serve a population of 25,000.

Today, that 3-mile radius now includes more than 65,000 people, as well as a number of educational institutions. There are 11 Cobb County School District campuses, Kennesaw State University and a branch of Chattahoochee Tech in the community.

The children’s room at the new Gritters Library.

“It truly is about community connection—neighbors to neighbors,” Cobb County Manager Jackie McMorris said. “The word is spreading about this beautiful facility. We are excited to be a part of this with you.”

Sonya Grant, executive director of CobbWorks said that “this partnership with the library is the perfect fit for us.” With its “wealth of resources,” she said, “CobbWorks is 100 percent committed to the economic vitality of all of our citizens.”

The community center space is expanded from its old quarters in Shaw Park, said Cobb PARKS director Michael Brantley, serving as a venue for public meetings and things like weddings and special celebrations.

It’s the second such collaboration between the parks and libraries, along with the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center.

“This is a great investment in your future,” Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said. “What I love about libraries is they foster fellowship with our neighbors.”

Gritters Library is open Monday —Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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New Gritters Library opening, ribbon-cutting set for November

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Gritters Library project to proceed
A rendering of the new Gritters Library-Northeast Cobb Community Center.

It’s been a little more than a year since the Gritters Library branch was demolished (our story on its temporary closing here) to make way for a new, expanded library and Northeast Cobb Community Center in Shaw Park.

The Cobb Library System announced Thursday that the new facility will be opening less than a week from now, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m.

And there will be a ribbon-cutting on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 2 p.m.

The event is sponsored by the Cobb Library Foundation and hosted by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, Cobb County Manager, Cobb County Public Library Board of Trustees, Cobb County Workforce Development and Cobb PARKS.

The 15,000-square-foot Gritters Library (880 Shaw Park Road), built at a cost of $9.8 million, will include county workforce development programs and the Northeast Cobb Community Center, which is being relocated from another part of Shaw Park.

Other outreach that will stem from Gritters includes civic engagement and health and wellness matters.

Gritters, which opened in Shaw Park in 1973, serves a community of around 65,000 people within a three-mile radius.

The small building had outgrown all of those uses years ago, but securing funding was challenging.

The Gritters replacement project was included in the 2016 Cobb SPLOST, with $6.8 million originally budgeted for the library and $1.2 million for the community center.

There was a ground-breaking ceremony in 2021, but a $2.5 million shortfall emerged due to rising construction costs. Cobb commissioners approved some creative financing in 2023 to set the project in motion.

In addition to CobbWorks, Gritters has partnerships with the Northeast Cobb Business Association, SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and nearby higher educational institutions.

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Water outages reported in East Cobb due to emergency repairs

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Water outages reported in East Cobb due to emergency repairs

Cobb government this afternoon said water service is out temporarily in some neighborhoods in East Cobb along Johnson Ferry Road due to emergency repairs.

The neighborhoods include River Hill, below Lower Roswell and near Powers Road.

There was no estimate for when water service may be restored to the area, but the message from the county said “water crews are working to make repairs as fast as possible.”

 

 

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Birrell calls accessory dwelling units proposal ‘a bad idea’

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Cobb commissioners on Tuesday heard about proposed code changes regarding secondary housing units on residential properties.

At a work session, Cobb officials presented language that would create accessory dwelling units (or ADUs) that could be built in a residential backyard (you can read the proposal here).

The small units—of up to 850 square feet, with a limi of one unit per lot—are seen as a way to provide more affordable housing.

Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said that ADUs wouldn’t be a “panacea,” but what’s been proposed, she added, “are lower-bar considerations for addressing housing affordability in Cobb County.”

The proposed code changes also would alter the definition of a family, permitting up to three unrelated adults (the current limit is two) and up to six children.

The proposed Cobb ordinance would require an ADU to be permanently structured and hooked up to utilities serving the primary home. It could be detached, but it must be in a backyard area only.

The property owner also must live on the premises and the smaller unit could not be used as a short-term rental. An ADU must meet existing setback and impervious surface limits

In addition, a homeowner wishing to add an ADU would have to obtain a special-land use permit from the county, according to a revision that went out to commissioners on Monday.

Another measure would increase the maximum parking for five cars (currently limited to four) in a driveway or garage and another vehicle off-street.

But Republican commissioners JoAnn Birrell and Keli Gambrill questioned much of the language in the proposal as well as the the number of unrelated adults and vehicles on a single property.

They reflected concerns that the single-family nature of many areas of the county would be dramatically altered with ADUs.

The current code allows for such home renovations as in-law suites and converting basements into separate living units that must be permitted by the county.

The proposed code amendments are set for public hearings and possible approval in November, but Gambrill wants the county to hold off for “at least the next year” to allow homeowners associations the time to sort through how restrictive covenants may for such purposes be conflict with ADUs.

There also are issues over whether a property with an ADU would be able to claim a second homestead exemption from property taxes.

Birrell, whose District 3 in East Cobb is heavily single-family residential, called the proposal “a bad idea to do, period. We’ve been flooded with e-mails in opposition. I’m glad we’re having this discussion today but I think a lot of the perception may be wore than it is. I’m not supporting this. It doesn’t make sense.

“If somebody wants to add on to their home, they can do that now,” she said. “We get zonings all the time that are way too dense, have 10 variances, and they could still get approved.”

Gambrill, who represents District 1 in north and west Cobb, added that “a statistic was given to me that 85 percent of eligible properties for these ADUs” are in Districts 1 and 3.

Commissioner Jerica Richardson of East Cobb, who recently had a baby, was not present at the work session.

Commissioner Monique Sheffield of South Cobb said that “I appreciate that we’re having this conversation” and she also has heard from constituents concerned about the proposal.

“The belief is that we’re going to create rental units behind single-family residences,” she said. “This is not that. Hopefully the perception and the understanding will be different.”

Cupid said that “I understand the concerns but I don’t perceive the need to wait for a whole year to get some answers on some things.

“The way that people are living is changing, and housing affordability is changing,” she said. “This is one tool and I don’t know how robust of a tool this is compared to other tools.

“You keep several tools available because at some point in time one of them may be helpful for us wanting to fix something. The thing we’re trying to fix is providing places for people to reasonably live in our county.”

The hearings for the proposed code amendments are scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 12 and 6 p.m. on Nov. 21, with tentative approval scheduled for the 7 p.m. voting meeting on Nov. 21.

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Former commissioner Ott opposing Cobb transit tax referendum

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Former Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott, who has rarely commented publicly on county government and politics since he left office in 2021, is speaking out against the proposed 30-year transit tax referendum.

Terrell Mill-Delk self-storage facility denied

Last week he said submitted a lengthy letter expressing his opposition to the tax to the Marietta Daily Journal, but released it elsewhere after he was told it wouldn’t be published until Saturday.

“That’s like 50,00 voters from now,” Ott told the East Cobb News on Monday, as the second week of early voting is underway in Cobb County for the 2024 general election.

East Cobb News separately obtained a copy of the letter (you can read it in full here), which closes with him saying that the tax is “a bad idea and needs to be defeated.”

A retired Delta Air Lines pilot, Ott said he’s contributed to a Vote No on M-SPLOST group started by former Cobb Chamber of Commerce leader John Loud.

Ott, a Republican from East Cobb who served District 2 from 2009-2020, said in the letter than in addition to the 30-year duration of what’s being called the Cobb Mobility SPLOST (“think about that for a moment; your middle schooler would be in their mid 40s at the end of the tax’), the tax isn’t a Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax, such as the county and Cobb County School District have for shorter periods for specific construction and maintenance purposes.

“Many will remember my numerous NO votes for previous SPLOST proposals because I felt that the project list was mostly wants and not needs,” Ott wrote. “In most cases there wasn’t anything special about the projects, they were just other ways to spend money. This proposal is a long way from the intent of a SPLOST.”

He said that one of the differences is that if the referendum is approved, a new regional transit authority, ATL, would have to approve transit projects in Cobb. “The majority of the ATL committee members are not from Cobb. So how are they going to know what is in the best interest for Cobb related to transit related projects?”

He said the biggest need in Cobb is transportation between the Cumberland area and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, but the transit tax “is silent on any links.”

Other needed transportation projects include widening Roswell Road east from Johnson Ferry Road to the Fulton County line, but it doesn’t “need a 30-year tax to be completed.

“A proper review of county needs vs wants is needed long before giving the county and the commissioners any more of our hard-earned money.”

Ott said it’s hard to look into a crystal ball and envision future needs for the current six-year Cobb SPLOST, which was approved two years in advance, much less three decades.

Like other transit tax opponents, Ott said the low ridership figures in general don’t warrant such a lengthy, broad-based solution to transportation issues.

“Here in East Cobb and many other suburban parts of the county, transit and transportation must compete with the car to be remotely successful,” he wrote. “This transit tax is just like many of the others; it can’t compete.”

The proposed transit tax would restore a little-used bus route in East Cobb that was axed by commissioners during the recession.

Ott told East Cobb News that he tried to get the bus stops along that route on Roswell Road removed, but they continue to generate local advertising revenue.

“I don’t think ridership will improve” if that route comes back, he said. “Transit in Cobb is all about will it compete with the car? It really doesn’t.”

Ott told East Cobb News that when he left office (see our Dec. 2020 interview), he was retiring from politics for good, and wanted to follow the example of former President George W. Bush by staying out of the public spotlight.

“I’ve been trying to do the same thing,” Ott said.

But in addition to his concerns about the tax, he said former constituents and others have been asking him about it.

“I’ve heard from a lot of people who say that they don’t know about it,” Ott said.

Ott, who lives in District 3, represented by Republican JoAnn Birrell, said he was approached about running for commission chair, but declined.

“I’m done with politics,” he said.

Since his departure, Cobb has gone from solidly Republican to having a 3-2 Democratic majority on the commission.

In addition, Cobb countywide office-holders are all Democrats, with one exception (State Court Clerk Robin Bishop).

When asked if a Republican can win countywide office anytime soon, Ott said “I’m not going to speculate.”

But he said that “our elections have turned away from the issues” and have become “character assassinations” that ignore what candidates stand for.

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Cobb commissioners to hear accessory dwelling units proposal

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Cobb FY 2025 budget adopted

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will hold a work session Tuesday on proposed code amendments that are scheduled for November hearings.

The last one is a proposal to allow small homes of up to 850 square feet in residential back yards.

They’re called accessory dwelling units (ADUs), that we noted a couple weeks back when the county had to advertise the hearings.

The ADUs as proposed (draft amendment here) could house up to three unrelated adults and up to six children, as well as maximum parking for five cars in a driveway or garage and another vehicle off-street.

Unlike “tiny houses,” which are mobile, the ADUs under the proposed Cobb ordinance would be required to be permanently structured and hooked up to utilities serving the primary home.

The property owner also must live on the premises and the smaller unit could not be used as a short-term rental.

The ADU proposal is meant to address housing affordability issues, but few local jurisdictions allow them, and

The work session begins at 1:30 Tuesday in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building (100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta).

There is no public comment period; the full agenda can be found by clicking here.

Other code amendments to be presented include proposed changes regarding film permits (economic development), alcoholic beverage licenses, the county plumbing code, land disturbance activities, door-to-door sales permits, subdivision plats and sewer and wastewater approvals.

The hearings are scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 12 and 6 p.m. on Nov. 21, with tentative approval scheduled for the 7 p.m. voting meeting on Nov. 21.

Commissioners typically hear code amendments in January and September, but the county hasn’t said why they’re coming up now.

You also can watch the work session on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.

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2024 Cobb Cybersecurity Day presented by Cobb County ITS

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Submitted information:2024 Cobb Cybersecurity Day presented by Cobb County ITS

Commissioner Richardson invites you to attend the 2024 Cobb Cybersecurity Day on October 25, 2024!

Cobb County Government is committed to serving the community, which is why we are hosting this event to empower individuals with the knowledge they need to protect themselves online. Ever heard of “social engineering”? It’s a tactic used by cybercriminals that exploits human psychology rather than technical hacking. Being aware of these tactics can help you recognize and avoid potential threats!

The 2024 Cobb Cybersecurity Day will be held on Friday, Oct. 25 from 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM at 1150 Powder Springs Street.

Cybersecurity awareness can save you money! A data breach can cost individuals thousands of dollars in recovery costs. Educating yourself about online safety can help you avoid these expenses.

This year’s event will feature industry-leading speakers, interactive presentations, and discussions on cyber safety for both organizations and individuals.

Click here for more information and to register today: https://www.cobbcounty.org/events/cybersecurity-day.

 

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Cobb proposes ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units

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A series of proposed code amendments to be heard by the Cobb Board of Commissioners in November includes a measure that would permit small homes to be built in residential backyards.Cobb proposes ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units

What are called “accessory dwelling units,” or ADUs, would be allowed in most residential zoning categories. They could be as large as 850 square feet and house up to three unrelated adults and up to six children, as well as maximum parking for five cars in a driveway or garage and another vehicle off-street.

Unlike “tiny houses,” which are mobile, the ADUs under the proposed Cobb ordinance would be required to be permanently structured and hooked up to utilities serving the primary home.

The property owner also must live on the premises and the smaller unit could not be used as a short-term rental.

Only a few counties in Georgia allow ADUs, which have been touted as a way to address housing affordability issues.

Cobb’s average home sales price surpassed $500,000 for the first time in 2024.

Developers also promote ADUs as a way for homeowners to earn rental income (example recently in the city of Atlanta) or to provide housing for a family member, such as a senior, and for college students.

The proposed ADU code amendment (you can read it here) will first be heard by the Cobb Planning Commission on Nov. 5, followed by public hearings to be held by Cobb commissioners on Nov. 12 and Nov. 21.

The county distributed the proposed code amendments (summarized here, with links) but hasn’t publicized the upcoming hearings nor has it explained explained why the ordinance is being subject to revisions now.

Typically Cobb updates its ordinance twice a year, in January and September, but that pattern hasn’t happened recently.

East Cobb News has left a message with the county seeking comment and further information, and has contacted District 3 commissioner JoAnn Birrell as well.

Richard Grome, president of the East Cobb Civic Association, said his group is analyzing all the proposed code amendments, but “we are not at a point in our analysis, at this time, to make a definitive announcement or take a position on any of” them.

Cobb’s current ordinance permits no more than two unrelated adults living together, and one vehicle for every 390 square feet of living space.

There aren’t provisions for allowing ADUs, but the proposed code amendment stipulates the following:

a. ADU shall not exceed 50% of the gross square footage of the primary single-family dwelling unit or 850 square feet.

b. ADU shall be no more than one-story in height, not to exceed the height of the primary single-family dwelling unit.

c. A minimum of one off-street parking spot shall be provided for the ADU.

d. ADU shall be connected to the utilities meters of the primary structure.

e. ADU shall be located only in the rear yard, and shall adhere to the side and rear yard setback of the primary structure.

f. Maximum impervious surface coverage for the lot shall not exceed the zoning district limitation.

g. ADU must adhere to all other standards for accessory structures in the zoning district.

h. There shall be no more than one ADU per single-family lot.

i. ADU shall not be utilized as a short-term rental property.

j. The owner(s) of the property shall reside in either the primary single family-dwelling unit or the ADU.

k. Property owner(s) shall sign an affidavit stating that the ADU is not in conflict with any applicable covenants, conditions, deed restrictions, or bylaws.

ADUs have been mentioned as part of a Cobb Unified Development Code that was first proposed in 2021 but has been put on hold.

There were public meetings last December, and tentative plans for more feedback and adoption in 2024, but nothing further has been issued since an outside consultant released this code assessment in November 2023.

It didn’t specifically mention adding ADUs to the code, but it does call for reviewing and updating accessory uses and structures.

“The list of accessory uses will include some of the current accessory uses, with definitions and standards as appropriate. It will also include additional accessory uses or structures that may be appropriate, such as automated teller machines,” wrote the consultant, Clarion Associates LLC, a nationwide land-use and planning firm.

County officials said the UDC was a long overdue measure to streamline development standards and zoning categories.

But some Cobb residents declared the UDC to be a “war on the suburbs” that would increase density in traditional single-family neighborhoods.

County officials have contended that in response that “what you see in your neighborhood is going to pretty much be the same.”

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Cobb to monitor effects of Rockdale chemical plant fire

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Here’s what Cobb County Government and the Cobb Emergency Management Agency released late Wednesday afternoon, after saying on Monday the Rockdale chemical plant fire posed no local threat:Cobb to monitor effects of Rockdale chemical plant fire

“The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) has issued an advisory stating that a shift in weather patterns could push smoke from the BioLab facility in Rockdale County toward metro Atlanta. Winds from the southeast are expected late Wednesday. As the smoke settles near the ground after sunset, ‘there is a high likelihood that people across Metro Atlanta will wake up Thursday morning seeing haze and smelling chlorine.’

“While it is unlikely that any haze reaching Cobb County will contain chlorine at harmful levels, the GEMA advisory notes, ‘It is important to know that as the air settles each evening, smoke also settles toward the ground. As the air lifts back up in the afternoon and evening, the smell and haze should dissipate. Chlorine has a very low odor threshold, meaning you can smell it before it reaches a harmful level.

“ ‘We are working closely with GEMA and the EPA, and we are prepared to conduct air testing in Cobb County if necessary,’ said Cobb Emergency Management Agency Director Cassie Mazloom. ‘We requested testing earlier this week, and the EPA reported no traces of chlorine or hydrogen chloride were found.’

“Cobb County Fire Department’s HazMat team will also be on standby to conduct air quality testing should calls come in.

“No shelter-in-place advisories have been issued for Cobb County at this time.

“The shift in winds could last several days. Although chlorine concentrations are not expected to be hazardous, individuals with sensitive respiratory conditions should follow the Georgia Department of Public Health’s precautions, which are listed [here].‘

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Prominent Cobb business leader opposes transit tax referendum

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One of the most high-profile business leaders in Cobb County organizing a rally this week against the Cobb transit tax referendum that’s on the November ballot.

John Loud, Cobb Chamber of Commerce
John Loud

The event on Thursday was led by John Loud and Cobb Republican state legislators John Carson and Ginny Ehrhart “and other Cobb County business leaders.”

Loud is the founder of Loud Security Systems and is a former president of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. He was a key figure in efforts to lure the Atlanta Braves to Cobb County in 2013.

He has become more active politically recently, recruiting Republican candidates John Cristadoro (Cobb Board of Education Post 4) and Kay Morgan (Cobb Commission Chair) to run for office in 2024.

What’s being called the Cobb Mobility SPLOST, if approved by voters in the referendum, raise the current sales tax totals in Cobb County from six to seven cents on the dollar.

The transit tax would collect a one-percent Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax for 30 years (more than $11 billion) to expand bus service in Cobb County, including 108 new miles of routes as well as construction of transfer stations and expansion of microtransit and other related services.

In a social media post Monday, Loud called the tax “such a waste of money” and said the county hasn’t been transparent on ridership figures and how the money would be spent.

The MDJ has reported that ridership across the overall Cobb bus system has plummeted from 3.7 million annual trips in 2014 to just under 1 million trips in 2022, and that the decline began well before COVID-19.

Cobb commissioners voted in a 3-2 partisan vote in June to put the tax out for a referendum. It’s the longest and most ambitious sales tax in Cobb County, and Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid has frequently defended both in public statements.

“What it comes down to is do we perceive the future is worth it?” she said before the vote in June. “We can do something that is transformational . . . it enhances our ability to serve our own citizens.”

Loud said in a social media post Monday that while he supports the current sales taxes to finance Cobb County government and Cobb County School District construction and maintenance projects, “this M-SPLOST, for public transportation is nothing like the others.”

The existing SPLOSTs have been approved since the late 1990s for shorter periods (typically four to six years), have committed project lists and citizen oversight committees.

If the Mobility SPLOST passes, he claimed on the Vote NO M-SPLOST Facebook page he created, that “future elected officials can make all sorts of changes and use these funds in all sorts of ways as there is no committed full list of how these [BILLION$ Lisa Cupid] will be spent.”

Among the proposed projects that would be funded with the transit tax is the construction of a bus transfer station in the Roswell-Johnson Ferry Road area and the restoration of two bus routes through East Cobb that were eliminated during recession budget cuts.

Loud claimed that nearly $300,000 of taxpayer money has been diverted for “an education campaign” to inform voters about the referendum, and that Cupid “pressured” Community Improvement Districts to spend around $260,000 on “education initiatives” for the tax.

The former figure is around $287,000 that’s being paid to Kimley-Horn, an Atlanta consulting firm, to build an informational web site for the tax and to hold open houses.

The latter reference includes around $100,000 in contributions by the Cumberland CID and around $110,000 by the Town Center CID, per the MDJ.

The county cannot officially make an endorsement on the tax, but a sentence on the SPLOST “overview” page states that “this initiative seeks to improve the county’s transit infrastructure with a focus on safety, flexibility, and reliability tailored to meet the specific needs of our growing community and local economy.”

More than 200 people have joined the Facebook page started by Loud and Carson, and some are fellow GOP elected officials and conservative activists.

Opposition also has come from the Cobb Taxpayer Association, which held a rally in East Cobb last month.

The Cobb Business Alliance, made up of companies in the construction industry, has also launched a website that it says is informational only.

However, the CBA sent out media and other invitations to its campaign kickoff in support of the tax, and that Cupid attended.

And the MDJ reported last week that a CBA poll shows that two-thirds of respondents don’t even know there’s a transit tax vote coming up.

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Cobb officials: Rockdale chemical plant fire no local threat

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Cobb government officials on Monday said that a chemical plant fire in Rockdale County that prompted a shelter-in-place advisory there poses no threat here.Cobb County Government logo

A “public safety alert” was sent out by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency about a “LOCAL AREA EMERGENCY” following a major fire at the BioLab facility.

More than 17,000 people in the vicinity of the plant have been evacuated, and all Rockdale County residents were urged to shelter-in-place Monday afternoon.

The fire broke out on Sunday, and some parts of metro Atlanta were reporting a haze and chemical smells this morning.

But Cobb was not among them, according to the county’s message.

“The alert was sent to anyone within a 50-mile radius of the facility and noted that the chemical levels were unlikely to cause harm to most people.

“Although Cobb County was included in the alert area, the prevailing winds have shifted the fire’s effects away from our region. Out of an abundance of caution, our Emergency Management Agency has coordinated with state and federal officials to conduct air sampling in Cobb County. At this time, there is no indication that the impacts of the Rockdale incident have reached our area.”

The AJC reported that some schools and outdoor activities in Fulton County and DeKalb County were cancelled Monday afternoon and DeKalb officials are testing air quality. Some sampling in the city of Atlanta showed small amounts of chlorine in the air, the newspaper reported.

The fire at BioLab is the third there in the last seven years, according to published media reports.

 

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Fall Prevention Nature Walk featured at Sewell Mill Library

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Fall Prevention Nature Walk featured at Sewell Mill Library
Bruce Thompson, branch manager of the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center

Submitted information and photo:

Fall Prevention Nature Walk, a set of informational panels designed to promote awareness and action for injury prevention, is on display outdoors at Sewell Mill Library & Cultural Center through Wednesday, Oct. 2.

The Fall Walk at Sewell Mill coincides with National Falls Prevention Awareness Week 2024, Sept. 23–27, which is organized “to raise awareness on preventing falls, reducing the risk of falls, and helping older adults live without fear of falling,” the National Council on Aging states at ncoa.org.

An initiative of Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Injury Prevention Program, the Fall Walk was initially inspired by walk paths featuring stories, often with pages of picture books, in community parks and outside libraries organized by Cobb County library workers. It was developed with input on its design and evidence-based messages from leading injury prevention experts of DPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory (IPRCE), Emory University School of Medicine, and Mercer University Department of Physical Therapy, Shepherd Center and others.

“Cobb libraries serve as community focal points for bringing to the public’s attention critically important information for people to act on for a better quality of life,” said Sewell Mill Branch Manager Bruce Thompson. “The Fall Walk is designed to start meaningful conversations of families and individuals to consider proven ways to reduce fall risks in their lives and to share this with their neighbors and the people they are closest to.”

The public launch of the initiative was the Fall Prevention Nature Walk in place for several days in spring 2023 in the City of Kennesaw’s Swift-Cantrell Park in partnership with Cobb County Public Library. The Fall Walk has been shared by Cobb Senior Services, the Northeast Georgia Fall Prevention Coalition and others with temporary installations in parks, public libraries, churches and other locations. DPH developed an Implementation Guide for the Fall Walk and continues to seek input from organizers of its instillations as part of planning for more Fall Walks across Georgia.

The Fall Walk at Sewell Mill is next to the library’s outside patio in a relatively dense space in comparison to installations in parks and other paths with several feet between each panel offering a walk-and-talk opportunity. Its duration is more “pop-up” than longer lasting installations at other locations. Cobb library officials said they’re confident visitors of the Sewell Mill installation will find value in choosing to experience all 24 panels together or taking in one or a few of the panels at a time.

Among the Fall Walk panels, which provide information on accessing resources, are The Importance of Fall Prevention, Risk Factors, Home Safety, Outdoor Safety for Kids, Talking to a Primary Care Provider, Get a Screening and Staying Active.

Falls are costly for individuals and families as well as healthcare systems and public safety agencies. According to DPH’s OASIS data dashboard, in 2023 there were 9,100 Emergency Room visits due to falls by Cobb residents. By comparison, last year there were 5,459 ER visits by Cobb residents due to Motor Vehicle Accidents.

Fall injuries impact all ages. In 2023, children age 9 and younger account for 1,287 of the ER visits by Cobb residents.

For information on Cobb County Public Library programs and resources, visit cobbcat.org or call 770-528-2326.

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Richardson pens note to constituents of ‘old District 2’

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Richardson pens note to constituents of 'old District 2'
Richardson at a Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting in March 2024.

Cobb commissioner Jerica Richardson sent out a newsletter Friday afternoon with a message for her former constituents in District 2.

Her seat was declared vacant by her colleagues Tuesday (she recused herself), following the adoption of state legislative-approved electoral maps that drew her out of her East Cobb home.

That action—after a nearly tw0-year-long partisan dispute—triggered a 10-day notice that will allow her to appeal to Cobb Superior Court.

Proposed Cobb commission redistricting map
The ‘old District 2’ is indicated in pink.

Richardson will be able to serve while she pursues her last-ditch effort to stay in office through the end of her term on Dec. 31, or possibly to extend her tenure while a special election to determine her successor takes place in early 2025.

Her District 2 included a good portion of East Cobb, including her home off Post Oak Tritt Road, under maps Democratic commissioners approved under “home rule” claims that were later ruled to be a violation of the Georgia Constitution.

Now, most of East Cobb is in District 3, while the District 2 boundaries fall along I-75 and include most of the Smyrna/Cumberland area, pushing as east as the western side of Powers Ferry Road, close to where Richardson formerly resided.

Richardson is a first-term Democrat who was narrowly elected in 2020 to succeed retiring Republican Bob Ott. She decided not to seek re-election amid the map controversy and was defeated in May by U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath in the 6th Congressional District primary.

Richardson hasn’t stated her plans after she leaves office, but she is expecting her first child.

Most of East Cobb is in Commission District 3 under state-approved reapportionment maps.

Here’s Richardson’s note to District 2 citizens:

“As a district, we have been through so much in such a short amount of time. As one of the most diverse districts, we found unique ways to collaborate across party, position, location, background, and so much more. We cannot forget the model of collaboration we seek to achieve where so many communities today struggle to be civil.

“In the midst of all the pressure, we accomplished so much, and it was because our community chose to recognize there is real value in appreciating what makes us different, and building on what makes us similar. There was so much richness in our district from Johnson Ferry/Shallowford area to Powers Ferry Corridor/Little Brazil, to the Battery, to the Vinings Village, and the houses along the river at Cochise, the ever growing Smyrna, the historic Rose Garden, and winding through the subdivisions all around Walton, Wheeler, and Pope. We had members of our community from all walks of life.

“This is a community that I grew up in for nearly 20 years. It’s where my brothers took the journey from Mt. Bethel elementary to Walton High School. I recall receiving my first library card when East Cobb Library was a stand-alone building in what is now a fully grown Merchant’s Walk. I remember walks at the Avenue with my family and our visitors, visits to Cumberland Mall, and the new memories at The Battery!

“This district is where I purchased my first home, and am currently growing my family with my soon-to-come baby girl. I have so much pride in representing the community where I am from, and my heart breaks that I will no longer be able to do so. Even more so that it would be taken in a way that will not only affect me, but future district representatives all around the state. I know that’s part of the reason why the community fought so hard. I recall when this map was first drawn, the press asked me—’Are you angry?’ It took no more than a second to reply with ‘I am inspired.’ I was inspired because when these maps hit the docket at the State Capitol, it was my community that called. A diverse community that at all times never ceases to amaze me.

“We fought a hard battle over the last three and a half years and faced a significant amount of misinformation, but it did not stop us or our office from serving you. You continued to show up, volunteer, ask for work to be done, held us accountable, and pushed us to work harder and bring more voices to the table.

“So, I thank you for the honor and privilege of being able to serve you as the District 2 Commissioner. While the district no longer exists as it was, it was the district I was proud to live in and even more proud to represent. On the heels of Hurricane Katrina, as a teenager, it was this community that embraced our young family. Where we struggled, neighbors pitched in to help; and to fast forward to today where I had the opportunity to represent the community that has given so much to me fills my heart with joy and gratefulness.

“Now, we must take the next step and continue our commitment in serving. We must meet our new district and never forget that what brings us together is so much greater than what separates us. My door is always open.”

Richardson’s comments after the vote to declare a vacancy on Tuesday are included below.

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Cobb DAR chapter to hold Constitution Day observance

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Cobb DAR chapter to hold Constitution Day observance
Cobb DAR Fielding Lewis Chapter members and Commissioner JoAnn Birrell (right) at a Constitution Week recognition Tuesday.

The Fielding Lewis Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution will mark the 237th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution at an observance Tuesday at the Marietta Square.

The “Ringing the Bells” celebration begins at 3:30 p.m. Around the country, bells will ring for one minute at 4 p.m. on Sept. 17, marking the exact time the Constitution was officially signed in 1787.

During a recognition this week by the Cobb Board of Commissioners, chapter members announced their traditional practice during Constitution Week of delivering copies of the U.S. Constitution to fourth-graders in both the Cobb and Marietta public school districts.

According to the recognition, “the purpose of the Constitution Week celebration is to emphasize citizens’ responsibilities for protecting and defending the Constitution, inform people that this important document is the foundation of our way of life and encourage study of the historical events that led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787.”

The Daughters of the American Revolution petitioned Congress in 1955 for Constitution Week, and it was signed into law in 1956 by President Eisenhower.

Constitution Day in Cobb began in 2010 via the Cobb Republican Women’s Club.

The Fielding Lewis Chapter was founded in 1904 and named after a merchant and trader and was a leader in the revolutionary movement.

More on Constitution Week can be found by clicking here.

 

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Cobb Business Alliance to kick off pro-transit tax campaign

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A consortium of local business interests called the Cobb Business Alliance will begin a campaign in favor of the proposed Cobb transit tax next week.Cobb Business Alliance to kick off pro-transit tax campaign

The kickoff event takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Glover Park Brewery (65 Atlanta St.), near the Marietta Square.

The event will feature “elected officials, community leaders, transit advocates and voters sharing more about the MSPLOST referendum and how it will decrease congestion, invest in transit, and move Cobb County forward,” according to a release.

The proposed 30-year, one-percent sales tax, if passed by Cobb voters in November, would collect $11 billion and fund a significant expansion of existing bus and transit services and build various transfer facilities.

Among the projects that would be funded with the transit tax is the construction of a bus transfer station in the Roswell-Johnson Ferry Road area and the restoration of two bus routes through East Cobb that were eliminated during recession budget cuts.

The Cobb Business Alliance includes a number of local companies, including Kimley-Horn, the Atlanta consulting firm that’s being paid $287,000 by Cobb government to conduct a public outreach drive ahead of the referendum.

That effort includes a series of open houses that also take place next Wednesday at various library branches.

Other members of the Alliance include the Council for Quality Growth, Georgia Power, Croy Engineering, CKL Engineers and CWM Contracting Co.

To RSVP for the Cobb Alliance event, click here. You can read more about the group by clicking here.

Transit tax opponents will have a campaign kickoff in East Cobb on Saturday. The Cobb Taxpayer Association will hold a town hall meeting from 12-2 p.m. at Grace Resurrection Methodist Church (1200 Indian Hills Parkway).

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Cobb Commission seat declared vacant; Richardson to appeal

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After three of her colleagues voted to declare her seat vacant on Tuesday, Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson said she would appeal the decision to Cobb Superior Court.

In an expected move, commissioners voted to declare District 2 vacant due to county residency rules, after adopting electoral maps in August that were passed by the Georgia legislature that drew Richardson out of her seat.

It was a re-do of a vote that ended in a 2-2 deadlock last week; Richardson recused herself from both votes.

The declaration means that the county is giving Richardson a 10-day notice of a vacancy (you can read it here). Richardson will continue to serve as a commissioner during the appeals process.

If she prevails, she will be allowed to keep her seat until her term expires on Dec. 31. If she loses, an interim commissioner who resides within the legally approved District 2 boundaries would be appointed to finish the term, or possibly longer, depending on a special election in 2025 to elect her successor.

On Tuesday, Richardson, the board’s vice chair this year, presided over the meeting with Chairwoman Lisa Cupid absent as she was with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce on its annual visit to Washington.

“I trust that we can find a way to consider the real legal questions that are at hand,” Richardson said near the end of the meeting, reading from prepared remarks (you can watch the video below at the 2:17:45 mark), calling the result of Tuesday’s vote “a forced vacancy.”

“Setting the precedent that any elected official could possibly be removed at any time is dangerous and now we are watching the process happen before our very eyes.”

Commissioners voted at their last meeting to adopt the state maps after the “home rule” maps the Democratic majority adopted in 2022 were ruled a violation of the Georgia Constitution by Cobb Superior Court Judge Kellie Hill.

The state maps placed most of East Cobb in District 3, represented by Republican JoAnn Birrell. The “home rule” maps would have kept some of East Cobb, including Richardson’s home off Post Oak Tritt Road, in District 2, similar to lines in which she was elected in 2020.

The Democrats used a novel legal theory of declaring home rule powers in challenging the state maps, but the Georgia Constitution specifically authorizes the legislature to conduct county reapportionment.

The legislature did not consider maps drawn by former Cobb delegation chairman Erick Allen that would have kept Richardson in her seat; instead it passed maps sponsored by Cobb Republican lawmakers, breaking with a long-standing courtesy with local lawmakers.

Hill also vacated May primaries in District 2 and District 4 under which the “home rule” maps were used; those special elections will take place in early 2025.

Disrict 2 now encompasses along I-75 and includes most of the Smyrna/Cumberland area, pushing as east as the western side of Powers Ferry Road, close to where Richardson formerly resided.

Last month, Birrell voted against a declaration of a vacancy, saying she didn’t think what happened to Richardson was fair and wanted her to complete her term.

But she said she changed her mind because under the state map, Richardson no longer lives in her district. For the last two years, Birrell said she’s “entered a statement that I will uphold the Constitution and follow the law.”

(The brief discussion begins at the 1:52:20 mark of the video below.)

“I thought I was doing the right thing by trying to keep her in office but I have to follow the law.”

Democratic commissioner Monique Sheffield said “this is the next step in the process.”

During her remarks, Richardson reflected on her one term in office—she didn’t seek re-election amid the map dispute—to emphasize her commitment to constituents she said have been harmed along the way.

“Knowing the consequences of today—voter nullification, forced vacancies, missing representation and long-term precendence—I will work to make sure my community receives the answers they deserve and that you are not forgotten.”

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NE Cobb restaurant owner withdraws liquor store appeal

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NE Cobb restaurant owner withdraws liquor store appeal

Following up last week’s story about the possible conversion of the Bay Breeze seafood restaurant on Canton Road into a liquor store:

The applicant has withdrawn his request to appeal two denials of a retail liquor permit.

During a Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Parks Huff, an attorney for restaurant owner Steve Constantinou, said his client wished to withdraw with prejudice.

That means that the case cannot come back up again. Huff did not explain why his client is withdrawing.

Commissioners were scheduled to hear the appeal on Tuesday, which followed months of attempts to get a liquor permit and after substantial community opposition.

The he Cobb Business License Division Manager and agency’s review board both turned down the application by BSC Packing LLC to operate a liquor store at the Bay Breeze site at 2418 Canton Road.

The 10,000–square-foot building is 177 feet from a residential property line. The county code allows denial of an alcoholic beverage license if a location is within 300 feet.

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