Counting the Number of Concerned Citizens
We had heard that many Concerned Citizens supporters were not counted in the overflow room at the March 3 Planning Commission hearing. Below is an email from a Concerned Citizen to Commissioner Ott, and the response from Cobb County, saying that they will have extra staff on hand to accurately count the number of attendees at the March 17 Board of Commissioners meeting. Let's all be aware of this counting error as we go into the meeting on March 17, so that we may all be counted. This would mean the number of Concerned Citizens at the March 3 meeting was actually about 200, nearly double the number of Isakson Living supporters.
From: [Concerned Citizen]
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2015 12:14 PM
To: Ott, Bob
Subject: Re-zoning
Dear Mr. Ott
On 3/3/2015 I attended a re-zoning hearing regarding the Isakson development on Roswell Road in East Cobb. I arrived at the posted time (9am), but was unable to enter the meeting room due to an overflow crowd. Unbeknownst to those of us in the overflow crowd, the vote took place and the meeting was adjourned without allowing us to cast our votes. Once we realized what had happened, we asked the officer on duty to please inform the people in the room that there were additional citizens who wished to cast their votes. The officer was exceptionally rude and offensive, refusing to make anyone aware that there were additional citizens who wished to exercise their rights to vote. An informal poll of some in the overflow crowd indicated that there were at least 18 uncounted votes opposing the re-zoning. Many people left without voting.
I am writing to inform you of the events that occurred at the meeting because it is important for you to know that as property owners and taxpaying citizens of Cobb county, it is unacceptable that we were denied the right to voice our opinions by being denied the right to vote. Furthermore, I question the validity of a decision that was made without considering the opinions of everyone present. The outcome is not accurately representative of the community of voters. I am aware that the re-zoning was approved, but I question whether the uncounted votes would have resulted in a different outcome.
Sincerely,
[Concerned Citizen]
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Hosack, Robert" <Robert.Hosack@cobbcounty.org>
Date: Mar 6, 2015 2:52 PM
Subject: Your concern about Zoning Hearing
To: [Concerned Citizen]
Good afternoon [Concerned Citizen] Commissioner Ott was kind enough to share your concerns about the hearing with our agency. I am sorry that you had a bad experience. In order to address your concerns, please know that we will make sure to have additional staff (above and beyond the number present on Tuesday) present at the upcoming BOC hearing on 3-17-15 to assist with counting and noting the opposition for the official record. Thanks for participating in the process. Please accept our apologies.
Have a good day. Rob
Rob Hosack, AICP
Cobb County Community Development
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2015 12:14 PM
To: Ott, Bob
Subject: Re-zoning
Dear Mr. Ott
On 3/3/2015 I attended a re-zoning hearing regarding the Isakson development on Roswell Road in East Cobb. I arrived at the posted time (9am), but was unable to enter the meeting room due to an overflow crowd. Unbeknownst to those of us in the overflow crowd, the vote took place and the meeting was adjourned without allowing us to cast our votes. Once we realized what had happened, we asked the officer on duty to please inform the people in the room that there were additional citizens who wished to cast their votes. The officer was exceptionally rude and offensive, refusing to make anyone aware that there were additional citizens who wished to exercise their rights to vote. An informal poll of some in the overflow crowd indicated that there were at least 18 uncounted votes opposing the re-zoning. Many people left without voting.
I am writing to inform you of the events that occurred at the meeting because it is important for you to know that as property owners and taxpaying citizens of Cobb county, it is unacceptable that we were denied the right to voice our opinions by being denied the right to vote. Furthermore, I question the validity of a decision that was made without considering the opinions of everyone present. The outcome is not accurately representative of the community of voters. I am aware that the re-zoning was approved, but I question whether the uncounted votes would have resulted in a different outcome.
Sincerely,
[Concerned Citizen]
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Hosack, Robert" <Robert.Hosack@cobbcounty.org>
Date: Mar 6, 2015 2:52 PM
Subject: Your concern about Zoning Hearing
To: [Concerned Citizen]
Good afternoon [Concerned Citizen] Commissioner Ott was kind enough to share your concerns about the hearing with our agency. I am sorry that you had a bad experience. In order to address your concerns, please know that we will make sure to have additional staff (above and beyond the number present on Tuesday) present at the upcoming BOC hearing on 3-17-15 to assist with counting and noting the opposition for the official record. Thanks for participating in the process. Please accept our apologies.
Have a good day. Rob
Rob Hosack, AICP
Cobb County Community Development
Zoning Signs Down Between May 2014 and Nov 2014 Hearings
A zoning procedure error occurred when Isakson Living took down the zoning signs on the Tritt property after the May 2014 hearing, and the signs did not go back up until 30 days prior to the November 2014 hearing. This in violation of Cobb Code Sec. 134-121, (b), (1):
"The applicant shall be required to post and maintain signs supplied by the zoning division on or near the right-of-way of the nearest public street, so as to be visible from the street, for at least 30 days immediately preceding the date for any public hearings on the application, which shall remain posted until a final decision by the applicable boards."
A zoning procedure error occurred when Isakson Living took down the zoning signs on the Tritt property after the May 2014 hearing, and the signs did not go back up until 30 days prior to the November 2014 hearing. This in violation of Cobb Code Sec. 134-121, (b), (1):
"The applicant shall be required to post and maintain signs supplied by the zoning division on or near the right-of-way of the nearest public street, so as to be visible from the street, for at least 30 days immediately preceding the date for any public hearings on the application, which shall remain posted until a final decision by the applicable boards."
From: [Concerned Citizen]
To: [County Official]
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2014 11:08 AM
... I also have concerns with the zoning signs being down. I realize the zoning is in a Staff Hold and IL was told to take them down, however, as the paper states it is still slated for a September hearing date. I would think it advisable to have the signs still posted and just the hearing date changed to reflect September (regardless of if IL is actually ready then or not), to insure transparency to the community at large. The rules may not "require" it, but it would seem an appropriate action to keep dates posted concerning this property because it is still under the same zoning application and does have a posted hearing date.
Sincerely,
[Concerned Citizen]
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: [County Official]
Date: Sat, Jun 21, 2014 at 3:09 PM
John & Kevin,
Please see [Concerned Citizen's] comments below.... What are your thoughts concerning her request concerning the signs on the Tritt site? I would support signs staying on the sight, and in fact most continued cases have signs left on site until the case is heard...why not this one as well? ...
thanks,
[County Official]
To: [County Official]
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2014 11:08 AM
... I also have concerns with the zoning signs being down. I realize the zoning is in a Staff Hold and IL was told to take them down, however, as the paper states it is still slated for a September hearing date. I would think it advisable to have the signs still posted and just the hearing date changed to reflect September (regardless of if IL is actually ready then or not), to insure transparency to the community at large. The rules may not "require" it, but it would seem an appropriate action to keep dates posted concerning this property because it is still under the same zoning application and does have a posted hearing date.
Sincerely,
[Concerned Citizen]
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: [County Official]
Date: Sat, Jun 21, 2014 at 3:09 PM
John & Kevin,
Please see [Concerned Citizen's] comments below.... What are your thoughts concerning her request concerning the signs on the Tritt site? I would support signs staying on the sight, and in fact most continued cases have signs left on site until the case is heard...why not this one as well? ...
thanks,
[County Official]
A Last Minute Zoning Sign
 Isakson Living zoning signs on Roswell Road with view of subdivision houses through the trees in winter | Zoning signs were also down before the May 2014 Planning Commission hearing. From a previous Concerned Citizen blog post: "Before going into the first argument, we should note that today (April 5, 2014), the zoning signs went up in front of the Tritt property, to notify the public of the May 6 Planning Commission Hearing and the May 20 Board of Commissioners Meeting for this zoning case. The signs went up on the very last day possible, even though the hearing dates have been known since January 3, 2014. Certainly in keeping with the letter of the law, though maybe not the spirit." |
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