Sugar Hill Downtown Development Authority Regular Meeting Minutes
July 26th, 2016 | 6:30 PM | City of Sugar Hill City Hall Community Room
Present: Chairman Taylor Anderson, DDA Member Nick Thompson, DDA Member Brandon Hembree, DDA Member Marc Orcutt, DDA Member Nic Greene, DDA Member Nancy Wren, City Attorney Frank Hartley, City Staff Member Troy Besseche, City Staff Member Megan Carnell, Guest Kerry Murphy, Guest Glenda Scales, Guest Robert Gilbert, Guest Steve Wilkes
I. CALL TO ORDER 6:33pm
II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
a. Add “Purchase, Sale and Development Agreement with Community Development Partners” under New Business
i. Motion to approve by Marc Orcutt, 2nd by Brandon Hembree, unanimous
III. MINUTES
A. Approval of the Minutes of July 19, 2016 Special Called DDA Meeting
a. Motion to approve by Marc Orcutt, 2nd by Brandon Hembree, unanimous
IV. ACTION ITEMS AND UPDATES
A. Old Business
1. Suite Spot
a) SHBTG update
a. Two open premium spaces, one tenant turnover (upstairs is full), revenue is slightly lower than June. Upstairs remodel discussion will occur in August if budget permits for 2016.
b) Mural update
a. Selected down to 7 renderings from original 17. Goal to have an award and moving toward funding by Sugar Rush as part of the event.
B. New Business
1. EpiCenter
a) Leasing Agreement – Oakhurst Realty Partners
a. City Attorney has been working on language. The numbers have not changed. Leasing fees 4% direct lease, renewal is cut in half, payment schedule is 50% on execution of lease and 50% on occupancy.
b. Discussion: Numbers are consistent with the market, possibly a little early to hire a broker based on where the project stands now. City wants language in place but not eager to make any decisions yet. A year before CO would be a good time to start (October/November 2016).
c. Tabling this until September.
b) Consulting Services Agreement – Urban Eats
a. Urban Eats put together an agreement for restaurant-specific information on an hourly basis. Standard professional services agreement for $150 an hour, coming from the EpiCenter budget. So far it is 10 hours, anticipating using less than that.
b. Discussion: Good idea to add design value at this stage in the project. Theater design consultants met with City Staff recently to provide a unique perspective going in, so this firsthand experience will be valuable. Guest Kerry Murphy offered her husband as a consultant.
c. Subject to approval by Council. Motion to approve Consulting Services Agreement with Urban Eats from Nick Thompson, 2nd by Marc Orcutt, unanimous.
c) EpiCenter Geotechnical & Materials Testing Service Agreement – United Consulting
a. In June for the EpiCenter this was approaching $100,000 so we issued an RFP. Evaluated many criteria, selection committee of 3, unanimous decision to use United Consulting. Not going to exceed $75,000 (estimated at $61,805).
b. Discussion: This geotechnical investigation is for prior to build and during column loads
c. Motion to approve the Geotechnical & Materials Testing Service Agreement with United Consulting by Nick Thompson, 2nd by Nancy Wren, unanimous.
d) Icon at Sugar Hill property – Community Development Partners agreement
a. Community Development Partners (Kirby Glaze) Requests 6 months to come up with something different than the first project presented, and different than the second project (JWM), in the event that the current development agreement terms with JWM Ventures is not fulfilled, to present to the DDA.
b. The DDA will consider them first, this is not an agreement to promise them a project.
c. Motion to approve the purchase sale and development agreement with CDP by Nick Thompson and 2nd by Marc Orcutt, unanimous.
V. City of Sugar Hill Staff Comments
a. Troy Besseche: May we spent $49,450.25 to PPI on design phase, June we paid $90,663.93 to PPI on construction and design and coming soon sign, July 114,102.96 closing out design and development and construction doc phase, Gwinnett County Department of water resources 82652, 30 million + in the EpiCenter. Gateways signs are started and will be installed by the end of the year.
VI. DDA Member/Officer comments
a. Nick Thompson: City Hall parking deck lights were off after Sparks in the Park, should program them to stay on later.
b. Nancy Wren: Splash pad opening date will likely by Labor Day weekend.
c. Brandon Hembree: Great DDA clean-up with over 100 people. 30 bags of trash plus a Home Depot grocery cart.
d. Taylor Anderson: Partnership Gwinnett Redevelopment Forum is renamed to Metro Atlanta Redevelopment Summit. We are a sponsor and are under consideration for John MacDonald to present his project. Transportation plan that was approved earlier this month will start next Wednesday.
VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS
a. Steve Wilkes: requesting help to get more people at the Sugar Hill Business Alliance meetings (2nd Thursday of every month). Golf Tournament fundraiser is September 6th.
b. Kerry Murphy: Where did Daddy O’Brien’s go? They decided to move to Suwanee Dam near the urgent care center and Kroger, still in Sugar Hill.
VIII. If needed, Executive Session to discuss items, which are exempt from the open meetings act pursuant to O.C.G.A. section 50143.
IX. If needed, public action to be taken as a result of Executive Session
Motion to adjourn by Marc Orcutt, 2nd by Brandon Hembree. 7:22pm.
