[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6081433,"mediaKeyId","2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda","parentId",2942451,"title","Resident urges Woodstock council to address housing affordability and downtown congestion","audioSeconds",334,"startMs",1221000,"endMs",1555000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda&start=1221&end=1555","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda/thumbnail_1221000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6081433/Woodstock-City/Cherokee-County/Georgia/Resident-urges-Woodstock-council-to-address-housing-affordability-and-downtown-congestion","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081433-ffd9db2d0426207d832f94e279b95304/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204338&Signature=S7VIMp5FRyOmHW74AgfNsdt-EQcWp7aU-x-AQ2T0eFV8NC7fgJS6l0vfqOwlXWEzkgJM09aoaWtoVqPIn91In1sGeKRZh8X2SJORW3gz5PwothOlIXYrwA3iUalPfK~oxNbzOHGHebeBRzjGEbY4N2dp-5RxFL7pQaKDjtbgI7rOx6dMa5Za7VgWifQDoTI91oScYX1nzs2IXYzVP6qq6KJFd8nCgzJKKjD0FUp2NGVh8aB6b34RYuYiacg5qG8ZN7ep7Wi6uSLNa0hDYmTFlRHrlMEpyOgEmF3t6hTuJ6UTuUul1DhoI1Vxe77cR8TH1cbbH9ey9nrz7OkbWdunwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Woodstuck GA ","date","2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","article","During public comment at the March 10 Woodstock City Council meeting, resident Gopika Van Deraj urged council to address a lack of diverse and attainable housing options and to take steps to reduce downtown traffic congestion.

Van Deraj said the city needs housing affordable for public-safety officers, teachers and other local staff so more workers can live in or near Woodstock. She cited publicly available figures in her remarks, saying the local median household income is $105,000 and that approximately 37% of income is spent on housing in the area (she noted 30% is commonly considered a housing-cost burden). She said about 65% of residents own their homes and about 35% rent, and stressed the local consequences of high housing costs: reduced spending on food, health care and education, longer commutes, stress and limited mobility.

On traffic, Van Deraj said ongoing changes around Main Street and Arnold Mill have produced mixed travel-time effects and continued pronounced congestion at key intersections; she recommended study and planning and suggested the council consult Canton for examples of strategies used there. She offered a range of potential measures, including adjustments to parking, timed parking, roadway geometry changes and reversible lanes, and flagged the impact of congestion on emergency response times and local businesses.

Council and the mayor cut the public comment short when the five-minute allotment expired; the mayor told Van Deraj staff will follow up and she said she will continue to engage the council on these issues.

Speakers and next steps: Van Deraj said she will follow up with council; staff did not present specific new studies at the meeting but parking and congestion were significant topics later in the agenda and will be considered through staff work on downtown parking initiatives.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Mar 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the March 10 meeting a resident urged the council to pursue attainable housing options for local workers and to address downtown Main Street congestion, citing a median household income of $105,000 and a high portion of income spent on housing.","taxTitle","Woodstock City, Cherokee County, Georgia","taxId",51313,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081438,"Council adopts consent agenda, defers zoning map amendment and denies vehicle-accident claim",2123,1631000,3754000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda&start=1631&end=3754","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda/thumbnail_1631000.jpg","/articles/6081438/Woodstock-City/Cherokee-County/Georgia/Council-adopts-consent-agenda-defers-zoning-map-amendment-and-denies-vehicle-accident-claim","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081438-61de34b321a9051c674e8422fdbd0041/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204338&Signature=G-8Th31J1~FBWKqCmVyknxkpNim0K8WH8pcwd8AgfIclecy8zQgxNuEl6UOAoi8d9xqGrjZE6utZTutKHNXASkH2gTYWrXvFQGuUeS0zFfU-mWL5AZhIOFJoJLjcY64B7Z7217Dni0yR-icpMfD3CNd9eFHsA9Fq3hhSksra3PX7fJB~dsQQez3IMqmngggufQJ3gZMGPtOOD-altpN7YaCGLu7dh6vEm~bDw9H1DXbGOWwMiQ0jzARxO4iAVqm7qaVRD9q1-o5QdMq5plNvSOAX4KGSuf8TBm0TJJ4nsPh6G9eykAPRnSHnX1driiIFIi02wOvRMSln9Qi7tnYUZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Woodstock City Council on March 10 carried several procedural and administrative items by unanimous vote (5-0, with one absence).

Consent agenda and deferral
- The council approved the consent agenda (items 1 through 12) by voice vote; the motion carried 5-0 with Councilman Usher absent.
- The council voted to defer consideration of a zoning map amendment to the March 24 meeting; the motion to defer carried 5-0 with one absence.

Denial of claim
- The council considered an \"Annie Latham\" notice of claim (vehicle accident involving a police officer on Sept. 24, 2024) filed by Stacy West. The city attorney recommended denial and the council voted to deny the claim by motion from Councilmember Collins, seconded by Councilman Aik. The motion carried 5-0 with Councilman Usher absent.

Executive session
- Council recessed into executive session to discuss personnel, litigation and real estate and later returned to open session and took the above action on the claim. The motion to go into executive session was moved and seconded (Councilmember Collins moved; Councilman Johnson seconded) and council announced it would take action after the closed session.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (Items 1–12): approved, 5-0 (Usher absent).
- Zoning map amendment: deferred to March 24, 5-0 (Usher absent).
- Denial of notice-of-claim (Stacy West): denied, 5-0 (Collins motion; Aik second).

All votes reported at the meeting were unanimous among members present; meeting minutes and departmental reports were made available in the public agenda packet.","On March 10 the Woodstock City Council approved its consent agenda (items 1–12), voted to defer a zoning map amendment to March 24, and denied a notice-of-claim related to a September vehicle accident; all actions carried unanimously with one absence.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081443,"Woodstock council asks state delegation to clear homestead exemption for surviving spouses",205,3115000,3320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda&start=3115&end=3320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda/thumbnail_3115000.jpg","/articles/6081443/Woodstock-City/Cherokee-County/Georgia/Woodstock-council-asks-state-delegation-to-clear-homestead-exemption-for-surviving-spouses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081443-475c0972bb1d5ca4d999b80f9050e26c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204338&Signature=nA94XhcJu-5R6oq9yW4EL93Ytcl~KalNvXun5MlHh7wokLSchH7WU9OLkZsGRCWTSSgQvUU5C-0rG8KKrk9sih~O7cG1JIxlDFpGsJcAQgfXp0W3F1QpI7gkjBd7A~~KpdbHONa1APmJSYmJns4Vd7znmd-iVW5ubmOtKzeeIXp0~4XGiTE66z57TV-mOkNIcExh2AWfB2E4fs0CwT10MRVM7nzogOHJeTwFFrk812npOnvt5NXl4P~VGyB2H5~9MuMyZzl-MnfkDpNkuIxd0SKyqc4jJ9tg~N0nrYEJsFiHtGzWJkt-r7svRWYBGiBwNCq9lPUclHIKKrcjpUPW9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Woodstock City Council on March 10 approved a resolution asking the local legislative delegation to pursue clarifying legislation so surviving spouses are not forced to meet a new five-year residency requirement to retain homestead tax relief when the deceased spouse’s name alone was on the homestead exemption.

The resolution, introduced by Councilmember Moon, responds to a post-election question about a voter-approved change that added a five-year residency requirement before a person becomes eligible for the exemption. Staff said residents who were on the rolls as of Dec. 30 were grandfathered, but questions arose about surviving spouses who were not named on an earlier homestead filing.

The proposed local bill would make clear that a surviving spouse who inherits the property would not be held to the new five-year residency requirement. Staff said a similar, separate referendum will be needed for the county school system’s portion of the exemption.

Mayor Michael Caldwell thanked Representative Thomas for his assistance and said, “We should never have a grieving widow in Woodstock find out that her taxes just showed back up just because her husband died,” when urging approval of the resolution.

Council voted 5-0 (one absence) to request the local delegation seek enabling legislation; the city will notify the public of the referendum date after the governor signs the enabling bill.

Votes and next steps: Motion to approve the resolution carried 5-0 with Councilman Usher absent. Staff said an enabling bill from the local delegation must be signed by the governor before the city may set the referendum date; a separate referendum will be required for the county school system portion.","The council approved a resolution requesting the local legislative delegation to introduce legislation clarifying that surviving spouses are not subject to a 5-year residency requirement to retain homestead exemption when the deceased spouse alone was previously listed.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081448,"Woodstock council adopts paid downtown parking ordinance; program to begin April 15",1437,1668000,3105000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda&start=1668&end=3105","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942451-ff5598f57fecd108e73b986dd21b3bda/thumbnail_1668000.jpg","/articles/6081448/Woodstock-City/Cherokee-County/Georgia/Woodstock-council-adopts-paid-downtown-parking-ordinance-program-to-begin-April-15","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081448-49955e9cbfa5f1abcf4f8d2e4afc1bdb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204338&Signature=S7YZSFl7fckKiVIcrf9hssJZVHJoYbeXTfPwt0a4BufxSUHTHVReCCR8GcFabgyIpzFJT1q1rfnJUYf4OiVguJRhoqOZ89qqjPSJCJurWQxiy5u6wswloyCdQndVNcOy-CDrl4TMHXCoRzTzeGmp9o6OqiIDCPeWi9uZwN2vzmexOng8LX9QipeT2rw85~Pq~-qt9350tM2YqE9B48L3sEKgvObAVQFs7F~E1qTYDQQJIsJr2QHCxQxA6XHLU9ixuirlDCcgF6TclxEINDn2X9rNCbhrze-6fTQceYFW7Jrm6Ofy5Aufx8meRGJ11f6k2AfLQfVWqNGKZUKHttpBpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Woodstock City Council on March 10 adopted a new paid-parking ordinance that creates four paid parking zones downtown, authorizes enforcement by a contracted parking management firm and sets program start and outreach dates.

The ordinance, codified as a replacement of municipal code chapter 42, article 3, authorizes paid parking zones set by council resolution, establishes a $2-per-hour maximum for on-street paid parking (not including processing fees), and directs signage, hours and time limits to be set by resolution. Council voted 5-0 to approve the ordinance with Councilman Usher absent.

Why it matters: Council and staff said the program is intended to improve turnover in front of storefronts and make it easier for customers to find short-term parking, while keeping long-term parking available in the free parking deck.

Key provisions and schedule
- Paid parking zones: Council authorized creation of paid parking zones by resolution and will adopt maps for the first four zones on March 24. The staff presentation identified about 287 public on-street spaces in the initial zones: Chambers and East Main Street (~160 spaces), Main Street from Mill Road to Fowler Street (~58), Market Street (Mill to Oak, ~16), and the Mill Street lot (~53). These figures exclude private lots that already charge for parking.
- Price and limits: The ordinance caps paid parking at $2 per hour; staff recommended a typical 3-hour maximum in paid spaces. Processing or technology fees are separate from the $2 cap.
- Enforcement hours and start dates: Staff proposed 7 days a week enforcement from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The rollout timeline in staff remarks calls for public outreach starting April 1, fee-schedule updates April 14, and program launch April 15.
- Fines and appeals: Staff proposed an initial citation of $30 that escalates (recommended) to $60 after a 14–30 day nonpayment window. The ordinance establishes a Woodstock Parking Citation Enforcement Hearing Board (members appointed by majority vote of council) to hear civil appeals of citations; final appeals may be taken to municipal court. The ordinance requires that the parking notice include payment and appeal instructions and sets deadlines for requesting hearings (the ordinance contemplates a 14-day minimum notice for certain cases and a hearing-request window). Staff said on-site citation notices will be placed on vehicles when issued and mailed notices follow.
- Enforcement and vendor role: The city has contracted with Pivot Parking for management; the code creates the role of a parking control officer (PCO) and clarifies that PCOs are not police but may issue citations. Staff said the parking deck will remain free and emphasized the deck as a free long-term option (6XX spaces referenced in the presentation).
- Technology and data: Staff and a Pivot representative discussed license-plate-recognition (LPR) data. Pivot representative Gary Means described two data types: “reads” (every plate the system reads) and “hits” (records related to unpaid citations). He said reads are commonly retained about 30 days and hits may be kept longer (90 days or more in some jurisdictions). City staff recommended matching the police department’s 30-day retention for reads and housing any formal retention/disposal rules in a council policy manual entry; staff also recommended a prohibition on sale of the data be considered.

Council members and staff emphasized that the free parking deck supports the paid on-street program and that the objective is to rotate short-term spaces for customers. Several council members and staff answered questions about notice timing, mailing and hearing windows; staff noted an on-vehicle notice includes payment and appeal instructions and that mailed notices are used for subsequent escalation.

The ordinance also adds a framework for residential permit parking (to be established later by resolution if needed) and clarifies definitions for electric personal transportation devices and modified golf carts where relevant to the parking chapter.

Public outreach, signage installation, parking ambassadors/PCO hiring and training were listed as tasks to complete between adoption and the April 15 start date.

\"The parking deck will remain free,\" Stockton said during the meeting when describing how the deck complements the on-street program.

Council vote: Motion to approve the ordinance carried 5-0 with one absence (Councilman Usher).","The Woodstock City Council on March 10 adopted a new paid-parking ordinance that creates four initial paid zones downtown, sets a $2-per-hour cap, establishes enforcement procedures and a civil hearings board, and schedules public outreach and program launch dates in April.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident urges Woodstock council to address housing affordability and downtown congestion

Council adopts consent agenda, defers zoning map amendment and denies vehicle-accident claim

Woodstock council asks state delegation to clear homestead exemption for surviving spouses

Woodstock council adopts paid downtown parking ordinance; program to begin April 15