[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_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":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6268925,"mediaKeyId","3048576-56f622159b9baeba52fe167f6bf3a998","parentId",3048576,"title","Alpharetta HPC asks staff to study tougher penalties after developers altered historic properties","audioSeconds",824,"startMs",2294000,"endMs",3118000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3048576-56f622159b9baeba52fe167f6bf3a998&start=2294&end=3118","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3048576-56f622159b9baeba52fe167f6bf3a998/thumbnail_2294000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6268925/Alpharetta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Alpharetta-HPC-asks-staff-to-study-tougher-penalties-after-developers-altered-historic-properties","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268925-9939e49ed5fc634ae081cc2d9ba63495/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122824&Signature=MJt5dRpdvU89tXK1NiS46bFrNGiiZJEKYA81fKBlSbX0bwKSZ6z23~ApFp5-MHUB1BpvFAL5rz6bGdg4krk~qc6Q5T-nJ1fNck0Mz4ychMJaUlYGgjcyqY-fewBVkFwZ5cCJkLtS366QierEWOG3elYFxq37chGPlFaKumCDpDSAZy-hZMQQcHCWFqgv4BqPYhbTF0DKLK9Ot~jIkJ2AXvV0xntLoxQTy1KP3X2w-iIIOsH0HIPOdEUz9jYiZnCbQFHrcEf~8VFgo~NFWSzbnSxcy~ugiD8VUZSVX9CMZcDIzVhiAILcfYzVQE8jDKWScUGsJj3joUePj37CvAKToQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-18T08:34:51.267Z","article","Alpharetta — The Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission on April 17 directed staff to research whether fines and enforcement tools for violations of the Historic Preservation Incentive Ordinance should be increased, following discussion of recent renovation work that deviated from approved plans.

Context and incident examples
Commissioners raised multiple examples in downtown Alpharetta where developers altered historic elements during renovation. Staff described one instance at a brick historic house (referred to in the meeting as the Morris house) in which a portico was deconstructed after staff was not contacted; the developer said rot or structural instability required immediate action and saved existing materials for reconstruction. Staff said building inspectors investigated the same day and concluded the action was taken to avoid collapse; no fine was issued in that instance.

Existing penalties and enforcement tools
Michael Woodman, city staff, reviewed the ordinance’s enforcement provisions. He said the code references a fine range of $2.50 to $1,000 per violation and that fines may be issued per violation and per day a violation remains unresolved, meaning penalties can accumulate rapidly. He also said the director of Community Development (Kathy Cook) has discretion in issuing fines and that other enforcement tools include stop‑work orders, double permit fees for work done without permits, removal of a property from the historic designation list and a five‑year period during which a lot may be deemed nonconforming following certain violations.

\"The fine could be as little as $2.50 up to a thousand,\" Woodman said, adding that staff may levy multiple fines for separate violations and additional fines for each day of noncompliance.

Commission concern and staff direction
Several commissioners said the current penalties may not deter developers working on multimillion‑dollar projects and asked whether a higher ceiling or other changes would produce better compliance. Commissioners noted that irreparable demolition of historic materials cannot be fixed by a fine alone and discussed options such as higher fines, longer removal from the historic list, and clearer definitions of terms like \"restore\" or \"repair.\"

Staff response and next steps
Woodman said staff will research what other jurisdictions do, consult with the Community Development director (Kathy Cook) and the City Council liaison (Mayor Pro Tem Markel), and prepare a recommendation. He said he would return with comparative research and suggested code amendments; the commission asked staff to include discussion of raising the minimum fine so that penalties would be more than a nominal amount.

No formal ordinance change was made on April 17; commissioners asked staff to prepare a code‑change recommendation and possible penalty ranges for later consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Historic Preservation Commission Meeting - April 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners discussed recent cases where developers removed historic features without prior city notification, learned the existing fine range is $2.50 to $1,000 per violation, and asked staff to research possible legislative changes to increase deterrents and return with recommendations.","taxTitle","Alpharetta, Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",3991,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6268930,"Alpharetta commission signals support to pursue listing Bailey Johnson School as contributing property",237,1811000,2048000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3048576-56f622159b9baeba52fe167f6bf3a998&start=1811&end=2048","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3048576-56f622159b9baeba52fe167f6bf3a998/thumbnail_1811000.jpg","/articles/6268930/Alpharetta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Alpharetta-commission-signals-support-to-pursue-listing-Bailey-Johnson-School-as-contributing-property","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268930-8c9f95ac0122fa866f7ff8fe8f8c2b9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122824&Signature=VBwBCcQ~rgaHdhQY4AIR8jwZkSL2fDM6UcQNM7XXfwcbtt-Z~2E~60b8Df5XzO4r6Uj6RaMvo3CbkYg5biOlO4LkZo3F~8OP1C5Dzufi2SIZY-13Nuc2gKMNY3yNAqdmQdIdb9ed97ol66oSducVik5RO5NTJfwsKFooahmehiGETaudu8~9vmkv1jJhZ1pIje1EY768NP74PcZ9TvUIJcDTdtnTcT0WrivnDGmbyKDy9-4nGM4t4BGYrJsyay3PN534f5gEL0dt1s6HAKJO6xc9Jdb8NkClu5Uyy69M2d7mvnla~NVWmeypBZtdyj9NoqDj20uRIgSMVNC0khF1hQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alpharetta — Members of the Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission expressed unanimous support April 17 for staff to pursue adding the Bailey Johnson School to the city’s contributing historic structures inventory, and asked staff to prepare the ordinance amendment and public‑hearing steps needed to proceed.

Commission discussion and rationale
Commissioners said the Bailey Johnson School recently turned 75 years old, meeting the age threshold the commission uses to consider contributing status. Michael Woodman, city staff, explained the steps staff would take if the commission agreed: find a City Council member to sponsor a text amendment to the Unified Development Code, hold a Community Zoning Information Meeting (CZIM), take a recommendation from this commission, and then forward the matter to City Council for final action.

Woodman said the property, located on Kimball Bridge Road (staff cited 154 Kimball Bridge Road as a likely address), has historical significance: it was associated with the first African‑American school in the area during segregation and has an active alumni group that has pressed for preservation. \"The history on the property is that it was the first African American school during the days of segregation,\" Woodman said.

Why it matters: Commission members said they want to ensure the school building is protected from demolition or unsympathetic alteration given its cultural and community significance. Because the contributing list was created before the school reached 75 years of age, it was not previously included.

Process and next steps
Woodman said staff will prepare the necessary text amendment and seek a council sponsor; if a sponsor is found, staff will schedule public outreach (CZIM) and bring the item to the commission for recommendation before sending it to City Council. Commissioners signaled majority support on the record for staff to move forward; Woodman said staff will return with proposed next steps.

Questions about the gymnasium
Commissioners also discussed the property's gymnasium. Woodman said the developer provided an inspection showing significant structural issues with the gym; city building officials concurred, and City Council allowed removal of the gymnasium on the condition that a similar building be constructed in its place. Staff said that specific approval applied to the gymnasium, not to the school building itself.

No formal vote was taken; staff will return with next steps and with whatever Council sponsorship is secured.","Commissioners told staff to prepare the steps needed to add Bailey Johnson School to the city’s contributing historic structures list and to seek a city council sponsor for the required text amendment to the Unified Development Code.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6268934,"Alpharetta commission designates John C. Weatherford House at 193 Canton Street as historic",1540,255000,1795000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3048576-56f622159b9baeba52fe167f6bf3a998&start=255&end=1795","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3048576-56f622159b9baeba52fe167f6bf3a998/thumbnail_255000.jpg","/articles/6268934/Alpharetta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Alpharetta-commission-designates-John-C-Weatherford-House-at-193-Canton-Street-as-historic","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268934-365f951905124df22583930fcfd67111/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122824&Signature=i~maPBG2TQ9lrNsLpoCKhGMdLnKb-Lth~6vHcFJ81XlECLYoitrgfWZrXAYbh7ezNpbszc~sfYgcB--XD~GFd-ZgpUqXDXEAmdFFQZhoQ70O~kqJ9KtGfaPueNKWFtZTTpG9530Sx-4xlVkb6SO59aZdEbR15A8K0zm4iQ02-VDxDFuePQmnGtmPZT-GgtAs9Pzm6TnMU1tEaj8rPu0YsvnMS42Hkvh1-01gPIjnQ94X7Vaup~0jXr4O29smM7atU7qpXAKGhEtsdfsbyclNW7NXofvmzyWnswyt2C6QWRKBWz93zSAPTdZIoliCX5R368jrG6-PkqCBJGmpjpquwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alpharetta — The Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission on April 17 voted to designate the John C. Weatherford House at 193 Canton Street as a historic structure, a staff presentation and commission members said.

Michael Woodman, city staff, told commissioners the property sits on 2.4 acres and had been approved in 2021 for a 17‑lot single‑family subdivision (referred to as Hudson Park). He said the council placed conditions on the subdivision that require the Weatherford house be saved, rehabilitated and formally designated under the city’s Historic Preservation Incentive Ordinance.

Designating the house will move it from the city’s contributing historic buildings inventory to the designated historic buildings inventory, Woodman said. He described the house as a folk‑Victorian structure built between about 1910 and 1920, roughly 2,786 square feet, and one of the city’s remaining older architectural examples. \"The request before you today is a request for a public hearing to designate a structure as historic,\" Woodman said during his presentation.

Why it matters: The designation satisfies the zoning condition tied to the approved subdivision and triggers the review process that will govern exterior changes to the house. The commission’s decision does not yet approve the applicant’s proposed exterior renovations; those will be considered at a separate certificate of appropriateness hearing scheduled next month.

Details of the project and public outreach
The developer previously obtained design‑review board approvals for the new homes on the subdivision lots, Woodman said, but the DRB had no authority over the historic house itself. The developer plans to use the Weatherford House as a residence, Woodman said; the applicant’s representative confirmed that intent in remarks at the hearing.

Woodman said the applicant mailed notices to properties within 500 feet and that a Community Zoning Information Meeting was held March 12; staff’s record showed a sign‑in sheet but no written comments. He also reviewed the ordinance’s designation criteria — including age (over 75 years) and historic, architectural or cultural significance — and said staff found the house meets those criteria.

Limits on future uses and exterior review
Woodman told commissioners that existing council conditions limit the house’s use to either a residence or an office. \"So a coffee shop is out of the question,\" he said, explaining that any change to allow a business beyond residence or office would require a council action to alter the zoning condition. If the owner later converts the house from residence to office without altering the exterior, the conversion would be handled through building permits; exterior changes would require this commission’s approval of a certificate of appropriateness, he added.

Commission discussion and applicant comments
Chris Davis, representing the ownership group for 193 Canton Street, told the commission he had little to add to staff’s presentation and was available to answer questions. Commissioners asked about the house’s history, floor plan (not a shotgun layout), the planned two‑car garage addition at the rear, and whether chimneys and other exterior elements fall under the commission’s purview. Woodman confirmed exterior elements visible from the street — including chimneys, windows and siding — are subject to review; interior finishes are not.

Vote and next steps
Commissioner Connie Mashburn moved to approve designation of the John C. Weatherford House; Commissioner Bob Myers seconded. The motion carried (members responded \"aye\" and the chair declared the motion carries). Staff and the applicant said the developer intends to begin work promptly after the required approvals; Woodman noted the zoning conditions require the house to be under construction by a milestone tied to the overall development schedule.

The commission will review the applicant’s certificate of appropriateness for proposed exterior changes at the next HPC meeting. If council conditions or permits are later changed by the applicant, Woodman said the commission would be notified as a courtesy when an application to change conditions reaches City Council.

Votes at a glance
• Motion: Approve historic designation for the John C. Weatherford House (PH20504, 193 Canton Street).
• Moved: Commissioner Connie Mashburn. Second: Commissioner Bob Myers.
• Outcome: Approved (motion carries).","The Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission voted April 17 to move the John C. Weatherford House from the city’s contributing inventory to the designated historic buildings inventory, fulfilling a city council zoning condition tied to a 17‑lot subdivision.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Alpharetta HPC asks staff to study tougher penalties after developers altered historic properties

Alpharetta commission signals support to pursue listing Bailey Johnson School as contributing property

Alpharetta commission designates John C. Weatherford House at 193 Canton Street as historic