[{"_1":2,"_121":-5,"_122":-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",[32,73,85,97,109],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},"mediaId",6183870,"mediaKeyId","5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71","parentId",5093566,"title","Residents urge action on data centers, auditing and city services during public comments","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1072000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71&start=1072&end=1072","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71/thumbnail_1072000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6183870/Stonecrest/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Residents-urge-action-on-data-centers-auditing-and-city-services-during-public-comments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183870-939cb067d230f19be8f02129682ef251/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179496&Signature=lXNV4kCzrbAJ2Xghic9FqaZvnzFoI21BqUU1xUwRMiBcAi~OPzGOYP6typutntVHO8oZ4cWn4rcmUDA52AUJqWWUYgfun-xV70nRY4~mNftBkRwewb~itVMnA39Opvv-Y1xLqcmxvtMGAv-3wgFoZjfnF~yhd-nlpahdvkoilnLHTvLhLS~rWCO5iQyWCOniQevBMUAx-w2Uxwc4GOK3K63E6h6IHKV-cexrXYX~9iummMAHECfdrvWermiiXRhWkNaQc~vjxOxDENYP4Z3FtPvF9Bbl36996BTXK5jWBmReQzjYIli~bjGjPtBa9oEGM0VIjRo7ML9iwGZN2ephAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-27T13:27:12Z","article","Several residents used the public‑comment period at the June 26 Stonecrest City Council meeting to raise concerns about data centers, fiscal oversight and local services.

Dave Marcus and Renee Kell warned council that large data centers are expanding regionally and could bring substantial electricity, water and generator (diesel) backup needs that may affect air quality and local utilities. Marcus said data centers create relatively few ongoing jobs but have “tremendous electricity needs,” and that Georgia Power is increasing capacity to serve them. Kell urged more research on generator emissions, water use and local health impacts, noting diesel exhaust contains fine particulates that can worsen respiratory problems.

Marcus also pressed the council on financial oversight. He said the city charter requires the council to hire an internal auditor and to request audit reports at least every 90 days; Marcus said open‑records searches show no internal audit reports since 2021 and urged council members to “trust but verify.” He described recent staff turnover and said the city appears to be behind on financial reports.

Resident A. Caulfield asked for clarity on a reported $1.2 million ARPA donation to the DeKalb County Board of Education and asked how any purported $20 million surplus would be allocated; she asked why basic, low‑cost public‑safety trainings such as CPR were not provided given the claimed surplus. Mayor and staff responded in part: staff reiterated that the city sets the millage but the county performs assessments and issues bills, and that homestead exemptions and a county property‑value freeze are administered by county offices. Council committed to researching and returning with accurate information on the freeze and other concerns.

No formal council action was taken on the public comments; councilors said the issues raised would be researched and, where appropriate, returned to a future meeting for further consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting 6:00 PM 06-26-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Speakers at Stonecrest’s June 26 public‑comment period warned of potential environmental impacts from data centers, called for the city to hire an internal auditor required by the charter, and questioned the use of ARPA funds and a reported city surplus.","taxTitle","Stonecrest, DeKalb County, Georgia","taxId",4249,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":74,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":75,"_41":76,"_43":77,"_45":78,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6183876,"Council approves code edits to reflect community development reorganization",2807,2913000,5720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71&start=2913&end=5720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71/thumbnail_2913000.jpg","/articles/6183876/Stonecrest/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Council-approves-code-edits-to-reflect-community-development-reorganization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183876-23a86bb2a113c58f30814aedcc2feff6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179496&Signature=ninNBSzh2RjPMRQn~DWNMhrHAecw8cE9W8pb~9rgDbTbbdobOzXBck8ujgS7C8GxTsYdycYYMVnkywsP76znz-a3U1mflNAp0qcKbPGP0ummIVvfHS~HTx6MNla2OqDD-WdngplH4pp2bevrnjevm8HgbSMBRA7FxcOE6mIRGYZ532TQgZeRQA~FgbQbA7F9344zMJg2YMZS5xVTA1LECawGV7B6y~1ZyI4vItJHC55jxG87UwiI01OBnfT6XlcI1G7eUbOWgk9Z4xEzzNjuwI4lBpFPkEQkNFwwpYBFXZHyBj~aGFedGbCzQh~4uFygmOo~i3js99Vx0M7XPsPJxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Stonecrest City Council on June 26 approved a package of text amendments to city code to reflect organizational changes in the Community Development Department and related departments.

Council approved TMOD 25‑003 to update Chapter 27 (zoning) references from the director of planning to the director of community development or designee and to adjust cross‑references throughout the zoning code. Separately, the council adopted second‑read ordinances amending Chapter 2 (administration) and Chapter 14 (land development) to align department names, responsibilities and review authorities with the city’s current organizational structure.

Presenters said the changes are editorial and structural—intended to make the code match how city operations are already organized—and do not alter substantive policy beyond updating titles, responsible offices and cross‑references. Several council members noted these are follow‑up steps to a prior reorganization and emphasized the city needed consistent language in multiple code sections.

TMOD 25‑003 (zoning updates) passed 5–0. The Chapter 2 and Chapter 14 amendments each passed on second reading, each by a 4–1 vote, with one council member recorded as voting no on both measures. Council indicated the no votes reflected concerns raised earlier and not objections to the alignment principle itself. The city clerk read each ordinance on the record before the votes.

Staff said no further action is required beyond codification; the edits should reduce confusion for applicants, boards and staff by specifying the director of community development and by updating references to divisions and responsibilities across zoning, land‑development and administrative code sections.","Stonecrest approved text amendments to align city code with recently reorganized departments, updating references in zoning, administration and land‑development chapters to the director of community development and new division names.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6183881,"Council OKs tougher inspection requirements for single‑family and multifamily rentals",662,4866000,5528000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71&start=4866&end=5528","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71/thumbnail_4866000.jpg","/articles/6183881/Stonecrest/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Council-OKs-tougher-inspection-requirements-for-singlefamily-and-multifamily-rentals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183881-72e5cc9700f3fec6495bdc9310e402f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179496&Signature=HlYfg3gCDeTRbwssYzf5hzzSUBViEaqW4u8lGfW3o1skD3KeHHQzFYBvcCjGVtAFm4twDTON4XyGWFJqRvMELujeAz-34VwNc2d-sD2Wz-uLtZlbGFDwLuoZ7sdryIR7aYVcYmy~t6a4Ig-mpqHkD0zpOwVIsHwLWi0hjJJ15Fey~DOCFadgt2BDuG5UvtJZIveqt~DQfcnGiE53DudRtSWn8v7bSdYOLPip868TUQYJ8ntAeX7GXhdImeo9NaESSdloecVdYdItljypNu4ux3L9q5ciBaqz1v3d6zxCuL6lKKcIGj3mnZVwTJSBaDZeVQp9N6s4b~CVeIXo~Va0Mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Stonecrest City Council on June 26 approved a second‑read ordinance amending Chapter 15 to strengthen inspection and compliance requirements for single‑family and multifamily rental dwellings.

The ordinance (TMOD 25-002) increases annual inspection coverage of multifamily units from 20% to 50% and requires a certificate of compliance covering 100% of single‑family rental units. Newly constructed units are exempt from the initial requirement but must be included in later cycles; the ordinance says no newly constructed unit shall be on consecutive compliance certificates. Inspection reports must include both internal and external checks.

The amendment incorporates language from state House Bill 399 requiring out‑of‑state landlords to maintain an in‑state broker or manager to receive tenant communications; the city will record that contact information when code enforcement has probable cause of a violation. The ordinance establishes penalties for noncompliance: municipal-court fines of not less than $200 and not more than $1,000 per dwelling unit, and city-conducted inspections (if required) at the owner’s cost; unpaid costs may become a lien on the property.

Council members framed the measure as a public-safety and habitability enforcement step to address complaints about poorly maintained rental housing. The ordinance passed on second reading by a 5–0 vote. Council and staff said the change is the “first step” in improved enforcement of rental housing standards and that staff will proceed with implementation details, including noticing for license holders and inspection scheduling.","Stonecrest approved changes to licensing and inspection rules for rental properties that raise the annual inspection percentage for multifamily units, add single‑family coverage, and set penalties for noncompliance; the changes reference state House Bill 399 for out‑of‑state owners.",{"_33":98,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":99,"_41":100,"_43":101,"_45":102,"_46":103,"_48":104,"_50":105,"_52":106,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":107,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":108,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6183886,"Stonecrest adopts abandoned shopping-cart ordinance after debate on fines, enforcement",1398,3602000,5000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71&start=3602&end=5000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71/thumbnail_3602000.jpg","/articles/6183886/Stonecrest/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Stonecrest-adopts-abandoned-shopping-cart-ordinance-after-debate-on-fines-enforcement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183886-cd1a52a63c090188fd9be98f99792dde/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179496&Signature=O8YtM~V1clJOYQDfBHmQs2BQVhw4uOUJcBwB4kjDP3p5p0Ip~inpy52Vk0fgnTu23YDm0RZhEqZJmeszg2~oHFiX18ye6-wrTmYTAE9DRysVvgeDZG244wQJjBYDx-1OfvKo~TQz~5AqQr1HSp2MwmSwVV1LCWdUEKIudYmZEqQZ~~Qs4lR39SbX3RPXatRee-th~3lilNx8hGPYN6VRBC4JxvD6oc8GXcjx-Ffxj9GihZvR29NTuKk8myiXsZ3Mul9NI-d7fOJWek4G55TuTNBjcPECjbDCdP~QQGDtkn4IEdWK~s5zTVxcsepn2jO~n8ac7qW~l1PEZUJLPGE-0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Stonecrest City Council on June 26 approved an ordinance addressing abandoned shopping carts, requiring new businesses to provide cart-retrieval plans and imposing fines for businesses that fail to comply.

The ordinance (TMOD 25-001) was presented by city staff as a public-safety and nuisance measure to address shopping carts removed from business premises and left on public or private property. The ordinance creates a retrieval-plan requirement for new developments, defines abandoned shopping carts, and establishes citations and penalties. Under the ordinance as amended by council, the citation amount is $150 for the first cart and $125 for each additional cart from the same business, with a maximum fine not to exceed $500 for a single enforcement event.

Council discussion focused on legal and procedural distinctions between a city “fee” and a “fine.” Several council members and the city attorney advised that fines tied to citations give businesses due-process rights through municipal adjudication, whereas a separate fee schedule (which would require a 45‑day public posting) would be needed only if the city intended to perform cart retrieval as a charged service. After debate, the council amended ordinance language to replace references to “fees” with “fines” and removed language requiring the city fee schedule update, which staff said would make the ordinance enforceable without publishing a separate fee schedule.

Code enforcement described the intended enforcement sequence: initial contact with the merchant or point of contact, a 72‑hour period for removal of carts (during which the merchant may present or submit a retrieval plan), and then citation if the carts are not removed. The ordinance also contains a separate requirement that businesses must supply a retrieval plan to the city within 24 hours when specifically requested; councilors discussed whether to align the two timeframes but ultimately left the 24‑hour plan-submission language in place with the clarified enforcement approach.

City legal counsel said the ordinance could move forward that night if the language distinguishing fines from fees was fixed. Councilman Terry Fye, the ordinance sponsor, moved to adopt TMOD 25-001 with the stated changes; the motion carried 5–0.

Council directed staff to make the wording clearer in enforcement subsections and to confirm final ordinance language before implementation. Staff said they expect code enforcement to administer the new rules and assess fines under the municipal process rather than collect a service fee for cart retrieval.","Council approved an ordinance to require cart-retrieval plans from businesses and to impose fines for noncompliance; council clarified that the measure will use fines (not a city fee schedule) and that enforcement procedure will rely on code enforcement contact and a 72‑hour removal window.",{"_33":110,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":111,"_41":112,"_43":113,"_45":114,"_46":115,"_48":116,"_50":117,"_52":118,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":119,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":120,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6183891,"Stonecrest council adopts 2025 millage rate of 1.257 mills after public hearing",1407,1545000,2952000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71&start=1545&end=2952","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093566-ad037ac2e55a88f97453769b11794a71/thumbnail_1545000.jpg","/articles/6183891/Stonecrest/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Stonecrest-council-adopts-2025-millage-rate-of-1257-mills-after-public-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183891-31aa61db54dae02c927f5f72208466ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179496&Signature=GL~5nmFW9RKF--1YnMqNSQBybl2RxYqL5oMj1IAV-mhERv3kiBEfdLCw-6BADnx6MB92rWG0yDVO7XXLNGOVr~q6RtBAaBzvJtXML7neAGLec4cT-jwPSUUzJHkHO80NrLANHZIzm0a8l7m3Sx8gdsjMkc58eNKc79zrJCb0q99TXcxeqIAXfKDYsRZgDEsJZ2srERi0C-mAD1sHZ7YNt9u~yEKTdWURd3-~ArJuudv-YqQJLISdEAsJQOSndEaAJEgDVy2Q4OruxUAaOWgYvR5gG~UUCj2WBP6aCiTlvT9EQ2v9izikqleP23cy~FJY7mc173KjaBf6aMQcfSRqUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Stonecrest City Council on June 26 unanimously adopted a 2025 property tax millage rate of 1.257 mills after a public hearing required by state law.

The millage vote followed a presentation from Revenue Manager Eric Hawkins explaining that a mill is $1 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value and that the proposed 1.257 mills would yield roughly $2.8 million in revenue and represents a 1.53% percentage increase for properties that were reassessed upward by the county. Hawkins said the city met state notice and hearing requirements and that the proposed rate would remain the same as the prior year’s tentative rate.

City staff and council framed the matter as a technical step under state law. Mayor Jasmine Cabo and other council members emphasized that much of an individual homeowner’s bill is driven by county and school millage, not the city’s share. Council members and staff explained that the city’s 1.257 mills produce about $2 million of an $18 million operating budget and that Stonecrest’s millage has been unchanged for four consecutive years.

During the hearing, members of the public raised questions about how reassessments and homestead exemptions affect individual bills. Resident A. Caulfield said her Chaparral neighborhood’s assessments rose substantially and asked for clarification; Eric Hawkins and other staff explained that property appraisals are administered by the county’s tax appraisal office and that the tax commissioner issues bills. Council discussed a county-administered property-value freeze and homestead exemptions as possible mitigations for homeowners. Hawkins said homeowners may apply to the county for a freeze and that the city will research and return with accurate information.

Council opened and closed the public hearing and then moved to adopt the resolution fixing the 2025 millage rate. The final vote to adopt 1.257 mills was 5–0.

The council directed staff to follow up with more detailed information on homestead exemptions and the county property-value freeze and to provide clarifying public guidance on how county reassessments interact with the city millage.

The adopted millage will be used in the city’s 2026 budget development process; staff said the allocation of additional revenues will be finalized during that budget process.","The Stonecrest City Council held a required public hearing and unanimously adopted a 2025 millage rate of 1.257 mills; staff clarified how county assessments, homestead exemptions and a county property-value freeze affect individual bills.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents urge action on data centers, auditing and city services during public comments

Council approves code edits to reflect community development reorganization

Council OKs tougher inspection requirements for single‑family and multifamily rentals

Stonecrest adopts abandoned shopping-cart ordinance after debate on fines, enforcement

Stonecrest council adopts 2025 millage rate of 1.257 mills after public hearing