DEMOREST — The Demorest City Council will take up several high-profile development and financial issues during its work session and regular meeting Tuesday, including two public hearings tied to residential development and a potential overhaul of employee retirement benefits.
The work session is scheduled for 6 p.m., followed by the regular meeting and public hearings at 7 p.m. at the Demorest Municipal Conference Center.
Among the most closely watched items is a rezoning request from McCain Investment Properties, LLC involving approximately 10.74 acres off Saluda Drive. The applicant is seeking to rezone the property from agricultural to R-2 to allow for a 34-lot single-family detached subdivision. The request will be the subject of a public hearing before council consideration.
The proposal builds on action taken in March, when council approved a related plat and advanced the rezoning request for further review, signaling the project remains a key part of ongoing development discussions in the city.
Council will also hold a public hearing on a request from Alan Baker and Philip Smith for a special use permit to allow multi-family residential development on approximately 4.14 acres at 415 Fisk Ave.
That request was also discussed at length during the March meeting, where council members weighed potential impacts on surrounding neighborhoods and opted to move the proposal forward for additional public input rather than take immediate action.
In addition to development-related items, council will revisit a proposal from the Georgia Municipal Employee Benefit System, which could change retirement options for city employees. The item is scheduled for discussion during the work session and formal consideration during the regular meeting.
Council members debated the pension proposal extensively last month but delayed a decision, citing the need for more information on long-term costs and financial implications.
Other items on the agenda include a water conservation plan, a downtown development authority map, contract approvals, an alley closure request at Walnut and Ohio streets, and a second reading of a home rule ordinance amending quorum and voting procedures within the city charter.
Tuesday’s meetings are expected to provide council members an opportunity to revisit unresolved issues from March and potentially move toward final decisions on several of the city’s most closely followed proposals.
