AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY

Consider an appeal to staffs' interpretation of the City of Griffin Utility Incentive Program and eligibility for local business and property owner, Ben M. Johnson, for Autonomous Holdings, LLC. DDA Director Kenwin Hayes will address.   Removed from the Agenda

Mr. Johnson has created a property management company that owns and manages other properties in the area. The company, Autonomous Holdings, LLC, purchased property which has various tenants including Liberty Technology, Kitchen Drawer, and L3 Marketing, LLC. Liberty Technology and Kitchen Drawer were established business and have been utility customers. L3 Marketing and Autonomous Holdings are new companies and can receive the advantage of the utility incentive. The applicant is requesting all utilities be transferred to the new holding company, Autonomous Holdings, LLC and all utilities be eligible for the incentive program. Staff determined that Liberty Technology and Kitchen Drawer are not eligible for the incentive as existing businesses. He is appealing the staff's decision before the Board of Commissioners.

Staff has denied the application for the Utility Incentive for the Liberty Technology and Kitchen Drawer facility as existing businesses and offered the incentive to any new utility contract for a new business in a facility held by Autonomous Holdings, LLC.

The rate reduction applies to the following services: Griffin Power, Water & Wastewater; Solid Waste; Planning & Development Review fees.  If the Utility Incentive was granted for each change of ownership of an existing business enterprise or change in holding company of an existing business, the incentive would not be financially sustainable for the City.