The Woodstock City Council on Monday night voted down allowing hotels at a busy intersection.

The council approved revisions to its land development ordinance that would strike hotels as a permitted use in general commercial zoning and within a 2,000-foot radius of the intersection of Highway 92 and Trickum Road.

Residents attended the meeting to voice their opposition to allowing hotels at the intersection.

The council also reviewed several other development issues including possible revisions to the city's tree ordinance. The city staff was instructed to draft a change that would reduce the number of trees that can be cut down on a property to five.

The city staff was also instructed to draft changes to the land development ordinance regarding hotels, enforcement and development standards. The first reading could be heard as soon as the Aug. 11 council meeting.

The staff was directed as well to review how conditional uses are applied to zoning ordinances.

The council is considering the purchase of property in the Trickum Road corridor park to use as green space as part of the city's Greenprints master plan. The plan is designed to increase parks, trails and green space in the city. The city attorney was asked to review the deal and bring a recommendation back to the council.

Whether to hire a lobbyist to help keep Woodstock at the top of the list for state and federal funding was also on the meeting agenda. The council asked City Manager Jeff Moon to explore the cost of hiring one and bring the results back to them.

The council also directed Moon to talk with T-Mobile representatives regarding the company's request to place a cell phone tower on the city's Rope Mill Road Water Tank. Council members expressed concerns about the proposed tower's size.

The first reading to continue a joint city-county emergency management agreement was heard, and the council asked the city staff to explore options to correct a solution water pressure problem in the Brookshire neighborhood.

The council agreed Mayor Donnie Henriques should send a letter expressing concerns about a Cherokee County variance request for property on the northwest corner of Towne Lake Parkway and I-575. The variance would reduce a 75-foot landscape buffer to 10 feet and reduce setbacks.

Woodstock Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Billy Peppers made an informational presentation about changes to the hotel-motel tax law, which allows an 8-percent levy.

The council met in executive session to talk about real estate matters, but took no action.

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