Friday, January 2, 2009

Tuesday Dunwoody City Council - Zoning, Speeding Ticket Fees & Allowing Drinking in the Park

Special - Tuesday Meeting of the Dunwoody City Council
Dunwoody United Methodist Church - 7 p.m.
Full Agenda

PUBLIC HEARING – City of Dunwoody Interim Comprehensive Plan

PUBLIC HEARING – City of Dunwoody Interim Future Land Use Map

Second Read, discussion and vote on Ordinance to adopt and approve the City of Dunwoody Interim Comprehensive Plan.

Second Read, discussion and vote on Ordinance to adopt and approve the City of Dunwoody Interim Future Land Use Map.

Second Read and vote on Ordinance to adopt the International Property Maintenance Code.

Second Read and vote on Ordinance to adopt the City of Dunwoody Budget for Fiscal Year 2009. It was amended at the last meeting but we didn't receive an updated copy for this meeting.

Second Read and vote on Ordinance to adopt the City of Dunwoody Fiscal Year.

Second Read and vote on Ordinance Authorizing the City of Dunwoody Tax Anticipation Note.

Second Read and vote on approving Ordinance granting Comcast of Georgia a Franchise Agreement for Cable and Video Services (deferred).

Discussion and vote on approving Resolution adopting a Fee Schedule for various planning and zoning functions (deferred).

Ordinance to adopt and approve the updated City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27) and the updated Zoning Maps

Discussion and vote on approving a Resolution setting a Fee Schedule for the City of Dunwoody Municipal Court. Speeding 20 mph over = $225.00 fine. 1st DUI = $1,041.00

Discussion and vote on re-approving the Resolution for Rules and Procedures for City Council Meetings (as amended). Removes authority of any council member to defer an item for one meeting and I have requested additional public comment prior to all votes.

First Read of Ordinance to amend certain provisions of Chapter 16 (“Offenses and Violations”) of the City of Dunwoody Code of Ordinances. Allows drinking in the park with a permit, think bottle of wine at the Dunwoody Nature Center Concert.

Discussion and vote on approving a Resolution appointing an acting assistant city clerk.

EXECUTIVE SESSION for the purposes of legal, real estate, and personnel discussions.

6 comments:

Pattie Baker said...

John: Wait--do you mean that a driver would not be ticketed in a 35-mile-per-hour zone unless he or she was driving 55 miles per hour? Aren't we trying to make this city more walkable?

John Heneghan said...

No Pattie, law enforcement can generally issue a ticket at 10 or 11 miles per hour over the limit except strict enforcement is allowed in school zones.

I wrote a number of articles on speeding when I was concerned about excessive speed in Brook Run Park.

My request for strict enforcement in parks.

Speeding typical in Brook Run

I was only pointing out a few examples of the future penalties that may be assessed within the City limits as per the fee schedule.

Sight Edman said...

The 10 MPH cushion is well known in Georgia and seems to have originated to address complaints that the state was riddled with speed traps. This is also behind limits on the amount of revenue generated from traffic fines.

It also means Chamblee Dunwoody between Spalding and Roberts has, and probably will continue to have, dangerous speeding. I'm sure there are several other areas just as bad.

I was only partly tongue-in-cheek when I suggested we install radar speed signs as the 'Welcome to Dunwoody' signs. They have been shown to slow down speeders and they can be used to gather hard data for efficient deployment of enforcement resources.

installerone said...

I have seen many grants on these radar speed signs but two in particular on www.safe-routes-usa.com and www.safe-kids-worldwide.com seem they could help purchase these signs near schools and in neighborhoods.

John Heneghan said...

Thank you installerone, the City has just completed the Safe Routes to Schools Grant application to improve the sidewalks around Kingsly Elementary and I will have public works look into the feasibility of the speed detection signs.

http://radarspeedsigns.com

http://www.usa.safekids.org/wtw

Sight Edman said...

Speeding is a serious issue in some areas of Dunwoody, or so many of us think. Even if the 'Your Speed Is' feature is not used Dynamic Speed Display Signs would gather empirical data about traffic patterns in our community that would confirm or deny these perceptions. Of course these data would be promptly posted on the Dunwoody website for citizen review ;^).

There is a reasonably current study of the effectiveness of these devices in urban settings with additional references supporting their use for traffic calming. These devices are proven effective, especially in school zones and when backed by enforcement. Because they also gather real traffic speed data, they enhance the efficient deployment of enforcement teams.