Monday, June 8, 2009

Kickoff Comp Land Use Meeting and the Dunwoody ZBA


Yesterday, I gave a recap of the meetings that I hope to attend this week (though I am going to straighten out my priorities and attend my children's swim meet instead of attending the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday. Go ahead and start the recall procedures.) but I didn't tell you about some meetings from last week. Last Tuesday my priorities were out of whack and I attended the kick off meeting for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (instead of a swim meet) and then the Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday.

The Comprehensive Plan meeting was introductory in nature and participatory by having all the attendees identify the aspects of the city they want to keep and the aspects they want to change. I recorded both the introduction and the audience questions but the sound system at the church didn't work so I am unsure of the recordings quality. The City put out an official recap of the meeting and Pattie Baker also gave a recap, but hers reflected on the fact that the audiences average age was close to 65 years old.

The next Comp Land Use meeting on Tuesday, June 23rd is discussing Transportation, Gateways and Urban Design therefore I would hope that people passionate on these topic will be in attendance. (Of course it is again on a Tuesday swim meet night, but I checked and these advertised meetings are almost impossible to change.) Besides the public meetings, feedback is accepted on the City of Dunwoody discussion board and I would hope that this means of communication will be used as an alternate for those who can not attend in person.

The ZBA meetings are sometimes contentious because the items up for vote affect zoning and land use changes which sometimes directly affect the immediate property rights of neighbors who do not want to allow the change. Of the four items up for vote, one was denied, one was approved and the other two were deferred to see if the neighbors and/or the Dunwoody Homeowners Association could come to workable agreement. I had hoped to record this meeting but my batteries ran out of juice after the first item dealing with an additional sign request on Barclay which was denied.

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