Dunwoody items of interest.

Below are a few things of interest, what else is happening?

Stage Door Players - New Show this weekend.

Farm Burger in the Georgetown Shopping Center is now open.

DeKalb Recycling is now Free

Sustainability Plan Kick-off Meeting - tonight 

Dunwoody Chamblee Parents’ Council - Dr. Cheryl Atkinson, DCSD Superintendent at 9 am Friday DHS

Dunwoody Library Book Sale starts Friday

Dunwoody Serve Day - Saturday but register today

YSC Tour de Pink - Saturday
 
Dunwoody Preservation Celebration - Sunday

DUMC Preschool 50th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration- Sunday

International Walk to School Day - Wednesday - All Elem Schools

Discussion Panel on the Charter School Amendment - Thurs Oct 4, 9:00am Dunwoody Library

Atlanta listed as 5th worst commute time in nation and ranks 9th in people working from home.

The City of Dunwoody is in the midst of rewriting our Zoning Code Regulations and one of the issues that we will need to face head on in the coming months is reviewing the "home occupation" regulations.  We may want to make it easier to allow people to work legally from their home as long as it is done in such away as to not denigrate the feel of our single family neighborhoods.  How can these regulations be softened to match the real world that many of my neighbors are facing today or is this like the proverbial "Chicken" issue where it is better to believe that it is not happening at all?  If addressed, this home occupation change would also need to look at the issues of noise, hours, signage, business types and the possible full time conversion of single family residences (rental homes looking for a tenant?) into business locations where businesses were never intended.

The article "A Look at Commuting Using the Latest Census Data" on the Newgeography.com website quoted the stats below.  I believe that by not accepting the reality that our Atlanta commute times will be getting longer over time as the metropolitan area grows, while also experiencing technological leaps in internet service to allow office work to be effectively done at the home; is like sticking our heads in the sand while forcing those who work from the home to wear a "Scarlet Letter" of being illegal because a customer may stop by to chat from time to time. 

 I don't have all the answers but this is a community issue being worked on by the community at large where everyone is invited to participate in the rewrite of the zoning ordinance.  The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday October 2nd and the meeting will most likely be discussing the 2nd module of the rewrite which is directed at the Administration and Procedures to be followed.  If you are interested in working on the rewrite by looking at the broad ordinance or have a single focused change in mind, I hope you come on October 2nd and make your wishes known. Thanks.

Working from Home
 

Rank	Metro Area	2011
1	Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	62,593 (7.1%)
2	Raleigh-Cary, NC	37,030 (6.6%)
3	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	67,223 (6.4%)
4	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	131,029 (6.4%)
5	San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA	89,547 (6.3%)
6	Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO	76,025 (5.9%)
7	Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ	105,570 (5.8%)
8	Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA	52,143 (5.8%)
9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA	132,979 (5.5%)
10	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	87,839 (5.2%)

Commute Times

Rank	Metro Area	2011
1	New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA	34.9
2	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	34.5
3	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	31.0
4	Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI	30.9
5	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA	30.6
6	Baltimore-Towson, MD	30.3
7	Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH	29.2
8	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	29.2
9	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA	28.6
10	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	28.5

Video & Recap of Dunwoody City Council Meeting from Sep. 24, 2012

Video 1 - most of meeting

Video 2 - End of Sidewalk discussion and 10:00 starts EMS update

Agenda

Approved - Approval of DNR Agreement Amendment for Brook Run Trail Phase 1.

Approved - Award of 2012 Sidewalk Construction Contract.

Approved - Resolution to Adopt Tree Inventory and Assessment as an Addendum to the Comprehensive Plan.

Tabled - SECOND READ: Ordinance to Amend Chapter 24 to Adopt Regulations Governing False Alarms.

Approved - PUBLIC HEARING &  SECOND READ: RZ 12-091: Pursuant to the City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance, Applicant, JW Acquisitions, LLC, Seeks Permission to Rezone Properties Currently Zoned Office-Institution District (O-I) and Multifamily Residential District (RM-HD) to Planned Development District (PD) to Allow for a 16 Acre and 19 Acre Mixed Use Development.

Approved - Consideration of Land Development Waiver Request for 1931 Mount Vernon Place.

Modified - Consideration of Land Development Waiver Requests for 5352 Happy Hollow Road.

 Update on Transference of Fire and EMS Calls.

Dunwoody Serve Day - Sat Sep 29th - Volunteers Needed

Join hundreds of volunteers from several Dunwoody church and community groups on Saturday, September 29 from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm to serve our community. The assembly point is the North Atlanta Church of Christ located at 5676 Roberts Rd just south of Sandy Springs Fire Station #1. Volunteers arrive at 8AM for a continental breakfast and return at 1PM for a BBQ lunch.  Projects include painting fire hydrants, clearing park trails and constructing entry ramps for shut-ins. Last year over 700 citizens from our churches and civic organizations volunteered.  Free breakfast, lunch and a t-shirt included!

Saturday, September 29
7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
North Atlanta Church of Christ
5676 Roberts Rd

Click here to Register today.

Participating organizations.

North Atlanta Church of Christ, All Saints Catholic Church,  Dunwoody Baptist,  Life Center Ministries, St. Luke's Presbyterian Church, Dunwoody High School, Georgia Perimeter College, Toastmasters

PS: we need you at Serve Day, and we also need your tools and equipment.

If you have any of the following equipment that you’d be willing to loan for use on Serve Day, please e-mail Tony Connolly at tonyconnolly@bellsouth.net:

• pick-up truck, • utility trailer, • pressure washer, • generator, • chain saw, • lawn mower, • gas-powered, leaf blower, • edger, • weed eater, • wheelbarrow, • 5-gallon buckets, • ladder, • tarps, • shovels, • garden rake, • leaf rake, • pruning shears, • trimming shears, • trimmers, • bow saw, • sledgehammer, • hand trowels, • crow bar, • tamper, • brooms,•  mops

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Sep 24, 2012

Monday, September 24th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

Dunwoody, GA 30346

6:00 p.m. - Work Session

7:00 p.m. - Voting Agenda
Watch Live at 7 pm

Agenda

Approval of DNR Agreement Amendment for Brook Run Trail Phase 1.

Award of 2012 Sidewalk Construction Contract.

Resolution to Adopt Tree Inventory and Assessment as an Addendum to the Comprehensive Plan.

SECOND READ: Ordinance to Amend Chapter 24 to Adopt Regulations Governing False Alarms.

PUBLIC HEARING &  SECOND READ: RZ 12-091: Pursuant to the City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance, Applicant, JW Acquisitions, LLC, Seeks Permission to Rezone Properties Currently Zoned Office-Institution District (O-I) and Multifamily Residential District (RM-HD) to Planned Development District (PD) to Allow for a 16 Acre and 19 Acre Mixed Use Development.

Consideration of Land Development Waiver Request for 1931 Mount Vernon Place.

Consideration of Land Development Waiver Requests for 5352 Happy Hollow Road.

 Update on Transference of Fire and EMS Calls.

Is a traffic circle at Vermack & Womack the correct solution near Dunwoody High School? Meeting tonight.

The public meeting for the Womack at Vermack intersection project is set for this evening, September 20^th from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Dunwoody High School cafeteria.  The meeting will be an open house style format.

I am told there will be two design proposals, a signalized intersection with left and right turn lanes or a roundabout.   I am interested in seeing the two drawings as what I personally drew above is definitely not to scale.

Womack/Vermack Intersection Upgrade Public Meeting
Dunwoody High School, 5035 Vermack Road
Tonight - Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Dunwoody Police Department To Hold Free "Child Safety Seat Check" on Friday

Dunwoody Police Department to Hold ‘Child Safety Seat Check’ Event at Dunwoody Baptist Church.  Certified technicians will help parents and caregivers check car seats for proper installation.Dunwoody Police Dept. to Hold ‘Child Safety Seat Check’ Event

Date: Friday 9/21/2012, 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Dunwoody Baptist Church,
1445 Mount Vernon Rd  (parking lot facing Ashford-Dunwoody)
Contact: Sergeant Jason Dove (678) 382-6910
 
Dunwoody Police Department announces it will conduct a “Child Safety Seat Check” event on Friday, September 21, 2012, at Dunwoody Baptist Church, 1445 Mount Vernon Road Dunwoody, GA 30338. Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be on hand from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. to check car seats for proper installation and advise parents and caregivers how to choose the right car seats and install them properly in their vehicles. This event is free to the public.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. Crash data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 2010 shows that about 2 children 12 or younger were killed and 325 were injured each day in passenger vehicles.

“You can never predict or control what other drivers might do or how the weather might change the safety of a roadway,” said Sergeant Dove. “The best way to protect your kids is to put them in the right car seats for their age and size and use those seats correctly on every trip, every time. By attending Dunwoody Police Department’s child car seat event, parents and caregivers can be sure their kids are riding as safely as possible.”

“I am pleased our department is able to offer this life saving service to the community,” said Chief Billy Grogan. “I am hopeful we will have a lot of participation. For those who are unable to attend this event, we offer this service by appointment. Please see our Child Safety Seat Check webpage for more details.”

Sergeant Dove also urges parents to follow NHTSA’s car seat recommendations which recommend parents and caregivers keep children in their restraint types for as long as possible according to manufacturer instructions before moving them to the next type. For maximum safety, a parent or caregiver should have the car seat installation inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to ensure their children are in the appropriate seats for their age and size. Children 12 and under should always ride in the back seat.

Birth – 12 months

For the best possible protection, your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. There are different types of rear-facing car seats: infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

1 – 3 years

Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. This may result in many children riding rear-facing to age 2 or older. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

4 – 7 years

Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

8 – 12 years

Keep your child in a booster seat until the child is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.

Remember:

• Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size, choose a seat that fits in your vehicle, and use it on every trip, every time.
• Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions; read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH system; and check height and weight limits.
• To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.
• Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.

###

Download our Child Safety Seat Check INFORMATIONAL BROCHURE.
Download the Child Safety Seat Check EVENT FLYER
09-21-12 Child Safety Seat Check PDF

Models needed for Dunwoody City Photographs - Saturday at Brook Run Park

One of my favorites taken at the Brook Run Playground.

2013-2014 DeKalb County School Calendar Survey

Click here for proposed 2013-2014 Traditional Calendar.
Click here for proposed 2013-2014 Balanced Calendar.
Discussion at AJC's Get Schooled

The DeKalb County School District's Calendar Committee is soliciting your feedback regarding the 2013-2014 school calendar. Attached are two types of calendars-Proposed Calendar A (a balanced calendar) and Proposed Calendar B (a traditional calendar). The following is a summary of their attributes.

The Proposed Calendar A (a balanced calendar)

1. equal number of days each semester, e.g., 90 days each for a total of 180 days
2. teacher planning days start the last week in July
3. first and last days for students are August 5 and May 29 respectively
4. a week more of instruction prior to state testing
5. summer break is shortened with extended breaks throughout the academic year
6. other high performing districts, e.g., Rockdale County Public Schools and City Schools of Decatur, use a balanced calendar

The Proposed Calendar B (a traditional calendar)

1. number of days in the first semester is 88 and the number of days in the second semester is 92 for a total of 180 days.
2. teacher planning days start the first full week of August
3. first and last days for students are August 13 and May 23 respectively
4. there is one less week of instruction prior to state testing
5. summer break is longer with fewer extended breaks throughout the academic year
6. DeKalb is currently on a traditional calendar

The committee also invites your input regarding early release days, which would occur on either a traditional or a balanced calendar. On early release days, students will be dismissed from school an hour early, and teachers will use the time for professional development. Professional learning provided during early release will focus on a multitude of strategies to acquire, enhance, and refine the knowledge, skills, and commitment necessary to create high levels of learning for all students, and will allow the district to offer professional learning in a manner that is supported by educational research. According to Hirsh (2009) all educators should participate in professional learning as part of the workday. “When schools become learning schools, every student benefits from every educator’s expertise, and every educator grows professionally with the support of his or her colleagues. Collaborative professional learning is a powerful way to ensure great teaching for every student every day.”

Please complete the following short survey by selecting a single answer choice for questions 1, 2, and 3 and by adding any comments for questions 1, 2, and 4. In order to ensure that your responses are recorded, be certain to select the DONE button at the end of the survey. Please complete the survey only once.

Click here to access the survey.

Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel comes to Dunwoody to tell his story.

 Video

The entire Dunwoody community is invited to join the Men of Dunwoody United Methodist Church as they welcome Danny Wuerffel as a guest speaker on Tuesday September 18.  Fellowship and breakfast will start at 6:30 a.m. and Danny will begin speaking at 7 a.m.  Session will end at 8 a.m. so you will have time to get to your office.

After winning the Heisman Trophy and a National Championship at Florida, Danny was drafted into the NFL by the New Orleans Saints. He played for the Saints, Packers, Bears and Redskins.

Since 2006 Danny has been the Executive Director of Desire Street Ministries. Led by God's heart for the poor, the mission of Desire Street Ministries is to see impoverished neighborhoods become desirable places to live.

Cost is only $5 per person. 

Register Now!

 Video

Taste of Chamblee Today - Food and Festivities benefiting the Lighthouse Foundation.

Taste of Chamblee

The Taste of Chamblee is an annual street festival held in the heart of Chamblee, Georgia. Anchored by the main stage, the festival offers live entertainment, some of the Southeast’s most talented visual artists, and the opportunity to taste the food of 20-30 regional restaurants. This FREE ADMISSION 1-day outdoor event has something to offer for the whole family! Co-sponsored by the Chamblee Business Association, the City of Chamblee, and the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, this year’s festival promises to be an event not to be missed.

Register today for the 2012 BA 5k Run/Walk & Tot Trot to be held on October 13th in Dunwoody

The 2012 BA 5k Run/Walk & Tot Trot (to be held 10/13 in Dunwoody) is now accepting registrations.

Please join the Moss family as they aim to raise $25,000 for biliary atresia (BA) research. BA is a rare and serious liver disease that affects newborns, including the Mosses four-year-old daughter, Sydney.  The cause of BA is unknown and the only “cure” is a liver transplant. All proceeds from the event will benefit the CHOA Liver Disease Program and the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Liver Center for the advancement of BA research. If we can find a cause, we can find a cure! To register or to make a donation, go to: www.ba5k.org.

When:     Saturday, October 13 at 8:00am

Where:    Start/Finish Line at Village Burger (1426 Dunwoody Village Parkway)

What:      5K run/walk and tot trot to raise money for biliary atresia

Cost:       $25 til October 1st; $30 after that. Sponsorship opportunities also available.

If we can find a cause, we can find a cure!

To register or to make a donation, go to:

 www.ba5k.org.

Agenda for September 10th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Monday, September 10th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

Dunwoody, GA 30346

6:00 p.m. - Exec Session

7:00 p.m. - Voting Agenda
Watch Live at 7 pm

Agenda

Discussion of Tree Inventory and Assessment. (Memo & Assessment)

Update on Zoning Code Rewrite.

FIRST READ: RZ 12-091:Pursuant to the City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance, Applicant, JW
Acquisitions, LLC, Seeks Permission to Rezone Properties Currently Zoned Office-InstitutionDistrict (O-I) and Multifamily Residential District (RM-HD) to Planned Development District(PD) to Allow for a 16 Acre and 19 Acre Mixed Use Development.

Discussion to Grant Land Development Waiver Request for 1931 Mount Vernon Place.

Discussion to Grant Land Development Waiver Requests for 5352 Happy Hollow Road.

Discussion of City’s Relationship with Affiliated Programming Partners.

Discussion of Park Rental Fees.

Discussion of DNR Agreement Amendment for Brook Run Trail Phase I.

Discussion of 2012 Sidewalk Construction Contract.

FIRST READ: Ordinance to Amend Chapter 24 to Adopt Regulations Governing False Alarms.

Discussion of Seasonal Concert Series.

ACTION ITEM: Project Renaissance - Approval of Revised Intergovernmental Agreement withthe Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Dunwoody Homeowners Association Meeting agenda - Sunday Sep 9th - 7:30 pm

Dunwoody Homeowners Association

Board of Directors Meeting     Sunday, September 9, 2012 @ 7:30 P.M.

Announcements and introduction of distinguished visitors

DeKalb Cultural Arts Center (Room 4)
5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road Dunwoody, GA 30338

• Approval of minutes for August 2012
• Life Center Family Church requests a land use permit from Sandy Springs to allow a church owned franchise of Discovery Point Daycare facility fronting the church property on Mt. Vernon. Presentation by Pastor Buddy Crum
• Rezoning @ Barfield and Mt. Vernon: 300 Apartments
  Presentation by Jessica Hill, Attorney and Chris Eachus from Crocker Development
• Discussion on Zoning Rewrite Module 1:
  Proposed changes to Residential and other issues
• Current Donation requests

Treasurer’s Report during Board only session

Votes as needed on any motions during Board only session

Adjourn

Dunwoody Police Department’s 2011 Annual Report

Dear Citizens, With another year behind us and a new one underway, the Dunwoody Police Department’s 2011 Annual Report offers context for where we’ve been and where we plan to go next. We are proud to provide our partners and community members with the opportunity to learn about our agency’s work, revisit some important activity from this past year, and look into our future direction.

In 2011, the Dunwoody Police Department staff worked tirelessly to build upon those relationships already established while forging new ones. Our Citizen’s Police Academy, Situational Awareness class and Ride Along program continue to have great community participation. In addition, our Neighborhood Watch program is one of the most effective tools we have to combat crime in our neighborhoods. On several occasions this year, citizens reported suspicious activity in their community and we were able to make arrests as a result of those calls.

The Dunwoody Police Department continued to provide programs of benefit to teenagers. Our Police Explorer program provides an opportunity for teens to develop leadership skills and a heart for service while learning about what it takes to be a police officer. In addition, our Collision Avoidance Training (CAT) teaches teens safe driving habits. A survey of past CAT attendees completed in 2011 reveal that none of the graduates of the program have received a citation or been involved in an at-fault accident. This is quite an accomplishment! Lastly, our “It’s Party Time, And It’s No Game” drug and alcohol awareness program for 8th graders continues to be a huge success and a sought after class amongst 8th graders at Peachtree Charter Middle School.

Overall, Part 1 Crime in Dunwoody was flat in 2011 compared to 2010. Our Part 1 Crimes were down .9%; however, our Violent Crimes were down 14.4%, while our Property Crimes were down .1%. We had one homicide in 2011 - the day after Christmas. Our Detectives completed a quick and thorough investigation; arresting a number of individuals including the actual shooter, as well as the person who hired him. In addition, our Detectives were able to secure an arrest warrant against Hemy Neuman for the highly publicized “Dunwoody Daycare Murder” of Rusty Sneiderman, which occurred in 2010. Our overall arrest numbers were down in 2011; however, shoplifting arrests were up 5.3% at 460; drug arrests were up 25% at 205; and wanted person arrests were up 26.6% at 162.

The Dunwoody Police Department continues to be a leader in law enforcement’s use of social media. On April 9, 2011, we “tweeted” all of our calls for service for 24 hours straight. This event was well-received and resulted in 800 additional followers for the Dunwoody Police Department on Twitter within one week. We also engaged our community via social media in our “Dunwoody Dave” photo contest. We had 68 photos of our Dunwoody Dave character submitted by participants and the winning photo was of Dunwoody Dave overlooking Hong Kong. Participation in our Interactive Defense program continues to grow and is widely praised for its ease of use for Vacation Watches.

The staff of the Dunwoody Police Department continues to deliver excellent customer service to our community, always conducting themselves in a professional, ethical and compassionate manner. I receive emails, voicemails and verbal communication from citizens weekly about our staff’s positive interactions.

I hope you find the information contained in this report useful and relevant. I would like to thank you and the entire Dunwoody community for your support of the Dunwoody Police Department. Please do not hesitate to contact the department if needed, or offer any suggestions for the improvement of the services we deliver.

Sincerely,

Billy Grogan
Chief of Police

 Download

Proposed 2013 City of Dunwoody Budget offered by Mayor Mike Davis and City Manager Warren Hutmacher

Full 40 Page Document