House numbers painted on curb at $25.00 per set by Dunwoody's Roman's Numerals

If you have ever thought you might need your house numerals painted on your curb, I highly recommend Roman's Numerals service.  At $25.00 per set, this is a great deal and arrangements can be made via text or call to 470-939-5705.

2024 Dunwoody Lemonade Days Festival kicks off Wednesday - suggestions for your visit. @LemonadeDays

Lemonade Days Festival is held at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody (4770 North Peachtree Road) starting Wednesday and here is the current weather forecast as I see it Monday evening.

Dunwoody's Annual Spring Festival, Lemonade Day's presented by the Dunwoody Preservation Trust remembering the tornado of 1998 that flattened sections of our community, snapped trees like twigs and took a mans life has returned to the typical April timeframe this year and it looks like the weather will be great all weekend!  We are once again making Lemonade from Lemons and am hopeful for a sweet event.  A personal thank you to Hope Follmer and all the volunteers & sponsors who assist in making this a fabulous event.

Based on past experience, I can tell you that Wednesday & Thursday are the best days to purchase a wristband for unlimited rides as the crowds are light and the lines extremely short. The cost of wristbands on Wednesday & Thursday is $20.00 but the cost jumps to $30 starting Friday.  If your children don't have after school commitments on these days you may want to visit these days to maximize your ride per dollar ratio as the numbers will typically drop significantly come the weekend.  

A large number Middle School Students will make a bee line to Brook Run after school on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday as there is a secure book bag check in area at the festival to ensure those Chromebooks do not get lost.  Middle Schooler's running in packs at Lemonade Day's without direct parental oversight is a right of passage for many as the park is safe because the crowd is all local until about 7 pm on Friday when the carnival area is taken over by teenagers & college kids with cars.  Friday night usually gets busy and then on Saturday and Sunday the park is over run with visitors from near & far.  

Parents, please note that there is now a dedicated drop off / pick up point in the new parking lot as you enter Brook Run on Peeler Rd and take a left immediately after crossing the walking / bike trail as this location has easy access into the park, a well lit parking lot with a pavilion and a restroom.

Besides the carnival rides, the food choices for festival goers will include everything from hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and BBQ to foods with a tropical, Italian, Greek and/or Hispanic flair. For those just wanting a snack, there will be popcorn, funnel cakes and pretzels and for a cool treat yogurt, Italian ice and ice cream. Cold craft and domestic beer and delicious wine are also available. 

Food venders include:  Chick-fil-A Dunwoody     Coco Bongo Tropical Delights     Country Cabin Sweets & Treats     Greek Tavern     Mexican Fiesta     King of Pops     The Mad Italian     Midway Munchies     Bid Daddy Dane’s BBQ     PTR Concessions     Repicci’s Italian Ice     Roy’s Royal Dogs     Shock Top, Lemon Shandy & Bud Light     Soul Truckin Good     Top Job Wine

The 2024 Dunwoody Authors Bookstore at Lemonade Days (open Saturday & Sunday) is delighted to bring you local authors and friends! Each of the featured authors will have their fabulous works for purchase at the booth and will be available to sign your copy.  Check the schedule here.

Another highlight of the festival is the Children's Petting Zoo & Pony Rides which is only available on Saturday & Sunday; the weekend also brings various vendors at the County Store selling arts & crafts, there is music everyday starting Thursday and then there is the Dunwoody Idol music competition happening on Saturday.   Finally, on Sunday there will be a number of Dance performances available for entertainment.

Parking for Lemonade Days is available at:

• St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church (directly across from entrance)
  
• Kingswood United Methodist Church
• St. Barnabas Church
• Peachtree Middle School (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only)
• Back of Brook Run Park - new back entrance available on Barclay next to Fire Station.
  

Some Parking Areas Are Paid Parking

Please be conscious of NO Parking signs during Sunday Church schedules and nearby neighborhoods.

Uber/Lyft/Parent Drop-off & Pick-up will be located in the 90 spot parking area in front of the small pavilion across from the Great Lawn. Look for the sign.

Brook Run Dog Park: If you’re planning on using the Dog Park at Brook Run, we won’t get in your way at all. Just please use the Peeler Road entrance to the Park, and a friendly volunteer will point you in the right direction from there.  SORRY, NO PETS ALLOWED in the Festival Area.

I will be at the festival the first couple of days so if you see me at the event, please pull me aside to introduce yourself as I would love to chat to hear what is on your mind.  Thanks    John Heneghan

Dunwoody City Council Meeting for Monday April 8, 2024 (Clean Air / Smoking Regulations, Winter Chapel 12 ft Path, State Farm complex apartments, Chief Grogan)

Agenda 6 pm  - City Site Agenda 

City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page. 

They are also available for viewing (no two way communication) on Zoom,
https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/84919972403 or  phone +14703812552,,84919972403#

You can access the video after the meeting on the City of Dunwoody’s YouTube page.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance 

Public comments - in person 3 min each / 30 min max with additional at end of meeting if needed.

City of Dunwoody Proclamation for Chief Billy Grogan

City Manager's Monthly Report

First Read & Public Hearing: RZ 23-03, 245 Perimeter Center Parkway: Rezone from PDc to PDc to amend the zoning conditions of case RZ 15-072 to allow the development of a mixed use project including office, hotel, and multifamily residential with associated retail, restaurant, amenity space, and structured parking

Approval of Conversion of Contracted Positions and Creation of New City Position for the Technology Department

Approval of Amendment of Position Allocation and Compensation Chart and Market Adjustment for City Employees

Agreement for Managed Networking Service Provider

Funding Authorization for 5695 Trowbridge Drive Storm Repairs

Contract Award for Parks and Recreation Sign Package

Contract Award for North Shallowford Annex Maintenance Repairs

First Read: Review and Consideration of a Text Amendment to Update the Clean Indoor Air Regulations, Chapter 24

I am not a smoker but I have attended "late night business meetings" in an establishment that focused on Bourbon and Cigars. The place of business I visited had a negative pressure air filtration system whereby my clothes didn't smell of smoke when I left.  I believe this proposed ordinance brought to us from the American Heart Association and placed on the agenda by staff or council is an overstep of regulations and I am unsure what we are fixing.  I would like to know the complete impact of the proposal prior to voting on it especially when it may limit a niche business model that could bring a successful establishment to our city.  I understand the intent of protecting all employees from second-hand smoke but when the establishment (or private club) can protect employees an exception needs to be explored.  I will be asking staff to review Gwinnett, Houston and other jurisdictions looking for best practices allowing exceptions.  A cigar bar exception could include the following ...

“Cigar Bar means an establishment operated by a holder of an On Premise Beer and Wine
Permit or other Alcohol Beverage Licensing Permit that:
1. Does not sell food;
2. In addition to selling beer and wine, annually receives 15 percent or more of
its gross revenue from the sale of cigars, and tobacco-related products, except from the sale of
cigarettes. A cigar bar shall not discount alcohol if sold in combination with
cigars or other tobacco products and tobacco-related products;
3. Has a walk-in humidor on the premises;
4. Has a high capacity, negative pressure air cleaning ventilation system, located in such a manner to control second hand smoke exposure to non-smokers.
5. Only permits the smoking of cigars, and does not permit the smoking of cigarettes; and
6. Does not include any establishment which is primarily a bar or restaurant and
which undertakes to make retail offerings of tobacco products as a means of
circumventing the purposes of this article.”

Contract with AECOM for North Shallowford Road Path Project Concept Design

Contract with Practical Design Partners, LLC for Winters Chapel Path Phase 2 Design

On November 7th, the Citizens of Dunwoody voted down a bond referendum for Parks & Paths development and on November 8th an RFP was released for the Winters Chapel Path design which mandates that the path will be 12 feet wide, even in front of the single family residential properties.  This item is now on the agenda for discussion.

Description: Winter Chapel Road Path Phase II. The project consists of a 12-foot shared-use path (SUP) along the west side only of Winters Chapel Road between Charmant Place and Peeler Road in the cities of Dunwoody and Peachtree Corners. In addition to the shared-use path, the project will add lighting and street trees along the corridor. The project connects residential areas on the north end of the project to a MARTA bus route and commercial node at the south end of the project.

Request for Pre-Construction Funding for Real Time Crime Center

Dunwoody City Council agenda for Monday March 25, 2024 (4.25% raise, IT position conversion, Park Signs, New Crosswalks, LPR's in PCID)

Agenda 6 pm  - City Site Agenda 

City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page. 

They are also available for viewing (no two way communication) on Zoom,
https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/86390235645 or  phone +14703812552,,86390235645#

You can access the video after the meeting on the City of Dunwoody’s YouTube page.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance 

Public comments - in person 3 min each / 30 min max with additional at end of meeting if needed.

Dunwoody High School Youth City Council (Michael Berry)

Retreat Recap

SECOND READ: MMSP 24-01: Review and Consideration of a Major Master Sign Plan for 4896 N Peachtree Road (Kingswood Church)

SECOND READ: MMSP 24-02: Review and Consideration of a Major Master Sign Plan for 4553 N Shallowford Road - Emory Healthcare  (Wall Sign - lights out 10:30 to 5:30)

Approval to Apply Additional Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant Funds to the 2024 Paving Contract

Approval of Flock Safety Two Year Contract for LPRs, Surveillance Cameras, and Gunshot Detection in the PCID Area

Approval of a Contract with Sunbelt to Install Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons on Perimeter Center West and North Peachtree Road

• ITB_Document_Crosswalk_North_Peachtree_Road_Chesnut
• Construction Plans for Chesnut Crossing

Discussion of Conversion of Contracted Positions and Creation of New City Position for the Technology Department

Discussion of Amendment of Position Allocation and Compensation Chart and Market Adjustment for City Employees  - 4.25% Raise

Contract Award for Parks and Recreation Sign Package

Contract Award for North Shallowford Annex Maintenance Repairs

Discussion on Approval of Agreement for Managed Networking Service Provider

2024 City of Dunwoody Retreat Recap from Councilman John Heneghan (Park Plans, Financial Future, Police Priorities and maybe a few paths too)

The City of Dunwoody hosted a "Retreat" for Council & Staff to sit in a room for two days to discuss our past, present & future. Financial realities were brought forward that we have a large capital reserve, but operating expenses are slowly outpacing revenue, commercial property is strong, hotels are thriving, and apartments are full with high rents; on the downside, office vacancies are currently at 25%, with most of that in several large complexes and residential taxes are locked, frozen and low. We are presently funding police expansion and ambulance service with Federal funds; we are still looking at compensation raises by year's end, and in 2026, we will be renegotiating city contracts for services that will rise in price because in 2021, we received low bids because of COVID.

Parks discussions were had regarding build-out plans for Wildcat (on Roberts) and Homecoming (on Vermack), with some council members wanting to put a bond on the November ballot. However, it was decided to maintain these parks as open fields just as they are and to install portable restrooms (better than porta potties) at each park. It was also decided that there will be no parks bond in 2024.

Everyone on Council (including me) agrees with building the trails in the Perimeter Center Business District as the PCID is matching funds and other monies are coming from our hotels. There is still disagreement on the construction of 10 to 12-foot wide paths in front of single-family homes, but the current Council (excluding me) has the will and votes to move forward on Winters Chapel and Mount Vernon.

In other park news, when the slides for park priorities failed to mention the turfing of the PCMS field with the track, I asked for an update. I was told DeKalb County School System didn't see it as a priority and was worried about equity to other schools in the district who don't have turf. As a reminder, the DCSS was bound to rebuild Austin Elementary School on its original site when the City proposed a a win / win solution to the County so that our families and children wouldn't be inconvenienced. In October 2016, we proposed a land swap for the Dunwoody Senior Baseball Fields; in order to make that happen, the City purchased the land where the ball fields sit from DCSS and executed a 25-year lease for nighttime use of the football field. The City later installed lights for night time use on the field, installed a facility storage building and would now like to turf that field in order to maximize usage. Without that turfing of the field, it is overused and almost unplayable without adequate care. The City of Dunwoody set aside 1 Million dollars in our 2024 budget with the hopes to pay for the turf installation but the required construction approval from DCSS has not been received. Unsure of all logistics, but maybe there will be some movement soon?

I have been very open regarding my concerns about the long term stability of City Finances and they will be a huge topic of conversation in the coming months because we are currently at our maximum millage rate and based on everything I am hearing, in 2026 our operating revenue will not be keeping up operating expenses. This is a separate conversation from dedicated Capital funds for stuff like parks and paving as we can not use those funds for operating costs.

Based on the intention of the city founders and charter, if taxes were to be increased over our current maximum millage limit, a referendum would be needed to remove the cap. We have operated under those constraints for the last 15 years, but financial pressures are building. We know there is possibly a technical workaround by placing the entire City into a special tax district for safety (Police, Ambulance, and maybe a supplemental charge to 911 costs over current phone taxes) to raise taxes for those services, but doing so without a resident vote is contrary to the founding plans of the City. If a referendum were to be held to raise operating funds and it were to fail, would we want to cut police services that are needed based on the growth and crime stats?

Right now, I anticipate a slowdown of some capital projects (Parks and Paths) in order to preserve high fund balances in the coming year so that we can attempt to get a good handle on finances from the spending side. These fund balances include both Capital and some Operational that we are saving for a rainy day or a golden opportunity should one arise. That being said, there are some capital projects and improvements to the police department going forward (again with one-time federal funds) because the safety our community is the primary goal of government. 

Below are the documents from the retreat provided to council for discussion.

https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/06%20Dunwoody%202035.pptx

https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/03%20Budgets%20Finances%20Millages%20Trends.pptx

 https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/02%20Parks.pptx

https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/01a%20Commercial%20Real%20Estate.pptx

https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/05%20Police.pptx

 https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/01b%20Sangster.pptx

DeKalb / Dunwoody area Elections for 2024 - New DeKalb School Board Member & CEO with other interesting races to follow.

Link to photo above - here

 https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/qualifying-candidate-information

Apologies if I missed anyone in a local contested race (as the website is not the easiest to navigate) and congratulations to those serving our community who are running unopposed (not listed). 

Thank you to those who have served and decided not to run for re-election; we appreciate your service.
Special thanks to Anna Hill & Michael Thurmond.

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Monday March 11th and notice of Dunwoody Retreat on Tuesday & Wednesday in Clarksville, GA

DUNWOODY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday March 11, 2024 - 6:00 PM
DUNWOODY CITY HALL - DUNWOODY HALL
4800 ASHFORD DUNWOODY ROAD
DUNWOODY, GA 30338

Agenda 6 pm - City Site Agenda

City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page. 

They are also available for viewing (no two way communication) on Zoom,
https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/84919972403 or  phone +14702509358,,84919972403#

You can access the video after the meeting on the City of Dunwoody’s YouTube page.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

City Manager's Monthly Report (Eric Linton)

Perimeter Brand Strategy (Ann Hanlon)

FIRST READ: MMSP 24-01: Review and Consideration of a Major Master Sign Plan for 4896 N Peachtree Road (Kingswood Church)

FIRST READ: MMSP 24-02: Review and Consideration of a Major Master Sign Plan for 4553 N Shallowford Road (Emory Healthcare)

SECOND READ: Text Amendment to Chapter 2, Sec. 2-253 re: Board of Ethics

SECOND READ: Text Amendment to Chapter 4, Sec. 4-70 re: Alcohol License Review Board

Funding Authorization for 1302 Center Drive Emergency Storm Repairs

Funding Authorization for 2707 Wood Hollow Drive Storm Repairs

Resolution for Budget Amendment for Fiscal Year 2023

Approval to Purchase Signal Poles for Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Installations on Perimeter Center West and North Peachtree Road (Chesnut Elementary)

• ITB_Document_Crosswalk_North_Peachtree_Road_Chesnut
• Construction Plans for Chesnut Crossing

Retreat Notice - Open to the Public & Live Streamed

DUNWOODY CITY COUNCIL

SPECIAL CALLED MEETING

2024 STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT

MARCH 12 & 13, 2024 - 9:30 AM/ 9:00 AM

GLEN-ELLA SPRINGS INN (CONFERENCE ROOM)

1789 BEAR GAP ROAD

CLARKSVILLE, GA 30523

 

Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device:

    Please click this URL to join. https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/84283419077

 

Or One tap mobile:

    +14703812552,,84283419077# US (Atlanta)

    +14702509358,,84283419077# US (Atlanta)

 

Or join by phone:

    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

        US: +1 470 381 2552  or +1 470 250 9358

    Webinar ID: 842 8341 9077

2024 Strategic Planning Session over two days.
(Sorry no read ahead documents available to Council or Public)

March 12th Agenda - City Site
March 13th Agenda - City Site

Dunwoody Commercial Real Estate Review
Parks
Budgets, Revenues, Expenditures, Millages and Trends
Council Meetings
Public Safety
Dunwoody 2035

Dunwoody's All Saints Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Annual Lenten Fish Fry is back on Friday Nights - Baked Salmon, Fried Shrimp and the Clam Chowder are my favorites!

I believe this might be one of busiest restaurant in Dunwoody?

All Saints Catholic Church / Knights of Columbus Fish Fry's are back for 2024 Lent!
Skip the cooking and come enjoy a delicious seafood meal with your friends, family & neighbors.   
2024 Friday Fish Fry Schedule (5PM – 8PM): March 1, 8, 15, & 22

My family attends All Saint's Catholic Church and I'm a member of the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal service organization dedicated to providing charitable services.  The Knights biggest fundraising event is our “WORLD FAMOUS” FISH FRY which started a few weeks ago and continues for four more Friday nights with the last serving occurring on Friday, March 22nd.

As a member of the Knights, I can tell you that fresh food is prepared & served with love, the three hour event gets very busy but the service is incredible.  At one point last year we were serving a meal every 13 seconds and all of the funds were pushed back into community charity work.

Knights of Columbus
 All Saints Catholic Church - Gym
Lower Parking Lot

Friday's from 5 pm to 8 pm

2443 Mount Vernon Road

Dunwoody, GA 30338

The meals will be served in the gymnasium at the church. Eat in or take out is available. Entrée choices: fried cod or shrimp and broiled cod or salmon; sides include made-from-scratch New England clam chowder, fries, macaroni and cheese, roasted red potatoes, coleslaw, green beans and hush puppies. Kids meals are available. Cash, checks and credit cards accepted for meals. Desserts are available nightly (cash only). Iced tea and water are complimentary; cash bar for beer, wine, soft drinks and bottled water. Proceeds benefit the charities of the Knights of Columbus.  

This event is open to the community. Everyone is welcome!

Video from 2011 - not much has changed except the prices are up a little.

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Monday February 26th. (Paving, Police Staffing, Expanded EMS Funding, 2023 Budget Amendment, expanding a few city boards)

DUNWOODY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday February 26, 2024 - 6:00 PM
DUNWOODY CITY HALL - DUNWOODY HALL
4800 ASHFORD DUNWOODY ROAD
DUNWOODY, GA 30338

Agenda 6 pm w/o Zoom  - City Site Agenda - hopefully with Zoom info on Monday 

City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page. 

They are also available for viewing (no two way communication) on Zoom, unfortunately this login information was missing from the published agenda and I have asked that the agenda be updated on Monday, probably will be available here.

You can access the video after the meeting on the City of Dunwoody’s YouTube page.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

Approval of a Contract Extension with Blount Construction for 2024 Pavement Resurfacing

• Authorize the Mayor, City Manager, or designee to execute all documents necessary and proper to extend Blount Construction’s pavement resurfacing contract for 2024 in the amount of $3,838,083 in order to pave 15.6 miles.

Approval of Purchase of Two Surveillance Video Trailers

Approval of Contract Amendment No. 2 with Jacobs for Finance and Administrative Services 

• For financial security and accountability purposes, the City Council converted two Accountants and one Accounts Receivable position to in house city employees.

Funding Authorization Request for Donaldson Bannister Park Stormwater Engineering Analysis

Request for Five Additional Personnel for the Dunwoody Police Department 

• Our current Crime Response Team’s name will be changed to reflect the work they do daily conducting traffic enforcement to improve the safety of our roads. The new Crime Response Team (a Sergeant and three Patrol Officer positions) will be able to focus on important crime reduction strategies that can make Dunwoody a safer place for our citizens. Strategies to address areas like drug trafficking, vice crimes, violent crimes, organized retail theft, gang crimes, entering autos, and other areas as needed.  Police Department has also requested a non-sworn, Fleet Maintenance Coordinator to handle everyday vehicle oversight.
  
  
•  Funding for these position has been identified within the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) II Fund - one time Federal Funds.

2024 Budget Amendment for Additional Police Personnel and EMS Funding

• Funding for these positions & expanded EMS services has been identified within the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) II Fund - one time Federal Funds.

FIRST READ: Text Amendment to Chapter 2, Sec. 2-253 re: Expanding the Board of Ethics

FIRST READ: Text Amendment to Chapter 4, Sec. 4-70 re: Expanding the Alcohol License Review Board

Resolution for Budget Amendment for Fiscal Year 2023

• previous budgeted use of fund balance of $508,838 will not be needed. Currently budgeted actual expenses are projected to fall into the 97% range after this budget amendment, meaning that unreserved fund balance should grow by $1.6 million bringing the city to 10 months of fund balance

Dunwoody's Deputy Chief, Mike Carlson has been named as successor to Police Chief Billy Grogan

Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton announces the promotion of Deputy Chief Mike Carlson to the position of Chief of the Dunwoody Police Department. He’ll succeed Chief Billy Grogan, who announced his retirement last month, effective June 1.

“Deputy Chief Mike Carlson has been with the Dunwoody Police Department since day one, and he has proven himself to be a strong and respected leader,” said Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton. “I’m confident that he is more than ready and right for the top job. He has the support of officers in the department and members of the community.”

Deputy Chief Carlson was one of the founding members of the Dunwoody Police Department, joining as a sergeant in 2009. He coordinated the startup of the department’s Citizen Police Academy, Neighborhood Watch, and Chaplain programs. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2015, major in 2019, and deputy chief in 2021, overseeing the department’s day-to-day operations.

“As Dunwoody’s next Police Chief, I will continue strengthening the partnership with our community, foster innovation, and provide the best training and equipment for our officers and staff,” Carlson said. “I promise to provide effective and compassionate law enforcement services to all who live, work, and visit this great city. As the men and women of the Dunwoody Police Department continue to build upon Chief Billy Grogan’s outstanding legacy, we wish him a happy and well-deserved retirement.”

In 2022, Carlson retired as a captain with the Georgia National Guard. He began his part-time service in 2011 and was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2014. His awards include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Meritorious Unit Commendation and Meritorious Service Medal.

“Deputy Chief Carlson's record of excellence spans the entire history of the Dunwoody Police Department, consistently delivering outstanding service to the citizens of our community,” added Chief Grogan. “With unwavering confidence, I believe his leadership will propel the department to new heights of success."

Carlson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership/Public Safety from Reinhardt University and a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange, and the Senior Management Institute for Policing at the Police Executive Research Forum.

“Deputy Chief Carlson has played an important role in the building of our excellent police department,” said Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch. ”He has innovative ideas and a real understanding of the Dunwoody community. I know Deputy Chief Carlson will continue to move the department in the right direction.”

The transition will begin right away, and Deputy Chief Carlson will officially start his new role in April.

Dunwoody City Council agenda for Monday February 12, 2024

DUNWOODY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday February 12, 2024 - 6:00 PM
DUNWOODY CITY HALL - DUNWOODY HALL
4800 ASHFORD DUNWOODY ROAD
DUNWOODY, GA 30338

Agenda 6 pm  - City Site Agenda 

City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page. 

They are also available for viewing (no two way communication) on Zoom,
https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/84919972403 or  phone +14702509358,,84919972403#

You can access the video after the meeting on the City of Dunwoody’s YouTube page.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

Kudos to all our bailiffs!  Presentation of 2023 President's Volunteer Service Awards to Ron Silvers, Harry Lutz, Tielke Baker, Gary Barnett, Paul Chastain, David Cote and Roy Etheridge

City Manager's Monthly Report

Approval of On-Call Skilled Trade Vendors

Resolution Appointing a Member to Serve on the Board of Ethics - Aaron Chausmer

Resolution to Return Text Amendment to Define Community Residences and Recovery Communities and Create Use Regulations for Such Uses to the Planning Commission 

Resolution Extending a Moratorium on Drug Rehabilitation Centers and Other Facilities for Treatment of Drug Dependency

Discussion of Request for Five Additional Personnel for the Dunwoody Police Department

2024 Budget Amendment for Additional Police Personnel and EMS Funding

Approval of Contract Amendment No. 2 with Jacobs for Finance and Administrative Services

Discussion of Purchase of Two Surveillance Video Trailers

Contract Extension with Blount Construction for 2024 Pavement Resurfacing

State Farm complex in Dunwoody looks to grow - @KDC_Development proposes high rise residential / hotel next to Marta Station. @troutmanpepper @AtlBizChron @WhatNowAtlanta

 Full Proposal is available here in this link.

This development proposal will be going in front of the Dunwoody Planning Commission on Tuesday February 13th and then in a month or two the proposal most likely will be making it to the full City Council for review and decision.

The site is located at 245 Perimeter Center Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30346, on the west side of Perimeter Center Parkway and the south side of Hammond Road. The lot is the last remaining piece of the Park Center development which abuts the Fulton County line to the west and vacant land owned by the City to the south. The applicant seeks permission to rezone the subject property from PDc to PDc; this rezoning does not affect the zoning classification of the property, but rather is an amendment of the zoning conditions of case RZ 15-72, as it relates to the future development of the subject parcel.

The 2015 Overall Development Plan, which sets the limits and zoning regulations for the development, entitled the applicant to the following:

• 1.8 million square feet of office space
• 90,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space
• 7,000 structured parking spaces
• Maximum height of 35 stories above the plaza level
• The subject property was not addressed and was left as greenspace

Based on the proposal above, a DRI (development of regional impact study) was completed along with the 2015 rezoning and was approved. As a part of that process, the applicant conducted a detailed Traffic Impact Study which included Trip Generation and Access Analysis. The recommendations from the 2015 DRI were fulfilled with the development of Park Center buildings 2 & 3. In 2023, the applicant has submitted its plans to the Atlanta Regional Commission, which compared the anticipated traffic impacts with the 2015 DRI plans. The now-proposed development of the subject property would not create worse impacts so, per the Community Development Director and the Atlanta Regional Commission, another DRI was not necessary.

Since 2015, two office buildings, Park Center buildings 2 & 3, have been constructed and completed in 2021 and 2022. Following these developments, the property is currently entitled to the remaining 729,613 SF of office, 33,586 SF of restaurant/retail, and 2,833 structured parking spaces. The applicant proposes to construct a new building, Building 4, on the subject property and requests to construct up to 300,000 SF of office space, 300 multi-family residential units, 175 hotel rooms, 22,000 square feet of restaurant/retail, and 1,565 square feet of structured parking spaces, with a maximum building height of 37 stories. The request for multi-family residential and a hotel are not permitted under the 2015 Overall Development Plan and are new uses requested.

The current zoning of this property is Planned Development District (PD). PD districts are not subject to regulations dictated by the zoning ordinance; instead, the uses and site and building regulations are dictated by the Overall Development Plan (ODP). The existing ODP from 2015, which covers the entirety of Park Center, does not anticipate residential multi-family dwelling units. Due to this designation, development of this property with the proposed mix of uses at this site requires a zoning map amendment.

The applicant proposes to amend the ODP for the subject property to allow Building 4 to have the following proportion of uses:

• Up to 300,000 SF of office
• Up to 175 hotel rooms
• Up to 22,000 SF of restaurant/retail/other permitted uses
• Up to 300 multi-family residential units

Additional residential development within such close proximity to the Dunwoody MARTA station, Campus 244, High Street, and the mall will serve to further activate this area of Perimeter Center. New residential units will complement the surrounding uses, by allowing nearby employees an opportunity to live within walking distance to their job; additional residential units will also further support the new retail, restaurant, and entertainment nearby. A number of the retail spaces at Park Center were intended to cater to office employees. Due to remote work and overall office space vacancy, the number of customers is much lower than initially anticipated. Adding hotel and apartment units to the mix will diversify the customer base with people working remotely or visiting the area.

The proposed use mix reduces both peak AM and PM hour traffic and thus reduces the development’s impact on congestion. Car dependency is further reduced by the increasing walkability of the Perimeter Center and the proximity to the Dunwoody MARTA station, which would provide future residents with convenient commute alternatives.

The current economic conditions, which began during the global COVID-19 pandemic, have significantly reduced the need for new office development and as demonstrated in the Edge City 2.0 study, the need for residential development is very strong, especially near MARTA. Overall, development of Building 4 under the current entitlements, as an office building, is not feasible and the proposed mix of uses would be a benefit to the Park Center campus and the surrounding area.

Former Dunwoody City Councilman Robert Wittenstein raises concern over City operational funding, suggests raising the tax millage rate for Public Safety.

https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2024/02/07/the-city-of-dunwoody-is-headed-for-a-slow-motion-train-wreck/

Friend and former Dunwoody City Councilman Robert Wittenstein has penned an op-ed piece in Rough Draft Atlanta (Dunwoody Reporter) discussing city finances but I doubt he was involved in titling the piece "a slow motion train wreck". I could be wrong, but that's not his style.

That being said, I don't disagree with the information shared as I too have been saying that our revenue is not keeping up with our operational expenses and we can only burn through reserves and Federal funds for so long. Something will need to be adjusted. Going to the voters to raise the millage cap for specific city departments and operational programs is one suggestion that has been floated but more budget review and community discussions will need to be done before I go along with that idea.

The article was posted in a few Facebook groups so I tried to clarify that all city revenue is not the same and that some revenue can not be used for operational expenses. For transparency sake, I'm posting my reply to those Facebook inquiries immediately below.

Thank you for posting as this is no surprise to me as I have raised these issues numerous times in the recent past. The city basically gets three streams of funding, SPLOST that can be used for various types of capital (or stuff) but not operating expenses, general revenue that can be used for anything including operational and COVID related Federal Funds that could be used for specific items but also includes some operating. Our operational costs are going up, we are at the max tax rate and are starting to use limited Federal funds to fund expansion of services like ambulance and police (both of which are needed and the police item is actually coming up Monday for discussion). The issue is that this Federal funding is over by 2026 therefore if we want to keep ambulance and police staffing we will need to find more funds to operate or cut other operational services. Costs are going up and our increases in the tax digest may not be able to match expenses therefore it is being watched carefully. There may be tidbits to pull out of the links below, please review.

https://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/2023/10/dunwoody-councilman-john-heneghan.html

https://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/2023/10/dunwoody-city-council-meeting-video.html

Monday Night City Council Meeting to be held at Dunwoody High School Auditorium, 6 p.m. - Agenda includes 5 year paving plan, sign code changes, budget modifications and plans for Mt. Vernon

Dunwoody City Council Meeting
Special Called Meeting
Monday January 22, 2024 - 6:00 PM
Dunwoody High School Auditorium
5035 Vermack Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338

 Agenda 6 pm  - City Site Agenda 

City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page. 

They are also available for viewing (no two way communication) on Zoom,
https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/86390235645 or  phone +14703812552,,86390235645#

You can access the video after the meeting on the City of Dunwoody’s YouTube page.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance 

Public comments - in person 3 min each / 30 min max with additional at end of meeting if needed.

Capital Project Closeout and Reallocate Funding

Approval of Five-Year Contract for License Plate Readers with Flock Safety

Contract Award for Brook Run Skate Park Concessionaire

Approval of Contract for Shade Structures at Two Bridges Park

SECOND READ: Review and Consideration of a Text Amendment to Amend the Sign Code Regulations and Procedures for Animated Signs, Chapter 20

SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) Bond Results Declaration

On-Call Skilled Trade Vendors

Five Year Paving Plan Update 

The city has budgeted $2,750,000 of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds for 2023 repaving. The Georgia Department of Transportation will also provide $488,000 through the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG).

Paving Plan Map for 2024-2028 & listing streets to be paved each year.

The streets scheduled for resurfacing include the following: Adams Road, Adams Walk, Ashford Dunwoody Road, Ashwoody Parkway, Bridle Path, Buckline Circle, Buckline Court, Buckline Way, Buckline Crossing, Cambridge Trace, Chesnut Ridge Drive, Equestrian Court, Equestrian Way, Joberry Court, Northbrooke Circle, Northbrooke Lane, Perimeter Center West, Ridgeview Road (south end), Village North Court and Village North Road.

Recommendation from paving study
Increase annual pavement maintenance and rehabilitation funds
In the City of Dunwoody, approximately 14.9% of the pavement (53 lane miles) is classified in 2023 as being in 'poor,’ ‘very poor’, and ‘serious,’ conditions. Although the current annual fund ($3M/year) has been able to keep the overall condition above 70 and backlog at around 15%, it is recommended to increase the fund gradually to $4.0M/year to mitigate the challenges comes with increase materials and construction costs, inflation, and increased weight limit.

Design Contract Amendment with NV5 for Mount Vernon Road Improvements between Vermack Road and Mount Vernon Place

Dunwoody City Council Meeting at DHS Auditorium - January 22

The Dunwoody City Council is taking a council meeting "on the road" in 2024, and Dunwoody High School has been chosen as the host. The meeting will take place on Monday, January 22 at 6:00 pm, and everyone, including all students (and parents!) are invited to attend. Our day-to-day lives are most impacted by our local government, so come find out what happens at a City Council meeting! Students can even speak for up to 3 minutes during the public comments portion about any issue or topic that matters to you. See Coach Berry or any member of Youth City Council if you have questions.

The formal agenda for this meeting is scheduled to be released around Friday January 19th.

Thank You to the many people who served on Dunwoody Task Forces to start the city, and Thank You to the people who volunteer today to make this community great.

The other day I posted a photo of some of the Citizens for Dunwoody leaders in front of the farmhouse and a friend of mine called me out stating they too were heavily involved in cityhood planing but missed that photo opportunity.  As it turns out, 100's of people attended meetings and added feedback on what they wanted from their new city and then a great many people volunteered to work on committees or task forces to assist the new government with action plans moving forward.  I didn't mean to leave anyone out of recognition or thank you's as a great many people were involved.  In order to thank the appropriate people, I need to tell a story, might as well provide a few documents and I am sure I will still forget to name someone.  Just to be safe, if you were involved in Cityhood in anyway, thank you. 

After the City of Sandy Springs was created but before there was a City of Dunwoody, there was a small handful of people working the political side of possible cityhood at the Capital, namely Senator Dan Weber, Representative Fran Millar, citizens, Brian Anderson, Ken Wright, Robert Wittenstein, Denny Shortal, Tom Taylor, Bev Wingate and a few others.

The main working feasibility document for Cityhood was an independent financial analysis from the Carl Vincent Institute of Government from the University of Georgia that explained expected revenues and expenses which told us in 2008 that the City could be viable.   The Georgia Legislature used this document as part of its decision to approve the formation of the city. (It would be an interesting study to show the city department expectations in 2008 vs the 2024 budget of today, but that is a project for another day and almost not relevant any longer as many if not most resident's arrived after the city was founded.)

With the Legislature getting close to passing the City Charter, citizen task forces were put together to assist the first council and city manager on operation expectations.   Each of the Task Forces collected documents needed to set policy and made formal final reports to assist the future City Manager and Police Chief if the citizen's ratified the City Charter.   There were lots of little sub-committee working towards hiring the first city manager, hiring the first police chief, there were real estate people looking for a city hall, ect, ect.  I am not going to guess at the numbers but a great many people donated lots of personal time to create a city from scratch.

To everyone listed in the Citizens for Dunwoody Task Force Roster below and to the many other people not listed, like those who served on Dunwoody Yes but also helped at the start of cityhood, we appreciate the work and dedication you all provided this city.    I also appreciate the many volunteers who currently serve on City Boards, Commissions, and Committees as well as the Volunteer Court Bailiffs, the Citizens on Patrol and the Dunwoody Ambassadors who volunteer their time back to the community.    Without dedicated volunteers, the City of Dunwoody would not have existed nor would we be able to have the quality community that we strive to improve everyday.    

Thank you to the many people in this community who volunteer with the City as well as the many non-profits; you are all deeply treasured!

Task Force Rosters

Zoning 

Bob Lundsten, Linda Ballow, Bill Phillips, Steve Spiegel, Michael Erfani, Joe Stich, Travis Reid, Jon Greiver, Chip Perry,  Bob Dallas, Ken Thelen, Joan Weiss, Stacy Abbate, Kevin Crow, Jeff Glick, Maurice Blumberg,  Jill Glascock, Bob Klingensmith

Roads   

John Heneghan, Tom Montgomery, Keith Hodgson, George Vail, Dennis Crean,  Brett Hensley, Arnold Heller

Courts  

Ryan Currie,  Charles Auslander,  Paul Baiser, Charlie Brown, Donna Ciclet, Karen Currie, Laura Horlock, Dave Levy, Richard McCully, Wade McGuffey, Louis R. Richey, Mike Weinstein, Rocio Woody

Ordinances        

Villard Bastien, Anne Keegan, Worth Wells, Pater Cranston, Geri Penn, Denis Shortal

Parks & Rec       

Don Converse, Queenie Ross, Alan Mothner, Su Ellis, Richard Ellis, Eve Schneps, Bob Dial, Richard Drake, Marie Drake, Bill Mccahan, Bill Robinson, Tom Sims, Ken Brockschmitt, Rich Reynell,  Bob Meehan, Terry Strode, John Valentine,

Police   

Al Tiede, Bernie Wasserman, Bill Tobin, Bob Durkis, Carl L. Franklin, Cheryl Summers , David Brown, Donald B. Barden, Frank A. Figueroa, Graham Andoe, Jay Sampsel,  Jeff Coghill, Jim Gaddis , Jim Maroney, Jim Sturgis, John Coffey,  John Dickerson,  John Keegan,  Ken Curry,  Larry Echikson, Michael A. Caldwell, Mike Mcgannon,  R. Kyle Thompson, Ron Silvers,  Scott Bennett, Tom Taylor, Tracy S. Redding

HR         

Addie Alberghini, Debi Elkins, Terry Strode, Dwight Hawksworth, John Weiss, Charles Collins, Elizabeth Gill, Rick Otness, Fred Brandt, Suzi Stich

IT           

Bruce Duff, Ed Kountz, David Kupel, Martha Fallwell, James White, Bruce Northrop, Nick Lundhild, Buck Gilbert, Belinda Maaskant, David Spain, David Winters, David Clinch, Jan Maaskant, Daniel Kish, Dan Geist, Joe Devita, Mindi Crozier,

Codes/permits 

Bill Grossman, Charles A. Jury, Kyle Epstein, Geoffrey Gill, Jack Rau, Claude T. Murphy, Melissa A. Henderson, Tom Dwyer, Bob Klingensmith, Gerri Penn, Bill Grant, Kenneth J. Thelen

Finance/Admin

David  Konits, Jo Tate, DJ Gordineer, Tom  Gordineer, Bryan C.W. Tate, Joe  Stitch, Maurice  Blumberg, Lee Eastwood, David  Winters, Maria Richmond, Steve  Griffeth, Ian Ferdinands, Debra Jackson, Cindy  Andersen, Norton Schneps, Vickie Patton, Sue Hansen, Charles Collins, Steven Blaske, Danny Ross, Richard Boswinkle, Richard  Roth, DeAnn Hargis, Al Alberghini