Audio of the Dunwoody Village Design Review Advisory Committee as they discuss the Parkway.

Below is my shorthand notes from listening to the audio of the Dunwoody Village Design Review Advisory Committee where they discussed a few proposed design changes in the overlay and then reviewed the plans approved by the City Council to rework the Dunwoody Village Parkway.   

The complete audio of the meeting is embedded down below and if you have interest in this project I would recommend that you listen to the discussion.  As embedded items do not work well in an email version, please visit the main page to listen to the file found at the bottom of this page.

At the start of the Parkway discussion, (a couple of minutes in) Mr. Bill Grant, Chairman of the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce discusses the proposed change and he seems favorable to the approved plans.  High quality trees and flowers will be included along with a watering system to keep it nice.

As background information, Mr. Grant, speaking for the Chamber endorsed this project to council the night it was approved as did the Shopping Center Regency and the owner of Village Burger.  Former Mayor Ken Wright also spoke to council the same evening whereby he stated that the DHA has been pushing this project forward for years and that the current plan was acceptable to that groups membership in the past.

Back in the DRAC meeting, Crosswalk plans were discussed by Mr. Bill Robinson and Mrs. Bev Wingate.

Mr. Michael Smith, Dunwoody Public Works Director discusses the fact that if a median in a road has trees in Georgia DOT project then they require a minimum of a 12 foot median.  The current median is well below and can not be grandfathered.

Left hand turn lanes were discussed, Mr. Bill Grossman, President of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association asks to see if trees are possible in medians at the ends?  Determined that the space is needed for the actual turn lanes.

The planned bike lanes allow the trees to be closer to the street because there is a minimum safety distance between the the tree trunk and the travel lane.  Without the bike lanes, the trees would be pushed further away from the street.

Current plan is possible without the purchase of right a way and to keep the median it would cost over 1 Million Dollars which would take away from businesses like Mellow Mushroom.  Right of Way is rarely donated as the city must offer full value for the land.

Post Office future, could right of way be obtained from Federal Government?  DRAC saw it as problematic.

Public comments by Gordon Elkins, Norb Leahy, Judy Ford, Joe Hirsh, Janette Smith, Joan Klineman and Jim Dixson.

Bev Wingate in council comment, quotes the letter in the Crier by Mr. Doug van Veelen and asks if the City has proof that they own the Parkway as it was built as a private street?  City will research.

No vote was taken by committee but it appears that the committee by their own admission is finding it very difficult to offer any alternative to what council approved or to keep the median. 

Simple facts about what makes Dunwoody a great place to live and work as shared by Mayor Ken Wright and Chamber of Commerce Chairman Bill Grant

What makes Dunwoody a great place to live and work?

Dunwoody Mayor Ken Wright shared great facts about our community at a recent Chamber of Commerce event that I thought I would share.

For FY2010, there are 2,352 licensed business in the City, which employee 21,083 and generate $2,335,264 in occupation taxes on $2.34 Billion in gross receipts (GA).

Dunwoody can boast of 122 Restaurants, 60 medical professional offices, 46 beauty salons, 33 law firms and 42 management consultant offices.

We have 5 full-service hotels in the Perimeter Center with a total of 1,554 hotel rooms with total meeting space of 62,000 square feet.

Board Chair, Bill Grant continued with the theme of good things about Dunwoody.

In fact, he challenged the group to make their own list of the 10 Greatest Things about Dunwoody, Georgia. The problem, Bill explained, was not how hard it is to come up with ten good things, the problem is limiting the list to ten -- He could only whittle it down to fourteen!

So, according to Bill Grant, The Ten Fourteen Greatest thing about Dunwoody, Georgia

1. A city government of the people, by the people and for the people and no elected official has a second agenda.

2. Perimeter Mall as a significant source of revenue, and a powerful location for offices. It is the largest business center in Atlanta and houses 50 fortune 500 companies, 75 significant stores, restaurants and 5 hotels.

3. 2300+ businesses are active within the boundaries.

4. The Dunwoody Crier a local newspaper that virtually everyone reads.

5. Twelve community based non-profits all with the goal of making Dunwoody unique and better. A variety of events are sponsored by these organizations, including: Light Up Dunwoody, Lemonade Days, The Dunwoody Music Festival, the 4th of July Parade, the Dunwoody Arts Festival, the Soap Box Derby, and the Dunwoody Dash.

6. An active heritage with land marks, such as the Spruill home, the Cheek Spruill Home, the Railroad Hand House, and the Donaldson-Bannister Farm.

7. Georgia Perimeter College, Dunwoody Campus.

8. Our own police force with one officer to every 847 people.

9. A frugal City council that operates at a surplus while maintaining lower taxes than any surrounding community.

10. Small town feel with everyone interested in the overall welfare of all.

11. Proximity to the big city with the major technical University of the South and the world’s busiest airport.

12. Next to the largest Medical complex in Georgia.

13. Transportation terminus with 3 local Marta stations and easy access to I-285 and Ga. 400.

14. Seven City parks: Dunwoody Nature Center, Brook Run Park, the Donaldson-Bannister Farm, Dunwoody Park, Perimeter Center East Park, Vernon Oaks Park, and Windwood Hollow Park.

Not bad for a young city, what is on your list?