Dunwoody City Council agenda for Monday June 8th

Monday, June 8, 2015
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346

6 pm Agenda - Watch Live at 6:00 p.m.

Introduction of Jessica Guinn, Assistant City Manager.

Establishment of the 2015 Ad Valorem Tax Rate.

Text Amendments to the City of Dunwoody City Code Chapter 27 to Change the Classification of Massage Activities.

Resolution Appointing Members to Serve on the Board of Ethics.

SECOND READ: Ordinance Amendment of the City of Dunwoody Revising Certain Provisions of Chapter 27, Zoning, of the City Code by Removing Community Council from the Zoning Process and Dissolving the Community Council.

Adoption of Revised Amendment and Special Land Use Permit Schedule.

SECOND READ: Ordinance Amendment of the City of Dunwoody Amending Chapter 2,Administration, to Revise Council Meeting Times and Delete Community Council from list ofCity's Boards and Commissions.

CP 15-051: Cypress Communities, LLC applicant on behalf of CQ Dunwoody Village Court, LLC, seeks permission to amend the Dunwoody Village Master Plan section oftheComprehensive Plan Land Use Map from Small-Scale Office to For-Sale Residential, to allowfor the construction of townhomes at 1536 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338, tax parcel 18 366 060 65, as part of an 81-unit townhome development with 1530 Dunwoody Village Parkway, tax parcel 18 366 060 61, to the north.

RZ 15-021: Cypress Communities, LLC, applicant, on behalf of owner, CQ Dunwoody Village Court, LLC, seeks permission to rezone property currently zoned Office-Institution (O-I)District to Multi-dwelling Residential District (RM-100) to allow for construction of an 81-unittownhome development. The subject property consists of two parcels: tax parcel 18-366-060-61 located at 1530 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338, and tax parcel 18-366-060-65 located at 1536 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338.

Discussion of Creating a Dunwoody Arts Council.

Huge Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Tuesday 6 pm

Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346

6 pm Agenda - Watch Live at 6:00 p.m.

CAD-to-CAD Interface Project Update. - delayed

CP 15-051: Cypress Communities, LLC applicant on behalf of CQ Dunwoody Village Court, LLC, seeks permission to amend the Dunwoody Village Master Plan section oftheComprehensive Plan Land Use Map from Small-Scale Office to For-Sale Residential, to allowfor the construction of townhomes at 1536 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338, tax parcel 18 366 060 65, as part of an 81-unit townhome development with 1530 Dunwoody Village Parkway, tax parcel 18 366 060 61, to the north.

RZ 15-021: Cypress Communities, LLC, applicant, on behalf of owner, CQ Dunwoody Village Court, LLC, seeks permission to rezone property currently zoned Office-Institution (O-I)District to Multi-dwelling Residential District (RM-100) to allow for construction of an 81-unittownhome development. The subject property consists of two parcels: tax parcel 18-366-060-61 located at 1530 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338, and tax parcel 18-366-060-65 located at 1536 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338.

FIRST READ: RZ 15-021: Cypress Communities, LLC, Applicant, on Behalf of Owner, CQ Dunwoody Village Court, LLC, Seeks Permission to Rezone Property Currently Zoned Office-Institution (O-I) District to Multi-Dwelling Residential District (RM-100) to Allow forConstruction of an 81-Unit Townhome Development. The Subject Property Consists of Two Parcels: Tax Parcel 18-366-060-61 Located at 1530 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338, and Tax Parcel 18-366-060-65 Located at 1536 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338.

Amendment to Chapter 27 - Zoning, of the Code of Ordinances re: Meeting Process.

FIRST READ: Ordinance of the City of Dunwoody Revising Certain Provisions of Chapter 27,Zoning, of the City Code by Removing Community Council from the Zoning Process andDissolving the Community Council.

Contract Approval for Shade Structures at Georgetown Park Playground.

Approval of a Contract for the Hammond Drive Corridor Study.

Information Technology Vendor Selection for Municipal Service Providers.  InterDev

Public Relations and Marketing Vendor Selection for Municipal Service Providers. Jacobs

Community Development Vendor Selection for Municipal Service Providers. Clark Patterson Lee

Public Works and Parks Vendor Selection for Municipal Service Providers. Lowe Engineering

Vendor Selection for Finance & Administration Municipal Service Provider. Severn Trent

Approval of Amendment of City Position Allocation and Compensation Chart.

Approval of Funding for Stormwater Rehab at Hidden Branches Drive.

Contract Renewal with Sentinel Probation Services, LLC.

SECOND READ: SLUP 15-021: Andrew M. Halloran, Representative of Cornerstone Site
Consultants, LLC, on Behalf of Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop, Roman
Catholic Diocese of Atlanta, Owner of 2443 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338, Seeks
the Following: a Special Land Use Permit for the Expansion of an Existing Place of Worshipand Accessory Uses. The Tax Parcel Number is 18 373 02 002.

FIRST READ: Ordinance of the City of Dunwoody Amending Chapter 2, Administration, toRevise Council Meeting Times and Delete Community Council from list of City's Boards andCommissions.

Discussion of Tilly Mill Road Sidewalk Concepts. 

New Member to Dunwoody Ethics Board - Stephen Moss

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Tuesday June 24th

Tuesday, June 24th 2014
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

Dunwoody, GA 30346

6:00 pm - Work Session

7:00 p.m. - Voting Meeting

Watch Live at 7 pm on City Site

Agenda 6 pm   

Update on the CAD-to-CAD Interface Project.

Approval of Appointment of CVBD District 3 Board Member - Ricardo Gonzalo


Approval of Appointment to Serve on Dunwoody Community Council - Debi Shendelman

Approval of a Contract with Treetop Quest.

Ordinance Granting a Temporary Right of Way Easement for State Farm

Agenda 7 pm

Presentation of 2013-2014 Sustainable Student Hero.
Ashford Chase Wiffle Ball Tournament Donation.
Brother in Blue Award from Chaplain Joe Cirigliano.

Approval of Revised Agreement with the Georgia DOT for the PCIDs Bike Plan.

Ordinance to Establish the Ad Valorem Tax Rate for 2014.

FIRST READ: RZ 14-062: Pursuant to the City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance, applicant, HDP Acquisitions, LLC c/o Hotel Development Partners, LLC, seeks permission to rezone property currently zoned Pedestrian Community Conditional (PC-3c) and Local Commercial (C-1) to Commercial-Residential Mixed-Use (CR-1) to allow for a change of previous conditions.The subject property is located at 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road,  Dunwoody, GA 30338. The tax parcel is 18 350 01 015.

FIRST READ: SLUP 14-062: Pursuant to the City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance, applicant, HDP Acquisitions, LLC c/o Hotel Development Partners, LLC, seeks a Special Land Use Permit for a change in the maximum allowable building height from three-stories to four-stories. The subject property is located at 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road,  Dunwoody, GA 30338. The tax parcel is 18 350 01 015.

City of Dunwoody starts application process for resident appointment to municipal board, commission, or committees.

Application, available board positions and current members.

The City of Dunwoody believes that citizens bring valuable insights and are a skilled resource in our community. The Mayor and City Council encourage all citizens to consider becoming involved in the city government by serving on a Board, Commission, or Committee.

To be considered for an appointment to a municipal board, commission, or committee, please complete and submit the application (linked above) and send it with a resume to the City Clerk, Sharon Lowery. Applications and resumes may be submitted by e-mail to sharon.lowery@dunwoodyga.gov, by fax to (770) 396-4705, or by mail to 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 250, Dunwoody, GA 30346.

PS: Urban Redevelopment Agency position needs to be filled - please apply.

City of Dunwoody items that I follow as they will soon be coming in front of me on Council

On Tuesday, the Dunwoody Planning Commission approved the site design for a new hotel.

The DHA in April opposed the project because of its access to Ashford Dunwoody, one of the city’s busiest streets. But after the developers negotiated with DHA representatives and agreed to allow only right turns into the property from Ashford Dunwoody, the association changed its position. The new design also includes full access to the property from Perimeter Center North. DHA president Stacey Harris attended the June 11 planning commission meeting to express the group’s support for the new plan. “We think this is a fabulous compromise,” she told the commission. “It’s good.”

This morning, the Dunwoody City Council held a rare week day special called meeting to conduct a hearing on the 2014 tax rate which is holding the same rate since the original date of incorporation.  We also had a first read leasing a building on Shallowford Road at Peachford and a quick discussion regarding the operations of Food Truck Thursdays.

Following the City Council meeting, the City Ethics Committee met and approved a recommendation to City Council for a public reprimand of Dr. Bonser for conduct failing to meet the requirements of courtesy in relation to an email she sent.

Board Member Bahr move that the Board recommend to City Council for a public reprimand of Dr. Bonser for conduct failing to meet the requirements of courtesy in relation to her February 3, 2013 email. That the further recommendations of the hearing officer, with respect to revocation of email privileges be not recommended and that the Board is split with respect to the issuance of a strong letter of encouragement to Dr. Bonser with respect to apologizing in writing to the complainant.

Thursday night the Dunwoody Community Council will discuss the items in the Zoning & Land Development Rewrite. The Sounding Board of Citizens who served seemed to have a solid consensus on most of the proposed changes (Highlights available in this link) except for maybe Home Occupations allowing customer contact.  Here’s the meeting and hearing schedule for this important topic - 6/13: Community Council; 7/9: Planning Commission; 8/12 & 8/26: Mayor and Council.

Monday Night, June 17 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. there will be an Open House at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church, 1978 Mt Vernon Rd to discuss future plans for Mt. Vernon Rd. and Vermack Rd / Manhasset Drive engineering improvement.

The City of Dunwoody is interested in hearing your input and feedback on future plans and project improvements which enhance the quality of life for everyone within our City. The intersection at Mt. Vernon Rd. and Vermack Rd/Manhasset Drive has been identified in the City of Dunwoody’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan as a high priority project due to its current poor level of service. Mount Vernon Road is one of the primary east-west corridors in the City and Vermack Road provides access to Dunwoody High School and Vanderlyn Elementary School. The current intersection is signalized but lacks turn lanes, causing longer traffic queues and wait times, and remains deficient in accommodating safe use by pedestrians and bicyclists. The City is currently in the early planning stages/data-gathering phase during which public input, land survey and traffic counts are obtained to best determine appropriate engineering improvements for the intersection. We invite you to join us for a Public Information Open House meeting concerning the intersection.

Agenda for January 28th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Monday, January 28th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

Dunwoody, GA 30346

6:00 p.m. - Work (Exec) Session

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

Agenda 

Administer Oath of Office to Newly Hired Police Officers Brian Kiel, Terrell Styles and John
Goodman.

Recognition of Court Administrator Trina Gallien for Attaining her Bachelor of Science Degree
in Criminal Justice from Troy University.

Approval of Amendment of City Position Allocation and Compensation Chart Related to SalaryRanges.

Approval of Addendum to Sentinel Offender Services, L.L.C. Contract to Adjust ProbationFees.

Resolution to Join GIRMA Membership for Workers' Compensation.

Authorize the City Manager to Pay the DeKalb Municipal Association Fiscal Year 2013Assessment.

SECOND READ: Ordinance to Amend City of Dunwoody Purchasing Policy.

SECOND READ: Ordinance to Amend Chapter 24 to Adopt Regulations Governing FalseAlarms in the City of Dunwoody.

Resolution Adopting and Approving False Alarm Fees.

Resolution Appointing Community Council Members. (Debbie Montgomery, Sam Verniero)

Resolution Appointing Development Authority Members. (Jeff Ackemann, Jim Gaddis, Robert Miller)

Resolution Appointing Board of Zoning Appeals Members. (Bill McCahan, Kristin Wescott & Gerri Penn)

Agenda for January 14th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Monday, January 14th
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 (my comments in RED)

Update on the CAD-to-CAD Interface Project.
Proclamation Honoring the 2012 Sustainable Hero. (Tom Lambert)
FIRST READ: Regulations Governing False Alarms in the City of Dunwoody
Dunwoody Village Main Street Project Update.
Discussion of City Position Allocation and Compensation Chart Related to Salary Ranges.
Discussion of Sentinel Offender Services, L.L.C. Contract to Adjust Probation Fees.
FIRST READ: Ordinance to Amend City of Dunwoody Purchasing Policy.
Discussion of Resolution to Join GIRMA Membership for Workers' Compensation.
Discussion of Award of Brook Run Video Surveillance System Contract to Iron Sky, Inc.
Discussion of Board Appointments. (docs below from Dec10)
- Board of Ethics Members. (Janet Webb & Wade Wright)
- Community Council Members. (Steve Barton & Susan Harper)
- Development Authority Members. (Augustine, Gaddis, Miller)
- Planning Commission Members. (Anders, Converse, Dwyer)
- Board of Zoning Appeals Members. (McCahan, Mitchell, Penn)
Discussion of Ethics Ordinance.
Discussion of a Parks and Recreation Board.
Discussion of DeKalb Municipal Association Dues.
Discussion of Intersection Improvement Projects

Video of Feb 27th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Video

Recap, short meeting with all items passing including the $1.25 monthly increase in the storm water fee that will be showing up on your next property tax assessment.

Dunwoody Reporter News Story.

The Dunwoody City Council voted at its Feb. 27 meeting to raise the stormwater utility fee to fund an overhaul of the city’s aging system.

The annual fee will increase from $48 to $69 for most homeowners. The vote was unanimous.

Councilman Terry Nall said though he “despises” tax increases, “it’s prudent, conservative logic” to repair the storm water system before problems become more costly in the future.

“We’re in the middle of a race to repair these pipes before we have a catastrophic failure,” Nall said.

At the City Council’s Feb. 13 meeting, Public Works Director Michael Smith recommended the city spend $900,000 to $1 million each year for pipe replacement. Currently, the city dedicates $525,000 to repairs, which is not enough to keep up with the number of pipes that are failing.

Smith said over the past two years, the Public Works Department has conducted a survey of the city’s storm water system. The department learned that 60 percent of the pipes in the city are more than 35 years old, which is past their typical service life.

Agenda for Feb 27th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Monday, February 27th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

Dunwoody, GA 30346

6:00 p.m. - Work Agenda
7:00 p.m. - Voting Agenda
Watch Live at 7 pm

Agenda

Recognition of Officer Ronny Gomez-Delima for Earning His Bachelor of Information Technology Degree.

Award of Unit Price Contract for Stormwater Pipe Repair and Replacement.

Approval of Contract with ConnectSouth.

Approval of GIS Fees. 

Resolution to Appoint Members to Serve on City of Dunwoody Community Council.

Presentation of Convention and Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody 2011 Year End Report.

Resolution to Set Stormwater Utility Rate.

Resolution to Appoint Zoning Code Rewrite Sounding Board.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Should a violin teacher be allowed to work out of her home in Dunwoody? Special Land Use Permit requested.

 Meeting tonight to discuss allowing in home Violin lessons in Dunwoody.

Thursday Night the Dunwoody Community Council will be hearing a number of items but the one that peaks my interest is the case of the violin teacher who is following procedures and is officially requesting a special land use permit to allow customer contact at her home for individual violin lessons.

As a member of the City Council, I will listen and read what is discussed all the way up to the public hearing when it comes before Council in a month or so, but as policy dictates I will not comment on my personal feelings of the matter.

I have already seen both pro and con emails regarding this application and as many of you know this is not the first time the Dunwoody community has addressed the issue of in home music education.  That being said, it will be the first time the new City of Dunwoody will attempt to tackle the subject.

http://www.thecrier.net/articles/2001/05/09/import/20010509-archive0.txt
http://www.thecrier.net/articles/2001/07/17/import/20010717-archive1.txt
http://www.thecrier.net/articles/2002/04/04/import/20020404-archive8.txt

As some long time readers will remember, acting as President of my homeowners association, I along with the Dunwoody Homeowners Association were against a rezoning from Residential R85 to O&I (office and institution) for a house on North Peachtree Rd requesting full time conversion for educational purposes. The circumstances between this rezoning case and the SLUP requested by the violin teacher is not identical, but people will draw conclusions and/or comparisons therefore wanted to point it out.

If you are interested in this topic, please check out the agenda on the city site and then click F1 under new business, after doing so the application documents are located at the top right of the page. Public comment is an important aspect of this meeting therefore if you feel strongly one way of the other, please feel free to do so.

The Community Council also has a group email account at communitycouncil@dunwoodyga.gov where you can send them messages if you are so inclined to do so.  The planning commission will also be hearing the same facts soon after the community council therefore you might as well send them your opinion too at planningcommission@dunwoodyga.gov. While your at it, copy me as I don't get enough emails already; my email address is John.Heneghan@Dunwoodyga.gov

The meeting starts at 7 pm at City Hall and if the wife lets me I will be sitting in the audience as I want to listen to the discussions that will be taking place. The city video camera system may or may not be streaming this meeting but my hope is that all city meetings will be online someday soon.

Events leading up to this weekend.

Thursday morning, earlier then I am fully functional, the Sustainability Commission is meeting to discuss next steps in the Green Communities program. Thursday evening the Community Council is meeting to discuss rezoning the SunTrust Mortgage building on Perimeter Center across from the Mall from O-I (Office Institution District) to OCR (Office-Commercial-Residential District) to allow a restaurant or retail store. The other item up for discussion is multiple amendments to the text of the Dunwoody Village Overlay District Sign Ordinance.

Leadership DeKalb will host an Open House on Thursday, March 11 at Dunwoody City Hall for active and influential leaders who are interested in community leadership training. Nominations for the Class of 2011 are being accepted now. DeKalb District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming, a graduate of the Class of 1999 and member of the Board of Directors, will host the Open House and moderate a panel of Leadership DeKalb graduates. The free Open House will begin with a Networking Reception at 5:30 p.m. and the program will last from 6 – 7 p.m. on March 11 at Dunwoody City Hall, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 103, Dunwoody, Georgia 30346. Parking is free and light refreshments will be served. Reservations can be made by e-mail to info@leadershipdekalb.org or by phone at 404-373-2491.

Thursday night is also the Ignorance is No Defense presentation for students and parents at Peachtree Charter Middle School.

Friday night my two oldest boys and I are shaving our heads at Fado's Irish Pub in solidarity with kids fighting cancer and we are collecting donations through St. Baldrick's to fund more research in fighting childhood cancer. I haven't been pushing for donations in this tough economy but if you would like to make a donation to the cause, please click here. Thanks for those who have already donated. 

Saturday at 7:30 am is the Vanderdash 5K and Fun Run followed by the Atlanta St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Huge Agenda for Special Tuesday Night Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Tuesday, January 19th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346
7:00 p.m. - Watch Live

The Dunwoody City Council  does not meet on Federal Holiday's and have therefore moved Monday's meeting to Tuesday.

Special Called Voting Meeting Agenda

• 1. Resolution opposing SLUP application for El Reventon Restaurant.

Work Session Agenda - Immediately Following Voting Meeting

• 1. Discussion of proposed FAA class B airspace changes at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.
• 2. December financial report.
• 3. FIRST READ: Ordinance to amend Fiscal Year 2009 budget.
• 4. FIRST READ: Ordinance to amend Fiscal Year 2010 budget.
• 5. City-wide Pavement Evaluation.
• 6. Sustainability Commission annual report.
• 7. FIRST READ: Single Event Sunday Alcohol Licensing.
• 8. Discussion of zoning-related issues meeting schedule for Community Council, Planning Commission, Mayor & Council and Zoning Board of Appeals for the year 2010.
• 9. Discussion of fire suppression fee amendment.
• 10. Discussion of Stormwater Asset Inventory Contract.
• 11. Discussion of utility contractors.
• 12. Update on document management system.
• 13. Golf cart discussion.
• 14. Retreat discussion.
• 15. Discussion of text amendment for regulation of taxi cabs.
• 16. Initiation of text amendments.
• a. Discussion of text amendment to Chapter 21: Signs and Chapter 27: Zoning Dunwoody Village Overlay District Sign Regulation.

Backyard Chicken proposal fails Dunwoody Community Council by a 3 to 2 vote.

Video

In a long meeting with much public discussion both pro and con, the Dunwoody Community Council voted to recommend the denial of the matter of backyard chickens.  The item will now go before the Dunwoody Planning Commission and then the City Council for the final decision.

Rick Callihan over at the Dunwoody Talk blog gives a detailed account of the meeting, check it out.

http://dunwoodytalk.blogspot.com/2010/01/community-council-votes-no-on-backyard.html

Backyard Chickens to be discussed by Dunwoody Community Council on Thursday.

Backyard chicken raising is officially going through the Dunwoody rule making process of Community Council, Planning Commission and finally the City Council.  After much debate the city has drafted a cover memo as well as a version of the ordinance and on Thursday night the Community Council has the first review of the proposal.

I have received much feedback on this issue both pro and con with passionate people on both sides.  I have a neighbor who raised chickens here in Dunwoody, have been a vocal supporter of backyard chickens on the council and now that there is official proposed language on the matter I will be silent and listen to the debate until which time the matter comes in front of me.

That being said, I want to share two final comments.  The first is a block of text from an e-mail I received which encourages those who are voting on the matter to know what they are talking about by visiting a Dunwoody backyard chicken coop and looking at the requirements being put into place. 

I think the community council members, as well as the planning and zoning commissioners, and the members of city council and the mayor owe it to themselves to visit one of the backyards that has chickens, and meets the guidelines that will be presented by staff, so that an informed decision can be made when it comes time to vote. I'd like to see this thing get decided based on some objective basis, not based on some subjective "feelings, or speculation on what it might lead to.

Right now, I have to believe these meetings will be packed with proponents from both sides of the issue. Right now I also believe the arguments from both sides will generate more heat than light.

And second comment is for those who keep chickens and would like to invite the members of the Community Council, Planning Commission and City Council to visit your coop but not sure how to do so.  I was looking on the city webpage for group e-mail addresses for each of the committees but couldn't find a way to contact either the Community Council or the Planning Commission, therefore just send me the invitation and I will find a way to forward it.   Finally since those members of the Community Council and Planning Commission can't be reached by e-mail; I thought I would show them what a Dunwoody chicken coop looks like.  Here is a video Pattie Baker made available on her new, Sustainable Pattie website which was filmed in a Dunwoody backyard. 
(Update - committee e-mails are available here.)

Backyard Chicken Keeping in Dunwoody, GA

A week full of Dunwoody meetings.

I am going to try and make all of these meetings this week but please don't expect me to be highly functioning for the 7:30 am Sustainable meeting.

Monday - 7 pm City Hall
City Council

• Administration of Oath of Office 
• Volunteer Coordination Committee Annual Report
• Election of Mayor Pro Tem. 
• 2010 Tax Anticipation Note.
• Golf cart discussion.

Tuesday - 6 pm City Hall
Planning Commission

• Size of text on the signs outlined in the Notice of Public Hearing
• Membership of the Design Review Advisory Committee.

Tuesday - 7 pm   JCC
Comprehensive Land Use Discussion
Jett Ferry Area and the Tilly Mill Area

Jewish Community Center
5342 Tilly Mill Road
Main Building, Brill Activity Rooms #180 & 182
From the main entrance, make a left,down the hall on the left.

Thursday - 7:30 am  City Hall
Sustainability Commission

• 2009 Year in Review Presentation
• 2010 Measures and On-going Initiatives

Thursday - 7 pm   City Hall
Community Council

• Raising Backyard Chickens in Single Family Residence Districts.
• Mission Statement, By-laws and/or Official Procedures, and Code of Ethics standard

Dunwoody News Tidbits- Veterans Day and everything else I could find of interest.

To commemorate Veterans’ Day, here are some overjoyed "children" greeting their returning soldiers. These reunion videos—for me, at least—shed a tiny beam of light on how emotionally draining being a military family can be. They’ll also make you want a dog.  Click here and then find a soldier to thank for his or her service.

Correction to a post from yesterday, the State Legislators are coming to Chamblee United Methodist on Thursday evening not DUMC.

Here is some video of Dunwoody Village Parkway which was closed mid-day on Tuesday due to flooding.


The JCC is hosting the 18th Annual Book Festival November 10 - 22 with lots of great authors but unfortunately Batgirl and Aerosmith video vixen Alicia Silverstone was forced to cancel.  Seriously, the lineup is impressive, check it out.

Get gross at the Dunwoody Nature Center this Saturday, at 10 a.m. Prepare to get in touch with your yucky side as you go on a "scat" hunt. Discover the grosser side of those cute and charming butterflies. Come prepared to get a little dirty!

Dunwoody Community Council discusses a SLUP (Special Land Use Permit) application on Thursday for some site improvements at All Saints Catholic Church.

City of Dunwoody Sustainability Commission Meeting happens early Thursday morning and would welcome interested members of the community to join them.

The Dunwoody Crown Plaza Ravinia is the first and only Green Globe - certified hotel in the State as documented by Sustainable Pattie Baker.

Dunwoody High School Football Wildcats enter the first round of the playoffs at home (Chamblee @ 7 pm?) on Friday against the Elbert County Blue Devils.

DHS PTSO and School Council will hold an informational meeting on Monday, November 16th at 6:00 pm in the Cafeteria regarding the school schedule options for the 2010-2011 school year. The speaker will be Ms. Stacey Stepney, DCSS Director of High Schools.

Attention Peachtree 8th grade students & parents - Dunwoody High School is having an open house for prospective students this coming Sunday from 2 - 4.

Watch the video of Phillippe Cousteau, conservationist, educator and Animal Planet's Chief Ocean Correspondent visit to Dunwoody Elementary.

Brian, a Dunwoody resident with too much time on his hands created these two humorous video clips featuring the City Council; Country Style & Disco Style which I figured I would share.  Enjoy, because we the council got a kick out of laughing at ourselves.

Community Council to discuss Sign changes and allowed locations for Personal Care Homes

City of Dunwoody Community Council
Thursday, October 8, 2009 – 7:00 PM
41 Perimeter Center East,
City Council Chambers

Agenda

Discussion of multiple text amendments and revision to Chapter 21: Sign Regulations

Discussion of text amendment to Chapter 27, Section 2C-3(b) ‘Personal care home, family’ and 2C-3(c) ‘Personal care home, registered’.

Discussion of revision to the Special Called Meeting date to address Comprehensive Plan Draft

Do we need additional neighborhood meetings to discuss the Comprehensive Land Use Plan?

I was reviewing the agenda for tonight's Dunwoody Community Council meeting (since it gives me a preview of items which will be coming in front of the City Council in a few months) and one of the items up for discussion made me question if we the City have done everything we needed to do in order to put fourth the best, most vetted, comprehensive land use plan possible?

The City has held four community meetings where we as a group sat at tables and stated what long term development plans we wanted for our new city. There was no seating order for the tables therefore you probably had a random mixture of residents from all over the city sitting at each table; that being said I am not sure specific neighborhood concerns were properly vetted and discussed by the residents who live near the four areas where redevelopment is most likely? As identified in the August 3rd recap of the last comprehensive land use meeting, shown below, those areas are Dunwoody Village, Georgetown / Shallowford, Winters Chapel and Tilly Mill.

Since a majority of these planning meetings took place during the summer months when people are away and with all of the meetings having taken place on weekday evenings which excludes a certain percentage of the residents who have family or other work responsibilities at that time. I have concerns that we haven't reached out enough to all members of the community as well as those most likely to be affected.

That being said, one of the meetings was rescheduled away from a Tuesday evening in order to allow young parents with children on Dunwoody swim teams an opportunity to participate, have seen numerous city public notices and e-mails from involved community members who pleaded with their residents for active and diverse community participation in the process. The City Discussion Board has a section for public internet participation in the process and all of the materials have been made available on the web as well. I also know the Community Steering Committee has been meeting regularly with POND and that they have been very vocal as to their long term vision of the city, so maybe my fears of specific area representation are unfounded?

I guess we will know soon if the meetings captured the community’s visions and goals for the future but I am wondering if at that point it will be too late? The next community meeting, entitled "Community Agenda Draft Components" will take place in two weeks on September 24th, (another Thursday evening) and I take it for granted that POND and Company will be giving us a comprehensive update of where they think we are in the planning process at that time.

Depending on the feedback we get at the September 24th meeting the city may want to hold several specifically targeted meetings in early October addressing the concerns of the residents where redevelopment is most likely.

The Steering Committee is scheduled to have a final meeting with POND on October 15th and the Community Agenda Draft will be presented to the city on November 16th. Looking at the calendar (page 11), I would like to see the report presented to the city a week earlier on November 9th so that the Community Council and Planning Commission can each publicly vet the document prior to the final public hearings on the matter.

I also believe that the December Public Hearings have not been finalized though they are tentatively scheduled for December 8th and 21st? (see page 7) but I would expect at least one of those to be changed to a date and time which would allow more citizens to participate. Due to several religious holidays in that time frame, I am guessing that both the public meetings could be moved up prior to the current schedule if the city were to receive the report a little earlier.

I am looking forward to the September 24th meeting and I hope to see you there and actively participating in the process. Below is the August 3rd meeting recap as well as the presentation given.

Approximately 120 people attended this fourth of five community meetings. POND and Company began the evening with an overview of the comprehensive planning process in general and a presentation on basic design concepts. To view the presentation please click here.

The majority of the evening was devoted to the main workshop and discussion exercise. The room broke into groups with approximately ten people and one facilitator at each table. Each group discussed four major areas, which at previous meetings, had been declared the areas where we should anticipate the greatest pressure to change and redevelop. Those areas are the Dunwoody Village area, the Georgetown area, the Winters Chapel area and the Tilly Mill area. The groups discussed if these are areas where change should be encouraged or resisted. If change is encouraged, how should those changes manifest? What sorts of development types, uses, heights, densities, and open spaces are appropriate for each area? What sort of facilities and connections should be created? The comments made within each table were recorded by the facilitators.

POND and city staff will now take that information and build recommendations of policies and projects for the city to use over the next 20 years. The first drafts of the document and policies will be presented as a part of the next community meeting.

The next community meeting will be Thursday September 24th. I hope you will be able to attend.

Dunwoody Meeting Audio from June 15, 2009

11:45 am Agenda & Audio of Millage Rate Hearing

6:30 pm Agenda & Audio of Hearing & vote passing the rate.

7:00 pm Agenda & Audio files below

Start of meeting, Boyken Proclamation, Approval of Agenda.

Public Comment ZBA process Change, better signs, rezoning of village prop, 90 day moratorium on rezonings due to errors, DCVB 503C6, Radar Signs requested with no school match.

Boyken Status Report

May Financial Report

Discussion of Dunwoody Conversion & Visitors Bureau
White Paper presented by Councilman Ross recommending an Authority CVB.

Alcohol Ordinance Change & Construction Board

Alcohol Review Board, Radar Sign Results & funding of Radar Signs

Pothole repair process & Update.

Health Insurance for City Officers & Municode

Community Council Discussion

Applicant attendance & Public Notice on rezoning

Special Event Policies to end

Two Millage Rate Public Meetings & a long agenda to wrap up a Monday evening in Dunwoody.

Monday, June 15th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346

11:45 am Agenda & Public Hearing on Millage Rate

6:30 pm Agenda & Public Hearing on Millage Rate
Amend DeKalb CVB Agreement - minor correction

7:00 pm Agenda

• Boyken Status Report & Proclamation
• May Financial Report.
• Discussion of Dunwoody Convention & Visitors Bureau.
  Audio from May 22, Dunwoody Chamber Forum on DCVB
  Audio from March 16, City Council Meeting
• FIRST READ: Ordinance to amend Chapter 4: Alcohol Beverages
• Discussion of nominees for Construction Board of Appeals.
  Elliott Usher, Howard Karchmer, Monroe Brock, Dick Drake, Charles Juray
• Discussion of nominees for Alcohol License Review Board.
  Worth Wells, Beverly Wingate, Brian Tate, Steve Zisser, Doug Thompson
• Speed Reduction Results from PEDS.
• Discussion of funding to purchase radar signs. (Should the PTA's share in the cost of these signs or should they be funded entirely by city? Highly unlikely DCSS will contribute. $4,000 each.)
• Discussion of pothole repair process and procedures.
• Adopt-a-Spot Program. Partner with DHA
  
• Discussion on authorizing municipal officers to be eligible for the city’s health and dental insurance upon payment of 100% of the premium.
• Discussion of award of contract for codification of ordinances.
• Discussion of the Community Council.
• Discussion of land use applicant attendance requirements.
• Discussion of land use public notice.
• Discussion of special events policies.