Request for Brook Run Benches & Park Security

Dear Mr. CEO Vernon Jones,

This evening I attended the Citizens Advisory Board Meeting for the DeKalb County Parks hoping to speak regarding several concerns that I, and my neighborhood constitutes have regarding the Liane Levetan Park at Brook Run but was informed that I would not be allowed to speak. I was asked to place my comments on an index card and a member of the staff would be assigned to look into my complaint. Since I was prepared, I handed out the documents that I have attached in this e-mail and look forward to your staffs reply. Members of the audience complained regarding the Citizens Advisory Board procedures and we were told that we could always write directly to you regarding our issues with the parks; therefore I decided to send this request directly to you as well.

For the safety & security for the children of DeKalb County; as well as the comfort of the many parents & grandparents who visit Brook Run each day, I ask your assistance in taking action on my requests. Thank you.

Below was my hand out of photographs of showing a lack of security & benches.
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/brookrun/hospital/Brook_Run_Park_CAB_01232007.pdf

Dear Members of the Citizen Advisory Board,

My name is John Heneghan and I am President of the Dunwoody North Civic Association representing just over 1,000 households and whose boundaries are immediately adjacent to the Brook Run.

My children & I were at Brook Run over the weekend enjoying a beautiful sunny day, we played catch in the wide open field, they played on the playground and then we took a hike to the pavilion area & though the trees. All in all, we had a great time.

When we parked our car, we noticed the bulldozers were going strong on the stake park area forever changing the landscape of the park. The old growth trees in the skate park area are gone and the layout of the land is forever changed; neither of which will return because of tonight’s meeting. Being the father of three boys in a neighborhood bursting at the seams with children, I welcome and am thankful for the development of the Skate Park. I just question the amount of trees that needed to be cleared. It seemed excessive and am hopeful that the landscape plan will reforest where possible.

After playing catch in the open field at the front of the park, my boys wanted to play at the playground for awhile and they ran off to play with some of their friends. It was a busy day at the playground, children were everywhere & parents were trying to watch over them. It was at that point that I noticed a grandma who was forced to sit on the ground in order to be near her grandchild because there are no benches available. She physically needed to be helped off the ground and I saw this as a travesty. Millions of dollars have been spent on the development of Brook Run’s playground yet not one dollar was spent on proper benches so parents could properly look after their children. At the moment, parents are forced to sit on the makeshift benches made from flagstone set into concrete and these walls are much too low for elderly people to get up & down. These decorative walls were not made for this type of abuse; they are receiving excessive wear and have already needed repairs. If I may at this point, read a paragraph from the final Master Plan for Brook Run which is easily accessible on our neighborhood website, http://www.dunwoodynorth.org

“Children’s Adventure Garden: In keeping with the theme of nature and education, the master plan envisions something more than just a typical playground. The proposed five acre Children’s’ Adventure Garden is a prototypical, signature design that provides activities for all ages and can be duplicated throughout DeKalb County. This unique prototype combines structured play zones with discovery, nature and education. It also offers numerous trails, shelters, benches and a community gathering area and amphitheater for outdoor performances.”

Brook Run: Conceptual Master Plan Narrative March 18, 2003

I would like to point out that there is not one bench away from the several small shelters, whereby parents & grandparents could comfortably watch over their children. In the gathering area near the front of the park there is a shelter but no seating, three concrete slabs intended for benches were installed on the circular walkway but no benches were ever installed. It would appreciated by many citizens, especially senior citizens if this board looked into this oversight of proper seating at Brook Run.

After the playground the boys & I went for a walk towards the back of the park, towards the pavilion. We cut though the woods a little bit and went behind the theater and behind a single story office building. The boarded up windows of the building had the plywood taken down, many (about 5) windows were completely broken out, the lights were on and front door side glass panel was wide open. I stuck my head in the back window and noticed signs that people had used the space in the not so distant past. I see this as a major safety factor for our neighborhood children and a lack of due diligence as to the management of this property. After our walk, we drove around Brook Run on Barclay and noticed that the fence between Brook Run & Peachtree Middle School was almost non-existent.

This lack of stewardship towards the buildings and established fence line make me wonder what the security firm is doing besides sitting at the front gate. Do they make rounds of the property where they actually get out of the car? Do they verify the security of buildings which they are there to protect? Do they file reports on incidents of security lapses and acts of vandalism and to whom? If these types of reports are filed, they would be public information & I would be interested in seeing them, and so should you.

I would like to ask this board to immediately verify the security of the buildings in the open area & to board up any windows & doors that are currently damaged. I would also like the perimeter fence especially on Barclay between Peachtree Middle School & Brook Run to be evaluated and repaired.

In order to assist you in seeing what I saw just this weekend, I returned to Brook Run just this morning to photograph some of the things I saw and have included them here in my formal written statement. Unfortunately the image of the grandma who had to sit on the ground near her grandchild is still burned into my memory and I was unable to duplicate it for you. But unless something is done to rectify the lack of seating at Brook Run, this scenario will be replayed on the next sunny day.

I would like to thank you for your time this evening, but more importantly I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for the service you provide the Citizens of DeKalb County; it is truly appreciated. Thank you.

John Heneghan
President, Dunwoody North Civic Association

City of Dunwoody - SE Boundaries

The Dunwoody North Civic Association is working closely with the Citizens for Dunwoody team lead by State Senator, Dan Weber to assure that the various subdivisions that make up the Dunwoody North Communities will be within the proposed City of Dunwoody boundaries. Though working to assure the cohesiveness of our neighborhood, the Civic Association does not take a formal stand on political matters. We will strive to bring you information on the issue so that you can make an informed decision come election day, if we are ever to vote on the creation of a new city.

It is our opinion that the City of Dunwoody should include the entire Dunwoody Crossing (Gardens of Dunwoody) Apartment complex at the corner of North Peachtree & I 285 since the fire & police services would be accessed off N. Peachtree Road. The Carver Circle area is already part of the City of Doraville but Ridgeway Drive just above it is not officially with in the City of Doraville but it makes sense to allow Doraville to annex it at some point since they are already serving the Carver area and it would be inconvenient for the City of Dunwoody to service the area.

As far as the East side of Tilly Mill is considered, we would want all of the residential streets that are able to be accessed off Tilly Mill to be with in the Dunwoody Boundaries and if it is accessed off Peachtree Industrial to be unincorporated or Doraville. At the moment, Doraville’s city line already covers the North East corner of Tilly Mill & Peachtree Industrial up to Chesnut Drive and would not be part of the City of Dunwoody. Below is a map of our proposal to the Citizen’s for Dunwoody Committee.

Why a City of Dunwoody

Why a City of Dunwoody

In the decades to come, will Dunwoody be the kind of community to which our children (or grandchildren) will want to return to raise their children?

Neighborhoods, schools, churches, and caring, family oriented neighbors. These are the things that make Dunwoody what it is -- things we should work to preserve and make better.

Who will be the better stewards for our community in future years? The CEO and county commission? Or neighbors whom we elect to serve as mayor and city council members?

If the latter, then we should incorporate to take control of our own destiny – to shape our own vision for the future.

A related question worth pondering: How would Dunwoody be different today if we had incorporated ten years ago?

Government Closer to the People. Smaller, more responsive, government is better. It is closer to the people. The CEO and each commissioner serve 700,000 and 140,000 residents, respectively. DeKalb is larger than six states. The mayor and each council member will serve 40,000 and 8,000 fellow Dunwoodians, respectively.

City Limits. Tentatively, the city boundaries are 285 to the south, the Fulton line to the west and north, and the Doraville city limits to the east (i.e., homes in unincorporated DeKalb west of Peachtree Industrial Blvd.).

City Services. Dunwoody will take over zoning, parks, code enforcement, police, roads, and fire. Dunwoody pays more for these services than the county spends. A new city would keep the revenues currently paid to the county. There will be no “duplication” of services.

The county must continue to provide these services for up to two years after Dunwoody starts to operate. This allows time to plan.

County Services. The county will continue to provide other services such as water, sewer, sanitation, courts, sheriff, and health department.

Feasibility Study. We are raising funds for an independent feasibility study by the Carl Vinson Institute at UGA. The cost for a full study will be $50,000. The study will project revenues and expenses. Expenses depend on the level of services desired.

Taxes. The city charter likely will cap the millage tax rate. It could be raised only by referendum.

Partner With Sandy Springs. The two city councils could work closely together and partner for the delivery of services, allowing the larger Dunwoody community, including the Sandy Springs “panhandle” along the river, to remain cohesive. We could also contract with the county to buy services from it.

Parks and Green Space. Dunwoody contributes about $4 million per year. For every $5 we contribute, we get about $1 back. That’s why Dunwoody voted 75% against the recent bond referendum. A City of Dunwoody could have opted out of the referendum. On the downside, some fear that the county might withhold the $11 million pledged from the bond referendum.

Dunwoody would negotiate to buy Brook Run and the Nature Center, just as Sandy Springs is now buying parks from Fulton. Dunwoody could create new parks and green space. For example, for several years we have looked for a way to build a natatorium. A city could make it happen.

Zoning, Congestion, and Overcrowded Schools. The explosive growth of apartments continues. A developer could tear down older office buildings in Dunwoody Village and build apartments without further review. Meanwhile, the county commission is pushing low-income housing to be built in Dunwoody.

The result is congestion and overcrowded schools. For example, Austin is already well over capacity at 680 students and the BOE projects the population at 1,369 in seven years. The other elementary schools have similar projections. If these projections are correct, Dunwoody will need four new elementary schools, not one.

The county is not working to abate the growth. The county has failed to close the zoning loophole that allows 5 story apartments to be built without review. At the last DHA meeting, an attorney for a large apartment developer presented plans for another 330 apartments on Ashford Dunwoody. The attorney is a law partner of one of the county commissioners.

Police. The precinct on Ashford Dunwoody serves one fifth of DeKalb. The officers there spend a disproportionate amount of their time outside of Dunwoody. Dunwoody pays for more than it gets. The City of Dunwoody could choose to increase staff to reduce response time, address speeding (particularly in school zones), or simply create a safer environment.

Support for Community Organizations. The City of Dunwoody could support organizations such as the Stage Door Players, the Spruill Center, and other new community organizations.

Home Values. City residents will see increased home values as a result of the city’s efforts to preserve and improve our family oriented neighborhoods, schools, and churches.

Time Line. With republican control of the governor’s office and the general assembly, we have a window of opportunity that might close with this November’s elections. We are considering the following timeline: (a) pass a city charter this spring, (b) complete the feasibility study by July 2006, (c) conduct a referendum in late 2006 or early 2007, (d) elect city officials in July 2007, and (e) start operations in December 2007. This timeline allows sufficient planning time in accordance with recommendations from Sandy Springs representatives. During this time the county would continue to provide all services.

Please volunteer to work on the steering committee, contribute funds, and help solicit funds. Email danweber@andersondailey.com

City of Dunwoody Proposed

December 6, 2005
By Cathy Cobbs
For The Crier

http://www.thecrier.net/articles/2005/12/07/front/city.txt

Following on the heels of the successful incorporation of the city of Sandy Springs, several local leaders are floating the idea of creating a city of Dunwoody. State Sen. Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody) held an informal meeting at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church last week with a hand-picked group of local activists and outlined his analysis of financial and political reasoning behind the move to incorporate Dunwoody.

“As I present these facts, I’m going to try to be objective, but, at the same time, I’m going to admit I’m biased,” Weber told the group of about 50 attendees. “I want a city of Dunwoody and I think we need it.”

With a series of storyboards and power point slides, Weber laid out demographic facts and financials regarding the idea. The city would stretch south to I-285, north and west to Fulton County and east to Gwinnett County, with a population of about 40,000 people.

Emphasizing that the projections are extremely preliminary, Weber said his analysis indicates that, maintaining current levels of service being provided by the county, a City of Dunwoody would generate about $25 million in revenues, while cost of operations would run about $15 million.

“These are very rough numbers,” he emphasized. “This is just a starting point.”

Weber listed several pros and cons to forming a city. On the positive side, he said, it would provide an opportunity to develop a greater sense of responsiveness to the needs of citizens, the ability to complete more quickly the master plan for Brook Run Park and expand other area parks, local control over zoning issues, the opportunity to build community spirit and a chance to provide better police services.

On the negative side, he said, the effort would take time, money and the commitment of many to make the city a reality, a concern that a city of Dunwoody might not be able to provide a high level of services to its citizens, that taxes might have to be raised to achieve the city’s objectives, and the possibility that the projections of a surplus may not be accurate.

Another important factor to consider, Weber said, is the fact that schools in the Dunwoody area would not be autonomous. State law dictates that schools remain under the auspices of the county, regardless of an area’s incorporation.

However, he pointed out, having control over zoning laws would help regulate the amount of new housing in the area, and thus regulate growth. Currently, there are more than 2,000 apartment and condominium units being planned or under construction in the Perimeter area, which will strain the area’s already overcrowded elementary schools.

That construction is moving forward at a rapid pace as a result of a loophole in the O & I zoning, which allows developers, without any form of rezoning procedures, to tear down office properties and construct an apartment complex of five stories.

DeKalb County District 1 Commissioner Elaine Boyer, along with members of the Dunwoody Homeowners’ Association, has been working to close the loophole, but the issue has not been resolved.

The next steps, Weber said, would be engaging a feasibility study by an independent entity, one that would cost about $30,000. Following a decision to move forward would mean the forming of a charter, which the Georgia Assembly would have to pass. The initiative would have to be voted upon with a referendum, possibly in late 2006 or 2007.

After lengthy discussion, the meeting was adjourned without a decision regarding the next step.

After the meeting, DHA president Ken Wright said he was intrigued by the idea of a City of Dunwoody, but said the DHA had not taken an official position on the matter.

The DHA board did, however, decide at its Sunday meeting, to listen to a presentation at the group’s annual meeting in late January.

Wright said that he saw merits in the formation of a city, but added that DeKalb County also provides good services, with some exceptions.

”DeKalb County is certainly a great county, and seems to overall have efficient operations, but I’ve personally had many sleepless nights about the ongoing zoning issues, like the O&I apartment loophole,” he said. “I have personally seen that the O&I loophole has had an extremely detrimental effect on our community.”

Wright emphasized that the issue is more about Dunwoody than DeKalb.

“This isn’t about DeKalb County,” he said. This is about our community. The question is, would we be better off in 10 years as a city of 50,000 or as a county of 700,000? I don’t know the answer to that question, but if the residents of Dunwoody-DeKalb to individually decide whether forming a city would be something they would favor, then they need to step up to the plate and be vocal and financially supportive of that initiative.”

DHA - Dunwoody Mom and Dad crowned

Dunwoody Crier
November 16, 2005
By Kelly Conn

Move over Santa-Ms. Dunwoody Mom, Kristin Heneghan, and Mr. Dunwoody Dad, Dave Anderson, are sharing the spotlight in the Light Up Dunwoody 2005 Holiday Parade.

After being nominated for the honors earlier this year, the Dunwoody Homeowners Association selected Heneghan and Anderson as the community's first "star” parents. After their parade ride through downtown Dunwoody, the DHA will recognize Heneghan and Anderson at Saturday's Light Up celebration. "I just know there are a ton of moms and dads in the community who do so much,” said Light up Dunwoody co-chairman Margot Cole, who thought of adding the honors to this year’s holiday festivities. “I hope this is the beginning of a tradition of appreciating (parents) who volunteer their time in Dunwoody.”

Heneghan, nominated by her friend Elizabeth Piper, said she thought her husband John was joking when he told her she had been named Ms. Dunwoody Mom. “I’m a little surprised, but it’s a good surprise,” said Heneghan, who at nine months pregnant with her third child, is keeping her fingers crossed that she’ll be able to join in the parade. She’ll be riding in a classic MG convertible. “If I’m going to be Ms. Dunwoody Mom, I might as well fit the part,” she said.

Heneghan also is mom to Riley, 6 a kindergartner at Chesnut Elementary School and Gavin, 4 who attends preschool at Kingswood United Methodist Church. She noted that like her own mom, she likes to do things for others, especially parents who are in need of a little alone time. Heneghan is the co-organizer of the monthly Parents Night Out at All Saints Catholic Church. She also baby-sits regularly and is known for making meals for anyone in need of a cooking reprieve. “(My friends) call it the Kristin Meals on Wheels,” Heneghan joked. In addition to her culinary duties, she recently participated in the Team Dunwoody Body Works / Dunwoody Divas efforts to raise money for the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk. She has been team mom for Riley’s T-ball team, and serves as room mom for both son’s schools. On furlough from her job as a United Airlines flight attendant, Heneghan said she’s grateful to have the opportunity to focus her time on her family. I totally love being a mom, and I thank John everyday (because I’m) able to stay home with (my kids),” she said.

Dunwoody City Council Meeting agenda for Monday March 23, 2026 (Flock, Brookrun Lighting, GIS, Claratel Behavior Clinician for Police, Ballistic Windshields)

DUNWOODY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, March 23, 2026
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/83080467641 or  phone +14703812552,,83080467641#

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

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

PUBLIC COMMENTS - Public Comment allows the City Council the opportunity to listen to the public (3 minutes per speaker / 30 minutes total).

LifeLine Animal Showcase

Flock Safety Security Assessment with Council Matrix (Jill Dunn and Ginger LePage)

Windwood Hollow Park Tennis Court Resurfacing (Rachel Waldron)

Contract Award with Kaizen for Recreation Permit Software

Brook Run Park Phase 4 Lighting

Tree Management On-Call Contract

Corrective Easement with the DeKalb County Board of Education for the Dunwoody Nature Center 

Networking Infrastructure Maintenance Contract Renewal Network Security & Switching Support 

Sign Flock OS911 Contract (Chief Carlson)

Sign and Signal Maintenance Contract (Michael Smith)

GIS Services Agreement with Geographic Technologies Group (Ginger LePage)

Lease of Three (3) Replacement Printers for the Police Department (Ginger LePage)

Sign Claratel Health Clinician Agreement (Chief Carlson)

Purchase Ballistic Windshields (Chief Carlson)