Dunwoody News: Memorial Day Ceremony, Weekend Concerts, Charter Commission, Court Amnesty Program and Construction Update

Memorial Day Ceremony

Monday, May 27

Join us as we hold a special ceremony remembering the armed service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. at Brook Run Park near the Veterans Memorial.

NEW Dunwoody Spotlight Video! Meet Brent Walker, Parks & Recreation Manager for the City of Dunwoody. Learn about the Parks and Recreation Department, what they do, and how you can become more involved.

Saturday, May 18: Nature Center Summer Concert The Dunwoody Nature Center brings back their popular summer concert series! The first concert features the band, The Bad Neighbors.  Bring a chair, blanket, and picnic dinner and enjoy a night of rockin' tunes in the shade of the newly restored meadow. The show begins at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 19: Nature Center Kids Concert Sunday afternoon is a family fun event featuring the songs and stories of Mr. Jason and Mr. Parker. Kids of all ages are welcome and the concert begins at 2 p.m. As always, ALL Nature Center concerts are FREE to members, $5 for non-members adults and $3 for students.

Tuesday, May 21: Design Review Advisory Committee Meeting The Design Review Advisory Committee meeting will begin at 12 p.m. at Dunwoody City Hall, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite #250. Click here for meeting agenda.

Wednesday, May 22: Charter Commission Meeting The Dunwoody Charter Commission meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Dunwoody City Hall, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite #250. Click here for meeting agenda. The Charter Commission to asking residents of Dunwoody to submit ideas and suggestions as the Commission continues the review of the City Charter. You can submit your suggestions to the Charter Commission by email at charter.commission@dunwoodyga.gov.

Thursday, May 23: Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays! No need to cook. Come out to Brook Run Park to feast on some of the best food truck cuisine in Atlanta. This foodie event, complete with live music, takes place  from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. and features a variety of new and different offerings each week. For more details contact event manager Bettie Cagle at bettie@redbirdeventsatl.com or (404) 754-3211.

Monday, May 27: Administrative Offices Closed for Memorial Day The City of Dunwoody administrative offices will be closed Monday, May 27, 2013 in observance of Memorial Day. Police, Fire and other services essential for public safety and health will remain open. City offices will resume regular hours Tuesday, May 28.

Dunwoody Municipal Court Holds Amnesty Program to Settle Outstanding Violations The City of Dunwoody Municipal Court is holding an Amnesty Program for individuals with past due traffic citations and/or active bench warrants for failing to appear in court. Amnesty will run during the months of June and July, 2013 at the Dunwoody Municipal Court located at 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 103, Dunwoody, Georgia 30346.  Individuals may walk-in to the Municipal Court on Monday and Wednesday-Friday during the hours of 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. only, no exceptions.

Georgetown Park Construction Update
Construction progress has taken off over the past month for the two sections of the new Georgetown Park. Immediately following the ceremonial groundbreaking the 16-acre area became an active construction site as crews worked on the central park square and the children’s playground.

Georgetown Park’s central park square is taking shape as crews grade and level the space for the expansive lawn and will soon pour the concrete for the foundations of the event pavilion and the bathroom facilities. The square will also house a pair of bocce courts and a custom art installation. Additional central park square construction preparations include pouring the adjoining concrete path eventually connecting to the Brook Run Park multi-use trail to create a 3.3 mile long trailway.

Crews have also graded and leveled the site of the children’s playground at Georgetown Park to make way for three separate play structures. In the coming weeks work will center on cement curbing and foundations for the bathroom facilities adjacent to the playground.

Once complete, both sections of the new park will be available for community-wide use and serve as the anchor public park space portion of the Dunwoody Green planned redevelopment. John Wieland Homes has established a presence on site to market the new home sites for Dunwoody Green, the planned collection of high-quality, owner-occupied new homes and townhomes to be interwoven with future retail development.

Brook Run Park Multi-Use Trail Update
To date, crews have poured approximately 1,900 feet of concrete for the 12-foot wide multi-use trail, signifying completion of more than 50 percent of the trail’s Phase I. Crews have poured concrete for the foundations of the bridge crossings constructed on the trail and plan to assemble the three wooden bridges at the crossings over the next several weeks.

Throughout the trail construction the City has consistently met all EPD requirements regarding erosion and sediment control. These compliance measures strictly adhere to Georgia EPD regulations and follow careful conformity with the approved trail path construction documents.

The City has surveyed the trail route for Phase II, a one mile, 12-foot wide multi-use concrete trail, which will connect with Phase I and complete an approximate 2 mile loop within the park. The next step for Phase II of the trail consists of preliminary design work, which will take place throughout the rest of May and into June.

The City of Dunwoody is committed to encouraging and facilitating active citizen engagement and plans to hold an open house in June to outline plans, answer questions and receive public input for Phase II of the 12-foot wide concrete multi-use trail. The City will advertise the planned open house meeting and notify the public once a date in June is established for the event. Throughout the Phase I & II multi-use trail construction, the City will continue to provide periodic updates to the public.

Sidewalk and Paving Improvement Projects
Work continues on several critical sidewalk projects as part of the City’s sidewalk improvement plan, created to provide an objective process to prioritize the City’s sidewalk projects.

The City has begun constructing the new sidewalk on Womack Road across from Dunwoody Elementary School and is in the process of constructing the retaining wall and remaining concrete sidewalk.

City crews will soon begin work on other planned sidewalk projects on Meadowlake Drive and sections of Valley View and Happy Hollow roads. Project construction work over the next several weeks includes:
• New curb, gutter and stormwater drainage improvements for Happy Hollow Road; This project will result in a continuous sidewalk on one side for the full length of Happy Hollow
• Sidewalk clearing and grading work as well as retaining wall construction on Vermack Road near Mount Vernon
• Initial preparations for new sidewalks along the length of Meadowlake Drive

More sidewalk improvements are on the way as the City Council agreed to fund $300,000 for sidewalks on Hensley Drive and Mount Vernon Way and a future evaluation of pedestrian safety improvements in school zones.

The Council also unanimously approved a contract for paving beginning in June. The City will repave roads according to its long-term paving schedule adopted by Council. You can review the City’s paving plans on our website at: http://www.dunwoodyga.gov/Departments/Public_Works/Paving.aspx.

Since 2009, the City has budgeted more than $1,499,000 in sidewalk improvements and $4,800,000 for repaving roads. To date the City has paved more than 24.1 lane miles of roads, fixed 1,100 potholes on City streets and laid or repaired more than 4.07 miles of City sidewalks all within the 13.2 total square miles of the City’s boundaries. This has been accomplished in a short timeframe with no tax increases.

Dunwoody Neighborhood Watch Update

Good Morning Neighborhood Watch,

Tuesday night we had a meeting of the Neighborhood Watch Coordinators.  We had a great turnout and it was a pleasure meeting everyone and putting a face to a name.  The Dunwoody Police Department is fortunate to have such an engaged and involved community of volunteers that are motivated to make this the best city around.  We appreciate your time and commitment to Neighborhood Watch and crime prevention.

For those who were unable to attend I have linked theagenda from our meeting as well as a summary from Rich Lapin (NWC Chestnut Forest).  Mr. Lapin did a great summary and explained the topics thoroughly.  Please see summary below.

“1. Crime Trends in Dunwoody: Part 1 Crime (murder, rape, etc.) was down 15% through April 2013 vs. a similar period last year.  In overview terms there are about 50 staff with Dunwoody PD who police  many neighborhoods, about 68 of which are on the neighborhood watch program.  They also are responsible for the safety of 47,000 people in our city.  As information, when you exclude DUI and traffic arrests from their totals, about 70% of crime is committed by peoplewho do not live here.  Lesson: we need to be vigilant about people who come here, aren’t familiar by sight to us, and act suspiciously.  More below.

Two issues merited comment:

    a) Solicitors: commercial solicitors are required to have City of Dunwoody licenses; religious groups are exempt.  Beware of unknown people coming through the neighborhood seeking to do work. Call 911.

    b) Tree cutting scam: we’ve already covered this but this effort involves a team where someone comes to your door and offers to do an estimate on tree work.  You walk with them, leave your door open or unlocked. One of their accomplices sneaks into your house to collect easy targets – electronics like computers, iPads, etc. Lesson: If you didn’t call them, don’t talk to them.  If they persist, call 911.

    Comment: People may be reluctant to call 911, please don't be!!  Both Chief Grogan and Officer Fecht were very open in the questions that came up.  They both echoed the same theme: you or I are not “bothering” them.  That’s why they’re there and they would rather respond to calls that aren’t serious knowing that in time, they will encounter a situation that required an officer. Both Chief and Officer Fecht encourage us to call. The worst thing that they can hear is a report about something a civilian like us saw and didn’t say anything until the next day.  Timing is everything on tips to them.

2. Increase watch participation: If you learn that a neighbor is not on our watch distribution, please have them contact me with their email address.  We’d like to have 100% participation with everyone who has a computer. We’re getting close to that.

3. Lock, take, hide: Chief encouraged everyone to lock his/her car on leaving, remove anything of value (purse, laptop, iPad), or hide anything that you can’t remove. The whole idea is to make your parked car less of a target than someone else’s in another neighborhood.  This is true even when you park your car in a carport or garage.  Also, keep the doors to your home locked when you leave – and when you’re home.

4.  End of school year tips now that kids will be at home during the day:

• Answer the door if someone knocks or rings the bell. Answer through the door without opening.  Be loud when you do.  These tips apply for kids, too.  They can say “My mom (or dad) can’t come to the door and I’ve got to take care of my pet pit bull. Down, boy! Come back later.”  Your home went from being a target to too much work for the bad guy(s). They will leave.
• Have kids play outside with other kids within a block of their houses.  There is safety in numbers.
• Have your kids give you a periodic check in call.  Pick a pattern that works for you.  If in doubt, use the Dr. Pepper rule: 10, 2, and 4.
• Teach kids to be aware of their surroundings.  If they are frightened about an external threat and alone, have them call 911.

5. Miscellaneous topics covered:

• Suspicious cars in the neighborhood: tips to look for are these: if there are multiple people in a car and they are more focused on you, call 911. If they are moving slowly and somewhat methodically through the neighborhood without stopping or getting out of the car, call 911.  If they pull into a driveway and don’t get out of the car, call 911.  The best rule of thumb is if you are suspicious, call 911.
• Vacation watch: The Dunwoody Police Department has a new system called Interactive Defense that allows you to enter and maintain your home watches and receive email and/or text message updates as your home is able to be checked. Simply go to www.dunwoodyids.com and click on "Not Registered? Click Here" in the upper right corner. Once you register you can go to the "Safety Center" tab and click on "Request a Home Watch" on the right of the screen. The Home Watch will directly link to the Dunwoody Police Officers who are on patrol.  The police departments website is: http://dunwoodyga.gov/Departments/Dunwoody-Police-Department.aspx.
• Bad weather alert: Chief said that there are a number of services available through the Dunwoody Alert program. More info is available online at: http://dunwoodyga.gov/Departments/Dunwoody-Police-Department/dunwoodyalertnetwork.aspx
• Alarm ordinance: This resulted from 4000 false alarms last year, 90% of which were human error.  The ordinance goes into effect on July 1.  They key elements are that owners will be able to register their alarm on the website.  The electronic portal for this service is still being put together. If you have an alarm, you are required to register it.  Noncompliance draws a $100 fine.  Each alarm owner will be allowed up to 2 false alarm calls in a year. If there is a third one, there is a $50.  In short, the system is designed to make people who create the problem and abuse the system, “pay” for their shortcomings on fine basis. More information coming soon!

6. Just Yell Fire: A watch coordinator in Wren’s Cross advised that there is a nationally recognized program designed for girls/ young women ages 11 to 19 to avoid situations where they could be victims of a sexual assault. It is scheduled for June 4 at 6:30 PM. More information on the session ($50 per girl, $35 for each additional sibling) is available from Jane Burdette at 404-557-5628, janeburdette@bellsouth.com.  For background on the program itself, visit www.justyellfire.org, an organization based in Vancouver, Washington.  The previous info is just background that I’m sharing, not an endorsement as I was not familiar with the program until this evening. If it’s not age relevant for your household, feel free to share it with others.  Note that class size is limited.”

Remember that there are multiple ways to connect to Dunwoody Police, please consider following us on:

Facebook

Twitter

Interactive Defense

Youtube

DPD website

Dunwoody Alert Network

If there are any questions please feel free to email or call me.

Thank you,

Officer Tim Fecht

Community Outreach

Public Information Officer

Dunwoody Police Department                           

41 Perimeter Center East, Ste. 100

Dunwoody, Ga 30346

Office: 678.382.6917

Timothy.Fecht@dunwoodyga.gov

www.dunwoodyga.gov

Interactive Defense

Facebook                                            

Twitter

Two design options for Brook Run Dog Park in Dunwoody

Concept A

Concept B

Please send your thoughts and feedback to parks@dunwoodyga.gov

http://www.dunwoodyga.gov/home/Project-Details/13-05-17/New_Brook_Run_Dog_Park.aspx

Dunwoody Council Video May 13 - Berman Commons Assisted Living Facility approved, Ashford Dunwoody hotel returned to Planning Commission, Food Truck Thursday Approved, make the streets of Dunwoody woody.

Video

Monday night was a work session with numerous item up for discussion and had just a couple of left over items from the last meeting to vote upon.  We Approved of the Berman Commons Assisted Living Facility on Womack with the conditions originally stated in the application.  With the recent ethics ordinance, we appointed two new alternate board members and reappointed two others.

The rezoning for the hotel on Ashford Dunwoody was remanded back to the Planning Commission for numerous reasons and I questioned whether the application process was fatally flawed enough to where the applicant should be required to resubmit a new application and go though the full cycle of a public meeting, community council, planning commission and then on to the city council.  In my opinion, the lack of substantive documents (deed to curb cut) in the original application, followed by numerous major cite changes along with errors in the application, raised enough questions in my mind as to the validity of the submission, and therefore should be forced to start over.  That being said, I am keeping an open mind and look forward to see where this is going and what will be submitted to the planning commission.

Dunwoody Food Truck Thursday was approved so mark your calendar for next Thursday, May 23rd at Brook Run from 6 to 9 pm.   Community - Food - Music is the tagline so please check it out on the last day of school.  (interested in providing food or music, contact Bettie at (404) 754-3211)

 The North DeKalb Fire Authority discussion centered around the pros and cons of joining together with our adjoining sister cities in DeKalb vs the cost and control of doing fire services our self.   A preliminary analysis of just a Dunwoody Fire Department was deemed as it being too expensive but if we go forward with a professional analysis of joining with other cities, Council recommended a professional analysis of what a Dunwoody Fire Department would cost at an appropriate level of service.   Point to remember, most people including council like DeKalb Fire Services but with tax increases in the fire district along with reductions in the level of service, we owe it to the residents to explore all options; and that is what we are doing.

We had a good discussion on the facilities improvement partnership program and will approve what was submitted but most of the discussion centered around those who did not apply, why they didn't apply and what needs do they have.

Finally, it my guess that we will approve Phase II of the Brook Run Trail to match phase I to be a 12 foot concrete path completing a 1.5 mile circular path all the way around the perimeter of Brook Run through the trees.  This discussion then morphed into the city's no net loss of trees policy whereby we will replace onto city property the same number of trees we removed.  Because Brook Run and our other parks would never be able to accept all of the trees, I mentioned that the city should explore a tree planting program throughout the city whereby residents could request a tree be planted in front of their house, but within the city right of way which is actually still considered city property.   After researching this subject, I believe the City of Chicago does this program as I imagined it and they even allow the resident (together with the City Arborist) to pick the type of tree.  Thoughts?

RIP Dr. Richard Reid - retired principal of Chesnut Charter Elementary

It is with great sadness that I share the passing of Dr. Richard Reid.
Please keep his wife and son (Maryann and Sam) in your prayers.

More information will follow in comments when available.

Dr. Reid previously served as a high school science teacher, an assistant principal at high school and elementary school levels and as an elementary school principal. He began his career in Dekalb County teaching science at Gordon High School in 1976. From 1986-1994, he taught science courses at Redan High School. Dr. Reid served as an assistant principal at Columbia High School and at Snapfinger and Pine Ridge Elementary Schools before being named principal at Forrest Hills Elementary School in 2001.

At Forrest Hills Elementary School, Dr. Reid and his staff implemented the America’s Choice Design for school improvement and Forrest Hills was recognized as a state demonstration school in 2003. In 2006, Dr. Reid and his staff were one of five Dekalb County Schools to institute Reading First in their kindergarten through third grade classes. Under his direction, Forrest Hills Elementary School made Adequate Yearly Progress for six consecutive years. In addition to the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards, he and his staff utilize Schoolwide Writing Fundamentals to enhance writing in their K-5 curriculum. Dr. Reid is a member of the National Association of Elementary School Principals and he served in 2007-2008 as the Region 4 President of the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals.

Dr. Reid retired on August 1, 2012 after being the principal at Chesnut Charter School for the past 4 years.
Since his retirement he has become involved in Education Consulting, assisting public and private schools with teacher and leadership development as well as school instructional design.

Tom Lambert, Inspiring Others to Action at Kingsley Charter Elementary wins National recognition as PTO Superstar Volunteer.

Tom’s Story:
Inspiring Others to Action

March 29, 2013

There are volunteers who like to help out behind the scenes, and then there are those who can inspire others to get up and do something. Tom Lambert is the rare volunteer who can do both. Lambert has motivated countless parents to volunteer more during his years as a parent at Kingsley Charter Elementary in Dunwoody, Ga., a suburb north of Atlanta.

“Captain Kingsley” is a prime example. Lambert is the mastermind behind the superhero mascot who has stirred up lots of excitement with his antics and captured the imagination of students and parents alike. While the identity of Captain Kingsley is a closely held secret, Lambert is the one who dreamed up the idea of a superhero appearing in videos to cheer on students and encourage families to attend school events. He writes basic scripts, shoots the videos, and edits them on his home computer.

This stay-at-home father of two recalls leaping into volunteering with a single bound the moment his son started preK. And while the boy has since moved onto middle school, Lambert is still a powerful presence at Kingsley, where his daughter remains a student. “I love doing things for the school that help make it a better place. I find it very rewarding,” he says.

He previously served as chairman of the charter council, which oversees the school’s charter and doubles as a parent group. School spirit and participation lagged at the time, so the council issued a challenge to parents to volunteer for at least twice the school’s required hours. “The idea was once we got people more involved, they’d stay more involved, and it really worked,” Lambert says. But how could they keep the momentum going? The situation was thus primed for Captain Kingsley, the school’s very own superhero, to arrive upon the scene.

Captain Kingsley and his more recently added sidekick, Princess Comet, appear in videos broadcast during morning announcements. They promote upcoming school events with a special emphasis on fitness and occasionally show up in person the day of. Students can’t seem to get enough of their capers, nor can parents who have been able to watch the duo in action on YouTube. In the videos, Captain Kingsley wears his trademark red hooded cape and wide belt emblazoned with a flaming letter K. He always sports sunglasses to maintain an aura of mystery.

Lambert’s not revealing the identities of Captain Kingsley or Princess Comet. That’s all part of the fun. One thing is certain, however—the dynamic team have done much to advance programs like Walking Wednesdays, one of Lambert’s pet projects.

Most Wednesdays you’ll find Lambert and a core group of parents shepherding students through the streets of Dunwoody and safely onto the Kingsley campus. Lambert jump-started the idea of walking to school five years ago, mainly to promote fitness but also to alleviate traffic congestion. The program proved so popular, other schools in the area were soon seeking out Lambert’s advice on how to implement it at their own facilities. He was recognized by the City of Dunwoody as the Sustainable Hero of 2012 because of his work with the schools and the Safe Routes to School program.

Lambert’s enthusiasm is contagious. It has trickled down to kids who now walk to school whether it’s Wednesday or not. It’s apparent when students and parents alike eagerly await the next installment of the adventures of Captain Kingsley and Princess Comet.

Of his volunteering efforts, Lambert has this to say: “It may sound like a cheesy cliché, but I get more out of it than I put into it. I really do.” It’s apparent to even a casual observer that Kingsley has gained much from this volunteer parent whose dedication clearly has no bounds.   Full Details from PTO.

Writer: June Allan Corrigan
Photo credit: Robin Nelson

Dunwoody Government 101 Class registration is open. Informative to all, especially those thinking of running for Dunwoody City Council in the Fall.

2013 GOVERNMENT 101 PROGRAM

Free nine-week course offers City residents opportunity to learn about Municipal Government

Dunwoody, GA – May 09, 2013 – The City of Dunwoody opens registration for its free, nine-week, 2013 Government 101 course.  Now in its second year, the Dunwoody Government 101 course is designed to enhance residents’ understanding of city government and offers the community a chance to experience and discover the primary undertakings of the City.

Dunwoody’s Government 101 series provides participants with a look inside each of the City’s departments through a lively blend of demonstrations, presentations, and tours, all conducted in a casual format at numerous sites throughout the City. Participants are offered in-depth awareness and knowledge of local government operations as well as a greater understanding of how to get involved in local civic and community affairs.

Classes for the nine-week 2013 Government 101 series will be held Tuesday evenings beginning July 2, and concluding Tuesday, August 27. The sessions are free to attend and open to Dunwoody residents’ ages 18 and older.

Interested participants should complete the Dunwoody Government 101 application available online at Dunwoodyga.gov, or at City Hall. Completed forms may be sent to Edie Damann at edie.damann@dunwoodyga.gov, dropped-off, or faxed to 678-382-6701.

Please be aware class size is limited and the deadline for application submission is June 4, 2013.

New Brook Run Dog Park in Dunwoody - Open House - Thursday May 16, 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m

 

 Date: Thursday May 16, 2013 

Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

Location: Brook Run Park (Current Dog Park Location) 

4770 North Peachtree Road Dunwoody, GA 

Join City staff for an open house to learn more about the design and relocation of the new Dog Park at Brook Run Park. View the different design options and share your ideas for potential additional amenities.

Video

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Monday - Financials, Berman Commons, Ashford Dunwoody Hotel project, Food Truck Thursday, North DeKalb Fire Authority, Facilities improvement & Brook Run Trail part two.

Monday, May 13th
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 6 PM

Agenda 7 PM

 

Discussion and resolution of Appointment of Members to Board of Ethics for a three year term..

Update on the CAD-to-CAD Interface Project.

 

Presentation of 2013 Financial Report through March 31, 2013.

 

ACTION ITEM: Approval of Land Development Waiver Request for Property Generally Located at 5342 Tilly Mill Road and 2026 Womack Road.

 

FIRST READ: RZ 13-051: 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 Office-Commercial-Residential Conditional (OCRc) to Office-Commercial-Residential Conditional (OCRc) to Allow For a Change of Previous Conditions.

FIRST READ: SLUP 13-051: Pursuant to the City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance, Applicant,
HDP Acquisitions, LLC c/o Hotel Development Partners, LLC, Seeks a Special Land UsePermit For a Change in the Maximum Allowable Building Height of Two-Stories to Six-Stories.

Discussion and ACTION ITEM: Request from Dunwoody Homeowner's Association for City to Co-SponsorSpecial Event.

 

Discussion of North DeKalb Fire Authority.

 

Discussion of Facilities Improvement Partnership Program. (Nature Center $109,000, Spruill $25,000 & Dunwoody Senior Baseball $40,000)

 

Discussion of Agreement Amendment for Department of Natural Resources Recreational Trails Program Grant for Brook Run Trail Phase II.