Dunwoody Music Festival; Update from Councilman Shortal; Dunwoody Singers at Hawks Game

This Saturday and Sunday at Brook Run Park is the first annual Dunwoody Music Festival.  The festival not only includes an array of music from mostly local bands, but a Chili Cook-Off, a fireworks show on Saturday night and the unvailing of the city's new branding.  For the complete schedule, click here or on the photo above.  This morning's edition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution had a nice story on the festival.

By Bo Emerson

Look at Dunwoody, only two years old, and growing up fast. 
Having acquired all the trappings of a modern urban center, now Dunwoody is stepping up to give Atlanta a run for its money.

So, you miss the Midtown Music Festival, which disappeared five years ago? Come to the Dunwoody Music Festival, a two-day smorgasbord of musical acts playing country, rock and roll, jazz, a capella vocals, bluegrass, beach music, folk, opera, flute choir, big band, percussion and pretty much every musical form except polka. The festival begins Saturday, from 10 a.m. to dusk, and continues Sunday, noon to 6 p.m


Julie Gribble on the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Organizers expect up to 20,000 visitors to Dunwoody’s Brook Run Park, also known as Liane Levetan Park, with events also staged at Georgia Perimeter College and some churches.  They describe the festival as a good way to grow the community. But there is also the suggestion that Dunwoody will jump in if Atlanta offers an opening. Click here to read the full story.
Click here to read the full story.

Among those performing at the festival is homegrown singer-songwriter Julie Gribble, who recently performed live on the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson (click on the photo above to watch).

Update from Councilman Shortal

Fellow Citizens ... The following are some items of interest:

1. Voting ... Election day is 2 NOV 2010 and IMO this is one of the most important elections in recent history. On 2 NOV you can vote at your normal polling place. To see a complete ballot for your polling place go to ... http://www.sos.georgia.gov/MVP. Prior to election day there are other ways to vote:

Dennis Shortal

a. You can vote in person absentee at the DeKalb County Election Headquarters at 4380 Memorial Dr (just inside I-285) thru this Saturday (yes Saturday) from 8 AM to 5 PM. You can do advanced voting from 25 OCT to 29 OCT from 7AM to 7PM at the same location.
b. From 25 Oct to 29 OCT additional advanced voting places will be open ... the closest one to us is the Chamblee Civic Center, 3540 Broad St, Chamblee, GA 30341 and the hours are 7AM to 7PM.
c. You can also go to the following website for the form to fill out to request an absentee ballot be mailed to you ... Absentee Ballot Application .... send you request to DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections, 4380 Memorial Dr, Decatur, GA 30032. A ballot will then be mailed to you. Fill your ballot in and mail it back. Remember your ballot must be received by the close of business on 2 NOV 2010 to be counted.
d. You can call also call DC at 404-298-4020 to request an Absentee Ballot Application be sent to you and when your application is received follow the directions in (c) above for returning your application and ballot. Remember the 2 NOV deadline above.

As I have said before all of us have been to the polls and have heard of few, if any, of the candidates that are running for an office. Please take it for what it is worth ... the following are the candidates I will be supporting and that I believe are worthy of your consideration:  (to read the rest of Councilman Shortal's update including his endorsements, click here).

Dunwoody Singers to perform at Hawks Game

The Dunwoody Elementary School Singers will be singing the National Anthem at the Atlanta Hawks game against the Milwaukee Bucks at 7 pm on January 11th.  The school is selling tickets in section 309 for $21, which includes a free Joe Johnson jersey!  Contact Mrs. Miller at the school for more information.

I am not a great picture taker (part of why I hire a professional to take my real estate photos), but I did capture the photo above yesterday of the Hooch at Rivermont Park, off Barnwell Rd. just north of Holcomb Bridge. What an amazing day to be outdoors - and expect more of the same all week. There is a 30 percent chance of rain on Wednesday morning, but otherwise the 7-day forecast calls for highs in the 70's and lows in the mid-40's.

Dunwoody Transportation Plan

The City of Dunwoody is holding a community workshop tonight at city hall to discuss the comprehensive transportation plan. If the meeting is similar to the ones on Georgetown and Dunwoody Village - it will be worth attending. Those meetings were truly interactive. Click here for more information.

Archbishop Bids Farewell

All Saints Church bid an emotional farewell to Archbishop Emeritus John Donoghue on Sunday. The 82-year old Donoghue, who is retiring to St. George Village in Roswell, has been at the Dunwoody Church since 2005 after yielding the top job in the Atlanta Archdiocese - a position he held for 12 years.

Dunwoody High Homecoming

This is Homecoming weekend for Dunwoody High School. Yesterday was the homecoming parade down Vermack Rd., from Chamblee Dunwoody to the high school. This evening, in its homecoming game, Dunwoody (2-4) plays host rival Marist (5-1) at North DeKalb Stadium.

Chick-Fil-A in Dunwoody

Are you in favor of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in the location of the old Blockbuster at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Dunwoody Club Forest? Chick-fil-A is in serious discussions with the owner of the property, and public meetings are forthcoming.

While some residents have expressed their concerns, Dunwoody Homeowners Association board member Dennis Crean took an informal survey to get the pulse of nearby neighbors. Dennis spoke with 35 residents - 34 said they favored the Chick-fil-A; one said they were not sure.

If the nearby neighbors are in favor - then so am I! The Chick-fil-A on Mt. Vernon Highway at Perimeter Point has proved to be a valuable asset to community, and from what I'm told, the same management team will run the proposed location at Williamsburg.

One of the issues concerning a Chick-fil-A at that location is increased traffic. The photo above shows a proposal by another member of the DHA (no, this is not in the plans, simply one man's thoughts) to re-route Jett Ferry Rd., lining it up with North Peachtree Rd. To do this, a corner of the old Ace Hardware would have to be demolished. I'm not sure the owner of the property would favor this, but it does, on the surface, seem to make sense.

Springfield Construction Update; Men's Night with The Crier's Dick Williams

The new construction at 4899 Springfield Dr. is well underway (elevation sketch above). The footings and foundation have been poured, and framing is scheduled to start next week. Builder/owner Ken Mooney tells me the 4-bedroom, 3-1/2 bath home will have 3,750 heated square feet on the main two levels, with 1,850 square feet in the basement. The home will be Energy Star-rated, and soon will be listed for $749,000. Ken has two similar homes in the Oak Grove area that are nearing completion - if a prospective buyer wants to view, first hand, the level of finishes (floor plans below).

Crier Editor Speaks at Men's Club

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I was at the All Saints Men's Club dinner on Monday evening to listen to featured speaker Dick Williams, editor of The Crier, Dunwoody's neighborhood newspaper for over 30 years (Dick has owned the paper since 1996). Dick took a few moments to give me grief about my Longhorns two-game losing streak, but spent most of the night talking politics - his favorite subject. If you've never met Dick, it doesn't take long to realize he's as conservative as they come. On the national scene, Dick predicted the Republicans will pick up at least 50 seats to take control of the US House, and said the GOP will come close to gaining control of the Senate as well. For more of Dick's political views, watch The Georgia Gang on WAGA-Fox 5, every Sunday morning (of course you can also hear Dick sing with the church choir every Sunday at the 10:30 Mass at All Saints).

City Council Meeting; Dunwoody Real Estate

City Council Meets

The Dunwoody City Council meets this evening, a special voting session followed by the regular work session. The council is schedule to vote on the repaving of Dunwoody Club Forest, a join venture with Sandy Springs. Also there will be more discussion on Dunwoody's sign ordinance - if you've got sleep issues this is the part of the meeting you'll want to attend (Councilors, I say this in jest)! For detailed information on tonight's agenda, see Councilman John Heneghan's site.

Dunwoody Real Estate

There are currently 161 active listings in Dunwoody, in the 30338 zip code, ranging in price from $1,568,000 to $145,000. To view all of the active listings, click on the first link below. To do a CMA (comparable market analysis) of the active listings, click on the second link.

Buyer Short Report CMA Buyer

There are currently 17 homes under contract, which is consistent with our market statistics; right now, about one in 10 homes on the market is selling, which tells us that is it still very much a buyer's market and that not much has changed in the past 18 months.

What has changed is that interest rates are at all-time record lows. Currently, rates for 30-year fixed loans is under 4 percent! I never thought I would see that. If you need a reliable lender or know of someone buying or selling a home, please give me a call at 404.644.5220 or email me at bobfiscella@kw.com.

Variance Won, Police Release Interactive System

Hogan's Get Variance

It wasn't a standing-room only gathering at the Council Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall for Thursday night's Zoning Board of Appeals hearing. But it felt like it. And it felt like Laura & Ben Hogan, our neighbors at 4800 Summerford Dr., were on trial for their lives. The Hogan's have out-grown their home, and the only way they could comfortably remain in Springfield was an addition. But to add on to their home, the Hogan had to file for a stream buffer variance, as a large portion of the addition was within 75 feet of the "stream" that lines the east end of their property (see previous blog for more on the stream). The city had recommended to the ZBA that the variance be denied.

City Planner Howard Koontz handles such variances, and I believe Howard's denial of the Hogan's request was legitimate based on what is written in the code. Most everything Howard wrote in his decision was accurate (he did make a couple of mistakes, which he admitted at the hearing). However, while Howard's decision was based on strict code, it lacked some logic. As well as a little common sense. Howard wrote that there were other areas of the Hogan's yard, outside the stream buffer, which could easily handle the addition. That is true. However, to do so, the Hogan's would have to build their additional bedroom off the kitchen. Doesn't make much sense.

Howard also wrote, "The applicant is requesting permission to erect a structure almost entirely in the stream buffer." Again, Howard is correct. However, this is the crux of the matter. The stream in question is not a stream at all (although identified as a stream by our governing bodies). It is a ditch that only contains water after it rains. And within a couple of hours, the water is completely gone.

Well the seven-member ZBA, made up of respected Dunwoody residents, obviously let common sense rule the day. After hearing from an eloquent Ben Hogan, as well as neighbors Josh Sacks, Drew Engle, Ross Lane, Anne Davenport and Mike Volan, the board began its deliberations. In his opening remarks, board member Bill MaCahan said, "I've never seen such support for a neighbor!" Bill not only was referring to the 20+ neighbors that attended the hearing (all in favor of the Hogan's receiving their variance), but all the emails that poured in. The die was cast.

The board ruled 7-0 in favor of the Hogan's. And with that, expect the construction of their addition to begin soon!

Dunwoody Police Introduce Interactive Defense System

The Dunwoody Police Department is releasing a new web-based information system. The department has been testing Interactive Defense. It will greatly increase two-way communications between the Dunwoody Police and the citizens.


Some of the highlights of this program are:

• Individual accounts for every resident to receive e-mails directly from Dunwoody officers.
• Residents can choose to receive wanted person, missing person and suspicious person lookouts via text message, email or both. If someone has information, they can share it, anonymously if they choose to, directly with the detective/officer that is handling the case.
• Residents will be able to enter and maintain their own vacation watches for their homes. These requests will go directly to the officers on the street. Residents will have the option of receiving text message, email alerts or both, as the officers are able to check their home.
• Residents can enter their serial numbers into their “File Cabinet,” which stores them into a secure database. This information can be recalled later, by the owner, from any Internet connection.

The police department encourages all Dunwoody citizens to log onto: Live Interactions and create their account so the department can communicate more effectively and efficiently.

If you have any questions or concerns contact (678) 205-6470, or william.furman@dunwoodyga.gov

Dunwoody E-Newsletter, Springfield Variance, Georgetown Master Plan

The City of Dunwoody's October E-Newsletter is out. To view it - click here or on the photo above.

Stream Buffer Variance

Tonight the City of Dunwoody's Zoning Board of Appeals will hear from Springfield neighbors Laura & Ben Hogan as the seek a stream buffer variance to allow for a very nice addition to their home at 4800 Summerford Dr. The city is recommending to the board that the variance be denied. However, the city, in its report, appears to have made a couple of significant mistakes concerning the addition. In the city's recommendation, it says the addition will be constructed within 25 feet of the stream (and I use the word stream lightly as water is only present in the "ditch" when it rains). According to the plans, the addition would be no closer than the current structure, which is approximately 55 feet. Huge difference. Also the addition does not include a massive patio within the boundary of the stream buffer (75 feet from any stream). The plans call for the patio to be outside the buffer and much smaller than reported by the city.

The way I see it, allowing the Hogan's addition is a "no-brainer" for Springfield residents. It not only increase the value of the neighborhood, but it does not encroach on any neighbor’s property and it does not compromise the characteristics of the neighborhood.

If you agree and have the time, please email the Zoning Board of Appeals (which the board welcomes) at zoningboardofappeals@dunwoodyga.gov and/or come to tonight's hearing at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 41 Perimeter Center East, Dunwoody, Georgia 30346.

Georgetown Meeting



The City of Dunwoody held its 2nd public workshop on the Georgetown/North Shallowford Master Plan last night at Peachtree Charter Middle School. About 60 residents were in attendance. The meeting started with a summary of the survey residents completed during the first meeting last month. There was a total of 94 surveys. Councilman John Heneghan has posted all the results on his Dunwoody North blogsite. Click here for the 84-page Powerpoint presentation of the survey and how residents responded to a series of pictures - asked to score between 1-to-5 on what they would like the Georgetown/North Shallowford area to look like in the future. The presentation gets very interesting starting with slide 12.

After this summary, those in attendance broke into four groups of 10-15 people. Each group sat at a table with a facilitator. They were asked to place, within the Georgetown district, where they would like to see senior housing, residential housing mix use, civic buildings, and open space.

Looking at the results afterward, it was surprising to see the consistency among the four groups. Most favored senior housing (independent living, empty-nester type housing) in the area near the Atrium because of its proximity to Kroger and other shopping, or where the old Shallowford hospital was located.

Most saw civic buildings including city hall/police station in the pipe-farm area. Also, most wanted bike lanes and better pedestrian amenities along the major roadways. Many of the areas within the district were deemed to be long-term redevelopment opportunities because of current ownership. An example of this was the Georgia Power property and the old Shallowford School, which DeKalb County School System has showed no interest in selling. These areas were dismissed as being on any short-term redevelopment wish list.

School Board Election; Kingsley Festival

As the November elections approach, one of the most important races is that for DeKalb County School Board, District 1. It is important because it not only concerns the education of our children, but how our school taxes dollars are spent as well as our property values.

Last week there was a candidate forum at Dunwoody City Hall which, I'm told, only a dozen or so people attended (video available on John Heneghan's website). There is another forum tomorrow, Thursday, October 7, from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the DeKalb Medical Center, Main Campus, in the Hospital Theater Auditorium on the ground floor (click here for more information).

I will not be able to attend tomorrow night's forum, however I plan to go to the Dunwoody Homeowners Association's candidate forum at 7 pm, Tuesday, October 26 at Dunwoody United Methodist's Fellowship Hall. It will not only feature the three candidates for the school board post, but the two candidates running for our Dunwoody seat in the Georgia Senate and Georgia House. All the candidates for these positions have given written notice that they will be in attendance.

By the way, one of the best websites to keep up with Dunwoody schools is DeKalb School Daze.

Kingsley Fall Festival

Looking for cost-effective entertainment this weekend? Kingsley Charter Elementary School is hosting its Fall Festival this Saturday from 10am-2pm. For more information - click here.

Update from Councilman Wittenstein

Dear Dunwoody Friends and Neighbors,
There is a lot going on in Dunwoody, all of it good.
We have begun work on master redevelopment plans for Georgetown and Dunwoody Village. Both of these are aging 1970’s strip shopping centers and will be ripe for redevelopment in a few years once the economy recovers. Keeping in mind that we don’t own the property in these commercial centers, this process allows us to develop a community vision outlining what we would like to see. We can then present this to the property owners and say, “if you build this, we will streamline approval.” It is an exciting process and it challenges us to think creatively about what we would like Dunwoody to be like in ten or twenty years. You can find out more, and provide input online, at these two links: Dunwoody Village and Georgetown.

We are deep in the budget process for 2011. We are not planning a tax increase for either homeowners or businesses. This will be the first year in which we have all of our revenue sources in place and we will have completed most of the expense associated with our city’s start-up. These numbers could change because we are still discussing the budget but it looks like we will invest $1.8 million in repaving (up from $750,000 this year), $350,000 in constructing new sidewalks (up from $170,000 this year) and an additional $200,000 in engineering studies to improve problem intersections (actual construction to be budgeted in 2012).

The biggest item for discussion is whether or not to expand the police department by ten percent with the creation of a new four-person unit focused just on traffic enforcement. This plan would ratchet-up the number officers enforcing our traffic laws and issuing citations It would also free up other officers to focus on crime and crime prevention.

Mayor Ken Wright gave a speech earlier this month at the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce annual dinner and challenged us all to start a dialog on parks. We are horribly underserved when it comes to greenspace. We have Brook Run, which remains largely undeveloped, and the Dunwoody Nature Center/Dunwoody Park ball fields—and that is about it. Our annual budget can provide operational expenses and very modest improvements to our existing parks. However, if we want to create new parks, develop Brook Run, create walking and biking trails and greenways it will require a commitment from Dunwoody residents and commercial property owners. That commitment would be in the form of a parks bond issue.
There are quite a few pieces of property available today at bargain prices because of the economy. We may have an opportunity to transform Dunwoody into a place rich in parks and trails. We can also develop and enhance Brook Run, the Dunwoody Nature Center, the Donaldson-Bannister House and the North DeKalb Cultural Arts Center.

No one is talking about putting a bond referendum on the ballot in 2011, but we may want to engage in a discussion and perhaps move towards a voter referendum sometime in 2012 or 2013. Long before that, we will have public forums and develop ways for residents to provide their thoughts. We have started the process of putting together a long-term parks master plan which will help us see where we are and will allow us to look at what we may (or may not) want to implement. This is not something that will be decided by me, the mayor, or the city council; this would be something decided by the voters of Dunwoody.

Regards,
Robert