Dunwoody Staff Out for Blood

LifeSouth, a non-profit, has a nice building and lot on Ashford Dunwoody Road, nearly across the road from city hall. Apparently they want to sell the building/lot to a developer. Non-profits need funding to operate.  (Sort of like when Spruill sold out and did a 99-year lease of their land for a hotel and restaurant because a condition of the land donation for Spruill Gallery prohibited a sale of the property. The true Spruill story blogpost is still in the works.)

The Developer seeking to buy the LifeSouth land is not really into hematology, but apparently into building low-income housing, using Federal financing. The developer needs a zoning change (to allow multi-story low income housing) to seal the deal on the 3+ acre property in Dunwoody's Ashford district. 

Last night the issue of the zoning change was brought to the city's Planning Commission. The Planning Commission is made up of Dunwoody residents (not Dunwoody bureaucrats).The members of the Planning Commission listened to 12 public speakers and heard the sales pitch from the applicant. The Planning Commission voted to defer (not deny) the change, keeping the issue alive until next month. But deferrals from this committee is akin to a polite way of saying no.  See application here: 

The city's Development Review Committee (can someone show me where this committee/minutes/agendas is listed on the city website?) voted to approve the zoning change.

According to RoughDraft's Cathy Cobbs (see HERE) informative article, the Development Review Committee (non-elected city staff) gave a thumbs-up on the project and ordered the ribbon and extra-large scissors for the ceremony.

The Developer  (Dominion) is most likely stunned at not getting the rubber stamp of approval.  How dare a committee of homeowners deny a company from building 220 subsidized Section 8 low-income housing units. LifeSouth is taken aback by this vote, for sure.  Did someone at city hall promise LS the zoning change?

What is odd is that the Development Review Committee approved this prior to the issue going to the Planning Commission.  Perhaps someone can fill us in on the role of the DRC.  City staff loves to make deals and promises.  Let's follow the money and see who makes the move to approve this project, despite overwhelming opposition from residents and the PC.

This timing of this zoning change request dovetails with the upcoming vote on the Dunwoody 2045 Comp Plan and a new UDO.  If the Comp plan and UDO is approved by city council, there will be little to no need for a meeting like the Planning Commission last night.  Under the new plan the Developer would be razing the LifeSouth building by now.

The LifeSouth lot is in the Ashford District of the Comp plan.  This is the area bridging high-density/high-crime Perimeter to the neighborhoods.  Let's see what the new Comp plan says about Ashford.

The plan makes it clear that a multi-story housing project with four floors is an approved use for this district.  End of story.  No need for approval.  No taxpayer committee review.  No city council approval.  The 2045 Comp Plan takes all decisions away from residents. 

This is not the first time city staff gives its approval for things taxpayers do not want.  Nor will it be the last.  Let's see which member(s) of city council pushes hard to suck the blood out of Dunwoody.

Agenda 2045 - the Destruction of Dunwoody?

The New World  Dunwoody Order is underway. First we had UN Agenda 21, a global initiative for cities like Dunwoody to condemn private property and homeownership, forcing everyone living in rural areas and suburban neighborhoods into a controlled urban setting.  Seemed unlikely to gain strength and make its way to Dunwoody, GA.  Then comes along The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda.

A whole urban system perspective A cities-based approach to sustainable development requires working in a relational manner, where each city plays an integral part in transitioning towards sustainability. If the 2030 Agenda requests leaving no one behind, it is only logical to request leaving no city behind. This means that all cities need to have capabilities and resources to offer their residents the opportunity to enjoy a meaningful, creative and prosperous life. The “every city matters” principle requires redistribution, sharing and discussion to favor the vulnerable parts in the urban system. While national political regimes vary greatly in their approaches, all governments can find the means to implement inclusive and just sustainability transitions across the whole urban system. National governments need to delegate to urban governments competence and enabling capacities, such as revenue generation authority and regulatory mandates, in order for them to be actively involved in a response to sustainability, unlock their potential and boost quality of life for citizens. Strengthened municipal finance and fiscal systems make cities more conducive to innovation and more attractive to people and businesses.

Dunwoody council and staff actually considering ruining our great neighborhoods?  Yes. Although the 2045 plan is draft only, there's a purpose for everything in that plan.

But before we dive into the Plan to Destroy Dunwoody, lets take a look at what is coming to the entire Dunwoody Village area.  Here's a post from a few years ago about the Shops of Dunwoody and Dunwoody West neighborhood.  Fast forward to news that an ASANA Partners, an apartment builder,  has acquired a huge chunk of land in Dunwoody.  

This strategic expansion underscores Asana Partners’ ongoing investment in high-traffic, mixed-use properties within growing urban neighborhoods.

Back in 2020 our city council quietly approved the Dunwoody Village Overlay District, opening the door for every parcel in Dunwoody Village to become high-density housing. The majority of parcels in the Village were never zoned for Residential use, but the 2020 changes gave a path for every parcel owner in that area to build high-density housing. In this rezoning our city staff used terms such as DV-1 (Village Commercial) and DV-2 (Village Office), but residential units are permitted in all areas of the Village, despite the district names. You believe traffic is bad now?  Wait until the Shops of Dunwoody becomes four-stories of housing, anchored at the bottom by empty commercial spaces.  Homeowners in Dunwoody West were royally screwed by the city's ZBA, allowing a loud dog business.  Dunwoody West homeowners will soon have more noise and more neighbors.  And if this 2045 Comp Plan passes, so will you.

Let's take a look at the Dunwoody 2045 Comprehensive Plan, a plan put forth by our own bureaucrats (elected and not elected) to add thousands of people, increase density, increase traffic, and destroy our neighborhoods.

UDO takes power away from residents and elected officials

Despite a lack of concern by residents for entry-level (aka Workforce Housing), the 2045 plan is opening the door to high-density infill across the city.

Here is where things really go awry for homeowners, starting at Section 3.2 (Page 67)

Us pesky homeowners and our "wariness of change" will be discarded, making room for row-houses replacing single family homes across the city - inside existing neighborhoods.

The infill of condos/townhomes/duplexes (now called 'house-scale plexes') will not be limited to main corridors.  It will permit two neighbors to sell their combined lots to a developer, allowing for high-density, entry-level housing, in every neighborhood.  

Throughout the Comp2045 plan is the term 'neighborhood transition'. That translates to 'building stuff that is not legal now, but we will make it legal'.  The neighborhood maps mean nothing once the bureaucrats added the term 'transition' area. The Comp plan talks about protecting neighborhoods, but the fine print says otherwise.

Look at the list of minor/collector  roads.  This is nearly the entire city. These roads are the boarders for nearly every major neighborhood in Dunwoody. This new plan will have a huge impact (negative) on your home values.  Developers are being given the weapon to destroy Dunwoody neighborhoods.

If passed as is, by 2045, expect thousands of apartments (and cars) throughout Dunwoody Village, and row houses (aka house-scale plexes) lining the streets like Chamblee Dunwoody (running from Redfield to Wynterhall) Dunwoody Club (Mill Glen to DCF).

Dunwoody Preservation Trust 2010 Publication

 

Lemonade Days 2005-07 Promotional Materials Dunwoody

 

1976 Dunwoody Parade - the First!

 

Lemonade Days of Dunwoody

 

Brook Run Playground Dunwoody 2005

Brook Run Playground opened a couple of water attractions back in 2005.  The tall man at the podium is former DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones.  Back in 2005 Vernon was a Democrat.  Years later he publicly transitioned to a Republican and big supporter of President Trump.  If you like the skate park and/or dog park at Brook Run, you can thank Vernon. The dog park was originally named for Vernon's dog. In 2005 DeKalb County still controlled Brook Run.  The county knew it had to spend some money here, so Vernon gave us two things that he knew would irritate many Dunwoodians - a loud dog park (with gallons of dog pee and pounds of dog poop going into the groundwater weekly, an environmental disaster that we kept)) and a concrete skate park.    It's no surprise Vernon is not mentioned by name in The Crier as he and Dick Williams were not best of friends. When Dunwoody was working on becoming a city, Vernon allegedly threatened to put the county-owned farmhouse (the other one) on a trailer and haul it to south DeKalb if Dunwoody pursued cityhood.  Vernon always had great comments when speaking abut Dunwoody.

“My administration was responsible for a lot of things getting done in this county … but I think the thing that most touched me that I will never forget is the dog park,” Jones said. “I opened the first dog park in DeKalb County, and we got together with some like-minded people in the Dunwoody area and we were able to put together, I believe, a fine plan on developing Brook Run that included the dog park.”

Jones encouraged the council to have “the wisdom of Solomon” in negotiating whether to move or maintain the dog park’s location.

“I understand there are some issues and you have to make some decisions, and certainly there was no intent to offend any of the homeowners,” Jones said. “We certainly want everyone to enjoy and appreciate it.”

 

Take note of the 6500-pound globe.  It was a cool water feature.  There were claims it was too difficult to maintain, and it disappeared.  The globe is rumored to be in the same secret location as the stained glass windows form the Brook Run theater; a no-humidity cavern 100 feet beneath the farmhouse. The only access to this cavern is kept secret by the Dunwoody Illuminati.  I was once given access after being blindfolded and taken down ancient stairs made of granite from Stone Mountain.  The cavern also holds several bars of gold and $4 million in Confederate bonds, being kept in reserve in case the next Parks and Trails bond fails.