Dunwoody The Year of Our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Eighty

 In 1983 the DHA started to investigate having the former Eidson Academy designated as an historical monument.  By this time the lot held a different school called Dunwoody Elementary School.  This site hosts the Dunwoody library and the Spruill Center for the Arts.

Dunwoody News July 1983

 The July 1983 DHA newsletter has a few interesting pieces of information.  There is mention of Players Video Arcade going out of business in 1983.  1983 was the death of many arcades due to home video systems gaining popularity.  Dunwoody's arcade was where the BP gas station is located (5400 Chamblee Dunwoody Road at Mt Vernon, across from Dunkin Donuts).  Tilt arcade was in Perimeter Mall.

There is also a mention of researching to classify the then Dunwoody Elementary School as a historical monument.  I'll post those documents soon.  Also mentioned for historical classification for the Spruell (sic) farm house and that Mr. Spruill wasn't a fan of the DHA.

Dunwoody DHA 1983

Let's take a peak at the newsletter for the DHA annual meeting in January 1983.  In the 80', 90's and up to about 2010, the DHA annual meeting would have hundreds of people in attendance.

On page 2, in the President's letter, Bernie Marino mentions a few projects in the works in Dunwoody. One is referred to as The Triangle.  Up until 1983, the triangle of land resembling an inverted scalene as viewed headed north, was a wooded lot.  A few old Crier articles mention the unkept nature of the triangle.  Later named Fairfield neighborhood, this area was the first townhouse community built in north Dunwoody.  It was a cause for concern at the time as it was not the traditional single-family home housing.  This is one of many projects by Jim Cowart.  During this time period Cowart was one of the top developers in the area.  He had many battles with the DHA.

Dunwoody Homeowners Association Early History

 The Dunwoody Homeowner's Association has been around for fifty-five years. It started with a large parcel of land behind the Dunwoody library (formerly a school).  Jim Cowart, a name synonymous with land, development, and money in Dunwoody, wanted to build high-density condominiums .  Local homeowners did not like this plan and organized against it. 

Above is what would be in place if the DHA did not fight these battles

The Cowart name should be familiar to those members of the Georgetown Rec Club/Pool.

Some early documents on Cowart and zoning in Dunwoody:

The Farmhouse Tea Shoppe

 The Farmhouse Tea Shoppe operated briefly out of the farmhouse at 5455 Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody.

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.