Perimeter / Dunwoody Bike to Lunch with Mayor Davis

In celebration of Bike Month, the City of Dunwoody Sustainability Commission is hosting a Bike/Walk to Lunch Day on Friday, May 17th. Bring your bike (or your walking shoes) to the City Hall parking lot at 10:30 and ride with city officials to lunch at Tin Lizzy’s. Enjoy the fresh air and friendly atmosphere while promoting pollution-free transportation. The one mile ride will take place entirely within dedicated bike lanes and end with delicious food and great conversation. Tin Lizzy’s will provide free chips and salsa and a 10% discount for all participants.

WHEN: 
Friday, May 17 at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: 
City Hall—41 Perimeter Center East

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 
Contact City of Dunwoody at 678-382-6811

Kindly RSVP at one of the below websites.

Eventbrite Registration: http://dunwoodybiketolunchday.eventbrite.com/

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/591213707569464/

Perimeter / Dunwoody Bike to Lunch with Mayor Davis

Can We Talk??? Dunwoody's Parks

Inner city getto, or showcase amenity in an affluent community?

In November, 2011 the Dunwoody's Parks Bond Referendum was defeated. Afterward, I posted the following thoughts to my Facebook account. I'm posting this here in hopes that our elected officials and the leadership of the city staff will decide that it's time to allow the citizens to have a seat at the table and have a conversation. We're a SMART City. So let's leverage that brainpower and take action.

If you have about 40 minutes, check out the above video for a detailed presentation introduced by former State Senator, Dan Weber. 

Yes, we're getting some new parkspace in the Georgetown area in Project Renaissance, and that's wonderful. But what about saying "where do we go from here"? What about Windward Hollow, Perimeter Park and the others? Yes, we don't even have a single public basketball court for our kids to play on. A couple of sand volleyball courts would be too easy to construct. 


Recently, a friend had a photo taken of her on Facebook (See top photo). She was sitting on the steps in front of a brick building. The windows were boarded up. There was graffiti on the walls and the exterior of the building was rusted and in disrepair. I HONESTLY thought she was in some run-down desolate inner-city area. But looking at the description, she was in Brook Run park! Would you see someone taking a photo in front of these abandoned, eyesore buildings & sending them to our local publication for a "Where in the World" are you photo op? 

Would a Realtor take a prospective homebuyer into our parks & show them off as they exist today? 

Yes, we do have some nice features to display -- IF you squint & keep a narrow field of vision. 

Facts:

• The median household income of Dunwoody is over $74,000. Nearly DOUBLE the state's average. 

• I pay more for garbage pickup than I do in City property taxes. 

I'm willing to fork over another $40-50 per year to INVEST in our parks, to make all of them a source of PRIDE for our community, and for prospective residents & businesses to see these & say, "yes, this is an even better place to live". 

What was that mantra for our incorporation again? -- Oh yeah: Parks, Police & Paving. Let's start the conversation. 

Here's what I said in November, 2011:

#1: Start the community conversation with Public Open Houses. Go over the Parks Master Plans. For each park, come up with two lists: a) a overall Top Ten of the 10 BEST projects / things that each park could have regardless of cost or scope. b) Then make a second top 10 list list -- but this time it would be focused on the lowest cost items, things that could be done through volunteers, donations in-kind, public-private partnerships, rather quickly, etc.

#2: Establish a legitimate 501c(3) non-profit "Friends of Dunwoody Parks" whatever. Use this non-profit to be able to seek out private donations, grants, etc. Donations in kind or cash, etc. for park amenities through this non-profit would then be a tax deduction for donors. Get some type of formal city-recognized partnership & understanding with this non-profit so that when they (for example) install a new swingset in a park, it won't be ripped out in a year because it wasn't in the city plan.

#3: Head on over to some of the big Fortune 500 companies in the PCID (ask Yvonne to introduce) and pitch the plan and see what they say. For more active recreation uses, if accessible for their employees, these corporations would have a buy-in (Healthier employees are less expensive).

#4: Educate the public about our millage rate, revenue, budget, & expenses by department / major activity. The more they understand how LOW our millage rate is, and what we are able to to -- and NOT do, the better we can create priorities and come to a consensus.

#5: IF talk ever came about for another bond, FIRST have lots of public meetings, formally establish a citizen's review & oversight board for full accountability and transparency, come up with a definitive project list THEN write the proposal for the referendum and the bond. --- Just my 2 cents....

Can We Talk??? Dunwoody's Parks

Another Problem with Drive-Thrus

Car making a 3-point turn to access the drive-thru from the interior of the Williamsburg Shopping Center

First off, I want everyone to know that I LOVE Chick-fil-a and will be frequenting here frequently.

Now please take a look at the short video below I took this afternoon of the Grand Opening of the new Chick-fil-a on Jett Ferry in Dunwoody. It clearly demonstrates to you the problems that are faced by small independently-owned slivers of land within the interior of existing shopping areas without coordinating with the adjacent land owners. You’ll see how there’s issues with the circulation of cars coming in from the interior of  the rest of the Williamsburg shopping center property, which is owned by others. 

Most people would think that an entire shopping center is owned by a single company -- or at least managed by a single group. But that isn't the case. It's also true at Dunwoody Village, with a gazillion independent owners. But -- and I'll go out on a limb here -- I bet that when the entire area was FIRST developed, it WAS owned by a single developer. And then subdivided and sold off into pieces...

Did you know that the little self-standing ATM drive-thru adjacent to this is independently owned? Also the piece of land when Nell's Produce is, is ALSO yet ANOTHER property owner??? Crazy, eh??? 

Couldn’t we have asked Chick-fil-a to coordinate with the adjacent property owners and develop a holistic plan to accommodate traffic from the interior?

Imagine the problems at the "to-be-redeveloped" Sterling Pointe on Ashford-Dunwoody after they subdivide & split all of the separately-owned retail parcels, as well.

There’s also no safe pedestrian access off of Jett Ferry, even though their parcel goes right up to the road.

And no rack to secure and lock a bicycle. (Also been waiting on Marlows to install theirs since they opened – per the Village Overlay District Ordinance, and I’ve asked at Farm Burger, Workout Anytime, etc…).

And, to add insult to injury, they don't have my beloved Coleslaw on the menu!!

Another Problem with Drive-Thrus

Will the Dunwoody City Government Actively Encourage Bicycling???

You ever think that officially the City of Dunwoody will ever do anything to promote bicycling as a healthy lifestyle? Installing bike lanes as the norm– just like sidewalks – will help, but simple events, PR notices, etc. like the below link from Decatur make a difference. Decatur’s General Fund Budget, including Fire is $20M. Dunwoody's 2012 General Fund is $20M -- WITHOUT Fire. With the same money, Decatur has an Active Living Department. Why don’t we???

A small example is that in 2011 I helped to put on two Bike Safety Rodeos for kids. It really wasn't very difficult at all. Had the support of Brent Walker at Parks & Rec Department, The Police & Explorers, Women’s Club & even a woman from the DeKalb County Public Health (Safe Kids). I didn't try to do one in 2012… and it didn't happen.

We can’t rely on volunteers for everything all the time. What if volunteers start travelling more for their day job? What if all of a sudden their work requirements substantially increase? What if they move away from Dunwoody? We simply cannot rely on volunteers to act as free labor and run all of this stuff  into the foreseeable future  

Could we get a City staff person assigned to work a few hours hours per week (or month) as a Bike-Ped Coordinator?  Should we just toss out the 2009 Resolution on Becoming a Bike Friendly Community? 

We can’t just think some free volunteers are going to show up out of the blue & solve everything for us.

I want to be able to work hard, full time 40-60 hours per week at my paying day job, including business travel and to come home and enjoy deserved amenities of the community where I live.

I want to see something systemic, programmatic and budgeted from the City of Dunwoody to support and encourage bicycling, like they're doing Decatur with the same amount of funds:

http://neighbornewspapers.com/bookmark/22427285/article-Decatur%20to%20celebrate%20National%20Bike%20Month%20with%20activities#.UYGXA1djxJk.facebook

Will the Dunwoody City Government Actively Encourage Bicycling???

Why I do what I do

Photo by Cameron Adams

A picture speaks a thousand words. This is an example of what is possible here in Dunwoody. This is why I do what I do. 'Nuff said...

From Momentum Magazine article on Savannah: http://momentummag.com/articles/savannah/

Why I do what I do

Complete Streets Continues in Dunwoody: Womack Road

Since adopting the Complete Streets Policy in 2011, the City of Dunwoody has been very effective into taking account all users of our streets during Public Works projects. We've seen Road Diets on Perimeter Center East (4 lanes reduced to 2, with added Bike Lanes, just for the cost of paint & some signs); Bike lanes appearing magically on North Shallowford with no additional engineering other than re-striping after re-paving; the addition of Bike Lanes and a lovely meandering sidewalks among the trees on a half-mile segment Mt. Vernon (that segment did require widening of the road). And also one of the VERY FIRST projects to add bike lanes was about a mile-long segment on Roberts Drive. The vast majority was from simply re-striping to a 10-ft lane width. Some small segments did require road widening, as well.  Since being installed in 2011, it’s so popular with the kids at Austin Elementary that they had to acquire another large capacity bike rack for the kids. Click here for a link to my 2011 story.

It will indeed be a great day in Dunwoody when all of our K-12 schools have safe infrastructure in place to accommodate both walking and bicycling for our children. On our city's sidewalk plan, there is a prioritization that places emphasis on school connectivity. It's very well-thought out and analytical in nature, removing political influence.

At the present, a sidewalk segment of about 380 feet is being constructed on Womack Drive Westbound, between Oakhurst Walk and Lakeland Woods Court. 

Building this segment will close one of the last gaps directly across from Dunwoody Elementary School, offering neighboring children another safe option to walk to school.

I'll defer the discussion of proper school siting and these MEGA-Schools to the experts such as at DeKalb School Watch, Concerned Parents of Dunwoody, and over at Dunwoody Talk. But needless to say, these larger schools do not lend themselves to accommodating safe non-motorized access for children to travel from the adjacent neighborhoods. Especially given the combination of greater distances and the plethora of "dead-end cul-de-sacs" that the developers of the 1980's & 1990's were allowed to build.

So back to this little segment on Womack. Applying the Complete Streets Policy means taking into account & consideration of all users of our Public Rights of Way. So instead of building the sidewalks along the existing curb & gutter, the city is widening the road over that 380 foot segment, shifting over the curb & gutter and THEN they're going to install the sidewalk. The city did the same thing along a 1/2 mile segment of Mount Vernon in 2012. Why did they do this? To provide for future accommodation for a bike lane. Just like on Roberts Drive. 

When the rest of Womack is resurfaced, and/or there's new development taking place (see Berman Commons), they'll be able to add bike lanes. Much of it can be accommodated through re-striping to a 10-ft travel lane width.

What does this accomplish for Womack Road, it's neighbors and it's users?

#1: Traffic Calming. Decreasing lane widths to 10-ft is proven to slow traffic. More bicyclists out on the road will also calm traffic.
#2: Gets the "interested but concerned" folks out there for a bike ride. I'm talking about the opposite of the Lance Armstrong wannabes that ride with the Dunwoody Cycling club every Saturday morning at 7:30 am DHS, or from Mellow Mushroom on Tuesday nights at 6:30 pm, etc. Maybe these casual users will consider heading out & venturing around beyond their immediate neighborhoods. The more people out on bikes, the safer it is for all. Car drivers (just about all of us) become accustomed to seeing people on bikes. That raises their awareness.
#3: Continues to build out the network to CONNECT to places. Georgia Perimeter College is on this road. Headed in the opposite direction is Dunwoody Village. Take some back roads & end up at Brook Run Park. The list goes on.
#4: Increases Property Values. Millennials want walkability & bikeability. They want to go places without needing to get in a car.
#5: Makes for a Healthier Community: Retirees move to places like Carey, NC for their amenities including multi-use trails, bike networks and pedestrian access. For several years it's been listed as Money Magazine's one of the best places to live. ... AND, they have received national recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Community since 2003.

In my heart at the end of the day, it's really not about bicycling. Rather, it's about a sense of community and sharing with the freedom that occurs once we step outside of those metal-framed glass enclosed boxes on wheels. It comes from encountering people in the sunshine face-to-face, smiling, waving and simply saying hello.

Complete Streets Continues in Dunwoody: Womack Road

No New Curb Cut for Ashford-Dunwoody Hotel

Dear Members of the Dunwoody Community Council, Planning Commission, ZBA, and City Council:

I strongly oppose a new curb cut on Ashford Dunwoody in regards to the request of HDP Acquisitions on the proposed Rezoning and SpecialLand Use Permit to construct a six story hotel, coffee shop, several retail shops and restaurant on Ashford Dunwoody Rd at Perimeter Center North on the Sterling Point office complex.

The DHA negotiated with the previous developer not to have a curb cut and position the hotel with a pedestrian entrance off of Ashford-Dunwoody. The current zoning is conditioned per a site plan which does not include a curb cut.  Adding a curb cut to Ashford-Dunwoody will create additional motor vehicle traffic backups and congestion.

The proposed curb cut is between two existing traffic lights that are a mere .16 miles – or 840 feet apart. That’s a very comfortable walking distance. Adding an additional curb cut will make the street less safe for both motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. Most motor vehicle collisions with bicycles occur at intersections. Pedestrians will have another danger point in needing to cross an additional intersection.

From the approximate property center location on Ashford Dunwoody, it’s less than a QUARTER MILE to go to Sage, and the other shops and restaurants (Alons, Café Intermezzo, etc.) That’s too easy to walk. Providing PEDESTRIAN access to Ashford-Dunwoody INSTEAD of a new curb cut will DECREASE motor vehicle traffic congestion. It will ease traffic congestion by offering them a CHOICE to WALK instead of DRIVE.

Walking on foot is good for the local economy and businesses. A pedestrian can window shop and might stop in a local business that they would not have noticed had they been travelling at 45 MPH.  

Just look at the myriad of curb cuts in the Dunwoody Village area. Along Chamblee-Dunwoody, Mount Vernon and the interior streets. Each intersection is another opportunity for a collision. Today, travelling north along Chamblee-Dunwoody from Mount Vernon up to Roberts Drive is pure confusion and chaos. Drivers, pedestrians and others all come & go, in & out from myriad locations. Not only is it highly unsafe, it does not lend itself to the vision in our master plans for a more walkable and bikeable community.

In closing, ask yourself if the addition of another curb cut on Ashford Dunwoody gets us closer to the vision expressed in our approved ComprehensiveLand Use Plan:

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City-wide Vision Statement

The City of Dunwoody showcases its “big city appeal with small town feel” from the moment you

cross its gateways. Through its unique, high-quality character as a safe, comfortable and

thriving place to live, work, shop and play, the City of Dunwoody preserves the past, promotes

economic vitality, protects the residential nature of its neighborhoods, presents viable options as

a place to live through all stages of life and ability, and prepares for the future through:

• Historical designation designed to save, restore, and promote our heritage properties
• Continued high-quality development of the Perimeter business area designed to promote the economic engine of the City while enhancing convenience to products and services for our citizens
• Conservative, conscientious redevelopment of our other commercial nodes designed to enhance the quality of life of our residential neighborhoods
• Development of a variety of living options designed for all stages of life and ability
• Increased connectivity, enhanced transportation options—including bicycle and pedestrian, expanded functional greenspace and park ownership designed to improve the health, vitality and recreational enjoyment of our City’s businesses and residents and the long-term sustainability of our City

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What you can do:

1.  Send an email to the Dunwoody Community Council, Planning Commission and City Council at:

communitycouncil@dunwoodyga.gov
planningcommission@dunwoodyga.gov
CouncilMembers@dunwoodyga.gov

2. Attend & speak at the above council meetings:

Community Council - March 14th
Planning Commission -- TBD (April?)
City Council -- TBD (May??)

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References:

Rezoning: RZ 13-051

SLUP: SLUP 13-051

No New Curb Cut for Ashford-Dunwoody Hotel