A look east from the Ashford Lane roundabout and into Dunwoody’s Perimeter market shows State Farm’s Park Center development on the horizon. The city is hosting a seminar series, starting Aug. 22, to get community input on the January 2023 Edge City 2.0 report.
Economic Development Director Michael
with
Terri Polk Nov. 16 during the last Development Authority meeting of 2023.
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The City of Dunwoody and its economic development partners are gearing up for a series of community forums to discuss Edge City 2.0 and the future of the Perimeter market.
The series will delve into critical aspects of Dunwoody’s growth and development, including economic vibrancy, housing options, transportation enhancements, greenspace initiatives and community activities.
The study, prepared by Pond & Company consultants,
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Dozens of Sandy Springs and Dunwoody residents were on hand July 16 to grasp the scope of the state’s next regional project for Metro Atlanta’s Perimeter.
More than 135 people attended the Georgia Department of Transportation’s open house at Dunwoody City Hall.
Another meeting at City Springs in Sandy Springs July 18 drew equal interest as residents learned more about GDOT’s Top End I-285 Express Lanes project.
PHOTOS BY: HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Dunwoody
Starling sits
Coca-Cola’s
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Bank notifies authorities of alleged check fraud
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 62-year-old Stone Mountain man July 10 after employees at Synovus bank off Chamblee Dunwoody Road alerted officers to a fake check.
The bank manager said he received a fraud alert around 1:45 p.m. when the suspect tried to cash a check at the branch.
The alert system, Positive Pay, identified the check through its outdated serial numbers, the manager said.
An officer said the $1,190 check is one of several fakes written July 1.
A sergeant arrived on scene and detained the suspect for questioning.
The suspect said he was trying to make a “quick buck,” and knew better than cashing checks for other individuals. Officers said the suspect did not provide any information about who sent him to the bank to cash the check.
The suspect was arrested and transported to DeKalb County Jail with a warrant for fourth-degree forgery.
Officers chase down alleged shoplifter
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 24-year-old Atlanta man July 15 after he fled the Target off Perimeter Center Place.
Loss prevention employees said they saw the suspect tampering with an iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner’s security device around 8:15 p.m. on Target cameras. The item is valued at $399.
When the suspect tried to leave the store with the vacuum around 8:30 p.m., two Dunwoody officers were waiting outside the building’s back doors.
An officer said the suspect took off
toward the parking lot when stopped for questioning.
Both officers said they instructed the suspect not to run and pursued him with their department-issued weapons drawn.
A third officer stopped and detained the suspect without incident during his attempted escape through the parking lot.
Officers said they found a clear baggie containing a white powdery substance, allegedly thrown aside by the suspect during the pursuit.
A field test of the substance returned positive for cocaine.
Officers said they secured warrants for theft by shoplifting, abandonment of dangerous drugs, possession of a controlled substance and obstruction of law enforcement.
The suspect also had a warrant out of Forsyth County for a felony theft by shoplifting.
Officers transported the suspect to DeKalb County Jail.
Officers return items to car burglary victim
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested an 18-year-old Doraville man July 14 after he allegedly broke into a vehicle and stole the owner’s belongings.
Officers said they received a call about a group of people assaulting an alleged thief at the Lacota Apartments off Peachtree Boulevard.
The victim, a 29-year-old Fayetteville woman, said she parked her 2018 Lexus sedan at the apartments for the Copa America final.
When the woman went to retrieve her phone from her car, she found it in disarray with her cell phone and bookbag missing.
The victim’s belongings were valued at $350.
After discovering the car break-in, the victim and her friends reviewed security footage, which showed a man attempting to enter multiple vehicles in the parking lot.
One of the victim’s friends and resident of the apartments located and detained the man while officers were en route.
The victim’s friend said the suspect also tried to enter his vehicles, so he did not let
him leave the scene.
Officers said the suspect was wearing the exact same all-black outfit when they detained him.
The suspect said he entered the vehicle because he wanted something from a nearby gas station.
Officers said they returned all the victim’s stolen belongings, which they found on the suspect.
Police transported the suspect to DeKalb County Jail on entering auto charges.
Man reports crypto scam that took him for $170,000
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police are investigating a felony theft July 17 after a 78-year-old resident reported a $170,000 loss from fraudulent cryptocurrency transfers.
The victim spoke with officers after transferring funds to two different banks in June. He said he received messages from his trading platform requesting him to send funds to Chase and East West banks.
Officers said the victim has amassed more than $1 million in his cryptocurrency investment accounts in his attempt to qualify for a compound return offer expiring this fall.
The victim said he uses Trust Wallet and PerlinX to invest in cryptocurrency and shift investments across different stablecoins, or blockchain-based currencies pegged to an external asset, like the U.S. dollar.
Officers said the victim sent $80,000 June 12 to an account with Chase and $90,000 June 25 to an account with East West.
When the victim’s bank, Delta Community Credit Union, flagged the Chase deposit as possibly fraudulent, the victim said he requested the transfer go through.
Officers said the victim now believes the messages from cryptocurrency platforms were fraudulent.
The victim said he requested a police report after not receiving direct answers from the banks and reported the incident through the FBI’s online portal.
Newsroom answers community questions
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
Community engagement is an essential part of Appen Media’s newsroom strategy.
That’s why reporters for the Herald and Crier newspapers seek out all sorts of reader questions. Sometimes those inquiries don’t lead to standalone stories because of time restraints or, more simply, the answers can be short.
Here are a few questions Appen has received and the answers your reporter has dug up.
What role does the Dunwoody city arborist and city managerial offices have in Dunwoody’s tree loss? Who authorizes and pays to remove limbs near power lines?
City Arborist Amy Bledsoe assesses and reviews all tree removals and new plantings on city property, according to an article in the April-June 2024 issue of the city-published Dunwoody Digest.
Bledsoe also answers questions from homeowners and developers, and works with the Public Works and Parks departments to care for the health and maintenance of trees within the city’s parks and public rights-of-way.
The city’s “No Net Loss” tree policy also stipulates a unit-for-unit match for replacing trees that are removed for construction projects throughout city streets, parks, and rights-of-way, the article says.
For specimen-sized trees, the replacement value is one-and-a-half
times the unit value of the tree being removed. The article says care is taken to select new canopy trees that are native to Georgia, provide food and/or shelter for wildlife, and help lower the heat index by providing an adequate amount of shade.
Some trees have been removed for projects currently under construction. Some will come down in the future for other projects.
For the Dunwoody High School Path Phase II project, Dunwoody Communications Director Jennifer Boettcher said one crape myrtle and five small-caliper hardwoods were removed.
Boettcher told Appen Media that since there is limited room in the public right of way to replant there, the city plans to work with Dunwoody High School to replace in kind on school property to be done in the planting season, which is late October to early March.
The Tilly Mill/Mount Vernon Intersection Improvement project, currently in the acquisition phase, may also require tree removal.
Boettcher said the quantities and sizes of all trees greater than 6-inch caliper will be documented once the contract is awarded and the right-ofway and construction clearing limits are staked. She said this will likely take place in the fall.
Boettcher said the city’s project documents include a landscape plan with a variety of replacement trees to be planted once construction is completed.
If you see limb removal along
room@appenmedia.com or go to appenmedia.com/ask.
major corridors near the power lines, Boettcher said that is likely being done by a contractor, hired by a utility company.
Considering the Roswell Recycling Center is exclusive to Roswell residents, where are Alpharetta residents supposed to recycle? I used to always be able to drop off recyclables there.
Outside of the city’s waste and
curbside recycling program, which services single-family homes and townhomes,
Alpharetta’s waste and subside recycling program services singlefamily homes and townhomes. Through that process residents can recycle cardboard, clean cans and food boxes, as well as mixed paper like mail and newspaper. This program does not accept glass and a few other recyclable products.
Alpharetta residents can recycle glass at the city’s Public Works Department drop-off site, located at
That simple DIY project— not really so simple
1APR=Annual percentage rate. Rates e ective as of July 1, 2024. Rates are variable and subject to change. Your Annual Percentage Rate (APR) may di er from the one shown and will be based on your credit worthiness and loan to value. To open your HELOC account, you may have to pay certain third party fees that generally range from $200.00 to $1,300.00. Rate may not exceed 18% at any time. Property and/or flood insurance may be required. Terms, rates, and conditions are subject to change without notice. Maximum loan amount is $350,000 for CLTV above 80%, but not exceeding 95% with mortgage insurance approval. Maximum loan amount is $500,000 if CLTV is 80% or less. Home Equity Lines of Credit must be the applicant's primary resident (secondary or investment residences are not eligible).
Author
events, announcements make for hot August days, nights
By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI newsroom@appenmedia.com
Whether the focus is back to school or the pool, summer’s last full month is sizzling with book events and festival announcements aplenty. Check out the slate of August’s author activities, and set a reminder for the second annual Johns Creek Literary Fair Sept. 29 with keynote speaker Rick Bragg. Bragg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, acclaimed writer and bestselling author of 13 nonfiction books, including “All Over but the Shoutin’,” and, most recently, “The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People, Lost and Found.”
He will be in conversation with Brian Panowich, award-winning Georgia author of “Nothing but the Bones,” released in April, and three other novels. They will be joined by over 30 local, regional and nationally known writers at the Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater at Newtown Park in Johns Creek. For more information about the free event, click on the events tab at johnscreekga.gov/recreation-parks/.
George Weinstein and Kim Conrey, married Atlanta Writers Club officers, will sign their novels Aug. 10 at Milton’s Poe & Company Bookstore.
Take note of these August book
Saturday, Aug. 3, McCracken Poston Jr.
The Friends of Sandy Springs Library and Bookmiser will host the author of “Zenith Man,” a true crime thriller. Bookmiser will have copies for purchase and personalization. 2 p.m. Free. Sandy Springs Library. 395 Mount Vernon Highway Northeast. 770-509-5611. bookmiser.net/events. html
Saturday, Aug. 3-Thursday, Aug. 29, Forsyth Writes Together Series. Seven activities including author talks and writing workshops will be offered at four Forsyth County libraries as part of the Forsyth Writes Together Series. Free. For times, locations and details, go to events. forsythpl.org/, and scroll to the August calendar.
Wednesday, Aug. 7, Joel Waldman, discussing “Surviving the Survivor: A Brutally Honest Conversation About Life (& Death) with My Mom: A Holocaust Survivor, Therapist & My Podcast Co-Host.” 5 p.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore. com
Friday, Saturday and Monday, Aug. 9, 10 and 12, Friends of the Roswell Library Book Sale. See website for hours. Roswell Library, 115 Norcross St., Roswell. 404-612-9700. forl.net
Saturday, Aug. 10, George Weinstein and Kim Conrey. Meet the engaging Atlanta Writers Club couple as they chat about and sign their novels. 11 a.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com
Saturday, Aug. 17, Robyn Field with “Peony Watercolor’s Wish for Sun and Moon,”
happenings
her new release for grade school readers. Noon. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com
Tuesday, Aug. 20, Toni Bellon, Don Pattillo and musician Mike Shaw. A Novel Idea and Bookmiser present the launch of Bellon’s debut novel, “L.E.A.P.” She will be joined by Pattillo, focusing on his latest release,” A Romance of Flight,” and musical interludes provided by Shaw and friends. 7 p.m. Free. Brimstone Restaurant & Tavern, 10595 Old Alabama Road Connector. 770-509-5611. bookmiser. net/book-events.html
Thursday, Aug. 22, Crabapple Summer Stroll, featuring Bob Myers and his photo-filled keepsake, “The Barns of Old Milton County.” 5 p.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com
Saturday, Aug. 24, Jeff Barry. The Friends of Sandy Springs Library and Bookmiser host the author of “Go to Hell Ole Miss,” a Top 20 USA Today national bestseller, with copies available to purchase through Bookmiser. 2 p.m. Free. Sandy Springs Library. 395 Mount Vernon Highway Northeast. 770-509-5611. bookmiser.net/ events.html
Wednesday, Aug. 28, Horror Book Club debuts, discussing Paul Tremblay’s contemporary horror novel, “Survivor Song.” Free. 7 p.m. No RSVP required. Johns Creek Books, 6000 Medlock Bridge Road. 770-696-9999. johnscreekbooks.com
To submit an author event for the upcoming month, email Kathy Des Jardins Cioffi at kathydesjardins3@gmail.com by the 15th.
Edge:
Continued from Page 1
is a joint effort between the city and the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts. It received 80 percent of its funding from the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative program.
Several community engagement meetings were held in 2022, and the final report was released in January 2023.
After evaluating Perimeter’s current land use, development patterns, transportation network, surrounding cultural and natural resources, demographics and economics, Pond & Company provided the city and its partners with an implementable roadmap for the next 20 years.
Appen Media spoke with Economic Development Director Michael Starling July 19 to discuss the upcoming seminar series, titled “Edge City 2.0: Shaping Tomorrow’s Perimeter.”
Starling said each session will feature presentations and panel discussions at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse off Perimeter Center Parkway, providing participants with valuable insights and opportunities for collaboration.
The seminar series is designed to record the needs and wishes of the local community and fit them in to the 20year vision for the Perimeter market.
After meeting with residents two years ago, it’s time to revamp the vision for Perimeter with community support, said Starling, adding that the vision plan was always meant to be a living document.
The first session, “Emerging Suburban Development Patterns,” runs from 8:30-10 a.m. Aug. 22 and features Georgia Tech Urbanist Ellen DunhamJones who will discuss innovations in similar markets.
Dunham-Jones, widely considered an authority on sustainable suburban redevelopment, may have some ideas that divide Dunwoody residents.
While 57 percent of Dunwoody voters in November 2023 opposed a parks and paths bond, the city continues to push plans for interconnectivity and walkability.
At the same time, many residents say they prefer 12-foot-wide paths in commercial areas and between amenities rather than in their front yards.
The market conditions identified in the study include fragmented streetscapes and car-centric transportation. It also identifies needs in the Perimeter market and hurdles to fulfilling them.
While there is strong demand for multifamily and housing affordability,
MAPS PROVIDED BY: CITY OF
A map shows the Edge City 2.0 study area in southwest Dunwoody. Community members are invited to give feedback on the study’s 20-year vision for the Perimeter market.
many Dunwoody homeowners stand staunchly opposed to increasing the local student population.
Starling said the city’s residences are split 50-50 between apartments and single-family homes and suggested the consideration of “missing middle” options moving forward.
While discussions about housing diversity may not pop up at the first forum, it’s sure to be covered Nov. 7 at the second session, “Evolving Suburban Housing Options.”
Starling said the city will announce when a speaker has been chosen to lead the November seminar.
The third and fourth sessions, “Energizing the Future of Retail” and “Emerging Office Market,” are scheduled for Feb. 6 and May 1, 2025.
Starling said Metro Atlanta is growing rapidly, and the four seminars look to get Dunwoody on board with post-pandemic redevelopment in Perimeter.
When asked what keeps him up at night, Starling said Perimeter Mall and its success are critical for the city.
While tenants are reporting better conditions than before the pandemic, Starling said he is always looking for ways to support the mall.
With backing from a majority of residents, the city can offer developers a variety of options for outdated retail sites and old office buildings, Starling said.
A concept diagram from the Edge City 2.0 report shows preferred development around Perimeter Mall and the Dunwoody MARTA station. The report says the scale of development decreases as you move away from nodes and into neighborhoods.
To register for the Aug. 22 seminar, visit perimeterchamber.glueup.com/ event. Tickets cost $30 for Perimeter Chamber members, and $45 for nonmembers.
DUNWOODY/PROVIDED
Pine Forest, first subdivision of Dunwoody
Pine Forest subdivision was first developed in 1954 by builder and developer Herbert Bryan. He bought the land from Elizabeth and Manget Davis, who moved from Decatur to Dunwoody in 1936. The couple paid $8,000 for their home and 63 acres on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. They had driven out to the country from Decatur several times and happened on Calhoun Spruill when he was ready to sell. Spruill was born in Dunwoody in 1860 to James and Almeda Adams Spruill. He grew strawberries on his farm, sending them to market in Atlanta by way of the Roswell Railroad. The train passed in front of the home of Calhoun and his wife, Mary Copeland Spruill. Elizabeth Davis was a teacher and principal at the Dunwoody School. Manget was a photographer with the Davison’s department store for 20 years. He was an active volunteer in Dunwoody, as a Sunday School teacher, church trustee, first president of the Dunwoody Community Club, charter member of the Dunwoody Lions Club. Manget and Elizabeth both volunteered at the polls of Shallowford District (Dunwoody) during elections.
The Davis family only sold a portion of their land to Herbert Bryan, keeping their home and surrounding property. Their home was where Dunwoody Commons is located today.
The streets of Pine Forest were
LYNNE BYRD COLLECTION/PROVIDED
The 1880 home of Calhoun and Mary Spruill and later, Manget and Elizabeth Davis, once sat on Chamblee Dunwoody Road, where Dunwoody Commons is located today. The adjoining land of Pine Forest was also owned by these families.
Manget Way and Manget Court, both named for Manget Davis, and Nerine Circle named for Herbert Bryan’s wife. An article in the Dec. 12, 1954, Atlanta Journal announced, “Herbert Bryan opens third Pine Forest unit.” Bryan had been in the construction business since 1934. He also developed and built apartment homes and commercial buildings.
Manget Way was the newest street being cut in December 1954, bringing the total number of lots in the neighborhood to 101, according to the plan. The plan also called for Manget Way to extend from Chamblee Dunwoody Road to Ashford Dunwoody Road.
Eight families lived in the neighborhood in December 1954. The Atlanta Journal article describes Pine Forest as conveniently only 2 blocks
recyclables to Keep North Fulton Beautiful in Sandy Springs on Morgan Falls Road.
from Page 3
1790 Hembree Road. The facility is open 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Residents can take other
Communications Director James Drinkard previously told Appen Media the city has explored formalizing a partnership with the City of Roswell so Alpharetta residents could use the Roswell Recycling Center but that the
from Dunwoody Elementary School and less than 3 miles from Sandy Springs.
Watts and Browning were engineers for the subdivision. Lots were developed with a minimum of 100 feet frontage, and the houses were individually planned to fit the lots. Homes were priced from $18,000 to $30,000, each with at least three bedrooms and two baths.
Jane Anderson Autry and her husband bought one of the early homes on Nerine Circle in Pine Forest. They raised their family in the home. In 2018, I visited Jane and her siblings at the home, where they shared photographs and memories of growing up in Dunwoody.
By 1957, Marion Blackwell, Jr. of Adams-Cates Company advertised lots on Manget Way in the Atlanta
effort has proven unsuccessful on multiple occasions due to cost.
Does the new Webb Bridge Dog Park separate big and little dogs?
Yes.
I haven’t gotten a newspaper in the past several weeks. Will it return?
Journal, “Several lots, 100 by 345, 150 by 300. Priced $2,500 to $3,500 in a neighborhood of homes averaging about $25,000.”
New homes have replaced many of the original homes of Pine Forest, a neighborhood that was the first of numerous subdivisions developed in Dunwoody.
If you have history to share about one of the early north DeKalb County or Sandy Springs neighborhoods, please email me so that history can be included in a future Past Tense column.
Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.
Yes! If you have not received a paper, send an email to the circulation desk at circulation@appenmedia.com with your name and address. Our delivery folks try their best, but with 105,000 copies going out each week it’s a tough task. Let us know if you are having delivery issues and we will take care of it.
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist
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Marietta native Jon Wilcox joins Appen reporting team
ALPHARETTA, Ga — Appen Media Group announced July 17 that Jon Wilcox will join its staff as a reporter. Wilcox will cover local government and business in Alpharetta and Forsyth County. He will report to Carl Appen, director of content and development, and he will be based in Alpharetta.
“Jon developed sharp reporting and editing chops in a Texas newsroom similar
to ours,” Appen said in a statement. “We’re excited to have him here with us now and to see what he can do back in friendly territory.”
Wilcox grew up in Marietta and graduated from Texas State University in 2015 with a major in journalism. During his time at Texas State, Wilcox took courses exploring creative writing, English and mass communications. After
To contact Wilcox with news tips or story ideas, email jon@appenmedia.com.
graduation, Wilcox served at the Victoria Advocate newspaper in Victoria, Texas, as a breaking news, public safety and courts as well as entertainment reporter. He finished his time at the Advocate serving as local editor.
“I have a passion for informing audiences through hard-hitting news stories and compelling storytelling on a daily basis. There’s so much that goes on in our communities that we would not know about without local journalism,” Wilcox said. “It’s a privilege to do that work in Alpharetta and Forsyth County in the incredible newsroom here at Appen Media.”
Local Starbucks baristas win union elections
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Baristas at two Starbucks locations in north Metro Atlanta won their union elections July 15 and 16.
They join a growing movement of workers nationwide, calling for a voice and improved conditions on the job. Out of its more than 16,000 coffee shops in the country, there are currently 464 unionized Starbucks, according to unionelection.org.
Amanda Rivera, member of Starbucks Workers United, said that to begin the process, at least 30 percent of a location’s workforce must back a petition. Her union represents the vast majority of unionized Starbucks workers.
Once a petition is filed, Rivera said the National Labor Relations Board sets an election date.
The Starbucks location at 10830 Haynes Bridge Road in Alpharetta won their election July 15 in a 14-0 vote. The following day, Starbucks baristas in Roswell at 1570 Holcomb Bridge Road won theirs in a 12-2 vote.
Rivera said workers will now join the broader campaign and train in how to run their unions in their shop, like Weingarten rights and protected action trainings. She said they also take an active role in building strong unions around Atlanta by running regional meetings and planning and attending community events.
Last year, Appen Media reported the Milton Starbucks at Crabapple and Houze roads won its election in a close vote.
Rivera, who has been a partner for 12 years, said her store in Midtown won
its union election in June 2022 and since then, she said repairs to broken equipment occur more quickly, taking 48 hours rather than a week or a month.
At that point in time, Rivera said the company wasn’t willing to come to the table to negotiate, so workers enacted “marches on the boss,” or five-minute work stops to address issues at the store.
“We were able to use our collective voice to say, ‘We expect you to uphold your side of the bargain and fix these items, so it makes it easier for us to do our job,’” Rivera recalled. “And in some instances, we were asking for things to be fixed because they were a safety issue.”
She said customers have told her they patronize her location because of the union.
“...They know we take care of each other, and a better work environment for us is a better coffee shop for them,” Rivera said.
While the coffee giant withheld credit card tips when baristas at Rivera’s location filed their petition, she said all union and nonunion stores now receive them. Rivera eventually received credit card tips this past April and is still waiting on back pay.
“It’s something we know that we are going to have to advocate for and use our
collective voice to make sure that we get our back pay, but we know that we will receive it,” Rivera said.
In anticipation of their union elections, baristas in Alpharetta and Roswell voiced their reasons for filing a petition to unionize.
Vivek Ghate, who uses they/them pronouns, hopes the union will stop the overworking they and other employees at the Holcomb Bridge store have been experiencing.
Ghate said the store has been running with skeleton crews amid huge labor cuts, yet employees have been expected to keep up with copious amounts of new drink recipes and methods of doing things.
“We’ll be able to help ourselves and customers, and we’ll be able to function more efficiently, I feel like, and better overall as a store,” Ghate said.
Like Ghate, Danielle Stolton, who’s been an employee at the Alpharetta location for more than eight years, said staffing has been a key issue. Stolton said staff have been told they haven’t “earned the labor,” though they are expected to handle an influx of customers across new promos.
With more historical knowledge of unions, Stolton said she was the first to look into unionizing the location, understanding what the process entails. She sought input from each of the shifts to get adequate representation for the store.
“...As individual partners, we can’t do a lot, but if we come together — they need us at the store more than we need them, and … having a collective voice can really be beneficial,” Stolton said.
GOOGLE MAPS
Starbucks baristas at 10830 Haynes Bridge Road, pictured, won their union election July 15 in a 14-0 vote. The following day, a Roswell store at 1570 Holcomb Bridge Road won their union in a 12-2 vote.
Project:
Continued from Page 1
There is another massive transportation project around Ga. 400 and I-285 anticipated to begin construction in 2027.
As the Transform I-285/Ga. 400 project wraps up its punch list, GDOT is meeting with residents to get their feedback on the next stage of elevated lanes in one of the most congested corridors in the United States.
The Top End I-285 Express Lanes project significantly expands the Transform project’s flyover ramps and new collector-distributor lanes with two new, barrier-separated express lanes alongside existing general-purpose lanes on the top end of I-285 from Cobb to DeKalb counties.
It also includes elevated lanes through Sandy Springs’ section of Ga. 400, running from Glenridge Connector to the North Springs MARTA station.
The project along I-285 stretches 11 miles through Sandy Springs and 5 miles along Dunwoody’s southern border.
Top End I-285 falls under GDOT’s Major Mobility Investment Program, which focuses on creating additional capacity, improving freight movement, enhancing safety and decreasing travel times on the state’s most congested roadways.
What is coming next
After GDOT officials meet with residents along the corridor to get feedback on draft environmental documents, they will submit feedback on the latest concept design and mitigation measures.
The project is slated for delivery through a publicprivate partnership (P3) model, which looks to use private sector capital to help fund and finance the work.
Kyle Collins, GDOT’s P3 communications program manager, said the strategy optimizes public funding, while transferring risk to the private entity.
“The amount of state and federal funds required will be a factor in selecting a private partner to develop the project,” Collins said. “Under this agreement, the entity would design, build, finance, operate and maintain.”
GDOT officials said the goal is to submit a final environmental assessment to the Federal Highway Administration for its decision on the project’s proposed design.
Approval from the federal agency would allow procurement for the first phase of the Top End I-285 Express Lanes to begin by the end of 2024, Collins said. It is unclear if procurement of the project’s first stage will happen before New Year’s.
GDOT officials said the new elevated express lanes will integrate into the state’s Peach Pass system, with the State Road and Toll Authority helping establish rates.
Impacted citizens chime in
Perimeter residents, especially those near the I-285 and Ga. 400 corridors will be some of the most impacted people in Metro Atlanta when construction is anticipated to kick off sometime in 2027.
During virtual open houses, mimicking in-person gatherings at city centers, most questions revolved around the height of elevated lanes, some 50 to 60 feet, and sound walls along the corridor.
There are several Sandy Springs neighborhoods and developments abutting I-285, including Riverwood High School and Allen Road Park, sure to be impacted by construction and new elevated lanes.
Based on GDOT’s traffic analysis, noise abatement is
A visualization of the I-285 Top-End Express Lanes project at Peachtree
(Ga. 140) shows no connection to elevated lanes. Local Dunwoody officials said it’s one of their top concerns about the project.
proposed in 30 locations along the entire corridor where barriers would be replaced, extended or constructed.
GDOT Air and Noise Section Manager Miles Kemp noted barriers are based on preliminary information and the findings are subject to change based on design refinements in the future.
Communications manager Kyle Collins said the public-private partnerships accelerate project delivery, provide access to additional capital, enable a longerterm view of asset management and optimize public funds.
If Georgia wants to offer enhanced and expanded mobility options for public and freight transportation, the P3 model may deliver the projects quicker.
Collins said potential private-sector partners are incentivized to ensure performance of the project, since the developer is relying on motorist usage and the resulting revenue to pay for the project.
Elected officials weigh project
At Dunwoody City Hall July 16, Mayor Lynn Deutsch said she’s focused on pushing GDOT to include temporary sound walls during construction of the express lanes, 50-to-60 feet above the existing generalpurpose lanes.
Addressing one of the mayor’s concerns, GDOT officials said they will include contract provisions that require the developer to repair affected interstates and local roads to pre-construction conditions.
Deutsch said she expects traffic counts in Dunwoody and along I-285 to continue to increase as the phased project draws closer.
Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mayor and council members worked to ensure construction on the Chamblee Dunwoody Road bridge is done all at once, rather than staged.
Deutsch said a connection to Peachtree Boulevard (Ga. 140) would go a long way to helping with congestion at its intersection with I-285 and throughout Dunwoody.
City Councilman Tom Lambert, echoing comments from other Dunwoody officials, said he’s had significant concerns about the project since 2020, which have since grown as GDOT moves forward with procurement.
Lambert’s primary concerns involve design of the Ga. 140 and I-285 intersection, and the public-private partnership (P3) procurement model chosen to bankroll
A Georgia Express Lanes Network Map shows projects around Metro Atlanta in operation, scheduled for the Major Mobility Investment Program and other potential long-range additions. While the map shows the Top End I-285 Express Lanes project connecting to I-20, a decision to extend it that far south has not been made.
the project.
“This is one of the most congested highway segments in the entire country, and GDOT’s plan not only fails to improve it, but can actually make congestion in this area worse,” Lambert told Appen Media. “I fear this model will lead to decisions on this project being made to prioritize profit over function, which can have longterm negative consequences.”
Georgia Express Lanes Network Map
PHOTOS BY: GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/PROVIDED
Boulevard
Regional commission takes aim at metro mobility projects
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — A study adopted earlier this year imagines a “mobility hub” around the Ga. 400 and McFarland Parkway interchange in Forsyth County.
The “McFarland Mobility Hub Feasibility Study” seeks to seamlessly link cycling, walking, transit and cars while positioning the area for future technologies like autonomous vehicles and air taxis.
It is the first Livable Centers Initiative for the county since it joined the Atlanta Regional Commission in 2021. The grant program encourages communities in the Atlanta region to develop strategies to curtail vehicle traffic.
Eric Bosman, project manager with Kimley-Horn, provided an overview of the work to board members of the Atlanta Regional Commission at their joint meeting with the Transportation and Air Quality Committee July 10.
Bosman said the study, serving as a planning resource over the next five to 10 years, involved an extensive amount of public engagement with postcards mailed to all 1,072 residential and commercial addresses in the study area, social media campaigns and community outreach.
It evaluates how the county can leverage ongoing or planned transportation investments in the region to improve mobility for residents, he said, such as the Ga. 400 express lane project whose northern terminus is McFarland Parkway.
Bosman also considered the Ga. 400 Bus Rapid Transit project that ends at the Windward Parkway Park and Ride.
“One in three South Forsyth workers get up in the morning, and they travel south,” Bosman said. “Now, some of those are along the 141 (Peachtree Parkway) corridor. A lion’s share of those are down the 400 corridor.”
The study also looks to further the vision outlined in the county’s existing plans.
It is the first major initiative undertaken in the county’s first-ever transportation master plan adopted in 2021, Link Forsyth. Forsyth County also recently completed its Comprehensive Transportation Master Plan update.
In the short term, Bosman said a mobility hub may not be more than a significantly enhanced park and ride, situated on about 7 acres with
400 to 500 parking spaces. The small concept would also include a few buses and micro transit bays, a dozen EV charging stations and half a dozen bicycle lockers.
But, he said The Gathering at South Forsyth would double the capacity of the mobility hub. The $2 billion 100-acre mixed-use development is slated for Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Union Hill Road.
“There was a lot of conversation about access for young people, for the aging, for those with disabilities, how do we get them to the services and attractions that they need the opportunity to get to,” Bosman said.
“It enabled the county to really lay out an opportunity for their investments now and into the future.”
Also at the July 10 meeting, Mike Carnathan, manager of the Commission’s Research and Analytics Division, presented a breakdown of new population estimates.
Under state law, the agency is required to estimate the population for its 11-county region and the City of Atlanta each year for the purpose of collecting dues from its member jurisdictions.
The data shows the region’s population growth slowed a bit compared to 2022-23, which reflects a decline in housing permit activity and
a slight moderation in jobs growth. High housing prices also have acted as a brake.
“If we want to continue to accommodate our steady population growth, we’re going to continue to diversify our housing style,” Carnathan said.
The Commission will vote on the population estimates at its special called meeting Aug. 28.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
For more information about the “McFarland Mobility Hub Feasibility Study,” visit www. mcfarlandmobilityhub.com.
The City of Dunwoody Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council of Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:
ZBA 24-11, 1317 Mill Gate Drive: Variance from Sec. 16-78 to allow a porch to encroach into the 75-foot stream buffer.
ZBA 24-12, 2420 Sandell Drive: Variance from Sec. 16-78 to allow a shed to encroach into the 75-foot stream buffer.
ZBA 24-13, 5030 N Peachtree Road: Variance from Sec. 16-78 to allow for stream bank repairs, including the installation of rip rap, removal of trees, and associated improvements, in the 75-foot stream buffer.
ZBA 24-14, 4798 Olde Village Cove: Variance from Sec. 27-58 to allow a porch to encroach into the rear and side setback.
Should you have any questions or comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Members of the public are encouraged to call or schedule a meeting with the staff in advance of the Public Hearing if they have questions or are unfamiliar with the process. The staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Eric Bosman, project manager with Kimley-Horn, presents an overview of the “McFarland Mobility Hub Feasibility Study” to board members of the Atlanta Regional Commission at their joint meeting with the Transportation and Air Quality Committee July 10.
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