Leaders discuss strategies to buoy Perimeter market
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Local leaders are scrambling to find growth options for the Perimeter market’s older office buildings and surface parking lots.
Government and business leaders gathered at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse Aug. 22 for the first in a series of regional discussions into how the Perimeter market can prosper.
Completed in early 2023, Dunwoody’s Edge City 2.0 study looks at the city’s highdensity commercial area. The plan is designed as a blueprint for future development around the Dunwoody MARTA station, Ashford Dunwoody Road and Perimeter Mall.
When Georgia Tech Urbanist Ellen Dunham-Jones co-authored her 2009 book, “Retrofitting Suburbia,” with architect June Williamson, her vision for sustainable urban redevelopment entered the nation’s parlance.
To retrofit something is to modify it with new technology to meet unanticipated challenges. Dunham-Jones documents successful retrofits of aging big-
box retailers, office parks and malls into more walkable and sustainable places. She said she thinks there are ways to improve models for American suburbs.
Her book’s 2020 followup and topic of the Aug. 22 presentation is “Case Studies in Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Strategies for Urgent Challenges.”
Following World War II, American suburbs shot out from urban centers and served as economic engines for a growing middle class.
“By the 1980s, you started to really see this emergence of edge cities being suburban areas dominated by office parks and malls that were in conjunction with each other,” she said. “The whole pattern continues to evolve but has some pretty well-known unintended consequences.”
Dunham-Jones said the results of sprawling suburbs are inefficient land use, siloed communities, overreliance on carbon emissions and widespread health issues.
Dunwoody Economic Development Director Michael
See STRATEGIES, Page 12
Georgia Tech Urbanist Ellen Dunham-Jones discusses what future development in American suburbs can look like at the Aug. 22 kickoff of the speaker series, “Edge
Shaping Tomorrow’s Perimeter.” Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse hosted the breakfast meeting with sponsors including the Perimeter Chamber of Commerce, Community Improvement Districts and the City of Dunwoody.
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Police discover body at I-285 interchange
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police discovered a deceased 33-year-old man Aug. 19 near the I-285 eastbound ramp at Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
Officers said they were initially dispatched to a welfare check around 4 p.m.
The caller said they saw a person on
POLICE BLOTTER
All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.
Police cite U-Haul renter with theft by conversion
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 37-year-old Atlanta woman Aug. 17 after she allegedly did not return a rented U-Haul truck from Gwinnett County.
An officer said he found the stolen vehicle parked off Perimeter Center Place around 1 a.m. Aug. 17 and stopped to investigate.
The officer said he commanded the driver to surrender and detained her.
A Georgia Crime Information Center check of the vehicle’s tag confirmed it was stolen out of Gwinnett County, the officer said.
A U-Haul employee told officers that the suspect signed a 22-hour lease Aug. 1 for $44.25. The employee said attempts to reach the suspect were unsuccessful, as mail to her listed address was marked undeliverable.
The U-Haul truck is valued at $20,000.
Officers said the employee listed the vehicle as stolen around 12:25 a.m. Aug. 17.
Less than 45 minutes later, Dunwoody officers had the driver in custody.
The suspect said she knew that she needed to return the vehicle but was using it as a place to stay between homes. She
the ground who was not moving in the grassy area of the interchange.
Upon arrival, officers confirmed the man was deceased, and detectives and the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived on scene and took over the investigation.
The medical examiner took custody
also said she planned to return it after she found a place to live.
Officers charged her with theft by conversion and transported her to DeKalb County Jail.
Homeowner reports theft after delivery items stolen
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police are investigating the theft of two iPhones Aug. 12 after a resident reported packages were stolen from her front porch.
The victim, a 46-year-old Dunwoody resident, said she received a delivery notification from a FedEx driver around 9:30 a.m.
She said the driver also sent an image of the packages hidden behind a bush on her property.
When the woman’s husband went to retrieve the items around 10:10 a.m., he said he found one empty box and the other missing.
The victim said a neighbor had security footage of a dark-colored vehicle and someone throwing a box into her trash can around 10:03 a.m.
Officers said the victim and her neighbor would send them the footage.
Thief removes belongings from patron’s gym locker
DUNWOODY, Ga. — A 22-year-old Sandy Springs man reported someone took more than $550 of his personal belongings from a locker at Onelife Fitness Perimeter Aug. 13.
The victim said he arrived at the gym
of the deceased for an autopsy, a report says.
Dunwoody police said there are currently no indications of foul play, and the investigation remains active.
The department said it will release the name of the victim once the family has been properly notified.
off Hammond Drive around 6 p.m. and placed his backpack in an unsecured locker.
When the victim returned to the locker room around 7:15 p.m., he said he found the backpack and its contents strewn across the floor.
The victim said he is missing his $300 Beats by Dre headphones, $80 wallet, $200 in cash and his insurance, credit and identification cards.
Officers said the victim searched the area surrounding the gym and spoke with the front desk.
The victim said he could not identify a suspect after speaking with gym staff.
Officers said they provided the victim with a case number for the incident.
Burglar snatches cigs from Ga. 9 liquor store
MILTON, Ga. — Police were dispatched Aug. 16 to a liquor store on Ga. 9 after an alarm was triggered. They found shattered glass lying on the ground and conducted a protective sweep.
Officers reviewed camera footage that showed a man, wearing all black and a face mask, use a hammer to break the glass and enter the business at around 3:20 a.m. that morning, according to the incident report.
The footage also showed the suspect go behind the counter and load a bag with several packs of cigarettes, then exit a couple minutes later.
The value of what was stolen was redacted on the incident report.
The investigation is ongoing.
Police charge woman in drug-related death
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs Police Department has announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with the fentanyl overdose and death of a 19-year-old female resident June 6.
Officers said they responded to a medical call at an apartment within The Forest at Huntcliff condominiums off Roswell Road around 12:15 p.m. The department’s statement says that life-saving measures were unsuccessful.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s toxicology report confirmed that the victim died from a fentanyl overdose after ingesting
laced pills.
Detectives determined that the victim purchased the fentanyl-laced pills from a 19-year-old Cumming woman, identified as Mallery Clare James.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for James for aggravated involuntary manslaughter by causing a fentanyl overdose death.
The report says detectives took James into custody July 25 and transported her to Fulton County Jail.
Fulton County Jail records show James was released on a $50,000 bond Aug. 16.
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Zoning
PALS
FALL 2024 PROGRAM
Dunwoody Baptist Church 1445 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338. Registration will be available on the PALS website: www.palsonline.info
The classes will be held on Mondays from September 9October 28, 2024 :
10:00 am - 11:00 am
THE HISTORY OF ROCK & ROLL --THE MUSIC OF THE MID1960S – Tom Dell will continue his survey of the history of Rock & Roll, this time moving to the mid-1960s. He will delve into the music of The Temptations, Bob Dylan, Joe Tex, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Junior Walker as well as other Motown artists.
10:00 am - 11:00 am
THE IRRATIONAL AND MORE – Shai Robkin will explore many of the ideas featured in the first season of the NBC show “The Irrational” (available for free online). He will also examine some of the new and emerging research into the underlying forces, many unknown to our conscious minds, that drive individual and collective societal behaviors, focusing on the work of behavioral economists, social psychologists and neuroscientists. Where applicable, we’ll see what behavioral scientists have to say about some of the most important and often divisive issues of the day and their possible implications for public policy.
11:30 am - 12:30 pm FROM BOOK TO SCREEN – Michelle Freiedman will present Sir Kenneth Branagh’s take on classic novels through his award winning films. The discussion will include topics such as what keeps us coming back to certain iconic pieces of literature and does putting them on film preserve their essence or turn them into something else completely? Let’s see what the works of Mary Shelley, Agatha Christie and Shakespeare become when Branagh takes them on!
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
POLITICS 2024 – Preeminent political science university professors and journalists will help us assess the upcoming November 2024 National and State elections. We will get bold predictions as well as how the media impacts the results. We will also assess the effects of the current political polarization on the future of US Democracy and how to deal with it as well as the role of minorities and women in the upcoming vote.
Sandy Springs unveils lineup for annual music festival
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The full schedule for the second annual Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival is out now, providing thousands of patrons with a two-day celebration Sept. 27-28 at City Springs.
The city says festivities will span the downtown district, including City Green, Blue Stone Road, Mount Vernon Highway and Galambos Way.
Admission is free.
The full schedule includes 22 performances across the City Green Live and South stages, with Grammy Award-
nominated band Spin Doctors bringing the extravaganza to a close from 8:30-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28.
Lonestar, a Texas-based country music band formed in 1992, headlines the Saturday slate of musical performances.
Metro Atlanta-based LGE Community Credit Union, a member-owned financial institution, is a supporting main stage sponsor.
In addition to the lineup of musical performances, the Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival will feature a market
The full schedule of performances
Friday, September 27:
City Green Live Stage
• 4-5:30 p.m. House Music
• 5:30-6:30 p.m. Davis & The Love
• 7-8 p.m. The Invaders
• 8:30-10 p.m. Lonestar
South Stage
• 4-5 p.m. – House Music
• 5 – 5:45 p.m. – Nathalie Rose
• 6:15 – 7:15 p.m. – Frankly Scarlet
• 7:45 – 8:30 p.m. – Hyndesight: The Pretenders Experience
Career
expo
Saturday, September 28:
Shade Bosque: Family Entertainment
• 10-10:45 a.m. Lady Bug – PBS Kids Early Learning Champion
• 11-11:45 a.m. The Sandels Music Party – Interactive kids show
• 12 p.m.-12:45 p.m. Bean & Bear –Puppetry & Magic
• 1-2:30 p.m. Sailing to Denver String Band
South Stage
• 2-2:45 p.m. The Platonics
• 3:15-4 p.m. Run Katie Run
with more than 80 vendors, including Emerging Artist Section, featuring students from local elementary, middle and high schools.
A $15 ticket buys access to the Kids Zone and a variety of other familyfriendly attractions, including inflatables and rides.
The city says it will update the festival map and logistical advice for patrons in the coming weeks.
To learn more about the 2024 Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival, visit www. sandyspringsga.gov/bluestone.
• 4:30-5:30 p.m. Smokey Jones and the 3 Dollar Pistols
• 6-7 p.m. The Foozer Experience (Weezer set)
• 7:30-8:30 p.m. The Foozer Experience (Foo Fighters set)
City Green Live Stage
• 2:30-3:30 p.m. Edgewood Heavy
• 4-5 p.m. Ray Howard Band’s Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire
• 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sami Automatic
• 7-8 p.m. Billy Allen + The Pollies
• 8:30-10 p.m. Spin Doctors
to offer slate of Perimeter job openings
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Jobseekers are invited to the Sandy Springs Connects! Perimeter Expo Thursday, Sept. 12 to link with local businesses in the Perimeter market.
The free job fair runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center and will feature dozens of businesses who will meet with people seeking careers that offer competitive salaries and benefits.
The city says walk-ins are welcome. Interested jobseekers and businesses can register for updates and view the growing list of confirmed employers at www.sandyspringsconnects.com.
The city says its last job fair resulted in numerous interviews, eight on-thespot job offers and seven follow-ups within a week.
Xianqin Wallace, careers director for the Community Assistance Center, said the nonprofit has a tried-and true formula for the Sept. 12 career expo.
“Our face-to-face event allows jobseekers to make a personal connection before the online application process, giving them an edge through candidate selection process,” Wallace said.
The CAC Career Center has experience in this field, helping hundreds
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of jobseekers each year find better employment opportunities, leading to self-sufficiency and stability for families.
Mayor Rusty Paul said Sandy Springs offers a wealth of opportunities through its diverse business landscape, ranging from family-owned shops to Fortune 500 companies.
“Coupled with the skills and experience of our local candidates, this makes the career expo exceptionally successful,” Paul said.
Local Sandy Springs companies, like State Farm, UPS, Cox Enterprises, Northside Hospital and Symphona, plan to be at the career expo.
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Church gift lets Family Promise offer new housing
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — A recent donation to Family Promise of North Fulton/ DeKalb will give two families in need of transitional housing a place to call home early next year.
Family Promise is a nationwide nonprofit that fights homelessness by providing resources, transitional housing, and support to struggling families.
The North Fulton/DeKalb chapter received the donation, its first transitional home, from St. David’s Episcopal Church as part of a 10-year reduced rent lease agreement.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Aug. 15 on the lawn of the roughly 1,800-square-foot home off Old Roswell Road, next door to the church. It featured remarks from Executive Director Andrea Brantley, Rev. Remington Slone of St. David’s, and Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson.
As visitors walked through the home, Jason Acree, with project manager McKibbon Places, explained the renovation plans. He expects completion in the first quarter of next year. The home will have five bedrooms and two bathrooms with shared dining and living areas.
Brantley said the home will provide families exiting the nonprofit’s Rotational Shelter program more time to build credit and reach selfsufficiency.
In 2023, the North Fulton/DeKalb chapter served 31 individuals in its Rotational Shelter program, which was made possible through partnerships with a diverse range of a dozen faithbased organizations, including St.
David’s. It also served 54 individuals in its Housing Stabilization program and nearly 2,500 through Emergency Response.
“We’re very super excited to have the City of Roswell … wrap [its] arms around the project…” Brantley said.
She said the project was Slone’s idea.
“He came to me, loved our mission, and said, ‘I want to do more,’” Brantley said.
Families that have been rotating through shelters weekly for 90 to 120
days will have the opportunity to stay at the home for up to six months once they graduate.
“My dream is that other congregations see the value of this,” she said.
Brantley said they could donate space they’re using for storage or for meetings, proposing they relocate to their larger facilities. She also said they could allow the nonprofit to build on their undeveloped land.
“My hope is that we … shake the community up about this and realize that this is a really doable thing, and we can really make an impact on the families that are experiencing homelessness in our neighborhood,” Brantley said.
Jason Acree, vice president of Preconstruction Services at McKibbon Places, explains renovation plans to a home off Old Roswell Road, gifted by St. David’s Episcopal Church to Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The annual ADMH Run for Health 2024 supports teens and adults with developmental disabilities and will take place at Brook Run Park on Sunday, September 15, 2024. The race takes place within the park between 8:30am and 11:00am. There may be increased traffic on North Peachtree Rd, Peeler Rd and Barclay Drive. There will be minimal interruption. For more information or any questions, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/GA/Dunwoody/ADMH
PHOTOS BY: AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
At center, Andrea Brantley, executive director of Family Promise of North Fulton/Dekalb, and Rev. Remington Slone, senior pastor of St. David’s Episcopal Church, join members of the Roswell City Council for a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 15. St. David’s donated an adjacent house to the nonprofit as part of a 10-year reduced rent agreement, intended for two families in transition from rotational sheltering.
Sandy Springs boosts plan to improve roadway safety
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs officials took added steps Aug. 20 to seek federal funds for improved roadway safety.
Elected officials and city staff spent much of the regular meeting discussing fatal and serious-injury crashes on city roadways.
The City Council approved submitting an application for additional federal funding to create a city Safety Action Plan. The city says the plan aligns with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, which provides grants for activities to prevent deaths and serious injuries on the nation’s roadways.
The federal agency awarded a $360,000 grant to the city last year to complete the study. The city’s contribution is $90,000.
The plan is to have a draft Safety Action Plan by Oct. 31 and adoption in January 2025.
Public Works Director Marty Martin said a notice of funding from the U.S. DOT means the city can now apply for additional planning grants to assist completing its Road Safety Action Plan,
While two-thirds of crashes in Sandy Springs occur along state routes and interstates, like Ga. 400 and I-285, there are still city-owned streets that see their share of accidents.
Mayor Rusty Paul said he saw three vehicles driving the wrong way on Northside Drive in the past month.
“I alerted one of the wrong-way drivers with my horn,” Paul said. “And she showed her appreciation by saying I was the number one mayor she knew.”
Transportation Manager Kristen Wescott said the grant opportunity means that the city has access to more funds before its Road Safety Action Plan is submitted to the Federal Highway Administration in May. She said the study is underway with scheduled opportunities for public input.
“With this current grant, we do have additional funding to undertake supplemental planning and demonstration projects,” Wescott said. “Under the notice of funding opportunity, a demonstration activity is a temporary improvement, and it does not involve any roadway reconstruction.”
Examples include wrong-way signage and alerts, education about distracted driving and feasibility studies to future roadway construction.
Wescott said the Public Works Department would also like to use the funding to update its crash data, which does not include figures from 2023 or 2024.
A rendering shows an example a roadway project eligible for funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets for All grant program. Sandy Springs staff said they are working to bring a draft of the Safety Action Plan to elected officials in October.
City Councilman John Paulson said he does not think that Sandy Springs will be top of the list for grant money because of its moderate rate of serious and fatalinjury crashes.
In other business, the City Council heard a presentation from Fire Chief Keith Sanders about an agreement with the Fulton County Board of Education for use of city facilities while North Springs High School is under construction.
City Manager Freeman said the request is for use of the City Green as a reunification point for students and parents because the football field is not available.
Groundbreaking for the new high school is planned for late this month.
In other matters, Sandy Springs received a Class 1 Insurance Services Office rating, primarily associated with its fire response network. The rating could mean more discounts for residential and commercial property owners.
Chief Keith Sanders introduced Verisk Insurance Solutions Vice President Michael Morash to go over the analysis of the city’s capabilities. He said the discounts apply more to commercial property owners than single-family residences.
Across the country’s 36,000 fire departments, only 1 percent receive a Class 1 designation, Morash said.
In other action Aug. 20, council members voted to maintain the city’s property tax levy at its charter cap of 4.731 mills, the same level since the city incorporated in 2005.
While the rate remains the same, property values overall have increased, and the same levy is expected to bring in about 2.19 percent more in revenue.
Sandy Springs municipal taxes make up about 14 percent of a homeowner’s annual tax bill. Property owners also pay taxes to Fulton County and Fulton County Schools.
Elected officials heard no public comments from residents at the 8:30 a.m. or 6 p.m. public hearings Aug. 20.
At the first public hearing Aug. 6, City Manager Eden Freeman gave insight into the city’s revenue planning.
She said while 100 percent tax
collections would yield some $52 million in property tax revenue, the city has not collected the full amount in years past.
“The number that we have included in the fiscal year 2025 budget is $44.5 million, which did represent a slight increase,” Freeman said. “I would be very hesitant to budget at $52 million, because I do not believe we will collect [that amount].”
No residents gave public comment at the Aug. 6 public hearing either.
Because Sandy Springs approves its fiscal year budget before setting its tax levy, elected officials have little flexibility to adjust the millage rate.
Building inspectors ensure safety, consumer benefit
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — With years of experience in the construction industry, Johns Creek Building Inspector Shelby Nguyen knows pretty quickly whether a project is sound or needs fixing.
Common violations are bolts or hangers, that sort of thing.
“What generally bothers me most is when speaking with contractors coming out here … saying, ‘Hey, you need to do XYZ,’ and they do XY, but not Z,” Nguyen said. “And, so I come back out, and I’m like, ‘Why aren’t you listening to me?’”
One thing she really likes about the job is that every day is different, and that she gets to split her time between the indoors and fresher air. Nguyen covers both commercial and residential properties, and within each, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work.
This training is typical for a building inspector nowadays, a role that requires certification. Back in the day, Chief Building Official Sal Gaeta said there were more trade inspectors, and that larger cities continue with that model, like the City of Atlanta, due to the complexity of its commercial developments. But, in Johns Creek, Gaeta said it can’t be that granular.
“They would be sitting on their hands, to be perfectly honest,” he said.
Appen Media joined Nguyen and Gaeta on-site at a home in the Bellmoore Park subdivision, due for a new sunroom attached to the second floor. The project was still in the works, with wire exposed beneath the sunroom and materials laying around.
Whether Nguyen conducts a midprogress inspection depends on the project. With a deck, something exposed and without an electrical component, Nguyen would only conduct an initial and final inspection.
Prioritizing safety
Gaeta said he’s charged by the state to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the entire public, to include a homeowner, their guests but also future owners of that same home.
“Enforcement of code is important,” Gaeta said. “The code is there for the sake of safety, and it’s a direct result of years’ worth of recognizing issues and problems.”
Nguyen was there to inspect the moisture barrier, which didn’t take very long, though the conversation lasted about an hour on that muggy afternoon and with comments from the homeowner, grateful to see the pair doing their job.
“I’m happy that you’re here,” owner
Jasbir Gill said.
Gill told Appen Media he feels much better that someone was there to look at the project, intended to provide additional space to guests and another TV. The sunroom will be open to the main structure.
“We’re not professional,” he said. “We don’t know what [the general contractor is] doing.”
Plan review
The site plan, under the purview of Gaeta and bearing his signature, is 19 pages in length. It’s a revision to a plan previously approved, and includes illustrations, specifications and a lot of jargon in a tiny font.
Gaeta’s primary task is to ensure all permits are applied for and ultimately issued, satisfying all the governing building codes and ordinances from the state and the City of Johns Creek.
An inspection might take five minutes, a good one at least, but plan reviews are constant.
That day, Gaeta had 15 reviews due, though not a typical number. Gaeta said he issues about seven permits a day, different from a building official in a smaller jurisdiction who might issue maybe seven a month.
Most on his desk were related to a new subdivision called Ward’s Crossing off State Bridge Road, a project led by The Providence Group — a developer familiar to city staff, and whose name was also stamped on the home in Bellmoore.
“The good news for me, at least, is that they know their product,” Gaeta
CIVIC DUTIES: In a new series from Appen Media, Civic Duties will take readers behind the scenes of local government. Senior Staff Reporter Amber Perry and her colleagues will shadow employees across different city departments and turn those experiences into original reporting, so residents get a closer look at what exactly local governments provide the community.
said. “We know their product. They’re now kind of the same drawings, just repetitive.”
Consumer protection
Site drawings tell Gaeta what he can expect when it comes to the quality of construction — if there’s attention being paid to the drawing, the same will likely go for the build-out. It’s his job to be proactive.
“...If I have very bad drawings and I did nothing about them, we could potentially have a lot of bad buildings, because these are folks that are prone to just reverting back to old habits, bad habits,” Gaeta said. “They cut corners. They don’t understand that there are newer codes.”
Codes are released every three years, adopted by the state of Georgia from the International Code Council. Gaeta said the state governs the code, but that local jurisdictions can make them more restrictive.
He offered an example of an important update. In 2009, Gaeta said there was a building code that included a
span chart for lumber, which was revised because of the depletion of old growth.
“For a joist to span 12 feet, you could have easily done it with a 2-by-8, but over time, lumber has degraded in quality, especially in the states,” Gaeta said, adding that newly-planted hybrid trees aren’t as structurally capable.
In 2012, he said a revision to the code called for spanning 12 feet with a 2-by-10.
Preparing for Medley
Commercial plans are more painstaking, he said, taking one to two hours, or longer, to review each one.
“When Medley comes through, I might just barricade myself in my office and be there for a week to look through about 200 pages of documents,” Gaeta said.
Medley, headed by Avalon developer Mark Toro, is a 42-acre mixed-use development characterized as a third leg to the city’s Town Center project. It will accompany the planned 21-acre Creekside Park and a new plant for biomedical engineering giant Boston Scientific.
Groundbreaking is scheduled for later this year. The first phase, expected to open late 2026, will include around 180,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space, 108,000 square feet of office space, 340 multifamily residences, 133 townhomes and an activated 25,000-square-foot plaza.
“We’re shaking in our boots right now because we want to do a good job, but we can’t drop any of this,” Gaeta said. “This still is going to carry on.”
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Johns Creek Chief Building Official Sal Gaeta, left, speaks with Shelby Nguyen, a building inspector with the city, about their line of work at a home in the Bellmoore Park subdivision. That day, the pair reviewed in-progress construction for the addition of a sunroom.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Johns Creek artist guild expands reach
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — The artist guild at the Art Center, formerly known at the Johns Creek Art Center, welcomed visitors to its reception at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse Aug. 6.
The show “Autumnal Equinox,” on display until Oct. 31, features around 25 pieces from a dozen artists in the guild.
Guild President Monika Mittal said she chose the venue to widen the group’s reach but also to allow for bigger pieces. The courthouse walls easily accommodate 6-foot-high paintings.
Among the small crowd was Janice Rinaldo, recreation program coordinator for Gwinnett County. She told Appen Media she previously saw the guild’s work at an exhibition at Emory Johns Creek Hospital.
“I was like, ‘This is great art.’ I was like, ‘I got to get a hold of the guild and see if they want to come do something over here,’” Rinaldo said. “It finally came to fruition a year later.”
The courthouse, off West Crogan Street in Lawrenceville, has rotating art shows on a quarterly basis.
Mittal has also been working to pull in more diverse groups of people to the guild.
The group has nearly 40 members from varied backgrounds, ethnicities and ages.
Mittal’s 21-year-old daughter has a macrame piece in the show, and not far from it, is a quilt made by an 80-year-old artist.
The diversity carries through to the work.
Guild member Afreen Khundmiri had two pieces in the show, one of which represented her perspective as someone with dyslexia. She painted the dress she wore, Rumi poetry in Farsi.
“I want to convey the message … women, period, are multitaskers,” Khundmiri said. “They can do anything and everything. They don’t need a language. They just need a love language.”
Khundmiri said her love language is food, showing photos she took of her husband’s dishes.
Another artist in the show, Greg Barnum, had some landscape paintings as well as abstract work.
Barnum, who joined the guild a couple of years ago, said the group allows him to sell his work but also to support the Art Center. He began attending classes there about a decade ago.
“The Art Center is not going to work without people supporting it out of the goodness of their hearts,” he said.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Afreen Khundmiri, member of the Art Center’s artist guild, describes her paintings to guests at the group’s reception at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville Aug. 6. The show “Autumnal Equinox” is on display until Oct. 31.
SocialBites Food Hub, at the corner of Roswell and Abernathy
founder Aziz Hashim is optimistic he has a sustainable model.
Franchising expert unveils new food hub concept
Sandy Springs gets to try it first
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs has a new restaurant open, and it’s the first of its kind.
Experiential Brands’ new restaurant concept, SocialBites Food Hub, opened its first location within the Sandy Springs Village shopping center at 6650 Roswell Road in late July.
In the first two weeks of business, Experiential Brands CEO Aziz Hashim said the food hub has hosted families with children, corporate team building exercises and an assortment of Sandy Springs residents and neighbors.
As a food hub, SocialBites aims to be a one-stop shop for a night out with friends or family.
While food halls make a profit in high-density commercial and
residential areas, the food hub concept looks to combine different service models into something that can last.
In the first two weeks of operations, Hashim said SocialBites has seen just about every customer imaginable, something important to any profitable restaurant business.
The floor plan of the restaurant fits with anyone’s night out preferences. The upstairs features BarSocial, an upscale lounge that looks over the main space below.
Three patios wrap around most of the building’s exterior, allowing couples and smaller groups to enjoy a more secluded meal.
Aziz Hashim, founder and managing partner of National Restaurant Development Capital, brings decades of restaurant experience as both a franchisor and franchisee to SocialBites Food Hub. He is also the person who came up with the concept of a food hub.
“Considering today’s rapidly
HUB, Page 11
A full spread of menu items from The Original Hot Chicken sits on a table at SocialBites Food Hub. The new food hub concept features four additional menu brands, including Inked Tacos, Flametown Burgers, Pinsa Roman Pizza and BarSocial.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
roads in Sandy Springs, looks to turn a profit with a new restaurant concept. After opening in late July,
Hub:
Continued from Page 10
changing economic environment, demographics and customer preferences, it’s very difficult to imagine that you could pick a winner today and it remain a winner for the next 20 years,” Hashim said. “With the prevalence of delivery options, the reasons to physically come inside a restaurant have diminished.”
SocialBites Food Hub replaces Huey Luey’s Mexican restaurant in the 1970s shopping center at southwest corner of Abernathy and Roswell roads in Sandy Springs.
The old red lettering on the two-story building is gone and less than $200,000 in renovations later, Experiential Brand’s newest venture — SocialBites Food Hub — is welcoming customers.
The 6,500-square-foot space is designed for weekly social gatherings, or “Happenings,” like Monday night trivia and live music on the weekends.
Hashim said he thinks there are a lot of outdated restaurant spaces in Metro Atlanta, and he hopes to find a model that works for them.
Experiential Brands is a portfolio of fast casual restaurant brands under the umbrella of private investment firm NDC Capital.
“The idea here was to reimagine the restaurant model,” Hashim said. “Today, especially the fast casual model, is a one-to-one relationship, that means there’s a sign outside and that’s what you sell inside.”
The new colors — cyan, yellow and red — on SocialBite’s storefront match the energy inside and its owner’s spirit of invention.
The typical fast-food chain model limits the abilities of franchisors and franchisees to change with the times, Hashim said.
In his experience, if any fastfood business is struggling to make a profit, the franchisor-franchisee dynamic often ends poorly for an operator.
Unlike fast food chain customers, restaurant patrons flock to food halls for community, variety and affordability.
“Event and meeting space in the food environment is very limited, restaurants are just not designed for that,” Hashim said. “Only the largest ones have party rooms and stuff like that, but that’s expensive.”
For smaller groups of 15 or less, food hubs offer a variety of cuisine, whether groups are craving chicken, tacos or a burger, the food hub has it all.
With the prevalence of delivery options, the reasons to physically come inside a restaurant have diminished.”
AZIZ HASHIM Founder and Managing Partner of NRD Holdings
But unlike food halls found across Metro Atlanta, SocialBites centralizes all ordering under one kitchen and wait staff.
The ability to adapt can make food halls and hubs more successful than older restaurant models.
“If you want to be able to be flexible, then you have to have the ability to change up the menus,” Hashim said. “If the name outside reflects what’s sold inside, then you’ve completely lost that ability.”
When ordering at SocialBites Food Hub, customers select from one of four brands — The Original Hot Chicken, Inked Tacos, Flametown Burgers and Pinsa Roman Pizza — displayed above the counter like at any Chick-fil-A in Metro Atlanta.
When asked for his favorite brand or menu at the food hub, Hashim smiled and said he’s a burger guy.
After graduating from the University of California, Irvine with an engineering degree, Hashim said he went to his parents for support as he pursued his passion. Not too long after, he found himself in Atlanta.
Just before the 1996 Summer Olympics, Hashim opened his first KFC franchise downtown. Some two decades later, Nation’s Restaurant News named Hashim as one of the 10 most influential leaders in the industry.
Hashim is a proponent of unitlevel economics, something that allows him to take his private capital business into other industries, like technology. The operating model allows business owners to forecast the profitability of products and customers, something important with tight margins.
“Overtime, we can change the menu,” Hashim said. “The only promise on the outside is you’re going to get great food on the inside.”
That simple DIY project— not really so simple
Strategies:
Continued from Page 1
Starling and Dunham-Jones agree that to preserve Perimeter’s standing in the Metro Atlanta market, there needs to be focus on redeveloping old commercial properties and surface parking lots.
Some ideas include turning big-box retail centers into mixeduse developments with residences, creating more density and walkability; making room for pockets of greenspace; and connecting areas with paths and roadways.
Refashioning urban design in Dunwoody is important because its City Charter caps the property tax levy at 3.040 mills and allows for a more restrictive freeze on home values than surrounding cities. Those factors limit how much revenue the city can bring in from residential property taxes.
That leaves the city to rely more on commercial parcels for revenue, and the Perimeter area teams with potential.
The topic of how to manage future development, whether through city-led zoning and incentives or private sector trends, emerged toward the end of the discussion.
The regional office market is
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch speaks to a room full of city officials, business community members and Perimeter Community Improvement District representatives Aug. 22 during the first of a four-session seminar series, “Edge City: Shaping Tomorrow’s Perimeter.”
seeing two major trends: a flight to quality (recreation, transportation and connection) and collapsing values for older stock.
Dunwoody’s Ashford Lane, High Street and Campus 244 developments position the city well in the shortterm. The question is whether more
can be done in the Perimeter market, whether it be private development and market trends or government investment.
Dunham-Jones said the new residential units approved in Dunwoody as a part of the fourth building at Park Center Campus are
an exciting step.
The kickoff of the foursession seminar series included representatives from Dunwoody’s western neighbor, Sandy Springs. City Council members Jody Reichel and John Paulson attended the morning breakfast and presentation.
Paulson, who represents Sandy Springs on Fulton County side of Perimeter Community Improvement Districts, said he thinks the costs of turning old office buildings into residential or other uses are too high and not feasible.
Dunham-Jones said many office buildings have designs that limit their uses, but pointed to examples where it works, like North Atlanta High School less than 10 miles away.
The first meeting in the four-part series yielded no concrete answers on how local governments will approach redevelopment, but the conversation is ongoing.
The second session Nov. 7 will focus on “Evolving Suburban Housing Options,” featuring developers, real estate consultants and a representative from the Atlanta Regional Commission.
Speakers for the third and fourth sessions in 2025 have yet to be announced. The topics include “Energizing the Future of Retail” and “Emerging Office Market.”
King Hardware stores, gone but not forgotten
Back in the days before Home Depot, Lowe’s and Ace Hardware, most towns had one or more small independent hardware stores.
Occasionally, one of those stores took off and became a large chain of stores. Today, most mom-and-pop operations and even those which expanded beyond their local boundaries are gone and forgotten. In this column I want to bring back one such group of stores and one family whose lives were shaped by the stores.
George Edward King (1851-1934) was born in Butts County in central Georgia about 45 miles from Atlanta. His father, the Rev. James Lawrence King (1819-1901), was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and was a classmate of poet Sidney Lanier.
Following two economic recessions after the Civil War and a year after federal troops were withdrawn from Atlanta, King began traveling for a Baltimore metal factory calling on hardware and house furnishing companies. In 1882 he used that experience to buy a struggling grocery store at 49 Peachtree St. in Atlanta near Wheat Street –today Auburn Avenue – and converted it to a small hardware store. Next door was Asa Candler’s drug store. He later invented Coca-Cola initially using a 50-gallon kettle purchased from King. At the time, Atlanta had a population of 47,000 and 10 competing hardware stores.
The first year, King’s store lost $1,839, or about 20% of its capital. Nonetheless, George was determined to succeed and was at the store every day from 7 in the morning until 11 at night. The store gradually became successful. By the time of its gala 50th anniversary celebration in 1932, the company had grown to 13 stores. Eventually, it had 19 stores; however, the growth of big box competitors such as Home Depot eventually led to the demise of the business.
Elbert Herschel Foster (1911-1989) joined King Hardware right after graduating from high school in Sandy Springs circa 1927. His first jobs were driving a delivery truck and waiting on customers. Possessing great intelligence and a strong work ethic, he steadily moved up the corporate ladder.
In the 1960s, Herschel left King Hardware where he was assistant vice president, to open his own hardware store, Sandy Springs Hardware. Three years later, King Hardware was experiencing challenging times and asked Herschel to return as president of the company. King Hardware remained open for several years before succumbing to competition from the big box stores, and Herschel returned to his store in Sandy Springs. Eventually, it also closed due to the same pressures that had forced King Hardware to close.
Herschel married Willie Mae Pearson Foster (1910-2012) in 1931, and in 1934 they built a house on Belle Isle Road in Sandy Springs. Willie Mae was raised on a 185-acre farm on Westbrook Road in today’s Milton. Herschel and Willie Mae’s brother Henry Pearson purchased the farm from
Herschel and Willie
in the Sandy Springs Hardware Store that Herschel opened when he left King Hardware. He later returned to King Hardware as president. Herschel is holding a highly coveted golden hammer award given to him by the Stanley Tool Company.
Willie Mae’s family circa 1946 and divided the property between the two families.
Neither Herschel nor Henry were farmers. Sharecroppers raised chickens, cattle, pigs, corn and vegetables on the land while the two owners worked on the farm as time permitted. Herschel was also very involved in the community as a charter member of the Sandy Springs Rotary Club and as member of the Sandy Springs Masonic Lodge.
Herschel and Willie Mae’s son Byron Foster, a retired structural engineer who worked with NASA, and his sister Shirley Morgan inherited their parents’ property after Herschel’s death. Each built a house on the property. Byron raised Santa Gertrudis cattle for many years until he was seriously injured by the horns of a bull. He then changed to Black Angus cattle which are polled, i.e. without horns. Today, Byron has about 20 head of cattle on the property.
Three years ago, Byron and his wife Laura made their property Wildberry Creek Farm available for the Milton Historical Society’s annual fall Shindig
Reproduction of King Hardware’s first store on the corner of Auburn Avenue, then known as Wheat Street. The image was reproduced from an old engraving found in the company’s files. The store sold hardware, cutlery, guns, tin and woodenware and agricultural equipment. In subsequent years it greatly expanded its range of products. By 1957, King had 19 stores.
which honors Milton’s agricultural past with a host of fun activities for adults and children. This year’s Shindig will be Sunday, Sept. 22 from 3:30 to 7:30p.m. Byron says that he and Laura host the event every year because “We want the local community to experience the rural heritage I grew up in.”
For further information on the Shindig go online to Milton Historical Society 2024 Autumn Shindig.
When asked to explain why his father was so successful at King Hardware, Byron says “My dad loved hardware and gave his all. He was a hardworking dedicated employee, and the company saw potential in him from the start and sent him to school to develop his business skills. I am very proud of his accomplishments.”
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
BOB MEYERS Columnist
FAMILY PROVIDED
Mae Foster stand in front of shelves
ATLANTA CONSTITUTION
OPINION
GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!
An outdoorsman’s gotta eat
There’s so much to enjoy about the outside world. Every bit of it offers adventure – fishing, hiking, exploring –and it’s all good. But good or not, along about 11:30 in the morning, it may dawn on you that it’s been a while since breakfast. The ol’ tummy may start reminding you that lunchtime draweth nigh.
I was taught at a young age that one highlight of any outdoor adventure is lunchtime. After all, an outdoorsman’s gotta eat.
Sometimes that means stopping at a favorite restaurant. I have several, and I’ll share some of them with you in the months to come. Maybe you have a favorite, too. If you do, let me know.
But I digress.
Besides being taught about the importance of lunch, I was also taught one of the Great Truths of Life. I’d like to share that with you now. Ready? Here it comes:
The ultimate expression of “lunch” is a tube of crackers and a tin of sardines.
Yes, just that.
Sure, grilled hotdogs or burgers are good. So is a tub of fried chicken or even sliced ham and cheese and bread. Any of those will keep the wolf from the door, as they say, and will give you sustenance and nourishment to get you through the rest of the
day’s adventures.
But such offerings fall short of the gold standard. Besides, it’s hard to tote a bucket of fried chicken in your daypack all day, and grilling means you’ve got to have a grill.
Much easier – much, much easier – is (you guessed it) a simple tube of crackers and a tin of sardines. That’s truly all you need. It really is.
Of course, you’ve got to do it right. You’ve got to adhere to certain standards. For example, the sardines need to come packed in olive oil, not in mustard or firecracker sauce or any of those other pretenders to the sardine-packaging throne.
Well, maybe that’s a little harsh. Maybe one of those other options is really not so bad, and I certainly don’t want to rouse the wrath of the shadowy but immensely powerful global mustard-packed sardine cabal. You just don’t mess with those folks. So forget I said anything about that, and let’s just share these packedin-oil delicacies quietly and among ourselves. Okay?
The sardines themselves are only half the equation, of course. The other half is the crackers. And what about those crackers? Traditionally, they need to be Ritz, original recipe, though ordinary saltines will do in a pinch. And whatever your crackers of choice, make sure they’re fresh. Fresh crackers are crispy crackers, and that crispy crackery crunch is part of the charm. Don’t forget that, Grasshopper, lest you miss nuances subtle but profound.
Once you have your sardines and crackers, what then?
First, carefully open the sardine tin. Pull slowly on the metal tap lest you up-end everything and cause culinary disaster.
Then open up the crackers.
Then serve.
Ideally, the sardines are served one at a time on the blade of your pocket knife, each lifted reverently and intact
from the little oblong can from whence it is born. So procured, the sardine is then placed precisely across the very middle of a single cracker.
You do have a pocket knife, don’t you? I hope so, for that’s just how it’s done. You could use a fork, I suppose. But where’s the fun in that?
Then comes the moment you’ve been waiting for all morning. The sardine is set; the cracker is poised. You move it toward your mouth…
Then you eat. It’s a moment of culinarily ecstasy. The first bite awakens you with a symphony of flavor that lasers through your tastebuds and goes straight to your soul. The universe sings. It is exquisite. It is satisfying in a way that few experiences are or have been or ever could be. Bliss is a wonderful thing.
You finish the first one. Then you get out another cracker. You wipe the blade of the pocket knife on the leg of your jeans, just to be sure it’s clean, and then you fish another fish from the little metal can and do it all over again.
Maybe a drop of holy oil falls from the sardine and rolls slowly down the front of your shirt, but you don’t mind. Not a bit. For no four-star eatery in New York or Chicago ever created anything as fine.
Of course, for this to work, you’ve got to like sardines. If you don’t, then none of this means anything and I will pray for you.
But if you do like sardines, then you will know. Then you will understand.
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
STEVE HUDSON/APPEN MEDIA
A tube of crackers and a tin of sardines makes the perfect lunch.
Will you choose a murder mystery or international intrigue?
My go-to reads are British mysteries, but I do, on occasion, branch out. This week’s selections were serendipitous finds. The first came my way because my husband gave me a Barnes & Noble gift certificate last Christmas. I picked up the second one while exploring a bookshop on Amelia Island. Indie bookshops are hard to pass up.
“Murder Your Employer” by Rupert
Holmes
Admit it. Haven’t you had a boss you couldn’t stand? One who made your life miserable? Or were you one of the lucky ones who always had marvelous managers? Alas, in my thirty-two-year corporate career, I had a manager whom I referred to as “the boss from hell.” She even made her way into my mystery
novel as the reason my main character was spurred to take early retirement. I once had an “employee from hell” too, but that’s a topic for another day.
This novel follows three graduates of McMaster’s Conservatory for the Applied Arts—from their arrival at the institution to their graduation and eventual attempt to “delete” their detested employer. There’s a glossary up front, and deletion is the preferred term for murder. The language cracked me up.
At freshman orientation, students are encouraged to consider these four questions: Is this murder necessary? Have you given your target every last chance to redeem themselves? What innocent person might suffer by your actions? Will this deletion improve the life of others?
What follows is a witty tale with plenty of tongue-in-cheek descriptions and twists and turns. The language is intended, I think, to be high falutin’ as befits the serious subject of deletion.
What I find even more intriguing is that the author is Rupert Holmes, who wrote and sang “Escape” aka The Pina Colada Song. Not only that, he’s also known for his Broadway mystery musicals. Have you seen “The Mystery of Edwin Drood?” It won a Tony award for Best Musical.
I’ve already put his first book, “Where the Truth Lies,” on hold at the library. It was made into a movie starring Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon. If it’s even half as entertaining as this one, I know I’ll enjoy it.
“The Only Woman in the Room” by Marie Benedict
Many of you have likely read at least one of Benedict’s books—“The Personal Librarian,” “Carnegie’s Maid,” or “The Other Einstein.” The only one I’ve read is “The Mystery of Mrs. Christie” about, of course, Dame Agatha.
This book is a fictionalized biography of Hedy Lamarr, the stunning film actress, whose intelligence was every
bit as remarkable as her beauty. Her unbelievable story could easily make a Hollywood movie. This review from “Woman’s Day” captures its essence: “This. Book. Is. Amazing. ‘The Only Woman in the Room’ tells the fascinating true story of actress Hedy Lamarr, whose little-known journey involves escaping the Nazis and her secret life as a scientist and inventor. Jaw dropped? Same.”
For me, both of these books were equally engrossing. Now, I’m off to read a few of my favorite British mysteries before I branch out again.
Happy reading!
Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, Tall Tales, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook. com/KathyManosPennAuthor/.
Getting a chill means football season is nigh
MIKE TASOS Columnist
It was a feeling that could best be described as “foreign,” especially with all this “suckthe-life-right-out-ofyou” humidity that has turned sitting outside on the deck with friends into a real life Sweatin’ to the Oldies.
This was a feeling that caused me to rub my hands together. It seemed like years ago since I’d had any sliver of a shiver.
I was on an early evening Harley ride and I was chilly. In an instant of self-realization, I soon discovered that a T-shirt and vest was a woeful riding wardrobe choice.
Cruising past the Dairy Queen in Dahlonega, the promo for a Blizzard gave me a welcomed chill.
Could it be? Were we moving to the pleasant autumn that means nice weather. In reality, the temperature that doesn’t induce buckets of perspiration is a spot-on indication that college football is once again upon us.
Ahhhhhh! What a great feeling!
Back to the riding. It’s been a regular 7 p.m. occurrence with good friend Jerry Nix and whoever else we can entice to a trek that will take us on a variety of routes that both relax and give us a gorgeous glimpse of a breathtaking pinkhued sunset.
These early evening rides seem to be a perfect ending to a summer day.
* Despite all the controversy about the opening ceremonies, the Paris Olympics provided some compelling moments. The closing ceremonies with Tom Cruise jumping off a cliff and out of an airplane set the table for what will be a Hollywood-themed Olympiad in four
years.
While I found the sacrilegious, offensive portion of the opening presentation something that gave Paris a black eye to start the Games, the rest of the 16 days seemed to pretty go without a major hitch.
The athletic performance was a testimony to teams and individuals striving for and (in many cases) achieving excellence in their respective events.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to develop a greater appreciation for anyone who is able to call themselves an Olympian. And despite what others wrote, I still believe Atlanta did a darned fine job in 1996, despite a lunatic’s bomb spoiling what was a celebration of Atlanta and its people.
I found the nightly dose of athletics (track and field), swimming, gymnastics and basketball entertainment that is sorely missed. My prevalent reaction
to what I viewed was “How did they do that?”
With that said, I believe having events like surfing in Tahiti, skateboarding, breaking (as in “break dancing,”) or rock wall climbing served to taint what I believe is a sport.
I know, I know there are many who will disagree.
I guess I’m just getting older and crankier.
However, a recent column about starting the school in early August struck a nerve with readers who agreed. And it’s apparent that some teachers aren’t all that thrilled with everyone having to go to summer school whether they like it or not.
Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.
KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The City of Dunwoody Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday, October 10, 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 24-15, 4690 Kings Down Road: Two variances: one variance from Sec. 27-58 to allow an accessory structure to encroach into the rear and side setbacks and one variance from Sec. 27-269 to allow retaining walls to encroach into the rear and side setbacks.
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.
In Memoriam
Stephen Arnott Lindabury
Stephen Arnott Lindabury, 82, of Dunwoody, GA, passed away peacefully at his home on August 13, 2024, surrounded by his family.
He was born in Bernardsville, NJ to Harrison Phillip Lindabury, Jr. and Marjorie Ludlow Lindabury on April 30, 1942. Steve graduated from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ in 1964. Upon graduation, he entered active duty with the Army National Guardfollowing in the footsteps of his namesake, Stephen Arnott, Jr. - where he served as a Tank Commander. He carried forward in life the spirit of a proud patriot who loved his country. His professional career spanned 32 years with Western Electric/Bellsouth/ATT. After retirement from the corporate world, he ventured into a new career in Real Estate.
Steve married Paula Pitchell on October 2, 1965, and they had been together for nearly 60 years. During those years, they raised three children, nurtured seven grandchildren, volunteered in the community, sailed on many waterways, journeyed across the country on their Harley, and traveled halfway around the world to visit friends. Their life together was a true Love Story written just for them. As a husband, father, and friend, he was honest, generous, loving and loyal, always steadfast in his Christian beliefs with a twist of fun and
adventure. He personified the term Family Man, dedicated to keeping a work-life balance and always making his decisions based on what was best for the family. He was a great supporter of his children’s activities both as a spectator and a coach, be it soccer, tennis, or sailing. He even supported Paula in her Real Estate career and became her business partner. Steve was predeceased by his parents, his older brother, Harrison Phillip Lindabury III, and an adopted cousin, Christopher Goes. He is survived by his devoted wife Paula, his children David Lindabury (Leslie), Janice Norment, Stephanie Jenkins (Neff) and seven grandchildren, Brittney, Sara, Harrison, Drew, Evan, Cate, and Ryan.
The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Compassus Hospice and Trusted Hands Senior Care for their care and compassion.
A Memorial Service will be held on October 5, 2024 at 2:00pm at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, 4795 N Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Barnabas Anglican Church at the address above. Immediately following the service, friends and family are invited to a reception celebrating Steve’s life with them at the Lindabury residence.
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