Dunwoody Crier - June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025 | AppenMedia.com

Challenger announces for Post 2 council seat

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — With two months until qualifying, David Ziskind announced his run for Post 2 on the Dunwoody City Council, one of three seats on this fall’s ballot.

The District 2 seat is currently held by Rob Price, who announced his reelection bid

City planners mark preferences for high-density residential sites

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Planning Commission dug its heels in June 10, deferring a rezoning request for a new residential development near Mount Vernon Road, while supporting another in an office complex along I-285.

The decision reflected the community’s overall support to restrict dense housing developments to commercial areas and preserve existing single-family homes and neighborhoods.

Planning Commission members recommended action on five items, including a mix of rezonings and special land-use permits

for drive-thrus and housing developments.

More than 10 residents spoke against a rezoning of an existing medical office building at 4891 Ashford Dunwoody Road, owned by Lifesouth Community Blood Center, to allow for approximately 220 affordable apartments for seniors. The site is just northwest of Dunwoody City Hall.

The Planning Commission deferred the rezoning request, essentially killing the proposal, according to the applicant.

Representatives said they needed a rezoning before moving forward with financing.

See PLANNING, Page 17

June 13 shortly after his challenger’s notice.

Dunwoody elections are staggered on a four-year cycle, with half the City Council seats coming up for a vote this year. The three seats up for reelection Nov. 4 are for posts 1-3, which are voted upon by the residents of the district the candidate will be representing.

Post 1, held by Catherine Lautenbacher,

and Post 2, held by Tom Lambert, have no challengers, as of mid-June.

Dunwoody native Zach Humphries, a frequent attendee of city meetings and community events, withdrew his candidacy for the Post 1 seat, held by Lautenbacher, in early June.

HOUSING STUDIO/PROVIDED

A rendering of a new residential development at 64 and 66 Perimeter Center East shows plans for condominiums, townhomes and apartments. The Dunwoody Planning Commission recommended approval of a rezoning request June 10 setting up construction of 449 for-rent and owner-occupied residences at the 16-acre site just north of I-285.

ZISKIND PRICE

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City shares details on high-speed chase through the county

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police

Sgt. Michael Cheek said officers participated in a high-speed vehicle pursuit June 3 that ended with a crash at the Peachtree Industrial Boulevard ramp at I-285.

According to posts on Facebook’s Dunwoody Area Community Forum, residents watched the chase through the city that involved several patrol cars. Some estimated the vehicle was traveling more than 100 mph.

“We were involved in a vehicle pursuit regarding an aggravated assault that occurred in unincorporated DeKalb County,”

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 arrest 2 suspects in shoplifting incident

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman after they alleged shoplifted more than $500 in merchandise June 6 from the Target off Perimeter Center Place.

Officers said loss prevention notified them about the Atlanta couple concealing merchandise from the infants aisle around 8 p.m.

Loss prevention also said they had a small child with them in a stroller.

Officers said they waited at the exits for the two to leave the store.

After detaining the woman, officers said they chased the 19-year-old man, who was still carrying the merchandise, back into the store and out the rear emergency exit.

Eventually, officers said they spotted the man walking through a wooded area behind Target’s eastern

Cheek said. “The pursuit originated in Brookhaven, went back into unincorporated DeKalb, and DeKalb Police pursued the vehicle into the city of Dunwoody.”

According to the sergeant, Dunwoody officers located the vehicle on Ashford Dunwoody Road, and it fled again.

“During the course of the pursuit, the suspect vehicle caused a crash at Mount Vernon Road at Oxford Chase Way and fled the scene,” Cheek said. “We continued to pursue the vehicle into Sandy Springs, then into Gwinnett County and back into Doraville

parking lot toward Meadow Lane Road.

Officers said the man eventually surrendered after he ditched a backpack in the bushes of the median.

After returning to Target’s loss prevention team, officer said they were shown security footage of both suspects concealing merchandise, totaling $518.

Officers said the female suspect’s 1-year-old daughter was turned over to her father, an Atlanta man, who was not involved in the incident.

The woman was charged with felony theft by shoplifting and transported to DeKalb County Jail.

Officers secured warrants against the male suspect for felony shoplifting, obstruction, criminal trespass and two misdemeanors for running into the roadway.

According to jail records, both were bonded out June 10.

— Hayden Sumlin

Officers arrest suspect for theft of merchandise

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 46-year-old Decatur man June 6 after he allegedly left the

where the vehicle crashed within the city limits of Doraville on Peachtree Industrial Blvd., ending the pursuit.”

A Dunwoody resident reported the Peachtree Industrial Boulevard southbound ramp onto I-285 reopened to traffic around 3:30 p.m.

Reports say three teenagers were arrested at the scene. The suspects remain unidentified as of 5 p.m. June 3. No injuries have been reported. The incident crossed several jurisdictions, and officers from departments in Brookhaven, DeKalb County and Doraville are reported to have been involved.

Perimeter Mall Macy’s with more than $1,650 in merchandise.

Officers said the store’s loss prevention had already detained the man when they arrived. They said loss prevention officers told them they were “100 percent positive that [the man] is the same offender” from three prior shoplifting cases this year.

Officers said they arrested the man after employees requested to press charges and criminally trespass him.

After some confusion with the suspect’s name, officers said they determined he had been on probation for several years, related to multiple theft by shoplifting charges. The suspect’s girlfriend took his personal belongings after his arrest.

Officers said there was no evidence that she was operating as a lookout for the suspect.

The man was charged with felony theft by shoplifting and transported to DeKalb County Jail.

Officers said he requested to speak to a jail supervisor after going through the intake process because a staff member bumped his colostomy bag.

According to public records, the man remains in jail as of June 16.

— Hayden Sumlin

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No spin: City taxes to remain unchanged

In the most recent Dunwoody Crier, former Councilman Danny Ross claimed in an opinion piece that Dunwoody homeowners will see an increase in their city taxes for 2025. That is simply not true — and frankly, the misrepresentation feels intentional.

He surely knows that assessed values for Dunwoody homeowners are frozen at either their 2010 level or the year of purchase whichever is more recent. Today, more than 85% of residential properties in Dunwoody are under this freeze. As a result, even if a home’s assessed value increases, city taxes remain the same as the year prior. Properties not subject to the

TALK BACK TO THE CRIER

freeze are typically commercial, rentals or second homes.

Part of the confusion may stem from the 2025 DeKalb County Notice of Assessments that recently arrived in mailboxes. The notice has an estimate of 2025 city taxes that does not include Dunwoody’s one-mill reduction for homestead properties.

That reduction brings the effective millage from 3.040 to 2.040. For residential properties with a properly filed homestead exemption filed in 2024 or before, city taxes will not go up in 2025.

The argument for incorporating Dunwoody was rooted in fiscal responsibility: better services and

lower taxes. That promise holds. For a typical home valued at $600,000 with an assessment value frozen at $400,000, the city tax bill for 2025 will be about $296.

It’s also important to understand the structure of the city’s finances. Property tax revenue is overwhelmingly from commercial property, with only 37% coming from residential properties. And not all city dollars are interchangeable: in many cases, funds are restricted. For example, the money we receive from the SPLOST can’t be used for city operations; it is limited to capital improvements.

Dunwoody has the lowest aggregate millage rate in DeKalb County and

among the lowest of any city in the metro area with its own police department. Still, the City Council has been open about the potential financial challenges ahead. I can assure you that we won’t mislead the public. We are committed to responsible budgeting, sound financial management and transparency. And as we plan for the future, we will continue working with the community to find solutions that will help our city thrive, keep our residents safe, and ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Dunwoody’s tax strategy risks its commercial base

During my term on the inaugural Dunwoody City Council, commercial property owners contributed approximately 73% of the city’s tax revenue. It was a fundamental principle of our budgeting approach to maintain a balanced, sustainable source of income without overburdening our residents or businesses. That stability is now at risk.

Recently, the city announced it would raise property tax revenues without increasing the millage rate, a move that skirts the voter-imposed cap of 3.04 mills. Instead, the city intends to reassess and raise the valuation of commercial properties

to generate more revenue. On paper, this sounds like a clever fiscal strategy. In reality, it may endanger the very economic engine that powers our city.

Let’s examine the facts. A study by CBRE, a leading real estate data firm, reports that the Central Business District (CBD) in metro Atlanta, of which Dunwoody’s Perimeter Center is a key part, now suffers from a 30% vacancy rate, the highest in the region. Even more troubling, there is a significant amount of office space that is leased but unoccupied. This “phantom occupancy” means landlords are currently collecting rent, but

those tenants have no intention of renewing when their leases expire. When they vacate, the already high vacancy rate will climb further. Against this backdrop, the city’s plan to increase assessed values will push many commercial properties underwater. Landlords, already struggling with rising interest rates and declining occupancy, will now face even higher tax bills on properties that generate less income, or in some cases, no income at all. These artificially inflated valuations are not market-based and ignore the hard economic realities facing commercial property owners today.

NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

The consequences of this shortsighted policy could be severe. Landlords unable to meet tax and debt obligations could default, leading to foreclosure and properties being taken over by lenders with no commitment to Dunwoody’s longterm health. Business owners may look elsewhere to expand, invest, or even stay, prompting a decline in occupancy and development activity. Over time, the city’s commercial tax base could erode, shifting a greater share of the burden onto homeowners and reducing the city’s ability to fund essential services.

The City of Dunwoody has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes by 3.61 percent.

All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this tax increase to be held at Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338 on Monday, June 16, 2025, at 8 a.m.

Times and places of additional public hearings on this tax increase are at Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338 on Monday, June 16, 2025, at 6 p.m. and Monday, June 30, 2025, at 6 p.m.

This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 3.040 mills, an increase 0.106 mills. Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 2.934 mills. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $600,000 is approximately $24.38 and the proposed tax increase for nonhomestead property with a fair market value of $2,600,000 is approximately $110.24.

LYNN DEUTSCH Dunwoody Mayor

Dunwoody to keep millage rate flat

Homesteaded properties will see no tax increase

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The City of Dunwoody announced June 5 its intention to keep its property tax levy flat at 3.040 mills.

While most residents won’t see an increase on their city tax bill, owners of commercial property and nonhomesteaded residential properties can expect to pay more because their properties have increased in value.

With overall higher values reflected in DeKalb County’s property reassessment, state law requires the city notify

residents of a 3.61 percent increase in taxes.

That’s despite the fact the city has included a 1-mill reduction in the levy for those qualifying for a homestead exemption, which essentially lowers their tax rate to 2.04 mills.

A tax rate of 1 mill represents a tax liability of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value on property.

Dunwoody’s city charter includes a freeze on assessed values for homesteaded properties.

According to the city, when the exemptions are factored in, homesteaded properties should see no municipal tax bill increase this year.

The Georgia Department of Revenue requires the city to issue a notice of a tax increase this year because revenues from the same property tax mill rate are expected to climb. That’s primarily due to new construction and nonhomesteaded properties increasing in value.

Each year, the DeKalb County Board of Assessors is required to review the assessed value for taxable property in the county. This year’s reassessment indicates an increase in fair market value based on the trend of recently sold properties.

Georgia law says a rollback millage rate must be computed that would

produce the same amount of revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.

Before Dunwoody can set a final millage rate and finalize a budget, Georgia law requires three public hearings allowing the public an opportunity to express their opinions.

The public hearings at Dunwoody City Hall at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road are scheduled for:

• Monday, June 16, 2025, at 8 a.m.

• Monday, June 16, 2025, at 6 p.m.

• Monday, June 30, 2025, at 6 p.m.

— Hayden Sumlin

Continued from Page 3

There is, however, a better path forward. Dunwoody should focus on economic revitalization, not revenue extraction.

One promising solution is to establish a local business incubator to support startup entrepreneurs. By investing in innovation, we can attract new energy into our commercial corridors and turn vacant office space into hubs for growth. Rather than

raising taxes on struggling property owners, let’s grow the next generation of businesses right here in our own city.

A city built on trust and transparency must not resort to tactics that punish the very institutions that made it thrive. If more revenue is needed, the ethical and democratic path is clear: ask the voters. Let’s protect our city’s economic foundation and choose progress over pressure.

DANNY ROSS Founding member, Dunwoody City Council

Talk Back to the Crier

The Crier is committed to its role as Dunwoody’s community thread. As readers have reminded the paper, part of that role means budgeting premium space for letters from residents. Talk Back to the Crier by Sunday night and your note will be on page 3 that week. Email letters to newsroom@appenmedia.com. The Crier won’t publish it without explicitly getting your approval.

is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 3 and 7 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

CAPTAINS

1. Depp’s captain. Grotto. Canon camera

2. Spiral shell. Clumsy person. ‘Peter Pan’ captain.

3. King of the road. Martini additive. Captain of the H.M.S. Bounty.

4. Pirate captain. Venture out. Icy coating.

5. Tropical fruit. Scottish hillside. Captain of the Pequod.

6. Poker pot. ‘Star Trek’ captain. Bakery supply.

7. Ford flop. Having a lot to lose. Jules Verne’s captain.

1 Depp’s captain. Grotto. Canon camera

2. Spiral shell. Clumsy person. ‘Peter Pan’ captain

How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

3. King of the road. Martini additive. Captain of the H.M.S. Bounty

4. Pirate captain. Venture out. Icy coating

5. Tropical fruit. Scottish hillside. Captain of the Pequod.

6. Poker pot. ‘Star Trek’ captain. Bakery supply

7. Ford flop. Having a lot to lose. Jules Verne’s captain.

Behind the scenes: Film permits are up but work is still slow

By DAN WHISENHUNT dan@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Aurora Walker stayed busy as a tailor and seamstress on film sets in Georgia until a year ago, when the work dried up.

Her last job was on the set of "Tulsa King," a show streaming on Paramount+. She's had one job since. Walker moved to Mobile, Alabama, with her husband and has since worked on private projects.

"Most of my colleagues are still back in Georgia, holding out hope things will improve," she said. "I’ve tried my best to hold out some hope, too."

There are reasons for optimism, according to film officials in DeKalb County, which has been a big player in the state's once-booming TV and movie industry, buoyed by tax incentives from the state. The industry has not fully recovered from the shocks of COVID-19 and 2023 strikes, but there are signs of improvement, according to DeKalb Entertainment Commission Director Shelbia Jackson.

"The landscape is changing," Jackson said. "Major studio productions have slowed, a result of industry-wide recalibration and the rising costs of doing business, including inflation. While

big-budget projects are fewer, DeKalb is seeing a noticeable shift toward smallerscale productions such as independent films, commercials and short films."

A distinct shift

The permit numbers for the county reflect the rollercoaster ride the industry has been on over the past six years.

Filming permit applications dropped dramatically in 2020, with only 75 applications submitted compared to the 189 received in 2019. Things took a 180-degree turn the following year, with 289 applications submitted in 2021, followed by 309 in 2022. The good times would not last, as the 2023 writers strike cut the number of permits in half compared to the previous year. Things appeared to be back on track in 2024 and heading into 2025, but the numbers don't tell the whole story, film workers say.

Major productions are moving away from Georgia, according to Decaturish media partner WABE.

Randy Davidson, CEO and founder of Georgia Entertainment, recently said that the Peach State may be facing a distinct shift in its production output, according to WABE.

“Is Marvel gonna keep doing $200

million budgeted films? No. Are there going to be multiple $50 million to $100 million films made in Georgia? No, not anymore. That’s not a viable thing,” Davidson said.

He noted the shift toward smallerscale productions like commercials and TV shows with smaller budgets.

“What is viable is smaller productions, commercials, TikToks, YouTubes, episodics — feature films with more reasonable budgets of $20 million," he said. "And there’ll be a lot of those … I think that that’s what Georgia’s workforce is doing in the creative space is just trying to make sure they’re ready and accepting of what is presented before them."

'Where's the solidarity?'

Jackson said creatives and their employers are adjusting to this new reality.

"This pivot also reflects how DeKalb soundstages are being used, which includes expanding their offerings to host everything from galas and esports tournaments to corporate events and large meetings," she said. "Additionally, we’re told many film crew members are exploring new creative paths and moving into advertising, photography, podcasting

and education. It’s a sign of our creative workforce’s resilience and adaptability, as they continue to find ways to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry."

However, some workers are not adapting and are seeking a new line of work with a skill set that doesn't always align with the jobs they are trying to fill.

Another tailor, who asked to be identified as Ashley to avoid losing out on future opportunities, said, "Most film people don't know what else to do." She said she thought about going to law school, but noted the strike "completely wiped out my finances."

"That’s something my mom said to me. 'Can’t you go get a job at a bank?' What am I going to do, alter their clothes for them? Target won’t even hire us," she said. "People are moving back in with their parents. They’re losing their houses."

And, Ashley said, there's disillusionment with the goals of the strike, particularly as bigger productions move overseas to save money. She wondered why the actors and writers aren't showing the same solidarity with the crew that crew members showed for them during the strike.

See PERMITS, Page 8

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IT’S TIME TO PARTY ISLAND-STYLE

Permits:

Continued from Page 6

"They can say I’m not interested in filming in Romania again," Ashley said. "We supported them and they’re not supporting their crews. I was recently talking to a set accountant about that. We were there for you, but you’re not here for us? Where’s the solidarity?"

State-of-the-art studios

The slump for workers is not due to a lack of filming facilities.

Andrew Greenberg, who chairs the DeKalb Entertainment Commission, said the county boasts state-of-theart studios like Assembly, Shadowbox and Electric Owl. He notes that productions in Los Angeles have faced setbacks due to recent wildfires. LA is not done as a filming location, but Georgia can hold its own, he said.

providing healthcare, local workers said. Walker said one of the reasons she has kept her IATSE membership is the health insurance, and she believes it's a factor driving productions overseas.

Camera assistant Steve Woronko, who has lived in DeKalb County for 20 years, said that at the moment, he knows of 15 shows going on, when normally there are 30, "give or take."

"Healthcare, that’s the biggest part of the budgets on the bigger union shows," Woronko said. "It’s something the union has to fight to keep or expand every year."

The film industry's trade-offs could affect the career trajectory of the county's future workforce.

Not for the 'faint of heart'

As Georgia's film industry has grown and evolved, it has provided students with new career paths to consider.

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"[Our] sound stages are the best in the world," Greenberg said. "They are the newest. They were done to the highest standards."

Georgia's film industry grew to meet the needs. A decade ago, there was a concern that there wasn't enough local talent to staff the growing number of film productions in the state.

"We had a good talent base in place, it was nothing compared to what it is now, because the best people in California came here and trained local people as their seconds and their grips," he said. "Now we have this amazing level of talent, which really is world-class, and the best stuff in the world can get shot here as a result."

But increasingly, things are being shot elsewhere. Workers Decaturish spoke to pointed to the rising number of productions moving overseas.

'An urgent threat'

"What I love seeing is the interest of students in creative fields and the belief that they can do things like this," the DeKalb Entertainment Commission’s Greenberg said.

He noted the success of a student film festival featuring students from DeKalb County. Initially, there was a question about whether students would be interested, but it resonated particularly with students in South DeKalb.

"There was a realistic path for them to have a real job doing creative things that they loved, and to see that belief and passion grow has been amazing," Greenberg said.

But for professionals like Walker, belief has collided with the business realities of the film industry.

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The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the union representing stagehands and craftspeople in the industry, recently said the film business "faces an urgent threat from international competition."

"Movies and television shows created primarily for U.S. audiences are being produced abroad — not because of better talent or technology, but because other countries recognize the value of these productions and are offering robust financial incentives that the U.S. simply doesn’t match," the IATSE website says. "While U.S. states have offered tax credits for production, generating billions in local economic output and creating thousands of jobs, in recent years state incentives have not been enough to prevent productions from moving overseas."

One key cost-saving measure for companies is reducing the cost of

Walker encouraged anyone interested in pursuing a career to conduct a "true personal evaluation of themselves" before pursuing an entertainment career. She noted the demands on people in her industry, with long days punctuated by long, tedious, and dangerous commutes throughout the Atlanta area, as well as 10-hour workdays, interrupted by brief periods of sleep. It is not, she said, "for the faint of heart."

When faced with the possibility of trying to make it work in Atlanta or building a professional life elsewhere, Walker prioritized her family over the dwindling opportunities in Georgia.

"We decided our quality of life was more important than holding onto the lingering hope things would improve," she said. "I hope things come back and things will change ... My trauma would have me believe this is the universe telling me it's time to move on to something else."

Decaturish media partner WABE contributed reporting to this story.

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Tom Cousins developed Dunwoody North in 1963

Homes in Dunwoody North subdivision along North Peachtree Road and Tilly Mill Road were first advertised in 1963. The early advertisement reads, “See the homes that have charmed Atlanta, $26,000 to $40,000.” (Atlanta Journal, Nov. 24, 1963)

The neighborhood is described as located on, “select land with an abundance of gracious trees” and the houses as, “superlatively designed and meticulously constructed.” Six model homes were ready for viewing, with furniture provided by Davison’s department store.

Tom Cousins began development of the neighborhood in 1963. By January 1965, 76 homes were sold. Ranch, split-level and two-story homes were built in Dunwoody North. Home styles included Georgian, French Provincial, Dutch Colonial, Rustic Ranch, Contemporary and Spanish Contemporary. (Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Nov. 20, 1966)

The Nov. 13, 1966, Atlanta Journal featured a photograph of a Spanish contemporary home built by Hoke Barrron and available for $33,950. Sixteen homebuilders were working in the neighborhood in 1966. Owens Construction Company, Arthur M. Morris, Thompson Construction Company, E. L. Jones Construction Company, Guy F. Griffith and William F. Horton are some of the builders of Dunwoody North.

Schools would open within walking distance a few years later. Peachtree High School opened in 1968, and Chesnut Elementary School opened in 1969. DeKalb County did not have middle schools at that time.

My husband and I purchased a Dunwoody North home in 1986. It was a 1969 ranch with a basement. The property had beautiful mature trees, and there was a planned flower garden in the back yard, installed by the previous owner. It was a great house for our family for the next 12 years.

Jan Hart, realtor with Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s

LANCE BRYANT/PROVIDED

Jan Hart purchased 2563 Riverglenn Circle when she returned to Dunwoody North, living there 31 years.

International Real Estate, noticed the great attention to landscape and trees when she bought her first Dunwoody North home on Haverstraw Drive in 1992.

12/15/16 11:22 AM Page 1

She moved away about three years later, but when she returned after one and a half years, it was to another Dunwoody North home. The home was located at 2563 Riverglenn Circle. A pilot and his wife had chosen the custom Southern Living floorplan in 1969.

Hart added a circular driveway to the home. She remained there for 31 years and then sold the house to her daughter and real estate partner Georgia Rae Hart.

The swim and tennis club of Dunwoody North, known as Dunwoody North Driving Club, was developed early along with the first houses.

Renovations to the pool and the addition of amenities have kept the club popular with neighbors through the years. All of Jan Hart’s children played tennis and were on the swim team of Dunwoody North Driving Club.

If you have memories to share of the early Dunwoody North neighborhood, write to Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com.

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.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Columnist

Police Foundation ordered to release ‘Cop City’ records Judge:

Public records cannot be withheld because of who asks

By ALESSANDRO MARAZZI SASSOON Atlanta Civic Circle

ATLANTA — A Fulton County Superior Court judge has ordered the Atlanta Police Foundation to turn over records related to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center — or “Cop City” — within 30 days.

Superior Court Judge Jane Barwick’s decision follows a closely watched legal battle initiated by journalists and researchers seeking greater transparency about the polarizing project’s construction on city-owned land. The plaintiffs — the Atlanta Community Press Collective (ACPC) and Lucy Parsons Labs, a Chicago-based research group — requested emails, APF board meeting agendas, and minutes.

“This court concludes that APF was under a duty to provide records to ACPC and Lucy Parsons Labs pursuant to the Open Records Act,” Barwick wrote in her 12-page order, delivered two months after a two-day bench trial in April. “Under the authority explained in this order, no exemptions applied.”

However, Barwick narrowly tailored her ruling, only forcing APF to hand over the records at issue.

While many observers hoped the decision would clarify how Georgia’s Open Records Act applies to non-profits whose work is almost exclusively related to a government agency, the judge explicitly declined to set broader legal precedents.

“Plainly speaking, this court is not entering an advisory opinion,” Barwick wrote.

Barwick clarified that the order does not designate APF a “public entity” whose records are all declared “public and accessible.” Nor does the order make the requested records available in future open records requests, “though everyone should comply with the law.”

The judge also declined to award attorney’s fees to ACPC and Lucy Parsons Labs, ruling that APF’s violation of the Open Records Act was not done “knowingly and willfully.”

In doing so, Barwick also agreed that, while not valid, APF’s stated reason for denying the requests was reasonable.

APF lawyers argued that releasing the records would endanger named individuals, citing the harassment and sometimes violent tactics Stop Cop City activists have

Why Appen Media is sharing this story

While Appen Media rarely republishes reporting from other newsrooms, this story adds important context for readers.

Appen Media has covered the public safety foundations of cities in its coverage area. Most groups, like the ones in Alpharetta, Roswell and Johns Creek, focus on fundraising to support first responders during times of crisis.

Sandy Springs formed a second organization, the Sandy Springs Police Foundation, aiming to construct a training facility with an estimated price tag of $37-$45 million. Appen Media first reported these plans in April 2024. The city then stopped fulfilling public records requests related to the foundation, saying the agency is a separate entity and not subject to the Georgia Open Records Act.

employed to oppose the facility. APF also argued that ACPC was functionally an arm of the activist movement, equating their actions to “terrorism.”

ACPC rejected that characterization, asserting that Georgia’s Open Records Act does not permit withholding public documents based on the requester’s identity, an argument that Barwick endorsed in the closing sentence of her order.

“Let the record also be clear that the identity of the requester does not determine whether records are characterized as public,” she wrote.

Samantha Hamilton, ACPC’s staff attorney, said she was glad that Barwick “saw through” APF’s stated justification for withholding the records, and that in reality they had done so simply because they had published information critical of APF and the training center.

“It’s frustrating that we had to go through the whole process of filing a lawsuit a year and a half ago to prove what we knew to be true all along: that these records related to Cop City are subject to the Georgia Open Records Act,” she said.

It is unclear whether APF plans to appeal the ruling. Former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Howard Melton, the Troutman Pepper attorney who represented APF during the trial, declined to comment for this story.

This article was originally published on atlantaciviccircle.org. The nonprofit newsroom covers housing, democracy and labor in Metro Atlanta.

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t The Kerry Arias Team, real estate isn’t just about buying or selling homes — it’s about transforming glove experience designed around you. Kerry has earned and a results-driven focus. Together, Kerry and Marcos combine their strengths to create a seamless, supporttwo children, and supporting organizations like the Sunshine Kids Foundation.

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Work on mixed-use redevelopment set to begin soon

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Trammell Crow announced plans to begin construction this month on an 8.1acre redevelopment — Hillcrest — just a block from City Springs off Mount Vernon Highway.

Plans for the mixed-use development include 362 apartments, 30 for-rent townhomes and around 18,000 square feet of retail space with a central plaza and greenspace.

The company’s subsidiary, High Street Residential, and mixed-use developer Third & Urban are expected to complete the project in 2027, according to information from Trammell Crow.

Sandy Springs Economic Development Director Chris Burnett said advancing the project involved a lot of moving parts.

“This is a big one for us, no doubt about it,” Burnett said. “I want to talk about new project that is really in the shadow of City Springs, it’s on the southwest corner of the [Mount Vernon Highway and Sandy Springs Circle] intersection.”

Currently, the site consists of Sandy Springs United Methodist Church’s Hitson Center, a grass field and a parking lot. Because of the property’s

steep grade, Trammell Crow says the development will terrace down from Mount Vernon Highway along Sandy Springs Circle.

The church, which is selling a chunk of its properties on the south side of Mount Vernon Highway, says it plans to use proceeds to fund significant improvements to its primary campus.

Sandy Springs Methodist Rev. Kate Floyd said she envisions that the church’s redeveloped campus will be integral to a vibrant city center and a welcome addition to the community.

The Sandy Springs Development Authority approved a tax abatement proposal at its June 5 meeting, laying out a parking arrangement with the city and Trammell Crow.

Development Authority members said the proposal should come before the Sandy Springs City Council June 17.

The agreement designates 111 parking spaces at Hillcrest for city use through a parking easement, making them free for the first two hours for patrons of City Springs or Hillcrest. Those are separate from around 400 spaces for residential use.

City Councilman Andy Bauman, who serves on the Development Authority, said there were two parts of the project that piqued his interest, whether there

would be affordable or owner-occupied housing and how to replace the city’s overflow parking at the site.

Sandy Springs has plans to expand its downtown district — City Springs — across Mount Vernon Highway to Hilderbrand Drive. While those are shelved, the private sector is helping to develop the city’s downtown.

Bauman said his conversations with the developers led him to believe affordable and owner-occupied housing is not an option.

“The good news is our piece of this is the parking,” he said. “That’s what we’re going to have a chance to address is replacement parking at a lot less cost.”

Bauman said the city is getting parking spots and some streetscape improvements at 15 cents on the dollar through the Development Authority’s agreement, which includes a buyout and maintenance cost sharing.

The three-party agreement caps the city’s investment for parking spaces and infrastructure at $4.87 million. The 10-year tax abatement kicks in after construction is completed with 50 percent off the first year with a 5 percent reduction each subsequent year. The realized tax savings is then paid to the city for its parking costs.

Bond documents, required by state law, are expected to be executed by mid-

July and total $150 million. In the bond resolution, the city and its Development Authority have no financial obligations.

According to the city, the Development Authority funds desirable economic development projects in Sandy Springs by providing access to capital and other financial incentives. It operates under the direction of a sevenmember board with members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Some its largest projects and partnerships include City Springs and Chastain Market.

Trammell Crow says the project will feature a three- to five-story apartment building with a parking garage and luxury townhomes with two- to threebedroom floor plans. Highlights of the residential portion include a rooftop pool and clubroom, state-of-the-art fitness amenities and a dog park.

Third & Urban partner Hank Farmer said Hillcrest’s retail side will introduce a mix of walkable shops and restaurants with abundant patio and outdoor spaces.

“[It] creates a retail experience that’s unique to the market,” Farmer said. “Located adjacent to City Springs, the project sits at the heart of the community in a pedestrian-focused, connected environment that reflects the character and spirit of Sandy Springs.”

TRAMMELL CROW/PROVIDED

An artist’s rendering of Hillcrest shows plans for an 8.1-acre mixed-use development along Sandy Springs Circle at Mount Vernon Highway just a block from City Springs. Trammell Crow says it plans to break ground on the project in June and finish it in 2027.

GDOT, Peach State Partners advance Ga. 400 express lanes

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

METRO ATLANTA — A year from now, commuters in North Fulton may begin seeing familiar orange barrels lining Ga. 400 regularly.

Just as the major I-285/Ga. 400 interchange project is wrapping up in Sandy Springs, Georgia DOT is poised to begin work on a 16-mile express lanes project along Ga. 400 from North Springs MARTA station north to southern Forsyth County next summer, just as Atlanta prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup from June 15-July 15. The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce estimates some 300,000 people will visit the city for eight games.

Already, GDOT contractors are scheduling several overnight lane closures this summer to perform roadwork activities on sections of the Ga. 400 the express lanes project.

Substantial competition of the estimated $4.6 billion express lanes project is expected in 2031. The major mobility improvement project has a minimum five-year construction timeline.

The State Transportation Board selected SR 400 Peach State Partners as the project’s private-sector partner last August setting up an expected financial closure within 12 months.

In November, GDOT and the State Road and Toll Authority signed agreements and reached commercial close with Peach State Partners, signifying a key milestone in projects with public-private partnerships.

The project’s timeline is subject to change as the developer advances final design concepts, obtains the necessary financing and begins permitting. In the last few months, GDOT says it has continued to purchase necessary right of way.

SR 400 Peach State Partners is a union of local, national and international experts with expertise in transportation design, construction and operations. The team includes Acciona, ACS Infrastructure and Dragados from Madrid; Meridiam from Paris; and Virginia-based Parsons. According to Peach State Partners, Parsons has more than 50 active contracts

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/PROVIDED

A map shows plans for the Ga. 400 Express Lanes project, running some 16 miles from North Springs MARTA station in Sandy Springs to just north of MacFarland Parkway in southern Forsyth County.

with GDOT with more than 200 employees in Metro Atlanta.

The Ga. 400 project will add new express lanes in both directions from the North Springs MARTA station Park & Ride (Exit 5C) in Sandy Springs to about 1 mile north of McFarland Parkway (Exit 12) in Forsyth County.

There will be two express lanes in each direction between the North Springs station and McGinnis Ferry Road in Alpharetta, switching to a single lane north to the project limits in south Forsyth County.

According to GDOT’s May 2025 fact sheet, the express lanes will operate like others in Georgia with dynamic congestion pricing based on traffic conditions.

The corridor will be widened as part of the project

Hey y’all, I’m Hayden Sumlin and I report on all things in and around North Atlanta. If you have any story tips or ideas please contact me at hayden@appenmedia.com

with the express lanes running along the median of the state highway, like those along I-75 south of Atlanta.

The state is also investing $100 million for parts of the planned MARTA bus rapid transit (BRT) line, which will ride for free in the express lanes. The BRT line is designed to run north from the North Springs station to a planned MARTA Park & Ride and transit-oriented development at Windward Parkway in Alpharetta.

GDOT says SR 400 Peach State Partners is providing MARTA with $26 million to build the bus rapid transit lanes. Peach State Partners is also set to build two BRT stations at Holcomb Bridge Road and near North Point Mall with additional access to the North Springs station and Windward Parkway.

The interchanges for BRT stations are expected to have slip ramps throughout the corridor and some direct express lane connections to existing highway exits like Holcomb Bridge Road.

Speaking at the May 20 Envision Perimeter gathering at the King building, GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurray said ongoing mobility investments will make Central Perimeter and the surrounding region thrive.

After more than seven years of construction delays and orange cones, the I-285 and Ga. 400 interchange project is all but wrapped up. The redesigned interchange covered some 12 lane miles at an estimated cost of $800 million.

“We’re going to give you a reprieve from orange barrels for a little bit,” McMurray said. “Enjoy the Transform 285/400 for now … there’s more investment coming in future mobility that will continue to make this Perimeter Center thrive economically and competitively.”

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Austin Elementary fifth grader takes 3rd in national spelling bee

By JIM BASS jim@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Austin Elementary fifth-grader Sarv Dharavane finished in third place at the nationally televised 97th Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Maryland May 29.

At 11 years old, Dharavane of Dunwoody, was the youngest of

the nine finalists and the first from Georgia in 25 years.

He made it through 19 rounds before the word “eserine” brought his impressive run to an end, according to a DeKalb County School District press release.

Under the stage lights, Dharavane kept his composure throughout the finals and smiled as he spelled words like “dhaura” and “fede ring.”

While preparing to spell “burgall,” he whispered under his breath, “here goes nothing” and smiled at the audience.

This was Sarv’s second consecutive year competing at the national level, improving on his 22nd-place finish last year. He will be awarded $15,000 for his third-place finish.

He also claimed his second straight Georgia Association of Educators State

Spelling Bee championship earlier this year.

In total, the spelling bee featured 242 top national spellers competing.

“Your age, at 11, has motivated so many young people to this very high level and it’s inspiring to so many spellers out there. Very, very proud of you, congratulations," said Mary Brooks, head judge for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Latino students thrive with play-based learning at summer camp

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Los Niños Primero is using a Finnish model to reshape the future of learning in Metro Atlanta’s Latino community through its new partnership with Lumo Education.

Los Niños Primero provides educational support to underserved Latino children and their families through a variety of in-person programming.

Lumo Education, a global consultant for student-centered education models, says its highly individualized and play-based approach is recognized for its efficiency and outcomes. Instead of emphasizing memorization and standardized testing, the Finnish company says it promotes creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking and care.

Leadership from both organizations held a panel, “Global Learning, Local Impact,” June 12 at The Mount Vernon School’s Main Campus to announce the partnership.

It marks Lumo Education’s first collaboration in the United States and the beginning of its work with community-based nonprofits.

The international partnership comes as the Sandy Springs-based nonprofit — Los Niños Primero — celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Executive Director Maritza Morelli said she and a few members of the leadership team attended a conference in Finland three years ago, which kicked off an emphasis on the Nordic nation’s pedagogy, or teaching methods.

In 2001, Morelli founded the nonprofit with support from the church, creating a culturally rich and inclusive education program to bridge opportunity gaps for Latino families. The five-week summer program is the organization’s flagship, serving more than 6,200 Latino children, youth and families since its inception.

“Los Niños Primero believes that

education must nurture children’s deep sense of belonging, selfworth and possibility, particularly in our case to underserved or underrepresented populations,” Morelli said to kick off the panel. “We’re highly interested in partnering with Lumo because of our shared commitment to creating a transformative educational experience.”

The nonprofit’s Summer Educational Program accepts children ages 3 through the third grade. The full-day summer camp is held in Sandy Springs, Roswell, Hapeville, Lilburn, Chamblee, Marietta and Forest Park.

Weekend classes

Other programs at Los Niños Primero include bi-monthly Saturday classes during the academic year and early literacy classes for low-income students and their families to bridge educational gaps.

Panelists – all education specialists from both organizations – emphasized that one of the keys to making the approach work for local students is “co-creation.” It involves the process of adapting Finnish principles into local classrooms at The Mount Vernon Schools’ Lower Campus where Los Niños Primero holds its summer camps.

Co-creation requires instruction be culturally anchored and involve the children themselves.

After the panel, the group of local educators and parents made their way to Mount Vernon’s Lower School to see what instruction looks like during Los Niños Primero summer camps.

In one second grade classroom, an Atlanta Public Schools teacher was leading a unit on the phases of the moon, having students label each using Oreo cookie icing. The second graders ended up giving the tour a lesson in the difference between a waxing and waning gibbous.

Adelmo Sabogal, a fifth-grade teacher at Bolton Elementary School

in Atlanta, said he is using some of the summer camp’s play-based approach with his regular students, and they are thriving.

Last summer, Los Niños Primero students demonstrated a 15-point increase in literacy and a 22-point jump in mathematics. More than 300 youth volunteers, some summer camp alumni and others attending local schools, assist state-certified teachers with more than 600 students in the summer.

The U.S. Department of Education ranks national education systems every three years based on the average score of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science literacy. It’s called the Program for International Students Assessment (PISA) assessment.

In 2022, Finland ranked 20th in the world. The United States trailed Vietnam, Norway and Malta outside of the top 30.

New model of education

In the age of digital computing and artificial intelligence, Lumo Education says it thinks it’s time for students to move away from the traditional model, developed in Germany more than 250 years ago. Prussia, a precursor to unified Germany, developed its education model to produce disciplined factory workers and soldiers. The United States began using the model in the mid-19th century, and its remnants are still around today in the form of standardized testing and bell schedules.

Lumo Education co-founders Salla Halko and Sanna De Araújo discussed similarities and differences between the Finnish and American models.

“Teachers are not required to submit any plans to anyone … that type of requirement doesn’t exist,” Halko said. “Teachers plan, but the focus is more on the students. I’m planning for my students and myself to stay on track, so that’s how trusted they are.”

The Finnish model incorporates a shorter school day along with its culturally anchored and childcentered approach. Lumo Education’s teaching principles and efficiency already matches well with the existing programming and philosophy at Los Niños Primero, Halco and De Araújo said.

“We can’t ‘copy and paste’ a system, we really respect local community and culture,” Halko said. “So, the ownership of our partners, that’s very crucial, that they need to do the thing for themselves.”

The Finnish model requires teachers to relinquish some control of the classroom, which practitioners say eventually makes the learning experience more enjoyable.

There is a lot of diversity within Metro Atlanta’s Latino community and in the students who attend summer camps at Los Niños Primero.

Executive Director Morrelli said her students represent 14 of the world’s 21 Spanish speaking countries, which represents a variety of cultures, dialects and educational backgrounds. Having a constant dialogue with parents and students, a hallmark of the Finnish education model, is essential to the nonprofit’s mission of empowering Latino students.

Morelli said there is increasing demand to take on more students, whether by expanding the organization’s footprint or its age range. In 2024, the nonprofit added a summer program with Marietta City Schools in Cobb County and 10 new classrooms, bringing it to a total of eight locations across five Metro Atlanta counties.

Morelli said Los Niños Primero has no federal grants coming in, but competition for philanthropic funds will increase with other organizations losing that revenue. She said it’s an increasingly difficult time in the Latino community with anxiety running high during the federal government’s crackdown on immigration.

Planning:

Continued from Page 1

Dominium Apartments, a nationwide manager of affordable housing developments, requested a rezoning from office institution (O-I) to planned development (PD) to allow the construction of an age-restricted multiunit rental building on the 3.42-acre site. Dominium planned to construct 220 rental units, ranging from one to three bedrooms, for people over age 55.

The rezoning request was for a parcel at the edge of the Central Perimeter commercial district, drawing homeowners from around the city opposed to increased density.

Residents opposed to the rezoning said the community needs owneroccupied senior housing, like townhomes and cottage courts, not apartments abutting single-family neighborhoods. Some speakers said they do not qualify for the proposed development’s income requirements for affordable housing.

The Development Review Committee, composed of city staff, recommended approval with conditions, requiring the development to include rent and income limitations set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Former City Councilman Robert Wittenstein told commissioners the reason Dunwoody incorporated was to specifically fight rezoning requests like one before them.

“The end result was 10,000 units of multifamily apartments coming to Dunwoody, and that motivated us to

Candidates:

Continued from Page 1

Price was first elected as the City Council’s local District 2 representative in 2021. Before that, he served for four years on the city’s Planning Commission.

Price said he plans to continue his service to residents with a focus on three core areas — constituent outreach, quality of life and economic development — to make Dunwoody better, safer and more livable.

“If a resident reaches out to me, they will get a prompt response — whether it’s to help with a problem, listen to a concern or idea, attend a meeting or event or facilitate communication with city staff,” Price said. He has worked with the Vietnam veteran’s community on a location for a new memorial at Brook Run Park.

Price and his wife moved to Dunwoody in 1999, sending their

create the city and put a stop to it,” Wittenstein said. “In the 15 years since we’ve been a city, we’ve been very reticent to allow O-I conversation to multifamily.”

Office redevelopment advanced

The Planning Commission recommended approval of one rezoning request for two properties just north of I-285 in Central Perimeter.

Workspace Property Trust is requesting a rezoning of two of its adjacent properties at 64 and 66 Perimeter Center East. Plans call for office-to-residential conversions of the two existing buildings, totaling 650,000 square feet.

Senior Planner Smith said staff supports the conversion of older, vacant office buildings to residential uses, sometimes called “zombie offices,” in the Central Perimeter district.

The plans for an “adaptive reuse” total 441 units on 13.4 acres, including rental apartments for seniors at 66 Perimeter Center East and owner-occupied condominiums at 66 Perimeter Center East.

Elsewhere on the property, the applicant is proposing to construct additional condos around a parking deck and more than 100 townhomes where the western parking lot now sits.

The mix of for-rent and owneroccupied units received positive feedback from the Planning Commission, setting up the rezoning for the City Council’s consideration.

Drive-thrus deferred again

Planning Commission members deferred requests for double drive-

children who are now college aged through the DeKalb County School System. He retired from private consulting in 2019 to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector and become more involved in the community.

Price currently serves as the director of development for a locally headquartered international nonprofit, Alliance for International Reforestation.

Some of his continued priorities include using economic development to grow the city’s tax base and keep residential property taxes low and investing in aspects of the community like parks, public art and policing.

To learn more about Price’s reelection campaign, visit www. electrob4dunwoody.com/.

Ziskind grew up in Stone Mountain before moving to Sandy Springs for middle and high school. He lives in the Meadowlake neighborhood in District 1 with his wife and three children who attend Vanderlyn Elementary and Peachtree Middle schools.

thrus in Central Perimeter from Raising Cane’s and Zaxby’s, which last appeared at the meeting in May.

Raising Cane’s requested a rezoning and a special land use permit to be able to construct a fast food restaurant and drive-thru at 4570 Ashford Dunwoody Road.

While the Planning Commission approved Raising Cane’s request for a rezoning to match with surrounding parcels, members deferred the special land use permit for a drive-thru facility.

Before the meeting, the applicant requested to defer the special land use permit to Sept. 9 but to move forward with the rezoning application.

Dunwoody Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said staff supports approving the rezoning because Raising Cane’s has not yet bought the property, and the existing property owner still wants to move forward. Two conditions require the owner to close a median and convey right of way.

While the site abuts a McDonald’s drive-thru, city planning documents call for moving away from a carcentric urban center toward a more walkable district.

In October 2023, the city amended its code to require all new drivethrus to obtain a special land use permit, allowing proper review of potential negative impacts. City staff cites long lines that block traffic and pedestrians, the abundance of asphalt and incompatibility with planning documents calling for greenspace and walkability.

At the last meeting, a couple of residents spoke in favor of approving the requests from the popular fast-

The North Springs and Georgia Tech graduate serves on the city’s Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals and is a graduate of the Citizens’ Police Academy.

On his campaign website, Ziskind says he and his wife were the first to donate to the Dunwoody Police Foundation in 2023 through the qualified law enforcement donation tax credit program.

With a master’s in engineering management from the University of Louisville, he started his own project advisory firm, helping owners plan and execute industrial manufacturing projects.

“I bring deep project management and construction experience, ensuring city projects are efficient and effective for everyone,” Ziskind wrote on his campaign site. “My expertise in aligning diverse stakeholder interests ensures I thoughtfully listen to all angles and collaborate with curiosity, fostering a city environment where every voice matters.”

food chains.

At the June meeting, residents and some Planning Commission members voiced concerns about the drive-thru’s location along the planned Ashford Dunwoody Path, a 12-foot-wide pedestrian and cyclist route running north from Hammond Drive to Mount Vernon Road.

On the other side of the district, Zaxby’s is requesting a special land use permit to construct a new drivethru restaurant at 125 Perimeter Center West on the edge of Ashford Lane shopping center.

Before the meeting, the applicant also requested to defer the special land use permit to the July 8 meeting to allow for more time to complete a traffic study during the school year.

The same residents who spoke against Raising Cane’s application cited similar concerns with a double drive-thru at Ashford Lane.

The Planning Commission only denied one application at its June 10 meeting, a request for a special land use permit to construct a drivethru oil change at 4515 Chamblee Dunwoody Road. The request includes two variances required for setback requirements on the 0.5-acre parcel next to Truist Bank and King George Tavern.

The Georgetown Gateway project along Chamblee Dunwoody Road created significant streetscape improvements throughout the corridor, making it safer and easier for pedestrians and cyclists traversing it. Because of the location, city staff and the citizen-led board agreed a new drive-thru would not be suitable.

In a June 5 phone interview, Ziskind said he is focused on sustainable priorities for parks, public safety and public works. He said his run for local government is inspired by a push for trust, responsibility and transparency.

Ziskind, who says he’s aware of the city’s financial constraints, said his experience with projects that have a larger annual budget than the city provides him with insight into how to do things that make sense with a plan to pay for it.

If the city does need to raise revenue through property tax hikes, then Ziskind said he thinks it needs to be up to residents and a vote.

Qualifying for the 2025 municipal election is at Dunwoody City Hall from 8:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20. The qualifying fee for each council seat is $360.

The Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page will show you your sample ballot and polling location.

PRESERVING THE PAST

A historic stone house is reborn

BOB MEYERS Columnist

When I wrote a column about local historic stone houses in March 2024, I purposely omitted one stone house located on Birmingham Road in Milton because it was undergoing major renovation by its new owners Carol Cookerly and her husband Robert Beal. Work has progressed, so now is the perfect time to highlight this important historic structure.

When Carol and Robert purchased the property in 2023, the stone house was surrounded by a thick landscape of dense brush and trees. Despite recommendations that they demolish the house, the couple saw the great potential of the property and set about repairing the house, a neglected stable and historic courthouse (see February 2025 column Militia Districts in Georgia and the Double Branch Courthouse).

The stone house was designed and built in 1935 or 1937 by William T. (Will) Wright (1888-1952) on land he purchased for farming circa 1930. According to Nina Samples, his great-granddaughter, Wright was a highly successful farmer and businessman.

He raised beef cattle, prize bulls and chickens on his 56-acre farm. He grew high-quality vegetables which he sold in the wealthy neighborhood of West Paces Buckhead. Robert W. Woodruff, president of the CocaCola Company, was one of his customers. Will had three chicken houses and a large three-story barn on his property.

Will opened a small general store which no longer exists on the corner in front of the house which his wife Nettie Joanna Henderson Wright (1888-1967) operated. Like most country stores, it was a social gathering place for local farmers. Before opening the store, Will and Nettie operated a cotton gin and a sawmill.

Will and Nettie had five children. Their second daughter, Estelle (1912-2002), was Nina’s grandmother. She married Toledo Burgess (1906-1987). The couple bought land next door to the stone house and lived there all their lives. Toledo drove school buses owned by Will and helped him on the farm.

“Toledo was well known for the beautiful clocks he made,” says Nina. The youngest daughter, Janelle (1915-1952), married J. W. (Joseph Wesley) Walker and lived in a stone house about a half-mile down Birmingham Road. Will and J.W. designed and built the house.

Will obtained stone from the Stone Mountain quarry, about 40 miles from Alpharetta on today’s roads. The stone was probably transported by wagon. The stone is granite which the quarry produced in several colors including gray and dark brown. The Wright house is gray interspersed with large, very dark brown stones which creates a unique and beautiful appearance.

One of the features of the house is its parquet floor made of pine, oak and poplar. Will designed the floor and used 1-nch wood strips or micro-slats originally scheduled for use by the famous Brumby Chair Company in Marietta. The parquet goes from room to room with a complex design. The result is a design beyond exceptional. Robert and Carol have taken great pains to protect and preserve the floor.

The Wrights were known for having family picnics and social gatherings on the front porch and lawn,

according to Nina.

After their deaths, the Wrights only surviving son Charles inherited the property, which he kept intact until the early 1990s. He then divided the property into multiple acre lots which he called Freemanville Estates and sold them. Over the years, the property with the stone house and the Double Branch Courthouse has had several owners and occupants.

In 1956, Bud Sutton and his wife Marion rented part of the stone house while they built a house on Mountain Road.

“We rented it from Nettie Wright for $25 a month,” Bud says. “We occupied half of the main floor and Nettie

lived in the other half. We shared the bathroom and the phone.”

Heath Cashin and Bill Manning rented the property from Charles Wright for 7 or 8 years in the 1980s. They raised llamas and had a herd of about a dozen llamas and two guanacos. Heath recalls when they took a llama to a Fox Theater production. “It was a huge success,” Heath says.

Realtor Cynthia Chandlee owned the property from 1994 to 2010 which she named Cornerstone Farm. She was responsible for the first major renovation of the property by building a horse barn, an addition to the house, clearing land for pastures, reworking the stone structures and putting up extensive fencing.

She says, “It was a commitment to honor the past,” she says.

The property gradually deteriorated following her ownership.

For the past two years, Carol and Robert have worked diligently to restore and preserve the history and charm of the property. The result is amazing. It is, in Carol’s words, “an ideal horse property.”

They restored the six-stall horse barn. Two semiretired European Warmblood horses enjoy the revitalized pastures. Carol and Robert planted many new shrubs, trees and plants throughout the property.

They chose historic paint colors throughout the 10-room stone house. They have furnished the rooms with paintings and folk art which reflect American history. And of course, they have gone to great lengths to preserve the stunning floors.

Special thanks to Sally Shirley David for her help with this column.

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.

PHOTOS BY: BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

A beautiful historic stone house in Milton is undergoing major renovation by owners Carol Cookerly and husband Robert Beal. The house was built circa 1935.

The parquet floors in this historic stone house are intricate and beautiful. They were installed throughout the house when it was built.

OPINION

Darling daylilies provide more than ‘beauty for a day’

Hemerocallis – The botanical name for the daylily. It means “beauty for a day.”

Why would anyone want to spend the time and energy to have a plant that only provides beauty for a single day? Well, while the individual bloom lasts for only one day, the stem (also referred to as the scape) on which that bloom was produced has at least a dozen flower buds. Therefore, you’ll have several weeks of beauty from these plants.

Most of us, myself included, grew up thinking that a daylily was that orange flower often seen by the roadside or in a field where an old home once stood. I am delighted to share with you that there are now more than 100,000 registered cultivars available! Number 100,000 was registered last year: ‘Alpenglow Magic’ (Rich, 2024). Visit daylilydatabase.org and click on the name of the cultivar and you can see the flower and the stats.

There is a type of daylily for every garden enthusiast. If you like large blooms, small blooms or something in between, there is a flower for you. You can have blooms from late May through September here in Zone 8. There are cultivars that are early bloomers, mid-season bloomers and late bloomers. I actually have a very late bloomer, ‘Final Touch’ (Apps, 1991) that blooms from late July through September/ October.

Daylilies are hardy plants. They multiply very well and form large clumps. When purchasing a plant from a hybridizer/ grower, you normally get two fans (two whole plants). These two fans will become at least three and probably four fans by the next growing season. With each new fan comes the potential for more scapes that provide more buds/blooms. It is very exciting to inspect your plants when they come out of dormancy in the spring. Finding new fans coming out of the soil is a favorite pastime of mine – it is almost as exciting as finding the first scapes as they emerge from the foliage.

Daylilies are also very forgiving. While they really appreciate being fertilized in the early spring and in the fall before being put to bed for the winter, they will still give you lots of beautiful blooms even without regular feeding! The plants are heavy drinkers but will tolerate dry spells. Daylilies prefer full sun, which is a minimum of 6 hours.

After four or five years, your clumps will need to be divided. Here in Zone 8, the best time to dig and divide daylilies is late summer or very early fall. You can amend the hole where you dug the clump, add

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Viki Breeland, a master gardener alumnus who lives in Roswell. Daylilies have become her favorite plants. Viki’s gardening goal is to make her property a place of beauty and relaxation. Her garden is shared with a couple of bunnies, birds and a brown snake (tiny, and its main diet is slugs).

just a small amount of fertilizer and water, pull some of the soil back into the hole and replant 5-6 of the fans in the “mud.”

You can share the extra fans with friends, or if you join the Daylily Society of Greater Atlanta (DSGA), you could contribute the

extra fans to the sale at The Duluth Fall Festival.

If my enthusiasm has sparked an interest in daylilies for you, I would like to invite you to visit our annual show and sale, June 14, at Sexton Hall Enrichment Center, 2115 Chloe Road, Cumming, GA 30041 (It faces Sharon Road). The show judging usually wraps up around 11 a.m., and the public can enter the hall to see all the blooms. It is a wonderful experience. Our club members will have plants available for sale. The plants will be tagged with the name of the cultivar, and the prices are beyond reasonable! You can arrive early to shop or shop after you’ve visited the show and you have that irresistible urge to start your own collection. Free admission. Warning: Daylilies, the addiction is real.

Daylilies are NOT deer resistant. If you do decide to grow them, make sure you spray them regularly with various deer repellents and or have a system in place that keeps deer away from your flower beds.

Happy Gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at: https://www.appenmedia.com/opinion/ columnists/garden_buzz/

VIKI BREELAND Guest Columnist

DAYLILY SOCIETY OF GREATER ATLANTA

Top left: Full Form Daylily; top right: Double Daylily; bottom left: Unusual form Daylily; bottom right: Spider Daylily

In Memoriam

Nancy Sellers Williams

December 27, 1931 – June 3, 2025

Born in Greensboro, NC, Nancy was the only child of Edwin Wilson Faires and Lu Turner Faires, both deceased. She was a graduate of Greensboro Senior High School and Woman’s College (now UNC Greensboro). She married Flay William Sellers in 1955 whom she met as her bridge instructor. She said, “I never learned the game, but I won the teacher.” They had one daughter, Sherri. The family moved to Dunwoody in 1966. Nancy was a church secretary before becoming Executive Secretary and Benefits Coordinator for Habasit Belting Inc. Of her 24+ years, she said: “I learned to love those green (conveyor) belts and worked with many wonderful people.” Life changed in 1984 when Flay died suddenly. Faith, work, good friends and grandchildren were her solace. She served as a hostess for the Ashford Club, one of Dunwoody’s early elite dining establishments.

years. She was a member of Dunwoody Baptist Church, the Samaritan Sunday School Class, and Young At Heart. At age 89, Emory’s Cognitive Empowerment Program encouraged her to maintain fitness and explore her creative side. She began online yoga, Tai Chi, drawing and painting. She filled sketch books and took classes at the Spruill Center for the Arts. During her final year at Berman Common’s Assisted Living Community, she was known for her smile, compliments, and dancing with her walker. The family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers, staff and friends who continue at Berman Commons.

Sifting fact from fiction in today’s world of AI

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

My son Hans texted me a link. So of course, I opened it because he never sends me something that is not interesting, new, or worthwhile.

I clicked on it, and it took me to an in-depth broadcast news show that was fascinating. Think a cross between “60 Minutes” and possibly a national news broadcast at 7 p.m. on NBC or CBS.

stewed about what I saw. It bothered me. It didn’t actually surprise me, although it did. So, what keeps rolling through my tiny brain, is “what’s next? Where do we go from here?” That is, how are we going to deal successfully with this? Can we successfully deal with it?

After years of widowhood, Nancy married Bernard L. Williams in 2004. She said, “God has twice blessed me.” She and Barney enjoyed 21 years of travel, house projects, bird watching and service in church and civic organizations. Nancy’s hobbies included water aerobics at Dunwoody Baptist Fitness Center and Community Bible Study, attending faithfully for many

Nancy leaves behind her husband, Barney Williams of Dunwoody; daughter, Sherri (Marshall) Williams of Dunwoody; 2 grandchildren, Heike (Markus) Kreitzer of Huntsville, AL and Daniel (Miranda) Williams of St. Louis, MO and 4 greatgrands.

A celebration of life will be held Sunday, June 22, 2025, 4 PM, at Dunwoody Baptist Church, 1445 Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody, GA. Donations may be made to Dunwoody Baptist Church, Community Bible Study, Shriners Children’s Hospitals or the Shaffer Cognitive Empowerment Program of Emory University.

DEATH NOTICES

Barbara Anderson, 77, of Alpharetta, passed away on June 4, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Barbara Ramer, 92, of Roswell, passed away on June 3, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

The show was anchored by an articulate, polished, attractive, very professional female journalist dressed in a dark blue suite who did a flawless job. She showed clips of events and seamlessly wove them into and out of her stories. There were live feeds. There were interviews with on-the-scene witnesses. She switched from story to story and never missed a beat.

She even cracked a few jokes and made a few sage observations.

The content was compelling. The execution was perfect. And, as I said, the anchor was a real pro.

The only problem with the show was that it was 100 percent AI-generated. The people on the show, the clips, the dialogue, the interviews, the on-thescene events, the countryside, the city backgrounds, the witnesses, the cops – everything – not real. It was created by artificial intelligence software. The anchor was an avatar – an online constructed image. Think “animation” but refined to a degree that one cannot tell if the animation is an actual human being or only something that mimics one.

Without someone letting you in on the back story, there was absolutely no way – none – to have known that every word, every story, every video image was made up – fake, artificial – that it was all pretend and staged like a Broadway show or a Netflix docudrama.

And I guess I owe Kelly Ann Conway an apology; yes, there are alternative truths out there because, as Hans mentioned at the end of his text to me, “it’s here.”

That was a couple of days ago. I have

Charles Rogers, 80, of Roswell, passed away on June 1, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

It is hard to imagine that we will be able to digest this aspect of AI and how and why we will process information going forward. How will we know what is real and what is not – what is true and what is not – who we can trust and who (what) we cannot? How are we supposed to figure out what is geared to influence/ manipulate us instead of objectively and factually inform us? And will we need to redefine what we consider the word “real” means.

And what will be the impact of this ambiguity to us as a society or as a country? We already saw the impact – the utter chaos caused by this information veracity deficit last election. Our election process was flooded – overwhelmed – by a tidal wave of false and misleading information originating in other countries and other governments, as well as from domestic political parties, individuals, and operatives via social media and other digital information conduits. Safe, fair and reliable elections are the foundation of our democracy – that and “rule of law.” How is that working for us today –tomorrow?

What are the answers? Are there answers? Obviously more regulation of the internet and the information it carries has to be part of the solution, but will the amount of regulation required to actually address the “problem” be so great that it destroys the positive contributions of the free flow of information on the net? That is, would the cure be worse than the illness? Probably.

Perhaps the most disturbing is even the very idea of the government increasing control of what we know –of what information we have access to – and of the means to transmit that information. Surely, today we are in the most consequential Pandora’s box in history.

Maybe we should ask ChatGPT what it thinks?

Community Engagement Manager

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NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Community Engagement Manager position. The Community Engagement Manager oversees all aspects of NFCC’s community events from planning through execution, including creating timelines, managing vendors and securing sponsorships. Events range from the annual golf tournament and fundraising gala to donor recognition and community engagement gatherings. The ideal candidate must be highly organized, creative, and motivated to successfully lead event planning and community engagement initiatives.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

Workforce Development Coordinator

NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Workforce Development Coordinator position. The Workforce Development Coordinator serves as a crucial link between NFCC clients, Volunteer Coaches, and local employers.

The Coordinator collaborates with community businesses to identify hiring opportunities while working closely with Volunteer Coaches who deliver career readiness services including resume writing, job application assistance, and interview preparation. Through these efforts, the Coordinator helps clients improve their employment prospects that may lead to greater financial stability.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

Vice President of Client Programs

NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Vice President of Client Programs position. The Vice President of Client Programs (VPCP) is a senior leader responsible for creating and implementing the Client Services department strategy for NFCC. This includes creating programs and services, monitoring their effectiveness and ensuring funds are distributed appropriately. The VPCP also leads a team of 13 client services staff who handle client intake, case management, impact and outcomes data, education (GED/English classes) and workforce development programs.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

Part-Time Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) Thrift Shop Associate

NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the part-time Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) Thrift Shop Associate position. One of the primary responsibilities of this role is to provide a high level of customer service in the Thrift Shop. The associate is responsible for all cash register and client clothing program transactions and keeping the merchandise in the store neat, clean, and organized. The role requires a friendly and customer-focused demeanor where all shoppers are treated with dignity and compassion.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

Part-time Salesforce Business Analyst

NFCC is seeking a part-time Salesforce Business Analyst to help ensure operational efficiency by updating data, building reports and assisting organizational teams to increase their capability to meet organizational needs. The Salesforce Business Analyst will also build and generate organizational reports monthly (eg. KPI, volunteer reports), complete Salesforce data clean-up projects and analyze data sets for special projects to ensure organizational efficiency.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org