FEBRUARY 3 - 16, 2017 • VOL. 9 — NO. 3
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► Controversial Dresden Village development approved PAGE 2 ► Perimeter Center bus, shuttle lanes proposed PAGE 4
RESTAURANT REVIEW: SUPER SOUTHERN COOKING | P6
Mayor: MARTA-city relationship ‘needs total reset’ BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net
DYANA BAGBY
City Hall was packed with residents wearing red shirts and holding plenty of signs to show their opposition to the proposed MARTA transit-oriented development at the Jan. 24 City Council meeting. Vote on the project was delayed to Feb. 28.
STANDOUT STUDENT Top cellist in Emory youth orchestra Page 20
“Find ways to talk to people in the community, outside of a policing activity’s context.” Residents share their ideas for improving local policing. See COMMUNITY SURVEY Page 8
COMMENTARY Trump order inspires first-time protestor Page 9
Mayor John Ernst had strong words for the developers of the proposed MARTA transit-oriented development that he said would become the young city’s center and represents “Brookhaven’s future.” The mayor says the proposed project lacks vision and “needs a total reset” of relations between the developers and city officials. Ernst also cut off talks between the city and MARTA’s developers over tax incentives for the multimillion-dollar, mixed-use project. The developers aim to build hundreds of apartments, shops, a hotel, an 8-story office building and a small park on 15 acres that now mostly is covered by a little-used Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA See MAYOR on page 12
City Council discusses debt to pay for major projects BY DYANA BAGBY dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net
City officials are discussing possibly using general obligation bonds or other debt financing to pay for more than $122 million in projects outlined in plans the city has adopted. Assistant City Manager Steve Chapman said the bonds would be needed to keep from “nickel and diming forever” to pay for the projects. “If we want to get everything completed in a timely fashion, we have to go See CITY on page 13