COMMUNITY
MARTA wants Brookhaven station to be ‘town center’
BYDYANABAGBY
MARTA’s proposal of town-center-style development
at Brookhaven/Oglethorpe station.
City Council members respond
ed with excitement—and a few con
cerns—to the proposed Brookhaven/
Oglethorpe MARTA Station redevel
opment at a Dec. 1 council presenta
tion.
Amanda Rhein, Senior Director of
Transit Oriented Development and
Real Estate at MARTA, reviewed the
agency’s vision of a town-center-style
station in the project, which was un
veiled in September and slated to begin
construction in 2017. Representatives
from development partners The Inte
gral Group and Transwestern Develop
ment Company attended the meeting,
but did not speak.
“This is very exciting, a lot of years
in the making,” said Mayor Rebecca
Chase Williams.
Rhein said the goal of MARTA’s
plans for the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe
station is to make it a destination sta
tion and “create a vibrant street level
experience” including a park, shops, of
fices and also apartments and condos.
A planned park from Peachtree
Road to Apple Valley Road could be the
“heart of the community, with retail on
both sides,” Rhein said. There would be
programming for the green spaces as
well with an emphasis on creating a pe
destrian friendly environment.
Council members have discussed re
locating Brookhaven City Hall to the
site and there is even talk of possibly
moving the Brookhaven library here.
However, nothing is finalized at this
point, Rhein said.
The Brookhaven/Oglethorpe station
area is about 15 acres. MARTA would
be meeting with city officials to have
the area rezoned to allow affordable
senior living spaces, condominiums
and apartments. There are also plans
for 70,000 square-feet of retail space;
120,000 square-feet of office space; and
a 150-room hotel as well as plenty of
civic and public space, Rhein said.
“I recently met with other mayors in
the north suburbs and they are a little
more negative about MARTA,” Williams
said. “They were trying to say MARTA
didn’t need to go through rezoning and
contribute to property taxes.”
“That is a common misconception
we have been made aware of,” Rhein
said. “We are fully subject to all local
zoning and do that
with the local juris
dictions.”
The MARTA land
will not be taxable,
she explained, but
the improvements to
the property will be
taxable by the city.
Whether or not
MARTA will come to
the city to ask for tax
incentives is still be
ing discussed, Rhe
in said.
One traffic calm
ing measure MAR
TA is proposing is a
roundabout at the North Druid Hills
and Apple Valley Road intersection, she
added.
Councilwoman Linley Jones raised
concerns about parking and wanted as
surance there would be adequate park
ing for those who would drive to the
MARTA station. There are about 560
parking spaces at the station and Rhe
in said MARTA is looking to develop
plans for shared parking with private
uses.
Councilman Bates Mattison said
he had spoken with the president of
Oglethorpe University, who told him
that the distance between the school
and the station is a problem for stu
dents. “This last-mile connectivity is
an important part with a campus such
as Oglethorpe and a community like
Brookhaven,” he said.
Rhein agreed and mentioned MAR
TA recently developed an agreement
with Uber to help riders who didn’t
want to wait for the bus or were un
comfortable riding a bus to get to their
final destinations.
Flowerland park plan draws interest, but cost is still the question
BI JOHN RUCK
johnruch® reporternewspapers.net
The current owners of the former Flow
erland garden say they’re open to the idea
on turning the area into a public park.
But they and city officials are await
ing a more specific plan and price tag.
Architect Andrew Amor propos
es restoring Flowerland, a gigan
tic garden that once stood in what is
now the D’Youville condominiums
off Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, as a
city park. He presented ambitious de
sign ideas—including recreations of
an early settlers’ homestead and a Na
tive American village—to Brookhaven
City Council last month.
Amor recently presented the idea to
the D’Youville Condominium Associ
ation board of directors.
“The board is keeping an open mind
and is waiting to receive a specific pro
posal from the city of Brookhaven be
fore making any decisions on how to
proceed,” said Adam Langer, the con
do association’s president.
The Flowerland presentations had no
budget estimates and still don’t, Amor
said. “I have no additional info on the
costs of the visionary project,” he said.
The idea has been well-received by
local elected officials. But City Coun
cilman Bates Mattison is among those
saying that lack of a budget estimate
remains a sticking point.
“I loved the presentation that was
given...I was really impressed by the
thought and vision of that,” Mattison
said.
But, Mattison added, the city has
a tight budget and planned parks im
provements that will demand funds.
“We’ve got a lot of things people want
[in the parks],” he said.
Celebrating 21 years in Brool
rU^
from the original Chin Chin Brookhaven team
2009 Best Chinese-The Sunday Paper
2001-2002 Best Chinese by Atlanta Jewish Times readers
1998-2012 Best Chinese by Creative Loafing
Mouth-watering Chin Chin spices things up.” -The Atlanta Journal Constitution
“Most Memorable Meal” -Where Atlanta Magazine - 21/2 stars-Knife & Fork
6 | DEC. 11 — DEC.24,2015 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
Auditor: City policies generally good
Internal Auditor William J. Mulcahy reported Dec. 1 on his
findings of audits he’d conducted of city processes. Mulcahy ex
amined the request for proposals process; the municipal court’s
compliance with new laws; and several “weaknesses” previous
ly found by other, external auditors, such as purchasing policies.
The request for proposal process needs better vetting, he said.
But he said contracts are approved by City Council, so this was
not a major weakness.
However, Mulcahy said he could not find any documents proving City Council ap
proval for a human resources contract that was more than $50,000. Any contracts or pur
chases over $50,000 must have council approval, he said.
Having an audit committee with public input is also a good idea, he said. Mulcahy
said the city overall is in good shape and is being a good steward of the taxpayers’ money.
“You’re headed in the right direction,” he said.
Council defers noise ordinance
City Council on Dec. 1 agreed to defer a vote on a new noise ordinance until its Jan.
12 meeting. A new decibel-based ordinance has been in the works for months, but some
local businesses and the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce expressed concerns about
measurement standards.
Councilman Bates Mattison said he wanted the opportunity conduct field tests with
new decibel meters being used by the city.
Police Chief Gary Yandura said noise complaints are fewer now that the weather is be
coming colder and there are fewer outdoor live music events.
BK
BRIEFS
