By Kim Kahwach
President, Buckhead Forest Civic Association

Kim Kahwach

What is an SPI? I can think of a few ways to define the acronym, but the City of Atlanta defines it as a Special Public Interest District along commercial cores.

An SPI District acts like a density trading table for developers that own multiple properties within its boundaries. Owning property in the “Core” of an SPI gives a developer high density trading rights for all other properties (including residential) owned in that specific SPI District.

Now, if a developer owns property in the “Core” of an SPI and also owns residential property in a neighborhood adjacent to that SPI District, according to the latest plans by Peachtree Road United Methodist Church (PRUMC), that developer would only need to acquire the property between the “Core” property and the residential property to create an expanded boundary for the SPI District.

Notice of city hearing date of 5-9-13 on PRUMC’s request for Special Use Permit. Signs
are placed in Buckhead Forest and on church property.

Once all of the properties are assembled with one permit (Special Use Permit) under the same zoning classification (SPI is a zoning district) the only step left in making the new SPI boundaries official is to get a Special Administrative signature absent of public scrutiny.

What used to be a few single family homes in your neighborhood, have now been put on the density trading table and can immediately receive up to 150 feet of height traded from commonly owned “Core” properties, which is about a 15 story building only 35 feet away from your home.

If the current Special Use Permit application submitted by PRUMC is allowed, this will be the new standard for every developer owning property in an SPI District adjacent to neighborhoods.

When the City of Atlanta Planning Department was asked if the current plans submitted by PRUMC are an SPI-9 expansion there was no response.

If you live in a single family neighborhood adjacent to an SPI District this is a very “special” citywide precedent that could be set, and will impact all neighborhoods adjoining SPI Districts.

For a complete list of items accepted at ecoDepot 2013, please click HERE.

Please download the Citizen’s Academy Application HERE. If you have additional questions, please feel free to call Brenda Clemons, Community Outreach Coordinator with Fulton County Government, at 404 612-3562.

Much of the money raised at the event goes to Garden Hills Elementary’s funding for technology, continued training for teachers and cultural arts programming. The school’s current partnership with the Woodruff Arts Center helps to establish a school culture in which the arts are considered a part of a complete education.

Evening in the Garden is a community-wide effort that impacts the lives of almost 600 students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Garden Hills Elementary is an International Baccalaureate school that serves multiple Buckhead neighborhoods including Garden Hills, Peachtree Park, Peachtree Heights and Lindridge Martin Manor. Neighborhood support is crucial to the success of our school and for the continued quality education our children receive at Garden Hills Elementary.

For further information, or if you are interested in becoming a sponsor or donating an item for the auction, please contact Heather Martin at heathermartin7@me.com or Karen Flanders-Reid at karenflanders@me.com.

Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. To order tickets online or to make a monetary donation, please visit our website: www.eveninginthegarden.com. To mail in your ticket order or donation, please send to: Erica Fanelli, 2607 Forrest Way NE, Atlanta, GA 30305. Please make checks payable to GHES PTA.

Date: Saturday, April 20, 2013
Check In Time: 8:30 am
Start Time: 9:00 am
Sign In: East Paces Ferry Bridge

Be sure to mark your calendar and dust off your running shoes for this year’s event! You too can enjoy the ‘gently rolling’ streets of Peachtree Park with your friends and neighbors. The race starts and finishes at the East Paces Ferry bridge so at least the finish will be downhill! Race-Day Registration and number pick-up begin at 8:30 am and the race begins promptly at 9:00 am.

The race is open to the entire family and registration forms can be downloaded below – please make checks payable to PPCA. Each registered runner gets a wonderfully designed Peachtree Park 5K Race T-Shirt which can be picked up the day of the race.

If you’re not running this year, you can still support the community by cheering on your fellow neighbors. Your kids and dogs will love to see the runners blaze by your front yard, and I know the runners will benefit from your warm encouragement or a cool glass of water (or bloody mary!).

I look forward to seeing everyone out there for this year’s Peachtree Park 5k. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer for this year’s event, please contact Meredith Emerson at meredith.ais@gmail.com or 404.963.6272.

Download the registration form HERE!

Information on the course route can be found HERE.

*** A huge THANK YOU to our sponsors! Your generous donations have helped make this event possible. ***

• Dave Curry, Monarch Centre Associates
• Lee Fiata, Phoenix Renovations
• Lori Fiata, Harry Norman Realtors
• John Morris, REPAY

Wednesday, October 17, 2012 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Intercontinental Buckhead. Our meeting room location will be called out on signs in the lobby.

Highlights include guest speakers, annual committee reports, general neighborhood updates as well as results of the new PPCA board election & new members. We hope to see you there!

Neighbors are welcome to come visit the school, meet new Interim Principal Mr. Tommy Usher, other incoming families as well as current families who have children at GHES. The Open House in October is the next school tour, however, if you would like to meet other parents in a more relaxed setting, a Peachtree Park neighbor and GHES parent, Mary Holmes, will be hosting a coffee at her home at 73 Park Circle on Tuesday, October 16 at 9:30 a.m.  All are welcome to attend.

Fall Calendar for GHES Prospective Parents:

• Tuesday, October 16, 9:30am, Prospective Parent Coffee, Home of Mary Holmes
• Tuesday, October 30 , 9:30am, GHES Open House School Tour (Big Fall Tour) *
• Friday, November 9, 7:00pm, Prospective Parent Evening Reception and Q&A, Home of Kristin Mitra, 709 East Paces Ferry Rd.
• Tuesday, November 27, 9:30am, Monthly School Tour

 2013 Events:

• Tuesday, January 29, 9:30am, GHES Open House School Tour (Big Spring Tour) *
• Tuesday, February 26, 9:30am, Monthly School Tour
• TBD, February or March, Prospective Parent Evening Reception
• Tuesday, March 26, 9:30am, Monthly School Tour

 * The Open House Tours will have our Interim Principal Tommy Usher and Kindergarten teachers address the group.

The Lemonade Social and a few other events in the spring to help promote a sense of community with the incoming kindergarten class that will be scheduled on the calendar in the coming weeks. Come visit and take a look at the changes happening at Garden Hills Elementary School.

If you have any questions or would like a personal tour, please contact Heather Martin (heathermartin7@me.com) or Kristin Mitra (kristinmitra@bellsouth.net), VPs of Marketing for the Garden Hills Elementary PTA Board and Peachtree Park residents.

Come join us for a fall gathering and BBQ, hosted by Peachtree Park Civic Association. Food provided by Nourish Catering. There will be games for the kids. Beer and soft drinks will be provided but feel free to BYOB. There will be a few tables and chairs so bring your blankets for a picnic in the triangle!

An evite to the neighborhood will be sent out in advance of the event with more information. It is also posted on our Facebook page.

Peachtree Park is a great place to live and we have prime real estate for viewing the annual Lenox 4th of July Fireworks show. The Peachtree Park Civic Association spends time and funds to preserve our 4thof July experience for our neighborhood residents and guests with a plan to manage traffic and parking issues.

We have obtained a permit & contracted with Atlanta Police Department to limit access by car to the neighborhood. From 6:30PM to 10:30PM the off duty police officers will only allow residents of Peachtree Park and guests of Peachtree Park residents that are attending their party to enter the neighborhood.

If you are having a party, please ensure that your guests have a copy of this flyer or a party invitation, which contains your address. Tips for partygoers: arrive before 6:30PM before access is limited, and carpool if possible so parking isn’t a hassle for you

For the show, we ask residents and partygoers to walk down to the viewing area to prevent gridlock. Driving through area will be frustrating for all with 100′s in street!

CAR ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Please have one of these:

• This flyer or a copy of it
• Driver’s license/ID of a resident
• Party invitation from a resident

NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRY POINTS

• Dale Drive at Timm Valley
• Greenview Avenue at Peachtree Drive
• East Paces Ferry Road at Park Circle
• Martina Drive at Park Circle

Questions? Contact Keith Mauriello, PPCA Security Chair

keith.mauriello@agg.com or 404-643-2522.

Street captains will be delivering the flyer by Monday.

CLICK THIS LINK TO DOWNLOAD & PRINT FLYER:

http://peachtreeparkatl.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/PEACHTREE-PARK-JULY-4TH-FLYER+CAR-PASS1.pdf

ATLANTA POLICE SEEK PUBLIC’S HELP IN IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL SERIAL SEXUAL ASSAULT SUSPECT

The Atlanta Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect possibly responsible for a string of sexual assaults in the Buckhead/North Atlanta area.

The suspect’s most recent assault occurred early Saturday morning (April 28th, 2012).

A woman living in the Lindbergh Drive area returned home around 4:00 a.m. with her roommate. Shortly after going to sleep, she awoke to a man fondling her. The male also made sexually suggestive remarks to the victim.

The man is described as a black male, 5′-8″ to 5′-10″ tall, with a dark complexion and wearing a gray hooded sweat shirt with dark-colored pants. The man left the apartment, but stole some property prior to fleeing the scene.

The crime fits the pattern of several similar crimes committed in the Buckhead area since late 2009. In these cases, the suspect has made sexual contact with the victims, made sexually suggestive remarks and stolen property prior to exiting. Suspect descriptions have been similar. In all cases, there were no indications of forced entry.

• December 6, 2009/Peachtree Park Drive
• January 1, 2011/Lenox Road
• January 5, 2011/Peachtree Park Drive
• January 19, 2011/Peachtree Park Drive
• October 31, 2011/Lindbergh Drive
• November 12, 2011/Peachtree Park Drive

Atlanta Police are working aggressively to catch the suspect. In the most recent incident, the victim was able to provide an artist’s rendering of the suspect. To see the artist’s rendering, click on this link: APDSVUCrimes0430B.  Zone 2 officers have stepped up patrols in the Lindbergh area, and investigators with the Special Victims Unit are working these cases.

We are asking anyone with information on these crimes to contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip through www.crimestoppersatlanta.org. Tipsters may remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward up to $2,000.

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