Reprint of the DHA Newsletter Dated 8/31/20
Update as of 9/1/20
There is an update from the Charter Commission:
- Last night, the motion to remove the tax millage rate cap died for lack of a second. Some say that is a sign that cooler heads prevailed. The recommendation of the Charter Commission is officially that city council may raise tax rates only to the cap of 3.04 mils; anything more than that will require a voter referendum.
- The discussion about granting temporary extra powers to the mayor on an emergency basis will be discussed at a future charter commission meeting. This was confirmed verbally by members of the commission this week.
Community Updates
COVID-19 has not stopped discussion on development and other important Dunwoody issues.
Charter Commission
The City of Dunwoody is a municipality created by the 2008 Georgia General Assembly. The Charter for the City of Dunwoody authorizes the Mayor and City Council of the City to create a Charter Commission to review the City’s experience and recommend to the General Assembly any changes to the City Charter. Learn More
Through regularly scheduled meetings via Zoom, the Charter Commission plans to propose major changes to Dunwoody’s charter that deviate from the original intention of the city’s founders.
To date, the Charter Commission has recommended:
- Eliminating the tax millage rate cap established when Dunwoody incorporated. Before incorporation, DeKalb county raised tax rates with no voter say at all. The capped millage rate is 3.04; the city council can raise tax rates from the current 2.74 to 3.04 at will. The proposal is to remove this limit and tax rates could be changed just like in DeKalb County.
- Adding greater powers to the Mayor’s office, altering the weak-mayor system that prevents potential autocratic abuses. Once additional powers are granted to an elected official, how do we know they will be rescinded?
Charter Commission has a public comment time, just like city council. Learn more about how to join the meeting tonight, August 31. Residents may also email their comments to chartercommission@dunwoodyga.gov.
Dunwoody Village Rezoning and Protective Tree Buffers
The attorney retained for the neighbors on the west border of Dunwoody Village made a point at the last city council meeting that the zoning conditions that made the Village possible next to single-family homes are still in effect. City Council deferred a decision on how to rezone Dunwoody Village until an Open Records Request with DeKalb County can be completed. The question is expected to be back on the agenda in October.
All parties and their attorneys are gathering documentation to make their case. The neighbors continue to press awareness of the problem.
More on the story from Dunwoody Reporter Newspaper.
Roberts Drive Rezoning for Senior-Targeted Housing Development
The request to rezone this property was deferred by the Planning Commission. At issue is a drainage easement maintained by the Fairfield HOA. Both Fairfield and the Dunwoody Walk HOA wish to ensure that current neighborhoods are protected and buffered from new construction.
More details w/ diagrams from Dunwoody Reporter
Next DHA Board Meeting – September 13
The North Shallowford Annex and its meeting rooms are closed through the end of 2020. All board meetings are online via Zoom and streamed to social media.
Watch the calendar on the DHA website at dunwoodyga.org for details and agenda items.
Contact us to request a discussion item or to speak to the meeting via Zoom.
