Gordon Jackson, President welcomed all Board members and visitors. Board Members that were in attendance are: Stephen Barton, Robin Burch, Randy Collins, Barbara Dodds, Susan Harper, Stacy Harris, Gordon Jackson, Bill Robinson, Doug Thompson, Lisa Woody, and Fran Millar. Some Board Members did not sign in. Visitors that were in attendance are: Terry Nall, Phyllis Williams, Robert Wittenstein, John Heneghan, Erin Loach, Laurel David, Karen Bass, and Joan Bennett.
Announcements
- Phyllis Williams, candidate for DeKalb State Court, spoke about her qualifications for the position.
- DHA sponsored a Middle School Odyssey of the Mind team. Karen Bass, team coach, announced that the team went to state and is now going to the World Competition at Michigan State. They are in the process of fundraising for the cost to go to Michigan State. A motion was made for DHA to donate $500.00 towards the trip cost which was passed unanimously. Karen Bass was nominated for the Georgia Odyssey of the Mind Hall of Fame.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes will be approved at the next meeting since not everyone received a copy of the February 21, 2010 and March 7, 2010 minutes.
Zoning and Development
- 121 Perimeter Center - Doug Thompson, Chair of the Perimeter Village Committee, introduced Laurel David and Jim Bennett. Laurel David said that they are asking for a rezoning from O&I to OCR to allow for a restaurant or retail on the 1st floor of the Sun Trust office building. They have to bring the building into compliance with current zoning conditions. They are also applying for a SLUP on height and parking. They commissioned a parking study and will go from 174 to 181 spaces where retail requires 154 spaces and restaurant 180 spaces. Fran feels this will set a precedent for other O&I in the city
- RBC Bank Dunwoody Village Parkway – Bill Robinson, Chair of the Village Committee, said that RBC will do a complete tear down of the old building and then a rebuild and they need 4 variances for this project and will go before the Zoning Board of Appeals. Eric Leach, representing RBC, said they brought their plan to city staff and at staff recommendation reconfigured the project. There will be three drive through windows, the building will sit closer to the road and parking will be in the rear. The four variance requests are: a 75’ building setback, increase parking from 17-23 spaces, configuration of frontages per city planner’s request, and 10’ landscaping buffer on the side of the drive through windows and for 6 parking spaces. The building will be energy efficient and eco friendly. City staff asked for the entrance to be two way and cut though the median on Dunwoody Village Parkway. They would be removing the existing large trees. There was a concern from some Board members about the precedent being set by City staff when they advise to do things that do not comply with the Village Overlay District. Bill Robinson said that three things stuck in the Committee’s craw: that city staff came up with a different streetscape, advising a cut through in the median when the future plans for the parkway cannot be completed until after CLUP approval, and cutting trees to make the streetscape. The committee has no problem with the project if it complies with the Overlay district.
Community Affairs – nothing
Messages and Updates from the President
- The DHA office is open and the sign and magnets have been ordered
- Dunwoody Elementary School – Fran said that Barbara Coleman from the Board of Education is trying to resolve the remaining issues for under $50,000.00. Robin said they got approval for two sign but they are not code compliant because they have interchangeable letters. The solution is to move the signs back on school property but they will be in the woods and hard to see.
Board Discussion and Votes
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- 121 Perimeter Center – Motion was made by Stacy to deny this request. It was seconded and passed unanimously.
- RBC Bank – RBC said they will do whatever makes us happy and are willing to go back to the original drawing and comply with the streetscape. Bill Robinson made the following motion for approval if the following conditions are met: move the bank building closer to and facing the parkway to meet the goal of pedestrian friendly storefronts in the overlay district, require that the architecture and streetscape meet pre 1900 Mid Atlantic American Traditional Architecture standards set forth in the recently approved Dunwoody Village Overlay District, and require that the median cut through be delayed and reviewed again at the time that the Village Master Plan and the Dunwoody Village Parkway Plan are approved. The vote was seconded and approved with 13 yeas and 1 abstention from Gerri Penn.
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The meeting was adjourned.