2006 - october - vol 22

8/2/2019 2006 - October - Vol 22

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The

CITIZEN’S REVIEWVol. 22 Newsletter of the Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association, Inc. October 2006

Why didn’t we votein July’s primaries? In the three placeswhere we vote,

the statistics are asfollows: At Jackson11.5% voted. Thatamounts to 225votes cast and

1673 votes that did not get cast!At Northwest Presbyterian Church10.2% of the registered votersshowed up. The turnout for ourneighbors who now live in SandySprings was 25%.

Why were the summer primariesimportant? These primaries were

important because they determinedour choices in the November 7elections for Governor, LieutenantGovernor, Secretary of State, AttorneyGeneral, State School Superinten-dent, various Commissioners andJudges and seats for FultonCounty. Most of these races werecontested, and in fact, a run off wasrequired for the Secretary of State.

What message are we sending toelected officials? If we are not

engaged enough to vote, we aregoing to risk losing our voice inGovernment. No one will pay attentionto us because it will not be worththe few hundred votes at stake. Theaverage voter participation in theprimaries in Georgia was 25%. Wevoted at less than half that rate!Why?

I know we can do better and wemust. There are countless opportu-nities to meet candidates including

at our Mt. Paran-Northside CitizensAssociation Annual Meeting onOctober 18, to be held at the JacksonSchool beginning at 7:30 PM.

Candidates Robb Pitts and BillLoughrey (District 2 At-Large) andLee Morris and John Eaves (FultonCounty Chair) will be participatingin a debate and Q & A session.

This is why you need to come. Whoever gets elected is account-able for 28% of your tax bill.Worse, they are responsible for theTax Commissioners who assessyour property! In fact why don’tyou pull out your tax bill and bringit with you. It may inspire some

questions for the candidates.

Democracy is Built on Choice

Have We Just Stopped Caring?By YOLANDA ADREAN

President Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association

Listen to the candidates. Know who

wants to spend your dollars andHOW. Plan to come to the October18th Annual Meeting … and don’tforget to bring your friends!

We no longer have government at any level, which is

representative of our citizens. Our neighbors have abdicated theirresponsibility to our democratic form of government by choosing not tovote. In our precinct during the last Primary election 88.5% of you didnot vote. The Runoff results were worse, 92.8% did not vote. Has thiswealthy, educated majority become so removed from reality that youcannot see what is happening to this once great nation?

Perhaps it is time to mandate voting as Australia and nineteenother nations have done. If you are interested in learning more go towww.australianpolitics.com/voting/systems/compulsory.shtml

Editor's note: Voter turnout of those registered to vote in Australia wasas low as 47% prior to the 1924 compulsory voting law. In the decadessince 1924, voter turnout has hovered around 94% to 96%.

The Immoral Majority

REIN IN UNBRIDLED SPENDING

By SHEL SCHLEGMAN [email protected]

Mt. Paran

Shel Schlegman

Yolanda Adrean

8/2/2019 2006 - October - Vol 22


IN AND AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD

I go for a High Society walk on Sundays, around FairfieldRoad. Weekdays, it’s still a beautiful ramble, but there’straffic and workday clutter, and the mansions don’t havetheir makeup on.

On Sunday mornings it’s a different world. Scads of M-BSUV’s hover round the soccer fields, and the glintof diamond rings is awesome as girlish laughter andscreams of encouragement urge on the Top Hats and theLady Jets. Further along, the mud of the pasture is trans-formed into a scene out of Harper’s, as the Polo playersride to and fro.

They must know what they’re doing, but I never hear ayelp or a cry of exultation. The horses snort, but that’s theonly sound from that unusual pastiche.

Next along the trek comes a well-made pen where aLlama and a Goat chew their cuds and gaze stolidly at meas I pass them by. What is a llama doing here in the heartof Buckhead? I don’t even know where to ask to find that out.

The American flag at the Soccer fields is more noticeableon Sundays. I can’t tell you why, but there seems to be aconstant breeze making it riffle and snap.

All in all, it’s a pretty nice experience. It makes meremember Sunday mornings in West Virginia and FortJackson when things didn’t look so bright and shiny, and Iwondered if there were places like this out there in that bigworld I kept hearing about.

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Atlanta City Council Honors...

The Mt. Paran Garden Club

A PROCLAMATION HONORING THE MT. PARANWOODS GARDEN CLUB FOR THEIR HARD WORK

AND DEDICATION IN CREATING AND MAINTAININGBEAUTIFUL GARDEN AREAS THROUGHOUT THEMT. PARAN/NORTHSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD

WHEREAS, The Mt. Paran Woods Garden Club wasfounded in 1955 and currently has 40 active members, 21social members and 10 patrons; and

WHEREAS, The club is open to anyone in the area withan interest in gardening and socializing, and holds meet-ings from September through May; and

WHEREAS, For the past 25 years, the Mt. Paran WoodsGarden Club has taken on various beautification projectswithin the Mt. Paran/Northside area, some of which in-clude plantings in triangles or “pocket parks” on WestConway at Broadland Road, Mt. Paran and Northside Dr.

at the Country Store, and Cave Road at Mt. Paran; andWHEREAS, The Mt. Paran Woods Garden Club is reg-

istered as a non-profit corporation, and receives its fundingstrictly by membership fees and donations, with all moneyraised going directly to garden projects within theneighborhood; and

WHEREAS, With the money they raise, the Mt. ParanWoods Garden Club spends every year approximately$10,000 to $12,000 for bi-annual plantings and mainte-nance, with one of the club’s more recent projects alonecosting $7,000; and

WHEREAS, Along with all the members of the Mt.Paran Woods Garden Club, we particularly want to honor

certain club members Merry Carlos, Janie Merrill, AngieEverett, Ann Woodruff, Roberta Foley and Louise McDermottfor their hard work and dedication in creating and main-taining beautiful garden areas throughout the Mt. Paran/ Northside neighborhood.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE MEMBERS OF THE ATLANTACITY COUNCIL, ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OFATLANTA, HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE MT. PARANWOODS GARDEN CLUB ON THIS 21ST DAY OFAUGUST, 2006 FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS ANDOUTSTANDING SERVICE IN MEETING THE NEEDSOF THE COMMUNITY.

High SocietySunday

Morning

Walk

By DICK PERKINS

Glen Devon Drive

MAIL DELIVERY PROBLEMS

The Board of the Mt. Paran-Northside CitizensAssociation has received reports of problemswith the US Postal Service mail deliveryin our area. We would like to gather

information including addresses, datesand the specific nature of the problemsso that we can see if there is a pattern of poor service relating to specific routes.The Postmaster might be more interestedif the complaints are compiled, documented and reported byour organization.

Please outline your mail problems giving as muchinformation as possible. We especially need to know theday of the week and the date of the problem. Send yourinformation to Al Goodgame at [email protected]

8/2/2019 2006 - October - Vol 22


TAX ASSESSORS OFFICEON THE RIGHT COURSE

Some of you may remember that before I became veryinvolved in Atlanta’s underground sewer infrastructurewhich took up most of my time at City Hall for about 15years, I worked to rewrite the Land Subdivision Ordinance.

I remember in 1993, after two years of hard work withfour city departments and a hard-working citizen panel,and the final overwhelming passage of the Land Subdivi-sion Ordinance which I authored in my freshman term,telling the late zoning administrator, Bill Kennedy, that Iwanted to move to work on environmental issues which Ithought had broad consensus. Bill Kennedy took great gleein teasing me through the years about that statement—because, as many of you know, getting the Clean WaterAtlanta Program underway, including compliance with theFederal Consent Decrees, separating some of our sewerbasins to bring our city up to 90% sewer separation, clean-ing up the long-neglected circle around the inner city withsewer cleanup projects such as the Nancy Creek Tunnel,required huge energy and public debate. For many years, Iwas called the “sewer lady” while I fought to get us to

clean water faster and cheaper. I was pleased to have a newMayor arrive on the scene in 2002 and even more pleasedwhen she answered my plea to champion clean water witha resounding “yes”. I asked the Mayor to put together anew department with all water issues in one place andthe result is the Department of Watershed Management.

Now I find myself in my fifth term on Council lookingback at some of the legislation that I “mothered” over adecade ago. The Land Subdivision Ordinance (LSO) wasin great need of repair in the early 1990s and, when askedby my colleagues to take on the rewrite, I did not pause. Ihad such “greats” as Bill Kennedy to help me with such a rewrite—and we brought together representatives of four departmentsand a good group of citizens to help. We worked weeklyfor almost two years to hammer out issues that would providefor orderly development in the City of Atlanta.

One of my biggest concerns at the time was water runoff and drainage issues. We worked hard to ensure in thenew ordinance that existing property owners were not adverselyaffected by new development. (Following those samelines, I have subsequently introduced the “Post Develop-ment Stormwater Management Ordinance”, the “RiparianBuffer Ordinance” and the “Conservation Subdivision Ordinance.")I am clear in my mind that new subdivisions should be consideredvery carefully because, as Bill Kennedy said many timesback in those days, there is a good reason that some lotswere passed over when Atlanta began to develop. Some

lots, if developed, could cause damage to existing properties.One of the goals of this new ordinance was “to minimize

disturbance of natural topography, tree cover and naturaldrainage ways.” Therefore, one of the sections reads:“Land subject to flooding and land that is topographicallyunsuitable shall not be platted for residential occupancy norfor other uses when to do so will create or increase dangerto health, life, or property or aggravate erosion or floodhazard.”

It is this section of the Ordinance, as well as others,which I have been reviewing quite a lot lately as I havetaken the step to appeal the decision of Administrative Officerof the City of Atlanta to the Board of Zoning Adjustmentconcerning a six lot subdivision approval on CloudlandDrive. This particular subdivision application seeks to sub-divide a two lot parcel into six new lots, the back two lotsof which would require driveway bridges across two creeksto reach potential build-able areas. I do not think these backtwo lots comply with the intent of the Land SubdivisionOrdinance in that they are topographically unsuited andwould not have uniform set backs with the other proposedlots on the ball of the proposed new cul-de-sac.

This is an unprecedented step for me. I have never formallyappealed the decision of the City to the Board of ZoningAdjustment. I will keep you informed as to the results of suchan appeal and I will also begin a review of the Ordinance tosee what other areas may need to be strengthened or clarifiedso that the intent of the Ordinance is not misinterpreted again.

By CLAIR MULLER

Atlanta City Council Member, District 8

The Board of Assessor’s and thecounty Assessor’s department havebeen in the spotlight for the pastyear. An independent audit initiatedat my request and with approvalfrom both the Board of Assessors(BoA) and the Board of Commission-ers (BoC) revealed serious deficien-cies. This led to a review by theState Revenue Commission. The find-ings–inconsistent appraisals, misidentified tax-exempt proper-ties, poor processes and a general lack of customer service–

came as little surprise to the many citizens that have had todeal with the department.

However, there is now some good news to report! Underthe leadership of new Chief Appraiser Burt Manning, andwith a newly formed professional BoA chaired by BillHuff, the tax assessor’s office is finally showing somepositive signs. In just a few short months, the office hasreviewed and revamped office policies and procedures,revised management philosophies to return day-to-day operationsto the Chief Appraiser (where it belongs!) and reaffirmedthat the BoA’s responsibility is to set policies and provide

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LegislativeWorkComesFull CircleSubdivisions to Sewers

By KAREN C. HANDELChairman of the Fulton County Commission

Continued on Page C4

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It is estimated that 900 acres in Sandy Springshas been permitted for new development since

Dec 1, 2005. 25% of that acreage is in District6 which contains almost all of the area south of the River, and west of Roswell Road to theCity of Atlanta boundaries. Further estimatessupport the fact that 90% of the tree cover (alsoknown as Tree Canopy) in Sandy Springs islocated in our residential neighborhoods.

Your new city adopted the Fulton CountyTree Ordinance in December of 2005 unchanged which providesfor protection of larger, older trees over 28” in diameterknown as “Specimen Trees”; but no protection for othertrees in the canopy except the requirement for a certainlevel of tree “density” to remain on the site or be replanted.Unlike the City of Atlanta which requires a permit and a

fee to be paid for tree removal by all parties, including ahomeowner, the City of Sandy Springs’ current ordinanceonly applies to a site if a building permit of some nature isrequired. Examples of permits which trigger the City of Sandy Springs Tree Ordinance include pool installation,land disturbance, building permit and the like.

Due to the unremitting pressure to reside in ourneighborhoods “inside I-285”, due, in large part, to (i) themetro area’s increased commuting time due to traffic congestion,(ii) the quality of life issues that define the character of ourexisting neighborhoods including significant remaining

City of Sandy Springs Plans

New Tree Protection OrdinanceBy KAREN McENERNY

Sandy Springs City Council Member, District 6

tree canopy, streams, and wildlife inherent with less densedevelopment; and (iii) our proximity to Downtown viaNorthside Drive, District 6 is a “Bulls Eye” for re-development.It shares that distinction with District 5 also which is southof I-285 to Peachtree Dunwoody on the east.

In recognition that the current Tree Ordinance is notsufficiently protecting the Tree Canopy and all the unacceptable

impacts inherent with excess tree loss, theMayor & City Council determined that a revi-sion of the Tree Ordinance was one of three

ordinance revisions that was of priority to ourcitizens. (Another of those three, known as the“Flag Lot Ordinance”, was recently enacted on August 2. This Fulton County holdover ordinanceallowed the subdivision of land such that housescould be built directly behind each other withlimited (35 feet) frontages on the street. Thisaffected the smaller properties that didn’t have

enough land in which to put a street and cul de sac and inessence had the effect of increasing density which also meantsignificant tree canopy loss. The third of these priorityordinances was known as the “Apartment Inspection Ordinance” passed July 18, 2006 which requires internal inspections ofall multi family units to ensure they meet minimum state

standards).In July 2006 the Council authorized a re-write of this

Ordinance which is now underway under the direction of awell respected Urban Forestry expert, Mr. Ed Macie, currentlythe Southeast director for the US Department of Forestry.(Mr. Macie also wrote the first Tree Ordinance for FultonCounty while he was their county arborist.) He is workingwith a Citizens Advisory Committee which meets the lastMonday of each month at 7:00 pm in the city hall. Thesemeetings are open to the public with public comment at theend. This committee represents a balance of interests in-


After the first nine months, Sandy Springs governmentservices continue to improve. I hope that your neighborhoodshave noticed the vastly improved police coverage with ournew police department. Now there are at least twice asmany police patrols on the roads, and increasingly the officersare spotted in neighborhood streets that had not seen suchsecurity before. Some officers report that residents are sopleased to see them, that they have been invited to dinner.

Tree preservation continues to be a lively topic. A citizens

advisory committee has been at work during the past two

PublicSafety

Enhanced

months to develop a proposed new tree ordinance. Thecommittee is made up of neighborhood representatives aswell as developers. The City Council recognizes the importanceof our tree canopy in Sandy Springs, while at the same timeresponding to new construction. A revised ordinance willbe addressed by Council later this fall. (See related article

below.)Friends of Sandy Springs, a new non-profit organization,

has been organized to aid the start-up of our public safetyfunctions. Mr. Bruce Weiner is President of the group. Alreadyprivate contributions have financed acquisition of motorcy-cles and bikes for the police. We will be taking over thetotal operation of the Fire Department in late December. Ofcourse, private donations to assist in equipping our FireDepartment will also be appreciated. (Donations can bemade to: Friends of Sandy Springs, City Hall 7840 RoswellRd., Sandy Springs, GA 30350)

Our web site, www.sandyspringsga.org is becoming evermore interactive, and many functions can be completed

electroncally. Let us hear from you!

By EVA GALAMBOS

Mayor, City of Sandy Springs

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IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS

8/2/2019 2006 - October - Vol 22


The Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association produces this public safety report for the benefit of our neighborhood. If you see suspicious activity, or are the victim of a crime, call 911 and then reportthe details for this newsletter to our Security Patrol (404)310-7361 or Jo Ann Rau (

October 2006

Security Patrol ActivityDuring the months of February through August 2006,Officers Doug Cole, Jim Hendrix and Sergeant Ellis (J.R.)

Security Patrol Information

The Mt. Paran Security Patrol isneighborhood funded patrol staffeby two retired Atlanta police officeand a part-time sergeant currentassigned to the motorcycle squa

Officer Doug Cole and Officer JiHendrix work full time and SgEllis (J.R.) works part-time. Tdate there are 386 patrol membeof which 33 live in the RandaMill Civic Association area.

The patrol monitors the Atlanpolice radio and responds to alarmin the area. The patrol checks dooand windows daily while you aout of town and picks up newspaper

The fee to join the patrol is $150year and covers the time periofrom January 1 to December 3The fee for new residents will bpro-rated. Subscribers receive mailbox decal, telephone stickeand access to the security hotline well as daily surveillance of youhouse and property.

For information on joining, or tmeet the patrol officers, ca

(404)310-7361. Be sure to leave message during off-duty houand one of the patrol officers wicall you back.

February: Bon fire on Whitewater Trail. Kids ran away when firedepartment arrived. Kids reported fighting on Whitewater Trail.Summer Lane resident came home to the alarm ringing. Found anopen door and the alarm panel missing but no items missing.

March: Car windows smashed on Sentinel Post. Door-to-doorsales people reported on several streets three days in a row. Break-inon Harris Trail (small item taken).

April: Several suspicious autos and people were reported through-out the neighborhood. Someone through a beer bottle at a frontdoor on Regency Rd. and significantly damaged the door. A houseon Conway Glen was entered but nothing was taken. The burglarof a house on Mt. Paran was arrested by police. Front door of theCountry Store was forced open and the ATM machine was taken.Cash and credit cards taken from a car on Regency Rd. Purse

taken from inside the garage on Garmon Ferry Rd. Laptop takenfrom inside a car on Monte Carlo Dr. Lawn truck stolen from AndoverDr., keys were in the vehicle.

May: Several suspicious people reported in the neighborhoodthroughout the month. Thefts from unlocked autos on RegencyRd., Garmon Ferry, Garmon Rd., and Swims Valley. Car stolenfrom driveway on Whitestone Place. Sgt. Ellis helped Atlanta police

to apprehend suspects who robbed

The Crime Report


• Logged 12,208 miles patrolling our neighborhood • Made 3664 house checks for traveling subscribers • Responded to 76 alarm calls• Investigated 71 suspicious persons or autos • Investigated 8 incidents of vandalism • Investigated 11 incidents of vehicles entered • Investigated 12 incidents of larceny • Investigated 5 break-ins • Found 7 open doors • Investigated 1 incident of criminal trespass • Investigated 1 incident of criminal damage to property

(arrest made)

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More Crime News: Know the Law Against Illegal Signs

Editor’s Note:On August 30 an article appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about illegal signs on poles in Atlanta. It quoted the city'schief solicitor, Raines Carter, who doesn't appear to know the law. Mt. Paran resident, Mary Lou Floyd, responded to SolicitorCarter's comments in the email below. Copies of her response went to the mayor, the reporter who wrote the story and the chairmanof the City Utilities Committee. The illegal sign ordinance was amended by City Council in 2004. Hats off to Mary Lou for taking thetime to set the record straight! Now spread the word to those who are interested in combating Atlanta's visual pollution.


Dear Solicitor Carter:I read the August 30, 2006 AJC article in which you were quoted

as saying "the city's code addresses only the person hanging thesign, not the agency or sponsor." I bring to your attention that onJune 21, 2004 an ordinance sponsored by Councilmember AnneFauver (04-0-0785) was adopted by Council and approved byMayor Franklin. This 2004 ordinance amended section 138-13 sothat the responsible party "shall include...any individuals or businesseswhose advertisement, message or information appears on or iscontained in any sign or notice unlawfully placed on public property."

In this August 30 AJC article I read that you "recommend enforcementsweeps to catch many spamsters at one time and charge them afine of $100 for each illegal sign." May I bring to your attentionthat since 2004 City Code 138-13 has been very specific

about citations and penalties.I have copied below that section of City Code 138-13 that defines

the responsible parties (See (d) Removal). Under (f) Citations and (g) Penalties I copy the city law that defines such. We privatecitizens are most fortunate to have Atlanta's Code of Ordinancesavailable to us with a keystroke at www.Municode.com

May I add that I differ with your statement in the article that"Most of the sponsors (of illegal signage) are outside Georgia"?Over the past five years, I have removed hundreds of illegalsigns. Rarely were these signs sponsored by agencies outsideGeorgia. Many, however, are sponsored by businesses outside of Atlanta because they advertise 770- telephone contact numbers.

As a board member of Keep Atlanta Beautiful, I work with theDepartment of Public Works and Solid Waste's efforts to combatthis visible pollution blighting our city and encouraging other

crimes. I attended the 2006 Governor's Litter Summit August29. Fortunately, illegal signage is included in this precedent-setting statewide assault on litter. We will have opportunities topartner with state government on the eradication of illegal signage.

May I suggest that Atlanta revisit adopting the Board of CodeEnforcement Act (passed by the State in 2000) that would allowthe prosecution of code enforcement violations under a civil law process?

The following is an excerpt from Atlanta's Code of Ordi-nances, accessible at www.Municode.com Sec. 138-13. Affixing signs within right-of-way.(a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, whenused in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them inthis subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a dif-ferent meaning:(1) "Affix" shall mean the act of tacking, nailing, posting, gluing,

painting, stapling, marking or writing upon the surface of anystructure or directing, authorizing or paying another to do such act.(2) Public property" within the public right-of-way shall meanthe area lying within the dedicated or prescriptive easement of any street or road located within the city, whether improved ornot, including sidewalks, ditches, drains, the tree lawn areas be-tween detached sidewalks and streets, roadway medians, park-ways, bridges, utility poles and boxes, street signs and sign poles.(3) "Sign" shall mean any material containing printed or writtenmatter in words, symbols, pictures, or any combination thereof,including, but not limited to flyers, handbills, pennants, posters,and streamers.(4) "Special event sign" shall mean any temporary sign whichshall advertise or promote any meeting, event, gathering, function,

entertainment or other activity scheduled for a particular date orseries of consecutive days.(b) Signage prohibited. Except as provided in this section, itshall be unlawful to post or affix signs on public property withinthe public right-of-way.(c) Exceptions. Nothing in this section shall apply to the installationof the following:(1) Metal plaques or plates commemorating a historical, cul-tural or artistic event, location or personality;(2) Signage identifying licensed franchisees of the city or indicatingthe presence of workers of permitted utilities and their facilitiesor equipment within or immediately adjacent to the right-of-way;(3) Signage identifying or directing vehicular or pedestrian traffic

to or from property immediately adjacent to the signage whendisplayed on structures under the ownership or control of theproperty owner or lessee;(4) Signage providing public transportation information;(5) Signage providing direction to governmental facilities,hospitals or houses of worship;(6) Signage affixed pursuant to permits issued by governmentalentities having authority to do so;(7) Signage used to provide for the safety of individuals usingthe public right-of-way or immediately adjacent property;(8) Flags, banners, bunting, signs, displays or other forms ofdecoration which are displayed in conformance with andpermitted by section 138-60; or(9) Commercial advertisements which are displayed in and onbus shelters in conformance with the requirements of O.C.G.A.

§ 32-6-51.(d) Removal. Any signs found upon any public property, not incompliance with this section, may be removed by the city. Theperson(s) responsible for causing the unlawful sign to be placedon any public property may be held responsible for the cost ofremoval. These persons shall include, but are not limited to, anyindividuals or businesses whose advertisement, message or in-formation appears on or is contained in any sign or noticeunlawfully placed on public property.(e) Special event signage. Any special event signs found uponany public property may be removed by the city. The person(s)responsible for causing the unlawful special event sign to be onpublic property may be held responsible for the cost of removal.In addition, the person(s) responsible for causing the unlawfulspecial event sign to be on public property shall be subject to a

minimum of three days in jail. These persons shall include, butare not limited to, any individuals or business whose specialevent appears on or is contained in any special event sign ornotice unlawfully placed on public property and any individualresponsible for authorizing, directing, or paying persons whounlawfully place special event signs on public property.(f) Citations. Any person violating this section shall receive acitation. The citation shall state the date, location, and brief descriptionof the violation. The citation penalty may be paid prior to theassigned court date, in the amount of $100.00 per violation tocover the removal of the unlawfully placed sign. Payment maybe made as directed by the citation. Upon a third, and subsequent,

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Continued from Page C1

June: Bicycle taken from garage on Randall Mill Rd. Tomatoestaken and fire started in a yard on Harris Trail. Mailboxdamaged on Garmon Drive. Identity theft on Mt. Paranwhere a credit card statement was taken from the mailbox.Bogus credit cards were used at a hair salon. House eggedon N. Harris Ridge. Damage to mailbox on Harris Trail.Along with damage to the dashboard, a CD player and satelliteradio taken from car on Conway Valley Rd.

July: Officer Hendrix monitored a report on the police radioabout lawn equipment being taken from a house on E. Conway.Two suspects ran away and crashed the vehicle they weredriving at W. Conway and Mt. Paran. Officer Hendrix ap-prehended one suspect when he ran down Randall Mill Rd.Atlanta police were called and took the suspect into cus-tody. Theft from autos on Garmon Rd. and W. Garmon.Landscapers truck stolen with keys in the ignition on GarmonRd. Car window broken and purse taken on Sentinel Post Rd.

August: Garage panel kicked in on Sentinel Post Rd. Houseentered but alarm did not activate. Arrest made on ConwayGlen for criminal trespass and criminal damage to property.Teen walking her dog on Sentinel View reported being followedby a white male in his 30’s. When teen began screaming thesuspect drove away in a black Chevrolet Impala.

Crime Report Terminology

Burglary: Suspect enters house, business or secured area

Robbery: Suspect takes property (jewelry, wallet,etc.) from person by force

Larceny: Theft from vehicle or unsecured place

Security Patrol Activity

Tips from the Sandy Springs Police Department

Penalties of Illegal Signage

One of the top two crime categories in both SandSprings and the metro area is the theft of items from cars

Sandy Springs averages between 8-15 thefts from careach day. Some of the thefts occur in overnight hours inareas including corporate parking decks, condo and apartment parking areas and residential streets. Most of th

business-area thefts from cars occur during the day whenthe victim parks the car in a commercial lot and leavethe car unattended while shopping.

One trend in theft from auto is thieves working the parking areas of gyms and other workout areas. The victimleaves the car and, in most cases, is gone for at least ahour. Unfortunately the vast majority of victims leavitems of value in the car. Even though the car is lockedthe items are in view and the opportunity for the theft ipresented.

Locked cars will deter a percentage of thieves whdon’t want to make any noise during the theft. Somcrooks don’t mind at all putting a rock or other itemthrough the window to get to the items they see inside

Others use ‘punch’ tools to force the locks open. Otheruse ‘Slim-Jims’ to unlock the window via the door lockcable.

Almost all criminals use the PATH OF LEAST RESISTENCEor what we call the RISK vs. OPPORTUNITY formulaYou can directly increase the RISK of the criminal bylowering the OPPORTUNITY to commit the crimeHere’s how: Remove everything of value from sight.

Use stereo slide brackets or removable face-plates foin-car music systems.

When parking at a gym, if possible, don’t take thelectronic lock pad inside with you. Take only th

key itself to eliminate a thief taking the keys anfinding your car in the lot.

Lock items in the trunk and not inside the car wherthey can be seen. Inside the trunk, find a place tconceal watches, jewelry, and cash so that anyonwho gets into the trunk would still have to look foitems. Make the criminal take time to look. Theydon’t have much time.

Get in the habit of taking items of value inside at thend of EACH and EVERY day.

CALL 911 WHEN YOU SEE SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITYTHEN MT. PARAN SECURITY (404) 310-7361

C3

violation, the person cited must appear in court.

(g) Penalties. Any person violating this section shall be subject toone or more of the following penalties:(1) A minimum fine of $150.00 for each unlawfully placed sign orspecial event sign;(2) Imprisonment for a term not exceeding five days.Fines that remain unpaid after 60 days will automatically trigger aseparate violation, resulting in the responsible person(s) being subject to the penalties provided in this Chapter, in addition to theoriginal fines and/or jail time.(h) Enforcement. Any person empowered by the City of Atlantato issue citations may enforce the provisions of this section.

Sincerely,Mary Louise FloydProud resident of the city of Atlanta

THINGSYOU CAN DOTO PREVENT

THEFT FROMAUTOS

More Crime News: We Can Help Stop Crime

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C4

Tree Preservation in Sandy Springs

Continued from Page 4

oversight. Additionally, a full review of all properties in

the county, both commercial and residential is underway.In process right now is the complete reorganization of

staff to ensure that the department has the right skills andexperience. And, there’s a new emphasis being placed oncustomer service with citizen response time and case resolutiongoals. Customer service is now a priority for whichemployees are being held accountable.

The tangible result from the hard work over the last fewmonths is that the 2006 tax digest was approved by theState Revenue Commission, allowing for the completionand mailing of tax bills.

To be sure, we still have a long way to go in the depart-ment. However, I am confident that we are now truly onthe right course with the right kind of leadership andexpertise in place. Please feel free to email me [email protected] always, I valueyour feedback.

TAX ASSESSOR’S OFFICE

Continued from Page 3

The November 7 General Election ballot

contains several constitutional amendmentsand statewide referendum questions. Thethree amendments propose to restrictthe use of eminent domain, protect thetraditions of fishing and hunting, andauthorize the General Assembly todedicate revenues from special motorvehicle license plates to use by agencies,funds, or nonprofit corporations, toname a few. Two of the six referendumquestions include the expansion of advalorem tax exemptions for property ofcharitable instutitutions and providing

a homestead exemption to certainresidents who are senior citizens withrespect to state ad valorem taxes. The link below will takeyou to the website where you can read more about theproposed amendments and referendum questions: http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/2006AmendRefBooklet.pdf

BE INFORMED ABOUT

THE AMENDMENTS AND

REFERENDUM QUESTIONS

ON THE NOV. 7 BALLOT

WHEN DIALING 411 INFORMATION…

Phone companies are charging us $1.00 or more for 411/ information calls when they don't have to. When youneed to use the 411/information option, simply dial 1-800-FREE-411 (or 1-800-373-3411) without incurring a charge.Pass it on! Works on home phones and cell phones.

HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE…

Contrary to recent circulating emails that instruct one toattempt to rhythmically cough during a heart attack toincrease the chance of surviving it, the best thing to do isto call 911, then take a 325 mg Aspirin at the onset of chest pain or other symptoms of a severe heart attack.

TIPS EVERYONE CAN USE

E-Mail is Your Window To The Neighborhood

If you are not receiving regular email alerts from the Mt.Paran-Northside Citizens Association, please send youremail address to [email protected] And, addour address to your on-line address book so our emailswon’t be caught by internet provider’s your spam controls.

cluding professional land planners, architects, buildersand neighborhood advocates. Their work is scheduled tocome before the City Council in early November 2006 fora vote after it is heard by the Planning Commission. PublicComment at those meetings is also welcome.

Points of discussion, among others:• Need to protect adjacent neighbors trees whose root

zones extend into the adjacent lot being re-developed;• Creation of incentives to leave trees if a portion of the

critical root zone is impacted;• How to measure/provide credit for replacement trees

that won’t reach full canopy for 10 + years;• Protection for the tree canopy located in the side,

front, and rear set backs;• Is a 45% post development tree canopy coverage,

measured in square feet, the correct percentage?;• Should the city staff be granted discretion and at what

standard for approval of tree canopy requirement variances

or should that authority to grant relief from the Ordinancestay with the Board of Appeals, a public noticed appellatebody as is currently done with specimen trees?;

• Are Specimen (older larger trees ) to be protected?; and• “loop hole” versus “property rights” issues for Homeowners.

Is there a “loop hole “ that needs to be closed that allowshomeowners to take down any of their trees in recognitionof their individual property rights or should the treeordinance apply only if a building permit is required as isthe current ordinance?

These are all issues in which you may have an interestand you may have others to add. Your involvement is welcome.For future dates of meetings which might be of interest,check out our web site www.sandyspringsga.org under

“calendar” and “agenda”. I also am always pleased to hearfrom my c l:

on anyissue of interest to you. You can also e-mail the Planning andZoning Department at [email protected] with anycomments you would like shared with the Tree OrdinanceCommittee or zoning matters coming up in the future.

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This is our dog, Riley, for whomwe’d like to find a new home.He’s an 8 year-old non pure-bred black lab who doesn’t getas much attention as he did

before our kids went to college.Since he doesn’t get along wellwith our little “yorky-poo,” he’soutside most of the time butlikes to come inside whenthere’s bad weather. He’s neutered,in good health and up-to-dateon shots. He comes with variousaccessories (doghouse, bowls,heartworm pills, leash, and left-over food, etc). All FREE! RSVP,

orge Hauptfuhrer,

Neighborhood Briefs

Free Dog with Lots of Love and Lots of Extras!

MANY THANKS TO THE CASTELLOS

WE HAD A GREAT TIME!

May 10, over 105 neighbors turned out for a great timeat the beautiful home of Northside neighbors John and JaneCostello. I had to increase the number three times for the caterer…

then she had no time to buy more food. Thus, sorry if youwere too late for one of the greatest parties in the hood!

Yes, it rained as people entered, but it was dry inside—except for the bars—and plenty of room for every-one. Janet had lovely flowers all over the house. About8:00, the rain cleared, and we were able to visit the sideand back gardens. Remember, the Costellos were on theSandy Spring’s garden tour, so no weeds were within a200 yard radius. Around the pool, the Costellos land-scaped with huge rocks, a rock waterfall into the spa, andlots of singing frogs in residence. I did not see anyone putton the golf green, but many enjoyed the outdoor fire underthe pavilion. The side courtyard has a fish pond and moreblooming flowers. Neighbors sat with others on the lowerlevel porch with candles enjoying the atmosphere. It was abeautiful evening, thanks to our gracious and generous hosts.

Also, thanks to Janet Costello for the cheese and crackerhors d'oeuvres, Paula Hill for the marinated onion spread,Barbara White for the veggies and dip, and me for the lay-ered guacamole dishes. Thanks to our bartenders, Dick Smith, Marci Vincent, Jerry Vincent, and Paula Hill.

Many thanks to Judi Schindler for her fine financial work with the checks. We broke even which is always our goal!

Beth Harshaw and her crew outdid themselves with thefood—tenderloin, artichoke cakes, asparagus salad, stuffedbaked tomatoes, green salad, and desserts!

It was a wonderful event and lots of new neighbors attended.

Thanks to everyone for making it welcoming and fun.

BY BRENDA SMITH

Garmon Road

October 28Fall Fun Fest - 10 am to 3 pm(Elliott's Run which is usually held atthis same time has been rescheduledfor the Spring. No date yet.)

January 7Sampler and Open House(for Prospective Parents) - 1 pm to 4 pm

February 15Alfie Kohn, 7:30 pm- noted educational author

February 24An Evening in Paris - party & fundraiser

Email [email protected] for details and more info.

Horse Show

October 14Featuring our hunter equita-tion program riders &boarders.

Dog ShowOctober 29—1 p.m. to 4p m.Neighborhood “best of show”for the whole family … with a

Special Auction of one-of-a-kind dog houses designed by Harri-son Design Associates.

5th

Annual 24 “Carrot” Gold DinnerOctober 19 & 20—6:30 p m.Two elegant dinner/wine evenings...Featuring ten of Atlanta’spremier chefs.

3rd

Annual Chastain ChaseFebruary 10, 2007—8 a m.; 5k and 1 mile Fun Run

Miracles Happen VI

March 24, 2007Annual black tie/blue jeans affair for 400 guests

Upcoming Events At Chastain Horse Park

The Galloway Calendar of Events

Notable Neighbors

Congratulations to the Mt. Paran Woods Garden Club.Several neighbors recently accepted a Proclamation fromthe Atlanta City Council on behalf of the Garden Club fortheir dedication to maintaining the beautiful garden trianglesaround the neighborhood. (See related article, page 2)

Congratulations to Mt. Paran neighbor and author,Mary Louise Floyd, on her recently publishedbook, Retired With Husband: Superwoman’s New

Challenge.

Please tell us about your notable neighbors: [email protected] or mail to Mt. Paran-NorthsideCitizens Association, P.O. Box 724153, Atlanta, GA 31139

Mary Lou Flo yd

Are you new to the neighborhood?Did you forget to renew?

Participation in your neighborhood associationcosts pennies a day.

Cost of membership: 7 cents a day Cost of security patrol: 41 cents a day

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March 30th —More than 60 neighbors attended theLadies Luncheon at the home of Corky Gelder. Wewere able to tour this beautiful home decorated bythe hostess herself. Lunch consisted of beautifullypresented plates of chicken salad and vegetables alongwith flower-like fruits from Edible Arrangements.Guests enjoyed lunch around the pool and underthe shade of the pool house. No one ate on the golf green or in the sand trap!

Photos by Yolanda Adrean

Installation of Severe Weather Alert System in Chastain Park

By MARY DODSONChastain Park Conservancy, Membership and Fundraising Chair

It is hard to believe this was the third summer for the ChastainPark Conservancy. Each year brings new improvements and opportuni-ties. This year has been harder on all the trees, both old ones andnew plantings, due to the heat and drought. Unlike last year, thissummer didn’t bring the major storms in the afternoons. However,in anticipation of these storms being a part of summer in Atlanta,the Conservancy, with help from our stakeholders and supporters is

installing a severe weather detection and warning system in thepark. Similar systems are used by many public and private golf courses, schools, pools and were used during the 1996 SummerOlympics in Atlanta. The system detects when conditions existfor severe weather (e.g. lightning strikes) by measuring electro-static charges on the ground and in the air. It then triggers hornsand strobe lights located throughout the park to warn park patronsthey are potentially in danger of severe weather and should seek shelter. Once the danger has subsided, horns and strobe lightssignal the all clear. Look for the banks of horns and strobe lightsaround the park, along with informational signs in the next fewweeks. This system, along with the new lighting, netting and land-scaping around the PATH and painted pedestrian cross walks areall part of the Conservancy’s mission of making the park “safer,

cleaner and greener”.November 4th is the date for the second annual fundraiser for

Chastain Park Conservancy which will be held in the amphitheater.Everyone is welcome. A Celebration for Preservation – A Night Under the Stars is the theme of this year’s dinner and silent auction.The event will begin with a VIP reception at 6:00 P.M and doorsopen for general admission at 7:00 P.M. Individual tickets are$200 and tables are available for $2500 - $7500. All proceeds godirectly to the park to support the Conservancy’s mission.

A major part of the mission is creating a new master plan for

Chastain Park. The Conservancy has received Request for Proposalsfrom several consulting firms and is negotiating a contract. Thisplan will be the vision for the park for the next five to twentyyears. The process will involve input from NPUs all over the city,as well as stakeholders and patrons of the park. The Department of Parks and Recreation, APAB and the Urban Design Commission are allimportant members of this process. You will be hearing moreabout the Master Plan as it evolves.

Chastain Park is such an asset for our neighborhood. Whetheryou walk the PATH, play golf, attend concerts, cheer your childrenat the ball fields and gym or take classes at the Art Center, thereis something for everyone. In addition, the passive green spaces arehelping our environment every day. Thank you for your supportand interest in the Chastain Park Conservancy.

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MT. PARAN-NORTHSIDE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION, INC.P.O. BOX 724153 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 31139

OFFICERS President/Yolanda AdreanVice President/Communications/Jo Ann RauVice President/Membership/Debbie GootSecretary/Jean SmithTreasurer/Jim Carter

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sandra Adair, London Andes, Pat Daly, John Feeley, Al Goodgame,Alan Leet, Howard Margol, Jane Merrill, Dana Scavo, Karen Swim,Pamela Tremayne, Marci Vincent, Richard Wilson, Alan Yates

EX-OFFICIO (PAST PRESIDENTS)

Brenda Smith, Lynne Moscow, Sheldon Schlegman, RobertHurst (d), Edward Floyd, John R. Martin (d), Robert Miller, H. ClayMoore, Jr., J. Martin Turbidy

Editors: Lynne Moscow and Jo Ann RauDesign & Typeset: Jo Ann Rau

WEB SITE

www.mtparannorthsidecitizensassociation.org

Pre-SortedFirst Class Mail

U.S. PostagePAID

Atlanta, GAPermit No. 3207

Return Service Requested

Association Newsletter and Crime Report Inside

No Excuse Voting...No Excuse VotingThere are a number of opportunitiesto exercise your constitutionalright to vote in the November 7General Election.

If you won’t be here on thatdate or can’t get to the polls,absentee ballot applications are available at theCounty Store on Mt. Paran Road and thefire station at Northside and West Conway.Instructions on faxing or mailing are on theside of the application.

You can also download an absentee ballotapplication at myfultoncountyga.us. Or youcan vote absentee in person until October27 (see location below).

Early voting begins on October 30ththrough November 3rd at the following locations:North Fulton Annex, 7741 Roswell Road,Fulton County Government Center, 141 Pryor

Street. Voting will take place from 8:30 AMto 5 PM. For more information, call404-730-7020.

In addition to a myriad of opportunities to vote, a sampleballot for neighborhood precinctswill be available at the Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association

annual meeting on October18, 7:30 PM, at JacksonSchool, 1325 Mt. Paran Road.

In addition to candidatesand judges, the ballot containsproposed referendum andstatewide constitutionalamendments that shouldbe reviewed prior tovoting. (See related article page C4.)

2006 - october - vol 22

Documents