Bank's new plan for Buckhead’s largest undeveloped site gets thumbs up at initial SPI-12 committee review

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A 16-acre piece of undeveloped land at the corner of Roxboro andEast Paces Ferry roads in Buckhead could become a showcase of green space and awalkable community development with the Wednesday thumbs up from theDevelopment Review Committee of SPI-12 district.

Near the height of the development boom, Miami developer TheRelated Group wanted to create CityPlace Buckhead at the site—a massive $2billion development with at least six condo towers and 3,800 units—which is thelargest undeveloped tract in Buckhead.

Above is an architect's rendering of what Wells Fargo plans as the central
park centerpiece of CityWalk, with two water features as part of the park.
The park land grades down from the foreground to the background.  This
view is looking west from Roxboro Road towards Lenox Square. 

Then the recession began and credit dried up. Wachovia Corp.,which was later bought by Wells Fargo & Co., took back the Related site ina 2009 foreclosure auction for $36.7 million.
Wells Fargo has been exploring options for the site, which iswithin an easy walk of Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza malls and the Lenox MARTAstation. But, knowing that apartments likely would not go over well with the powerfulnearby neighborhoods, Wells Fargo decided to delay the offering.
Wells Fargo has since spent months creating a new idea for thesite, adding features—more green space and connectivity, infrastructure needsfor the area and stormwater retention—which planners and neighborhood groupswanted. The concept could call for almost 5 acres of green space, including acentral park.

The above master plan  for the 16-acre site is what was presented to the
Development Review Committee of SPI-12 on Wednesday afternoon. 

Around those features that underscore a new urbanism—greenspace, trails and parks—commercial development could take place, includingoffice towers and residential buildings.How many towers and how soon they’ll be developed is the bigunknown.
The site falls under the SPI-12 (Special Public Interestdistrict 12) zoning passed earlier this year, which encourages the tallest newbuildings and greatest density close to existing MARTA stations on Peachtreeand by Lenox Square. The zoning also encourages more walkability, green spaceand connectivity.
The Wells Fargo site plan before the SPI-12 Development ReviewCommittee doesn’t indicate how many high-rise towers are planned for the siteor when they might be developed. But the bank would like to start sellingparcels of the property early next year.

Planner Robert Hughes explains the central park area of the
master plan for the development, with two water features. 

So, Wels Fargo and its planner, Robert Hughes of HGOR planners& landscape architects, were before the SPI-12 Development Review CommitteeWednesday to seek the approval of the overall site master plan, which wouldrequire the first of two special administrative permits (SAPs) from the city.
Hughes took the lead in presenting the master plan concept, acentral park with two water features surrounded by new streets to provideconnectivity to Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza malls, the Lenox Mall MARTA railstation and between Lenox and Roxobo roads and Peachtree and E. Paces Ferryroads.
He described the master plan as creating a sense of place andsense of identity that could help convince developers to want to placeresidential, office and retail space around it—an urban neighborhood withinBuckhead.
Hughes also explained that the green space is at the low pointof the 16 acres and is a natural point for facilities to handle storm waterrunoff, during minor Friday afternoon storms or even that infrequent 25- 50- or 100-year storm.

Hughes shows one of the water features of the central park area, which
is on the west end of the park. The view is looking east toward Roxboro
Road and toward the larger green space area of the park. 

He explained that in a 100-year storm, the whole green areacould have five feet of water on it. But it is lower than the street level –theelevation varying between 4 and 6 feet below as it slopes—and it is designed sothat it can spread the water under such situations between the two waterfeatures.
Hughes said this system of dealing with storm water will costabout 20 percent more than putting the retention underground, but it is worthit.
Also, he said the water features in the central park area of themaster plan are well-fed, so that they will always have water and will controlthe hydrology for the plantings in the area.
Hughes said the road system developed for the master plan isdesigned to create connectivity, but discourage cut-through traffic. He saidall the streets would have 15-foot sidewalks, as prescribed by SPI-12, and thewhole area is ADA compliant.
He said the open central park area and wide sidewalks alsoprovide a sense of security for elderly people and mothers with young children,the two most likely groups of people to use such a park area.

This aerial view shows the 16-acre development area and its proximity to
Lenox Square mall, at left, the MARTA rail station at center bottom,
Roxboro Road at the far right and Phipps Plaza at far top left. 

The main Wells Fargo representative at the table Wednesday wasLance Johnson, who said of the master plan “is an important piece for us andfor Buckhead. We have a lot of recovery to do on this property.”
So, Wells Fargo is hoping to get the SAP for this master planconcept approved by the city so the bank can use it to market the buildablesites, that virtually circle the park and road system,  to potential developers.
Asked what Wells Fargo considers to be the highest and best useof the buildable sites, Hughes said the for-rent market is one of the strongesttoday and he would see that as one potential. He also said there is someinterest in age-restricted components.
He said getting the infrastructure in place will maximize thevalue increases for the property, but that the park areas and streets will notbe put in place until the first of the buildable sites is sold and underconstruction.
Hughes said the park land would belong to the neighborhoodassociation, but the streets would be publicly dedicated to the city.
The general reaction of members of the DRC was they think “thisis very much in the spirit of the SPI-12 plans for mixed-use” development.
SPI-12 DRC member Denise Starling said, for safety reasons ”Idon’t think I would want the parks and streets built out until some otherdevelopment is started there.”
DRC member Andrea Bennett suggested that the plan incorporatesome public art at the intersection of Roxboro and E. Paces Ferry roads tocreate “a gateway to Buckhead.” She also suggested it would be great to improveE. Paces Ferry along there, which she characterized as “a rather gloomyentrance to MARTA.”
As for any other SAP requests for the development, Hughes saidthat would be up to the individual developers of buildings, as they buy, designand plan to build on the buildable sites. 

Buckhead’s City Council members to chair three and sit on six of seven 2013 standing committees

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Howard Shook

Atlanta City CouncilPresident Ceasar C. Mitchell has announced City Council committee assignmentsfor the coming legislative year and Buckhead’s four council members chair threeof the standing committees and are members on six of the seven committees.

The council’s sevenstanding committees are Finance/Executive, Public Safety & LegalAdministration, City Utilities, Committee on Council, Zoning, Transportationand Community Development and Human Resources.
Buckhead’s CouncilDist. 7 member Howard Shook will be the chair of the City Utilities Committeeand will be a member of the Community Development/Human Resources Committee,Zoning and Finance/Executive committees.

Yolanda Adrean

Buckhead’s Dist. 8Council member Yolanda Adrean will chair the Committee on Council and will be amember of the City Utilities Committee and Finance/Executive Committee.

Felicia Moore

Buckhead’s Dist. 9representative will chair the Finance/Executive Committee and will be a memberof the Transportation Committee.
The newest BuckheadCouncil member, who gained part of Buckhead during redistricting, is Dist. 6representative Alex Wan. Wan does not chair any committees for 2013, but is amember of the City Utilities, Zoning and Finance/Executive committees.
The other councilmembers who are chairing committees for 2013 are Joyce Sheperd, the CommunityDevelopment/Human Resources Committee; Michael Julian Bond, the Public SafetyCommittee; C.T. Martin, the Transportation Committee, and Keisha Lance Bottoms,the Zoning Committee. 

Council votes to support same-sex marriage equality

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The Atlanta CityCouncil on Monday voted 11-2 in favor of a resolution supporting marriageequality for same-sex couples that had been introduced by Buckhead’s Dist. 6Council member Alex Wan.

Alex Wan

At present, theresolution has no legal standing, since marriage law is determined by the stateof Georgia and remains illegal under the state’s constitution. The resolution does,however, send a message affirming the Atlanta City Council’s commitment toequality for all residents.
“The Atlanta CityCouncil has had a long history of leadership on LGBT issues, includingnondiscrimination initiatives and domestic partner benefits,” said Wan. “I am so proud to continue that tradition with this public position supportingmarriage equality, and I am grateful to my colleagues, who I respect so deeply,for demonstrating their shared commitment to equal rights for all citizens.”
The resolution is thelatest in a series of measures taken by Council to affirm the rights ofAtlanta’s LGBT citizens.  City ordinances prohibit discrimination on thebasis of sexual orientation by Atlanta businesses, in housing sales and rentals,and by stores, hotels, restaurants, and other public accommodations. 
Additionally, the cityoffers employees domestic partner benefits for healthcare and pensions. In 2004, Council passed a resolution opposing the state amendment thateventually banned same-sex marriage.

Small Buckhead pocket park dedicated to honor former Atlanta civic activist Marie Newton Sims

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In theuppermost western corner of Buckhead’s largest undeveloped land holding—now the16-acre property of Wells Fargo Bank—there is a small plot of land with a verylarge oak tree and a few boulders that was dedicated Nov. 18 as a park in honorcivic activist Marie Sims.

This corner of Kingsboro and Oak Valley roads near Lenox Square mall
has now been dedicated to honor civic activist Marie Sims. 

Unlikethe small, unobtrusive pocket park at the corner of Kingsboro and Oak Valleyroads, Marie Sims was a very big figure in fighting with city hall on issuesrelated to development and zoning and for protecting neighborhoods across thecity.
Thosewho knew say she was a giant influence—not only on city officials and citygovernment—but on those she met and tapped to work on behalf neighborhoodcauses and a better city of Atlanta.
MarieSims died nine years ago, but the dedication of the park proves she has notbeen forgotten.
One personSims touched and mentored was Sally Silver, who just Tuesday night conductedher last meeting as chair of Neighborhood Planning Unit-B and was instrumentalin arranging for the small park to honor Sims.

At present, the park consists of the huge oak tree, a few boulders and a
stone bench. But Sally Silver Tuesday got the NPU-B board to commit
to a $1,500 grant to help make improvements to the park. 

“Shelived in Pine Hills and helped write the city charter,” Silver recalled of Simsat Tuesday’s NPU-B meeting. “She was a pioneer at hounding the government to bebetter at every chance it can get,” Silver continued.
“WhenMarie said no, she said, ‘Hell No,’ and when she said yes, she screamed it fromthe rafters,” Silver stated. 
Silveroriginally worked with the Related Group out of Miami, which planned to developthe 16 acres that stretches north and west from the corner of Roxboro and E.Paces Ferry roads into a $2 billion, 3,800-unit residential community namedCityPlace. She just wanted a small place to honor Sims.
ButRelated Group lost the property back to Wachovia Bank, which now is WellsFargo. Silver approached Wells Fargo, which wrote a paper donating the land atthe corner for the Sims park.
Silverhas had a plaque made for the site, which she says has a 3,000-pound boulderand other boulders, along with the oak tree and a stone bench. But she askedthe NPU-B board Tuesday night to spend its annual $1,500 grand to enhance thepark in honor of Sims.

Sally Silver hold the brass plaque
she had made commemorating
the park in honor of Marie Sims
and her years of civic service. 

Theboard approved the grant unanimously. Now, there needs to be a design for theimprovements, the paperwork needs to be completed and it needs to get done.
But, inthe meantime, there was a small dedication ceremony for the park held on Nov.18, which was attended by members of Sims’ family, Dist. 7 Atlanta CityCouncilman Howard Shook, County Commissioner Robb Pitts and a number of Sims’former neighbors and friends.
A videowas made of the dedication ceremony by Molly Woo and Silver emailed copies ofit to interested parties today. To view the short video, go here.
AndreaBennett, who was voted in Tuesday night as the new chair of NPU-B for the nexttwo years, sent an email note to Silver today in which she said of the park, “That is awesome, Sally. I'm glad Marie has been honored. I actually stoppedby the park yesterday afternoon and enjoyed that big oak.”
RichardRauh, who represents NPU-B on APAB (theAtlanta Planning Advisory Board), which is sort parent organization for all ofthe NPUs citywide, also emailed Silver in response to seeing the video of thededication event. Rauh wrote:   “Theintensity of any conversation with Marie was invariably flattering because itmeant that she took you seriously.  Being taken seriously by Marie was ahigh compliment.
“Marietalked me into involvement with NPU-B, and her shadow still walks with me-- asit does with many of us-- whenever we find ourselves navigating that perplexingvenue of self-serving half truths that is our city hall,” Rauh continued.  “Thispark captures her perpetual optimism, contemplation and regenerative character. Perfect,” his email concluded.
As forthe plaque that is to be permanently placed at the park, it states:
“Inloving memory of Marie Newton Sims, October 20, 1932-November 28, 2003.Champion for good government and strong neighborhoods. An ordinary citizen thatdid extraordinary things.”

Botanical Garden executive director to speak to BBA

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Mary Pat Matheson, executivedirector of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, will be the speaker at the  Buckhead Business Association Weekly Breakfastmeeting Thursday Dec,  13 at the CityClub of Buckhead on the 18^th floor of the Atlanta Financial Center,3343 Peachtree Road in Buckhead.

“Mary Pat Matheson hasplayed an integral role in defining the Atlanta Botanical Garden as a culturallandmark in the southeast,” notes Catherine Cattles, 2012 President of theBBA.  “We look forward to hosting Ms. Matheson at our upcoming BBABreakfast as she discusses the current and future plans for the AtlantaBotanical Garden, and the potential impact that these initiatives can have onthe City.”

Mary Pat Matheson

Matheson directs alloperations for the 30-acre urban garden in Midtown. The garden showcases floraldisplays, plant collections, a children’s garden, annual fine art exhibitions,the Fuqua Conservatory and Orchid Center, and the Canopy Walk, the largestsuspension bridge of its kind in the United States.
Under her leadership,the garden is actively expanding fund-raising, education, marketing, businessadministration, horticulture, and conservation. Additionally, she isresponsible for the development of Smithgall Woodland Garden, a 185-acre publicgarden in Gainesville, Georgia.
Matheson also was thedriving force behind a $55 million capital campaign completed in 2012 thatenabled the Garden to expand, doubling its size to 30 acres with a new VisitorCenter, SAGE Parking Facility, Canopy Walk, and Edible Garden.
In November 2008, theGarden was honored with the Managing for Excellence Award by the CommunityFoundation for Greater Atlanta and in March 2009 was selected WSB GreenChampion. Matheson was named one of 14 Women of Excellence by Businessto Businessmagazine in July 2007 and one of 25 Power Women to Watch by AtlantaWoman magazine in January 2006.
 In 2005 Matheson was named 2005 Professionalof the Year by the American Horticultural Society and the LexusLeader of the Arts by Public Broadcasting Atlanta. Also in 2005, Mathesonaccepted on behalf of the Garden a $4 million gift from Turner BroadcastingSystem, the largest corporate gift in the Garden’s history.
Originally ahorticulturist, Matheson earned a B.S. in Resource Management & ParkPlanning and an Executive Masters degree in Public Administration from theUniversity of Utah.
Matheson is a pastpresident of the American Public Gardens Association (formerly the AmericanAssociation of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta) and has served on itsinternational steering committee focused on the development of a U.S. NationalStrategy for plant conservation in botanical gardens.  She also is amember of the board of the American Horticultural Society.
Locally, she serves onthe board for the Midtown Alliance, on the Atlanta Convention and VisitorsBureau Cultural Tourism committee, and the International Woman’s Forum. She isa graduate of Leadership Atlanta and is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta.
Matheson resides inBrookhaven with her husband, Bri, and enjoys golf and horseback riding.

Guest Blogger Mary Haight's Mad Dash in the Amazon!

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Jungles of Peru and Amazon CARES, Mad Dash

by MARY HAIGHT on AUGUST 12, 2012Suddenly it was Friday and my flight to the jungles of Peru was looming – it was a mad dash to get my dog Tashi over to his Aunt Elizabeth’s place then it was off to O’Hare. After three airports, as many planes and ten-and-a-half hours of flight time, I made it to Iquitos and Amazon CARES, blurry-eyed and headed to what I thought would be a bed somewhere.As I and my fellow volunteers arrived, we all got a surprise – Amazon Cares arranged a tour for us to meet the Yaguas, a jungle tribe and go to a sanctuary known as monkey island. We quickly learned what Iquitos had to offer. And even in my travel worn state, I got it – pictures and all!It has been a whirlwind of activity since I landed with boat rides up and down the Amazon – not the whole river of course, that would take days – and today was the first day we got a chance to see the dogs. I’ve taken a picture of every one of them and will have a little “guess the breed” competition when I get them uploaded. The dogs I met were all happy to see us, coming up to greet with excited wags and barks.The real work of volunteering starts tomorrow with surgeries in town. I’ll be back with a more detailed report later on, but for now take a look at a couple of the photos from my first day in Iquitos – there are more stories to tell from blow gun practice to pink dolphins!
 If you want to receive a daily text update during the vet campaign which ends Aug. 26, US and Canada residents can text the word “YES” to US number  919-208-8561.To further spread awareness about Amazon CARES and our tremendous work, consider sharing our blog posts on Twitter and Facebook by joining our Atomic Tribe at: JoinTri.be/31520

Street Dogs, Marco's Story

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By Guest Blogger Mary Haight originally published on August 16, 2012 at dancingdogblog

by DancingDogBlog.com

The other day, a man named Marco brought a little six week old furry pup to be seen by Amazon CARES volunteer vets at the health fair – he knew the dog was very sick. He looked at me with hope – maybe he was wrong, maybe the dog would be fine. Of course I said nothing, but asked where he learned to speak English and it turned out he had lived in New York for eight years.

We talked about everything but dogs until one of the vets was free to assess health. Marco asked if I knew about Copa Airlines new direct flight from Miami to Iquitos for $500 and I expressed my surprise. Then Dr. Megan was free to take a look – Parvo virus, no hope.

The pup was a stray – what Marco did seemed very different to what I’d seen on the streets and at the health fair. No one brings street dogs to these events, Amazon CARES staff and volunteers take nets and catch them (if you think that big fish you caught put up a fight, try this!)

Street dogs are feared and chased away from family pets with kicks and shouts. The dogs are pretty savvy and have learned to avoid contact. It costs money to keep dogs healthy and people want to keep them safe from health problems.

Cultural differences? Perhaps in the methods. We all protect what we love – I don’t doubt this happens in the US. It’s tough to change cultural habits, as we are very well aware of in the US with spay/neuter, adoption – look how long it took “pets are part of the family” to become a significant part of the culture. This story underscores the importance of education programs for upcoming generations that create a safe place for animals.

I was glad to meet Marco and the puppy he had tried to save – it showed me another side of what might be happening here. People learn from each other and an act of kindness does not go unnoticed. Even if his neighbors all think he is crazy at first, attitudes can and do change.