This page has moved!

Here's the new page with the latest APS 2022 Rezoning information.

https://piedmontheights.org/APS2022

And, a special THANK YOU to Mark Kooyman of EXPERIENCE Insight Group for his assistance in providing updated demographic data, among other helpful data, for Piedmont Heights! 

On a cold and snowy winter day in late January 2022, there was warmth to be found in the tree branches on Rockridge Place.

This Piedmont Heights mini-community (along the cul-de-sac street just off Rock Springs Road near Monroe Drive) created this endearing holiday project. Residents shared messages of hope that were printed and tied with colored ribbons to a tree in the circle. The well wishes brightened the season and shared a message of hope for the 2022 New Year.

Wishing love, happiness, and so much more to Piedmont Heights, Atlanta, Georgia, and the world!

UPDATE FROM 4/28/22

The recommendation is in from the superintendent! The proposal is to keep Piedmont Heights in the Morningside Elementary building. Also proposed is to make the Inman building a new school for K-5, which would include students from Sherwood Forest and Ansley Park. The vote is yet to come. See the interactive map.

May 2 Board Meeting: First Read of Final Recommendations - read an article about the outcome

June 6 Board Meeting: Approval of Final Recommendations

Thanks to everyone who voiced your opinion during this process!

PREVIOUS INFORMATION

Thank you to Marla Johnson, communications chair for Morningside-Lenox Park Civic Association, for compiling the majority of this information! 

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) recently released two new scenarios that will alter school attendance zones to relieve current and projected overcrowding at the elementary level.

APS proposes using the Inman building as either:

1. A new K-5 elementary school
2. Part of a Springdale Park (SPARK) dual-campus school

Each scenario rezones some current Morningside Elementary School (MES) neighborhoods into Inman beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. APS is no longer considering Inman as a 4th/5th academy for all Midtown cluster elementary schools. (The almost-renovated building on E Rock Springs Rd will not accommodate current enrollment for the 2022-2023 next school year, and MES will continue operating at the Inman Facility for its current K-5 zone.)

Almost all of Morningside/Lenox Park, Noble Park, Johnson Estates, and Edmund Park remain zoned for MES in both scenarios. However, current Morningside areas northwest of Cheshire Bridge Road (between Cheshire Bridge Road and the Buford Spring Connector) and west of Monroe Drive (between Monroe Drive and Piedmont Park) are proposed to be rezoned into the new Inman facility and out of MES along with Piedmont Heights,Sherwood Forest, and Ansley Park. Below are maps in which you can examine the proposed new boundaries: 

• Midtown Cluster Scenario 1: Create a new Inman K-5 Elementary School 

• Midtown Cluster Scenario 2: Create an expanded Springdale Park (SPARK) dual-campus at Springdale Park (K-2) and the Inman Facility (3-5)

APS representatives stated that lines can still be adjusted before the Board of Education approves a final recommendation in June.  Please see below for several upcoming opportunities for engagement. Many thanks to the MES Go Team and PTA for compiling, consolidating, and disseminating this information. (In APS, local school Governance Teams - Go Teams - represent each school and have decision-making authority over the school's strategic plan, budget approval, school-based solution flexibility requests, and more.) 

Facilities Master Plan and The Midtown Cluster

The Facilities Master Plan (FMP) is a multi-year effort by APS to address long-term capacity needs while optimizing the facilities in the district. On March 2, the consulting group Sizemore presented APS Board of Education a comprehensive overview of capacity, growth, and facility utilization throughout the district, and recommendations to address these issues.

The FMP must address the challenge of overcrowding at many of the Midtown Cluster elementary schools (specifically MES and Springdale Park) and in Midtown High School. The Midtown Cluster has the opportunity to leverage a new permanent facility at the Inman building in fall 2023 to alleviate that overcrowding after the MES renovation is complete and returns to its home campus on East Rock Springs. 

FMP consultants recommended two scenarios for the Midtown Cluster elementary schools. Both involve some rezoning of current and future Morningside Elementary students into the new Inman facility.

Where Can I Find More Information? (Click the following links.)

• An Overview of Student Enrollment in the Midtown Cluster and Impact on School Capacity
• An Overview of Community Engagement and Midtown Cluster Scenarios Presented by the FMP
• Midtown Cluster Planning Page
• APS Facilities Master Plan Web Site
• Presentation - March 2022 Board Retreat Presentation
• Recording - Midtown Cluster Advisory Team Meeting (March)
• Recording - Midtown Cluster Facilities Overview (February - Midtown Cluster Principals)

Next Steps: Upcoming Meetings and Engagement Opportunities (All meetings are open to the community.)

Tuesday, March 15, 2022 — MES Go Team Family Engagement Committee Meeting – 5:30-6:30pm via Zoom

• View the presentation

Tuesday, March 22, 2022 — APS Midtown Cluster Community Conversation – 6:00-7:30pm at the Inman Facility  

• Engage with APS on the scenarios specifically impacting the future use of Inman

• Inman Facility: 774 Virginia Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30306

• Regarding the March 22 in-person meeting, our PiHi GO Team representative had this to say: Piedmont Heights was well represented, and the issue of townhomes and apartments being moved out of MES was brought up. I would encourage people to provide feedback via the links on this page and highlight the impacts of Scenario 2 on families with younger children. Also complete this survey that collects data that will be presented to APS. English survey | Spanish survey

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 – Gathering at 6pm at the home of Ed & Shraddha Strennen (415 Wimbledon, Piedmont Heights) with APS representative Michelle Olympiadis. More info and to RSVP...

Sunday, March 27, 2022 – The Future of the Inman Facility / APS District 3 Community Meeting with Michelle Olympiadis at 2pm at John Howell Park in VaHi

Tuesday, April 12, 2022 — MES Go Team Meeting – 5:00pm via Zoom

• Agenda will include discussion with APS about community feedback on the FMP proposed scenarios.

• Presentation and Recording, plus FAQs.

Board of Education Timing for Finalizing Which Scenario is Approved

• APS Timeline

• March: Cluster Meetings

• • Share scenarios and get community feedback

• April: Community-Specific Conversations

• • Engage in local conversations through Cluster Advisory Teams and Go Teams, other community-specific meetings, NPUs, and Let’s Talk

• April - June: Review, Approve and Finalize Recommendations (Phase 1)*

• • April 15: Final recommendation presented to the Superintendent

  • May 2 Board Meeting: First Read of Final Recommendations 

  • June 6 Board Meeting: Approval of Final Recommendations

*The FMP recommendations fall into two phases: The actions in the Midtown Cluster scenarios fall into Phase 1, meaning they would be implemented in the 2023-2024 school year. All of the Midtown scenarios would be completed under the Phase 1 recommendations.

Where Can I Send My Feedback or Ask Questions? 

APS Feedback Form — To share feedback on Midtown Cluster Facilities: http://tinyAPS.com/?MidtownFacilities

APS Let’s Talk — There are two “hot topics” you can choose from when submitting your feedback. Choose “Future Use of Inman” or “Facilities Master Plan” https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/domain/14240

APS Board of Education Members: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/domain/11326

• Aretta Baldon (Board District 2, covering Centennial Academy in Midtown Cluster)

• Katie Howard (Board District 1, including Hope-Hill and Mary Lin Elementary Schools, and Midtown High School)

• Michelle Olympiadis (Board District 3, including Morningside and Springdale Park Elementary Schools, Howard Middle School, and Midtown High School)

• Tamara Jones (Board At-Large Seat 7)

• Cynthia Briscoe Brown (Board At-Large Seat 8)

• Jason Esteves (Board At-Large Seat 9)

MES Go Team: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/Page/52934 — MES Go Team member contact information is on the MES Go Team web page. The Go Team has been told that representatives from APS will attend the Go Team meeting on April 12. The Go Team plans to discuss community feedback about the FMP scenarios in this meeting.

FAQs regarding APS Facilities Master Plan (PDF)

Morningside Lenox Park Association's letter to APS regarding two portions of their neighborhood being excluded from Morningside Elementary (PDF/March 2022)

Mark Your Calendar for Virtual NPU-F Meeting on Monday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m.

One of the agenda items is  Felix's alcohol license application. This club is in the Ansley Square shopping center on Piedmont Road in Piedmont Heights, with residents in the Ansley Park neighborhood adjacent.

As a resident or property owner in Piedmont Heights, you are eligible to vote at NPU-F meetings.

Craig McCallister, new owner and longtime manager of Felix's, was kind enough to draft a letter explaining more details about the change that led to their alcohol license application, along with improvements they have funded and are continuing to fund to improve security inside Felix's and in the Ansley Square shopping center overall, plus noise reduction measure to benefit Ansley Park neighbors. Read Craig's letter.

We encourage all neighbors to join Monday evening’s NPU meeting to weigh in on their decision to endorse the license or not.

The Zoom link for Monday’s meeting is: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYlduyprTouE9c3GbvSNXk-QnBIMbRu-Zg3

You must be registered as a resident of NPU-F to vote (you can register once, and it's valid for 12 months). If you registered last summer, you are good to go for this meeting. If you need to register, please do so BEFORE February 21. Otherwise, your membership may not be verified in time.

Hope to see you on the NPU Zoom call.

The NPU-F meeting agenda can be downloaded at https://npufatlanta.org/meetings/ (scroll down to the bottom).

More about the alcohol license process: The NPU-F vote regarding the alcohol license is presented to the City of Atlanta License Review Board (LRB). The LRB then votes to accept or deny the alcohol application. As we saw with the record turnout against Octopus Kitchen's application, the LRB doesn't always vote in line with the NPU. Once the LRB votes, the Mayor has 60 days to make the final decision.

Mark Your Calendar for Virtual NPU-F Meeting on Monday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m.

One of the agenda items is the Platinum Club's alcohol license application. This club is in the Morningside-Lenox Park neighborhood but directly across from Piedmont Heights, separated by Piedmont Road.

As a resident or property owner in Piedmont Heights, you are eligible to vote at NPU-F meetings.

From our friends over in Morningside: We are trying to be more vigilant about the abuse of alcohol licenses that contribute to noise, illegal parking, and other nuisance behaviors at establishments along Cheshire Bridge and nearby neighborhood streets. The new owners of the Platinum Club at 1905 Piedmont Road are seeking an alcohol license. This location has been on our radar for a while.

Residents in the Manchester area have made a large number of 911 calls to report excessive noise and illegal parking related to Platinum Club customers. Entrance to the Manchester area townhouses is frequently impeded by overflow parking at the Club along Rockledge Road. The Club does not have adequate parking as required in the City of Atlanta alcohol code.

We encourage all neighbors who are concerned about this alcohol license application to join Monday evening’s NPU meeting to weigh in on their decision to endorse the license or not.

The Zoom link for Monday’s meeting is: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYlduyprTouE9c3GbvSNXk-QnBIMbRu-Zg3

You must be registered as a resident of NPU-F to vote (you can register once, and it's valid for 12 months). If you registered last summer, you are good to go for this meeting. If you need to register, please do so BEFORE February 21. Otherwise, your membership may not be verified in time.

Hope to see you on the NPU Zoom call.

The NPU-F meeting agenda can be downloaded at https://npufatlanta.org/meetings/ (scroll down to the bottom).

More about the alcohol license process: The NPU-F vote regarding the alcohol license is presented to the City of Atlanta License Review Board (LRB). The LRB then votes to accept or deny the alcohol application. As we saw with the record turnout against Octopus Kitchen's application, the LRB doesn't always vote in line with the NPU. Once the LRB votes, the Mayor has 60 days to make the final decision.

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MEET PIEDMONT HEIGHTS RESIDENT, Mary McLaughlin

Mary and her husband, Chip Henry, have lived in Piedmont Heights on Rock Springs Road since 1993. She is a clinical social worker and has worked at Georgia State University for more than 20 years. Mary shared a bit about herself and the neighborhood for our most recent Resident Spotlight.

Tell us a bit about your family and living in Piedmont Heights.

My husband’s father grew up in this house. He inherited it after his grandmother died. We moved into it when my first son was three years old. Our second son was born in 1995. There were not many kids that lived along Rock Springs Road back then, so my two red-headed boys had lots of loving eyes on them! Really, they were co-raised by folks in the neighborhood. Our sons still live in Atlanta as well as Chip’s 93-year-old mother, so we stay pretty busy.

Do you have any pets?

We have “grand puppies” – Star, Oda, and Satchmo.

How do you enjoy spending time in the neighborhood?

My husband, Chip, and I love to wander around Piedmont Heights and visit with neighbors along the way. We love all the little ones – both the two-legged and four-legged ones! We enjoy watching them grow up.

What is your ideal Piedmont Heights day look like?

Work out in the morning at Ultimate Bodies by Carlos. It is an awesome place, and great people work there. Then a visit to the plentiful local thrift stores around us – St Phillip’s, Out of the Closet, Goodwill, and Lost and Found. And in the evening, there are so many great options for dining!

What makes Piedmont Heights special to you?

It is the people that make this neighborhood so special. The care that folks show each other and the care and attention that Piedmont Heights gives to the City of Atlanta issues as well. We are lucky. And for a couple of aging residents – the location is awesome, as we can walk to so many places!

Thanks to PHCA Board Member Helen Kacur for volunteering to interview Mary and write this Resident Spotlight!

Congratulations!

So many Piedmont Heights businesses, business owners, and other PiHi supporters made Atlanta Magazine's Best of Atlanta list in the latest issue!

• Armour Body - Best Gym/Health Club
• The Buttery ATL - Best Gourmet Market
• Cook's Warehouse - Best Kitchen Store
• Grana - Best Meatballs
• Framing by Design - Best Framing Shop
• I Play Tennis - Best Tennis Shop
• Nakato - Best Japanese
• Spalding Nix Fine Art - Best Art Gallery (tie)
• Taqueria Del Sol - Best Tacos
• The Ten Spot Morningside - Best Spa/Salon (Facial)
• Two Minit "Gorilla" Car Wash - Best Car Wash
• VaHi Books - Best Local Bookstore

Despite a showing of approximately 500 neighbors at the November NPU-F meeting, Octopus Kitchen's alcohol permit process continues.

The Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) voted 429-4 to deny the license; however, the License Review Board (LRB) approved the license in a 4-2 vote on November 16 (see the final page). This vote for approval succeeded despite facts presented by our NPU Permits Chair that the business lacks adequate parking, the same owner was denied at another location, there is a history of violations at other locations managed by the applicant, and the intent via social media to operate hours later than stated on the application.

The license now heads to Mayor Bottoms for final approval.

You can help! We encourage neighbors to email Mayor Bottoms with the same reasons presented to the LRB as grounds for denial. The mayor's email address is mayorbottoms@atlantaga.gov and you can copy her executive assistant Angela Smith at AngelaSmith@atlantaga.gov.

Applicants are rarely denied by the LRB, whose members are largely appointed by the mayor. Why the LRB approves applications that are recommended as "Deny" by the local community through the NPU system is ridiculous – and illustrates a larger problem across Atlanta. It is up to neighbors to put pressure on leaders for legislative action. 

Thanks to our NPU-F Chair, Debbie Skopczynski, and to Marla Johnson from Morningside-Lenox Park Association, for compiling this great info!

Recently, the Commissioner of Public Works addressed yard debris pickup concerns with NPU Chairs. You can view the presentation from Public Works, and the following are takeaways from our NPU-F Chair:

• They are sincerely working on it. Many problems have been caused with the labor shortage and their inability to recruit the number of employees that are needed (they've hired 40 but need more) - despite using cash and other incentives.  Office staff have been reassigned as truck drivers until they can get staffed up and caught up. New employees are not familiar with some of the neighborhoods and miss some of the streets.  Temp agencies are not interested in supplying workers because of the liability with work that requires folks to hang off a truck.
  
  
• One of the problems discussed is how the truck routing has worked. Once the truck is full with debris, they leave the route and travel to the only City dump site which is on the Atlanta/Cobb border. Sometimes that happens in the middle of the block. Usually they don't return to where they left off because of the travel distance.
  
  
• The City has antiquated trucks, systems and processes that they are working to update.  They are buying new software that will do a better job scheduling routes and 8 new trucks that will only require one person. They are also looking to expand the number of dump sites to different parts of the city.
  
  
• The Commissioner says that if your yard waste hasn't been picked up in 3 weeks, it's not on their radar. You may put it in your regular trash until they can get the system fixed. It won't be recycled, but it won't be sitting on the street.
  
  
• They have hired two landscape companies to pick up yard waste. They will be in marked trucks and focusing on the areas that have been most neglected. 

More info and to see the latest schedule for pickups.