Meeting notes from June 14, 2011

--Public Safety Update, Guests from APD & GTPD

Major Chris Leighty (Zone 5 Commander), Assistant Chief Ernest Finley, Officer Stevens (HP patrol officer), Officer G.B. Nelms (HP code inspection officer)

Georgia Tech, Deputy Chief of Police Robert Connelly

Major Leighty introduced himself as the new commander of Zone 5 and announced that there will be some operational and supervisor changes to Zone 5.

Major Leighty has an impressive career record:

US Marine

Joined APD and worked in Zone 1

Part of Red Dog Unit

14 years in SWAT on the bomb squad

Deputy Chief Connolly introduced himself and explained that he is the second in command of the Georgia Tech Police Department.

Started career with Department of Homeland Security

Worked at MARTA

New (9 months) to the job at Georgia Tech

Officer Nelms introduced himself as the primary point of contact for all Code Enforcement issues within Home Park.

For code enforcement issues please email Officer Nelms at gnelms@atlantaga.gov or call him at 404-658-6445.

Officer Stevens is currently the primary APD patrol officer in Home Park and will continue in his role going forward.

APD and GTPD have a ‘strategic partnership’ to cooperatively patrol Home Park.

GTPD has authority/responsibility to patrol areas within 500ft of a Georgia Tech property

GTPD will focus a majority of its efforts in Home Park on the area between 10th St & 14th St

Report from Major Leighty:

Overall crime has decreased in the Home Park / Atlantic Station area 37% since last year.

If you see something, say something! Call 911.

Code Enforcement continues to be a challenge, so assistance from the community in identifying issues is much appreciated.

The community continues to have challenges with potentially gang-related smash-&-grab robberies, like the one that hit the nail salon on 10th St on Mon, 06/13.

APD and GTPD have conducted 3 joint safety checkpoints in previous months and will continue to do so going forward.

Rob Payne (with advisement from Wayne Mock of the Midtown Blue) is in charge of Atlantic Station security and has made significant efforts to bolster/improve the security efforts beginning June 1st.

The community expressed interest in Major Leighty supporting Home Park’s request for Atlantic Station security to patrol the northern part of Home Park (down to 14th St) as part of their normal beat.

Be careful about leaving GPS devices in the car:

Criminals have started using the GPS devices to trace back to a person’s home residence where they then burglarize the property.

Even if the GPS device has been hidden, a vacant mount on the windshield/dashboard is a clue to criminals that the car may contain a GPS.

All known drug houses all have been shut down, and at this point the community is not aware of any other properties that are being used for the distribution of drugs.

--Georgia Power Substation Update

The Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) is being drafted by Will Hazelton.

A lot of input was received and Will is in the process of narrowing the list down to the most important points related to the substation and site.

If anyone has any questions or comments regarding the CBA, contact Will.

The Land Use Committee will work through the CBA next week. The CBA will then be sent to Georgia Power the following week.

Georgia Power is tentatively scheduled to start work September 2011.

Peter Drey, the architect who helped design the exterior façade, will be helping with project management as the project progresses.

--Land Use Update:

Atlantic Station Spa and Lounge has resumed working on their site. The name has since changed.

The owner of this establishment will be attending the Land Use Meeting next week (Tue, 06/21) to discuss his business and application for a liquor license.

A vote will be taken to approve/not approve the liquor license.

--Social Update:

The Home Park Independence Day Cookout will take place at the Home Park Park on July 4th. Bring a side dish and beverage of your choice and walk over to Centennial Elementary with your neighbors to watch the fireworks.

Please be at the park by 4:30 pm.

--Other Updates:

New crosswalks are expected to be put in on Atlantic Drive and 14th St and somewhere along 16th St (cross street TBD).

A community request was made to also put in a crosswalk at Holly and 14th St, which formerly had one before 14th St was repaved.