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Assumptions, Concerns, and Questions - Thursday, February 13, 2003

Thursday, February 13, 2003

Compiled after the February 10, 2003 MLPA Board Meeting, walking the area, viewing power stations near Emory, and Dianne getting input from a Druid Hills resident (near that sub station) and interviewing one of the 3 most affected homes.

Attending this past Monday's MLPA Board meeting for Ga Power were:

• John Kelly - Operations 404-572-7606
• Don Perkins - Land Acquisition 404-506-2853
• Dorsey Walker - External Affairs 404-572-7603
• Lolita Browning - Media Relations 404-506-7538.

Also see John Schaffner's front page writeup in this week's "The Story" neighborhood newspaper.  Appeared in my driveway tonight.  He taped most of it, and compiled a pretty accurate account.

Plans for next public meeting with Ga Power being finalized.  At 7pm in the basement (larger) room at Morningside Presbyterian Church - either Tues Feb25 or Tues Mar4.  Dianne gave John Kelly these dates today.  Church room reserved.  Not yet confirmed with Ga Power.

What we believe to be true:

1. Needs of other areas, primarily CDC and Emory are driving this project, not the needs of Morningside Lenox Park.
2. Despite Ga. Power's explanation that this opportunity "came about suddenly", this project has been planned for some time.
3. Morningside Lenox Park is being asked to sacrifice part of it's neighborhood without receiving any benefits in service.

Major concerns:

1. Is this project's placement fully justified?
2. Were other sites away from neighborhoods really considered and if so, the locations and reasons those sites failed to be adequate.
3. Fair treatment of directly impacted homeowners and compensation to neighborhood as a whole, should the station be built. This would mean all directly impacted homeowners should be given fair market value plus moving expenses should they decide to sell.
4. Safety and environmental concerns of neighborhood should be dealt with honestly and openly.  This includes multi-layered greenspace buffer, should the station be built, that meets the neighborhood's requirements. Also to include sound insulation of the units, good lighting, and sidewalks.  An option to divide the substation into two parts should be considered if the size is judged by neighborhood to be unacceptable.
5. Money set aside for future maintenance of grounds (walls, plants, trees) should the station be built.
6. The lack of forthright communications from Ga. Power to the neighborhood makes all their answers questionable.

Unanswered questions:

1. Do power needs justify a power station in Morningside?  Have alternatives to a new station been considered, such as stacking lines or upgrading existing stations?  If they have been considered, why aren't they an option?
2. Is approval required by Public Service Commission?
3. Are there rules for distances of stations from homes?
4. How close can the greenspace buffer be to the station?  Will trees be allowed?
5. What areas will receive the benefits of this station?  What benefits, if any, would Morningside receive, should this station be built?
6. What part does expansion of Emory and CDC play in the need for this station?
7. What part do proposed plans for a MARTA light rail link to Emory play in the future need for this station?
8. What effects does this have on value of the homes not directly impacted by the proposed substation?  How far out from the substation would a negative impact on property value extend? 9. Will Homeland Security regulations dictate the design and placement of the proposed substation?

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