MLPA.org Blasts in a batch

Important Town Hall Meeting on the BeltLine
Learn About Ansley Mall Redevelopment, Traffic and Transit Plans
Monday Oct. 3 from 7pm-9pm

The Ansley Park, Piedmont Heights, Morningside and Sherwood Forest neighborhoods are sponsoring a town hall meeting on the planned redevelopment of the Ansley Mall Area. This 29-acre area is being planned for medium to high density mixed use. A decision on creating a tax allocation district to fund BeltLine development will be made by city council as early as October based on this plan. How will this impact you and what can you do about it? Join us at “Hillside” gymnasium, located at 1301 Monroe Drive (between Dutch Valley and Amsterdam, across from the CSO), to learn about the BeltLine redevelopment plans.

UPCOMING BELTLINE MEETINGS
Set out below is a notice from the Beltline Neighbor's Coalition about upcoming meetings. One of importance to our neighborhood is on Tuesday September 20th at 6:30 pm at Inman Middle School. It is emphasized below.

ADA's revised BeltLine Development Plan -- YOURCHANCE FOR INPUT! 9/20, 9/26, 9/27, 9/29,6:30-8:30 pm

The Atlanta Development Authority (ADA) and the EDAW team will conduct four "BeltLine Town Hall Meetings" from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, to present the revised draft of the BeltLine Redevelopment Plan and respond to questions.

ADA/EDAW's "BeltLline Office Hours":Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9/13 - 10/6, 3:30-5:30 pm

In coordination with APAB, the ADA and the EDAW Team will be available to meet with anyone from the community on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for a 4 week period starting Tuesday, September 13th and ending Thursday, October 6th. The purpose of these office hours is to discuss the BeltLine Redevelopment Plan or any other BeltLine related questions. Contact Brandy Crawford at 404-614-8280 or mailto:bcrawford@atlantada.com or Richard Rauh at 404-892-2833 or mailto:rrauh@mailatlanta.net to sign up for an office hours appointment.

--The public is invited to these 1 1/2 hour tours are sponsored by the ADA, BeltLine Partnership, MARTA, Trust for Public Land and the PATH Foundation.
--Please RSVP by calling Brandy Crawford at 404-614-8280 or via email at mailto:bcrawford@atlantada.com.
--Wear comfortable shoes.

September 29th, 2:00-3:00pm, City Hall, City Council Committee Room 2
The BeltLine Transit Panel will present the findings from their white paper.

COMMUNITY YARD SALE--TABLES MUST BE RESERVED BY 9/21

SECURITY REMINDER
Neighborhood residents have reported thefts of mail from mailboxes. The APD does not recommend using your mailbox for outgoing mail if you can avoid it.

NPU MEETING ON MONDAY NIGHT
As many of you know, our NPU meets on the third Monday of every month at 7:00 pm at the Hillside facility located at 1301 Monroe Drive. For directions, agendas (and past minutes), see http://www.members.tripod.com/~npuf/

Hurricane Relief Garage/Bake Sale
The Virginia Highlands Morningside Parents association is hosting a Garage/ Bake Sale for Hurricane relief. All proceeds will go directly to the Red Cross. Please come out to support your neighborhood and this worthy cause.

The sale will be this SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH at ROCK SPRINGS PRESBYTERIAN (Piedmont & Montgomery Ferry, across from Fat Matt's), from 10-2.

We will also be collecting PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS -- toothbrushes and paste, soap, shampoo, razors, undergarments, toilet tissue, shaving cream, etc . . . to be given to the Adamsville shelter set up for evacuees.

Lastly, additional VOLUNTEER HELP is also needed. For Saturday, there are three four-hour shifts:

There are great volunteer opportunities for MIDDLE-GRADERS AND TEENAGERS, so if you have some or know of any, send them our way!!

Feel free to e-mail alex@thebachs.net or telephone (4.875.7156) with any questions! And feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone you may know who is interested in any of the needed capacities!

Membership Survey and Volunteer Solicitation
MLPA is gearing up for the fall membership drive and we need some help. Whether you can help a little or a lot, we urge you to lend a hand. All is appreciated and will help us make this time fun and a great experience for our neighborhood!!!

Party Chair / Volunteers
We want to throw the neighborhood a party!!! This will be an event to thank the returning members and hopefully lure in those that have not renewed/joined. All in the neighborhood will be welcome.

We are looking at a date in November. We have local businesses who have tentatively committed to doing a fashion show with wine and snacks. Some of our additional ideas include:

These are just a few ideas for the event, it's new and we can do it any way we want, so if you have a different take on it or a new idea, let's hear it. This will be great fun and more than one person can chair or if you can just volunteer to assist the chair, come on!! This is a great way to be involved if you have little time, there are so many little jobs here and it's a one time event.

Welcome Packet
We would like to have a welcome to the neighborhood packet ready to go by the November party. This would be a packet with neighborhood info (local businesses, local government information, MLPA info etc. ) that could be given to new members. Also, we would like this volunteer or volunteers to maintain the packet and send it out to new folks (once every 2 months) who move in to our neighborhood. Most of this packet has already been created, the work will be in organizing it and the hour or so sending it out every 2 months.

Please respond to Alex at alex@thebachs.net or Dayna at daynah@mindspring.com if you can help and thanks in advance for you consideration.

REMINDER: MLPA Needs Your Help
We need your help to make the MLPA serve our neighborhood better. Please copy the link below and place it in your browser (or, if you're lucky, just click on the link set out below) and take our short survey. Please feel free to forward to any neighbors who may not be MLPA members or receive this email message.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u$3871174844

Speaking of MLPA and serving the neighborhood...
The present plan for the next MLPA Board meeting (Monday Sept. 12th, 7:30 pm, Morningside Presbyterian Church) is to set aside a period of time to discuss possible revision of MLPA and MSP dues and membership structure for 2006. Proposals circulated include raising dues across the board, eliminating Senior discounts, eliminating MLPA dues completely and making all neighborhood residents members of MLPA (while increasing benefits for MSP members), and keeping things the same.

If you have opinions or would simply like to hear the discussion, please attend the meeting. If you can't attend and would like to share your opinions ahead of time, please feel free TO TAKE THE SURVEY NOTED ABOVE and to communicate other thoughts directly to this email address.

Message from Anne Fauver:
I continue to have many questions about Tax Allocation Districts (TAD) related to the Beltline. I have arranged for an impartial group of experts to come and answer any questions that you may have. I will be having an informational meeting on September 13th @ 6:30p.m. - 8:30p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta in the fellowship hall. The church is located at 1328 Peachtree St.

I know this is very short notice, but please feel free to come and bring your questions.

Anne Fauver
Councilmember, District 6
City of Atlanta
55 Trinity Ave., SW
Atlanta, GA 30335
404-330-6049 ofc.
404-658-6073 fax

Message from Beltline Neighbors Coalition:
MARTA Inner Core Alternatives Analysis Kicks-Off - Meetings Scheduled
The MARTA Inner core (Beltline/C-Loop) Alternatives Analysis is a follow up to the Feasibility Study that was completed in February of this year. It will sharpen and further document the need for a major investment in transit in the inner core of the Atlanta Region.

Work on the Alternatives Analysis has begun and the first round of public meetings has been scheduled. The involvement of the public will be emphasized throughout the Alternatives Analysis process.

Your continued input into this process is needed. Please plan to attend one of the five meetings as highlighted below. Also, you are encouraged to visit the MARTA website at www.itsmarta.com <http://www.itsmarta.com/> for additional information such as the report of the Inner Core Feasibility Study, the Feasibility Study Executive Summary, the most recent newsletter and this schedule of meetings.

Also, please forward this information to other interested parties. Thank you for your participation!

Also, we'd like to remind you to take a moment to visit the BeltLine Neighbors Coalition Petition for Responsible BeltLine Planning and add your signature in support, if you haven't already.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/659383472

As we wait for the finishing touches on the BNC website (thanks for your many helpful responses!), the text of the BNC petition serves as a good simple summary of BNC's general mission, for those who'd like to know more about it.

CINS' Principals' Forum - 9/14, noon, Walden Middle School
The Council of Intown Neighborhoods and Schools (CINS) will hold its annual Principals' Forum on September 14 at noon at Walden Middle School. Principals from each of the 11 Grady cluster schools will
share school news and plans for the coming year. Please join us to hear about your neighborhood schools. The meeting is free and open to the community. Lunch will be available for $5. It will be held:

The Council of Intown Neighborhoods and Schools (CINS) is a not-for-profit organization working to empower public schools in the Grady High School cluster while enhancing neighborhoods in the heart of
Atlanta, Georgia. For more information on CINS and its mission, please visit: www.cinsatlanta.org.

Clearing out The Wildwood
Now that the dog days of summer are almost past us, with cooler temperatures ahead, come join your neighbors in helping to clear out The Wildwood and continue its transformation into an urban greenspace that will make our neighborhood proud!

The next volunteer day is September 17th from 9-noon. Bring your work gloves and water. Meet at 1941 Wellbourne Drive, NE.

MLPA Needs Your Help
We need your help to make the MLPA serve our neighborhood better. Please click on the link below (or copy it and place it in your browser) and take our short survey. Please feel free to forward to any neighbors who may not be MLPA members.

Speaking of MLPA and serving the neighborhood...
The present plan for the next MLPA Board meeting (Monday Sept. 12th, 7:30 pm, Morningside Presbyterian Church) is to set aside a period of time to discuss possible revision of MLPA and MSP dues and membership structure for 2006. Proposals circulated include raising dues across the board, eliminating Senior discounts, eliminating MLPA dues completely and making all neighborhood residents members of MLPA (while increasing benefits for MSP members), and keeping things the same.

Clearing out The Wildwood
Now that the dog days of summer are almost past us, with cooler temperatures ahead, come join your neighbors in helping to clear out The Wildwood and continue its transformation into an urban greenspace that will make our neighborhood proud!

The next volunteer day is September 17th from 9-noon. Bring your work gloves and water. Meet at 1941 Wellbourne Drive, NE. This clear-out takes place on the third Saturday of each month.

Please join your Morningside and Lenox Park neighbors in a community effort to renovate Lenox Wildwood Park. Lenox Wildwood Park embraces a beautiful—if somewhat weary-looking—setting that, with our tender loving care, can once again become a green sanctuary in the heart of our neighborhood.

Whether or not the grant application is funded, the next steps are similar. We must start looking at the neighborhood’s needs and wants, and begin planning, designing, raising funds, and talking to vendors. We will also need a dedicated volunteer who is willing to coordinate the various committees and activities.

It’s time to get the ball rolling. This can only be done with neighbors joining together and sharing the tasks in the spirit of community. Please think about how you can help. Let me know which of the following dates and times are convenient for you to meet to discuss plans and form committees.

August MLPA Board Meeting
Monday August 8th at 7:30 pm, MLPA will hold its monthly Board meeting at Morningside Presbyterian Church. All are welcome. In addition to reports from Committee Chairs, we expect to have an informational presentation by the Atlanta Botanical Gardens about changes to its master plan (first on the agenda) and a design proposal presented for the NE portion of the Beltline put together by the Beltline Neighbors' Coalition (BNC). (More on this below).

BNC Draft Site Plan for NE Beltline
BeltLine Neighbors Coalition vision design team has posted a draft site plan for the northeast quadrant at:

(If you access this link and attempt to download the plan, please be patient. It takes a little longer than what you might be used to. Also, the jpeg and the pdf are different formats of the same plan so you need only access one of them).

Please review both of these at your earliest convenience and provide any feedback you may have by Monday, August 8, to David Rogers at David.Rogers@perkinswill.com.

1. In general we have tried to identify parcels that already have commercial, industrial, or institutional uses on them today as potential redevelopment parcels. Many of these parcels have zoning or land use designations that would already allow them to be redeveloped. The goal is to identify the level of development that we feel is appropriate for a given site.

2. The colors and categories used on the map can be expanded if necessary. Please be as specific about what you would like to see on a given parcel as you feel is necessary.

3. Please also look at the proposed division of parcels into blocks and the proposed placement of streets, and give us any feedback on these also.

4. In addition to the map, please think about additional written or diagrammatic guidelines which you want to see which might govern the scale, phasing, access, streetscapes, parking, etc. for individual parcels, as well as those for public areas. The attached guidelines document is a first pass at identifying some of these principles.

5. Finally, please check the plan for accuracy in neighborhoods that you know well. We want to make sure that we don't misidentify any existing or proposed parcels.

Thank you for your time in helping us develop a plan that reflects the vision of neighbors who live along the BeltLine for development that adds value to our neighborhoods and the City of Atlanta. Once finalized, we will be sending the plan to the Atlanta Development Authority and consultants for their use in preparing the NE quadrant BeltLine Redevelopment Plan.

Ponce Park Redevelopment of City Hall East
On August 9 at 6pm in the auditorium of Inman Middle School, the NPUs E, F, M & N will hold a public forum for the Ponce Park team that will be redeveloping City Hall East. This is an opportunity for all the neighborhoods impacted to review plans and proposals for the site before rezoning applications appear on our NPU agendas in August and September.

Ponce Park will be one of the first major new developments along the BeltLine. Please attend and provide your input.

Going Away Party for Crime (and Parade)
Reminder: Tomorrow night, Tuesday August 2nd, beginning at 7:30 pm at Morningside Presbyterian Church, MLPA/MSP is sponsoring a parade as part of the "National Night Out" against crime in our neighborhoods. RAIN OR SHINE -- come one and all!

Beltline Neighbors Coalition Meeting
The next community meeting of the BeltLine Neighbors Coalition will be Wednesday, August 3, at 6:00 pm in the cafeteria of Inman Middle School.

Each committee will provide an update on its activities. The Land Use/Visioning committee will have a NE BeltLine site plan with development guidelines for our review and input. Once finalized, the BNC development plan will be submitted to ADA/EDAW for their use in creating the BeltLine Redevelopment Plan for the NE.

A Forum with Mayor Shirley Franklin
Tuesday, August 23, 6 – 8 pm
Inman Middle School Auditorium
Fee and open to the public

This will be a question & answer format, moderated by Ga. House Representative Kathy Ashe.
It’s a great opportunity for the general public to interact with the mayor in person.

WHAT: MLPA/MSP Parade in honor of "National Night Out" against crime
WHEN: Tuesday, August 2, beginning at 7:30 pm
WHERE: Morningside Presbyterian Church

Those who can and want, please print 25 of the attached flyers on your home computers and distribute on your adjacent blocks, streets, venues...

Those who accept this challenge are to email Williamclindsey@yahoo.com to let me know what areas have been covered.

Canceled: NE BeltLine Overview make-up meeting, July 19
Forwarded message from McKenna, Long & Aldridge
**************************************************************************
This is to advise you that we are canceling the Northeast Beltline Group meeting, which was scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, July 19th, from 6pm - 8pm at the Park Tavern. This meeting is being canceled due to scheduling conflicts.

As you may recall, this meeting was meant to be a make-up meeting for those who were unable to attend the first three meetings. Therefore, since we have held a meeting for the residents of each the NPUs (E, F, M &N) impacted by this proposed project, and since these meetings have been so well attended, we are not planning to re-schedule the meeting on July 19th.

However, we will be contacting you in the near future to schedule a new round of meetings, once we have had a chance to evaluate all the feedback we have received from this first round of meetings. Our goal for the next round of meetings, is to meet with each of the formal neighborhood organizations, and be able to present a more detailed plan, that is specific to that neighborhood. We anticipate that we will have a much better idea of such details, once we receive the results of the traffic study.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact Sharon Gay at (404) 527-4676 or Hakim Hilliard at (404) 527-8329.

Thank you for your participation and assistance in this process.
**************************************************************************

Piedmont Park Conservancy Community Meeting, July 20 Piedmont Park Conservancy's monthly community meeting will provide an opportunity for public comments on the BeltLine proposals.

* Monday, July 25, 2 PM - 6 PM; Old CityCouncil Chambers Meeting is open to the public; however, unlike the previous meeting, there will not be a dedicated public comment portion.

The City of Atlanta has given notification that the playground equipment in Lenox Wildwood Park will be removed because of its damaged and possibly hazardous condition. Due to the municipal budget crunch, there are no current plans by the City to replace it.

Bring your coffee mugs and join a group of your Morningside/Lenox Park neighbors to meet and plan how we as a concerned community can organize to renovate this much-enjoyed play space.

When: 9:00 AM, Saturday July 23, 2005
Where: Lenox Wildwood Park Playground (rain or shine)

If you cannot attend but would like to help, or for more information, contact Karen Schaefer, Morningside Lenox Park Association Parks & Environmental Affairs co-chair at 404-876-3456 or e-mail _karenschaefer@mindspring.com_
(mailto:karenschaefer@mindspring.com)

WORKSHOPS

The Hazard Trees workshop will be held Sept 7, 2005 and the Plant Health Care seminar will be held Sept 8, 2005. Both events will be at Brook Run Park in Atlanta (Dunwoody) from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Both seminars have been approved by ISA for 5.5 CEUs and by SAF for 5.5 CFEs (for a total of 11.0 for attending both days).

The Hazard Trees workshop mixes classroom lecture and discussion and an outdoor lab for a dynamic learning experience. Knowing how to recognize and prevent "hazard trees" can save lives, property, and millions of dollars in legal damages. This requires both technical knowledge and common sense. This workshop helps participants learn to analyze the setting, assess the risks, and plan for actions that prevent or correct hazards whenever possible. Dr. Bruce Fraedrich, Vice President of Research at Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories, teaches the workshop.

The Plant Health Care seminar educates attendees about the correct way to care for trees and other plants in our often-inhospitable urban environments. This daylong seminar, taught by Dr. Roger Funk, of The Davey Tree Expert Company, will outline a Plant Health Care management system that works to improve plant vitality. This proactive and systematic approach to plant care focuses on strengthening the plant's own defense mechanisms while reducing dependence on historically reactive chemical intervention.

Barbara Kullbom
Conference/Seminar Coordinator
National Arbor Day Foundation
P.O. Box 81415
Lincoln, NE 68501
Tel: (402) 474-5655
Fax: (402) 473-9556
bkullbom@arborday.org
"The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The next best time is now," anonymous.
To learn more about the Foundation visit
http://www.arborday.org/

Atlanta, Georgia -- Park Pride and the Atlanta Botanical Garden invite you to participate in our first Community Park Design Clinic. This Clinic is for people who care about their neighborhood parks and who need design assistance. Park Pride will use case studies to educate participants about the principles of good design. After seeing inspirational ideas of what other parks have done, learn how to improve your own park’s gateway, picnic area, or trouble spot. Participants will work one on one with designers to develop a plan that addresses their area of interest in their neighborhood park.

Site Analysis/Registration The designers at the workshop will not be familiar with every park. Each participant will come to the Clinic prepared to discuss the site, its issues, and its opportunities for improvement. An important part of this process will need to be done by participants prior to registration for the Design Clinic.

Park Pride will send a Site Analysis Checklist to ach potential participant. The Checklist will help each participant document the site. Potential Participants will need to fill out the simple form and send it to Park Pride before the Clinic. The completed questionnaire is your registration form. You are not registered until Park Pride receives your completed site analysis.

    1. 1:00 to 1:15 - Introductions
    2. 1:15 to 1:30 - Case Studies
    3. 1:30 to 2:00 - Principles of Good Design
    4. 2:00 to 5:00 - One-on-One with Designer

Clinic Deadline:
Final Day to Register - Monday, September 12th
Forms are currently available for mail/pick up

Contact:
Walt Ray, RLA, Park Visioning Director Park Pride
675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, 8th Floor
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
(o) 404.817.7965
(f) 404.817.1988
walt@parkpride.org

MLPA and the Morningside Security Patrol are sponsoring a parade in celebration of "National Night Out," a going-away party for crime in our neighborhood.

The "National Night Out" celebration will begin at Morningside Presbyterian Church on August 2nd at 7:30 pm. A parade will follow the following route:

Starting point: Morningside Presbyterian Church on Wessynton. Then a right to North Highland, a left onto North Highland to Berkshire, left on Berkshire to North Pelham, across East Rock Springs to North Morningside and back to the church.

We are looking for sponsors and volunteers. Please call or email our Public Safety Chairman William Lindsey at (678) 778-3226 and WilliamCLindsey@yahoo.com for further information.

BeltLine Walking Tour (from NPU-F)
The NE Atlanta BeltLine development group will conduct a walking tour of proposed BeltLine development sites tomorrow Saturday, July 9, from 8:00-11:00 am. They ask that we meet in front of Ansley Golf Club to begin the tour and have obtained permission for us to park in the Ansley lot. We will walk south from Ansley, through Piedmont Park, and along the BeltLine route in Virginia-Highland and Midtown, stopping at Ponce de Leon for anyone who wants to be shuttled back to Ansley at that point. For those interested, the tour will continue to the Stoveworks in Inman Park with a return shuttle arranged there as well.

Development overview presentations are scheduled on July 12 from 6pm to 8pm at the Park Tavern for NPU-F and July 13 from 6pm to 8pm at the Trolley Barn for NPUs M & N.

He was wont to speak plain and to the purpose.
William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing

The following is a "President’s Message" that will be revised at least every 4 months during the undersigned’s tenure. (See www.mlpa.org)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Those two words constitute the overriding message I have for the Morningside-Lenox Park neighborhood. Having lived here (or just across the Amsterdam boundary) since 1981, I have certainly heard and seen what this neighborhood can do when it is challenged. Having served on the MLPA Board of Directors for several years, I know of the countless volunteer hours that past and present Board members have contributed to this neighborhood. But those contributions are not enough. Your neighborhood needs more…won’t you pause and consider whether your schedule will allow you to give back to the neighborhood in some way that is enjoyable and consistent with your own personal interests?

Identified below are the areas of most immediate and pressing concern, from my individual perspective and speaking only for myself, not on behalf of the MLPA Board:

Being quite far removed from any study of Shakespeare, I have no idea whether the Bard was describing a prince, a knave or a fool with the quotation noted above. Actually, for the good of MLPA and your neighborhood, you can call me whatever you want - as long as you call!

PS: MLPA needs a Secretary. The Secretary's primary function is the taking of minutes of the monthly Board meetings. Anyone willing to try on the position for size, please email MLPAmember@aol.com.

MLPA Website Changes
MLPA members should stay tuned for upcoming changes to the website, www.mlpa.org. We hope that you will see a more user-friendly website, one that is easier to navigate and to locate the information you’re looking for. In addition, we expect to institute, before the fall renewal season, a method by which you can join and/or renew your MLPA and MSP memberships with any major credit card using PayPal online!

From Liz Coyle of our NPU:

The NE Atlanta BeltLine development group has offered a walking tour of the BeltLine project prior to the next overview meetings for the NPUs. We have asked for the tour on Saturday, July 9, 2005 from 8:00-11:00 am. I will email the location for the start of the tour later.

The upcoming overview sessions are July 12, 2005 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Park Tavern (corner of 10th and Monroe) for NPU-F and July 13 from 6 pm to 8 pm at a place to be determined for NPUs M & N. (MLPA also understands that there will be a "make-up" meeting on July 19, also at the Park Tavern from 6-8 pm, for those NPU E, F, M and N residents unable to make the earlier meetings).

Many members of the community have expressed the need for a meeting to discuss these proposed developments as well as those presented by ADA/EDAW at the June 21 recap. To that end, a community meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, June 29 at 6:00 pm at Inman Middle School in the Media Center.

A note from Anne Fauver's office: Note the NPU M and N date was changed to Wednesday July 13 because Monday July 11 is the next Quarterly CDP hearing to be held in City Hall at 55 Trinity Avenue in Council Chambers. As a quick reminder – the Ponce Moreland Corridor Study will be heard then and includes the land use changes that were worked on an approved by the NPUs after a very long period of study and can be viewed at http://www.tunspan.com/poncemoreland/LowRes/PM-Sect3Draft020405lowres.pdf The neighborhood may prefer this or existing land use to the Mason proposals but it is something to think about.

Graphic Designer Needed - The new Membership Committee needs your help! We are planning on changing our logo and we would love an MLPA member for the job.

A slightly revised email message from Liz Coyle from our NPU is set out below. MLPA encourages all of you to attend the workshop tomorrow morning:

Attached (actually, set out below because the MLPA person transmitting this message doesn't like attachments) is the “Priorities for NE Corridor BeltLine Development” document put together by NPU-E & F with input from the neighborhoods. NPU-N has sent some initial positive feedback that they will adopt these or similar priorities. Our goal is to speak with one strong voice when we meet with city decision-makers to ensure that development along the BeltLine provides short- and long-term value to developers and the citizens of Atlanta without compromising the quality of life of existing neighborhoods.

To that end, I will be bringing copies of this document to the BeltLine charette on June 11, 2005 at Inman Middle School from 8:30 - 12:30. We’ll be meeting in the cafeteria, so use the main entrance from the Virginia Ave. parking lot. I hope as many of you as possible will attend the charette and the follow-up presentation on June 21 from 6:30-8:30pm in the Inman Middle School auditorium. The entrance to the auditorium is at the corner of Virginia and Park Drive.

I will schedule a follow-up meeting for the community (not organized by the Atlanta Development Authority) for the week after the presentation on June 21 to give community members a further opportunity to work together to ensure development is in the best interest of the neighborhoods.

Liz Coyle

Combined NPU E & F* Priorities for NE Corridor BeltLine Development 6/10/05 *Initial feedback positive from NPU-N

Land Use and Zoning

Addresses automobile access to development sites to minimize negative impacts of increased traffic seeking access to the development.
Promotes alternative modes of access (e.g., pedestrian, bike, mass transit).
Mitigates the impact on adjacent neighborhoods of adding traffic to already congested areas, without widening streets and intersections.

Public Input Wanted on BeltLine Land Use
City of Atlanta residents and stakeholders are invited to participate in several upcoming BeltLine redevelopment workshops and presentations offered by the Atlanta Development Authority. The workshops and presentations are opportunities for public input in the use of land that surrounds the proposed BeltLine, a project that proposes to convert a 22-mile rail corridor into a new transit system, mixed-use trails, expansion to the City's park system, and connectivity to more than 45 of Atlanta's neighborhoods. When the workshops and presentations conclude, the project team will develop a Redevelopment and Land Use Plan and present a draft to the public by early August.

The schedule of additional dates and locations are shown below. The sessions include one week of intensive focus on each area of the BeltLine, made up of a Saturday morning workshop and a summary, recap presentation on the following Thursday. (NOTE that this schedule is different for the next workshop/presentation at Inman Middle School!) Visit the Atlanta Development Authority’s website at www.atlantada.com for additional information about the BeltLine.

SATURDAY PROGRAMS IN PIEDMONT PARK
All at or departing from the Visitor’s Center area (inside the park from the entrance off 12th Street next to Willy’s Mexicana Grill on Piedmont Avenue).

Saturday Safari for Kids: Offered the first and third Saturday monthly through September 17th. Participants should meet at 11am at the park’s 12th Street gate. This exciting park adventure features themed activities (like fishing and scavenger hunts!) led by a Piedmont Park Conservancy staff Naturalist. Program is FREE for Conservancy members, $3 for non-members. Please email naturalist@piedmontpark.org or call 404.876.4024 to register. Not a
member yet? Visit www.piedmontpark.org and join the Conservancy online today – and
also find out about weekly Summer Day Camp sessions (starting May 23).

Historic Tours: Explore the fascinating legacy of Atlanta’s Common Ground! Free, guided walking tours depart from the Visitor Center (off 12th Street entrance near the dock at Lake Clara Meer) every Saturday at 11 am. For group reservations, email tours@piedmontpark.org or call 404.876.4024. Guided tours are also available on weekdays by request.

Green Market: Kaiser Permanente and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution are sponsoring this season’s Saturday morning open-air market – which runs along the park’s 12th Street entrance each Saturday 9am to 1pm through August. The Green Market features Georgia-grown produce, fresh flowers, baked goods, chef demonstrations, and entertainment. A great market in a beautiful setting!

MLPA Membership Committee Meeting
For those MLPA members wanting to have fun, drink wine, and support the Membership Committee: We will be meeting Tuesday, May 31st, 7:30 pm, at the home of Alex Bach, 1692 Pelham Rd. Call Dayna Holbel 404 724 9958 to RSVP

Morningside Elementary Pre-Registration for incoming Kindergarten and New Students
Pre-Registration for Morningside Elementary for the 2005-2006 school year will be held in the Lobby outside the Media Center Friday, May 13, 2005, 9 AM – 2 PM

Please note that all documents must be presented at the time of registration. (Immunization and/or Dental, Hearing, Vision forms not obtained at the time of pre-registration for 5 year old/K registrants may be presented at a later date). Please visit our website for additional information about the registration process http://www.morningsideschool.org/registration.html

Don't forget Celebration of Summer, Sunken Garden Park, Friday May 20th beginning at 5:30 pm. VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED and should contact Daniel Cherrix by email or phone at daniel.cherrix@harrynorman.com or (404) 290-9362.

Monroe Drive Speed Limit Reduced
Effective immediately, the speed limit on Monroe Drive, from Piedmont to Ponce de Leon, is 30 MPH.

Monroe Drive, as we all know, is being used as a cut-through street by many more drivers than the street was designed to carry. The reduction in speed limit is the first in several steps to improve traffic and pedestrian safety. Thanks to Council member Fauver for introducing the legislation.

The next step will be timing of traffic lights to make it less likely that speeding will be rewarded with green lights. This will also have the effect of evening out the traffic that arrives at the congestion points (Piedmont, Amsterdam, 10th). Longer-term efforts include improving the Amsterdam and Park intersections for pedestrians. MLPA will keep you informed of progress; please don't hesitate to come to the meeting of the MLPA Traffic Committee, second Tuesday evening of each month, at Morningside Presbyterian Church. For more information, write or call Bill Ellis, billellis@mindspring.com , 404-874-0216

Star Wars, May 7th, in Sunken Garden Park

"Traveling through hyperspace isn't like dusting crops."

Need a Screen on the Green warm up? A primer for the episode III release later this month? Want to see some great costumes? If so, bring family and friends and join your neighbors this Saturday night, May 7th, in Sunken Garden Park for the MLPA Special Events Committee's Movies in Morningside. Our Neighborhood's movie night under the stars featuring "STAR WARS". Yep, the original. The park opens at 6:30, the show starts at dusk, preceded by costume watching and general neighborhood chatter. Bring your own picnic dinner, or buy snacks and soft drinks at the event.

A Wildwood Hike
Trees Atlanta invites you to hike The Wildwood, a 30+ acre preserve in the Morningside neighborhood. The neighborhood steering committee is working with the City of Atlanta on a master plan for trails and other amenities - here is your chance to get back in the park and see the beauty of The Wildwood. The tour will pass native plants like trilliums, mayapple and many varieties of ferns. It will cover the natural (rock outcrop) and manmade landforms (agricultural terraces) present on the site. And hopefully the wildlife will be out for the viewing. Trees Atlanta will also explain their efforts combating invasive plants and how they are helping restore the native ecosystem in The Wildwood.

Cell Tower Proposed for N. Highland & Lanier Place
MLPA's Zoning Committee heard an application last night made by TLC Wireless to construct a 120 foot cell tower on property leased near the intersection of N. Highland and Lanier Place. The leased property is adjacent to the property leased to Coldwell Banker which property already has a 65' Metro PCS cell tower in place next to the parking lot.

The MLPA Zoning Committee recommended approval of the application to the MLPA Board with the following (unofficial) conditions:

This application will be heard at the MLPA Board meeting at 7:30 pm Monday May 9th at Morningside Presbyterian Church.

ANNUAL MEETING - MORNINGSIDE LENOX PARK ASSOCIATION
Please join us this coming Monday night, April 25th, at 7:30pm in the basement meeting hall at Morningside Presbyterian Church at 1411 N. Morningside Drive. Have some after dinner treats. Help usher in a new slate of MLPA Board officers and committee chairs for 2005/06. Get updates from elected officials. Meet the new APD Zone commander and ask what's up with the move to Zone 6. Hear about plans for a new nature park in Morningside. We're planning plenty of mingle time, so please plan to attend and get updated on what's new in our wonderfully imperfect neighborhood. Hope to see you and your neighbors on Monday night.

DUTCH VALLEY AREA DIG EXPLAINED
Yep, a huge hole to be dug soon on the site of the former Community Garden on the Halpern property near the CSO off Monroe Drive. Part of the deep tunnel storm water runoff project - officially named the Clear Creek Tunnel and Shaft Construction. Will involve controlled, underground blasting. Temporary light on Monroe to allow truck traffic to exit northbound.

Representatives from the City's Watershed Management Dept will be presenting at the Monday, May 9th MLPA Board meeting at 7:30 pm. Everyone's welcome at these meetings, held in the Morningside Room (main level) at the Morningside Presbyterian Church.

See www.cleanwateratlanta.org or call the project info line at 404-529-9211. Any nearby residents experiencing problems should contact Tony Gomez at 404-330-6563. Those living close to the site who'd like a "pre-blasting" thorough inspection of their residence (such that any damage from the project would be properly documented for correction by Watershed Management) should contact Saul's Seismic at 770-952-2466.

SATURDAY APRIL 30th AT 7PM - “Little Screen on the Green”
The Inman Middle School PTA invites families and friends to an outdoor showing of the hit movie The Incredibles. This night at the movies under the stars is a fundraising event for the purchase of classroom TVs and VCR/DVD players, vital instructional equipment that had not been budgeted in Inman’s recent renovation.

Come to the upper Inman field on the corner of Virginia Avenue and Greencove. 7:00 -11:00 p.m. Bring blankets and folding chairs, a picnic dinner and snacks, or some spending money for concessions. The screen is 20 feet high and it NEVER RAINS in late April, but in case of bad weather, the movie will be shown in the Inman gym. Cost is $5 for middle school-age children through adults, $3 for elementary students, and free for pre-schoolers and pre-pre-schoolers.

OPPORTUNITIES TO HOST FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS
Families in our community have an opportunity to take advantage of two U.S. State Department-sponsored student-exchange programs. The Congress-Bundestag (CB) Program is an exchange program with Germany in which 300 German high school students study in the U.S. The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program provides scholarships to high school students from the former Soviet Union. Students from both programs speak excellent English and are very good students. They have interests that range from the poetry to soccer. The goal of the each program is for youth to learn about American life from the inside and to see the truths instead of the myths and stereotypes.

William Teasley, a coordinator for these programs in Atlanta, is looking for host families for the 2005 – 2006 school year. Not only do the foreign students get a true picture of American life, but the host families also get a chance to see the world through fresh eyes. Although Teasley seeks hosts for the entire school year, every family has an initial 6 - 8 week pilot period in which they can get to know the student and decide if the student works well within their family. If there are ever problems that can't be overcome, he is available to work out a solution even if it includes moving a student.

Contact Mr. Teasley for more information and/or to set up a time to meet with him. During the visit he will share profiles of students that are coming to Atlanta for you to see which one might work best in your family. His contact information is: William H. Teasley, LC – Atlanta, 404-622-8783, w.teasley@att.net.

Morningside-Lenox Park Association, in cooperation with the Dogwood Festival and Atlanta Police Department, will be making major efforts to bring traffic and parking under control during the Dogwood Festival. Our streets close to Piedmont Park have in past years become all but impassable due to traffic jams and rampant illegal parking.

Extra patrols will be added to the Morningside Security Patrol, and APD will be greatly increasing traffic and parking enforcement. No Parking signs will be placed on Thursday and Friday to reinforce existing parking rules. Traffic direction, and ticketing and towing, will occur throughout the weekend in the four neighborhoods adjoining the Park.

Visitors are asked to be respectful of residents’ needs and park only where permitted. Residents near Piedmont Park are encouraged to use their driveways where possible for parking needs. The Dogwood Festival is a great event for the City of Atlanta and we welcome the thousands of visitors to Piedmont Park and our community. Working together, we can enjoy a major event and minimize the impact on residential street accessibility.

Please note that parking on the 'wrong side' of the street is illegal. We are communicating to the police that we want their efforts spent on more serious problems, but please be careful to park facing in the direction of traffic
flow.

Please read the proposed treatment of your street and if you have a significant concern about that treatment, either Email me at billellis@mindspring.com or call me at 404-874-0216.

Streets are listed from south to north, in order of probable congestion and parking problems.

Thank you,

Bill Ellis
Chairman, MLPA Traffic Committee

Amsterdam Avenue
Place more prominent No Parking signs on both sides of the street at the Monroe Drive entrances. Patrol the street from Monroe to North Highland and from Monroe to Amsterdam Walk for parking and traffic compliance. Pay special attention to driveways and curb cuts, including east of Monroe Drive.

Kings Court
Patrol entire street. Place one No Parking sign to reinforce the one at the San Antonio entrance.

Dutch Valley Road, Dutch Valley Place, Worchester Drive (all east of Monroe Drive)
Patrol the streets for parking and traffic compliance.

Yorkshire Road
Place more prominent No Parking signs on the south side of the street and on both sides at the Monroe Drive entrance; patrol entire street for parking and traffic compliance.

Cumberland Road
Make the south side of the street where parking is permitted only at certain times a No Parking 10 AM - 7:30 PM zone for the weekend. Patrol from Monroe Drive to North Morningside Drive for parking and traffic compliance, paying special attention to the area around Sidney Marcus Park.

Sherwood Road
Patrol from Piedmont to Bridle Trail for parking and traffic compliance. Place one No Parking sign to reinforce the one at Smith Park.

East Morningside Drive
Place more prominent No Parking signs on both sides of the street at the Piedmont entrance. Patrol the street from Piedmont to Bridle Trail for parking and traffic compliance.

WILDWOOD FOREST COMMUNITY MEETING
Monday, March 7th from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall at Morningside Presbyterian Church. Everyone is welcome! Come meet the members of the Wildwood Forest Master Planning Committee and help shape plans for this 31-acre forest located in Morningside near Cheshire Bridge Road. Tom Tomaka is the Committee's contact person and he can be reached at 770-315-0675.

GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION
The newly redone Grady High School is showing off. Everyone's invited to attend a grand opening celebration on Sunday, March 20th from 2:00 pm to 4:00p m. Grady High is along 10th Street near Charles Allen Drive. This invitation comes via Jane Modica, Grady's PTSA President, in her letter thanking MLPA for its recent gift to strengthen the school's teacher grant program.

ACTION ALERT: SPEED CAMERA BILL AT RISK!!
For the fourth year in a row, the bill allowing communities to use camera systems to ticket speeders in school zones is at risk of getting stuck in committee. This year, House Bill 294 passed the Public Safety Committee unanimously -- but is at risk of getting stuck in the Rules Committee.

Far more bills are introduced at the state legislature each year than ever make it the floor of the House or Senate for a vote. Both the Senate and House have "Rules" committees, each of which reviews bills that have been approved by other committees and determines which of these will be considered on the "floor" of the House or Senate the next day. The leaders of the Rules committee have tremendous power--for they sift through the bills that are being presented at the Rules Committee and determine which of these their fellow committee members will have the opportunity to "move" to the floor.

House Bill 294 has been presented to the the Rules Committee twice -- but both times, the committee chairman, Earl Earhart, skipped over it when selecting bills that the committee members could "move" to the floor the next day. A bill can be presented to the Rules Committee just three times. In addition, just four days are left before the legislature reaches its "crossover" date. If a bill hasn't passed either the House or the Senate by that date, it will no longer be considered this year.

Please call Rep. Earl Ehrhart (404-656-5141) and Rep. Jerry Keen (404-656-5052) to ask them to let HB 294 be considered on the floor of the House.

HB 294 is a matter of life or death for kids who walk to school. The speed camera demonstration project we facilitated on E. Rock Springs Rd. last year confirmed what parents fear and children know all too well from their walk to school: far too many drivers blaze through school zones with no concern for the safety of children. During the 6-week period when cameras monitored speed, 260 cars a day traveling 40 mph or higher sped past Morningside Elementary School each day. And this was in just one direction! The risk of death to a pedestrian hit by a car at that speed is 85 percent.

Speed cameras use technology similar to that of red light camera systems, which are already in place in Decatur, Marietta, and other cities. The bill has bi-partisan support and is popular with communities in metro Atlanta. In September, the Metro Atlanta Mayors Association voted unanimously in support of legislation authorizing speed cameras in schools.

Technology exists to make school zones safer for children. Please ask Rep. Earl Ehrhart (404-656-5141) and Rep. Jerry Keen (404-656-5052) to allow the legislature to consider authorizing its use in Georgia.

Sally Flocks
President and CEO
PEDS
100 Edgewood Avenue
Suite 540, Atlanta, GA 30303

404-873-5667 Fax: 404-873-6978
info@peds.org www.peds.org

TREE PLANTING THIS SATURDAY
MLPA’s annual tree planting event, in coordination with Trees Atlanta, is this Saturday, Feb. 12th (tomorrow). MLPA Parks Co-Chair Karen Schaefer reports that about 80 young trees are expected to be planted - so your help is much needed and greatly appreciated. There will be kid friendly tasks so everyone can pitch in.

Everyone will meet at 9am in the parking lot of Morningside Presbyterian Church (1411 North Morningside Drive). Bring work gloves, a shovel if you have one, and a water bottle. Karen expects that with your help the project should be finished by noon or 1pm at the latest.

Coffee and donuts will help fortify you! Call Karen at 404-876-3456 if you have any questions. Come out and meet some neighbors. And, it’s for a great cause – many nice trees are growing up along our streets from MLPA sponsored planting events over the years. Please thank Karen and Co-Chair Charlotte Gillis for organizing again this year!

HEADS UP – THIEVES STEALING COMMERCIAL SERVICE VEHICLES
Morningside Security Patrol lead officer Ric Vasquez requests that we kindly remind our lawn maintenance, construction contractors and other service folks to please take their keys out of their vehicles – even if they’re stopping by only for a few minutes. Three commercial vehicles/trucks have been stolen in Morningside recently – all apparently for the purpose of robbing the contractors of very valuable tools and equipment.

GREAT RESPONSES
Thanks for renewing your 2005 MLPA and MSP memberships - initial response has been terrific. If you’ve misplaced your form, download another by clicking “Join Now” at www.mlpa.org. Also, it was great to see so many Morningsiders at District 6 Councilmember Anne Fauver’s town hall meeting last Thursday at Grady High. Thanks for showing up and voicing your concerns.

LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL NEWS
In addition to noting Morningside Elementary’s recent Georgia School of Excellence Award (one of 20 in the state for 2005), MLPA Education Chair Barbara Feinberg points out the following terrific AJC articles about Grady High and Inman Middle.

FLU SHOTS
Fulton County Health Dept will give flu shots Wednesday, Jan 26, from
5-7p.m. in the Morningside Room at Morningside Presbyterian Church.
The fee is $15. Medicare and Medicaid will be accepted.

TOWN HALL MEETING
Our area's City Councilmember Anne Fauver is hosting a District 6 meeting for everyone on Thursday night, February 3rd, at 6:30pm in the new auditorium at Grady High School. The Mayor and the various City department commissioners will be in attendance and available to hear your concerns. For those who could not attend the NPU-F meeting on January 17th, please note that presentations will be made at this meeting on the proposed 53-acre "North Woods" expansion of Piedmont Park.

MORNINGSIDE TOUR OF HOMES
The MLPA Special Events committee is gearing up for the Fall 2005 Morningside Tour of Homes. Details will be forthcoming soon. In the meantime, please contact Special Events Co-Chair Daniel Cherrix at daniel.cherrix@harrynorman.com if you'd like to be a part of this terrific event, MLPA's only fundraiser. Daniel's committee is busy planning some great get togethers which will make this a fun group to join.

The Morningside Lenox Park Association (MLPA) 2005 membership campaign is off to a terrific start. Many thanks to the almost 600 members who renewed or joined in the first 30 days. Your support means a lot to the resident volunteers working to keep this a wonderfully imperfect neighborhood. Please join us if you can at our monthly MLPA Board meetings - open to all and held the 2nd Monday of every month at 7:30pm in the Morningside Room at Morningside Presbyterian Church at 1411 North Morningside Drive.

SUPPORT THE SECURITY PATROL
Also, for those initially sending in "MLPA only" dues, please consider sending in a separate check ($150, or $88 for seniors) to support the Morningside Security Patrol (MSP) in 2005. This group of off-duty Atlanta Police Dept. (APD) officers has been patrolling our streets since the early 90s and has been very successful in pushing crime away from our neighborhood. We're lucky to have 10 veteran officers (mostly sergeants and detectives within APD) who have been in the MSP group for many years and know our neighborhood well. They patrol the entire neighborhood, and offer vacation checks and security assessments to MSP members. Visit mlpa.org for more Security Patrol information. Remember, more MSP members = more patrol coverage.

EXPANDED CITY RECYCLING
The City's Department of Public Works continues expanding its curbside recycling program, with mixed paper the latest addition. Residents can now recycle magazines and catalogues, junk mail, office paper and envelopes, telephone directories and boxboard. Residents are asked to put mixed paper in a large envelope or brown paper grocery bag to keep it separated from newspapers.

NPU-F MEETINGS -- NEW TIME AND LOCATION
Starting tonight (Monday, Jan 17), our NPU-F meetings move to 7pm every third Monday at the meeting hall within the Hillside complex. The entrance is at 1031 Monroe Drive opposite the entrance to the CSO facility just past Dutch Valley.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS - MLPA Annual Meeting -- Monday, April 25th
Finally, be sure to mark your calendars for the MLPA Annual Meeting -- Monday, April 25th at 7:30pm in the basement meeting room of the Morningside Presbyterian Church. And, with thoughts of warmer weather ahead, don't miss MLPA's annual Celebration of Summer - held this year in Sunken Garden Park on Friday, May 20th starting at 5:30pm.

Thanks again for your support of MLPA and the Morningside Security Patrol, and best wishes for a terrific 2005.

Don't cook on Wednesday night (12/29/04) and eat out to benefit the Rock Creek Watershed Alliance's efforts to buy a park buffer for beautiful Taylor Park.

Doc Chey's and Caramba Cafe (both on Highland Avenue) will donate 20% of the evening's proceeds to the effort to protect the ravine trail and the old quarry site. Help support neighborhood greenspace and protect beautiful Rock Creek from encroaching development.

Below is the flyer explaining the facts of the park fundraising effort. Please use it for any or all of the following:

1. PLEASE send your tax-deductible donation TODAY. We must show neighborhood support in order to receive matching funds from large donors.

2. If you know anyone with connections to family foundations or influence with corporate donors, please let us know ASAP.

3. Print copies of the flyer and take to holiday parties and events; talk up the cause and your reasons for supporting it.

4. Email the flyer to friends, family, groups, anyone interested in environmental causes.

5. Print out the flyer and distribute to neighbors, coworkers, anyone who might be willing to help.

Thanks so much for your continued support of this effort.
Barbara Baggerman
404-876-8072

****************************************************************
The Herbert Taylor Park Buffer Acquisition Project

The Herbert Taylor Park is City-owned greenspace in northeast
Atlanta on the border of DeKalb County, off Beech Valley Road
north of East Rock Springs Road. Rock Creek flows through the
Park to enter the South Fork of Peachtree Creek at the northern
boundary of the Park

A total of 8 lots on the southern border of the Park are slated
for development in January: 3 lots on Rock Springs Circle and 5
lots at the end of Markan Drive on the hilltop extending down to
the creek. The developer is willing to negotiate with the Rock
Creek Watershed Alliance and the neighborhood to sell 2 lots and
a portion of 1 other lot, in order to create a buffer between the
remaining new houses and the Park. The money must be raised by
January 3.

Funding Goal: $595,000
· Removes 2 houses from development.
· Creates a permanent park buffer on top of the cliff overlooking
the creek, including the quarry ravine adjacent to the creek.

Approximately $310,000 has already been raised, including
greenspace funding from the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County,
and contributions from neighborhood associations and individuals.
We must raise the remaining $285,000.

We need EITHER your pledge or your donation by December 27 in
order to present a purchase contract to the developer by Jan. 3.
Time is critical. Please consider giving the most you possibly
can. Named sponsorship, honorarium, and memorial opportunities
are available.

All donations are tax deductible. Receipts will be provided by
Park Pride. If for any reason the purchase is not completed,
donations will be refunded.

Please send donations to:
Park Pride, Attn: Allison Barnett
675 Ponce de Leon Avenue
8th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30308

Time is of the essence! Thank you kindly for providing for the
generations to come.

Yes, I will help preserve the Herbert Taylor Park. Here is my
tax-deductible contribution of:

Send to: Park Pride, Attn: Allison Barnett
675 Ponce de Leon Avenue
8th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30308

Land atop a hill adjoining the Daniel Johnson Nature Preserve (runs along the eastern border of the Johnson Estates section of Morningside Lenox Park) is in the final planning stages for a new development of 5 single-family homes. Friends and neighbors of the Preserve, who’ve spent countless volunteer hours improving this natural green space, feel this parcel is the most beautiful section of the current day Preserve – providing an overlook as well as valuable tree canopy and trails leading into the Preserve.

These nearby Morningside residents are busy raising money to buy the portion of this parcel nearest to the Preserve – with about $300,000 identified thus far, leaving the group about $300,000 short of their goal. They’ve established an account at Park Pride such that donations will be deemed a charitable contribution. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, as the land purchase must be firmed up by year-end. If you or an organization you know can assist in this effort, be it funding or networking, please contact Barbara Baggerman at (404) 876-8072 or Sally Bayless at (404) 872-6563.

CRIME ALERT:
From recent email reports MLPA has learned that folks walking after dark from their parked cars to/from the popular Virginia-Highland commercial district (N. Highland/Virginia intersection area) have been robbed at gunpoint. We've heard of purse snatchings in this area before, and we've heard all about the Buckhead bar area. But this is close to home and a big step up on the aggressiveness scale. Please take all necessary precautions to safely get to/from this or any other in-town commercial area.

GARDEN HILLS POOL:
Subscriptions are being accepted for the 2004 summer season, with an early sign-up discount until April 30.
Morningsiders are actively involved on the presiding Board, and MLPA member Dominic Romeo is Association President. Please visit http://www.gardenhillspool.homestead.com for more information and to download an application form. If you have questions contact Dominic at gardenhillspool@email.com.

PIEDMONT PARK CENTENNIAL:
The Piedmont Park Conservancy has released a schedule of events (starting April 8th) marking the park's centennial year. Visit the Conservancy's web site (www.piedmontpark.org) for a downloadable calendar and additional information on various activities - including a City-wide birthday celebration at the park on Saturday, June 12. The lineup of events includes new entries such as an improv comedy series, a Shakespeare production, and the debut of an every Saturday morning Georgia-grown "Green Market" starting April 17th along the park's 12th Street entrance off Piedmont. Returning favorites include the "Screen on the Green" movie series (in the 10th Street Meadow this year) and ASO concerts on Oak Hill. Call the main office at 404-875-7275 for additional event details, and contact the Conservancy's Community Center at 404-876-4024 for information on
summer camps for kids and other programs.

This is to notify everyone that there will be a Neighborhood Watch - Block Captain Leadership Training on March 27 @10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Adamsville Recreation Center, 3201 MLK Jr. Dr., Atlanta, GA. This program is sponsored by The Atlanta Police Department's Centralized Community Service Unit - Support Services Division.

If you are a leader or you are a concerned resident and want to make a difference in your community, please come out and receive valuable information to share with your Neighborhood Watch or community group.

In addition to the regular issues of Neighborhood Watch, the training will include Workshops on Identity Theft, Neighborhood Watch and 911, and Homeland Security.

Identity theft is a growing problem not just nationally but here in Morningside as well. At one time, it may have been easy to dismiss the car break-ins in our neighborhood as the misguided energy of teens or homeless folks looking for some quick money, but today it is a major part of identity thieves' strategy. This is one of the reasons that the
recent increase in car break-ins here in Morningside is so alarming.

Most Morningside residents live in Zone 2 although some of you may be in Zone 6. At this point, as far as i know registration is free but the APD requests that interested parties register as soon as possible.

If you are interested in attending this meeting please contact your Police Zone for registration information.

Zone 2            404-848-7231
Zone 5            404-658-7054
Zone 6            404-371-5002

Again, this program is open to all who may be interested. If you do attend, we here at MLPA and MSP would like to hear from you. Let us know what you thought of the program and if you are interested in forming a Neighborhood Watch in your area of Morningside. We would be happy to assist you in so doing.

Join your neighbors and friends this Saturday, Feb 28th from 8am to 10am for a free pancake breakfast at Morningside Presbyterian Church. The event is sponsored by the Morningside Security Patrol (MSP) and the
Morningside Lenox Park Association (MLPA). Police officers who provide off duty services for MSP will be on hand, as will MLPA Board members who will be flipping pancakes and pouring the orange juice and coffee. See mlpa.org for information on MSP and MLPA.

Not a life commitment – just a few good hours. We need both newcomers and neighborhood vets. Those that can help with a monthly meeting as well as others who can’t make these dates but CAN put in some time between meetings on a special project or with a niche role on a standing committee.

Several of our longstanding Board members and Committee leaders are stepping down, although most will remain involved and in the neighborhood to help with a smooth transition. Some are simply taking other positions within the MLPA Board structure.

A Board Nominating Committee will soon begin the task of formalizing the new Board roster before the MLPA Annual Meeting at 7:30pm on April 26, 2004 in the basement meeting room at the Morningside Presbyterian Church.

If you’re interested and would like to discuss a possible fit with an available slot, please call President Norman McKay at (404) 876-3574 or email him at namatl@comcast.net if you might be in a position to help. You’ll meet some great folks and learn more about your wonderfully imperfect neighborhood.

Many thanks in advance from your MLPA Board for stepping forward to help out with a few hours of your time.

MLPA maintains a database of member addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and other pertinent information obtained from forms completed by members upon joining MLPA or renewing their memberships. Its integrity is essential to the operations of MLPA. The Membership Committee is responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the database and the official copy resides with the Membership Committee Chair or the Chair?s designee.

The MLPA database is not available for commercial use or for any non-MLPA use, nor should copies ever be provided to anyone outside of MLPA, unless specifically approved by the MLPA Board and/or the Executive Committee. The Membership Committee Chair and the Public Safety/Security Patrol Chair are periodically provided with updated copies.

MLPA shall undertake to remove e-mail addresses from the database promptly upon request. Membership-wide e-mail communications must be approved by both the President and the person responsible for e-mail.

Mass e-mail communications are sent to the membership only on a ?bcc? basis so that the e-mail address list is not transmitted to any recipient. The Board and Committees may use the e-mail addresses and other information appropriate to their duties, which duties never include any commercial or advertising functions for any entity other than MLPA.

MLPA members are encouraged to communicate with Board members by e-mail, as well as by other means, when necessary. General email inquiries to MLPA are forwarded to the appropriate Board member for handling. And, as with any volunteer organization, responses are forthcoming when time permits. E-mail addresses for all Board members, and their areas of responsibility, can be found in the Membership Directory and the website.

E-mailing Security Patrol vacation requests by members is not appropriate and will not result in coverage.

Once again the MLPA Special Events Committee is pleased to welcome members of The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in a free concert at Morningside Presbyterian Church. This year’s event will take place in the Sanctuary of the Church on February 2nd at 7 PM as a free concert for the community.

The theme of this year’s concert is "An Evening of String Quartets." The concert is approximately one hour in length and is designed with children in mind.

Please support our neighborhood and our Symphony on Monday evening. For more information please contact Daniel Cherrix @ 404.290.9362.

You are invited to attend the North Highland Avenue Streetscape Master Plan Design Workshop on December 2nd, 2003 - 5:30p.m. until 9:30p.m. at Inman Middle School - 774 Virginia Avenue.

Results of the workshop will assist design decisions and determine the extent of proposed Phase One streetscape improvements to North Highland Avenue from Ponce de Leon Avenue to University Drive.

Attend the entire workshop, drop in for review and comment, or attend the summary presentation. Your opinions will count!

NPU-F Elections - Nov 17 at 7:30pm - Morningside Presbyterian Church
One of Morningside's finest, past MLPA President Dianne Olansky is running for the Chair of Neighborhood Planning Unit #F - a very important volunteer position that represents our neighborhood and area to the City. Dianne is currently one of the MLPA reps for NPU-F and is n the NPU-F Board as Traffic/Transportation Committee Chair. Please attend, sign in as an area resident, and raise your hand (with the color ticket you get at sign in) to vote for Dianne as NPU-F Chair on Monday, November 17th.

MLPA Public Safety/Security Patrol Announcements
This is to call your attention to the redesigned Public Safety Committee pages on the MLPA website. There are 8 new pages and additional archived pages of old information. These new pages have more detailed information about the Public Safety Committee and the Morningside Security Patrol (MSP). There are also enhanced community services pages.

On this page you find information about the Public Safety Committee’s work, a request for volunteers, and links to other-related public safety agencies such as the Atlanta Police and Fire Departments.

At the bottom of the page, and very near the very top, you will find navigation links to take you to the other Public Safety pages. The second page, Morningside Security Patrol, generally describes the duties and priorities of the Security Patrol in contrast to normal community policing by the APD.

The third page, Detailed Membership Information, describes member benefits and responsibilities. It discusses the benefits to MSP members and the Morningside-Lenox Park-Johnson Estates neighborhood. This page contains a link to the MLPA page for joining MSP and MLPA.

The fourth page, Security Patrol Officers’ Page includes our current roster of our off-duty Atlanta Police Officers. It includes some information about individual officers and about recent actions that they have taken in our neighborhood. There are links to other pages about the men and women who serve in the APD. We are proud to support the dedicated men and women who have taken on this extra duty to help keep our community safer.

The fifth page, Security Tips, contains information on how you can be proactive in preventing crime and in helping the Patrol and the APD catch perpetrators.

The sixth page, Neighborhood Crime Trends, shows a chart and graph of running crime statistics for the year.

The seventh page, Current Security Alerts, contains reports by neighbors and the police about recent incidents in Morningside as well as nearby communities such as Virginia Highland and LaVista Park.

You will also find a link to Atlanta’s Most Wanted pages. This page will be updated periodically and old alerts will be retired to the archives.

Up to this point, all the pages are updates and expansions of information that could be found on some of our old pages. We hope that you will find these new pages are more detailed and that they will be more helpful in finding the information that you specifically seek.

Our eighth page, Community Lost and Found, is a brand new service that we are offering on a trial basis. Here you will find links to Missing Persons, the Atlanta Humane Society, and Fulton County Animal Control. More importantly, we will post any lost and found announcements that you may have regarding missing persons, lost pets, and stolen or lost items. On one hand we hope that there is not much need for this in our neighborhood. On the other hand, if it is not used at all, after a while, we shall discontinue this page.

The final navigation link that you will see is Security Report Archives. On these pages you find much of the information that we had previously published. As information ages, it will be retired to the archives.

In the weeks to come, we will be sending out Email Blasts to the membership about crime hot spots in the neighborhood. These alerts will contain information that our MSP officers, particularly Detective Vazquez, gather from actual crime reports from our neighborhood. These lerts will be titled MSP Hot Spots. So please do not mistake this for spam. The information from these alerts will later be posted on the Current Cime Alerts page. We also continue to post information from residents
and neighboring communities as well.

Tour of Homes this weekend! It's not too late --
Five Homes-Five Kitchens-Six Chefs-Two Days Saturday, November 8 (10am to 5pm) - Sunday, November 9 (noon to 5pm)

TICKETS are $18 in advance, $23 day of, for all homes. Tickets for individual homes are available for $8 each. Advance tickets may be purchased at Fourteen West Realtors, 1411 North Highland Avenue; Coldwell Banker, 1370 North Highland Avenue; Harry Norman, 1531 Piedmont Road; Kroger at Ansley Mall, and at the Hastings Garden Center.

CALL
Charla Silvia 404-815-8150 or Stephanie Marinac 404-872-0260 for more information

Chief Richard Pennington, City of Atlanta, will speak in Virginia Highland to kick off this national event at 7:00 p.m. corner of Virginia and N. Highland.

Come hear safety tips like how to vacation proof your home, and many more safe living ideas. Then join your neighbors for dinner and a stroll in the neighborhood.

Complimentary MARTA Shuttles
Provided from 4:30 p.m. til 10:30 p.m. for this special evening of fun and friends. Park at the Carter Center to alleviate traffic congestion, parking headaches, and pollution. Buses will run every 15 minutes. Of course you can catch the complimentary MARTA SHUTTLE at all Marta designated bus stops on Highland Ave. and Johnson Road.

Sage Hill will not be available for parking Tuesday night after all. Parking is available across Zonolite from Briarcliff Animal Clinic, and limited parking is available at the mortgage company (brick building) and adjacent internist's office on Briarcliff right next to the MARTA stop.

The shuttles will begin their southbound trips at the MARTA stop on the west side of Briarcliff, just south of Johnson Road and directly across Briarcliff from the Post Office.

As mentioned before, the shuttles will pick up and drop off passengers at all normal MARTA stops along Johnson Road and North Highland Avenue.

Have a great Night Out!

Recently we have been getting calls about vehicle thefts in the neighborhood. They seem to be getting bolder and more aggressive.

This past Sat. morning (May 31) a neighbor on Northview called to say that both of their vehicles were stolen Friday night in conjunction with a third vehicle that was stolen from a neighbor on San Antonio. What makes this particularly alarming is that the two vehicles were stolen from Northview while the residents were home. The folks on Northview had just returned home in the early evening. Their front door was still open when someone must have walked in, taken a canvas bag filled with work files. The bag also contained car keys. The thief then got into their 1987 BMW, rolled it down the driveway hill into the street, and drove off. The BMW was abandoned on San Antonio where the thief or thieves, then took another family's Volvo. The BMW was recovered and returned the same evening. The family awoke this morning (Sat/May31) to find that their Ford van had been stolen during the night. Also, the contents of the canvass bag that was taken contained personal data that could lead to identity theft, so the family is going to have to change account numbers and passwords.

This theft is bold and aggressive. The thief walked into the residence and took the bag and with some stealth took the BMW while the residents were home in the house. Then some time after stealing a second car, returned to the scene of the original crime and stole a third, the van, again while people were in the house. All this occurred the during an 8-12 hour period.

Residents are advised to take extra measures to secure their vehicles, and to lock house doors immediately after returning home. Leaving bags, briefcases, etc. containing keys and important papers in secure places, away from entryways is also advised. The APD and MSP are on the case and will remain on the lookout.

Celebration of Summer
The Morningside Lenox Park Association's annual Celebration of Summer WILL be held rain or shine today, Friday, May 23, from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Due to persistently rainy weather of late the event has been moved across Rock Springs Road from Sunken Garden Park to the Haygood Methodist Church parking lot. Many thanks go to Rev. Jim Higgins and his staff for their community spirit and flexibility to make this shift possible. Enjoy live music, face painting, pony rides, clowns and much, much more. Come enjoy traditional fare for the entire family, but this year please bring a lawn chair as soggy, muddy turf has forced us onto paved surfaces. We hope to see you there for a great start to the summer season! (Parking is available on West Sussex along the parks and other adjoining streets.)

Millage rate hearings
Home owners concerned about potential property tax increases (in light of recent assessed valuations vs. prior years) are encouraged to attend upcoming millage rate hearings. Councilmember Anne Fauver's office has advised of the following meeting:

ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Thurs May 29 at noon. Walden Middle School at 320 Irwin Street. I-75/I-85 south to J.W. Dobbs Avenue exit (#248D). Turn left onto Dobbs and take to Irwin Street. APS has other meetings planned. Call the main office for details.

MLPA has been advised at recent meetings that Fulton County/City of Atlanta property tax dollars go roughly as follows: 50% Atlanta Public Schools, 30% Fulton County and 20% City of Atlanta.

Fulton County Property Tax Assessments
CouncilMember Mary Norwood at the MLPA Annual Meeting on April 28 urged residents concerned about the latest Fulton County property tax assessments to participate to the extent possible in the millage rate setting process at the Atlanta Public School system and Fulton County levels.

Mary mentioned in her remarks at the meeting that only $0.17 of our tax dollar go to the City of Atlanta, with the balance being taken by these other two governmental entities.
Begin forwarded message:

Our new playground is almost here! After months of planning and fundraising, the new playground is scheduled to be installed Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, May 15-17. Sawhorse Contracting has donated construction labor that will cover most of the heaviest work. We will still need some neighborhood volunteers (men and women) to ensure the build will be completed on Saturday, May 17. Please consider helping with this VERY exciting event. Your time will be greatly appreciated by the entire neighborhood, especially by those who will use the playground regularly.

The following is a build schedule that will be supervised by our playground company representative:

Please sign up if you will be able to help, we must plan in advance. Lunch will be provided on Saturday. Please no children under 12 years old. To sign up, please e-mail Dawn Davis at dawnhdavis@yahoo.com or call her with questions, (404) 870-0932.

(Disclaimer: references to male and female help above, including references to "male muscle," are from Ms. Davis and are neither approved nor disapproved by MLPA.)

Our neighborhood's annual meeting is this Monday, April 28, 2003, 7:30p.m.
at Morningside Presbyterian Church located at 1411 N. Morningside Drive.
This is a perfect opportunity for you to find out what's happening in the
neighborhood, enjoy some great snacks, and meet your elected officials!
Please come and bring a friend!

Effective Thursday to Sunday, April 10-13, 2003
Plan posted on APD web site (http://atlantapd.org).
Questions/concerns: call APD Command Center 404-853-7400

The Blue Loop restricts access to sections of Peachtree, 10th Street, Morningside and Ansley Park. But, if you live there, work there, are visiting or attending the Tour of Homes just tell the police at the intersection. Regardless of the media reports, this weekend you DO NOT need any permit for access.

The reason for the Blue Loop is to give the City back the residents and to limit cruising and loud noise. The first weekend will be the hardest but lets see if we can make it work.

The plan features a 15.5 mile traffic loop from Downtown through Midtown and continuing to Buckhead. The plan is expected to call for a complete departmental deployment with police off-day cancellations and mandatory 12-hour shifts.

Traffic relief and access to Dogwood Festival will be facilitated using Monroe Drive east to 10 th Street, Ponce de Leon and North Avenue. Ponce de Leon Avenue and North Avenue routes west to Piedmont Avenue back to the traffic loop.

UPDATE ON SIDNEY MARCUS PARK
Through early February, you’ve funded 4 BENCHES ($700 each), one TRASH CAN ($200 each), and over 35 BRICKS at $75. Inscriptions honor children, grandparents, pets, friends, etc. We still need donors for PICNIC TABLES ($1000 each), and hope to place many more BRICKS. If you have already contributed, thanks! If not, please consider a donation now.

Our playset vendor, our builder (Sawhorse has donated construction assistance), and the City will begin the project soon. Further, the LOWER PARK, in dire need of improved drainage and walkways, will be addressed this Spring. Your donations make this possible.

Opportunities
Please support our supporters. Sawhorse will build the playground from materials that we will purchase. MLPA, our neighborhood group, has supplied logistical assistance and $5000 towards funding (contact Joelle Spain at 4/873-4389 to join this important organization, at only $20/year). Other contributing businesses include Agnes and Muriel’s, Fatt Matt’s, Smith’s Olde Bar, The Toy Store, Zac, Cannon Realty, and Publix.

Contributions
Contributions are tax deductible and checks should be made to Park Pride. Please contact Barry Berlin at 404 881-3403, bberlin@atlantictrustco.com, for more information. You can drop checks at 727 Cumberland Circle or mail to that address.

SECURITY UPDATE:
Our neighbors in LaVista Park have shared the following with us:

Saturday, March 15, at 10:00 PM a resident of Brookforest Drive reported he was robbed near the corner of Brookforest Drive and Beech Haven Road. A lookout has been posted for two black males operating an older model tan Buick LaSabre. There were four males in the car. Our Patrol is being extra vigilant. They believe this was a crime of opportunity and not planned. More details may become available as the investigation continues.

Even though this did not happen in Morningside we have been receiving some disturbing reports of suspicious activities in our area. So we again ask everyone to please be observant and cautious. If you see a suspicious vehicle matching the description, call 911.

Here in Morningside we have been seeing an increase in car break-ins. An incident that occurred the night of 3/17 was reported to the MSP. A clean-cut white male in his mid-twenties or early thirties was seen running from the driveway of a home on Cumberland. The homeowner had been making several trips from his SUV to the house. Clearly he had been observed.

Just a reminder, even if your car is parked behind your house, keep your doors locked and remove your valuables from the vehicle. Again, if you see anything suspicious, or a victim of a crime, call 911 first, then if you wish, follow-up with us. We always appreciate being kept informed.

ATLANTA CITY COURT REVIEW PANEL HOLDS PUBLIC HEARING
The Honorable Mayor Shirley Franklin of the City of Atlanta created The Mayor's Municipal and City Court Review Panel, pursuant to Administrative Order 2002-10. The Mayor's Municipal and City Court Review Panel was created to "advise the Mayor on the court system of the City of Atlanta and whether the current system could be revised in light of the goals of efficiency, avoidance of duplication, focus on essential services and cost savings to the taxpayers." Pursuant to Amended Administrative Order 2002-10 the Panel is to conclude its work and submit a final report to the Mayor by April 18, 2003.

The Mayor's Municipal and City Court Review Panel hereby serves notice of a public hearing to be held on March 26, 2003 beginning at 6:00 pm. The public hearing will be held at the City of Atlanta Council Chambers located at 55 Trinity Ave. S.W., Suite 2900. The Mayor's Municipal and City Court Review Panel will open the floor and invite the public to make comments concerning the goals of the Panel.

VHMPA SAFETY FAIR
Saturday, 3-29-03, 11a.m.-2p.m. at Morningside Elementary School, come meet leading experts and see demonstrations from leading safety experts in Atlanta. Some topics include car seat demonstrations, bike and pedestrian safety, childproofing safety tips, environmental issues, and much more. Representatives from many health and safety groups will be available to answer questions. Entertainment for the kids by Little Gym of Buckhead, clowns and magic shows. This event is sponsored by Virginia Highlands Morningside Parents Association.

REMINDER OF SCOOPING THE POOP LAW AND DISPOSAL
Please remember to pick up after your dogs on their daily walks. It is the law and makes life so much more pleasant for all of us. Also, for those of you who are already picking up the poop, please remember that placing your dog's waste in people's containers for yard waste is UNACCEPTABLE! On some streets where this is often a problem, city workers have refused to haul off the yard waste because it was also full of plastic bags with dog poop!

Morningside Lenox Park Association's regular monthly meeting will be this Monday, March 10, 7:30 p.m. at Morningside Presbyterian Church. All are welcome to come.

Georgia Power will be present to answer questions remaining after our February 25th community meeting (see questions here). I anticipate moving this portion of the agenda to the front so if you are interested in participating in this question session, please be there at 7:30 p.m.

Thanks to all who have taken the time to become involved in this issue. Our neighborhood is very lucky to have folks like you.

LANE CLOSURES TO START TODAY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF 17th STREET BRIDGE
This Friday night, crews will close two left lanes on I-85 Northbound (including the HOV lane), as well as the I-75 Northbound and Southbound HOV lanes. There will be no closure on Saturday night.

Details will be available starting each Monday on the Georgia DOT website (www.dot.state.ga.us) and the toll free phone number (1-888-419-GDOT). In addition, the Department will ensure all media outlets have the closure information so that motorists can hear it there as well.

The project essentially extends 17th Street 1.523 miles over I-75/I-85 (commonly referred to as the Downtown Connector) from the new Atlantic Station development to West Peachtree Street and also includes realignment of Techwood Drive. Once the beams are set, construction crews will continue work on the bridge until December 31without lane closures. The estimated cost is $38.2 million.

CHESHIRE BRIDGE ROAD TASK FORCE STREETSCAPE MASTER PLAN
Please plan to attend The Cheshire Bridge Road Streetscape Master Plan Workshop / Presentation

GEORGIA POWER MEETS WITH MORNINGSIDE FEBRUARY 25
Georgia Power has agreed to meet with the neighborhood on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 7:00 p.m., in the big hall at Morningside Presbyterian Church. They have promised to bring answers to our questions and to be open to other questions at that time.

Please plan on coming to this very important meeting. Feel free to email me with questions or concerns. Also please visit our website http://www.mlpa.org for more info on this issue and also visit
http://www.hopeofgeorgia.com for information regarding health issues and
public utility rights.

As you know, four Georgia Power officials attended our monthly Morningside Lenox Park Association Board meeting last Monday, Feb. 10. We had lots of questions but they were not ready to give many answers. Georgia Power has agreed to meet with the neighborhood on Tuesday, February 25, at 7:00 p.m., in the big hall at Morningside Presbyterian Church. They have promised to bring answers to our questions and to be open to other questions at that time.

Based on the information we have at present, Morningside Lenox Park Association's Board members have voted to not support Georgia Power's plan to place a substation in our neighborhood. Where we go from here will be found in the answers from Georgia Power.

Please plan on coming to this very important meeting. Feel free to email me with questions or concerns. Also please visit our website http://www.mlpa.org for more info on this issue And also visit http://www.hopeofgeorgia.com for information regarding health issues and public utility rights.

Georgia Power has agreed to send three representatives to MLPA's Board Meeting tonight to discuss 2020 Lenox Road. The representatives are John Kelly and Dorsey Walker who are in Operations and Don Perkins who is in Land Management.

Georgia Power will be given 10 minutes to share their intentions with regard to the placement of a sub-station in our neighborhood. This will be followed by questions from residents. There will be a sign up sheet at the door if you would like to ask a question.

Emotions may be running high but let's remember a point can be made without being rude. Thank you for your interest in this matter and I look forward to seeing you tonight.

I have it officially from Georgia Power that they have an option to buy the house at 2020 Lenox Rd. They plan to put a sub-station there. Because of the utility company's eminent domain, they could do this without seeking a change in the residential zoning. (See more and pictures.)

I have asked John Kelly, Ga. Power's District Manager, and Dorsey Walker, the city's Ga. Power contact, to come to our Morningside Lenox Park Board Meeting this Monday night. They declined, stating that they did not have the specifics yet. I asked that they come in good faith and let us know what they do have at present and to show they are willing to work with the neighborhood. They declined that as well. Councilmember Fauver and Representative Gardner also asked them to attend but were unsuccessful.

Yes, Georgia Power has the power of eminent domain. However, if there is any hope of stopping this thing, it has to be done now. We must speak out as a neighborhood. This is a travesty, not only to the neighbors immediately surrounding the area, but to our entire neighborhood. There are health issues and visual pollution issues and issues with the ability of a utility to plunk down a sub-station in a neighborhood. This is not just a little metal box. This is big.

We are still in hopes of getting Georgia Power to come before us Monday night and state their intentions. They should at least be willing to tell us why they think it must be located in our neighborhood. If you have any background in environmental issues, please contact me at olansky@bellsouth.net.

Please call the numbers below and go on record as opposing this ridiculous idea. Don't assume others will act for you. This is important and our neighborhood's vitality is at stake.

Thank you. I'll send more info as I get it. Please make some phone calls to Ga. Power.

KEEPING MORNINGSIDE GREEN
Good news: The response to this year's Morningside tree planting has been more enthusiastic than we had hoped. We will be planting over sixty-five trees on Saturday, February 8th!

This leads to the bad news: We need more volunteers to help us dig the holes and mulch the new trees after we plant them.

Please let me know if you can help us keep Morningside green by coming out on Saturday, February 8th with your work gloves, a shovel, and a bottle of drinking water. We will meet in the parking lot of Morningside Presbyterian Church, 1411 North Morningside Drive, at 9 AM. With enough help, we should be done no later than 1 PM.

MEMBERSHIP REMINDER
Please don't forget to renew your MLPA membership. If you are a MSP member then you should have a shiny new sign out front. If you don't have a sign yet but have joined MSP, contact Mike or Bob. If you don't have a sign yet because you haven't joined, it's not too late!

CONCERT REMINDER
Free concert by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Mon. Feb.3, 7p.m. at Morningside Presbyterian Church.

This eNews from Morningside is sponsored by Morningside Lenox Park Association and is being sent to 753 households right now!

MORNINGSIDE CHOSEN FOR FREE ASO CONCERT
Morningside is one of 4 neighborhoods chosen to host a free concert by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Mon. Feb.3, 7p.m. at Morningside Presbyterian Church. The informal concert will last about an hour and would be an ideal way to give OLDER children as well as adults an opportunity to hear some of the finest musicians in the nation. Call Daniel Cherrix, 404-347-9362. No reservations necessary.

PUT YOUR MARK ON THE PARK
Playground at Sidney Marcus Park Update: Various Committees have been working for months to organize improvements to our neighborhood park. The payoff is around the corner: a new playscape, improved drainage, new walkways, etc. are coming soon. Successful fundraising allows us to begin construction soon -- but we need your help to finish the job. Thus, we¹d like for you to contribute, in two different ways:

1. Let us hear from you. On Sunday, Jan. 26th, representatives will be in the Park to discuss plans and share ideas. The timing is 2- 4pm, with a rain date of Feb. 2nd. If you can¹t attend, please share your thoughts with our steering committee Dawn Davis 404 870-0932 Barry Berlin 404 892-0223 Margo Dixon 404 872-9183 Adrienne Maxim 404 875-4971 Christa Martin 404 875-4971 Rick Flynn 404 892-3377

2. Buy a Brick, a Bench, a Picnic Table -- We are initiating the last phase of fundraising. To date, over $20,000 cash has been raised, and construction assistance worth $8-10,000 has been committed. Now, we are asking the Park¹s neighbors to contribute as follows: … Bricks, to acknowledge your children, grandchildren, etc. $75/brick. … Benches (4 needed), with plaques to acknowledge the donor. Approx. $700 per bench. … Picnic Tables (4 needed), with plaques to acknowledge the donor. approx. $1000 per table.

For more info, to make a contribution, or to affirm acknowledgements, contact Barry Berlin at 404 892-0223, or bberlin@atlantictrustco.com.

2002 END OF YEAR MSP SUMMARY
For most months during 2002, the total number of crimes was not unusually high. What was unusual was the number of burglaries during the year.

Jan. and early Feb. were the beginning of this trend. An arrest in early Feb. did decrease the rate of burglaries in Feb. and March.

The rate increased again in April and remained high until Nov. More burglaries occurred in July than at any other time. An arrest made in early Sept. put a dent in this crime wave and a third arrest in late Oct. seems to have capped the rash of burglaries.

In fact, we usually expect to see a rise in burglary during the holidays but the number of these incidents remained low throughout Nov. and Dec. However we must remain vigilant.

Again, call 911 to report a crime or any suspicious activity. Then let us know. Also if you are experiencing difficulties with the 911 system or your police response, let us know. Sometimes we can help to improve the service by working through the Zone and MSP.

Email Address Changes
This time of year, MLPA sees more changes than usual in the email database, with deletion of neighbors who have moved away and addition of new members. Please bear with us as we attempt to make the database current. If you received this email announcement and you have previously notified us that you wish to receive it no longer, we apologize.

This eNews from Morningside is sponsored by Morningside Lenox Park Association and is being sent to 753 households right now!

MARTA COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Currently, MARTA routes 16, 36, and 45 go through Morningside. A small group of interested residents has started meeting to plan discussions with MARTA about routes, schedules, and bus sizes, and the impact of the routes on the neighborhood.

The next meeting will be at 7:00 PM, Tuesday January 14, at Morningside Presbyterian Church, just before the regular Traffic Committee meeting. Anyone who has concerns or issues is encouraged to attend and join the effort. Email Bill Ellis, Traffic Committee Chairman, at billellis@mindspring.com or call Bill at 404-874-0216.

REMINDERS
*Morningside Lenox Park Association's monthly meeting, Monday, Jan. 13, 7:30p.m. at Morningside Presbyterian Church. All neighbors are encouraged to come and find out what's happening in Morningside.

*District 6 Town Hall Meeting, Jan. 21, 7-8:30 p.m. at Inman Middle School. Presented by Councilmember Anne Fauver with special guests Mayor Franklin and Chief Pennington. Open to all.

Dear Morningside Security Patrol member - we want to ALERT you to an important SECURITY ISSUE!!!

The new, sturdier and more weather resistant security signs are scheduled to arrive on January 14, 2003! Starting on the weekend of January 17th (depending on weather and any other unforeseen problems) Security Patrol team personnel will be replacing your old, weather beaten Morningside Security Patrol signs with these beautiful new signs. If you see strange men or women in your neighborhood placing beautiful new MSP signs in yards - do NOT be alarmed. They're from the MSP and they're here to help.

If you have an old sign in your yard and are NOT an MSP member - you can get a new sign by joining the MSP.

LAST DAYS FOR SPECIAL MSP DISCOUNT!
Have you taken advantage of MSP's Special Offer??? If not, you have a few more days to do so. Act before Dec. 31st to renew your membership for the Security Patrol for 2003 and you will receive a 10% discount: your dues will only be $153 (or $90 if you are 62 or older)

Here are a few excellent reasons to "upgrade" your membership and become a part of Morningside Security Patrol:

If you are currently a member of MLPA's Civic Association only, become a member of the Security Patrol for 2003 before Dec. 31st, and the same 10% discount offer will apply to you. Here's a sample of what you get:

DISTRICT 6 TOWN HALL MEETING
District 6 will have a town hall meeting on January 21, 2003 at Inman Middle School from 7 to 8:30p.m. Mayor Shirley Franklin and Police Chief Richard Pennington will be our special guests. Please put this on your calendar and we hope to see you at this very important meeting. This Town Hall Meeting presented by Councilmember Anne Fauver.

SECURITY PATROL REPORT
Burglaries are down dramatically. Many thanks to our MSP, Zone 2 Officers, and our alert and careful neighbors! The holidays are usually a time of higher crime. Stay vigilant and report any unusual activity to 911. If you are a victim of a crime, you must call 911 to report it. This is extremely important and affects our police coverage. Please visit our website http://www.mlpa.org and click on officers pages and security tips for more ways to stay safe this holiday season. We have received many calls from new members wanting to know where their new signs and stickers are. The company that did these for us has apparently been a victim of the economy. We have found a new firm and have new signs and stickers on order and expect to be putting them out in late Jan. or early Feb. Please rest assured that even if you do not have a sign yet, any vacation requests that you submit will be honored by the Patrol.

This eNews from Morningside is sponsored by Morningside Lenox ParkAssociation and is being sent to 753 households right now!

PLAY 4 DOUGH" SILENT AUCTION/COCKTAIL PARTY
Please join your Morningside neighbors at Smiths Olde Bar Concert Hall (upstairs) for a Silent Auction this Saturday, Dec. 7th, 4:00pm - 7:00pm. All proceeds go to the replacement playground structure in Sidney Marcus Park, located between Sherwood Road and Cumberland Road. This fundraiser is sponsored by S.M.A.R.T. (Sidney Marcus Awesome Restoration Team).

We will be auctioning over 130 items and gift certificates donated by neighborhood businesses and individuals. Come see the awesome deals and enjoysome live music, Fat Matt's barbecue, and cash bar!

Tickets are $15.00 at the door or $10.00 if purchased in advance by contacting either Karen Monks (brikar@bellsouth.net) or Lisa Young (bllc@mindspring.com). The last bidding table closes at 6:15pm. See you there!

TREE ORDINANCE UPDATE
Tree ordinance #02-O-1778 is being held in Community Development committee.Cleta Winslow who chairs the committee has said that the committee willconsider the changes that we have requested. This legislation will have tobe advertised for 30 days because of changes in the fee schedule. Thislegislation will be voted on in Community Development on 12/10 @ 1:00 p.m.and then will go before the full Council in January 2003. The above info provided by Councilmember Anne Fauver.

IMPORTANT BZA HEARING
The city is challenging the illegal construction of the roof top sign at the Masters Club, AKA Ponytails, Inc., located at 1888 Cheshire Bridge Road.The Masters Club is also in violation of the city's parking lot ordinance. The parking lot ordinance requires shade trees for parking lots over 30 spaces. A five foot front landscape buffer is also required next to the street.

Please plan to attend the hearing to voice your support of the city forciting this club with the sign violation. V-02-271 is the 5th item on the agenda.

MONTHLY MLPA MEETING
Please join your neighbors for the monthly Morningside Lenox Park Association Meeting, Monday, December 9, 7:30p.m. at Morningside Presbyterian Church.

E-mail Joelle Spain (wegimont@bellsouth.net) with your name, address andphone number, and send your check --payable to MLPA-- to the followingaddress:

If you want to be in the 2003 Directory, Membership information and Duesmust be received no later than January 1st, 2003.

URGENT REQUEST FOR TREE PROTECTION!
City Council has been poised to drastically weaken Atlanta¹s new Tree Ordinance in a vote scheduled for December 2. Council Member Fauver and MLPA are working to moderate the changes. Please contact your council-members and tell them environmental protection matters to you on
this issue.

BACKGROUND
The current tree ordinance passed in December 2001 and made clear-cutting of canopy uneconomic for developers. At developers' behest, Council on December 2 will be asked to vote to place caps on the recompense payable for removing trees. The requirements to qualify for these caps are very low, so clear-cutting will resume. For example, industrial and commercial developments will qualify to have their recompense capped at $10,000 per acre if they save a mere 10% of existing trees. The process for coming up with the cap formulae was driven by developers to ensure that they could get around the Tree Ordinance at negligible cost. There was no consideration of environmental impact or even of the consequences for the City¹s (i.e., taxpayers') storm water costs. The proposed legislation can be seen on the pdf file here beginning on p 166. (this is a very big file) Council Member Fauver has suggested increasing the tree saves that qualify for recompense caps.

ACTION
It would be great if environmentally-aware citizens would express opposition to weakening the ordinance and ask other council members to support Anne Fauve's suggestions. (It would be equally good for Anne¹s office to hear of your support.) We need council members to hear your voice before December 2. Please contact Anne and your 3 at-large council members, Norwood, Wills and Mitchell, to request that they oppose rolling back the ordinance. Contact info at the end of this e-mail. Below is a draft message that you might want to use or put into your own words.

1. Security Patrol
2. Atlanta Budget Hearings
3. Annual Free Tree Planting
4. City Zoning Workshop
5. Public Forum
6. Citizens Summit III

1. DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR SECURITY PATROL! Sign up for the Security Patrol before December 31st, 2002 and get a 10% discount (i.e. $153 instead of $170, or $90 for people over 62 years old). Free Morningside T-shirts to all members who renew (or sign up) with the Security Patrol before Thanksgiving - The 10% discount and T-shirt promo are applicable only for the Security Patrol membership, not for the MLPA-only members.

E-mail Joelle Spain (wegimont@bellsouth.net) with your name, address and phone number, and send your check --payable to MLPA-- to the following address: MLPA P.O.Box 8156 Atlanta, GA 31106

If you want to be in the 2003 Directory, Membership information and Dues must be received no later than January 1st, 2003.

2. ATLANTA CITY BUDGET HEARINGS
There have been changes made to the Budget Hearings for 2003 Budgets. They are as follows: Tuesday, November 12 @6:00p.m. Atlanta City Hall - Council Chambers

3. ANNUAL FREE TREE PLANTING for Front Yards and Parks - Apply for Your Tree or Volunteer! February 8 is our neighborhood's annual FREE Tree Planting as part of the Trees Atlanta "Neighborwoods" program. Tree plantings help to maintain the tree canopy as many of our trees are mature and reaching the end of their natural lives.

Shade trees will be planted either in front yards or in Parks by volunteers from our neighborhood and from Trees Atlanta. Homeowners will receive tree care guides and will be responsible for watering and mulching going forward, but will not be required to be present for the planting.

Volunteers are needed to: *Provide a vehicle to haul trees and supplies on February 8. *Plant trees (tools and supplies provided by Trees Atlanta).

Volunteers will meet Feb. 8 at the Morningside Presbyterian Church parking lot at 9 am and finish by noon.

This holiday season, Give the Gift of Green...Green Trees, that is! Honor a friend, family member, or colleague with a living tribute: Make a $50 donation and MLPA will plant a tree in their honor in a neighborhood park. You will receive a certificate that you may present to the honoree in recognition of the tree planted. To recommend a tree location, volunteer, or donate in honor of someone, please complete the info below and forward it to: lindasr@mindspring.com or contact Linda Rothermel at 404-431-5625.

Only a limited number of trees will be available. Please note that every effort will be made to honor requests for tree plantings but that each request will be evaluated to comply with the Tree Ordinance and viability of the requested site.

4. CITY ZONING WORKSHOP The Zoning 201 Workshop will be held on Saturday, November 9, 10am to 2pm in Committee Room 2. The Zoning 201 workshop will take a "hands on" approach in explaining the building permit process using real scenarios related to the building permit process. Norm Koplon, Director of the Bureau of Buildings will serve as facilitator to the panel discussion; which will include representatives from the Bureau of Buildings, Bureau of Planning, and the Development community.

5. PUBLIC FORUM On November 7th there will be an all-day community Public Forum dealing with some of Metropolitan Atlanta's biggest concerns, namely public education, transportation and traffic and water and wastewater management. Distinguished panelists include Joel Cowan, Dr. Wayne Clough and Dr. Beverly Hall. Mayor Shirley Franklin will be the Keynote Speaker during the luncheon. The cost is $75 per person and includes all-day program, valet parking, hot buffet-style luncheon and refreshments. Because Metro Group is a non-profit organization, $40 of the ticket is tax deductible. There is room for only 225 participants on a first come, first serve basis. Tickets will not be available at the door. Call or email: Amy E. Blanco Metro Group 404/350-9988 x125 ablanco@brookwoodgroup.com

6. CITIZENS SUMMIT III Saturday,Nov. 9, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Ga. State University Conference Center (Student Center Building at Gilmer & Piedmont).Citizens Summit III will focus on environmental living and sustainable communities and help people take action at home, in neighborhoods and communities to create a more sustainable world. The summit will feature 16 workshops on topics from how to catch rain from your roof for watering your yard to funding urban transit service to make communities more walkable. Cost:$20 (includes materials, lunch, snacks and post-conference reception). For more about the summit and to download a registration form visit http://www.southface.org/home/elive/e_live.htm.

"'Tis the Season" already: 2002 will soon be over, and it's time to renew your membership for next year. Dues for 2003 will remain as follow:

However, if you sign up for the Security Patrol before December 31st, 2002, you will get a 10% discount (i.e. $153 instead of $170, or $90 for people over 62 years old). As an additional incentive, we will distribute T-shirts to all members who renew (or sign up) with the Security Patrol before Thanksgiving - The 10% discount and T-shirt promo are applicable only for the Security Patrol membership, not for the MLPA-only members.

In order to renew your MLPA or MSP membership for 2003, please send an e-mail to Joelle Spain (wegimont@bellsouth.net) with your name, address and phone number, and send your check --payable to MLPA-- to the following address:

If you want to be in the 2003 Directory, Membership information and Dues must be received no later than January 1st, 2003.

The Security Patrol is a special service provided for Morningside/Lenox Park residents: our private security patrol is staffed by off duty Atlanta Police Officers who log thousands of hours annually in order to deter criminal activity in our neighborhood. Members also receive complimentary home security assessments, vacation security checks/reports, and neighborhood crime alerts: these services are available to all MLPA residents, but in order to continue keeping the hours, we need more members. Won't you please help your neighbors pay for these great services this year?

We hope that you will continue to support our neighborhood association by joining the Civic Association and the Security Patrol for 2003: as you know, the MLPA is supported solely by memberships and by the annual Tour of Homes fundraiser. The revenues generated are used for important neighborhood projects that benefit all residents. Here are some of our recent achievements and continuing goals:

Once again this year, continue to be more than a neighbor: renew your MLPA membership !!

On Saturday October 19th, MLPA held a picnic in Lenox-Wildwood Park to kickoff the 2003 membership drive for the Morningside-Lenox Park Association and the Morningside Security Patrol. Initially, the idea of the picnic was to help celebrate the tenth anniversary of MSP this November. Now it is hoped that this will become an annual event. Thanks to Joelle Spain for staffing the membership table and to Charlotte Gillis for recruiting support for the Save Our Trees initiative.

Pockets the Clown (Anna Olansky) was on hand to offer the kids gifts and to assist her cohort (Dianne Olansky) with face painting. The face painting was intended for kids but Dianne discovered several adults who wanted to get into the act. No one seemed to mind.

Food was cooked by Donna Laux, Alan Olansky, and Bob Silvia over the park's outdoor grill. Hot dogs were provided by MLPA and MSP. Special thanks to Publix Supermarket of Ansley Mall for donating buns, condiments, soda, cookies, and other goodies, and to George's Restaurant and Bar for donating a keg of beer.

Officer Vernon Schuffett was there representing MSP. Several officers from the Atlanta Police Department's Zone 2 arrived and opened their squad cars and motorcyles to the kids. The sounds of sirens and horns caught the attention of passersby. Roman the drug-sniffing dog and his handler from the Red Dog Squad's K-9 Unit also joined the festivities. A good time and a full stomach were had by all.

MORNINGSIDE TOUR OF HOMES
The 2002 Morningside Home Tour will be this weekend Oct 5th 10-5 and Oct 6th 1-5. It's our largest fundraiser of the year and we need your support to make it our best tour ever.

To volunteer for a 4 hour shift call Laura Fuselier 404-817-7122. We can sure use your help.

Become a FRIEND OF THE TOUR. You'll receive 2 tickets to the tour, acknowledgement in the next Morningside Newsletter and two invitations to the post tour party and honoring the homeowners, volunteers and sponsors. This party is the social event of the season and should not be missed.

This year's celebration will be on Saturday Night, October 12th at 7:30 and will be catered by Avalon Catering and Murphy's. Even though the party is by invitation only, the location must be kept top secret! Contact Zac Pasmanick at 404-892-1177, NOW before the limited amount of FRIENDS OF THE TOUR SPONSORSHIPS sell out! Thanks for your support.

WILDWOOD PARK CLEANUP
October 19th is cleanup morning at Wildwood Gardens, beginning at 9 a.m. Bring your gloves, gardening tools, and pitch in for some good clean fun! Head over to the picnic after your good deeds to enjoy a hotdog!

MORNINGSIDE LENOX PARK FALL PICNIC Mark your calendars for Sat., Oct. 19th, 11 AM - 2 PM! MLPA is holding a picnic at Lenox-Wildwood Park to kick off its annual membership drive. All are welcome! Hot dogs will be on the grill. Planned events include face painting for the kids. Officers representing the Morningside Security Patrol and the Atlanta Police Department¹s Zone 2 will be on hand. Information on neighborhood safety and sign-up sheets for home security checkups will be available. And of course membership information and sign-up will also be available. Several surprises are planned so check our website www.mlpa.org. Lenox-Wildwood is located on the corner of Lenox and Wildwood. It is one of the neighborhood¹s largest parks. It contains tennis courts, children¹s playground equipment, and a barbecue pit. There is limited parking in the park¹s parking lot just off Lenox near the intersection with Wildwood. Additional parking is available on Wildwood and Sussex. We hope to see everyone from Johnson Estates, Lenox Park, and Morningside there. For further information call Dianne Olansky at 404-885-9846

CHANGES IN CITY OF ATLANTA YARD REFUSE AND BULK RUBBISH PICK-UP
Effective September 16, 2002, the Department of Public Works will begin scheduling bulk rubbish collections. The collection is by appointment only. October 14, 2002 is the first date that bulk rubbish will be collected under these procedures. To schedule an appointment, call 404-330-6333 between the hours of 9:00a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and speak to a Solid Waste Customer Service Representative in order to receive a work order number and a collection appointment date.

Public Works is initiating a state of the art call center program to handle the projected call load for the appointments. The system will emulate best practices used in several other cities and counties and will be operational by October 14th. Until that time, the City is placing a moratorium on bulk rubbish and asking all residents to refrain from placing bulk rubbish on the street. While the City will accept phone calls to schedule appointments for pick-up, the appointments will not begin until October 14th.

In the event that citizens do not use the call center to schedule appointments, the City is considering several options that require Council approval. Public Works is proposing that the City first issue a Courtesy Notice of Violation, then a citation followed by a fine. The second and third measures require legislative approval.

Beginning October 7, 2002, yard trimmings will be collected twice per month, based on your garbage collection day. If your garbage is collected on Monday or Tuesday, then your yard trimmings will be collected during the 1st and 3rd week of each month.

If your garbage collection day is Wednesday or Thursday, then your yard trimmings will be collected during the 2nd and 4th week of each month. Public Works requests that you set debris at curbside no later than the weekend prior to your collection week.

GET OUT AND VOTE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 10
Don't forget to vote in Tuesday's runoffs! Every vote is important so let your voice be heard.

BURGLAR ARRESTED!
Investigator Vazquez informed Security Patrol Co-Chair Mike Carew Wed. night that a burglar was arrested in Zone 6 Tues. He has admitted to at least 3 burglaries in our area. They don't know if he was the only one plaguing our neighborhood, Dekalb, and the Highlands but he is at least one of them. At this point, lets not let our guard down but this is a bit of good news.

TOUR OF HOMES
Morningside's Tour of Homes is still looking for volunteers. Please email Zac at zac@zac.biz. Become a "Friend of the Tour" with an $100 donation.

MORNINGSIDE LENOX PARK PICNIC!
Mark your calendars for Sat., Oct. 19th, 11AM - 2 PM! MLPA is holding a picnic at Lenox-Wildwood Park to kick off its annual membership drive. All are welcome! Hot dogs will be on the grill. Planned events include face painting for the kids. Officers representing the Morningside Security Patrol and the Atlanta Police Department¹s Zone 2 will be on hand. Information on neighborhood safety and sign-up sheets for home security checkups will be available. Membership information and sign-up will also be available. Several surprises are planned so check our website http://www.mlpa.org.

MISSING SIGNS
We're trying to locate some of MLPA's signs which announce our upcoming monthly meetings. If you helped take some down after last month's meeting, please let Martha know you have them. marthaporterhall@mindspring.com

MONTHLY MLPA MEETING
Speaking of meetings, our monthly neighborhood meeting is Monday, Sept. 9, 7:30p.m. at Morningside Presbyterian Church. Everyone is welcome. Please join us!

Support the Morningside Tour of Homes on October 5 and 6 by becoming a "Friend of the Tour" sponsor for $100. Funds support MLPA's many great services to our community, including tree plantings, parks beautification, zoning and traffic planning and review, support for neighborhood schools, and much more. Your name will be listed in the post tour newsletter as a "Friend of the Tour". You will also receive 2 tickets to the tour and an invitation to the post tour party for homeowners, sponsors, and volunteers. It's a great way to support the tour and the neighborhood.

To become a Friend of the Tour, or to inquire about higher levels of sponsorship for your business, contact: Linda Rothermel: lindasr@mindspring.com Joelle Spain: wegimont@bellsouth.net

Volunteers are still needed for this year's tour. If you're interested, please contact Zac at zac@zac.biz

PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE TUESDAY, AUGUST 20.
Voter turnout is expected to be low. Please take the time to cast your vote. You can make a difference.

TOUR OF HOMES VOLUNTEERS
Morningside's wonderful Tour of Homes needs lots of volunteers to make this year's the most successful ever! Tour dates are Oct. 5 & 6. It's a fun way to help the neighborhood. A great post tour party will wrap up the event for volunteers and home owners. Contact zac@thezacteam.net

TRAFFIC STUDY ON WEBSITE
Morningside Lenox Park's Traffic Study of its collector streets performed by URS is now on the website! Visit www.mlpa.org and click on Traffic calming project." Many thanks to David Turkheimer for his work on this.

MORNINGSIDE GARDEN CLUB
The Morningside Garden Club kicks off a new year beginning Sept 4. A road trip has been planned to many nurseries south of the city. Meetings are held the first Wed. of the month. The times vary between evenings and day meetings. If anyone is interested in information call Connie Morris at 404-876-2786 or momconnie@bellsouth.net.

COMMUNITY GARDEN AT PIEDMONT PARK
The Community Garden at Piedmont Park is opening twenty-five new plots for the Fall season. If you are interested in applying for a plot, please email Carla Phillips at Piedmont Park Conservancy, cphillips@piedmontpark.org. The deadline for applying is September 30th.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SEWER REPAIR
As many of you are aware, the City of Atlanta has a huge problem with its aging sewer system. Atlanta still relies on sewer infrastructure that was installed in the early 1900s. The city was sued for water quality violations resulting from its sewer problems and signed two separate consent decrees agreeing to correct deficiencies in Atlanta's sewer system. There continues to be debate surrounding the best method to correct the problem, but it appears that whatever plan the city adopts to fix the sewer system, the cost will be roughly $3 billion.

If ratepayers alone must bear the burden of financing the program, water and sewer rates will triple, from $600 to $1800. Rates at this level would be unaffordable for many Atlantans, which is unacceptable.

Mayor Franklin intends to seek financial assistance for the sewer projects from the federal government. The City Council has launched a grassroots effort to assist the Mayor by leading a petition drive to collect 70,000 letters of support for federal funding. Atlanta deserves federal assistance to help fund its sewer infrastructure improvements. Other cities, such as Boston, Baltimore and San Diego, have received billions in federal assistance for similar sewer improvement projects.

Finally, if you prefer to avoid the computer, simply send a letter of support to:

Time is of the essence! The goal of the City Council is to collect all letters or cards in support by August 28, 2002.

MORNINGSIDE SECURITY UPDATE
As you know, during the past several months we have sent out alertsregarding the increased burglary activity in our neighborhood. We wanted to update you and once again solicit your help.

These crimes are continuing even though an arrest was made over a week ago. There is more than one group working the area. Our neighbors in DekalbCounty are experiencing the same problem. Zone 2 has stepped its regular patrols in the neighborhood and have also dispatched some plain clothesofficers in unmarked cars. The Morningside Patrol has shifted some of its coverage to what appears to be the prime times for these crimes. MSP is also hiring an additional officer on a temporary basis to cover this time aswell.

Most reports the police and MSP have received, suggests that these criminalsare posing as contractors or servicemen. The police and MSP have been stopping at houses where contractors appear to be active and are checking I.D.s and authorizations. Reports on possible suspects include a white cargo van with a ladder rack or ladder on top of it. Another is a gray pick-uptruck. Last Friday, there was a report of a light blue van, tag # 2814 AED Fulton County, cruising Noble, Johnson, and Homestead. Reports also include a black man posing alternately as a contractor and phone worker, and a whitemale driving a white Ford van.

So please keep a lookout for these kinds of activities. Report them to 911. Get tag numbers and descriptions if at all possible. The police will besuccessful more quickly if we all pitch in and help. Thanks to neighbors whohave already turned in tips.

PIEDMONT PARK CONSERVANCY
The next Piedmont Park Conservancy Community Committee meeting will be held in Magnolia Hall in Piedmont Park on Thursday, August 1, 2002 at 6 p.m..

The Conservancy is seeking public input regarding charging for parking andwe would like community participation on this point of discussion.

Please RSVP by replying to Shay at smeyer@piedmontpark.org or by calling404-875-7275. We prefer email so that we can capture all committee memberemail addresses.

YARD WASTE UPDATE FROM COUNCILMEMBER FAUVER
Reductions in the sanitation dept. that had been budgeted for 2002 took effect in July. The department is currently engaged in a routing analysis toestablish a new schedule for yard waste removals for the entire city. In the short run, a large backlog of yard waste has accumulated.

The City is attempting to achieve yard waste removal on as frequent a basis as possible for all residents. Mr.. Marks did indicate that yard waste will not be removed weekly. We recognize that this information is only useful if you have a schedule for the removal, and the city is endeavoring to providethe schedule.

In the meantime, if you have an inordinately large volume of yard waste for removal, you can schedule a special pick-up in advance. You can then plan your yard clean-up for the special pick-up. You should call 404-330-6236 to schedule the special pick-up. Also, if you use a private landscaping or tree removal service to do large jobs on your property, that landscaper should handle the disposal of the yard debris.

Finally, it assists the Sanitation Department greatly if you will call them, at 404-330-6236, to schedule removal of large items, such as appliances, furniture, carpet or other bulky items. If you can schedule placing those items at the curb around the garbage removal pick-up date you receive, that is even better, but at the very least a request for special pick-up will assist Sanitation in timely removal.

Atlanta and its surrounding counties have been growing at an incredible rate for many years. The impact of the constant influx of people, construction of new homes and commercial development has increased the stress on the infrastructures that support everyday life. The increase in traffic is one of the most visible aspects of this growth and development. One of the least visible aspects is the aging underground infrastructure that carries sewerage to our treatment facilities. That is, it's least visible until sewage backs up in backyards and basements or flows into our creeks. The City of Atlanta, DeKalb County and Fulton County have agreed to work together to construct the Nancy Creek Tunnel to help an area that experiences constant problems with sewerage overflow. The Nancy Creek drainage basin includes the northern part of the City of Atlanta, parts of northeast Fulton County and a portion of DeKalb County. Sewerage from these areas is treated at the R.M. Clayton Treatment Plant on Bolton Road.

When there is a heavy rain, the existing sewer system does not have enough capacity to carry both the raw sewage and the additional storm water that enters the lines through manholes and cracks in the pipes. This problem has been ongoing since the 1980s. Various options for increasing the sewer capacity were investigated and the tunnel option was found to be the most environmentally sound and least disruptive solution. The tunnel option is supported by the many of residents who live within the Nancy Creek basin and have experienced sewage backups over the years.

On December 18, 2000, the City of Atlanta authorized Jordan, Jones & Goulding and Engineering Design Technologies (JJG/EDT) to provide engineering services for design of the tunnel and pump station. The tunnel will extend from Johnson Ferry Road in DeKalb County to the R.M. Clayton WRC in northwest Atlanta. It will be approximately 8 miles long with an inside diameter of 16 feet. The Nancy Creek Tunnel will be excavated through bedrock, which makes it more stable during construction. Experience has shown that deep rock tunnel construction has little impact on above ground structures.

Construction of the Nancy Creek Tunnel is scheduled to begin in July 2002 and expected to be completed in the fall of 2005. According to Mary Norwood, Atlanta City Council Member At Large, "This tunnel project will play a significant role in restoring water quality in Nancy Creek. The residents in this area have suffered with sewer overflows long enough. We are confidant that this tunnel is the best solution, for both the City of Atlanta and its residents, because it will create the fewest environmental and neighborhood impacts."

The public is invited to attend a public meeting to find out more about the project. Following are meeting dates, locations, and times:

July 23
Pace Academy
966 W. Paces Ferry Road NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30327
7:00 p.m.- 9:pm

July 25.
The Carpenter's House
2355 Bolton Road, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30318
7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

July 29
Peachtree Presbyterian Church
3434 Roswell Road, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

July 31
Sandy Springs Christian Church
301 Johnson Ferry Road, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

Media Contacts: Sandra Walker, Mayor's Office of Marketing & Communications (404) 330.6395 Tony Gomez, Department of Public Works (404) 330.6980

In the City of Atlanta, Dekalb, and Fulton Counties, outdoor water use is not allowed from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.Address-based odd-even water use is allowed during other hours. See our new Watering Restriction web page for more information.

The following islands, medians and beauty spots will not be cut
by the City any longer because of budget cuts:

PARKS COMMITTEE LOOKING FOR "PARK STEWARDS"
In an effort to keep our parks healthy and happy, the MLPA Parks Committee Co-Chairs are looking for a group of neighbors to be "park stewards". These residents would do periodic surveys of green space in their areas and report any needs or tree issues. Interested? Email Charlotte at gillis-brown@mindspring.com or Karen at karenschaefer@mindspring.com

TREES AT MORNINGSIDE ELEMENTARY: Many residents were alarmed at the big orange X's on many trees along Fordham Court at MES. These trees were marked for removal during storm drainage repair at the school. Thanks to joint work by community, city, and school, most of these trees will be spared. Come hear the official report at Monday's MLPA meeting, May 13.

NEIGHBORING GARDEN HILLS POOL INFO: Garden Hills is opening to subscribers on May 18th. Benefits to subscribers include a Family Night, an Adult Pool Party, six "Teen Nights", and extended evening hours. Visit www.gardenhillspool.homestead.com for more info.

REMINDERS: MLPA Monthly Meeting, Mon., May 13, 7:30p.m., Morningside Presbyterian Church.

It's not too late to volunteer for Celebration of Summer, May 24! Mike at mjmccool@mindspring.com