FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Council Communications
Atlanta City Hall
55 Trinity Ave. SW
Atlanta, GA  30303
 
CONTACT:
Dexter M. Chambers
Council Communications Director
dchambers@atlantaga.gov
(404) 330-6309/392-0159
 
August 22, 2012 
 
Legislation introduced calling For distance requirements for new discount/Bargain stores within the Cascade Heights and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Neighborhood Commericial District
 
ATLANTA – Concerned about the proliferation of small discount retailers within the Cascade Heights Neighborhood Commercial District, Atlanta City Council Members Keisha Lance Bottoms, C.T. Martin and H. Lamar Willis have introduced legislation calling for a distance requirement between new discount/bargain stores.
 
The measure would also allow for the impacted Neighborhood Planning Units to review a future retailer’s business application. In addition, a separate proposal was introduced that would establish interim development controls on the issuance of building permits for any new construction on vacant lots for commercial retail along the Cascade Heights and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive corridors.
 
The controls would be in place for (6) months to allow the City to review the current Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zoning district category in place for Cascade Heights Neighborhood Commercial District, and the possible creation of the same type of zoning district for the Martin Luther King Jr. corridor. The proposals (Legislative Reference Nos. 12-O-1136 and 12-O-1137) were forwarded to the City Council’s Zoning Committee for further discussion.
 
This comes after more than 200 residents turned out for an Aug. 14 community meeting at the Adamsville Recreation Center in opposition of a discount store planned for the corner of Benjamin E. Mays Drive and Fairburn Road. Others are planned for the area. An initial meeting of concerned residents of the Cascade area was held at Providence Missionary Baptist Church to address the same concerns in the community.
 
“Responsible retailers are always welcomed into our community.  However, the saturation of dollar/discount stores within our neighborhoods has created a great deal of concern for the Cascade Heights community,” said Council Member Bottoms. “This legislation empowers the community to have proactive, rather than reactive, conversations with those who wish to conduct business in the area.”  
 
Council Members said their offices have received phone calls in opposition of yet another discount retailer opening in an area already disproportionally saturated with similar stores.
###

 
Carlos E. Collins
Chief of Staff
Office of Keisha Lance Bottoms
Councilmember, District 11

Recently, the In-Town Cascade Community Members went head to head with Garrad Construction and the Family Dollar Corporation.  Ultimately, neighbors we received notice after the Family Dollar was already being erected.  We were unable to do anything about it for many reasons but primarily because as a community our communications plan was disconnected.  In an effort to come to an amicable resolution, we attempted a round table meeting with the powers that be regarding what we thought was best for the Blvd. Granada/Cascade Rd. location currently under construction. 

After much correspondence back and forth between In-Town Cascade Community Members, Garrad Construction, and the Family Dollar Corporation, we were foolishly under the impression we made it clear that this community required notice for future developments and that we were strongly against the proliferation of stores targeting our neighborhood.  As a community we did not hold back in stating that the social stigma was offensive and would not be tolerated. 

Additionally, we voiced our concerns loudly I might add, to our elected officials that as a community we demanded an amendment of the current Residential Commercial Ordinance(s) governing the interior thoroughfares of the In-Town Cascade Neighborhood to require PUBLIC NOTIFICATION.  We sternly reiterated the fact that Dollar Stores needed to be added to the list of UNACCEPTABLE ESTABLISHMENTS sharing the category with Pawn Shops.

Today, almost 34 days after the first In-Town Cascade Town Hall Meeting, several discussions with the aforementioned corporate parties, & even more email exchanges, all I can say is HERE WE GO AGAIN!

On the corner of Benjamin E. Mays Drive & Fairburn Road yet another Family Dollar Store is being erected.  NOT ONCE IN ALL OF THE COMMUNICATION EXCHANGES OVER THE LAST 34 DAYS WERE WE ALERTED ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT.   SERIOUSLY? I personally could sum up my reaction up as an old fashioned spit in the face.  However, I would like to quote the reaction of a prominent 35 year+ In-Town Cascade Concerned Neighbor:

                “It appears that we as an overall community are way behind the information chain. We are not ‘at the table’ where we can make an impact ---
No one seems to know when, what and where things are going on in our own community? No one knows anything until a sign and construction starts---We need to know where, how and what to look for both in the processes of the City of Atlanta but also Fulton County also---
It was not a few weeks ago when we were meeting with Family Dollar at the church talking to their representatives  ---there was no mention  from anyone of this other project----to my recollection ? That tells you something
That means we are ALL in the dark----
We all need to wake up--including me!.... ---Our community is going downhill fast and all our property values will be going " south" faster in my opinion if this trend continues---
We must have drastic change in my opinion.”

PLEASE, WAKE UP!  THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM.  
Your only personal agenda should only be to preserve the value of your property and our community as a whole.  We have been here before and triumphed; the In-Town Cascade Community needs us to STAND UP once again if our intention is to preserve our Legacy, Standard, & Community.  

                                               WHAT NEXT? 

                                              TAKE ACTION! 

                                                    HOW? 

1.) Attend the Meeting & Bring of your Neighbors. 

                                  Tuesday, August 14, 2012
                                                 6:30 p.m.
                               Adamsville Recreation Center
                        3201 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Sw.
                                     Atlanta, Georgia  30311
                                             404.505.3181
The meeting is being sponsored by Councilman Martin’s Office, NPU-H and NPU-I.  Everyone is invited to attend.  Please contact Councilman Martin’s office.       

2) Sign up for updates from our community website, InTownCascade.Org & Stay connected  

3)Sign This Petition to AMEND THE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL ORDINANCE NOW which can be addressed to City Council.  The Petition Can be prepared to post on the Patch, The Site and I can have hard copies for the NPU MEETING FOR PEOPLE TO SIGN.......

4) Call your elected official and demand control measures ASAP!


5) Sign up for the In-Town Cascade Community Strategy Group. This is a PRIVATE, MEMBERS ONLY forum for In-Town Cascade Atlanta Neighbors to voice their concerns about the stability and growth of our neighborhood. It is here that we can brainstorm and coalesce in an effort to confirm a sustainable future for our neighborhood. 

   Concerned In-Town Cascade Neighbor