Dunwoody will spend $1.5 million to build a storage facility for its SWAT vehicles at the police annex on North Shallowford Road.

The City Council voted 5-1 on Monday, Oct. 26, to approve the project, with Council Member John Heneghan casting the lone dissenting vote, Rough Draft Atlanta reported. Heneghan said he wanted to find other capital funds rather than drawing from Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) money and the general fund, according to Appen Media.

The facility will house five or six vehicles, some of which the city does not own, according to Heneghan.

Why Dunwoody needs the building

The Dunwoody Police Department used to share a fleet storage facility with the Sandy Springs Police Department. Sandy Springs built a new police headquarters last year, leaving Dunwoody without a place to keep its vehicles.

Mayor Lynn Deutsch said she doesn't like spending this much on vehicle storage but added, "We chose not to have a separate public safety headquarters."

Deutsch said voters previously opposed a bond to fund this project. A $60 million bond referendum failed on Nov. 7, 2023, with 57% of voters saying no. That referendum's ballot question, however, specified funding for parks, greenspace and trails, not police or public safety facilities.

Piecing together the funding

Total construction costs are estimated at $1.6 million. Design and project management services account for $256,989, leaving about $443,000 in the project's original SPLOST I budget.

The police department is reallocating $320,000 from its budget into SPLOST II funds for the project. Another $826,495 will come from general reserve funds and unallocated capital funds.

CDBG contract pulled for separate vote

Council members also approved a $65,000 contract for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) planning and support services, paid from general fund reserves. The item was pulled from the consent agenda for a separate discussion and vote.

Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said cities are typically reimbursed for expenses incurred while creating their original five-year consolidated plan and first-year annual action plan. Reimbursement is not guaranteed and will be limited to the amount allowed under Dunwoody's CDBG grant. Any reimbursement received would go back to the general fund.

Other approvals

The consent agenda included a $69,923 contract with Southern Premier Contractors for stormwater pipe repairs at 4772 Coldstream Drive and a five-year contract with Pateco Services for street sweeping and debris removal. The stormwater utility's annual repairs and maintenance budget will cover those costs. Both items were approved.

Entertainment district expansion still pending

City staffers presented a plan to expand the Perimeter Center Entertainment District and create two new districts around the Georgetown neighborhood and Jett Ferry Road. No vote was taken. As we reported Oct. 27, the council is expected to take up the proposal at a future meeting.

The proposed Jett Ferry Entertainment District would surround the Williamsburg at Dunwoody shopping center and include commercial areas on both sides of Jett Ferry Road. The Georgetown district would cover all commercial areas in that neighborhood.

Deutsch questioned whether the expansion was becoming more complicated than necessary. Council Member Rob Price said entertainment districts work best around public gathering spaces where families spend time.

Planning and Zoning Manager Paul Leonhardt acknowledged the Embassy Suites on Crown Pointe Parkway "probably should be" included in the Perimeter Center expansion after Heneghan asked why it was left out.