Brookhaven is planning to take the reins of its stormwater management from DeKalb County, and residents could see an increase in the $48 flat fee they currently pay, according to a Reporter Newspapers article. In the report, the city's public works director, Richard Meehan, said the current $48 flat fee probably won't be sufficient to take care of the system's various needs, including replacing pipes. Brookhaven has one advantage going into its new responsibility: the county has already taken an inventory of the system, so the city doesn't have that expense to deal with, according to the …

Brookhaven has a new retail establishment, though you probably won't see many city leaders attending a ribbon-cutting anytime soon. Stardust, an adult-only store, is now open in the old Dunkin Donuts location on Buford Highway. City leaders were concerned that adult-only businesses might take advantage of a potential lack of oversight between the time the community was governed by DeKalb County and the time that Brookhaven laws officially began. Looks like one took advantage of the opportunity to set up shop within walking distance of the Pink Pony, as well as the city's new municipal court …

The Brookhaven Zoning Board of Appeals met on Wednesday, April 17, 2013. Here are the video highlights of the meeting from The Brookhaven Post. See Also: Windsor Parkway Zoning Variances Dominate Agenda

The Brookhaven Municipal Court will hold its first session April 19 at 2 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 125 in Brookhaven. Court will start promptly at 1 p.m.  The city court has jurisdiction over ordinance violations and state misdemeanors, including traffic violations.  Chief Judge Laura E. Stevenson will preside over the municipal court. Stevenson runs her own legal practice, specializing in commercial disputes, employment, consumer credit and civil rights. She previously served as a magistrate court judge in Cobb County.  Jonathan R. Granade, an attorney with Casey Gilson P.C., will serve as …

Four rezoning requests for lots in the Windsor Parkway neighborhood are on the agenda for Wednesday's Brookhaven Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. The board is set to meet at 5 pm at the city's new municipal court offices at 2 Corporate Square. Epps Heritage Investments is seeking reductions in lot sizes at 1250, 1254 and 1258 Windsor Parkway, and 3178 Cates Avenue, which borders Windsor. An agenda of the meeting is attached to this article as a PDF.

Wednesday, April 17, is the last day for residents to provide input on the Brookhaven-Peachtree Overlay District. Any suggestions for technical input relative to the district should be submitted to info@brookhavenga.gov by noon on April 17. All comments will reviewed by the city's community development department. The district's boundaries include a portion of Ashford Park between Caldwell, Peachtree, Dresden and Redding. The Brookhaven Community Development Department is soliciting public comments on the Brookhaven-Peachtree Overlay District.  Recently, the Brookhaven City Council approved a…

Brookhaven students will return to school from spring break with repaired sidewalks – if Mother Nature cooperates. Brookhaven will begin its first sidewalk repairs Monday near Woodward Elementary School on Curtis Drive. Brookhaven’s Public Works Department has been gathering data on sidewalk conditions throughout the city since Brookhaven’s inception in December. The department reviewed the sidewalks around the five schools in the city and prioritized those in greatest need of repairs. “These are the first sidewalks we are fixing in Brookhaven,” Public Works Director Richard Meehan said. “Our…

The new Briarwood Park is nearing its official completion date of May 9. From Chad Boles, of the Friends of Briarwood Park, here are some upcoming meeting days: April 2 – Friends of Briarwood Park meeting at the Rec Center, 6:30 pm. April 6 – Park Revitalization Day. Dekalb County is going to provide equipment and personnel for this event. We are still trying to defeat the invasive kudzu and privet in the old growth forest. We will also begin clearing the perimeter trail and creating natural entry ways around the playground. Please bring loppers, snippers, yard waste bags, shovels, rakes, etc…

Brookhaven made history on Tuesday night, as it adopted its first budget in city history. Also, later Tuesday night, Interim DeKalb Schools Superintendent Michael Thurmond and state Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-Brookhaven), will address the city council and the audience. Patch is live streaming and blogging during the city council's work session, formal budget vote, and Thurmond's and Jacobs' addresses throughout the evening. The city council will convene a work session at 4:30 pm on Wednesday. The budget vote is set to begin at 6 pm, and Thurmond and Jacobs are anticipated to speak after 7 pm. You …

One day before the Brookhaven City Council adopts its first-ever budget, another anonymous robocall went out to residents, claiming that Mayor J. Max Davis is planning to increase property taxes. Later Monday afternoon, the city responded with a Q&A about the budget on its website. Patch will be live streaming Tuesday's historic city council meeting, which will take place at the DeKalb PATH Academy. Back on March 4, an almost identical call was issued, in which an unidentified female said, "Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis has broken his promise to protect taxpayers by including a property tax …

In Brookhaven's road to cityhood, Tuesday, March 26, is set to rank up there with the vote to incorporate and inaugurate its first mayor and city council. After months of debate - not to mention charges and counter-charges over possible tax increases or service cuts - Brookhaven will adopt its first budget in history during Tuesday night's city council meeting at DeKalb PATH Academy. Also on Tuesday night, Interim DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Michael Thurmond and state Rep. Mike Jacobs will speak to the city council regarding improvements to the local school system. Thurmond will give…

After a two-hour meeting, the Brookhaven Zoning Board of Appeals voted to defer a decision on a major apartment rezoning application until May 15, 2013. Almost 150 people attended this past Wednesday night's meeting, the Brookhaven Post reports. At issue is a proposed development on Peachtree Road near Historic Brookhaven. The Reporter Newspapers said the property owner, Teresa Tomlinson, wants to develop the roughly two-acre site, which lies on the DeKalb-Fulton line, into a six-story, 176-unit complex. The Historic Brookhaven Neighborhood Association and the Brookhaven Peachtree Community …

Brookhaven is now in the process of interviewing nine candidates for its first-ever police chief, according to the Brookhaven Post. During Wednesday night's Cross Keys Foundation civic forum, City Manager Marie Garrett said she expects the chief to come on board in May. Garrett also said a full police force should be in place sometime in July. She said a compliment of 50 to 60 officers will be hired to patrol the city, once Brookhaven begins transitioning away from the DeKalb County police department. See Also: More Than 100 Attend Cross Keys Foundation Civic Forum Brookhaven Launches Search …

About 300 people attended the new Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce's inaugural reception and awards event on Thursday night. The event was held at Villa Christina. According to the Brookhaven Post, The crowd, that approached 300 attendees, was comprised of Brookhaven business owners, Chamber Members, local and state government officials and citizens alike. Todd Lantier, chairman of the chamber's board, welcomed the attendees. Chamber executive directors Art Freeman and Terrell Carstens presented plaques to each of the recipients, who are: Marie Lewis Garrett, Brookhaven City Manager Ben Vinson…

The Brookhaven City Council is tentatively set to adopt the city's first budget in history on March 26. The council set the date during its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 12. According to the Brookhaven Post, Mayor J. Max Davis instructed the city's finance staff to work to reduce the millage rate below 3.35 mills. DeKalb Interim School Superintendent Michael Thurmond is also scheduled to appear at the March 26 council meeting, which will be held in the PATH Academy cafeteria, 3007 Hermance Drive. The controversy over the city's budget took on a new dimension in late February, when two …

  Another public hearing is being scheduled to discuss Brookhaven's first-ever budget, and the announcement of its date and time is on the agenda for Tuesday night's City Council meeting. The city council will meet at Brookhaven's new Municipal Court location at 2 Corporate Boulevard, Ste. 125, at 7 pm. The council is also holding a work session at 4:30 pm Tuesday, at the same location. The controversy over the city's budget took on a new dimension last week, when two back-to-back robocalls went out to Brookhaven residents on the topic of tax increases. At around 5:30 pm on Monday, 4, came a …

The Brookhaven Zoning Board of Appeals rejected a rezoning request from local resident and restaurateur Scott Serpas Monday night for his proposed Caldwell Drive eatery. Serpas, according to Tomorrow's News Today, had plans to create a "neighborhood-centric casual eatery" in Brookhaven. His restaurant would have sat about 70 patrons. Serpas requested a variance to the Brookhaven-Peachtree Overlay District to allow for the construction of a structure less than two stories and 28 feet in height. But the Brookhaven-Peachtree Community Alliance opposed the rezoning, and according to the …

No, we're not in the middle of an election season ... not yet, anyway. And the cityhood debate hasn't suddenly been resurrected. But you wouldn't know it from the robocalls that were burning up Brookhaven's phone lines on Monday night, as two distinctly different viewpoints of our new city were being espoused. At around 5:30 pm came a call from an unidentified female, claiming that "Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis has broken his promise to protect taxpayers by including a property tax increase in new taxes on electricity, land line phone services." The robocall also claimed that Davis' budget …

The Brookhaven Zoning Board of Appeals is set to consider a variance to the Overlay District at its 7 pm meeting tonight. The property in question is located at 2536 Caldwell Drive, the so-called "Brookhaven White House." Owner Scott Serpas wants a variance to the Overlay District to allow for the construction of a structure less than two stories and 28 feet in height. "The applicant wants open a restaurant, keeping the existing house structure and adding additional building, that will almost double the current footprint," said Thomas Porter of the Brookhaven-Peachtree Community Alliance, …

The city of Brookhaven is exploring the idea of privatizing its garbage collection. The idea came up during Tuesday night's city council meeting, according to the Reporter Newspapers. District 4 City Councilman Joe Gebbia believes the city can offer the service for a lower price through privatization. The discussion comes during a time in which DeKalb County has been holding public meetings throughout the county to get residents' input on changes in its sanitation plan. Patch wants to know your opinion on this subject. Is private collection in the city of Brookhaven the way to go? Or are we …