City Drafts Guidelines for Park Land Purchases

If Dunwoody’s parks acquisition bond referendum passes, the city council has a guiding document that would help ensure land purchasing with bond money is done in an open and transparent way.

Monday night, the council took a look at a first draft of the document.

The document says, “the city will utilize the following process to make “smart” and transparent purchases of land to meet the city’s needs.”

If voters approve a $33 million park land acquisition bond referendum, the documents (here and here) would outline the step-by-step process by which the city and council must follow in purchasing parkland with bond funds, including appraisal and what kind of land would be targeted.

“This sets up some general criteria and general guidelines for how we would spend the funds,” said City Manager Warren Hutmacher. “It gives the city enough flexibility but also gives the voters a good idea of exactly how we’d go about making purchases of land to try to meet city needs and not for other purposes that would be outside of what a parks bond would be.”

Councilman Robert Wittenstein asked if the document could add in a third party appraisal. As written, it asks for appraisal from a real estate broker.

Councilwoman Adrian Bonser was also concerned with the appraisal process.

“I’m uncomfortable with real estate brokers telling us how much land is worth,” she said. “That affects how much they get paid.”

Bonser also asked that artist renderings be made prior to purchasing, so the public will be aware of what is planned for the site.  She also asked that all appraisals be made public after the purchase is completed.

Dunwoody resident Bob Lundsten took umbrage with the document, as written, saying it has major flaws during the council meeting’s public comment period.

“I was extremely disappointed I this document,” he said.

Lundsten said the council should have at least two independent appraisals of each property targeted for purchase. He also said the document allows the city to easily ‘land bank.’ The city can purchase land and if it decides it isn’t suitable for a park, the door is open to turn around and sell it to a developer.

Mayor Ken Wright said that he has trust in future councils to make sound decisions and said he’d rather not tie their hands.

“I still go on the faith that the sitting members are going to make the best judgment for myself and other folks in the peanut gallery,” he said.