Sagamore Hills Civic Association HE IGNAL PO Box 49207 • Atlanta, GA 30359T S May-June 2018 www.shca.wildapricot.org SHCA Offi cers President: Allen Venet [email protected] PRESIDENT’S Vice President: René Kane 404-634-3636 • [email protected] LETTER Secretary: Rick Dascher [email protected] by Allen Venet Treasurer: Tom Heyse We work for Sagamore Hills, and we party! 404-408-9797 • [email protected] What is the Sagamore Hills Civic Association (SHCA) and what Contact your board by emailing [email protected] does it do for you? Perhaps you have wondered about the SHCA and whether you should join. We are a 100% volunteer, self-funded Committee Contacts group of neighbors who have joined together to help improve the Sagamore Hills neighborhood. Most of what we do has a direct Beautifi cation Committee: Jay Leslie positive effect on the quality of life and property values for everyone [email protected] in Sagamore Hills. Some of the things we focus on are: Communications Committee/Signal Editor: Tina Kalvelage & Shelley Coleman [email protected] • [email protected] Security – Using your donations to our security fund, we employ Community Hotline Moderator: Jim Reeder off-duty DeKalb County Police offi cers to patrol our streets. This [email protected] is an offi cially sanctioned program, where offi cers essentially work Finance: Ted Beveridge & Deloyd Johnson-Jones overtime shifts in our neighborhood, paid directly by the SHCA. [email protected] While technically off-duty, they have full authority and use county New Resident Visitation: René Kane police cars and radios while they increase the police coverage in 404-634-3636 • [email protected] Sagamore Hills. Security Patrol: Ronnie Viar 404-867-3095 • [email protected] Zoning – We work hard to stay aware of development, zoning and Security Patrol: Mark Taylor land use matters in and near Sagamore Hills. When the SHCA Board [email protected] deems it appropriate, we contact county offi cials and appear at Signal Advertising: Rusty Oliver meetings to speak on behalf of the neighborhood. While we do not [email protected] always prevail, we know from long experience that public offi cials Social Committee: Tina Kalvelage pay attention when they hear that we are representing Sagamore [email protected] Hills. Traffi c Committee: Tracey Harting & Jaime Dutro SHCATraffi [email protected] Traffi c – We have a committee dedicated to seeking ways to improve safety for everyone living in, or passing through, Sagamore Hills, Webmaster: Karla Hafford [email protected] whether in an automobile, on foot, or on a bike. From information about traffi c calming, to automatic speed monitors, to painting Zoning: Steve Pittard and Ted Beveridge [email protected] crosswalks and encouraging DeKalb County to replace faded road signs, we try to fi nd solutions to improve our streets. Beautifi cation – Using your donations to our beautifi cation fund, we employ a local landscape crew to maintain the entrance pillars and planted traffi c islands, adding beauty and neighborhood identity. continued on page 3 To dispute a water bill Call: 404/371-3000 On Line: [email protected] Ace Hardware of Toco Hills Pressure Wash Professional pressure washing–all surfaces COME VISIT OUR PAINT STUDIO! 678-469-1599 scottspressurewash.net • [email protected] 2983 N Druid Hills Rd (404) 325-8000 (next to Publix) 2755 LaVista Road Mon.-Thur. 10-6 • Fri. 10-8 Decatur, GA 30033 Sat. 10-6 • Sunday 12-5 404-670-2226 NOW ACCEPTING Consignments of Designer’s Women’s www.queeniesconsignment.com Clothing and Home Furnishings Neighborhood News Sagamore Hills SAGAMORE HILLS RESIDENTS ELECTED TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS by Mike Biggs Joe Nonidez of Arrowhead Trail and Mike Biggs of Clairmont Road have been elected vice president and president respectively of the Druid Hills Civitan Club. Civitans are an international organization of 800 clubs promoting good citizenship and doing good in their community by supporting charities and other worthy causes. Civitans’ fl agship project is support of the University of Alabama’s Medical School Research Center focusing on clinical research of developmental disabilities as well as cognitive disorders in children and adults. The Druid Hills Civitans were organized fi fty years ago and meet weekly at the Druid Hills Golf Club for lunch, fellowship, and an enjoyable program. Druid Hills Civitans hold fundraisers and social events during the year to raise funds and awareness about intellectual and developmental disabilities and support the research center. Projects such as food and clothing drives, garage sales, Christmas gift bags, health awareness, and college scholarships are examples of recent projects and causes. The Druid Hills Club sponsors campers to Camp Big Heart, a specifi cally designed camping experience for children with disabilities, and their caretakers. Visitors are always welcome at Druid Hills Civitans meetings. For more information, please contact Mike Biggs at 404-315-7802. At time of publication, we learned that Joe Nonidez passed away April 7, 2018. PRESIDENT’S LETTER CONT’D Communications – We provide the Sagamore Signal you are reading, and we sponsor the email hotline and a website (www.shca.wildapricot.org) with neighborhood information. Social – Last, but not least, we encourage and sponsor social events, including street parties and events for all of Sagamore Hills. It is important to understand that the SHCA is not a mandatory homeowners’ or condo association. Membership is voluntary, the SHCA has no authority over any property owner, and we cannot enforce any rules, regulations or laws. But, we can, and we do, work regularly in ways large and small that have a real and direct benefi t to life and property values in Sagamore Hills. If you have not yet done so, please join or renew your membership for 2018. Please come to our annual meeting (in October), and feel free to come to any of our monthly board meetings. We are always looking for more Sagamore Hills neighbors to help with the SHCA – your neighborhood association. Love socializing? Love organizing? We are seeking individuals to head up the SHCA Social Committee. We are planning a neighborhood event at the Briarcliff Woods Beach Club and need volunteers to organize the event. This will provide an opportunity for residents to meet and get to know each other. A strong social connection makes for a strong neighborhood. Contact Tina Kalvelage if you are interested in joining this committee at [email protected] The Signal is a publication of KDA Communications. Subject matter published is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily refl ect the opinion of the publisher of this newsletter. Professional advice should be obtained before making any decision in which a professional is readily available. Advertisers assume responsibility for the content of the ads placed in this publication. Material published may not be reproduced without the written permission of KDA Communications. The information and advertisements contained in this Newsletter are provided for the members of Contact us today for more information! the Sagamore Hill's Homeowners’ Association as a courtesy only. No representations are made as to 678.905.4842 • [email protected] information presented, the quality of the goods or services advertised, or the veracity of the statements www.kda-communications.com relating to the goods and services. The printing of opinions, information or advertisements does not constitute an endorsement by the Neighborhood of such opinions, information, goods or services. May - June 2018 Sagamore Hills • The Signal 3 Sagamore Hills Neighborhood News BEWARE OF PINE STRAW SCAM by Steve Pittard Sagamore Hills residents should be aware that there is at least one “drive up” pine straw crew working the area offering to distribute pine straw for a discounted price per bale. While some of these crews might be legitimate, there is an ongoing scam in the metro Atlanta area wherein the price per bale is inflated after distribution or the crew claims that a much higher number of bales was used than originally estimated. These crews have been known to become belligerent and intimidating to obtain a quick payout. If you find yourself in such a situation please contact police immediately by calling 911. If possible, note the license plate of the truck. If you do accept the services of a drive-up pine straw service, insist on a written price per bale and make sure to count the number of bales as they are being applied to your yard. A better approach is to arrange for pine straw installation from a known reputable vendor. FRAZIER ROWE PARK EVENTS by Nancy Love May 12, 9am-12. Workday May 17, 7pm. Sing-a-long with John Miller and Friends May 19, 9 am. Senior Tips for Health and Fall Prevention, presentation by Steve Wolf ZONING NEWS by Ted Beveridge The Sagamore Hills Civic Association Board routinely monitors zoning recommended denial of the proposed redevelopment of the commercial and code enforcement issues that affect our neighborhood, and we parcels at the northwest corner of Clairmont and Briarcliff Roads, citing consider it our responsibility to update members on pertinent activity. In traffic concerns. The County Commission responded by deferring addition to monitoring, the Board will take a firm stance either in favor consideration of this project until the next zoning meeting on May 22nd. of, or opposed to, a nearby construction development if we believe that The development, as proposed, would require Special Land Use Permits doing so is in the best interest of the Sagamore Hills neighborhood. (SLUPs) to allow for a Wendy’s drive-thru on the parcel next to the I-85 exit and for fuel and alcohol sales at a new RaceTrac. In addition to One current concern is the establishment of a business called Warrior the Wendy’s and RaceTrac, the proposed development includes a new Body Spa at 2459 Clairmont Road.