October 28, 2026   | Virtual

Old Dobbs Public Meeting #3

Wednesday, October 28, 6:30 to 8:00 PM

Virtual on Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/220791929180557?p=MmKpvMgZZ1OVD6Hkuc

Or use the meeting ID and passcode:

Meeting ID: 220 791 929 180 557

Passcode: 9xS7dX77

October 5, 2026   | Bible Way Ministries

Notes:

1. What we heard from you

- You like your neighborhood the way it is. Neighbors feel safe and know each other.

- You do not want apartments, townhomes, or commercial uses on the Old Dobbs site.

- You are open to a grocery store or services nearby, just not on this land.

- Your concerns come from real history, including Forest Cove and more than 20 years of promises that were not kept.

- You asked that the land be returned to the Knox and/or Norwood families, in keeping with the elders' original vision of single-family homes.

2. The Knox family and the land

Gerald Reed, APS Director of Property Planning and Energy, met with the Knox family on October 5. APS pulled title records dating back to 1887 and found no legal restrictions on land use. APS is the sole legal owner.

The Knox family shared that they prefer a senior center or senior health clinic that honors the community's legacy. APS and City representatives responded positively to this idea.

3. What you want instead

You asked for investment in what the neighborhood already has:

- Paving unpaved streets, road repairs, and sidewalks (opinions on sidewalks were mixed)

- Fiber internet, burying power lines, EV charging, and bike racks

- Flood and watershed management

- A park or playground, and a community garden

- Reopening or reinvesting in Dobbs Elementary, Thomasville Heights Elementary, and the neighborhood library, so children can get a quality education without a car or bus

- Support for small businesses

4. What the City and APS said

Courtney English, Chief of Staff to Mayor Andre Dickens, said the City will honor the community's wishes and will not force development. He said that if the community asks to leave the site alone, the City will respect that. He offered to put the City's commitments in writing and asked the community to take a formal vote through NPU-Z. He also noted that the City can act directly on park funding and small business investment.

Gerald Reed confirmed that APS owns the land and that the Atlanta Board of Education makes the final decision. APS will not vote on anything until it receives a clear signal from the neighborhood.

5. How a decision gets made

1. The community gives input and votes through the neighborhood association and NPU-Z.

2. The neighborhood sends a letter to the APS Board stating support or opposition.

3. The APS Board votes on whether to move forward. The City drafts rezoning legislation only if it does.

4. The City cannot introduce rezoning legislation before April at the earliest.

5. If APS sold the land without rezoning, only single-family homes could be built under today's zoning.

6. What we are doing

- Putting your feedback in writing so you can review it and add or correct anything.

- Adding a Norwood Manor representative to the evaluation committee.

- Revisiting the community survey. We heard that some neighbors felt they had to make a development decision on the spot at the first meeting. The survey is an internal planning tool and is not sent to the APS Board.

- Arranging office hours with your elected APS Board member for Norwood Manor.

7. Old Dobbs Public Meeting #3

Wednesday, October 28, 6:30 to 8:00 PM

Virtual on Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/220791929180557?p=MmKpvMgZZ1OVD6Hkuc

Or use the meeting ID and passcode:

Meeting ID: 220 791 929 180 557

Passcode: 9xS7dX77

September 3 , 2026 | Rosel Fann Recreation Center

Notes:

Thank you for coming out to Rosel Fann Recreation Center last Wednesday to talk about the future of the former Old Dobbs Elementary School site on Lewis Road. You asked hard questions, shared decades of history, and told us plainly what would and would not work for this neighborhood. That is exactly what these meetings are for.

Below is a summary of what we heard at each station and what we will do with it.

1. Site and History

Several of you asked Atlanta Public Schools to share a copy of the title with the Knox family, and to confirm whether any use conditions came with the property. APS has agreed to share the title and said it is willing to meet with the family. We will help set up that meeting.

We also heard something bigger than the title. A member of the Community Advisory Team said this neighborhood has spent decades being ignored, with questions and concerns that never got answered, and that APS needs to address that directly.  Many of you shared the oral history that this site was always meant to be a school, and we heard how strongly that runs through the community. APS has heard you and remains available to answer any additional questions that you may have.

2. Traffic and Access

This was the loudest concern of the evening, and we heard it clearly. Lewis Road is the only way in and out of the site. You told us that school buses already have to be staggered and no longer come up the street, so children walk down to meet them. One resident said it is hard for him to turn onto the street if even one other car is there. Fire trucks normally need two ways in, and a single entrance is, in one resident's words, a nightmare for fire. The drawings we showed did not explain how we plan to handle traffic coming in and going out, and you asked about runoff and grading if anything is built on the slope.

On density, here is where things stand. Under the current zoning, the site could hold 23 single-family homes. The lower-density option our team described would be under 40 units. Some of you wanted to know how much of the site can be developed at all, and in what ways. Others pointed out that grouping homes closer together could save more of the tree canopy. Several of you asked to see the plans for the Lakewood and Peeples sites as points of comparison. Many of you also said this does not feel like the right site for commercial use given the traffic, and asked what a pedestrian-focused design might look like instead.

Here is what we will bring to the next meeting: drawings that clearly show entry, exit, and emergency vehicle access; a side-by-side look at the density options and what each means for the trees; information on drainage and grading; and the Lakewood and Peeples plans. You told us many of you learn best visually, so we will bring more pictures and fewer words.

3. Water and Infrastructure

You told us only one water main serves the area and that homes sit about 300 feet apart. When we said we had not yet talked to the Department of Watershed Management, one resident asked how we can talk about the number of people without knowing how much water can get to them. That is a fair question; we are requesting a meeting with Watershed Management and will report back on water capacity and pressure to update the density feasibility. We also heard that two or three streets in the neighborhood are still unpaved, and we will raise that with the City as we continue to evaluate and consider options that reflect your priorities.

4. What the Community Wants to See

Beyond the concerns, you shared ideas we want on the record. You asked for property tax protections for all residents, not just seniors. You want a community center and buildings the community could run itself. You asked whether the Mayor's housing programs could support smaller homes that leave more of the tree canopy standing. You suggested public art that honors the neighborhood's history, something like the arch at Atlantic Station, a statue, or a courtyard. And more than one of you said you would love to see a school here again, with housing teachers could afford so they can live where they work.  All of these ideas are going into the list of community benefits that will shape the plan.

5. The Process

You asked for a clearer picture of how decisions get made, including the role of the Atlanta Board of Education. We will update the timeline graphic to more clearly illustrate each step, who decides at each one, and where the community weighs in. 

Next Steps

Our next public meeting is Monday, October 5, 2026, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm, at Rosel Fann Recreation Center (365 Cleveland Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30354. Between now and then, APS will work to schedule a meeting with the Knox family, provide additional information about the Lakewood and Peeples plans, and send an updated process timeline. If you have a question you didn't get to ask, reply to this email. If you have not had the chance to complete the survey, please complete it HERE.