"He makes you look like an ass, is what he does, Ed."

Second verse, same as the first.

Hundreds of home business owners are once again put under collective suspicion.  Not because of a spike in code complaints.  The last code complaint filed against a home business was more than 6 months ago.  Not because of some newsworthy disaster.  All is quiet.

No, the latest proposed edits to the Chapter 27 covering home business activity are designed specifically to further chastise a friendly, law-abiding resident who admitted that some of his visitors would seek physical therapy.  And to threaten other counselors and related practitioners already active in the community.

The original edits distributed (and saved for posterity) legally banned all customer contact for these enterprises.  Mr Foote was advised at the last DHA meeting that not only is this a significant enforcement problem, it created a perception and support problem as well.

The latest edits, released this morning, scrap the scorched earth approach and zeroes in on Mr. Roberson's application as a physical therapist.

The ordinance goes on to define what is "acceptable" use of your home.  Behind your closed doors.

None of this is new but the unwarranted scrutiny and hypocritical prejudice by our government officials is getting really old.    Home businesses and all of the activity that goes along with them are a part of Dunwoody's neighborhood fabric and have been for decades.  Even for someone like me whose home business is "acceptable" by the new definitions, I would have to spend money on a legal process, endure abuse from my local HOA, and tolerate wild speculation from residents all over town for the "right" to have people in my office.  Which could ultimately be denied for any reason or none.

So tonight let's pop some popcorn, order a growler from Empire State, and watch the circus that is Planning Commission discuss this agenda item.  Winners in the pool for individual votes and vote spread will be notified by email in the morning.  Whatever happens with this ordinance, life isn't going to change.  The more our city government tries to apply judgments to otherwise legal livelihoods, the more they end up like Principal Rooney chasing Ferris Bueller around Chicago.

The Real Hazards of Working From Home

Forget self-righteous government officials and over-zealous HOA officers.  THIS is every telecommuting or home-based entrepreneur's worst nightmare!

City Proposes Limiting Allowed Paint Colors on Private Homes

From NextDoor

The City of Doraville has on its February 21 Council agenda a discussion of setting limits on allowed paint colors on private homes.

From the discussion via NextDoor (emphases added)
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Hello Doraville residents. I noticed in the agendas from the Work Session Meeting from 2/16/17 and for the upcoming Council meeting on 2/21/17, that there are proposals made by Sharon Spangler and Shannon Hillard for restricting the external colors that can be used for single home dwellings as well as restrictions for front yard gardens and the type of materials that can be used. There are no specifics listed in the agenda as to what these restrictions could be. I strongly urge anyone who does not like the idea of adding more ordinances that restrict what we can or cannot do with our private properties, our homes, please attend this meeting and let your voice be heard. I will be there since I most certainly do object to this kind of nonsense.

I do not want to see such restrictions become a part of the city's ordinance code. I made a point of not moving into an HOA and certainly do not want the entire city to become one. There are enough ordinances regarding how we maintain our homes in Doraville as it is. I find these proposed types of restrictions a violation of my property rights and freedom of expression. If I want to paint my home purple (and I almost did), then it is no one's business if I do. Don't like it? Then don't look at it. There are far more important things to consider than what color someone's house is.

If I want to use old metal drums for planters or reuse/recycle other types of containers for a front yard garden then I don't see the issue. As long as it is clean and safe, who cares? Once again, how one decorates their home via house colors and gardening styles should not be restricted with very few exceptions in regards to public safety.

The words that are the city's motto, that are on the city's website, their newsletter are the following:

Diversity, Vitality, Community

Diversity:a range of different things; variety. How much variety will exist if everyone's home has to be a neutral color? Or can only be blue, green, or yellow? How different will one home look from another if all planters must be made of a certain material and can only be a certain size?? If all the flower beds are rectangles?

Vitality: the state of being strong and active; energy. And now opinions will vary on this one, but I find nothing so dull and lifeless as a bunch of identical homes with identical lawns. Do we not gain strength and life from diversity?

Community: a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. Now this one is even trickier. Does Doraville want a community of diversity and vitality where people of different cultures, with different opinions and ideas are able to come together to live in relative harmony? Or does Doraville want a different kind of community?

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This person's post is not hyperbole.  Here is the Doraville city council agenda packet for 2/21 with all of the data on this question included.

This is what happens when a city council  has the latitude to edit property rights piecemeal according to the whims of small niche groups.