2013 Election Endorsements

The usual disclaimer:  my endorsements below are based upon what I think are qualifications for holding office.  This has nothing to do with my opinions of people as human beings.  I don't personally dislike anyone in this race - which is what makes decisions that much harder and more emotional.

District 1:  no endorsement

This wasn't as easy a decision as you might think.

Mr. Davis and Mr. Shelton just don't have enough experience in participating publicly in Dunwoody life to make good participate in the decision making at this level.  Before jumping in to city council, get involved in something - ANYTHING - to get a feel for the different facets of whatever issue is on everyone's mind.  I haven't seen any indication that they are as receptive to questions as they will need to be in office.  Both of them blew off an opportunity to respond to my blog questions, even with the promise of an open mic and no editing.

Mr. Shortal may have been elected to the original city council but I believe the period of his effectiveness is behind us.  Denny's point of view is extremely narrow.  He has openly and repeatedly advised anyone who will listen that all decisions about Dunwoody's governance should be based on what each person "wants to live next to".  I posted before why I believe this is bad advice.

Denny's perspective is limited to expectations of life circa 1971.  Problem is, the world has changed and our population has evolved in many different ways.  Questions about what is "quality of life" in the 21st century are coming from all directions and there's no sign of that stopping.  Denny's perspective is simply too narrow to adequately address these questions or even give them fair consideration.   An elected official who refuses to acknowledge any way of life beyond his own fosters conflict, rather than coexistence.  It is exactly this type of thinking (only that which is in my front yard is valid) that gave rise to the "Save Dunwoody" movement and all of the downstream conflicts that resulted.

Denny is also starting to lose control when serving in council meetings.  While acting as mayor pro tem on February 11 of this year, he allowed Jimmie Smith to bait him into a screaming match from the floor.  (Recorded video:  the incident begins at about the 9:00 mark.)  The correct course of action would have been to call a 10-minute recess/bathroom break and allow Chief Grogan to discreetly remove Jimmie and explain to him the advantages of calming down and shutting his mouth.  It's not OK to turn every confrontation into a full scale battle, or sink to the behaviour of a malcontent who may have some psychological deficits.  See above re:  encouraging conflict.

Denny is better suited to advocating for his neighborhood and demographic that represents the "1971" way of life.  He's not able or willing to acknowledge the diverse lifestyles in his own district.

Best of luck to you, District 1.  The next couple of years are going to get bumpy.

Distrrict 2:  Heyward Wescott

Again in District 2 we have two gentlemen who may have the best of intentions, but have not been involved enough in public city life to know how to promote their solution.  Mr. Mercier and Mr. Riticher have also been implicated in some of the mudslinging that came out late in the campaign.

First lesson in Dunwoody politics:  negative campaigns do not work.  If you don't understand that point, you haven't been paying enough attention, which means you don't know enough to serve in office.  If slinging mud is how you behave in your campaign, how are you going to act if you're sitting in one of those seven chairs?

I've known and worked with Heyward through the Chamber for the past couple of years.  In that time, I have never known him to make a promise he didn't keep when he had the power to do so.  When he says he listens to people, he actually absorbs what they say and reconsiders his own position in light of that perspective.  Some people think "listening" is letting an opinion go in one ear and out the other.  That doesn't mean that he's able to bring about the results each and every person wants all by himself, but he at least gives everyone's opinion a fair shake.

Heyward's involvement in the community in a long list of organizations has put him in touch with a lot of people and in a position to solve inevitable conflicts.  Contrary to some opinions, no one in any group sits around agreeing with each other all the time.  (Says the odd duck from the DHA board....)  It doesn't take long to learn that there's a time to fight, a time to knock it off, and a time to think outside the box to maintain some kind of equilibrium between the varying interests that make up this city.  In District 2, Heyward is the most capable and most willing to put forth the effort necessary to promote coexistence rather than conflict.

District 3:  Doug Thompson

One final time:  Mr. Eads has spent no time showing any interest in any public events or governance in Dunwoody prior to his campaign.  I can't see how he is qualified for the position if he has such little knowledge of what issues the city is facing.  It doesn't take much to catch up:  sit in on a council, committee or commission meeting.  They're all public.  The schedule is readily available on the city website.  Just show up and hang out.  Neighborhood over-the-fence gossip or reading the newspaper in the oval office isn't the same thing.

Doug is another one who actually considers the opinion of constituents who approach him with a question or a problem.  God knows, he's had to deal with me in his face more than once if I didn't understand a decision or had a concern that I wanted considered.  (Better in person than here on the blog, right Doug?)  Doug (along with Heyward) was one who took the time to answer the questions I posted as the campaign began.  He is also the one who proposed tax cuts for the citizenry as the city began to operate with a surplus.  In District 3, Doug's seat isn't broken.  There isn't a need to fix it.

Happy Halloween!

The sets are up, the homeowners putting on final touches, and the tourists are making their final trips.

Shrek and Fiona were stopped in their tracks by this sight:

So work isn't going to continue on Shrek's Swamp.

That's the story we're telling everyone.

But seriously folks....

Between someone being sick at one time or another plus my 3-year-old son's first official experience in trick-or-treating, we're going to focus on the kids and their fun this year.  We'll come up with something funny and gross to revive Shrek in 2014.

If you're coming to see us in Briers North, here are the guidelines.  Remember to park legally and respect any "no parking" signs you see on Tilly Mill Road.

The passing out of candy begins at 6:00pm and stops at 9:00pm. No one is admitted to the subdivision after 8:30pm.

We start closing the subdivision to automobile traffic at 5:45pm and we do not reopen until 9:30pm.

 There isNO parking inside Briers North subdivision. If you park outside, please do so legally. Depending on their evening activities, the North Peachtree Baptist Church (corner of Tilly Mill & Peeler) sometimes donates their parking lot for anyone wishing to park there, with proceeds being given to the Boy Scouts.

Trick-or-treating in Briers North on Halloween is AT YOUR OWN RISK. This is a public event on public streets and is NOT sponsored by any association or group. Briers North assumes no liability or responsibility for visitors.

NO pets are allowed during this time (they get scared and some of the children get scared!)

If you enjoyed Halloween in Briers North in the past, or plan to visit this year, please consider giving a small donation. Donations help to make this a safe event for everyone and are gratefully received!

Halloween - What If?

Life is waaaaay too serious around town leading up to elections.  It's Halloween for cryin' out loud (well, Mischief Night, anyway) and in my neighborhood, nothing else matters until after the crowds are sent home.

On our street, most homes are decorated with a theme.

No one has done it yet, but what if...

Someone had the idea for a "Phineas and Ferb" theme?

Phineas

Ferb

Candace

Little Suzy Johnson

Buford

Agent P

Zoning: More Truth, More Consequences

Back to the zoning vote analysis.

In the previous post, we saw that the council members who shot down the original version of Chapter 27 that they were voting on actually benefit from home based businesses themselves.

The irony continues.

During the same September 17 meeting, Heneghan and Deutsch were getting agitated that the new code proposed a limit on pets in a residence.  In an ideal world, such a limit would not be necessary.  But remember:  the theory behind this rewrite is, what limit defines the boundary between activity that does not affect a neighboring residence, and one that does?  Hence, limits were created that, in general life-experience in Dunwoody represented that limit.  This was applied to every situation and in some there was a lot of give-and-take and compromise on where the line was drawn so that as many sides as possible got some advantage out of it.

In principle, I had hoped that the zoning code would simply define what a nuisance is, then adapt it to any activity that may come up in the future.  The consultants weren't going in that direction, though, and there wasn't anything I could do about it.  So I went with what we had.

Heneghan and Deutsch were the  mouthpieces from this point on in the above meeting.  Bonser didn't jump in much.  Shortal called for greater restrictions in the form of smaller numbers.  Heneghan and Deutsch were upset that there was ANY limit on ANY animals whatsoever.  This in spite of the fact that earlier this year, there was a well-publicized incident of animal hoarding in John's district where a child had to be removed from the home for their safety.  So clearly, there was precedent for this element of the code - no hyperbole or other fictitious or hypothetical scenarios required.

These two demanded that all limits on all animals be removed.  Deutsch is quoted in the Dunwoody Reporter as saying:

“I think we need to take this number out of here,” she said. “I don’t think we need to tell people they can have 10 dogs. I think we need to regulate the nuisances.”

Boner, Heneghan and Deutsch were also very supportive of using back yards as barnyards, so their sympathy for animal owners is even broader.  

What does this have to do with home businesses and their approval (or lack thereof)?

It shows that Heneghan and Deutsch applied a different standard to their evaluation of home occupations than they did to other residential activities that have the potential to be a neighborhood nuisance.  

In their minds, activities inside a home (or even inside a yard) should not be "over regulated" with rules or limits or numbers, because it's unenforceable and intrusive and only reported nuisances should be addressed individually.  The standard is the opposite for home business owners:  in spite of the low number of complaints against home businesses, these homeowners are considered "guilty until proven innocent".  They have to prove a negative by proving they are *not* a nuisance in order to be permitted by the city.  (Again, excepting home tutors and teachers, as it shook out in the final review.)  They upheld this stance even after their own research showed that most municipalities in Metro Atlanta do not require or need SLUPs for their home business owners to see customers.  A cursory glance at the city's research and the proposed zoning code shows that Dunwoody's proposed permitting ordinance was modeled after Marietta.

Let's review:

The same people who want up to 46,000 people to have an opinion on what matter of conversation occurs in a single house on a single street, even if they are not affected, also want homeowners to be permitted by right to turn their backyards into kennels or barnyards without submitting a single piece of paper or notifying a single adjacent neighbor.

This means that the standards were based not on factual research, but personal taste and politics.

Here's some food for thought as the new zoning codes are implemented:

If the zoning codes were edited based on individual convenience and preference, how many other decisions by these council members were made the same way?

Were any of their decisions since getting into office based on a balanced, objective review of factual data?

Suppose someone decides they want to try to pursue the SLUP process.  What guarantee do they have that their applications will be reviewed on their merits and not the personal taste of the council members?

Time will tell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Because I want to end on a positive note:  there has been progress on this front.

Teachers and students rejoice! You are no longer shackled by an unfair approval process and you are free to welcome your students and your families as you see fit. Please be good stewards to your neighborhood and a good example to the community of how home businesses can be an asset to the community when managed by good neighbors.

Zoning: Truth and Consequences

What did we learn from the Zoning rewrite?

First, some basics:

1)  The zoning code consultants, who actually did the writing, plus the sounding board and the Community Development staff approached all of the questions and edits with the same standard.  What is occurring in the community?  What does it take to engage in diverse activities without neighbors stepping on each other toes?  In short, we realized that good fences make good neighbors and we built a lot of fences.

2)  Leading up to the final vote, there was a lot of sabre-rattling about home occupations, backyard farming, bicycles, etc as "hot button" issues.  None of these are really "hot buttons" in the big picture.  They only become "hot buttons" when someone is trying to drum up opposition to them.  These topics did not come up even once during any candidate forum, or letters to any newspaper.  The only time these niche issues become important is when taken in the larger context of deciding what is "Dunwoody's residential nature".  Residential living means different things to different people, even within a single neighborhood.  So during this election, promises by anyone to "preserve Dunwoody's character" ring hollow and insincere.  There is no one "residential character".  All of the alleged "hot button" issues listed above are already alive and well in our city and are already accepted to one degree or another by the populace.

3)  The glimmer of good news is that home teachers and tutors will no longer have to endure an excessive process that invites 46,000 people to weigh in on the subject of conversation in a home between the homeowner and their visitors.  Despite the painstaking detailed research performed by the consultants and sounding board, the modernized process for licensing and tracking home business activity was gutted by City Council, even after unanimous approval by the homeowner-staffed Community Council and Planning Commission.  So while there is still some discrimination against some home businesses based on their type of enterprise, home tutors will be exempt and our city's government can avoid another embarrassing debacle that brought this debate to the forefront.

Teachers and students rejoice!  You are no longer shackled by an unfair approval process and you are free to welcome your students and your families as you see fit.  Please be good stewards to your neighborhood and a good example to the community of how home businesses can be an asset to the community when managed by good neighbors.

Unfortunately, this resolution and how it came about brings out more questions than answers about some of our council members, their decision making, their priorities, and even their integrity.

The section of Chapter 27 regulating home businesses that some council members objected to had been passed unanimously by both Community Council and Planning Commission without a single edit.  From the original writing process all the way through the first two levels of voting, there had been no objections.  By the time City Council had its turn to vote:  there were four naysayers out to gut this section:  Denny Shortal, Adrian Bonser, John Heneghan, and Lynn Deutsch.  A look at the makeup of these four council members' districts and past activities make their objections counter-intuitive.

1)  Denny Shortal:  while he is on record as opposing any activity that he does not endorse for his front yard, Denny has several dozen licensed home based businesses in District 1, many of whom see employees, customers, or both on a regular basis.  He did not cite any of these as reasons for eliminating this chapter.  Either Denny is oblivious to this activity in his district (making it by definition, a non-nuisance), he believes these citizens should be merely ignored, or he is very aware of them and doesn't care.

2)  Adrian Bonser has spoken out against any changes in the process to legally permit customers in a home.  However she has been a customer in *my* home on several occasions, and at no time did she ever voice a concern that I had not submitted to a SLUP process.  She is not seeking re-election, so that's enough said.

3)  John Heneghan opposes any changes to home business regulations only when sitting in a city council chair.  His blog is a different story.  In March of this year, he openly promoted a garage sale hosted by the owner of Emily G's that included discontinued stock.  (The products were converted to "personal property" via some legal slicing and dicing.)

Not one word about SLUPs, "commercial activity", or "preserving neighborhood character" anywhere in this blog post.   Other home business owners in District 3 think John considers them a friend, and thus have not sought a SLUP for their customer contact either.

4)  Lynn Deutsch only recently started openly opposing any changes to home business regulations.  Which is ironic since she actually attended the garage sale that John promoted.  Again, Lynn was not concerned about whether the neighbors were notified that a business with a lot of administration going on in the home had its application straight, nor was she concerned whether the neighbors approved of the business or the special-occasion garage sale.  She was  concerned that no one take her picture.

In addition, during the special called meeting of September 17 where council discussed and debated  this and other aspects of the proposed Zoning code, Lynn requested that farmers' markets be approved in the zoning code for churches, etc.  (Listen for it at the 1:55:14 mark) Most houses of worship in Dunwoody are in residentially-zoned areas.  That means Councilwoman Deutsch, right after condemning commercial activity in a residential neighborhood for home based occupations based on the "inherent nuisance" theory, turned right around and endorsed commercial activity in a residential neighborhood in the same meeting.  At least John let a few weeks go by before contradicting himself.

This means that of the four council members looking to eliminate this chapter as written, three of them personally endorse and patronize home based businesses that make use of employees and customer contact without any additional regulations - when it meets their needs or is otherwise convenient for them.

But wait - there's more.....

(Part two in progress.)

Pleasantville*

Have a pleasant weekend, everyone.

UPDATED: ANSWERS ARE COMING IN | My Questions Submitted to Candidate Forum

Dunwoody Homeowners Association Candidate Forum

Date: October 17, 2013
Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Dunwoody High School
5035 Vermack Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338


General Rules:
No campaign literature and no campaign signs at the debate or on school property
No surrogates may stand in for a candidate
The moderator will select questions from those submitted in writing. The debate moderator has broad discretion to ask follow-up questions after a candidate’s answer, so the public can be fully informed about specific positions.
Candidates will be asked questions in alphabetical order and reverse order, alternating with each question.
If a candidate is singled out by name, or a group/entity to which he belongs, for criticism that candidate gets 30 seconds to respond.
General Format:
Dick Williams is the emcee for the event. He will introduce the candidates, explain the format and introduce the moderator.
WSBTV Reporter, Tony Thomas, will be the moderator for the forum. He will select and ask all questions during the forum. There will be a pool of questions from which he will choose.
Candidates will be seated by district on stage by 7pm. One microphone will be shared and passed from speaker to speaker.
Each candidate will have 2 minutes for opening remarks, 90 seconds to reply to each question and one minute for closing remarks.
The first 2-3 questions will be directed to all the candidates. Once those questions have been answered, the moderator will direct questions to each candidate by district. The moderator will choose the order of the districts but the candidates will go in alphabetical and reverse alphabetical order alternating with each question.

Questions:
The questions will come from a variety of sources. The Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce, Dunwoody Homeowners Association and The Crier will write questions. The public is welcome to submit questions in advance to the DHA via email at dhaadmin@dunwoodyga.org. The audience may also submit questions the evening of the forum from 6:30-6:45. After 6:45 no questions will be accepted from the audience.
Questions will be sent to the candidates via email on Wednesday morning, October 16 with the understanding more questions may be submitted via email and in person prior to the forum.
Candidates Running for Dunwoody City Council:
Post 1 (District 1 Local)
- David Davis
- Henly Shelton
- Denis Shortal (incumbent)
Post 2 (District 2 Local)
- William A.J. Mercier
- Jim Riticher
- Heyward Wescott
Post 3 (District 3 Local)
- Sam Eads
- Doug Thompson (incumbent)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was playing around with the idea of having another DWG candidate questionnaire as I did last year but with Every. Little. Forum. having questions submitted in advance with no real "debate", I didn't see the point.  So for those who expressed interest, maybe next time.

During my weekly Chamber of Commerce office hours, the staff were talking about coming up with questions to submit.  The following are the questions I asked to be included.  Hopefully they will be presented and answered tonight.  If they get canned before the forum, all of you gentlemen running for office are welcome to post an answer in the comments below at your leisure.  

For the "Clean Sweep" Slate:

"When you announced your candidacies, you initially distanced yourself from all of the major organizations that play a large part in Dunwoody's life:  the DHA, the Chamber, etc.  Why should a member of these organizations vote for you if your very identity is tied up in not being associated with them? "

"If you are elected, how do you plan to work with these organizations as an elected official if you want nothing to do with them as a candidate?"

For the other candidates:
"You have been involved with at least one major organization in Dunwoody prior to being a candidate for City Council in this election.  How do you intend to reach out to those Dunwoody citizens who have a negative impression of or a bad experience with the DHA, Chamber, City Hall, etc?"

"If you are elected, how do you plan to include the concerns of those citizens who are not involved with one of these groups, or whose opinions differ from their "official" positions on various issues?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Watch for endorsements prior to November 5.

Taste of Dunwoody 2014 is Open for Sponsorships

The 11th Annual Taste of Dunwoody benefitting Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta is coming on January 25, 2014 at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia.

Plans are being made at this moment for the always-sold-out Taste of Dunwoody.  Dunwoody Friends of CHOA sponsors this event annually to benefit patient care programs at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta.

With the medical issues that two of my three children have, my family are "frequent fliers" at Scottish Rite and the MOB across the street.  So SDOC Publishing is committed to sponsoring this event, without fail.

Last year's event at Concourse represented a quantum leap for Taste of Dunwoody - it was HUGE!!!  This year is expected to be at least as big in its new home at Crowne Plaza Ravinia.  As usual, Yacht Rock Revue will be providing the live music.

Now is the time to plan to be a part of this Dunwoody tradition.

Sponsorships:  sponsor Taste of Dunwoody for as little as $500.  There are sponsorship levels affordable for almost all firms, from international corporations down to home-based entrepreneurs.

Contribute a silent-auction prize:  Don't let the polite browsing fool you, competition for some of these prizes is fierce.

Enter your restaurant (food truck?) for exhibition:  How would you like to promote your establishment to several hundred (thousand?) revelers in one night?  This is the place.  Don't know for sure if the door is open for food trucks or just brick-and-mortars but there's one way to find out....

Best thing about being a sponsor:  your tickets are included so you won't be shut out after the mad dash of ticket sales.

More information and people with the answers at the official Taste of Dunwoody page.

Dunwoody Friends on Facebook  (Hi Jill!)

Friends of CHOA on Facebook

This Should Be the Official Dunwoody Brand

Spruill Center is becoming more and more a family favorite.  Ever since my eldest was two, she's enjoyed some kind of class:  music as a toddler, and now as a grade-schooler she's in every week for ceramics.  ("Creative Handbuilding" it's called, for her age group.)  Her younger brother and sister are not-so-patiently waiting their turns when they can indulge in a class just like their big sis.

I remember when this sign went up outside Spruill Gallery.  Right after the latest recession started.  I don't know how many of us knew it was part of an exhibit (I didn't....).  There wasn't a single person who drove past the sign that didn't have something on their minds and felt soothed to some degree.

No disrespect intended to Sky Design, but this thought does more to uplift and unify the diverse, competing, and combative elements of today's Dunwoody than any graphic element.  It's even consistent with the foundation market research they performed.

Let's be honest:  the latest government September/October surprises have been a drag and I'd like to believe there is a future beyond election day.

I always thought this sign should be a T-shirt.  I found out today that it is and I'm stocking up!
From Spruill Center's latest newsletter, distributed today:

"Everything Will Be OK"

Can Now Be Everywhere You Are

Everything Will Be Okay merchandise is now available for purchase at the Spruill Gallery. Take a piece of history home with you today!


Glass Plaque $25; Dichroic Glass Pins $12; T-Shirt $15; Glass Pendant $22

"Everything Will Be OK," a History

At the opening of Spruill Gallery's Emerging Artists exhibit in the summer of 2009, local artist Jason Kofke erected a simple, yet powerful piece on the side of an old seed house on the grounds of the Spruill Gallery. The plain white panel read "Everything Will Be OK" in hand written black type.

Often passersby would be halted in their daily errands and stop to snap a picture of the sign. Many felt compelled to share stories about how the sign had affected them.

The original sign survived through many seasons, through every storm, but this work was never meant to be permanent. Soon the white background began flaking and peeling. In the summer of 2012 the original sign deteriorated beyond repair. Yet, personal testimonials continued, each more touching than the last: a couple struggling to stay together; a laid off father; siblings who lost their mother; a sick child.

It was because of these shared experiences that the Spruill Center decided to recreate the sign in a more permanent way. The sign that you now see is painted on PVC board and is ready to weather whatever Mother Nature throws its way, much like those who are moved by the words.

Find us about a mile north of Perimeter Mall at the intersection of Ashford Dunwoody Road and Meadow Lane.

4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30338 

770-394-4019
gallery@spruillarts.org

Show Your Website Some Love (Your Customers Will Love You Back)

You've invested in your business - the property, the equipment, all of the advertising and marketing.  Today a website is an essential part of that structure and it takes far more than a few DIY clicks to make it successful.
Setting up your website, crafting your text for readability by both humans and search engines, organizing your images to capture and hold attention, and making sure everything works is only the first step.  I was interviewed recently about what makes a website successful over time.  It all comes down to paying attention to details.

Here are some tips for keeping your website fresh, now that the holiday season is in sight.

1)  Read your website regularly.  If this sounds obvious, it's not.  When you get caught up in the work of your business, you're going to start forgetting the details of what your site actually says.  It can happen to anyone!  Larger companies with various committees or departments should include those chairs in the review process as well.  They can provide various perspectives from their own expertise.

2)  Keep a list of your website, business email, and social media logins.  It doesn't have to be a digital document, it can be written down on notebook paper or company letterhead.  Make sure it's somewhere secure but accessible to you when you need it.  Everyone forgets a password from time to time, computers crash, or new employees come on board and take over these responsibilities.

3)  While on the subject of logins, change your passwords annually, at least.  Make sure those passwords have at least a combination of a capital letter, a lowercase letter, a numeral and one punctuation mark.  That combination will keep your security complex enough to foil most hackers-for-hire.  If you're keeping a list of your passwords, then it won't be hard to remember the changes.

4)  Ask for feedback from your customers.  Good business owners ask for feedback on their goods and services from their customers.  Ask for feedback on your website too.  You can do this in person in your store, via email newsletter, or you can host a poll online;  surveymonkey.com is an easy-to-use and popular choice if you're doing it yourself with some options that are free.  You never know where you'll get the next big idea to make your site profitable for your business.

5)  If you are maintaining your own website, dedicate the time to maintenance.  Lots of small business owners are excited at the idea of having "total control" of their website.  Then when it's time to update:  nothing.  If you set appointments to meet with customers or suppliers, make an appointment with your website too.  Maybe you just ran across a new picture that will make a better impression.  Or you're offering a new special deal that hasn't been mentioned.  Or you added a page marked only "Coming Soon" and never got around to filling it in.  (Hint:  never do this!)   If you're going to maintain the information on your site, set aside the time for it or you'll make a poor impression without trying.

6)  Scheduling time for your social media outreach is doubly important.  Social media is intended to be the latest, up-to-the-second information or perspective on your business or field.  If you're not posting and communicating to your customers or "fans", you won't be at the front of their minds when they make a purchase decision.  Social media has to be especially "real" and sincere; so it takes a lot of thought to get the most out of those media.

7)  Make sure your website is usable on mobile devices.  That Adobe Flash intro page that was so hot in 1999 and made your company look like the most cutting-edge in the business is officially yesterday's news.  Have a website that functions on tablets and smartphones is no longer a luxury or optional.  The number of smartphone and tablet users has tripled in only two years and continues to rise.  Your website has to be easy to use on a screen of any size:  from an iPhone to a 60-inch TV screen and everything in between.

8)  Go Google Yourself!  No, that's not an insult, that means search for your website on Google (or any other search engine) and see where your site ranks.  If it's not ranking on the first page or two of results, you may want to have a talk with an SEO specialist to find out why and how to get it ranked higher.  Don't forget to look for feedback on review sites like Kudzu or Yelp.  Both positive and negative feedback can give you the direction you need to keep your customers happy online.

9)  Make sure your website and social media are included in other advertising.  If you have brochures, pamphlets, signage, postcards, or vehicles, you can direct viewers to your website on the spot.  Include the URL (the address) and indicate which social media your customers can find you on.  Best of all, include a QR code so that customers can connect with you at the speed of thought while they're thinking about it with their tablet or phone.  QR (for "quick response") codes are two-dimensional bar codes that carry enough information to direct a visitor to your website or perform other tasks.

10)  "But I really don't have the time to manage my website myself.  How do I get the most out of it?"  If you're growing your business and you don't have time to invest in your website, then invest in a webmaster.  Dedicate an employee to the job, or hire a consultant to work with your team.  SDOC Publishing offers full webmaster services to several clients that have requested it (RikEmmett.com is an example).  Decide with your webmaster what their duties will entail:  Social media maintenance?  Content updates?  Software upgrades?  These services can also be combined with Hosting agreements for even greater convenience.

Treat your website like any other investment:  provide for its maintenance and upkeep and it will serve your business for years to come.

FirstWatch is Opening October 1!

FirstWatch is a breakfast/brunch restaurant that is building out the "other side of Marlows".

Before building out, they had to remove that giant tree that fell on it during the storm last June.

I hate it when that happens.

(from the DunwoodyTalk blog)

Here is the FirstWatch location today:

Today, September 30, was their "soft opening" along with the official Chamber ribbon cutting.  A soft opening is like a dress rehearsal - a last chance to make sure the systems are working and processes are all in place for a small audience before the doors are thrown open wide to the general public.

City Council and the Chamber were on hand for the ribbon cutting.

The happy group shot with the FirstWatch CEO and everyone without a camera.  :-)

The Chamber of Commerce staff got business out of the way.  Now it's time for brunch!

Here's what the restaurant looks like, from the far end inside.

Right behind where I'm standing is a set of French doors leading out to a spotless dining patio, complete with working fireplace.  That's going to be a fun place to get an early cup o' joe with breakfast on a brisk fall morning.

The butternut squash soup, pumpkin pancakes and quinoa/chicken bowl (I got that last name wrong but you'll know it when you see it on the menu) got rave reviews.  

More happy customers

Stop in first thing on October 1!  The entire staff is ready to rock.

www.FirstWatch.com

Dunwoody-specific page

There is a kid-friendly menu and they are very clear about various allergens in their dishes.

Congrats on your new location, gang!

Fun Friday: Empire State Pizza and Growlers Opens Monday

The Winters Chapel Renaissance continues!  Empire State held a soft opening Wednesday night for samplings of pizza, wings and beer from their growler bar.

First, I highly recommend the "whiskey barrel ale".  I'm probably getting the name wrong but they'll know what you mean if you ask for it.  Absolutely great brew!

Pizza and wings as far as the eye can see in the refurbished and redecorated double store front in the Dunwoody Point shopping center.  The entrance is on Peeler, right before you hit that little grassy triangle.

Your gracious host, Todd.

Question:  who knew that this crew would show up at the opening of a beer place?
Answer:  everyone with a brain stem within 500 miles of Dunwoody.
Hi guys!

The current Mayor of Dunwoody meets the Future Mayor of Dunwoody, and her Mom.
No, really, it was on her business cards and everything!

I was in a wing kinda mood this night.

A couple of guys from Gyro Gyro (next door, same shopping center!) stopped by to lend their support.
I had to take this pic because I loved the shirts.

Check out the menu at www.pizzawingsbeer.com.  I plan on bringing my kids after opening:  very family-friendly and my rambunctious now-3-year-old will fit right in.

Have a great weekend!

Scammers using Dunwoody businesses to scam targets

Dunwoody Police posted the following update on their Facebook account today: (emphases added)

An elderly man was the victim of a flimflam scheme today at approximately 11:30 AM that began front of the Ace Hardware on Dunwoody Village PW. The victim was approached by a well-dressed black male who claimed to have just received a $300,000 settlement and could not return to the Sudan with it or risk being killed. The suspect said he needed help giving the money to the needy. The victim drove the suspect to the Hickory House where they met another well dress black male in his 40s who claimed to be the restaurant's manager. This suspect showed the victim a large amount of cash he had on him. The first suspect needed proof that the victim was financially secure so that he wouldn't have to worry about him spending half of the $300K on himself. The victim withdrew $10,000 from his account and gave it to the "Hickory House Manager" who was supposed to have shown it to the first suspect and return of his $10K and half of the $300K. Both suspects fled the scene unbeknownst to the victim.

Usually, a 419 Scam is perpetrated via email.  Most ISPs are able to filter out these emails as the spam that they are.  There are even communities dedicated to scambaiting - to waste the time of these criminals in outrageous ways and thus prevent them (temporarily) from targeting real victims.  419 Eater gave rise to the Amazon best seller "Greetings in Jesus' Name!", a hilarious compilation of true stories of the wildest scam baits.

Dunwoody has had its share of scammers targeting homeowners:  tricking (usually elderly) residents outside their homes while a partner enters the house and robs them blind.  In the comments of the above post, visitors commented on confronting individuals who seemed to be casing out houses and high-tailed it out of there when called out.  This is the first time a Dunwoody business has unwittingly played a part in a scam.  

It's no longer enough just to watch our homes.  Now even brick-and-mortar businesses in Dunwoody's heart - even an institution like Old Hickory House - are being used.  

Where was the real manager of Hickory House while this scam was being perpetrated in their establishment?  Or - was the criminal the real manager?  

Business owners and managers in Dunwoody, even in the Village, have more to be aware of in their day-to-day operations.  So like homeowners, brick-and-mortar business owners have to be quick on the draw with 911 if they see anything suspicious.  I feel safe in saying the police would much rather be called out to a suspicious circumstance and have it turn out to be innocent, than to post stories like the one above to their Facebook.

Finally, let's keep an eye on and support and protect our senior residents.   I'll leave the details to someone who can speak in more detail to geriatric psychology.  The fact remains that scammers love to target this age demographic.  Perhaps the police or City Hall could produce an educational event or series or other outreach to our Dunwoody seniors about the latest in scams with advice to protect themselves.

Dunwoody Food Truck Thursday Updates

Hot off the presses from the DHA.

Thank God I Don't Have to Cook on Dunwoody Food Truck Thursday has some changes coming.

First, starting this week, times have been changed to 5 - 8 PM for the rest of the season.

Food Trucks will be serving up dinner every Thursday until October 24.

The Inaugural season of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association sponsored Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays @ Brook Run Park started the last day of school in May. Savory & Sweet Food Trucks every Thursday night in Dunwoody at Brook Run Park. Free live music every week. This event is a partnership between DHA + Redbird Events + City of Dunwoody.

The Dunwoody community supported the event from day one and we had good crowds all summer long and only had rain during the event twice in 15 weeks! Now the weather is cooling off and it is getting dark earlier. Lines have been shorter since school started back. Beginning this Thursday we are adjusting the hours to 5:00 pm - 8:00 ish for the rest of the season till our last night on Thursday, October 24. We encourage you to come out and support the event so we can continue next year.

We have a great night of fun for you this week. Music by Time Pilot and drinks by Moondog Growlers! Come out early and enjoy the sunset!

Thursday, September 12

Dinner vendors

• Freckled & Blue - A Modern Southern Eatery
• Blaxican Food Truck (my husband's favorite -DWG) 
• Mighty Meatballs 
• MIX'd UP (my son's favorite -DWG) 
• Pressed for Time
• SoKoFood
• Tex's Tacos
• Yumbii 
• Chay J's
• King of Pops (required eating according to all 3 of my kids -DWG)
• Yum Yum Cupcake

Ps: This Thursday will be the second time attending for the award winning Tex’s Tacos food truck. We were rained out their first time in Dunwoody. Help us give them a Dunwoody welcome this week!


See you at Brook Run

Dunwoody Homeowners Association Board of Directors
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Innovations in Code Enforcement

Look what crossed my desk this morning

Warning:  not safe for kids/work

Angry Mother of Twins Throws Flaming Diapers at Late Night Firework Shooters

Police were called to a Hillcrest neighborhood early this morning when neighbors reported that a local mom of twins began throwing flaming dirty diapers at a group of people setting off fireworks. 

None of the individuals shooting the fireworks sustained any injuries, although several did have large amounts of child fecal matter on their faces. Police say that the men promptly put away the fireworks and apologized to the angry mother. None of the men are pressing charges according to police.

The ordinance is plentiful and renewable in this city.  Something to think about.

(Calm down!  The story is fiction!  Just for fun!)

Happy Friday!

UPDATE: Winter's Chapel Renaissance

Years ago I blogged that the Winter's Chapel side of Dunwoody has the greatest potential for growth.    Today I saw the beginning of a full-fledged renaissance.  Attractive new shopping and destinations show that Dunwoody Point can be just as valuable and desirable as any other community or shopping center in Dunwoody.  The developers are even paying attention to landscaping and planting trees, just as some segments of our community have demanded for years.  This looks to be just the beginning for the Winter's Chapel city gateway.

1)  Goodbye Supremo, Hello Walmart Neighborhood Market

Full disclosure:  I am not a Walmart fan, for a litany of reasons.  Mainly having to do with the corporate culture that arose after Sam Walton died.  But when your shopping development consists of an abandoned international supermarket that closed suddenly overnight, leaving the half-Dunwoody parking lot to become a trucker's rest stop, Walmart starts looking pretty good.

Rather than the stereotypical "big blue box" and all of the police drama that goes along with it (cf, Dunwoody PD police blotter) Walmart built a "neighborhood market" - a scaled-down version focusing on groceries.  Even though the actual store is in Peachtree Corners, it still borders our city and affects our residents.

Here's some photos I snagged while stopping by this afternoon.

Nice, clean front w/ new pavement.  The landscaping is toward the property's perimeter, behind me.

Inside the front door, pointed toward the produce department.

From the front door, opposite produce.  Walmart kept their promise this time - it's a small scale neighborhood market.

Lots of people from all around the area - Dunwoody as well as Peachtree Corners - peacefully shopping for their needs.  I had no qualms wandering around at all.  Truth be told, there isn't the same wide brand selection as you will find in the Georgetown Kroger or the Dunwoody Hall Publix,  But if you're on the Peeler/Tilly Mill side of town and you need a closer venue to make an uber-quickie trip for your standard groceries, it's a good option.  Walmart isn't fibbing about their prices, either.

Hint to the management:  invest heavily in stocking Halloween candy and decorating supplies in the next couple of months.  Trust me.

2)  Empty Lot to AutoZone

First, there was Glaze's Groceries and hardware.  Then there was an empty lot.  Today there's AutoZone.  I've heard one or two fine folks moan that the presence of an AutoZone is the sign of a bad neighborhood.  I respectfully disagree.  As bicycle and pedestrian advocates point out, our community is "auto centric".  They're right.  We all drive, even if some also like biking and walking at times.  I don't see that deviating too far in the decades to come, even as roads are (re)built to accomodate more bikes and walkers.  And since we all drive, we're all going to be in need of one of these shops sooner or later.

This particular Dunwoody housewife likes to duck in somewhere to pick up power steering fluid (where does it go and why do I sometimes need to top it off?) replace my wiper blades (usually during a driving rainstorm, natch) or stock up on fix-a-flat for those times I can't limp to my favorite mechanic.  Or track down replacement floor mats for the ones my kids managed to destroy.  (Don't ask.)  It's all the more convenient if I don't have to haul it all the way down to Peachtree Industrial and try to line up the car to the right dealership.  Plus, this shop is open well into the evening and on Sundays.  Most independent mechanics are not.  Don't miss the car care section of the site above.

3)  Another Growler in Town - and they're hiring!!

The old "Pizza K" (and a Vietnamese restaurant) in Dunwoody Point is transforming into Empire State Pizza and Growlers.  Work was ongoing and the windows papered over so everything I've heard is right on their website:  local family owned and operated, opening in a couple of weeks (in theory) and they're accepting job applications right online.

The new sign is up over the entrance and construction continues.

Didn't see anyone else around otherwise I would have poked around more and asked about their opening.

The sign says hiring servers, the website says they're hiring everyone.  The PizzaK banner will probablly be the last to go.

Anybody who has the garbanzos to present themselves as "empire state" pizza is going to have a high bar to clear.  I'm more than willing to give them a shot.  They've also just joined the Dunwoody Chamber, so clearly they are investing in our community.

Their domain name is an SEO dream:  pizzawingsbeer.com. Says it all.   And it's easy for a human (read:  this human) to remember.

Empire State is joining Gyro Gyro ( a very friendly Greek-style shop), Maximos (another Mediterranean-style shop across the street).

More Dunwoody Point News

Dunwoody Barber Salon in Dunwoody Point recently updated its storefront and is promoting itself as a barber/salon for all ethnicities as seen in the photo gallery on their website.  The shop is also hiring new employees - visit the "About" page for more info.

In related news, the owner, Jermaine Muhammad, recently filed civil rights charges against Dunwoody PD for racial profiling. Details of the results are in the news report link above.

The barber shop, has great reviews on its Facebook page.

UPDATE:

Who are the landlords for Winter Village and Dunwoody Point shopping centers?

Winter Village is owned by M&P Shopping Centers.  They operate several neighborhood nodes around the SE, including across metro Atlanta.  Spaces are available, per the website.
Here's the info page for Winter Village.  (Holy moly, that photo is out of date....)
Property manager is Jeremy Rosenthall.  (LinkedIn Profile)

Dunwoody Point does not seem to have a website.
The property owners are Dunwoody Point Entrepreneurs, LLC.  There are two possible office contacts for them.

10150 HIGH FALLS POINTE
ALPHARETTA, GA 30022-8441

5000 Winters Chapel Rd, Suite 2
Atlanta, GA 30360
Phone: (770) 409-0518

Who Else Saw This Coming? Anyone paying attention to discussions about Dunwoody Apartments, that's who.

Apartments focus of controversy in Dunwoody  (AJC)

(I caught someone using the AJC servers lurking around on this blog a few days ago.  Now we know why....)

Federal fair housing suit filed against Dunwoody, code enforcement (Crier)

(AJC article has comments about code violations and opinions of Dunwoody Glen and Lacota residents.)

Articles lurked by the local news media in advance of these articles:

What exactly is Dunwoody being "transparent" about?

Dunwoody City Council wants to buy the "Northchase" apartments....

(Highlight was the YouTube mashup of Star Wars vignettes "I've got a bad feeling about this...."

Here's an article no one is talking about.
Because it doesn't fit the legal agenda at hand.

Christmas For Kids Returns Early in 2013

Lawyers can be hired and cries of "racism" can be thrown around like candy on Mt. Vernon at the 4th of July.  But when the chips were really down - when families in these apartments lost their homes and belongings in a fire, it was Dunwoody Police and Dunwoody residents who stepped up to provide for their needs.  I know this because I was there.

My Inspiration

I learned graphics the old-fashioned way:  apprenticing at the School of Hard Knocks.

My Uncle Charlie has been a commercial artist in New York City since I was born.  He always made sure I had art supplies to play with and to learn from.  Professional-grade markers and paper to calligraphy sets.  I learned how to draw different fonts, create effects with just ink and paper, and how to blend colors and draw what I could see:  either with my eyes, or just what was behind them.

It wasn't until years and years later that his influence became my living instead of just something to play with.  In fact, it was Chaz who developed the first draft of SDOC's corporate logo when I was just getting off the ground.

Chaz is (finally....) on Facebook.  (Thank you Cousin Janet for dragging your dad into this century.  How big was the monkey wrench????  ;-P   )

https://www.facebook.com/chaz.pastels

Back to the Drawing Board for Friday

The real issues happening in my office today.  Happy Friday!

How to Choose a large-scale Content Management System
(click to view original size)

Zoning Rewrite Hype-Free Zone: What does it really say?

The newly-revised zoning ordinances are easy to read.  Yet, so many have no idea what is in them.  Or worse - they do know and continue to distribute misinformation about both the words and intent.

The ratification process has started.  Both Community Council and Planning Commission have reviewed the rewrite and passed it with revisions noted in their minutes

Planning Commission Summary

Community Council Summary

Neither of these commissions, comprised of Dunwoody homeowners, objected to the standards in the proposed code regarding the restructured regulations for home occupations.  Not even with an edit.  So out of the blue, we have the usual objections and concerns in spite of the Sounding Board's and consultants' attempts to write an ordinance that will codify the best practices that home business owners employ to maintain their community "feel", and limit or prohibit practices that could lead to the degradation of the community's quality.

Here's what the ordinance actually says.  Commentary in red for clarification of some of the worst misinformation.

27-10.30 Home Occupations
27-10.30-A. Purpose
The home occupation regulations of this section are intended to allow Dunwoody
residents to engage in customary home-based work activities, while also helping to
ensure that neighboring residents are not subjected to adverse operational and land
use impacts (e.g., excessive noise or traffic or public safety hazards) that are not typical of residential neighborhoods.
27-10.30-B. Type A and Type B Home Occupations
Two types of home occupations are defined and regulated under this section: Type A
and Type B.
1. Type A Home Occupations
Type A home occupations are those in which household residents use their home
as a place of work, with no employees, customers or clients coming to the site.
Typical examples include telecommuting office workers, writers, consultants,
artists and crafts people.
2. Type B Home Occupations
Type B home occupation are those in which household residents use their home
as a place of work and either one non-resident employee or customers come to
the site. Typical examples include tutors, teachers, photographers and licensed
therapists or counselors.
27-10.30-C. Exemptions
1. Personal Care Homes
Personal care homes are not regulated as home occupations and are exempt
from the home occupation regulations of this section. Personal care homes are
allowed as indicated in the use tables of Sec. 27-4.20 and Sec. 27-5.20. Supplemental regulations applicable to some personal care homes can be found in Sec.
27-9.150
2. Day Care
Day care uses are not regulated as home occupations and are exempt from the
home occupation regulations of this section. Day care uses are allowed as indicated in the use tables of Sec. 27-4.20 and Sec. 27-5.20. Supplemental regulations applicable to some day care uses can be found in Sec. 27-9.70.
Federal law prohibits the outright banning of home-based daycare as long as all required licenses are obtained.
3. Bed and Breakfast
Bed and breakfasts are not regulated as home occupations and are exempt from
the home occupation regulations of this section. Bed and breakfasts are allowed
as indicated in the use tables of Sec. 27-4.20 and Sec. 27-5.20. Supplemental
regulations applicable to bed and breakfasts can be found in Sec. 27-9.30.
27-10.30-D. Prohibited Home Occupations
The following uses are expressly prohibited as home occupations:
1. any type of assembly, cleaning, maintenance or repair of vehicles or equipment
with internal combustion engines or of large appliances (such as washing machines, clothes dryers or refrigerators);
2. dispatch centers or other businesses where employees come to the site and are
dispatched to other locations;
3. equipment or supply rental businesses;
4. taxi, limo, van or bus services;
5. tow truck services;
6. taxidermists;
7. restaurants;
tattoo, piercing;
fortune telling or psychic services
(These were redacted for duplication.  One of the most frequent misstatements is that "anyone can open a massage parlor or such as long as they have only one customer at a time.  Not true - any type of establishment that is banned from residential zoning districts is also banned as a home based business.  The code does not allow for adult entertainment, fortune telling, medical services, etc.)
8. funeral or interment services;
9. animal care, grooming or boarding businesses; and
10. any use involving the use or storage of vehicles, products, parts, machinery or
similar materials or equipment outside of a completely enclosed building.
Bottom line, engaging in any of the above occupations from home, or anything that is prohibited in a residential zoning district, is an automatic code violation when a complaint is filed and penalties get levied.  
10.30-E. Where Allowed
1. Type A Home Occupations
Type A home occupations are permitted as of right as an accessory use to a principal use in the household living use category. Type A home occupations are subject to the general regulations of Sec. 27-10.30-F and all other applicable regulations of this section. More than one Type A home occupation is allowed as an accessory activity.
One more:  the business owner has to be living in the home as their residence.  For the record, I advocated that only home OWNERS should be allowed to be home business owners.  Apparently, that is not legally permissible.  Anyone allowing a home they own but do not live in as an outlet for their own business is in violation and code enforcement can penalize them as soon as a complaint is filed and confirmed.
2. Type B Home Occupations
Type B home occupations may be approved as an accessory use to a principal
use in the household living use category only as expressly stated in Sec. 27-10.30-
G. Type B home occupations are subject to the general regulations of Sec. 27-
10.30-F, the supplemental regulations of Sec. 27-10.30-G and all other applicable
regulations of this section. Multiple Type B home occupations are prohibited as
an accessory use to a household living use, and a Type A home occupation may
not be conducted with a Type B home occupation.
Limits the amount of activity around the home in question.  Will some try to have multiple businesses anyway?  Probably.  But if a complaint gets filed with evidence, this is the standard that gets applied.
27-10.30-F. General Regulations
All Type A and Type B home occupations are subject to the following general regulations.
1. Home occupations must be accessory and secondary to the use of a dwelling
unit for residential purposes. They may not change the character of the residential building they occupy or adversely affect the character of the surrounding 
neighborhood.
(Emphases added.  The whole point is to define what activities are detrimental to a neighborhood and which are not.  The proposal that home occupations will inherently negatively impact a community is void.  The consideration has already been addressed.  )
Home occupations may not, for example, produce light, noise,
vibration, odor, parking demand, or traffic impacts to that are not typical of a
residential neighborhood in Dunwoody. Home occupations must be operated so
as not to create or cause a nuisance.
(Again, the point is to avoid nuisance behaviour.  One of the great fears that gets repeated often is that even with a limit of one customer at a time, having many customers back-to-back would nullify the neighborhood protections.  Not so.  If that many cars are using a business, then an aggrieved party may snap a picture or video and identify both a noise, pollution and general "nuisance" violation to code enforcement.)
2. Any tools or equipment used as part of a home occupation must be operated in
a manner or sound-proofed so as not to be audible beyond the lot lines of the
subject property.
(see above)
3. External structural alterations or site improvements that change the residential
character of the lot upon which a home occupation is located are prohibited.
Examples of such prohibited alterations include construction of parking lots, the
addition of commercial-like exterior lighting or the addition of a separate building entrance that is visible from abutting streets.
(Prevents converting homes and lawns to store fronts with parking lots.  Again, mitigates the action that fuels most fears in this regard.)
4. Signs that directly or indirectly, name, advertise, or call attention to a business,
product, service or other commercial activity occurring on the subject property
are prohibited.
(Signs for contractors or anything else are permitted, just not for an occupation on the premises.)
5. Home occupations and all related activities, including storage (other than the
lawful parking or storage of vehicles), must be conducted entirely within the
dwelling unit.
The area devoted to the conduct of all home occupations present on the property is limited to 25% of the dwelling unit’s floor area or 500 square feet, whichever is less.
7. No window display or other public display of any material or merchandise is allowed.
(See above #4)
8. The use or storage of hazardous substances is prohibited, except at the “consumer commodity” level, as that term is defined in 49 C.F.R. Sec. 171.8.
9. Only passenger automobiles, passenger vans and passenger trucks may be used
in the conduct of a home occupation. No other types of vehicles may be parked
or stored on the premises.
(Even if it's just a take-home car from a non-home-occupation, it has to be a passenger vehicle or don't park it in the driveway.  Allows for bumper stickers, decals, and even car wraps on private vehicles used for more than just business, but does not permit a commercial parking lot.)
10. The provisions of paragraph 9 (above) are not intended to prohibit deliveries and
pickups by common carrier delivery vehicles (e.g., postal service, united parcel
service, FedEx, et al.) of the type typically used in residential neighborhoods.
27-10.30-G. Supplemental Regulations for Type B Home Occupations
Type B home occupations are subject to the following regulations in addition to the
general regulations of Sec. 27-10.30-F.
1. Customers or clients may visit the site only from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. No more than
2 clients or customers may be present at any one time, except that up to 3 students may be present at one time in a teaching-related home occupation (e.g.,
tutor or music/dance instructor).
(The thought behind this was two occupants of one car visiting at one time.  Addresses concerns about increased traffic.  Also addresses concerns about the hours of operation and sets limits commensurate with limits on residential contractors, landscapers, and others commonly used in residential neighborhoods.)
2. One nonresident employee is allowed with a Type B home occupation if no customers come to the site at any time. Home occupations that have clients, customers or students coming to the site at any time may not have nonresident
employees. For the purpose of this provision, the term “nonresident employee”
includes an employee, business partner, co-owner or any other person affiliated
with the home occupation, who does not live at the site, but who visits the site
as part of the home occupation.
(again, intended to address traffic questions)
3. No stock in trade may be displayed or kept for sale on the premises and no onpremise sales may be conducted.
(Apparently, city hall has removed specialty parties like Pampered Chef and Southern Living at Home are not considered "home businesses" so this section does not apply to that segment.)
4. Teaching-related home occupations are permitted as of right.subject to the administrative permit procedures. All other Type B home occupations are subject
to approval of an special land use permit administrative permit in accordance
with Article 23.
accessory use, but the general regulations of Sec. 27-10.30-F apply to the combined home occupation uses.
(For the record, I advocated in Sounding Board for all owners with customer contact to be permitted, including tutors.  However, this population is the least compliant of all business owners in Dunwoody.  To make matters more complex, most Dunwoody residents, even those vehemently opposed to acknowledging that home business owners may operate without a negative impact, have supported home-based instruction,, as well as other home businesses in some way at some time.  This includes City Council members, committee and commission members, and board members of both DHA and DNCA.  And county employees.)

As much as I would like to speak to these thoughts in City Council tonight, I have a previous engagement.  I am working.  At home.  With my husband as a business consultant.  Administering various tasks. Writing proposals. Taking care of my customers.  Same as most home business owners.  Which is why you don't hear them speak up that often.  They're minding their own business, making a living, and maintaining their property so they are contributing positively to their communities.

Google search engine changes. Again.

Catching up on the news in actual work:

Google is modifying their search algorithms.  Again.

Google has quietly updated the link schemes document under their Webmaster guidelines to add large-scale guest posting, advertorials and optimized anchor text in articles or press releases to the list of types of links that violate their guidelines.
The new guideline examples that were added to this document include:

• Large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links

• Advertorials or native advertising where payment is received for articles that include links that pass PageRank

• Links with optimized anchor text in articles or press releases distributed on other sites.

The comments in this article are the best insights to the latest machinations.  Online press releases have been used as a "white hat" solution for more then 10 years to build links to websites and thus, improve page rank.  Some will allow keywords to be made into links - but as usual, too much of a good thing raises red flags at Google:  too many keywords in one article linked to the same website = spam.

Read the comments:  Google's attempts to force hand-crafted content and links may backfire and even the best-crafted, most well-intentioned content writing may end up in the abyss as collateral damage.  Clearly, the struggle isn't over and both Bing and Yahoo are emerging as major players.

Your best bet:  diversify your advertising.  Search engine results are still critical to a website's visibility but the most successful enterprises use everything from radio and TV to billboards (large and small), coupon offers (Groupon, etc) and real-life in-person promotions.  Make sure you have a QR or similar code to get visitors to your site via the exploding mobile use market.