The Brookhaven City Council voted July 12 to wait another month before voting on a traffic calming proposal for the Brookhaven Heights neighborhood.
A vote was slated to take place in June, but City Councilmember Bates Mattison, who represents the Brookhaven Heights, asked for a 30-day delay due to backlash from many in the neighborhood opposing the traffic calming petition.
Mayor John Ernst said he was willing to approve another 30-day delay, but that on Aug. 9 the council would vote on the issue.
“We cannot drag this on,” he said. “I will be calling for a vote on Aug. 9.”
Mattison told a room filled with approximately two dozen people who spoke for and against the traffic calming petition that he understood the uncertainty of what will happen causing anxiety among neighbors.
“It is very important everyone’s voice is heard,” he said.
A small working group made up of two residents of Brookhaven Heights and two from Brookhaven Fields met on July 11 and had a “productive meeting,” Mattison said.
Last month, Mattison held a larger community meeting at City Hall and another at and said he felt a smaller working group could help better hammer out some kind of compromise.
Mattison said during the July 12 council work session that some sticking points by those who oppose the traffic calming petition include number and location of speed humps and the proposed partial closings of key access points into Brookhaven Heights.
“I’m intending to ask the city manager and our Public Works director about some alternative strategies, like law enforcement and signage,” Mattison said. “Once I get feedback from staff, hopefully I can bring back a recommendation to council.”
The traffic calming resolution includes a request to partially close Standard Drive and Thornwell Drive by making them right-in only from North Druid Hills Road and also partially closing Oglethorpe Avenue by making it right-in right-out only from North Druid Hills Road.
Many residents opposing the traffic calming petition say if those three roads are partially closed off, the remaining two roads off North Druid Hills – Pine Grove Avenue and Colonial Drive – will be flooded with even more traffic congestion.