More residents are objecting to Brookhaven’s multimodal plan after the city cut three potential multi-use paths that would have disrupted 60 acres of private land.
Residents of Byrnwyck subdivision are asking Brookhaven to remove a proposed path through greenspace between Perimeter Summit Parkway and Byrnwyck Road.
At the Nov. 28 Brookhaven City Council meeting, a resident said the proposal would disrupt the pool and tennis club, which he called “the nucleus of the neighborhood.”
“I feel like that would be a big intrusion on the community of our neighborhood,” said Hunter Pierpont.
Mayoral candidate John Park requested the mayor and city council remove the path and pass a resolution reaffirming the permanent deed restriction to “keep this promised nature buffer secure for generations.”
Park said the path would break a legal and moral covenant put in place by former District 1 City Councilmember Rebecca Chase Williams, something Alta Planning + Design missed during its assessment and planning process.
Alta has shown an unwillingness to engage with key stakeholders that could have made the process much less contentious, Park said.
Negotiated by Chase Williams, the wooded area serves as a buffer with a permanent restriction to any usage.
“Not only was there legal restriction, it was a moral covenant between the developer, DeKalb County, and the residents,” Park said.
At the Nov. 14 meeting, Councilmember Linley Jones removed three paths and extended the public input deadline to March 2024. Brookhaven students do not currently have access to school via bike paths or bike lanes. The multimodal plan intends to expand the city’s trail system, connecting neighborhoods for pedestrians and bikers.
