The City of Brookhaven has acquired a blighted lot at the corner of Clairmont Road and Tobey Road for $1.8 million after years of complaints from neighbors about illegal handling of materials and a lack of safe environmental practices.
Records show years of issues documented by Brookhaven code enforcement officers at 3826 Clairmont Road. The one-acre, commercially-zoned property has housed several auto-related businesses: M&M Auto, Ortiz Auto Shop, Ortiz Auto Group, Automax Car Care, and Venus Auto Repair.
In 2020, Tobey Road residents complained about the lack of safe environmental practices on the property. Michael Lennon wrote in an email to the city that “pollution is a major concern: no secondary containment for work being done outside, including changing oil, auto detailing, and painting. Any of this goes directly into the creek that runs alongside the property.”
Federal, state, and local laws prohibit allowing materials including paint, chemicals, auto fluids, or detergents into a storm sewer or stream.
Years later, the same issues remained. Laura Lorenz in November 2023 emailed Brookhaven Code Enforcement with photographs she said provided “evidence of the improper disposal of used oil directly into the sewage system.” Lorenz said it was a practice she had witnessed on multiple occasions.
“These actions, coupled with other observed violations, pose a significant threat to our local environment. I urge prompt investigation and enforcement of necessary regulations to address these pressing concerns,” Lorenz wrote. “Your immediate attention to this matter is crucial.”
The city responded immediately. The same day Lorenz emailed, Brookhaven Deputy Director of Public Works Tom Roberts requested samples and source tracing from Integrated Science and Engineering.
“This extends across Clairmont to PDK Airport, so it’s possible this site isn’t the source. This system discharges into a creek running through Georgian Hills Park, and kids have contact with the water,” Roberts wrote.
Integrated Science and Engineering found that diesel range organics, a form of petroleum, were detected in the flow that traverses M&M Customs, confirming “what was noted from previous photos on facility property.”
And as recent as August 2024, code enforcement officers cited the property for a lack of am Occupation Tax Certificate (OTC).
Council member Jennifer Owens described the land as “on the city and neighborhood’s radar for a long time.” She thanked Mayor John Park and neighbors at the March 11 city council meeting for their continued vigilance and allowance of time to determine the best use for the land.
“I have to say, it’s been a blight in our neighborhood. It’s on a major road, it’s in the heart of Brookhaven, and we have had numerous issues,” Park said.
Park said he looks forward to hearing from the community about the future purpose of the land. The lot abuts Ashford Forest Preserve, a 33-acre green space.
