Attorney says Dunwoody High student deported
Real Estate Reinvented
► PAGE 7
770.605.7545 | Together, Opening Doors
M ay 7 , 2 0 2 6 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | S e r v i n g t h e c o m m u n i t y s i n c e 1 9 7 6
City Council gives approval for special tax districts By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. – Dunwoody has approved a charter amendment clarifying it can create special tax districts despite its property tax cap. The adjustment does not raise
taxes but resolves a longstanding ambiguity about the City Council’s taxing powers. The City Council voted 5-2 at its April 27 meeting to approve the amendment. Voting against it were councilmembers John Heneghan and Tom Lambert.
Heneghan, along with some other residents, have said it may be legal for the city to create special tax districts, but the amendment provides the council a work-around to raise taxes without a referendum. Mayor L ynn Deutsch said the council needs to clean up language in
the charter to match state law. There are no plans to raise taxes despite what some people may have said, she added. She also said the amendment brings the city into alignment with what the city is already practicing.
See DISTRICTS, Page 17
Dunwoody looks to ban vape shops By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
MATTISON FAMILY/PROVIDED
Celebrated scholar and athlete Chamblee High School salutatorian Kathleen “KK” Mattison is also the girls lacrosse team’s all-time leading scorer. She has notched more than 300 goals for the Bulldogs varsity squad. See story, page 16.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council is considering an ordinance that would prohibit vape shops within the city. The first read of the proposed ordinance was held at the April 27 council meeting. The second and final reading is scheduled for May 11 when a temporary moratorium on vape shops is set to expire. The ordinance defines a business as a vape shop if 25 percent or more of its total retail sales come from alternative nicotine products, consumable vapor products, vapor devices or smoking devices, or if at least 25 percent of its interior floor space is dedicated to displaying, selling or renting those products.
Decades ofExperience ExperienceTo Work For You Put Our Put Our Experience To Work For You Circle of Excellence Recipient JAN HART | REALTOR GEORGIA RAE HART | REALTOR ®
® JAN HART | REALTOR c: 678.596.3684 o: 404.480.HOME c: 678.596.3684 o: 404.480.HOME
Grocery stores and convenience stores that already sell vapes are excluded. Also excluded are traditional tobacco stores that sell cigars and cigarettes. There are currently no vape shop restrictions in the city, meaning a stand-alone vape shop could locate in any commercial district like any other retail business. The proposed ordinance would prohibit vape shops in nonresidential and mixeduse zoning districts, Dunwoody Village and all Perimeter Center districts. Essentially, a stand-alone vape shop would not be allowed to operate in the city anywhere, Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said at the April 27 meeting.
See BAN, Page 7
®
GEORGIA RAE HART | REALTOR® c: 678.266.8241 o: 404.480.HOME c: 678.266.8241 o: 404.480.HOME
ANSLEYRE.COM | 404.480.HOME | 3035 PEACHTREE ROAD, SUITE 202, ATLANTA, GA 30305 Equal housing opportunity. If you have an |existing brokerage relationship, is not202, intended as a solicitation. All data believed to be accurate but not warranted. ANSLEYRE.COM | 404.480.HOME 3035 PEACHTREE ROAD, this SUITE ATLANTA, GA 30305 Equal housing opportunity. If you have an existing brokerage relationship, this is not intended as a solicitation. All data believed to be accurate but not warranted.
JANHARTGROUP.COM JANHARTGROUP.COM