All,

I'd like to thank Erin Aynes for her service to the neighborhood as the Messenger Designer and I'd like to congratulate her and her husband on their newborn.  Erin is going to take a break from being our designer to focus on the duties associate with a new bundle of joy.

As such, CPNO is actively seeking a volunteer graphic designer to handle layout on a monthly basis. The designer should be familar with the Adobe layout program InDesign, which is licensed by CPNO.  The position requires 5-10 hours per month.

Please contact me at president@candlerpark.org if you are interested.

Thanks,

Steve Cardwell

President, Candler Park Neighborhood Organization

All,

My apologies for not informing the neighborhood of this sooner.

The January and February Messenger were combined as we hit a snag with regards to licensing and creation of the January edition.  The messenger is now complete and we are going to do our best to get it to everyone as soon as possible.

Thanks to the Messenger team for all that they do and thanks to the neighborhood for your understanding.

Steve Cardwell

President, Candler Park Neighborhood Organization

CPNO,

Below is the feedback I received from Jenn Bensch at Happy Ending Productions based on the concerns, questions, and suggestions that were captured at the January Meeting.

February 7, 2012

Greetings,

On behalf of SweetWater 420 Festival, we would like to take some time and inform you all on where we currently stand with progress towards the festival and our commitment in working collectively with the CPNO. Below you will also find a list of answers in response to questions from the January meeting addressed to us.

On Friday, January 25, we met with Councilman Wann at City Hall to discuss the need of additional support in muscling MARTA to work with us for the event.  We are hopeful that we can leverage relationships at a higher level with these meetings to get MARTA to add cars and extend timeframes that will support our event, so that we can better promote this as a green option for festival guests and utilize incentive programs.

Councilman Wann currently has our “wish list” from MARTA, developed by us, with the support of a handful of fellow CPNO members in concert, all present at the meeting. We are pushing to have Councilmember Wann engage State Senator, Jason Carter, and Georgia Representative, Stacey Abrams, in a call to action on MARTA. 

Also, discussed during the meeting was the need to bring Park Atlanta to the table to assist us in ticketing, towing and enforcement of traffic regulations.  Coucilman Wann is working to arrange a meeting for us to get together collectively and set this up. We will most certainly keep you all abreast of the final progress we’ve made once we meet with the group.

We received some questions from the January CPNO meeting as provided by Steve Cardwell. Please see our responses below:

• Are the sidewalks by the pool going to be open?

The sidewalks will be open in the morning for school but they are not general admission entrances during the event. This is an emergency exit and festival staff entrance/exit only.  Those walking their children to school on Friday AM and PM will be allowed entry.

• Will there be alcohol on Candler Park Drive?

Yes.

• Why is it a Class B Festival when the Parks Department has recommended Class C Festivals for Candler Park?

We are grandfathered in, as we were here before the recommendations were made by the Parks Department.  420 Festival was a Class B last year as well. 

• Some folks were unclear on the requirement regarding notification of events in the permit.  How has this been accomplished for Candler Park?

We sent out notice in the messenger. In addition to that, we have contacted many of those affected by phone and have done a lot of due diligence in attending these meetings and responding to incoming emails as well.  We are only required to give notice in a broad format, but work to ensure we communicate beyond that.

• Permit is vague regarding Candler Park Drive.  The additional notes provided indicate it’s going to be 1-Way.  Would you be willing to amend the permit so that it matches your additional notes?

We cannot amend the permit once it is submitted.  If there is any amending, it will be done by the city.

• Could you elaborate on the Ferris Wheel?  Size, location, etc.

There will not be a Ferris wheel.

• In your notes, you mention that “we” will be enforcing towing and ticketing.  Some folks wanted to know who “we” was meant to indicate.

In a current meeting with Coucilman Alex Wann we were informed that as a festival, we can’t legally tow anyone who is not blocking a driveway or emergency traffic.  We are trying to get a meeting Park ATL to get them out to rectify this situation.  We will keep you posted of any further information on this topic.  We will encourage our hired police officers to heavily ticket throughout the event weekend additionally.  

• Can you clarify which roads will be closed?  It looks like it’s just Candler Park Drive, but there was some confusion.

Candler Park Drive is closed.  In order to control this we will need to barricade and block the other streets as well including:

                - Candler Park Drive – will remain a one-way from North to McLendon

                - Benning, Miller and North closed (at Oakdale)

                - Callan Circle at each end will be closed

Residents wishing to access these streets must have valid ID for entrance into each area.

• Some opposition to checking Drivers Licenses as folks want to have their friends park in their driveways

Answer: We can’t have it both ways, in order to create the best access for residents we have to enlist certain measures. It seems hard to make everyone happy. Collectively, the festival feels that this is the best way to manage the road closure.

• Some folks from Terrace are opposed to turning the stage

Answer: We did this to minimize the noise impact for the most residents possible. The stage has been turned in the permit and we can't do anything to move it now.

• 8 days of setup, festival, and teardown seems excessive

Answer: It take a lot to put on a festival of this size and magnitude. We are sorry for the impact it has on your community.

• Noise pollution. Simply follow the decibel level regulations enjoyed by folks at Chastain Park. These levels should be monitored by an independent source paid for by the event organizer.

         Answer: We will be closely monitoring the decibel level.

• Public Transportation. Offer wrist band discounts to those who ride MARTA. Event organizers can verify MARTA ridership by simply having an intern at the Candler Park station with a hand stamping device. Make note of this in the advertising campaign.

Answer: We need MARTA to up their train service to be able to make this a potential solution. We are working with Alex Wan and other city and state officials on the issue, if and when we get them on board we will create a press release around an incentive program. We sincerely hope to have the opportunity to do this.

• Public Off-Street Parking. Inman Park Neighborhood Association pays MARTA for use of their parking lots at both the Inman Park/Reynoldstown and Edgewood/Candler Park rail stations during their large neighborhood festival every April. Simply lease the large surface lots on both sides of the tracks at the Edgewood/Candler Park MARTA for visitor parking.

Answer: I have spoken with MARTA and they said we can rent space but that these lots are at 70% capacity already. They are looking into the lot on the other side of DeKalb. This would maybe allow us 200 spaces.

• Parking Violations. Both blocked driveways and roadways have plagued neighbors during the festival. Organizers should simply have a minimum of three tow trucks staged nearby so that folks can call one number and have the offenders hauled away immediately.

Answer: It is simply not legal for us to do this unless there are permanent tow away signs posted by the city or they are blocking driveways. All towing has to be done by the city.

• Residential Parking. Since the event organizers are able to assign parking for the tour buses, they should simply assign parking for residents who don’t enjoy off-street parking.

Answer: We are accommodating this for residents on Candler Park Drive.

• Hours. The park has posted hours. Organizers should simply stop the event in time to clear the park by closing time.

Answer: We stay within the permitted times and we stop before this time each night.

• Buses. Diesel buses idling on public streets for 12 or more hours for the convenience of the event organizers and bands who don’t have their own tour buses doesn’t seem very green. The big acts drive in, do their show, then leave. No idling. If the event organizers can’t make do with the pool house, then simply plug the buses into an electrical source such as the First E and pay the difference in First E’s power bill.

Answer: We try our best to not have them parked on the street and for the past several years they have been parked at the school.

• Trash. Event organizers estimate 50,000 people attend this festival. If these folks buy only 2 beers apiece, that’s 100,000 cups that end up on our streets and in landfills. Instead of disposable, one-use cups, simply use recyclable special event cups that can be refilled. This allows event organizers to further their advertising efforts when cups are later reused by park patrons, and it reduces the amount of garbage generated by tons, literally.

Answer: We use corn cups and they are compostable so they biodegrade quickly. We have looked into the reusable cup and for the size of our event the operational logistics don't make sense.

• Access. Fencing off or closing public sidewalks and playgrounds is inappropriate. Simply don’t do it.

Answer: We are permitted by the city to be able to do it for the security of patrons, vendors, and our event staff.

• Drunk driving. Have a stable of cabs nearby so that those who have had too much to drink can simply and safely get a ride home.

Answer: We employee Safety Ride and they wait at the exits of the event to offer people rides home for free. They drive the patrons' cars so that the car is no longer in your neighborhood thereby reducing impact. We send out notices to all the cab companies that work in the city of Atlanta to notify them of the large crowds that weekend, and again we continue to try to work with Marta to have them increase their train service so more folks can get home safely and securely.

Additionally, please see a few reminders from last month’s updates:

Traffic and Parking:

-          Police will be strictly ticketing all illegally parked cars.

-          We’ve requested increased police presence on Oakdale as a result of the closings. This should significantly help to address issues of traffic and parking in this area. 

-          We will have extra motorcycle police on hand for the weekend to help quickly mitigate any issues that arrive.

-          Should you see overcrowding on your street, please contact resident@sweetwater420fest.com and we will send out APD as soon as possible to monitor and manage the situation accordingly. We ask that residents please include as much detail as possible in their emails.

We have created parking spaces on Candler Park Drive to assign to the church, golf course, and those without driveways. We will be in touch with passes and assignment of these spaces closer to the festival. Anyone without a driveway on Candler Park Drive, please contact Crystal Bryan at resident@sweetwater420fest.com.

Signage:

-          Please see our updated sign placement list attached.                  

As we continue to make progress with councilmembers, MARTA and others, we will keep you all posted. We appreciate your understanding of these processes and patience during this time. We look forward to seeing you all at the February meeting.

Best,

Jennifer Bensch

Happy Endings Production

From Dave Aynes:

Please sign-up to volunteer at this year's SweetWater 420 Fest 5K on April 20, 2013. 

This is a fun, annual event that benefits the Candler Park Neighborhood Organization (CPNO).  All volunteers will recieve a t-shirt, a wristband for Saturday at 420 Fest and a drink ticket.

Please feel free to sign-up for more than one volunteer slot at different times.  Or, better yet, we need a leader for each of these groups, as well as a volunteer coordinator to promote our volunteer needs on the web and show up race morning to direct volunteers to their leaders.

You do not need to be a Candler Park resident to volunteer.  Once you have signed up, e-mail Dave with your t-shirt size.

The folks at Happy Ending Productions that put on the Sweetwater 420 festival have provided us with a site map.  There was one in the permit, but it was difficult to read.  You can view it as an attachment to this post.

Thanks,

Steve Cardwell

President, Candler Park Neighborhood Organization

By Boyd Baker:

           It’s been a few years since Mary Lin Elementary had a spelling bee. Parent Gary Capelouto used to organize one within the school but it ended when Gary’s kids left the school.

           Annis Barry in Candler Park felt that Spelling Bees are an American institution that needed to return. “Bees provide a link to the past. Spelling contests have been around since the time of the one-room schoolhouse,” says Barry.

            Since the school administration didn’t want the Bee to interfere with the school day, Barry worked with volunteers to create a PTA event on Thursday, Jan. 17. Buzzy (R) for Pain Relief painless shot helper sponsored the event and MoJo’s Pizza in Oakhurst donated dinner for the 6 p.m. event. With 23 students in both 4th and 5th grade signing up for the competition, the Mary Lin Auditorium hummed with about 150 parents and kids all hoping their friend or family member would win.

            The first round was a practice round so the contestants could get over their jitters and practice spelling in front of the mic and crowd. They learned to ask word callers to repeat the words or ask for it used in a sentence to ensure they knew the word to be spelled. Then the fun began.

            For 40 minutes the competitors performed gallantly spelling words both easy and challenging. At the beginning were words like “superstar” and “family”, they soon progressed to challenges like “intuitive” and “provincial”. Slowly, the field narrowed with each incorrectly spelled word being recognized with the sharp ring of a bell - DING! That sound would be followed by applause as the audience supported the efforts of each student as they left the stage. This was one competition where kids hoped no one clapped for them.

            And then there were two: Neil Barry and Theo Weimar. The air in the auditorium got thick with anticipation. Mrs. Barry announced to the crowd how the Georgia Association of Educator rules determine the bee to proceed. If Contestant A misspells their word, Contestant B must spell it correctly AND then spell another word correctly. If they can’t, the competition continues. If they can, they are the winner.

            When Neil Barry barely misspelled “empirical”, Theo had the chance to win. By spelling that word correctly as well as a second word, “fantastically”, he was declared the winner. In the end, the top three student spellers were Theo, Neil, & Mylan Lowe, but all the contestants were great sports and future competitors. Theo Weimar will represent Mary Lin Elementary on February 7 at Gideon Elementary during the Atlanta Public School System Bee. Wish him best of luck if you see him!

            You do not realize the importance of a good sound system until you attend a Spelling Bee. Martin Steib volunteered his time and expertise to ensure the students could all be heard clearly, as could the judges (Mary Jo Bryan, Susan Shaw, and Mike Weiss) and word callers (Wendy Baker and Halle Griffee). Many thanks go out to Annis, Peggy Edwards, Kelly Crutcher, the PTA, and all the volunteers and sponsors who made this night a really special one for all the families and kids. Looking forward to next year already.

Meeting: Tuesday, (7pm – 8:30pm)
Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party,
1645 McLendon Ave.
In Candler Park
 
Top 5 Reasons To Attend CP’s Professional Networking Group:
1.    Meet new business contacts
2.    Develop new working partners
3.    Share important ideas and resources
4.    Connect with your neighbors
5.    Keep it local
 
Who is this for?
Business professionals
 
Meetings:  
Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month.  
 
Cost:
There will be no fee to belong to the group. However, any food or drink purchased during the meetings will be the member’s responsibility.
 
RSVP Contact:
Gigi K. Miller
Vision Organizing, LLC
Phone:  404.274.1930     Email: gigi@VisionOrganizing.com
 

Hi everyone,

I'd like to invite you to attend a community forum on transportation funding being hosted by the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition this Saturday, January 26 from 4-7 pm at Studioplex.

Community Forum: funding for bicycle transportation post-TSPLOST

Still feeling blue about alternate transportation options in the ATL following the failure of the T-SPLOST back in July? Want to learn more about how to effectively advocate for better cycling here in Atlanta, using proven planning, research, and organizing strategies--rather than reinventing the advocacy wheel?

Join ABC staff and volunteers at a Community Forum Saturday, January 26 from 4-7pm at Studioplex. Bring your big ideas and enthusiasm for cycling.
Facilitators from the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the League of American Bicyclists will give a short presentation on what's happening around the country in places where referendums have failed. A city planner will bring us up to speed on current bicycle projects in the city. Then you'll hear all about ABC’s newly developed campaign and how supporters can get involved.

The forum is an addition to the Winning Campaigns training ABC board, staff, and some volunteers are participating in Friday and Saturday (http://bit.ly/VGqd58 to learn more).

This is a free and informal event, with opportunities for mingling, asking questions, and sharing your point of view.
Complimentary appetizers will be provided, along with a small cash/donations wine table.

Location: Studioplex http://goo.gl/maps/yRmTe (metal door if you go to street view)
RSVP on Facebook (www.facebook.com/events/191285507682364/) or Eventbrite (http://communityforumbikefunding.eventbrite.com)

See attached flyer for info on a "Help for Homeowners Event" to be held Friday, January 25.

Sponsored by HOPE NOW.

Free.

Dear Neighbors

Ponce De Leon Avenue is slated for several road improvement projects over the next several years to enhance its efficiency and improve the mobility of pedestrians, cyclist, and vehicles.

We invite you to attend the community meeting “Open House” on February 7, 2013 at Inman Middle School from 6:30pm-8:00pm to learn more about the road improvement projects, anticipated sequencing of these projects, and more detailed schedule information where possible. See the attached flyer for additional details. 

Sincerely,