In case you hadn’t noticed there is a developer trying to get land zoned for low income, federally subsidized senior apartments at the corner of Morris Road and Webb Bridge Road in Alpharetta. The proposal is being championed by local senior activist, Dot Benson, and you can read more background in this article from the Alpharetta Revue.
Despite Ms. Benson’s campaign to support this rezoning there is a great deal of opposition to the project from Alpharetta residents and I have received a number of emails from people explaining why it is a bad idea. Curiously the majority of the emails have come from people I would consider to be seniors themselves. At some point I will address this zoning issue in more detail but right now I would like to point out something about the senior housing proposal that I find unconscionable. City employees are actively lobbying on behalf of the senior center and using my money to do it.
Below is an email apparently sent from a Parks and Rec employee which outlines the use of public resources to champion the developer’s proposal:
For those of you who missed the wonderful AGAC luncheon, we want to thank the AGAC BOD for supplying the food and the speakers for today, we had a wild day!!
We wanted to inform you of a topic we discussed today and invite you to a town hall meeting regarding plans for a Preston Ridge Senior Community. Fulton County Strategies for Healthier Community, chaired by Ms. Dorothy Benson, has enlisted the assistance of Atlas Development Group and Carlisle Development Group to undertake the development of the much needed AFFORDABLE HOUSING, age-restricted “senior” RENTAL housing in Alpharetta. The development will be located at the intersection of Webb Bridge and Morris Rd. They have applied to the City of Alpharetta for a rezoning of the property which will enable us to move forward with the contemplated development.
This development will provide 90 senior apartments at affordable rents as well as a wide array of amenities and social/recreational activities. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT in petitioning for rezoning of this property. To show support, please meet in the lobby of the AAC either on Thurs. June 2nd for the Alpharetta Planning Commission Meeting, leaving here at 6:45pm or Monday, June 20th at the City Council meeting, leaving here at 6:45pm as we will be providing transportation.
If you are in favor of this and cannot make any of these town hall meetings, please come to our office and sign a petition. Thanks!
***** ***** ******
Administrative Assistant 1
Alpharetta Adult Activity Center at North Park
13450 Cogburn Rd.
Alpharetta, GA 30004
678-297-****
I have removed the sender’s name and phone number from the above email because I have not yet been able to verify the validity of the letter from an independent source. But the people who forwarded the note to me have been impeccable sources in the past and I have no doubt about the accuracy of the email.
People can disagree about zoning issues. It happens all the time. But the thought of tax dollars being used to finance a political agenda infuriates me. My money being used to provide free transportation to seniors so they can lobby on behalf of housing subsidized by more of my money? Are you kidding me?
The Alpharetta Parks and Recreation Department is generally a fine group of people and they have done a great job building an organization that we can be proud of here. But there is absolutely no excuse for city employees being allowed to use public resources to fund lobbying activities on behalf of a developer, especially when the project in question will require even more tax dollars.
I hope the Parks and Rec department will get to the bottom of these shenanigans soon.
GA Jim 
1. The Revue article never mentions that these proposed apartments are affordable housing units. That is a curious detail to be omitted. It also makes me wonder how that article made it into the paper in advance? It looks like someone was wanting to grease the skids and garner support before the vote. Who is the Revue working for? The public? Special interests? Or a tool for the city? Why didn’t the reporter do his homework to check the facts like the ‘snopes’ and ‘Truth Detector’ commenters did. Sloppy journalism? Or intentional bias?
I recall when I exposed some unethical behavior in the City that caused a zoning to be overturned late last year. Next thing I know, the Revue had done a hit piece on me. That was my thank you for exposing wrongdoing. What is this? Third world???
Jimmy, this is worthy of a blog post in and of itself. Thank goodness for independent blogs that will bring forth the real news. The local press sure isn’t doing it. I notice that Alpharetta prints all their public notices in there. What is the $ amount of that contract with Appen? Does this give the city special access to use the Revue as a tool for their ends?
2. “Community organizing” on the public dime? This should be grounds for dismissal. If this is found to be true, someone needs to file an ethics charge since we are, afterall, a “City of Ethics.”
3. What happens if the apartments aren’t filled by seniors? Then what? Did you know that the Fair Housing Act allows that only one person in the apartment must be over 55? That means that anyone can move in as long as they bring grandma along. Do we really need more “affordable housing” in our City?
4.</b? I am sick, sick, sick of apartments and tiny condos!!! What about the 85/15 target?
Kim