Blogs

underwoodhills.org has a new home

The UHNA website was migrated to a new host over Thanksgiving, thanks to our webmaster, local resident and former Kilometer Kids site lead Sachin Gupta! Sachin has implemented improved color contrast (especially helpful for sight-impaired) and other improved functionality such as more easily accessible language translation and search.

If you notice anything odd please let us know; uhadmin@underwoodhills.org

NPU-D meeting update, Affordable Spirits club

UHNA NPU-D Rep Eva Nason reports from the 11/25 NPU-D meeting;

"The Affordable Spirits rep showed a lot of pictures of the proposed development V-25-199 but there was no "revising of the numbers." An invitation to present to UHNA was not made because the consensus was pure denial of their request.

UHNA Security Patrol coordinator Jamie Hargarher also participated to speak against and say, yes, we should absolutely vote the parking variance application down again, which we did. The applicant's representative wanted us to defer the issue so that he could come to the next UHNA meeting to present, but we motioned to outright, once again, oppose the application. It was carried by a pretty good turnout of people who were there for a Bolton issue.

Toys & Tots @ 1824 Defoor

Sarah Byrd

Property Manager | 1824 Defoor Apartments | RAM Partners, LLC
1824 Defoor Avenue | Atlanta, GA 30318

Elections aren’t over yet! Because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in several Atlanta City Council and Atlanta Board of Education races during the general election, Atlanta residents will head back to the polls for a runoff on December 2, 2025.

While the deadline to register to vote in the runoff has passed, you do not need to have voted in the general election to participate in the runoff. If you’re registered, you can vote.

Early voting runs from Saturday, November 22 through Wednesday, November 26. Here are the races still to be decided:

• Atlanta City Council District 7
• Atlanta City Council District 11
• Atlanta Board of Education District 2
• Atlanta Board of Education District 6
• Atlanta Board of Education Seat 8 At-Large (ALL Atlanta voters will vote on this seat)

You can find more details about each seat at VoteATL.org.

In the last 2-week period (Nov 1 - 14), 42 incidents were reported in Beat 204.  Of those, 2 occurred in the area we patrol.

• November 12, 2025: A black male emerged from a white sedan and stole packages from the front porch of a residence on Seaboard Ave.  The doorbell video provided does not reveal enough details of the suspect or vehicle to make any identification.  Report was made on November 16.
• November 14, 2025: Gunshots overnight resulted in a bullet passing through the rear wall of a residence on Harper Street and entering a kitchen cabinet.  Residents discovered the damage later in the morning.  APD responded to process the scene and made a report.  The incident is under investigation by the Aggravated Assault Unit.  Two 911 calls were received by APD around 3:00 AM but no suspects, victims, damage, or crime scene was located at the time.

A summary of activity reported in the surrounding area:

Significant incidents:

• Aggravated Assault:
  • November 1 - A landlord tenant dispute on Noble Creek Drive resulted in multiple windows being shattered with a hammer.  The complainant no longer wishes to cooperate with the investigation.
  • November 14 - Harper St residence damaged by gunfire.  Summarized above.

Det. Kevin Leonpacher
Atlanta PD / Underwood Hills Patrol

Update on Variance for 1151 Chattahoochee Ave.

As announced in an earlier post, the application was reviewed at the UHNA Steering Committee meeting Oct 27. The meeting resolved to request that NPU deny the variance, citing several reasons, and requested UHNA NPU-D Rep Eva Nason share this at the meeting.
Eva provides this post-meeting update;
"We were successful at the regular NPU-D meeting in voting to oppose the variance application to the Board of Zoning Adjustment to reduce parking from 135 spaces to 20 spaces in connection with the development of a sports bar in the back of the building which houses Affordable Spirits at 1151 Chattahoochee Ave.

Interestingly enough, the applicant was not present. The vote taken on the motion to deny this variance was large (in the vicinity of 113-13 in favor of the motion) because there was an item on the agenda involving the Bolton Neighborhood which had called forth a large contingent of Bolton residents.

This variance application will be handled by the BZA at its meeting at 11am on November 13 at City Hall at which the public is allowed to speak."
All concerned residents are encouraged to attend and speak if they so wish.
A copy of the reasoning presented to NPU-D is below.

Previously we invited concerned residents to attend the hearing in November however it looks like V-25-0199 will be deferred on 11/13 for several reasons:

1. It was not posted,
2. The applicant has requested deferral, and
3. The application is being amended with different numbers

The applicant would like to come back to NPU-D (and actually show up this time) to present the amended application.
UHNA has also requested the applicant present to the General Meeting December 8.
UHNA has written to BZA reiterating the community request to deny and will keep the community informed on the amended application.

Don't you just love elections!? Just when you thought we're done we have another [small] one for you; the annual election of UHNA Executive and Sub Committee Chairs.
Voters and nominees must be current UHNA members. (join or renew here)

• Meeting details are on the Calendar.
• Check out the state of play here;​
• To learn more about the various roles, check out the UHNA bylaws and info on the various activities. 

If you're interested in one of the positions, or assisting on a sub-committee, please send an email to uhadmin@underwoodhills.org Subject 2026 election before the meeting, or email any of the Leadership team with questions.

NPU-D Meeting November 25

This month's meeting includes V-25-199 (Affordable Spirits Club): This is the parking exception that we voted down last month in the absence of the applicant. It is coming back in a revised version.

​Link to details, agenda contact details etc- scroll down to select NPU D. (the full agenda is usually posted the day of the meeting) (https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/city-planning/neighborhood-planning-units/neighborhood-and-npu-contacts) 
UHNA's NPU-D Rep is long-term resident Ms Eva Nason, contact NPU-D-Rep@underwoodhills.org
Register for Zoom in advance for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEucu2upzgvGNRkuGmiYcE2akuYMkFc1av-
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

For over a year consultants engaged by UWCID have consulted with community representatives on plans to improve Collier Road from Chattahoochee Ave to Northside Drive. Many of you participated in community consults, pop-ups, map marking and idea sharing to produce two alternative 10% proposals.
Feedback from these have been condensed to a 30% development plan which was released at the final meeting Monday Nov 17. If you'd like to view a pdf please visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z1MNEjiXuNtxvXh4ulU9g5PvrNdF_c0_/view?usp=drive_link
​Final feedback and comments are due by November 25.

Shots Fired on Defoor

On Friday, November 14, 2025, at 3:10 AM, two 911 calls were received for "shots fired".  One was reported in the area of Collier Rd @ Defoor Ave.  The other was from Defoors Walk NW.  Both callers reported hearing 3 gunshots.  Multiple officers responded to and canvassed the area but were unable to locate any suspects, victims, or property damage.

The next morning, a resident on Harper Street woke up to find glass on her kitchen counter.  She realized a bullet passed through the rear of her house and into a kitchen cabinet where it seemed to have destroyed a glass cup.  The resident said she and her husband were awakened at about 4:00 AM to a loud noise followed by the sound of breaking glass.

It is unclear if the shots fired call at 3:10 AM is directly related to this incident due to the reporting party's confidence in the time of the gunshot she heard being at 4:00 AM; however, the there were no other reports of shots fired between 3:00 AM and 4:00 AM anywhere else in the city.  Also, projectiles from gunfire can travel great distances.  Although they lose velocity over distance, they are still very dangerous when they come to rest.

Det. McClure and I are aware of this incident and, as always, remain vigilant while on patrol.

Kevin

Survey Feedback: almost 5% responded so far

In the last 2-week period (Oct 18 - 31), 30 incidents were reported in Beat 204.  Of those, one occurred in the area we patrol.  On October 25, 2025, the driver of a 2017 BMW X3 crashed into a vehicle parked on Woodland Hills Avenue and destroyed a mailbox.  The driver fled the scene leaving the disabled vehicle behind.

The incident is being investigated by the Accident Investigations Unit.

A summary of incidents reported in the surround area:

There were no significant incidents to report.

Det. Kevin Leonpacher

Atlanta PD / Underwood Hills Patrol

Paul Laseter of the Bolton Neighborhood is looking for support to help vote down a rezoning item on the NPU-D meeting tomorrow.
"I am hoping you might share this issue with your neighbors in the hopes that some feel inclined to attend and vote down an issue that I am sure affects your neighborhood as well.
LaDawn Rezoning Issues Summary
The current property owner, Clayburne Condominium Association, is facing maintenance and repair costs and seeks to sell or develop its land to offset those expenses. The proposed project would rezone the property from R-4 (Single-Family Residential) to PD-H (Planned Development–Housing) to allow higher density. A nearly identical proposal was voted down in June.
Key Concerns

1. Density and Traffic Impacts
   • The site could support 20+ single-family or two-family homes under existing R-4 zoning—no rezoning is required.
   • The PD-H request serves primarily to increase density for the developer’s benefit, not the community’s.
   • Approving this rezoning would set a precedent for denser infill projects that erode single-family character and increase traffic on La Dawn Lane.
   • Traffic and property value declines are already evident along Bolton Road.
   • Anne Street offers a viable right-of-way to redirect traffic toward Marietta Boulevard and away from La Dawn.
2. Displacement and Housing Affordability
   • The proposal would remove two attainable single-family homes in a neighborhood dominated by such housing.  The project proposes to add $600,000 while nearby townhome projects are not complete and sit vacant.
   • Comparable multifamily developments, such as Bridgeside Apartments is zoned R-G (low-density residential) and has a lower density than this project.
   • No affordable or attainable housing commitments have been included to preserve neighborhood diversity.
3. Financial and Ethical Concerns
   • The rezoning and land sale would financially benefit current property owners by offsetting association costs, while the broader neighborhood bears lasting traffic and density impacts.
   • Campaign finance disclosures show donations by the property owners and developer to City Council and ZRB members in June and October. While legal, the timing raises concerns about impartiality.

Conclusion
Rezoning is not necessary to address the Association’s financial needs. Reasonable alternatives—such as improving Anne Street access or incorporating affordable housing—could achieve balance without altering neighborhood character.
The NPU-D voted to deny the rezoning in June.
Council  member Dustin Hillis has stated he follows NPU-D recommendations in 99% of cases.
Residents are encouraged to attend the virtual NPU-D meeting on Tuesday, October 28, and vote to deny the rezoning.
Agendas for monthly NPU meetings are posted on our website.

NPU Directory and NPU Meeting Information | Atlanta, GA (atlantaga.gov)

DATE: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
TIME: 7:30 PM
LOCATION: Virtual

To register in advance, click here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEucu2upzgvGNRkuGmiYcE2akuYMkFc1av-#/registration

Meeting ID: 953 5469 3520
Dial-In: +1 646-558-8656
Access code: 95354693520#

UH Neighbors-

It's that time of year for our security patrol annual dues! Thank you to all those who have contributed in years past and for the 66 members who have already paid since August 1 for this calendar year! Would love to quickly collect dues for this year! We need to get to 100 members! 

$300 for an entire year gets our neighborhood off-duty Atlanta Police Officers patrolling our neighborhood at different times of the day and in the middle of the night throughout the week.

Use this link to pay now!

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/KC689N4LZYTBL 

There has been a major reduction of crime within the neighborhood since the patrol began a few years ago, and we want to keep that up.

Also, don't forget about the officers being able to do vacation checks on your residence while you're away. Make sure you use this service! You can email uhpatrol@gmail.com whenever you go out of town!

If you need a new Security Sign to put in your yard, please let me know!

Join the UH Security Patrol for $300 per year.  Security Dues are for the August 1, 2025 - July 31, 2026 time period.

Please renew or join, so we can keep these Atlanta Police Officers as our security patrol in the neighborhood!

Thank you!

Jamie Hargather
UH Security Patrol

UHNA Safety Chair Cynthia Williams provides notification of the new polling place for most of Underwood Hills.  "Through Friday, we can vote at any of the early voting locations, but next Tuesday, voters will have to go to the Springfield Missionary Baptist Church, 1730 Hollywood Road NW, Atlanta, GA  30318.  This is just down the street from the Scotts Crossing library, which is almost 4.5 miles from Underwood Hills.  Our polling location is usually much closer to us, so I'm not sure what is going on.  I think the change should be mentioned in the next newsletter, as this is a very important election!"

Information on Candidates for Mayor, City Council President, City Council, four School Board seats, Municipal Court Judges, and two Public Service Commissioners and polling lookup tool are available via previous blog posts.

If you have news to share with Underwood Hills, email it to uhadmin@underwoodhills.org

​In the last 2-week period (October 4- 17), 51 incidents were reported in Beat 204.  Of those, one occurred in the area we patrol.  That report was related to an incident that occurred between family members.  A breakdown of activity reported in the surrounding area:

Aggravated Assault Incident
On October 4, 2025, a man reported to police that a security guard pointed a firearm at him on Defoor Avenue.  The security guard confirmed he interacted with the man but disputed the allegation.  The incident is under investigation by the Aggravated Assault Unit.  No injuries were reported.

The statutory rape is under investigation by the Special Victims Unit, involves parties known to each other, and no additional information can be released.

Det. Kevin Leonpacher
Atlanta PD / Underwood Hills Patrol
Security Patrol- join or renew
​Underwood Hills neighbors can now renew or join the UH Security Patrol for $300 per year. 
The number of patrols is dependent on the number of subscribers, so please renew and keep these Atlanta Police Officers as our security patrol in the neighborhood 7 days a week.
  
Jamie Hargather
UH Security Patrol Coordinator
to Join or Renew Go to https://www.underwoodhills.org/security.html

Fall into The Neighborhood Challenge ‘25

Buckhead to Bankhead: 🏌️‍♂️ The Neighborhood Challenge Returns – Registration Open!The Neighborhood Challenge 2025: Where Everything’s Neighborhood & Neighborhood is Everything

After a brief hiatus in 2024, The Neighborhood Challenge is back — and we’re kicking it off with our 2nd Annual Golf Tournament on Saturday, November 22nd.

This isn’t just another golf outing — it’s a celebration of community, connection, and pride in where you’re from.

This is your chance to show up, show out, and close out 2025 with purpose.

Registration is open!

⏳ Limited spots. Limited time. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it.

Early Bird Pricing:

• 🧍‍♂️ Single Players: $125 (until Oct 31) | $150 in November
• 👥 Foursomes: $500 (early bird) | $600 regular

Location: Browns Mill Golf Course

Time: November 22nd, 9:00am

Format: Best Ball

Presented by: Four 22, Inc. — a real estate firm with nearly 20 years of Beltline involvement.

Stay tuned Daily as we see who is gonna represent their Neighborhood.

Neighborhood foursomes go FAST — especially those who truly rep their block.

This is where Everything Neighborhood meets Neighborhood Everything.

See you on the green,

Derrick Duckworth

Founder, The Neighborhood Challenge

Four 22 Inc, Real Estate Firm

(ENNE) “Everything’s Neighborhood & Neighborhood is Everything”

770.744.2742

Click to Register Here: