Blogs

If you are pregnant or know someone in the neighborhood who is pregnant, let us know!  The Baby Welcoming Committee brings adorable Winnie + Crew clothes and a meal from Floral Park Market to families with new additions!  Reach out to Melissa Blair, Molly Kloos, or Jen Roane with any new or expecting baby info!

Email: babywelcome@communicationunderwoodhills.org

Rising Kindergarten parents and children, E Rivers is hosting our annual Kindergarten Kaleidoscope on Thursday, March 12th at 3pm! This is a fantastic chance for parents and students to come meet teachers, see future classmates, tour the Kindergarten classrooms and get excited for next year! If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Melissa or Molly at eriverswelcomedesk@gmail.com. For more information, please see the attached flyer. We hope to see you there! 

Pre-K Lottery - Registration is live! Applications opened yesterday, Monday, February 23rd at 9am. For more information, please click HERE. Applications close on Friday, March 20th at 11:59pm and the lottery drawing will be held on Tuesday, March 31st. 

Dear Neighborhood Members,

Thank you so much to everyone who carved out time for our February meeting. It was wonderful to see such a dedicated group of volunteers working to keep Buckhead a great place to live.

We covered a lot of important territory—from welcoming Hanover West to our council to discussing zoning and infrastructure updates. Below, a few items that require your input as we prepare to host Mayor Andre Dickens next month.

Preparing for Mayor Andre Dickens (March 12th)

We want to make sure we give the Mayor a warm Buckhead welcome and have a truly fruitful discussion. To help us stay organized, we need your help:

Question Submissions: To ensure the conversation is as productive as possible, we plan to provide the Mayor’s office with a list of questions and topics in advance. This gives them the opportunity to arrive prepared with specific data and clear answers for our community.

We are asking communities to input questions directly into the form below. You may also share this form to solicit questions or concerns for our community.

https://tinyurl.com/BCN-Mayor-Dickens-Visit

Thank you all. I look forward to seeing everyone on March 12th!

Best regards,

Emily Boatright

Chair, Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods

404.518.2990

UHNA Youth Committee and Beautification Committee are teaming up to prepare the Park for the UHNA Easter Egg Hunt.

This Family friendly event is to clean the Mural, spruce up tables and benches before the egg hunt. Depending on time and number of volunteers we may also stencil the UHNA logo on furniture using a white gloss enamel. Bring your own water bottle, wear suitable clothing.  Bring scrapers and paint brushes if you have them. Bring soft cleaning brushes, bucket and detergent for cleaning if you'd like to clean the mural.

APS students can register for Community Service Hours via Tiersphere for APS students Refreshments provided by UHNA

no playgroup Friday March 6th due to the Talent Show at E Rivers.

With the weather warming up, it's the perfect time to join us for Playgroup Fridays at 4pm at Underwood Hills Park! 

All ages are welcome including babies and toddlers! It's a great chance for our littlest neighbors to make friends and burn off energy. 

We are also looking for families to help host the following dates: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0948A8AF2AA1F5C07-57675075-uhna#/

March 20 & 27, April 3, May 1 & 8

Next Playgroup date: Friday March 13 

Grab a friend and come play! -------------------------------------------------------- Questions; play@underwoodhills.org

Bring your baskets and join us for the annual Egg Hunt!

Sunday March 29 4:00pm Underwood Hills Park

How to Participate:

Please drop off 12 filled eggs (or more) per child. 

Eggs can be dropped off at 1756 Ridgeway Ave in bins in front of house. Bins are labeled by age group: 0-2, 3-6, 7+ years old. Eggs can be filled with wrapped candy, stickers, coins, small toys,/ etc. 

Here is the link for Egg Hunt Volunteers to sign up to help hide eggs, set up, or provide food and drinks:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0948A8AF2AA1F5C07-62528485-egghunt

Bring your neighbors, hop on over and join the fun! 

 Calling All Future Leaders!  

Know a rising high school junior or senior in Atlanta Public Schools ready to make an impact? 

The City of Atlanta’s Department of City Planning invites them to apply for Civic Responsibility for Young Leaders (CRFYL) — a one-week immersive civic leadership academy at Atlanta City Hall. 

 Students Will: 

• Shadow City leaders 

• Learn how local government works 

• Develop solutions to community challenges 

• Participate in a mock City Council meeting 

 Participants Receive: 

• 35 community service hours 

• Hands-on civic leadership experience 

• Stipend 

 June 8–12, 2026 | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM 

 Apply by Monday, March 9, 2026 

Full attendance is required. A brief virtual interview will be scheduled. 

Space is limited. 

 Apply at NPUAtlanta.org  

 Questions: NPU-U@AtlantaGA.gov 

Despite the rain and thunder, volunteers turned up for the first Love Your Park event in Underwood Hills, cleaning up a large amount of tree debris and some trash.

Unfortunately the planned painting has to wait or dryer weather, but we'll let you know when that is.

Next Saturday Feb 28 is the second Love Your Park, with Trees Atlanta planting on the west side of the playing field.

Sign up at Trees Atlanta.

Atlanta City Golf is hosting a Community Open House on Saturday, March 21 from 10 AM – 2 PM at Tup Holmes Golf Course (2300 Wilson Dr SW).

All Atlantans are invited to attend — regardless of which neighborhood you live in. Atlanta’s four public golf courses serve the entire city, and this event is a chance to:

• Participate in golf drills
• Meet fellow community members/golf enthusiasts
• Enjoy refreshments
• Learn about new programs and opportunities

Come see what’s ahead for Atlanta City Golf!

Community Open Houses take place monthly at one of the City of Atlanta’s four public golf courses — Browns Mill Golf Course, Chastain Park Golf Course, Candler Park Golf Course, and Alfred “Tup” Holmes Golf Course. These events provide an opportunity for residents to connect with Atlanta City Golf, enjoy light refreshments, participate in golf drills, and learn more about new and expanded programming designed to make the game more accessible to all Atlantans.

We encourage you — and your communities — to attend the March Open House regardless of proximity to Tup Holmes. Whether you already enjoy public golf or are simply interested in learning more about the offerings available across the city, this event is for you!

Readers may recall an application by the owner of Affordable Spirits to open a Club in the rear of the building, requesting a parking requirement reduction. This was voted down overwhelmingly at NPU-D but has been resurrected with a new Name (Sportsbook), application number and justification letter, otherwise largely unchanged except for the proposal to provide parking at 1616 Huber St NW. It's scheduled for the BZA March 5th.

Application V-26-001(Amended) Sportsbook Special Exemption Application

Thank you to the 278 people that engaged! The Seasonal Transitions Concept B was the overwhelming favorite. There were also many very helpful feedback and comments which will be parsed and add to the overall final design and implementation.

The February 9 General Meeting at Round Trip Brewing and via Zoom provided neighborhood updates and information on upcoming developments. Membership Chair Natalia reported on the ongoing annual membership drive, which has so far gathered 40 members. Social Chair Maria shared updates on the upcoming March 29 Easter egg hunt and playgroup activities. Jessica Hill, Molloy Peterson, Greg Cato representing Selig Inc. presented plans for the Phase 2 multi-use development of the Works, including potential office buildings, multifamily units, and a grocery store. The meeting voted to approve a liquor license for Summerland, presented by Anne Quatrano for an all-day bakery and cafe. UWCID Executive Director Elizabeth Hollister discussed the Collier Road study results and plans for a mural on a retaining wall. UHNA Treasurer Debbie Whitlock presented the 2026 budget, highlighting 2025 shortfalls in revenue and expenses, and explanation of the current estimates. The meeting voted unanimously for approval. The meeting ended with thanks to sponsors and an appeal to invite neighbors to become new members.

All relevant documents are available for review via the Agenda. Links to Audio and Video recording. Passcode: 6j#MGMpF

With thanks to current UHNA Sponsors;

The Crime Prevention Unit has set the date for the Spring 2026 Citywide Neighborhood Watch Training, at the Public Training Center (1350 Constitution Rd.) for March 21, 2026. We are looking forward to seeing familiar faces and new faces join us. Please help us spread the word, we will be very grateful.

All attending need to register by March 13, 2026, by the end of the workday (6:00pm). 

If you have any further questions, please let us know. Hoping for a great turn out and hope to see you all there. 

Thank you for your time and consideration, 

Keisha Hebert
Crime Prevention Inspector

Atlanta Police Department Zone 4
1125  Cascade Circle S.W.
404-546-5320 kehebert@atlantaga.gov

The next GM includes a few interesting things; presentations by Selig Co. on The Works Phase II Proposed, by Victual Inc. (Summerland) for their Alcohol Licence, updates from UWCID on the Mural designs, by Membership on the Annual Drive, Youth Committee on upcoming opportunities, and the Discussion and Vote on UHNA 2026 Budget. (note Membership must be Current to vote on the budget). Full Agenda with links to documents is HERE.

Details on the UHNA Calendar.

UHNA Liaison to the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods (BCN) and UHNA Vice President Beau Grant provides a summary of recent activities you should be aware of.

ATLANTA’S EFFORTS TO IMPOSE A NEW STORM WATER FEE 

Atlanta is facing a new "Stormwater Utility Fee," a policy widely known in legal battles as a "Rain Tax." This does not merely introduce an additional standard utility rate fee; it amounts to a new, permanent tax levied on the "impervious surface area" of your property—your roof, driveway, and patio. Unlike taxes, which require a vote, this "fee" is being imposed administratively without a Sunset Clause. Without a Sunset, the fee will permanently continue long after the Consent Agreement compliance projects are complete.

This initiative is led by the new Department of Watershed Management (DWM) Commissioner, Greg Eyerly. Recruited from his last role in Houston, Texas, during his tenure there Eyerly Eyerly deployed this exact scheme which has resulted in a decade-long legal quagmire, Jones & Watson v. City of Houston, where engineers and residents successfully sued the city for diverting "drainage fee" revenue to pay for general city salaries and administrative overhead. There are several other legal cases relevant to this issue, some of which were litigated in the Atlanta area, which are at the bottom of this report.

The "Double-Dip" 

We are already paying for stormwater management via Sewer Rates and the Municipal Option Sales Tax. This new fee is a calculated "Double-Dip" taxation scheme.

1. The MOST 10% Set-Aside: The Municipal Option Sales Tax (MOST) was reauthorized in 2024. The legislation explicitly allows for up to 10% (approximately $12.5 to $18 million annually) of that revenue to be dedicated to stormwater management projects. If we pay a new fee, that sales tax revenue becomes a slush fund.
2. Sewer Rates (Combined System): A large portion of Atlanta (including Proctor Creek/Upper Westside) relies on a Combined Sewer System. Rainwater goes into the same pipe as sewage. Residents already pay a Sewer Rate based on water usage to treat this mixed water. Charging a separate fee for "runoff" that enters a pipe you already pay to "treat" is billing for the same gallon of rain twice. 
3. Consent Decree Funding: The MOST primarily funds the Federal Consent Decree, which mandates massive tunnels like the West Area Tunnel. These exist almost exclusively to manage stormwater surges. The MOST is already a de facto stormwater tax.

The Math is Simple:

• Current Reality: (Sales Tax [MOST]) + (Sewer Rates) = Fully Funded Mandated Infrastructure
• Proposed Scheme: (Sales Tax [MOST]) + (Sewer Rates) + (New Impervious Fee) = Surplus Revenue & Bloated Administration

Warnings from Houston of What’s to Come to Atlanta Water Customers:

Commissioner Eyerly’s track record in Houston is defined by "regulatory compliance" funded by aggressive rate hikes rather than efficiency. In Houston, the "Drainage Fee" became a permanent cash cow. 

• Houston used the fee to pay for unrelated administrative roles, street sweepers and traffic light technicians, claiming they were "drainage related."
• "Impervious surface" maps were frequently wrong, billing residents for grass and gravel. The burden of proof was on the homeowner to hire surveyors to fight the city.
• No Sunset Clause: Once the specific compliance projects are finished, the fee remains forever.

Community Action Plan

We must challenge Eyerly’s permanent double-taxation scheme and his "Impervious Surface" math at all Townhalls, upcoming presentations by city representatives townhalls, etc. This is a permanent regressive tax that disproportionately impacts the fixed-income, disabled, and elderly members of our community who cannot afford to subsidize City Hall’s administrative overhead. The tax reduces housing affordability and access to water to at risk community members.

Demand Answers to These Three Questions:

1. The Sunset Clause "Commissioner, if this fee is designed to fund a specific Federal Consent Decree backlog, will the fee sunset and expire once those specific projects are completed? Taxes need votes; fees for specific services must end when the service is rendered."

2. The Revenue Neutrality Requirement "The MOST tax collects up to $18 million a year specifically for stormwater. If you implement this new fee, will you reduce the Sewer Rate or the MOST allocation by an equal amount? If not, why are we paying for the same MS4 repairs twice?"

3. The Burden of Proof "In Houston, the maps were wrong and residents had to pay for their own surveys to prove it. If a resident disputes your digital map of their property, will the City accept a simple photo as evidence, or will you force homeowners to pay for a certified survey to correct your errors?"

Resources

Atlanta Water Commissioner Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyEQrn6G68o

Atlanta is the cradle of the Civil Rights movement,  an ongoing fight for Equality and Fairness.
This unjust, regressive "Rain Tax" is a threat to the affordability of our community. 

This is yet another opportunity for Atlanta community members to display our ‘Quality’ and hold the City of Atlanta and our Department of Watershed Management accountable for this misguided exercise of “public policy”. 

LEGAL WATCH: The "Rain Tax" in the Courts
Commissioner Eyerly’s model is not new—and neither are the lawsuits it generates. Courts across the country have repeatedly struck down these "impervious surface" fees, forced cities to refund millions, or ruled that these "fees" are actually illegal taxes. Ultimately, the Tax payers foot the bill for all of the litigation.

Part I: The Houston Precedents (Eyerly’s Legacy)
These cases occurred in the district Commissioner Eyerly previously managed or directly impacted the system he oversaw.

Case 1: The "Hidden Tax" Verdict

• Dacus v. Parker
• Texas Supreme Court (2015)
• The Finding: The Court voided the election results that created the drainage fee because the ballot language was "misleading." The City failed to inform voters that the "dedicated funding source" was actually a new monthly charge on their property.
• Why it Matters: This proves that when these schemes are actually put to a fair vote with honest language, they often fail legal scrutiny. It took years of litigation to force the City to be honest about the cost.

Case 2: The "Lockbox" Scandal

• Jones & Watson v. City of Houston
• Texas District Courts (Recent Rulings)
• The Finding: Engineers and residents sued the City for diverting "Drainage Fee" money to pay for general city salaries and administrative overhead.
• Why it Matters: This happened during Commissioner Eyerly’s tenure in Houston. It illustrates the danger of a "Lockbox" that isn't welded shut. Without strict legal definitions, "Stormwater Funds" become a slush fund for City Hall.

Case 3: The "Failure to Protect" Liability

• In re Upstream Addicks and Barker (Texas) Flood-Control Reservoirs
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims (2019/2025)
• The Finding: The Court ruled the U.S. Government was liable for the flooding of thousands of homes.
• Why it Matters: In Houston, residents paid drainage fees for years, yet the infrastructure still failed them. This case proves that paying a "Rain Tax" is no guarantee of safety or service. When the system fails, the government may still try to claim immunity to avoid paying for the damage to your home.

Part II: Nationwide Precedents (The "Tax" Defense)
These cases expose the legal strategy cities use to bypass voter approval.

Case 4: The "Federal Refusal" (The Local Hypocrisy)

• DeKalb County, Georgia v. United States
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims (2013)
• The Finding: DeKalb County sued the Federal Government for refusing to pay the county's stormwater fee. The Federal Court sided with the US Government, ruling that the fee was a TAX, and therefore the Federal Government (which is immune from local taxes) did not have to pay it.
• Why it Matters: A Federal Court right next door has effectively ruled that these fees are "taxes in disguise."
• The Reality: The City calls this a "Fee" for one reason only: so they don't have to let us vote on it. If they admitted it was a tax—as Federal Courts have ruled similar charges to be—they would have to ask for our permission at the ballot box.
• The Trap: If it passes City Council, you have to pay it. The City doesn't care if you call it a tax or a fee; they just want the revenue. They label it a "fee" specifically to bypass your right to vote on it, knowing it would likely fail in a November referendum.

Case 5: The "Bad Map" Settlement

• Michigan Warehousing Group LLC v. City of Detroit
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan (Settled 2017)
• The Finding: Detroit agreed to a $29.5 million settlement after business owners sued over the "drainage fee."
• Why it Matters: The lawsuit exposed that the City’s data on "impervious surfaces" was deeply flawed and often overstated the pavement on properties. Detroit was forced to refund millions to ratepayers who had been overcharged based on bad aerial mapping data—the exact same method Atlanta plans to use.

Case 6: The "General Benefit" Ruling

• Borough of West Chester v. Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
• Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court (2023)
• The Finding: The Court ruled that the stormwater charge was illegal when applied to tax-exempt entities because it was, in reality, a TAX, not a fee.
• Why it Matters: The Court found that because stormwater management provides a "general public benefit" (cleaner rivers, dry roads) rather than a specific service to the individual payer, it cannot be disguised as a utility fee. This precedent threatens the legality of any stormwater fee that claims to be a "service charge." to claim "sovereign immunity" to avoid paying for the damage to your home.

Case 7 : No "Sunset Clause"

• Bolt v. City of Lansing (1998).
• Michigan Supreme Court
• The Finding: In Bolt, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that for a charge to be a Fee (legal) and not a Tax (illegal without a vote), it must serve a "Regulatory Purpose"—meaning it must pay for a specific job (like fixing a specific set of drains).
• Why it Matters:  If a fee has no sunset clause, it collects money forever. Once the specific drains are fixed, the money starts piling up or gets used for other things. At that moment, the court says it stops being a "Regulatory Fee" and becomes a "Revenue-Raising Tax." You demand a Sunset Clause to force the City to prove the fee is for a project (which ends), not for profit (which never ends). If they refuse a sunset clause, you cite Bolt to argue they are creating a permanent tax.
  Revisiting the 1998 Seminal Bolt Decision
  https://crcmich.org/revisiting-the-1998-seminal-bolt-decision

Case 8 : The "Pass-Through" Tax Ruling 

Why it Matters: This ruling closes the "pass-through" loophole. It establishes that a city cannot hide a tax by forcing a utility company to collect it on their behalf. If the fee generates revenue for the government's general budget rather than strictly funding the specific utility service, it is a tax that requires voter approval. This precedent provides a powerful legal weapon against "Stormwater Fees" that are used to pad general budgets or pay for unrelated administrative overhead. mmary Argument Against Stormwater Tariffs as Double Dip Taxation:

James Heos v. City of East Lansing 

Michigan Supreme Court (2025)

The Finding: The Court ruled that a "franchise fee" added to utility bills was an illegal tax because it failed the Bolt test: it was involuntary (residents had no choice but to pay it to get electricity), the revenue was diverted to the General Fund (used for pensions, not infrastructure), and it was not proportionate to the actual cost of the service.

As your liaison to the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods (BCN) and UHNA Vice President, I want to provide a summary of recent activities you should be aware of which deals with the ongoing APS Redistricting Plan and impacts on our neighbors. - Beau Grant

The Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Board continues moving forward with their "APS Forward 2040" plan.

APS produced this overview video published on Youtube to explain the plans: APS Forward 2040: Reshaping the Future of Education 

With the Board's vote on December 3, 2025, the APS Forward 2040 plan has selected Scenario Three, and the "Scenario Phase" has now effectively ended, which renders Scenarios One and Two defunct.  If you will recall, Scenario One largely kept the current structures, but tweaked district boundaries. It was ruled out because it failed to generate the necessary operational savings or significantly reduce the thousands of  "empty seats" across the district. Scenario Two invoked some campus mergers but left many dual-campus arrangements intact, essentially serving only as a "half-measure" that would lead to yet another painful redistricting process in 5–7 years.

1. Scenario Three will pivot from the current "dual-campus" model where students attend one campus for early grades and another for later elementary grades. Scenario Three proposes a more 'localized', K-8 structure for certain parts of Buckhead. (IMHO, it seems like APS is simply returning to the way things were organized back in the 1980s.) APS chose this path primarily to reduce operational costs. Maintaining "split" campuses for a single school doubles the administrative and facility overhead. By converting the 6th Grade Academy into a K–8 school, APS can dissolve multiple dual-campus arrangements across Buckhead, saving millions of tax dollars, money they claim will be reinvested into classroom instruction.
   
   APS made no mention of plans to use these anticipated millions of dollars of savings to reduce the tax burdens  shouldered by Community Members.
   The Core Changes in Scenario Three:
   1. APS will move away from the current model where elementary schools like Jackson and Sarah Smith split students between "Primary" and "Main" campii/buildings.
   2. The Powers Ferry Campus, currently the Sutton 6th Grade Academy, will be converted into a new K–8 neighborhood school. (This campus was formerly Dykes High School, and then Sutton Middle School when Northside High School was still in existence at the Northside Parkway campus where Sutton ‘mostly’ now operates.)
   3. Both the Warren T. Jackson Primary and Sarah Smith Primary campuses would be repurposed, potentially for early childhood centers or professional learning.
   4. Under Scenario Three, E. Rivers Elementary is not slated for repurposing or closure, but it could experience significant "downstream" and "upstream" effects. To make the K-8 model work at the old Sutton 6th grade campus, APS would likely need to "draw from" neighboring zones to fill those seats. This creates a high probability of boundary shifts for E. Rivers. Which has hovered near 100% capacity for years. Scenario Three's broader goal is "balancing utilization," which could involve moving some blocks currently zoned for E. Rivers into the new K-8 zone or adjacent elementary zones to relieve the pressure on our building. Unlike Jackson or Sarah Smith, E. Rivers would remain a traditional K-5 neighborhood school, which many parents prefer for safety and age-appropriate learning environments. 

By consolidating ALL of Sutton Middle School into the Northside Parkway Campus to create a traditional 6th–8th grade middle school, Sutton faces the most radical change under Scenario Three. If the Powers Ferry campus becomes a K-8 school, Sutton on Northside Drive would need to absorb approximately 350 additional students to accommodate the consolidated 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. The current model where all 6th graders in the cluster spend one year together at the Powers Ferry campus would end, breaking the so-called "North Atlanta" identity—where every child in the cluster eventually goes to school together starting in 6th grade, with some students remaining in their K-8 "neighborhood hub" until high school, and other students transitioning to the larger Sutton Middle School.

If you enjoy the UHNA and what it brings to our neighborhood, please join me in saying a heartfelt thank you to our sponsors.

Their generosity and engagement provide the backbone of UHNA funding and help sustain our events, programs, and community initiatives throughout the year. We are truly grateful for their support.

If you know a business interested in supporting the UHNA, please reach out at sponsorship@uhna.org

The Community Leadership Institute of Atlanta (CLIA) is offered by the Department of City Planning (DCP) in partnership with Clark Atlanta University’s (CAU) Office of Online Learning & Continuing Education (OLCE).

The program equips residents with the tools to create meaningful change in Atlanta. Rooted in the city's rich history of activism and local engagement, this course explores the Atlanta’s Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) system, key social movements, and effective leadership strategies. Participants will learn how to navigate local government, build inclusive coalitions, and apply ethical, culturally responsible approaches to community development.

Whether you're just getting involved or deepening your impact, this course will help you lead with purpose, insight, and resilience. 

Details and enrollment link here; https://www.npuatlanta.org/cli