This
Frazer Mess
When
trying to be a good neighbor becomes impossible
The
Frazer center is a non-profit operating on the former estate of Equifax founder
Cator Woolford. Frazer operates a school
for adults with Cerebral Palsy, daycare for CP and “normal” infants and
children, a low-cost hospitality house for area hospital patient relatives and
an event garden. There’s a 20 acre old
growth forest too; the Lungs of Lake Claire.
Frazer is the big dog, the largest and wealthiest property in the
neighborhood.
 |
| Consumer or Citizen? |
The
mess began in 2010 when the Frazer board started expanding operations.
They
increased the size and scope of the childcare program, upgraded adult services,
renovated and added hospitality housing and transformed the garden into a thing
of beauty.
The
expansion process led to some over-reaching on Frazer’s part. More events coupled with less noise
enforcement got out of hand. Increased
traffic turned a quiet street into a less-quiet one.
This
led to a quite understandable push-back by the neighbors. The
occasional wedding was one thing-a series of events broadcasting recorded music
all weekend another. School traffic, especially
the buses, were a hazard. An ad hoc
group sprang up to oppose these disruptions.
Frazer’s
board realized their failure to communicate with and to address neighborhood
concerns. They met with the ad hoc group
and took steps to address noise and traffic concerns. When these steps failed to satisfy the ad hoc
group Frazer asked the Druid Hills Civic Association to mediate. Frazer continued make improvements: they installed sound boards and restricted
amplified music. They reduced bus
traffic and prohibited employee parking on neighborhood streets.
Critics
were not satisfied. They wanted more
concessions.
Frazer
and its neighbors needed a clearly defined set of rules to manage the four
distinct programs at the center.
Frazer‘s
R85 residential zoning is out of date. That designation was fine for 45 years because
everyone was cool with Frazer.
But
now everyone was not cool, some are very hot.
Frazer’s rezoning application (for a Special Land Use Permit or SLUP) is
the issue at hand.
There
have been two hearings so far.
The
first appeared to resolve outstanding issues.
The ad hoc group appeared to accept limiting the number of bus trips, garden
events and other traffic and noise calming measures.
The
second SLUP hearing ended differently.
The ad hoc group “revised” their previous position and deemed Frazer
guilty of operating a nightclub inferring late nights, loud music, and
violence. Prior agreements on traffic
mitigation were dismissed as insufficient.
Frazer’s efforts at conciliation were characterized as bullying. DHCA, with the support of the ad hoc
anti-Frazer group submitted a position paper outlining a new set of demands.
Go
to the news section at Frazer’s site and scroll down to Zoning Overlay
Update. Check out the FAQ and DHCA
Position Statement
Frazer’s
Errors
1. They failed to share their expansion plans
with the neighborhood.
2. They waited far too long to address the noise
issue.
3.
They tried to address individual concerns and were drawn into a continuous
cycle of demands, resolutions and more demands.
4. They
asked an organization outside the immediate neighborhood (Druid Hills Civic
Association/DHCA) to mediate.
Frazer
is guilty. They’re guilty of not
soliciting input from their neighbors as they expanded. They’re guilty of not appreciating the noise
problem and of not addressing it in a timely manner. They’re guilty of negotiating with
individuals and an ad hoc group. They’re
guilty of inviting an outside group to mediate.
Frazer
is guilty of trying to make things right.
N/A DHCA
DHCA
representatives wasted little time taking sides with the ad hoc neighborhood
group opposing Frazer. DHCA’s size,
resources and influence proved a potent weapon. Their position paper reads like a suburban HOA
charter: it limits non-residential use, requires
oversized buffers and restricts traffic and on-street parking. DHCA argues against changes to the status quo
ante. Their insistence on strict
controls and physical separation of residential from other use is antithetical
to Lake Claire’s form, function and character. Land use standards in Druid Hills do not apply
in Lake Claire.
Ad
hoc group of “Anti-Frazer” neighbors:
Initial
noise and traffic concerns were addressed.
Why the continued opposition?
City
growth before the suburban age was considered desirable; but not now. Poor urban planning and our auto-centric
culture are the culprits here, not civic-service, non-profit institutions like
Frazer. The acronyms NIMBY (Not In My
Back Yard) and BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) express
this anti-growth sentiment.
The Frazer
property and roads leading to it have been in place 45 years. Lake Claire’s street grid was designed to
relieve pressure from busier roads. I’m
not sympathetic to the traffic argument.
Other streets in Lake Claire are much busier. Regular bus service, which would have reduced
parking demand, was suspended partly because of neighborhood complaints. Frazier has done their best to accommodate
increased traffic volume. Finally, some individuals
have used the ad hoc group to advance personal and political agendas.
A
Messy Situation
DHCA’s
partisan involvement in the Frazer affair made the situation worse. It has divided us. Some neighbors have used the imprimatur of
DHCA to promote their personal and political agendas. The Frazer board has tired of endless
demands, additional costs and verbal abuse.
Running a non-profit is difficult at the best of times-this Frazer Mess
has caused them to question whether they want to stay here.
 |
| They could always sell the property and move to the suburbs |
My
Opinion
I’m
not a disinterested party. My house is
closest to the garden. My daughter works
there. My family knows Frazer staff and
management. I mow their property, they
loan me their mower when mine is broken.
We talk. We’re neighbors.
Like
most residents I use the Frazer property.
I walk the garden, drive the street, cut through the forest.
“Cities can’t be managed, and that’s what
keeps them so vibrant. They’re just
these insane masses of people, bumping into each other and maybe sharing an
idea or two. It’s the freedom of the
city that keeps it alive.” Geoffrey West
The
recommendations in DHCA’s position paper would diminish the vibrancy of Lake
Claire, vibrancy noticeably absent from Druid Hills. Lake Claire is different than Druid
Hills. It thrives on inclusiveness, not conformity,
on mixed, not restricted use. Lake
Claire and Candler Park operate on the principle that people bumping into each
other is a good thing. Druid Hills (if
one believes the position paper) is more concerned with historic preservation
than liveliness. Frazer’s mission and
plans outlined in their SLUP application are compatible with sustainable growth.
They should not be punished for doing
good works and serving several communities.
Frazer
has been my good neighbor. I support
the Frazer Center.
Final
Thought: City or Suburb?
I
may reside in Druid Hills but I live in Lake Claire. In my opinion DHCA has
lost all creditability in this matter. It’s
apparent to me that they do not share the interests of those whose homes are not
defined in the Olmstead plan. I’d much rather
live in a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood than a restrictive, architecturally
significant one. I’d rather be a citizen
than a consumer. I’d rather be a Lake
Claire Neighbor.
Dan
Curl 608 Lakeshore Drive
Upcoming
Meetings at the Maloof Auditorium. 1300
Commerce Drive
Planning
Commission: January 8, 2013 6:30 pm.
Board
of Commissioners: January 22, 6:30 pm.
