So I'm at the Spruill Farmers Market yesterday when I see this group of people in business suits with PTC pedometers on them, talking to the farmers and purchasing fresh greens and honey and granola and soap. A little folding card table is set up nearby holding PTC information. I got to talking with the woman there, Sarah Barlett, and here's what I discovered.
The PTC is the Perimeter Transportation Coalition. The director of this coalition is David Southerland, whom I interviewed several weeks ago about his in-town farmers market cycling scavenger hunt. The PTC is a Transportation Management Association (TMA) charged with relieving congestion in the Central Perimeter business district, and with helping businesses and employees find easier, cheaper and less stressful ways of getting to and from work. Its mission is:
To improve access to the Central Perimeter area for employees, visitors, and residents by implementing and promoting transportation alternatives and improvements through a coordinated and comprehensive effort of public/private partners.
The PTC is currently running an incentive program to encourage workers in the Perimeter area to walk at lunchtime rather than drive. Workers were given pedometers and can track their logged miles and compete for prizes. Those who shop at the farmers market these two weeks receive a free $5 voucher to use while there.
According to Sarah, there are 115,000 commuters who come to the Central Perimeter area each workday, 86% of whom drive alone. When we talk about a Sustainable Dunwoody or a vision for our soon-to-be-city, it's important to realize that business commuters have a major effect on the air quality, congestion, and safety of our community (for instance, studies show that those who don't live in a community tend to exceed speed limits when driving through it more than those who do live there).
For me, the recognition of this daily surge in people within the boundaries of Dunwoody is not effectively addressed in our soon-to-be-city's "officially adopted" vision, nor are many other people who currently call Dunwoody their home:
The City of Dunwoody will provide quality service to our citizens and support the largest economic engine in the Southeast by planning in a careful and thoughtful manner. The City of Dunwoody will be inventive, transparent and embrace responsible progress which is tempered by our rich history and our desire to maintain a close but vibrant community atmosphere that values family life and entrepreneurial spirit. Dunwoody is a community where activities are centered around the family, our schools, our religious institutions, and our beautiful parks.
Is "the largest economic engine" group-speak for corporate business community? Is "entrepreneurial spirit" a euphemism for small businesses? Can't we just say it like it is? Also, what is "careful" and "thoughtful"? As opposed to what? Reckless and thoughtless? Let's face it--Dunwoody is a community where many activities are centered around shopping, especially considering the inclusion of such a major shopping area within our twelve miles. I would hazard to guess that a significant number of Dunwoody residents spend more time at the mall than they do at our "beautiful parks". What about all the people without children who have yet to step one foot in our schools? Or those who don't go to church? Will they not feel at home in the City of Dunwoody? When national trends show that there are now more unmarried adults than married, for the first time in our nation's history, this is an issue worth considering when considering our ability to attract future residents.
Listen, I think what we have here is a great start, but if an entire branding campaign is going to be built around this vision statement, and if taxpayer dollars are going to be used to fund it, I think these kinds of questions need to be asked. A logo of the farmhouse is bucolic and attractive, but is it a realistic reflection of what our soon-to-be-city actually is or could be?
Have we considered conducting a survey to find out more comprehensive and up-to-date data (the most current Census data is from 2000) about the people who live and work within our 12-square-miles (which would be useful for many purposes), and hiring a marketing communications agency with strong branding experience to develop the look, feel and practical applications of "Brand Dunwoody"?
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2 comments:
The Dunwoody that some cling to has moved to North Fulton and South Forsyth counties: largely suburban, nuclear families with 2.3 kids and commitment to strong schools and a safe community. What some call family oriented.
In Dunwoody our public schools are in decline. Rapid apartment construction combined with the fact that Perimeter Center refuses to incorporate "learn" into live-work-play has created severe overcrowding. The construction of infill homes in the $1 million price range attracts families likely to send their children to private schools. Others simply do not have children--it is a choice.
Traffic is horrible, congesting our roads only slightly more than our lungs. Little can be done about the fact our community is directly in the path of thousands of daily commuters. Expect it to get worse.
And it's simply not clear what church has to do with anything except it takes quite a bit of prime real estate off the tax digest, all the while many include quasi-business operations.
Dunwoody simply cannot turn back the clock and will need leadership beyond yearning for the good old days to create a sustainable community.
Thanks for commenting. You seem to have a good feel for what's going on. What steps do you think the City of Dunwoody should take to create a sustainable, successful city moving forward?
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