The Brookhaven City Council approved Feb. 13 a $180,000 amendment to its contract with the PATH Foundation for design and engineering of the Peachtree Creek Greenway.
The city hired PATH Foundation last year for $325,000 to provide design and engineering work for the first mile of the Greenway. But since that time, the project has changed somewhat, necessitating the need for more money, according to a memo from the city manager’s office to the council.
“PATH Foundation delivered 100 percent documents, per the agreement, in January of 2018. Since delivery of documents, the boundaries of Phase I have been extended due to the recent donation of the Salvation Army parcel and the city’s recent acquisition of the parcel at 2036 North Druid Hills Road,” the memo states.
“Additionally, status changes on property acquisition necessitate a realignment of the trail as engineered,” according to the memo.
The additional $180,000 is needed to secure services for engineering and design for the trail extension, trail realignment, parcel acquisition support, and other services as determined necessary, the memo states.
The Salvation Army donated in January two acres of its property located on the Northeast Expressway to the city to use as a trail head and plaza area for the Greenway. Also in January, the city paid $650,000 for 1.3 acres at 2036 North Druid Hills Road that will be used for an entrance to the planned Greenway.
The city is also embroiled in a heated eminent domain battle for 19 acres of undeveloped land on Briarwood Road.
What about the other property owners in the path of the Greenway and proposed Brookhaven redevelopment of Buford Highway that don’t want to sell?
This mess is only going to get worse. I just hope some of the smaller business and property owners can afford good lawyers. Sadly many of them probably cannot.