The city of Brookhaven officially closed April 28 on the 33 acres of PDK Airport green space purchased for $5.7 million from DeKalb County that will one day become a public park.
The site will be closed to the public over the summer as city staff and community partners clean up the site and ensures it is safe, according to a press release.
“This is an exciting milestone for Brookhaven and its residents who worked so tirelessly to preserve Brookhaven’s green and vibrant environment,” said Mayor John Ernst in the release. “We still have work to do to ensure that the property is safe for all residents to enjoy, but I’m looking forward to exploring this green space with my sons when it opens.”
Added City Manager Christian Sigman, “To maximize the accessibility of this 33-acre site, we will need to fix the issues caused by the storage of old fuel tanks and construction material for many years. This fall, our work should be complete and we will be able to open the area for all to enjoy.”
The DeKalb County Commission voted unanimously Jan. 24 to sell the 33-acres of surplus land at the PDK Airport to Brookhaven for the fair market value of $5.7 million. The Brookhaven City Council voted in December to buy the property.
The approximately 33-acre tract is located between Clairmont Road and Skyland Drive.
The property contains mature trees, a stream, wildlife and native plants, and is located west of Clairmont Road at the intersection with Tobey Road.
“We delivered on our promise to the dedicated citizens in this community who have been lobbying for years to have this land preserved,” said City Councilmember John Park, whose district includes the property. “The hardest part is finished. Now, Brookhaven is solely responsible for the future of this priceless urban forest.”
Congratulations, City of Brookhaven!! It was a hard fight but a worthwhile one. BTW, it’s very nice to see that National Wildlife Federation Habitat sign on that tree!!
What a great milestone for our city. We are definitely moving in the right direction with this step forward in preserving our environment.