Byrnwyck Beacon

August 2010
Dear Neighbors,
   Can summer really be over? With school back in session, please watch for kids waiting for buses or walking home. Remember to slow down when driving in the neighborhood. 
      We have started posting the board meeting minutes on www.byrnwyck.org every month.  If there are any comments or questions, send them my way. 
       Remember the pool is still open.  We continue regular 11am-8pm weekday hours through August 29th. After that, the pool is open after school, 4-8pm during the weekday until September 12th. We will be open weekends only from Sept. 12 until September 26th and weekend hours remain 11-9.  So enjoy this expanded swim season! Times are posted on our website calendar.  Hope to see everyone at the pool this weekend for our closing pool party!
Tom Halaburt,
BCA President
OMB This Saturday at the pool
OMB's Dave Heaton
Dave Heaton and OMB
We're delighted to have Old Men in the Basement (OMB) Unplugged at our Summer Wind Down Party this Saturday, August 21st from 6 -10 pm.  If you haven't been to an OMB show, you're really missing out! Byrnwyck's own Dave Heaton, lawyer by day and rocker on the weekends, along with the other "Old Men" will treat us to a Chastain-style show to ease us out of the summer season.  We'll have a taco bar and margaritas.  $10 per adult, $5 per child, and $5 cover if you're not eating. Please RSVP on the Byrnwyck website.RSVP now!
Renovation Committee Update
by Tamara Schwartz
Renovation Chair Tamara Schwartz
Tamara Schwartz
     Your renovation committee is still hard at work to develop a final plan for a vote.  We had been targeting a vote this summer to try to meet DeKalb County deadlines for various zoning meetings with the goal of completing the renovation before the next pool season.  We will not meet that aggressive deadline as we feel that Byrnwyck would benefit from our spending more time up front to reduce uncertainties as much as possible.  We have waited until we got the result of the land survey, and have scheduled a meeting with County officials to lay out the limits and requirements of what can be done.  In the new floodplain maps, more of the pool area is in the flood plain that we previously thought. Once we meet with the county, we will refine plans and the budget and come back to the community for a vote.
      While the feedback has been varied, and there are a few opponents of any improvements, we have been encouraged that almost everyone we approached would like to see something done to spruce up the facilities and almost everyone was willing to spend some money to get it done.  In general, there seem to be two different ideas of what "it" should be.  One group prefers "refurbishment", which would take the existing structure and leave it intact, while overhauling the interior of the bathrooms and doing aggressive maintenance everywhere to refresh the area.   Comments we heard from this group tend to be about concerns with spending significant money, reluctance to use financing for the cost of a project, concerns about the structure itself, and a sense that the existing facilities are lovely as is.   On the other end, there are the "overhaulers" who are looking for an entirely new structure with facilities to rival nearby clubs.  Comments from them tend to be about the increasing turnover to younger families in the neighborhood, a willingness to make payments spread out over several years, a distaste for the current facilities, and a desire to build something now to last for years to come.
     We take the economic concerns we heard seriously, and have scaled back from the initial two-story proposal.  We have also moved away from parking improvements, since the high cost (in both dollars and lost trees) does not seem to be worth the effort.  However, the renovation committee remains focused on a renovation, rather than just refurbishment.  We would prefer to rebuild a strong structure on secure footings and prepared soil, rather than update the exiting faulty one.   If we ever do have to clean up from a flood in the future, we would rather do so in a structure designed and constructed with that possibility in mind.  We would like to see a more attractive, usable space that we can take advantage of year round.  We are hopeful that the upcoming meetings with the county will give us many options to create such a plan for Byrnwyck.

 
Tennis and Swim Team Updates
Byrnwyck Adult Tennis Team
Byrnwyck Tennis Team
A tennis committee has been formed to work with Tennis board member, Ed Johnson, to help keep things running smoothly at our courts.  Please note that tennis rules are posted on the tennis page of Byrnwyck.org.  At a recent board meeting  concerns were raised about the increased fee for non-members from $25 to $60, an increase based on what surrounding facilities charge. In response, the board voted to honor the $25 fee for non-members of the Fall USTA team and move the fee for all adult non-members to $40 beginning with the Winter season. Remember to reserve a court using the website.
     The Byrnwyck swim team is looking for a few volunteers for next year.  The 2010 season was led by Julie Francour, Nanette Vaughn and Suzanne Simkin.  Laura Doherty, Susan Viers, and Molly Guenther  also took on important leadership roles.  The jobs are not that difficult as the coaches do much of the work.  It takes some time starting in January to be sure we hire good coaches  organize sign ups, and work with the Sandy Springs Swim Association.  Please consider stepping up.  We promise a transition year.  To get involved contact Julie Francour or Nanette Vaughn.

Neighborhood Notes:
A fond farewell
to Michelle and Dr. David Hall who moved to Cincinnati, Ohio after 18 years in Byrnwyck. David accepted a position as a full professor at the University of Cincinati and at the Children's Hospital there. Michelle gave many years of volunteer time to the Byrnwyck Homeowners Association and we will miss them. 
New mailing address:  The BCA address has changed.  Please make a note that it is 3522 Ashford Dunwoody Rd. NE, PO Box 211, Atlanta, Ga 30319-2002.  Thanks from Treasurer, Dick Hartung who reports that all BCA dues have been paid.
 

Byrnwyck Under Construction
by Rebecca Chase Williams
Stucco gone at Garrett's
Garretts remove stucco
      Seems like renovations are always underway in Byrnwyck.  As I get ready to redo my kitchen and master bath, I've paid a visit to a number of neighbor homes and have been so impressed by the beautiful updates.  Many of you have seen the Coker's and the Hartung's beautiful, extensive renovations during the last home tour.  Granite counter tops, copper sinks, cupboards that make dishes and pans easy to reach are common features. The faux painting treatment on the walls and ceilings at the Hartungs is a work of art.  I loved seeing the drawer-style microwave in the Halaburt's new kitchen and the tile work at the Callol's is particularly beautiful. Anna Bonaparte introduced me to a microwave that is also a convection oven.
      I see where the Garretts have replaced the stucco on their house.  I think this is the 4th Byrnwyck house to do so.  As much as I love stucco, I'm told that potential buyers perceive it as a problem.  Real estate agent and Byrnwyck resident, Susan Kessler says, "Stucco always brings less money, but by replacing it, homeowners make up for it in the end.
     Kessler agrees that updates are both essential and well-worth it when it comes time to sell. "People just expect it," says Kessler,  "If your kitchen and bath are updated, your house will sell faster. You are really adding value." Even though it's still a difficult market, four Byrnwyck homes have sold in the last year with only a slight dip in prices.  Kessler agrees the updated houses sell the quickest, for the better prices.
     That's what I've told my husband as we get ready to start construction.  Thanks to everyone who let me poke around your kitchens and for sharing your recommendations and advice.  We really should have a Byrnwyck Kitchen and Bath Tour!

Mark Your Calendars
Taste of Chamblee
this Sat.
Downtown Chamblee

Chamblee Farmer's Mkt
Sat. mornings

Dunwoody Farmers Mkt
Weds. 9am-12pm
Dunwoody Village