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Chamblee Parks & Trail Bond Referendum
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FAQ
What are the City of Chamblee Parks, Trails, and Outdoor Recreation Areas
Improvement Bonds?
On the November 5, 2024, General Election ballot, Chamblee voters will be asked to vote on whether to approve bonds to improve its parks, trails, and outdoor recreational areas.
How much money will be raised? What other funding sources are there?
If approved by the voters, the bonds will generate up to $30 million.
The City of Chamblee can also apply for federal and state transportation and trail grants to help fund trails and related infrastructure. This can provide funding to improve outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the city.
How will I know the money will be wisely spent?
If approved, strict accountability measures will be in place. There will be full public disclosure of all spending. There will be an annual, independent audit of how funds are spent, published on the City website. All funds for projects from the proceeds of these bonds shall be subject to review and approved by City Council.
What is a general obligation bond?
A bond is to a city like a mortgage is to a household or a business, it’s simply a long- term lending instrument that enables capital investments to be made in the near-term and paid off over time. Bond holders purchase the bonds now and the city guarantees they will be paid back at a set amount in the future.
General obligation bonds must be approved by the voters. These bonds would provide the City with sufficient funds now to make park, trail and outdoor recreational area improvements. The cost is shared not only by taxpayers who will enjoy the facilities now, but also by those who will use them in the future.
Whose idea was this anyway?
Many citizens of Chamblee have approached the elected officials with concerns about parks maintenance, facilities and accessibility. The city has heard repeatedly from its citizens that there are unmet parks and recreation needs in all our neighborhoods, and we are not achieving basic level of service standards that first class community should expect. Referral of the parks bonds to the ballot was voted on by the Chamblee City Council in three ordinance readings and passed unanimously each time.
What is the ballot language?
“Shall the City of Chamblee issue up to $30,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of its general obligation bonds for the purpose of financing the design, acquisition, construction, equipping and/or improvement of parks, trails, and outdoor recreational areas, the costs of issuing the bonds and capitalized interest on the bonds?”
What’s is the cost for a typical homeowner?
The most the average homeowner in Chamblee would pay is approximately
$9.83 per month or $118 per year. This is based on an average residential market value in Chamblee of $499,000 and assumes all the bonds are issued at once in 2024, which is
unlikely. These figures are based on other conservative assumptions, including no tax base growth or annexation in the City of Chamblee.
If you do not pay property taxes, there is not a direct cost impact to you.
Why do we need to do this now?
Over the last ten years Chamblee has welcomed over 12,000 new residents into the city and grew from 3.18 square miles to 7.85 square miles, making it the fastest growing city in DeKalb County. Chamblee residents need parks, trails and outdoor recreation opportunities to protect our quality of life. While a few Chamblee parks
have been renovated or are currently in renovation, other parks are in desperate need of restoration. Additionally, there are areas of our city where no parks exist.
What will happen if the bonds do not pass?
The City of Chamblee will not be able to make all these park improvements if the
citizens vote the bonds down in November. Instead, the city will continue to make smaller annual appropriations in the regular budget, which will address only the most critical park maintenance and improvement needs. The city likely will continue to seek other sources of funds from state and federal sources and would look at other means of
raising parks funds.
How do I vote on the Chamblee Parks, Trails, and Outdoor Recreational Areas Bonds?
The Chamblee Parks, Trails, and Outdoor Recreational Areas Bonds will be on the November 5th General Election Ballot for the City of Chamblee.
The City of Chamblee General Municipal Election polling locations are run and determined by the Voter Registration and Elections division of DeKalb County.
How will the parks bonds benefit the residents of Chamblee?
Chamblee’s residents deserve great parks to maintain the quality of life we cherish. As Chamblee has grown in population and size, our parks facilities have not kept up to serve the entire community and many of our existing parks, built in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s need renovations. When the city completed a parks and recreation master plan in 2016, the total parks and trails needs were estimated at over $58 million. Now, in 2024, many of those same and additional needs are estimated to cost over $100 million, with $71 million for trails alone, as referenced in the Chamblee Trails Master Plan adopted April 18, 2023. While the city has and will continue to include capital improvements to our parks in its annual budget, we will never bring up the level of service our community needs without a substantial investment. The benefit of issuing bonds is that the improvements can be made in a short timeframe and repaid not just today but also over time by those who will benefit from these investments in the future.
From improving safety with lighting and equipment upgrades, to streambank restoration and trail construction, to building new parks and upgrading existing fields, this parks bond
improves quality of life in every part of Chamblee. By voting yes for our Parks, Trails, and Outdoor Recreational Areas Bonds, we can enhance and protect our Chamblee way of life.
What guarantee do citizens have that the City won’t rezone and sell these parks
when financial times get tough?
If approved by the voters, once the bonds are sold and City uses the bond funds to make improvements or preserve land, the City is then bound by the bond covenants. The bonds can only be used for the uses approved by voters and for no other purpose. If
City violated these bond covenants -- sold these facilities for development -- it would cause the City to have to pay much higher interest rates when it borrowed in the future and severely limit the City’s ability ever borrow money again for any purpose. If desired by citizens, the city could adopt even greater safeguards, such as placing deed restrictions of the properties, or placing a conservation easement on these properties.