As a parent and as a homeowner in Cheney Woods, I welcome Oxford Academy expanding. Their remodeling of the two current schools/houses is beautiful and I believe it brings value to our community, not the latter. With all of the young families moving into the neighborhood, excellent full time daycare is very difficult to find. We were lucky enough to get into Oxford but many friends of ours have not been. To reiterate: their properties are always clean, beautiful, and maintained. Oxford should be permitted to expand onto Flagler

I do NOT think Oxford Academy should be allowed to expand in the neighborhood. As someone who has years of personal knowledge regarding Oxford Academy and Oxford Babies I know first hand there are more plans to expand more than one more building in Cheney Woods. I also know that the Smiths are not who they appear to be and if parents were aware of some of the issues that have arisen through the years, that they were never made aware of, they would not send their children there!

I am a parent of two children who attended and graduated from Oxford Academy and Oxford Babies . I hold the Smith family very near and dear to my heart and will forever be grateful to them and their wonderful staff of teachers for playing such a very special role in my children's growth. Whether Oxford Academy expands or not, a personal attack is completely unwarranted.

My husband and I agree that personal attacks do not help bring clarity to this situation. To us, this is not about the Smiths, or Oxford Academy. It's about allowing commercial businesses in residentially zoned areas. It may be helpful to know how other metro-Atlanta municipalities have addressed this issue. The list of those who allow for commercial day care centers in areas zoned R-15 (or similar categories) is short...only Smyrna, Georgia. What do others know that we don't? They know that with commercial zoning you get traffic studies, environmental studies, turn lanes, acceleration and deceleration lanes, 50-foot buffers, six foot fences, mature trees...the list goes on. Correct zoning is good public policy and provides the best protection for homeowners, business owners and governments.

I have lived in this are for over 7 years. Chursh Street is a two lane street providing access in and out of residential neighborhoods to the major cross streets and highways of Smyrna. This street is not engineered for heavy commercial traffic and is the only in and out route for 1,000's of residents. When the last expansion of this daycare facility was completed a couple years ago, the traffic increased dramatically during morning and afternoon rush hour when the parents drop off and pick up at the center. A further expansion will paralyze Church Street making it impossible for residents to get in and out for work. Why cannot these commercial establishments locate off of major streets to eliminate these congestions in residential areas? There is plenty of vacant commercial space in Smyrna.

Steve brings out a good point about Church Street...it's not in the best shape as is...and not built for heavy traffic....it wasn't built to be a commerical neighborhood...

Years ago 2 of my three children attended the original Oxford Academy. The facility both inside and out were absolutely beautiful. I find it difficult to believe that another beautiful facility would deteriorate the surrounding home values. Many of them look in need of refurbishing anyway. The appearance of the surrounding houses and ecomony have more to do with home values than addition another well put together daycare facility. In addition, one of the funniest things about the aritcle picture is that I believe Sandra McQueen used to teach at Oxford. Hmmm. Wonder if there are sour grapes? Oxford is an asset both esthectically and financial to Smyrna. Let them build. Also, there are 2 funeral homes, 1 senior citizen facility, 3 churchs and a run down apartment complex. The daycare facility would be a good thing

The wording change to the Ordinance does not clarify anything. It waters down the original requirement, that day care centers be located on a major or minor arterial. Church Street is not a minor arterial. These terms have planning and zoning definitions, based on traffic flow and right-of-way footage, among other criteria. This language change would allow for more centers, not less. What's needed here is to restore the R-15 ordinance to it's pre-2006 language, which allows for homes, churches and schools only. If you agree, please let your Council representative and Mayor know.

Everyone makes great points. Yes, the current daycare facilities are beautiful. Not the typical, generic "Kids-R-Kids" style infrastructures. However, what I believe people are failing to see is that Jimmy Smith was on the city council board when the original amendment to the ordnance was added. Does no one else find this suspect? Is it possible he used his connections, and what I would assume in some cases to be friendships on the council, to his advantage? It seems as if there was preferential treatment given the first time around allowing him to build.. What can be done though is stopping the building of MORE daycares on Flagler Circle. Flagler Circle is very obviously a residential neighborhood. And while it is very likely new facilities would be ascetically pleasing they also have the added effect of decreasing property value to the neighborhood. Not everyone wants to live next to a daycare, hear kids all of the time, deal with the potential damaging effects of commercial intuitions located in a residential area.

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All of these things as well as many other negative side effects of commercial building have the lasting effect of damaging a local residential community. Would the upscale daycare centers be a positive addition to Smyrna? Yes, without a doubt. Could they go somewhere else? Yes, without a doubt. When I drive through Smyrna the majority of the buildings I see are empty and for sale. Let me tell you. THIS brings down everyone’s property value. Not to mention they’re eye sores. Why couldn’t one of the many available buildings be converted into a daycare? I feel as though there are other options that need to be explored that would benefit both the residents Flagler Circle and Smyrna as a whole.

I don't personally know Mr. Smith or have any knowledge of Oxford Academy, notwithstanding, I think it's deplorable that Mr. Smith took advantage of his position on Council in 2006 and used it in a self serving purpose.

Regardless, as stated before by many others, the main issue at hand here is that Church St. is a residential area and simply does not have the infrastructure to support commercial businesses. The building or any plans in building Mr. Smith's nursery needs to be stopped immediately.

Additionally, I agree that the language of Section 703.2(1) of the Zoning Ordinance needs to be amended where it clearly states that future commercial business can not set up a commercial business on Church St. Too much ambiguity in the language can lead to future headaches.

E.G.G. is Sean Murphy who is on the Smyrna Downtown Development Authority. He lives in Smyrna Heights. He's also posted as Call it like I see. He's a public figure trying to present himself as a private citizen. Until he severs his relationship with the city of Smyrna he is not a private citizen.

It's known by quite a few that Jimmy Smith ran for the zoning board and later for city council for the sole purpose of getting the zoning passed for their daycares. He also had plans to move out of the district but still maintain their Smyrna address in order to remain on the board. This is not stated as "a personal attack" but IS fact.

Why there are alot business properties on Church St, none are on Flagler Cir and should stay that way. If you allow a day care one lot progress onto Flagler Cir there is no stopping them any access any where in the neighborhood. Residential streets should be just that and keep any type of business on major and minor artiries through the city. Ask your self this "Would I want a daycare in the house next to mine"? Enough said!