FAQs
Where can I see the plans and the permits for the new Murphey Candler Park playground?
The full set of plans approved to obtain the Land Disturbance Permit, LDP, for the playground can be found here. The approved demo plan shows trees to be removed to make room and more importantly, give a safe location for the new playground.
Yard clippings, leaves, and sediment are natural, so they don't cause any problems for our streams, right?
Grass, leaves and yard clippings that are repeatedly swept into catch basins can clog the drain, causing flooding in local neighborhoods. During the process of decomposition of these natural materials, the amount of available dissolved oxygen in our streams decreases and contributes to the death of other important aquatic animals such as macroinvertebrates which are part of the food supply for many fishes and other vertebrates of lakes and streams. Some common macroinvertebrates in Georgia Streams include clams, snails, worms, amphipods, crayfish, and the larvae of many aquatic insects (e.g., dragonflies, mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, and black flies). For more information about Georgia Streams visit the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream website.
Can I create a new Brookhaven Connect report using my tablet device, such as an iPad?
Yes! However, many tablet devices don't have a true GPS and instead use Wi-Fi triangulation, which pulls location based on the number of mapped Wi-Fi hotspots. This setup can result in less accurate location information in certain areas. Always before submitting a report, a user must confirm the location. During this step, the user can correct inaccurate location information captured by the device hardware.
What is a Drone or sUAS?
UAS is an Unmanned Aerial System and is commonly called a drone. A drone is an aerial device with an onboard computer that is operated remotely – generally by a pilot on the ground – using a handheld controller. Small drones are battery-operated, weigh less than 55 pounds, have several rotors like a helicopter, and are equipped with a video camera.
For more FAQs related to UAS, please visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s FAQ page ( https://www.faa.gov/uas/faqs/ .)
When will the Peachtree Creek Greenway be completed?
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Can I enter a Brookhaven Connect service request / report without adding a media file, such as a photo, video or audio file?
Yes, but it is recommended for faster processing of the request.
Can we get deer crossing signs installed in Brookhaven?
No! Deer do not know how to read or interpret signs, and cross freely throughout the city, making signage a waste of resources.
Do the search results include the contents of PDFs and other documents?
Yes. The website indexes web pages as well as PDFs, Microsoft Office documents, and text documents.
When do Brookhaven Police use UAS (Drones)
BPD uses UAS in a variety of circumstances, such as documenting crime and accident scenes, searching for missing or wanted persons, fires, and evaluating damage after a major incident or natural disaster. These can happen anywhere in the city and the BPD UAS Team will respond to those on an as-needed basis. The UAS is launched from multiple launch sites situated throughout the city and flies toward the scene of an incident, such as a crime in progress, serious accident, an officer in need of assistance, or any other incident where having advanced knowledge of what is happening at the scene before police and fire first responders arrive may add to safety and efficiency. This program is called Drone as First Responder (DFR) Operations.
For more FAQs related to UAS, please visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s FAQ page ( https://www.faa.gov/uas/faqs/ .)
When is a building permit required?
A permit shall be obtained before beginning construction, erection, alteration or repair to a building or structure, mechanical system, gas system, plumbing system, electrical system, and energy conservation system, other than ordinary repairs. Permits shall be obtained before beginning work. Permits for emergency work shall be obtained within 24 hours after work is commenced. Refer to Sec. 7-118 of the Code of Ordinances for exemptions. Building permit requirements are found in in the Code under Chapter 7 Buildings and Construction.
Who manages ambulance/EMS service in Brookhaven?
Ambulance (EMS) service in Brookhaven is provided by DeKalb County. Currently DeKalb County contracts with a private company to provide EMS services. The contract oversight falls under the DeKalb County Fire & Rescue Department. Over several years DeKalb County consistently fell short in EMS response times per their contract with their private vendor…and well short of comparable cities and national standards.
The City of Brookhaven has no authority or control of this essential public service at this time.
Why is Brookhaven assisting residents organize for an annexation petition?
Since 2014, the City has received nine distinct annexation applications. These were 100% citizen initiated with no City support, encouragement, or involvement. Seven of these annexations were approved (see map below) and two were withdrawn. Additionally, the City regularly receives inquiries from residents and businesses to annex into Brookhaven. These uncoordinated annexation applications result in disjointed service delivery for both the City and the DeKalb County.
The City of Brookhaven’s goal is to develop a logical service area for both the City and DeKalb County and assist communities in reaching that goal. See the map below.
The cities within DeKalb County have sought since 2017 to engage DeKalb County to consider full municipalization of DeKalb County (similar to Fulton County) to avoid the constant churn of annexation requests and new city initiatives.
Do I need to report seeing deer in Brookhaven?
No! We are aware of wildlife in the City. This was their home before it was ours.
Does the Brookhaven Connect app work for requests outside of the city limits of Brookhaven?
No. Though CitySourced works with many cities and counties across the world, our particular smart phone app and online service request system is designed specifically for Brookhaven issues and requests.
If I search for a phrase (e.g. alarm permit), will the results only show exact matches?
No. By default, the search results will show matches for any word within the phrase. In this example, you would receive results for all web pages and documents that contained either the word alarm or the word permit or both.
In order to search on an exact phrase, enclose your search phrase in quotations. The search results for "alarm permit" will show matches for that exact phrase.
What are Drone as a First Responder (DFR) operations?
Drone as First Responder (DFR) Operations is an innovative and transformative use of UAS developed and implemented by Chula Vista (CA) Police. In April 2021, the program was implemented by the Brookhaven Police Department. The concept is to utilize a UAS to fly to any reported call for service and arrive before first responders on the ground. The video feed from the UAS is viewed at the police department by a trained first responder (teleoperator or TO).
The TO is able to operate the UAS remotely and communicate with field personnel via radio immediately. The TO is able to evaluate the scene and circumstances before those in the field arrive and provide necessary tactical information that helps them stay safe and increase efficiency. The video feed is also immediately available to every officer in the field via a smartphone application, so officers can see for themselves what they are responding to.
The ability to evaluate the resources needed, prepare the proper operational response, and increase the safety of the first responders and the public is the intent of the project and the mission of BPD.
For more FAQs related to UAS, please visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s FAQ page ( https://www.faa.gov/uas/faqs/ .)
What construction codes does the City of Brookhaven enforce?
Brookhaven enforces State-mandated construction and fire codes, City of Brookhaven Codes, and some Federal requirements, such as accessibility. For questions about codes, please contact the Building Official or Building Plan Reviewer.
What response time is standard for ambulance arrival?
There isn't an industry standard. Expectations of response are set by the communities that operate EMS services.
The Journal of Emergency Medical Services states, “No universally accepted response-time system requirement exists. However, in urban areas, the most widely used ambulance response-time standard is eight minutes and 59 seconds (8:59), with 90% compliance reliability measured on a fractile, not average, basis.”
On the local level, the EMS response goal in 2023 in DeKalb County was 90 percent of all calls to arrive in 12 minutes. In comparison, in Gwinnett County, the 90 percent EMS response goal in 2023 was seven minutes.
However, the DeKalb County EMS provider’s actual average response time in 2023 for those criteria was almost 20 minutes.
The City of Brookhaven has no authority or control of this essential public service at this time.
Why did Brookhaven ask DeKalb County to place annexation on the fall 2023 ballot as a referendum?
The annexation process is set by the state and creates a situation where up to 40% registered voters and the owners up to 40% of the annexation geographic area have no say in the approval of annexation. Additionally, the City’s goal is to create a service area reflected in the following map. This could be achieved in one referendum or through multiple annexation applications. A single referendum is more inclusive and efficient.
Can I exclude a word from a search (e.g. all pages that have the word "alarm" but not the word "permit"?
Yes. You can exclude words by using the minus sign (-). In order to find the results of all pages that have alarm in the result but not permit, you would search for alarm -permit.
How are properties selected for the annexation application?
Parcels are selected based on the State of Georgia requirement of at least 60% of the owners of the land area and at least 60% of registered voters. Annexation application scenarios are developed within these requirements that best avoid islands and encourage logical service delivery boundaries. It is anticipated that 5-7 annexation applications will be necessary to complete the service area goal. See map below.
The City of Brookhaven has asked DeKalb County to place a referendum on the fall 2023 ballot to allow every registered voter to participate in the decision process.
How can I check the status of a Brookhaven Connect report I created?
When an issue is reported, your report goes right into the City’s work management system and is distributed to the appropriate department for resolution. When the issue is updated in the City’s work management system, you can see the update right away on the MyReports Tab within the mobile app.
What do I do about roadkill in Brookhaven?
Call DeKalb Sanitation Department at 404-294-2900 or email sanitation@dekalbcountyga.gov with as much detail as possible regarding the location and type of animal to be collected. Collection will occur within 48 hours of the service request date.
Why does BPD use sUAS rather than helicopters?
Helicopters and other manned aircraft (air support) are very expensive to operate. Currently, BPD relies on the Dekalb County Police Department and Georgia State Patrol for air support. UAS can be used in a variety of ways that supplement mutual aid air support requests cost-effectively and efficiently, like the DFR aerial intelligence-led emergency response.
For more FAQs related to UAS, please visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s FAQ page ( https://www.faa.gov/uas/faqs/ .)
Can Brookhaven Connect users be removed from the system for abuse?
Yes, users that are abusing the system by uploading inappropriate content can be removed.