City sues county over ‘largest dog park in metro Atlanta’
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BROOKHAVEN, Georgia (WGCL) — The city of Brookhaven announced it has filed a lawsuit against DeKalb County over a popular Brookhaven park.
Brookhaven Park, located at the southwest corner of Peachtree Road and Osborne Road, is a 21-acre park that has athletic fields and courts, trails, multi-use fields and greenspaces; a community center, picnic areas and other amenities.
A Brookhaven spokesperson noted the park is probably best known for its open fields, festivals, and the largest (5-acre) dog park in metro Atlanta.
According to a Brookhaven official, over a decade ago, the Georgia General Assembly said that newly incorporated cities such as Brookhaven were entitled to acquire title to county-owned parks located within the new city for $100 per acre.
The official noted DeKalb County sold the western half of the park to Brookhaven in 2017.
However, since 2017, the county has refused to sell the remaining county-owned eastern half of the park to the city, a Brookhaven official said.
“We should not have to be litigating over the Park. But sadly, DeKalb has left us no choice. Brookhaven Park falls within my district and I have a duty and responsibility to my constituents,” said District 3 Councilwoman Madeleine Simmons.
“DeKalb has demonstrated that they are unwilling and incapable of maintaining their side of the Park. Our neighborhoods deserve better. We have tried for years to work with DeKalb in good faith on these issues, and it goes nowhere.
Governments should work together for the greater good of their joint constituents and it saddens me that DeKalb’s inaction has forced us down this route.”
CBS46 has reached out to DeKalb County for a response.
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