ATLANTA — Neighbors in the Pullman Yards area are asking Atlanta leaders to intervene ahead of Sweetwater's 420 Fest this weekend.
They wrote a letter to City of Atlanta officials about ongoing traffic, safety and noise concerns connected to large events at Pullman Yards.
Back in 2020, Meredith Adams and her family thought they'd found the perfect home near the up-and-coming Pullman Yards.
"We were shown the vision of what it was going to be: sound studios, restaurants, green space, all those sorts of things," Adams said. "We love having something that could be cool and we want to go enjoy time with our families there, but we just don't."
Four years later, she's frustrated with the things that have changed. Crews are tearing down the wall of trees between her fence and Pullman Yards. She said the events are getting bigger, louder and later.
"It'll be midnight and our house is shaking and the pictures on the walls are rattling. The kids are upset," she said. "It gets so loud because there are music stages right there. The trees were the last remaining sound barrier, so just the fact that those are gone is very disheartening."
Her main concern, however, is traffic backups leading to safety issues. Sunny, who did not wish to give their last name, said it can take an hour to get to the next block during busy events in the area.
"I've been here about two years and Pullman is definitely extremely disruptive here. It's pretty unfortunate. When they started out, it was kind of cute, but it's not cute anymore," Sunny said. "It's definitely unsafe and there are times, in which it takes me maybe an hour to drive a block just to get home."
That's part of the reason the Kirkwood Neighbors Organization wrote a letter to city leaders, urging action before this weekend's festival.
"We are eager to work collaboratively with City officials, neighborhood organizations, residents, and all relevant stakeholders to cultivate a safe and harmonious environment for neighbors," KNO president Matthew George wrote. "We believe these requests will serve to significantly improve the wellbeing and satisfaction of our community members, and it aligns with the strategic endeavors that your office aims to achieve for the City of Atlanta."
Atlanta City Councilwoman Liliana Bakhtiari said this is a complicated problem with a complicated solution — one that will likely take time.
"Constituents are always going to be my first area of concern — and their quality of life. This business is also a constituent of mine. So I have to mediate," Bakhtiari said. "I have catalogued every single concern and issue that has been brought to our office and communicated and passed them along to the administration. They've agreed to a working group with the neighborhood."
Bakhtiari hopes they can create long-term solutions together but said there are a number of short-term solutions in place for 420 Fest.
"We're trying everything, but this is a street that is very dense. It has a lot going on and no matter what we do, it is going to take some time to sort through this issue," she said. "It is going to take some time, but I am deeply appreciative to the neighborhood for staying patient with me and working through me with these issues."
Pullman Yards said it and 420 Fest have been working with city officials, including the Georgia Department of Transportation, to ensure a smooth and low-impact event.
"This includes limiting on-site parking to encourage ride-sharing and shuttles from MARTA stations, employing an abundance of parking personnel and APD across the site to ensure safety, and regular communication with ticket holders and the surrounding communities," a GDOT spokesperson said. "Additionally, the property will regularly monitor decibel levels and adhere to strict curfew guidelines implemented by the city.”