DeKalb County Comprehensive Plan Update [Apr 28]

via Commissioner Rader's website...

DeKalb County 2035 Comprehensive Plan Update
April 28, 2016 (6:30 pm)

Maloof Auditorium
 1300 Commerce Drive
Decatur, GA 30030

 The DeKalb County Comprehensive Plan is essential in promoting, developing, sustaining, and assisting coordinated and comprehensive planning by DeKalb County government. Interagency cooperation drives the planning process and includes the Governor’s Development Council, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) as well as DeKalb County, it’s local governments and constituents. State law requires that jurisdictions maintain and periodically update a 20-year comprehensive plan. Through the planning process the community develops a vision and assesses its needs in a range of planning areas including population, economic development, housing, natural and cultural resources, solid waste management, community facilities, land use and transportation and establishes strategic solutions to meet those needs.

DeKalb District 6 survey

from Kathie Gannon...

Dear Neighborhood Leaders,

As your County Commissioner, I have made it my mission to make your voice heard.  For big and small issues alike, I insist that your interests "have a seat at the table."  I value your opinions.

A new survey is posted on my website so that you can make clear what our DeKalb County priorities should be.  Tell me what needs to be improved and what needs to be changed.

Please pass this along to your neighborhood groups. I look forward to reading the thoughts you share.

Kathie Gannon
DeKalb County Commissioner
Super District 6
404-371-4909
www.kathiegannon.com

DeKalb Delegation Townhall Meeting

DeKalb Delegation members listened to citizen concerns at the last pre-2016 legislative session townhall meeting.

MANA representatives were present at the DeKalb Legislative Delegation's Townhall meeting on January 7, 2016 at the Maloof Building.  It was a lively, well attended session that lasted around 2 hours.

Senator Gloria Butler's reversal of her appointment of Harmel Codi to the County's Audit Oversight Committee was a hot topic; multiple speakers asked the delegation to look into the situation and wondered if this is a sign that the effort to reform DeKalb is already compromised. When asked if the other Senators were part of the decision to remove Ms. Codi, Senators Parent and Millar responded no. Senator Butler did not attend the town hall meeting.

As expected, many topics were covered--potholes and speed limits, crime, mortar fireworks, police officer compensation, quality public education, concerns about home insurance providers using breed-specific lists to reject would-be policy buyers, among others. Cityhood was a common theme, specifically the proposed cities of Stonecrest and Greenhaven, with strong voices and a variety of arguments. The new cities had strong support with many people asking for action during this legislative session so that they can vote soon. Conversely, many speakers asked for careful consideration of how new cities impact the County's ability to function and emphasized their belief that creating cities does not fix the kinds of problems mentioned by citizens at this very meeting--the way out is to strengthen the County. A speaker compared ill-conceived cityhood proposals to the Wizard of Oz: there is a man behind the curtain, a master puppeteer, but that will not "give you courage or give you a brain" to fix the problems you already have.

MANA's president, Lynn Ganim, asked the legislators to consider the impact of commercial annexations such as those pursued by City of Decatur these last several years. It is an issue of fairness, she said, with a significant impact on DeKalb County School System's budget.

The 2016 legislation session begins on January 11, 2016.

DeKalb Co. Town Hall Meetings [June 8,10, 22, 25, 30 and July 9, 21 and 23]

See additional DeKalb Co. press releases here: http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/portals/news-room/

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DeKalb County is Georgia’s third largest county with more than 700,000 residents calling it home. Known for its business and education hub, growing international community and natural wonders, DeKalb  County Government is administered by Interim Chief Executive Officer Lee May and legislative policy is set by a seven-member Board of Commissioners. Follow news from DeKalb County at @ItsInDeKalb on Twitter and sign up for additional updates at www.onedekalb.com or send a text message with the word ONEDEKALB to 22828 (message and data rates may apply).

DeKalb Co. launches Consent Decree website

Below is a County press release regarding the Consent Decree (settlement) that was reached following a lawsuit by the Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Georgia (Dept. of Natural Resources) vs DeKalb County, where the County was found to be in violation of the Clean Water Act.

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MEDIA CONTACTS
Burke Brennan, Press Secretary
P: 404-371-6305  |  M: 678-201-7209
MaLika Hakeem, Administrative & Program Outreach Manager, Department of Watershed Management
P: 770-724-1457 |  M: 770-318-8435

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2015

DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management
Launches Consent Decree Website
Site includes communication tools designed to educate, inform public

DECATUR, Ga. – The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management’s (DWM) Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Division announced the official launch of its new Consent Decree Program website (http://www.dekalbconsentdecree.com/). The new site features general information about the program, its associated infrastructure improvement projects, and a user-friendly, interactive Project Finder feature that allows visitors to search for active DeKalb County CIP water and sewer construction projects. The Project Finder allows users to search for projects within a half-mile, one-mile or two-mile radius of a specific address, as well as by commission district or keyword. Information available on each project includes location, budget, schedule, description and current construction phase. DeKalb County has reached a Clean Water Act settlement in the form of a consent decree with the U.S. EPA and Georgia EPD.

“The new website is one of many communication tools we are using to ensure people are educated and well-informed about the projects included in the Consent Decree,” said Kenneth Saunders, Program Director, Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Division, Department of Watershed Management.  “Continuous communication with the residents and business owners affected by the improvement activities is vital to the overall success of this program.”

The CIP also launched the Consent Decree Connection quarterly electronic newsletter and a social media campaign via Facebook. The Consent Decree Connection features articles on current and recent projects, FOG (Fats, Oils & Grease), safety tips and interesting facts and figures about the County’s sanitary sewer collection system. Social media will be used as a real-time communication vehicle to disseminate information to the public. The website, newsletter and social media are linked together online for added convenience. By implementing the aforementioned communication tools, the Department of Watershed Management’s goal is to provide advanced notification of upcoming construction activity, traffic advisories and community meeting details, and update the public on the program’s progress on an ongoing basis.

The Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Division is a unit of the Department of Watershed Management. Currently overseeing a 5-year, $1.345 billion countywide capital improvement program, which comprises the repair and upgrade of the county’s water and wastewater infrastructure, the division’s main goal is to create sustainable growth and development of the county’s $5 billion water and wastewater assets serving the county’s more than 700,000 residents.

DeKalb County is Georgia’s third largest county with more than 700,000 residents calling it home. Known for its business and education hub, growing international community and natural wonders, DeKalb County Government is administered by Interim Chief Executive Officer Lee May and legislative policy is set by a seven-member Board of Commissioners.

Follow news from DeKalb County at @ItsInDeKalb on Twitter and sign up for additional updates at www.onedekalb.com or send a text message with the word ONEDEKALB to 22828 (message and data rates may apply).

Flow meter installation announcement from DeKalb Watershed Management

Received by MANA; please address questions to Mr. James (information follows).

Dear Association Representative:

Dekalb County has reached a Clean Water Act settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the form of a Consent Decree.  The attached letter will provide residents with details of the upcoming Flow Meter Installation project.  This is the first in a series of on going projects associated with the Consent Decree.

It is our goal to keep residents informed of the activities which may be taking place in their neighborhoods.

Click to enlarge.

Please share with your association members via your website, newsletter, or other means of communication.

Thanks in advance.

-- 
John F. James
Project Manager
Consent Decree Program Management Team

CERM | Corporate Environmental Risk Management
Engineers nSurveyors n Planners nManagers n Scientists

2296 Henderson Mill Road, Suite 200 | Atlanta, GA 30345 | www.cerm.com

p 678.999.0173 | m 678-524-4176| f678.999.0186

Reminder: "Blueprint for DeKalb" [Sept 30]

PUBLIC MEETING: 
September 30, 6:30 pm, Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr., Decatur, GA, 30030

http://www.blueprintdekalb.org/

DeKalb County: ask the CEO about greenspace dollars, annexation, cityhood and education

The AJC reports that DeKalb County's Interim CEO Lee May will host six community meetings during the month of August. The topics will cover "accomplishments and issues, including cityhood and government structure." Lee May (County Commissioner for District 5) was appointed interim CEO by Governor Deal in July 2013 when then CEO Burrell Ellis was suspended following his indictment on felony charges.

The meetings are scheduled to run from 7:00 - 8:30pm on

Aug. 7  at Derwin Brown Memorial South Precinct (2856 H F Shepherd Dr., Decatur, GA 30034),
Aug. 12 at Stonecrest Library (3123 Klondike Rd., Lithonia, GA  30038),
Aug. 14 at St. Timothy United Methodist Church (5365 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30083),
Aug. 19 at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library (5234 LaVista Rd., Tucker, GA  30084),
Aug. 21 at Welcome Friend Baptist Church (3198 Bouldercrest Rd., Ellenwood, GA 30294), and
Aug. 26 at the Maloof Auditorium (1300 Commerce Dr #5, Decatur, GA 30030).

Please attend or email the Commissioners with your thoughts and concerns. Their contact information appears at the end of this post.

Recently, CEO May released a document reviewing his first year in office as interim CEO. "A Retrospective Look Back, A Progressive Move Forward" outlines accomplishments in public safety, police and fire services, disaster response, infrastructure, sustainable communities, development, leadership and youth services.

July 2014: AJC map shows overlapping 
cityhood proposals.

Hopefully, the above meetings will offer a chance to get answers on topics not covered by this annual report such as


Cityhood:  Some folks in Druid Hills are exploring annexation to the City of Atlanta. In early July, leaders of the overlapping Lakeside and Briarcliff proposals announced a collaboration, but no updates have been issued.  Our neighborhood's fate in these deliberations remains unknown.

Schools: A Druid Hills annexation raises questions about what would happens to DeKalb County public schools located in Druid Hills neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the Druid Hills Charter School Cluster proposal (created in response to dissatisfaction with how DeKalb County schools are administered) continues to meet resistance from the DeKalb Board of Education and Superintendent.

Greenspace funds: It makes more
sense to invest in existing commitments
via Commissioner Kathie Gannon

Greenspace funds: For several months now, the Civic Association Network (CAN) and our Commisioners Rader and Gannon have actively questioned a proposal to use $5 million greenspace dollars to purchase the South DeKalb YMCA. The Board of Commissioners' agenda for August 12 includes a vote on this purchase. Please see this Decaturish.com item summarizing Commissioner Gannon's reasoning that the County is better off investing in facilities it already owns and that are in need of maintenance and development.

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Commissioners' emails ready for cut/paste: ecboyer@dekalbcountyga.gov, jrader@dekalbcountyga.gov, larryjohnson@dekalbcountyga.gov, sbsutton@dekalbcountyga.gov, lmay@dekalbcountyga.gov, kgannon@dekalbcountyga.gov, stanwatson@dekalbcountyga.gov

Commissioner   (District)	Assistant(s)	Phone	Email
Elaine Boyer (District 1)	Bob Lundsten Courtney Townsend	404-371-2844	ecboyer@dekalbcountyga.gov
Jeff Rader (District 2)	Caroline Enloe	404-371-2863	jrader@dekalbcountyga.gov
	Debbie Schneider
Larry Johnson (District 3)	Margaret Britton	404-371-2425	larryjohnson@dekalbcountyga.gov
	Ingrid Butler
Sharon Barnes Sutton (District 4)	Judy T. Brownlee	404-371-4907	sbsutton@dekalbcountyga.gov
	Marguerita M. Lance
Lee May (District 5) Interim CEO	Latrese Young	404-371-4745	lmay@dekalbcountyga.gov
	Edmond Richardson
Kathie Gannon (Super District 6)	Corrin Wagnon	404-371-4909	kgannon@dekalbcountyga.gov
	Davis Fox
Stan Watson (Super District 7)	Kelly LaJoie	404-371-3681	stanwatson@dekalbcountyga.gov
	Tiffany Campbell

Rader and Gannon spell out concerns about greenspace dollars being allocated to South DeKalb YMCA purchase

Commissioners Rader and Gannon have written a letter to the Metro Atlanta YMCA and the DeKalb County community explaining their reservations about using greenspace funds to enter an agreement with the YMCA. If, after reviewing the facts, you wish to contact our DeKalb Commissioners, you can find their contact information here.

- - -

Dear YMCA Board Members and our DeKalb Community:

We appreciate all of the work across metropolitan Atlanta that YMCA’s do every day. Whether it is helping their members stay healthy and fit through exercise and recreation programs, or providing early enrichment to Head Starters or the numerous other ways that the Y helps build community – the service of the YMCA staff, volunteers and Board of Directors is of the finest American tradition.

As members of the DeKalb County Board of Commission we believe Partnerships which leverage complementary capabilities are a valuable tool and in the potential relationship with the South DeKalb YMCA, we hope to find one that is transparent, respects the taxpayers and serves the needs of the broadest group of citizens.  

With this in mind, we have reservations about the proposed Master Agreement between DeKalb and the Metro Y that would use County Green Space Acquisition Bond Revenues to purchase your South DeKalb Y facility and lease it back to you at a nominal price.  

Please consider these FACTS:
•    This Partnership agreement is exclusively negotiated with the YMCA, and nothing similar has been offered to any other non-profit, private organization or governmental partner. No terms or parameters for negotiation were authorized by the DeKalb Governing Authority, and the proposed Master Agreement was only made public when it was placed on the Commission Agenda on April 8th.  Neither the Green Space Bond Advisory Board nor the Development Authority of DeKalb County have had any input to the Master Agreement.
•    The Y brings no new money to the table.  The County has successful models for staffing facilities, and is experimenting with other partnership models. For example the Boys and Girls Club will manage the after-school program at the Redan Recreation center next fall, each entity receiving a benefit.  We should treat partners comparably, and negotiate openly.
•    The South DeKalb YMCA is in an area where significant County investments in recreation and senior services have already been made: the Y is 2.5 miles from Exchange Park Multi-Generational Recreation Center ($7.2million); 2.8 miles from Browns Mill Recreation and Aquatic Facility ($8.9 million); 4.1 miles from Lou Walker Senior Center with a heated indoor pool; 5.7 miles from Candler Road Senior Center, which will have exercise equipment when it opens this summer; 8 miles from Redan Park Recreation Center ($5.4 million); and 8.7 miles from Wade Walker Park and YMCA ($13.6 million).  In 8 square miles of this South DeKalb community, the County has already invested over $35 million in recent and ongoing Parks Bond developmental funds and additional county and federal grant dollars for the senior centers.  Investing in this location is not a good return on the citizens’ tax dollars.  It will duplicate services in this area while many areas of the county still do not have access to any recreation center. DeKalb County taxpayers will continue to pay for the operations of Browns Mill, Exchange, and Redan Centers. No current public expense will be reduced.
•    The Master Agreement provides no benchmarks or guarantees related to the health deficiencies the investment is purported to address.  Indeed, the question may be fairly asked:  why, after 40 years’ service to the community has the Y had so little effect on these deficiencies?  Why will a renovation have a transformative effect?
•    DeKalb County will purchase the existing YMCA for $5 million, using $1 million of District 3 and 7 Parks Bond Land Acquisition Funding and $4 million in County Wide Acquisition Funding.  The agreement diverts land acquisition funding to development, contrary to the Bond Referendum.   The property is appraised at $2.5 million for tax purposes, with the land appraised at $400,000.  The Appraisal provided by the YMCA estimates the value at only $3.9 million.  All appraisals supporting this proposed transaction are made using the “cost” method, which is inappropriate, given the multiplicity of similar facilities in the service area.
•    After the purchase, the County will transfer the property to the Development Authority of DeKalb County (DADC), who will lease the property back to the YMCA for $1 per year for 50 years. At the end of the lease, the property reverts to DeKalb County. The Return on Investment to the taxpayers footing this bill is $50.  The Y will book the lease as an asset, similar to the Wade Walker Y, whose lease is currently valued by the Y at over $10 million.
•    The YMCA will renovate the building to its own plan, and continue to operate the facility as a YMCA, charging a fee schedule of its own choosing, except that special benefits exclusively for residents of three surrounding zip codes, not all taxpayers, shall be provided. 
•    Appraisal documentation indicates that the SD YMCA operates with a $300,000 + annual surplus and there is no requirement to use surpluses to the benefit of DeKalb County taxpayers.  The Wade Walker Y should generate a surplus as well, yet there is no provision in either Master Agreement to account for such surpluses.
•    The YMCA has other options for renovating this facility without using taxpayer funds. Typically YMCA renovations are completed with private capital campaign contributions through the umbrella Metro Atlanta YMCA organization and through fundraising within the service area being served by the facility.  
•    The county does not have the funds to renovate the much needed repairs and upgrades at the Tucker Recreation Center, the Lithonia Recreation Center, the need for a real Recreation Center at Mason Mill and the long overdue replacement of a Tobie Grant Recreation Center in Scottdale.  There is no Parks and Recreation Plan Update that assesses the need for another recreational facility in this area whereas there is assessed need for a new Center in Southwest DeKalb County.

Where is the partnership in this proposed agreement? There is a no win for the citizens of DeKalb County, only for the YMCA.  It is clearly the wrong thing to do and should go back to the drawing board.

Please withdraw from this proposal and let us participate in a transparent process that assesses the needs of both partners to the “partnership.”

Sincerely,
Commissioner Kathie Gannon, Super District 6
Commissioner Jeff Rader, District 2
June 23, 2014

CAN: Candidates' Fair [Apr 27]

The "summer election" is happening on May 20. Please review the flyer below for information about what is at stake. Note that the voter registration deadline is April 21.

SAMPLE BALLOTS: http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/Voter/CurrentElectionInfo.html. Note that these countywide sample ballots will contain districts and municipalities that will not apply to every individual.

ADVANCE VOTING INFO: http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/Voter/pdf/GPAdvanceVotingSitesTimes.pdf

Click to enlarge.

Free Pet Vaccinations from Lifeline / DeKalb County

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

ATLANTA, GA – (March 24, 2014)  LifeLine Animal Project and DeKalb County Animal Services invite DeKalb County pet owners to attend "Healthy Pets DeKalb" on Saturday, April 5th, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at Wade-Walker Park, 5585 Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain.  The event will offer over 400 free vaccinations provided by a licensed veterinarian, free pet food and much more!  No registration is necessary for this first-come, first-serve promotion.

“LifeLine offers veterinary services and pet education directly to pet owners in our communities who need them,” says Debbie Setzer, community outreach director for LifeLine. “These resources improve the quality of life for pets and their families, prevent unplanned litters and decrease the number of animals ending up in shelters,” she explains.

For more information on Healthy Pets DeKalb, please email community@LifeLineAnimal.org  or call 678.883.2FIX (678.883.2349).

AJC update: cityhood initiatives and a DeKalb County task force

April Hunt at the AJC has a summary on the competing cityhood proposal debacle currently unfolding in the legislature. Elsewhere, the interim County CEO, Lee May,

"... issued an executive order to create a 15-member charter task force as early as next week. 

Among its goals will be to plot the county’s march toward municipalization, as well as review whether DeKalb should eliminate its CEO form of government. 

May and the [DeKalb County] commission had agreed on that agenda for lawmakers, but none of their joint requests have been taken up this session. 

“Unfortunately, there has been no political will to address these issues at the state level, and we’re seeing the very real problem of how unclear the right to incorporate with your own borders can be,” May said. “So we have to show the residents, the lawmakers and everyone we are serious about handling this work ourselves.” 

What’s next: The House governmental affairs committee meets at 1 p.m. Wednesday in room 606 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta." Read the rest @ AJC

p.s.
Thanks to the AJC for having this important item outside the paywall.

DeKalb Cooperative Extension Annual Plant Sale [order by Mar 10, pick up on Mar 22]

Order form and list of available plants from http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/dekalb/documents/2014PlantSaleOrderForm-webversion.pdf

DECATUR – DeKalb Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce its second annual Plant Sale. The office will accept orders between January 6, 2014 and March 10, 2014.  The one-day pick up is Saturday, March 22, 2014 at the DeKalb Cooperative Extension office.  We have several varieties to choose from including azaleas, blueberries, hydrangeas, gardenias and many more.

“Although this is just our second year, we are excited to see this annual sale grow.  We are committed to helping citizens realize and understand the role they play in the beautification and sustainability of their own neighborhoods, said Jessica E. Hill, Director of the Cooperative Extension office in DeKalb.

For more information about ordering plants or to learn more about other programs and services, please contact the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension office at 404-298-4080 or visit us at www.ugaextension.com/dekalb.

Lynwood L. Blackmon II
DeKalb County Horticulture Agent
DeKalb County Cooperative Extension
4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 200
Decatur, GA 30032
404-298-4087
404-298-3084 Fax
blackmonl@dekalbcountyga.gov

Blueprint to Redefine DeKalb County [Feb 11]

Commissioner Kathie Gannon invites the community to discuss a new Blueprint for DeKalb County:
DATE:     Tuesday February 11, 2014
TIME:      6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
PLACE:   Decatur Library, Ground Floor Meeting Room.  Enter from parking lot in the rear.

You can review the Blueprint document here. This Blueprint is a call to action in the following areas of County governance:

operations: clarify administrative procedures

ethics: limits on vendor contributions to candidates, appointing an auditor, and developing a process so that the Board of Ethics is NOT appointed by the officers the Board is meant to scrutinize

elections: explore term limits on incumbents and encourage voter participation

governmental structure: address existing processes governing cityhood formation and annexation; consider moratorium on new cities for the current legislative session

HOST sales tax: revise HOST legislation (because existing rules allow a pattern of HOST tax allocation that is leaving the County without the means to maintain services for cities and unincorporated areas alike)

DeKalb Zoning Code revamp: continued

The DeKalb Zoning Code update meeting of May 20, 2013 was well attended, and included representatives from many area neighborhoods. The meeting was led by Andrew Baker (interim director for planning and sustainability), Marian Eisenberg (zoning administrator) and Commissioners Jeff Rader and Kathie Gannon.

via http://planningdekalb.net/wp-content/uploads/
2013/05/Zoning-Code-Update_briefing.pdf

The presenters emphasized that this is a "total re-write" to match the zoning code to comprehensive County planning documents; encourage higher density development in areas that are already zoned as commercial (this in response to public requests that residential areas be protected); redevelop underutilized space; and improve "predictability"--meaning, that people should have access to a County map that clearly highlights what uses are allowed in a given area so they can factor that information into personal and financial decisions.

Upon approval of the new zoning code [see previous MANA summary here], the Planning Director will become the "interpreter" of the code, and the new code will supersede any conflicting information on Chapter 14 of the DeKalb (Land Code Ordinance).

The May 20 presentation is available at: http://planningdekalb.net/wp-content/uploads/
2013/05/Zoning-Code-Update_briefing.pdf

The full draft of the zoning code (Table of Contents and Articles 1-9) is available at http://planningdekalb.net/?page_id=830

Additional notes from the meeting:

• the County will soon have GIS maps
• the biggest change in this code revamp is "what can be done administratively" regarding Article 5 (Site Design and Building Form Standards)
• an audience member asked about the need for an "early warning" system to let civic associations and residents know when an nearby area is being considered for redevelopment (vs. waiting for an official county sign of a public hearing that announces permits or re-zoning are being voted upon)
• there was a comment about who is considered an "aggrieved party" and the answer was that individuals can be aggrieved, neighborhood associations cannot.
• an audience member asked about administrative variances. Requests to change density will always fall under re-zoning.  The interaction between administrative decisions and the new criteria will likely lead to the development of new benchmarks for appeals.

Commissioner Gannon noted that the schedule for adoption suggests the code will be voted upon at the May 28 Board of Commissioners meeting. However, the Commissioners are strongly encouraging citizen involvement and comments on the plan, and Commissioner Gannon said they would probably defer the vote and allow a couple of months to finalize the existing zoning code draft. As of today, the appointment of Andrew Baker as director of planning and zoning remains on the May 28 meeting agenda, and so is a resolution to increase storm water utility fees,  but a vote on the zoning code is not in evidence.

To submit comments online, go to http://planningdekalb.net/?page_id=807

For suggestions & comments, contact Marian B. Eisenberg, Zoning Administrator, 404-371-4922.

DeKalb County Urban Redevelopment [Apr 24]

DeKalb County will hold a public hearing on April 24, 2013 to expand the boundaries of the DeKalb County Urban Redevelopment Area and amend the DeKalb County Urban Redevelopment Plan. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at the Manuel J. Maloof Center Auditorium, 1300 Commerce DriveDecatur, GA 30030.

The plan is available at: http://dekalbcountyurp.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/urban_redevelopment_plan-for-web-sl.pdf

Improving DeKalb Transportation: open mike

Visit DeKalb County's Transportation Plan 2014 website to learn more about how DeKalb is trying to improve our transportation landscape.

Timeline: planning to be complete by Spring 2014.
Image via Dekalb Co.

There are a number of planning meetings coming up (April 16, 18, 20, 22, 23); you can also catch up with previous meetings here.

Even if you can't attend a meeting, you can participate in the process by adding your notes to an interactive map. You will need to log in, but you can make improvement suggestions in the following categories: vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle, transit and multimodal/other. As to feedback, the page states that

We’re looking for ideas on how the transportation system can be improved. For example, you could point out a problematic intersection, an idea for a new sidewalk or trail, a congested roadway, or a need for a new bus route. (We’re not necessarily looking for smaller maintenance issues such as potholes so please be mindful of the overall objective.)  

As a final note, the number of comments received about a certain issue or idea will not necessarily count as “votes” for that improvement. Rather, this mapping tool is one of many sources for our public input, and we’re really looking for ideas that we may not have heard elsewhere. 

You can also send suggestions to Transportationplan@dekalbcountyga.gov

DeKalb news roundup, via the AJC

AJC, keeping us informed!

DeKalb expects no new taxes, no new fixes
No plan for increased taxes in 2013, but it's not all happy news. Part of the concern is over no fixes for business licensing/permitting infrastructure that encourages and supports local business:

The result: Last year, the county took 42 days on average to issue a permit for a single-family home, the simplest type of construction. A permit for a new office took 99 days, or more than three months, according to county documents.

By comparison, officials in Cobb and Gwinnett say they issue permits for homes in two to four days. Nearly all commercial permits, no matter how complicated, are issued within a month.

Deal suspends six of nine DeKalb school board members
Governor Deal voted to suspend all but the newly elected members. Normally, suspension triggers a process where each member can appeal the suspension but since a federal judge has put a stay on any action until the DeKalb Board of Education's challenge is heard later this week, there's more waiting... while DeKalb County citizens absorb the costs of salaries and lawsuits:

Eugene Walker, the former school board chairman who is one of those pursuing the challenges, left little wiggle room. He vowed Monday to press on with the lawsuits, saying “We’ve done nothing wrong.” He said he might run for another term in 2014 if the courts uphold Deal’s decision, and defended using taxpayer dollars to press his legal claims.
“I’m using public money to help protect the democratic process,” he said. “What price do you put on liberty and justice?”

The "nothing wrong" refers to a SACS accreditation report so tortured that it led to the system being placed in probation and the state's Board of Education and governor getting involved.

DeKalb to discuss budget decisions this week

from today's AJC:

By the end of the week, DeKalb County residents should find out what services the county’s chief executive officer wants to cut and whether he will ask for a second tax hike in three years.  Read it all @ AJC.

The CEO must release his plan this week (expected Friday) and the County Commission will then review the final budget next February.

DeKalb County: incorporation & annexation news round-up

For unincorporated areas of DeKalb County, the future remains muddled. The formation of new cities within the County (Dunwoody, est. 2008, Brookhaven, effective Dec. 17, 2012), compounded by campaigns by existing cities to annex unincorporated space (e.g., City of Decatur's plan to annex residential and commercial parcels), conspire to worry unincorporated DeKalb residents about how the loss of commercial property might affect services and taxes.

Closer to home, while some neighbors rejoice at the prospect of become part of the City of Decatur (and thusly gaining access to the City's school system) others raise grave concerns about the City school system's ability to absorb additional enrollment and maintain quality. Per the AJC,

Peggy Merriss is expected to make a recommendation on annexation at the Dec. 17 City Commission meeting. If the city approves a plan, it then goes to the General Assembly to authorize a voter referendum on the issue.

This site reported on these issues earlier this year (here, here and here). The AJC commented on the issue last October. MANA and CHCA representatives have been trying to gather additional information by attending Civic Association Network (CAN) meetings, and contacting our representatives (Commissioners Rader and Gannon; state representative Rahn Mayo). To review documents relating to these ongoing discussions, visit the CAN website at http://www.can-dk.org/file-cabinet/government-municipal. There, you will find several ideas being floated around, from the formation of a City of DeKalb (to include all currently unincorporated land) to a City of North DeKalb. You will also find links to DeKalb County city websites.

On the topic of new cities, the Druid Hills Patch reports on a November 12 meeting where northern DeKalb citizens discussed cityhood. The overwhelming tone of the meeting is summarized in the last sentence of the article:

"We don't need to know how to [become a city] until we know why to do it," another resident said. . . . . . Read the whole thing @ Patch

We will post updates as they become available. In the meantime, 

To voice your concerns or support for City of Decatur annexation proposals:

•  Contact Peggy Merriss, Manager, City of Decatur  Peggy.Merriss@decaturga.com 

•  Visit the City of Decatur annexation website: includes forms to request annexation and to request non-annexation [relevant to some MANA residents on Willivee Dr.]

To voice your concerns or support for cityhood proposals (City of DeKalb, City of North DeKalb, none of the above):

Jason Carter,  Georgia Senate, District 42

http://www.senate.ga.gov/senators/en-US/member.aspx?Member=720&Session=21

Rahn Mayo, Georgia Senate, District 84 (effective Jan 2013)

http://www.house.ga.gov/Representatives/en-US/member.aspx?Member=730&Session=21