DeKalb Zoning Code Update

DeKalb County is updating its zoning code. Commissioner Rader's office asks that we

Please review prior to the meeting with Commissioners Rader and Gannon on May 20th at 7:00pm in Conference Room A of the Clark Harrison Building (330 W. Ponce de Leon, Decatur 30030).  Parking is available on the street or in the county lot next to the Maloof Building after 5pm.

The New Zoning Code public draft can be found at: http://planningdekalb.net/?page_id=756, and some of the listed documents are highlighted below. If you can't attend the meeting, you may send your comments online.

Schedule of Adoption: This plan has been in development for a while and many meetings have taken place already. The Board of Commissioners will vote on May 28, and the plan becomes effective on August 2013.

from http://planningdekalb.net/wp-content/
uploads/2013/04/TechnicalZoningMemo.pdf

The Proposed Districts and Conversions document "summarizes the proposed structure of the new zoning code. It also includes data regarding existing zoning districts providing the justification of the new structure. The updated DeKalb Zoning Ordinance will implement the policies of the DeKalb County 2025 Comprehensive Plan with fewer zoning  districts, balanced with greater design standards. ... The three primary residential districts (R-75, R-85, and R-100) will remain the same."

Meeting and Briefings includes a summary of the process leading to the code update, and shows an emphasis on mixed use and intent to "create new design standards and criteria for development" in the way of "Block and lot standards, street and yard standards, lasndscaping, streetscapes, open space, site improvements, building form and configuration and building materials." Article 2 emphasizes incentives for high density developments.

More realistic poultry coming
to unincorporated DeKalb County?

Under Article 4, Table 4.1 summarizes allowable uses depending on lot designation. The document notes that the zoning update "Adds new uses such as senior housing, farmers markets, and urban gardens." Keeping of poultry/pigeons is now listed as "permitted" for R75, R85 and R100 lots (typical Medlock homes) but "keeping of livestock" remains off-limits [N.B. Will seek additional information about the meaning of the yellow highlight. ---> yellow highlights do not mean anything, focus on the abbreviation inside the cell. If the cell is empty, that particular use is not allowed]. DeKalb County defines livestock as "domestic animals and fowl customarily kept on a farm including horses, mules, donkeys, cows, cattle, sheep, goats, ducks, geese and turkeys."

Cropped section of table 4.1, from http://planningdekalb.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Zoning-Code-Update_briefing.pdf [May 7]. 

from http://planningdekalb.net/wp-conten
t/uploads/2013/05/Zoning-Code-Update_briefing.pdf
Click to enlarge.

Article 5 focuses on standards for lot size, street design, sidewalks, streescapes, open space, and building materials. It also calls for "new developments like cottage homes and townhouse products." Both the townhouse and cottage concepts feature shared open areas accessible to all neighbors.

Those are just a couple highlights. For additional information of what is cover under each article, please review the above documents at http://planningdekalb.net/?page_id=756.

"Right to Grow" Rally - why you should care about House Bill 853 [Feb. 28]

What passes for an egg-laying hen around these parts... lousy producer, by the way.

There is a rally to support House Bill 853 and timing is critical. The bill is currently gummed up in the House Rules Committee due the Chair of the Rules Committee's refusal to add it to the calendar. If not on the calendar, the House can't vote on it, which means it will never make it to the Senate.

If not added to the calendar by Feb. 28, this bill is as dead as your 2012 dream of fresh eggs. The ag experts at UGA recommend "3- 31/2 square feet of floor space for each bird you intend to keep for egg production" which means that pretty much any property in our neighborhood can accommodate a couple egg-producing hens. Another UGA publication entreaties local governments to adjust archaic and excessive setbacks that disproportionately hurt small family operations. The Chicken Little arguments put forth by lobbyists such as the GA Municipal Association fail the test of logic (never mind proof) in the face of successful urban agriculture ordinances in high-density locations such as City of Decatur and Atlanta.

Why Should DeKalb Care?

Food insecurity, as defined by the USDA, relates to individuals who experience "reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet" and may or may not include "disrupted access" to food (aka hunger). Another context of food security relates to a community's access to food in case of emergencies; it deals with food sources, distribution, and availability. Looking at USDA's Food Desert Map, vs. a google map outlining county limits, it is apparent that DeKalb has food security problems. Why not make it easier for people to provide for themselves? 

DeKalb Co. outline (left) and the food desert areas within it (pink overlay), per the Food Desert Locator (USDA)

If you wish to support House Bill 853 (see text here), see http://northeastcobb.patch.com/articles/letter-to-the-editor-right-to-grow-rally and the Georgia Right to Grow Facebook group.

While in the House of Representatives, real-time updates on the status of this bill can be obtained by contacting the Clerk of the House at (404) 656-5015. And contact John Meadows (R - Calhoun), Chair of the Rules Committee.

Remember: this bill is not just about eggs, it's also about access to quality local honey and the elemental comfort and peace of mind of growing your own vegetables at home and living in a community where neighbors have the resources to help one another in the case of an emergency.

p.s.
For more fun with USDA data, check out their Food Environment Atlas.

p.s.s.
Per the above Facebook group page, the Georgia Realtors Association supports this bill. And you just know they would not support a measure believed to hurt property values...

GA "Right to Grow" Bill # 853

Illegally grown? Even the Georgia peanuts?

GA Bill 853 seeks to remove local regulations that hamper a private property owner's ability to grow food for consumption by the grower and his/her family. This protection includes food crops (annual and perennial plants, shrubs and trees), as well as bees, rabbits and chickens raised in appropriate enclosures.

Currently, unincorporated DeKalb County sets a 2-acre requirement for keeping animals such as egg-laying hens. Individuals found in violation are cited and must dismantle coops and get rid of their hens in very short order. In recent years, DeKalb Code Enforcement has been known to respond to complaints about front yard gardens with a visit to the property owner. These visits did not result in citations or fines because they did not relate to noise or health nuisances affecting neighbors; the visits were essentially complaints about the property owner's choice of landscaping (edible). 

Dangerously fresh! 

In favor: Georgia Organics supports Bill 853. The White House supports home gardens and even beekeeping. The USA has a proud tradition of growing food at home, with victory gardens exemplifying a time when growing food in urban environments reflected responsibility and good sense. Both City of Decatur and Atlanta have flexible food-growing regulations that simultaneously respect an individual's right to provide for his/her family and protect neighbors from nuisances (such as noise from roosters, which are rarely allowed in residential areas). At a local level, we have the Oakhurst, the Clarkston and our own Medlock Park Community Gardens to illustrate that growing food close to home is a win-win. The call for growing food at home exists in a much larger context, well summarized by author Michael Pollan.

Against: The Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) opposes this bill. Their concerns are typical of this debate, and have been addressed by municipalities with successful urban food ordinances.

"Breaking the law, breaking the law..." - Judas Priest

If you care about this issue, whether you oppose or favor this bill, the time to contact your legislators is now. 

Status of this Legislation

The idea of removing restrictions from urban food growing has been floating around for a while (e.g. House Bill 2). With support from multiple legislators, House Bill 853 reflects increasing support of local food sources,  environmentally sound farming, and humane animal husbandry.

As of last week, Bill 853 has been favorably reported upon by the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.  The next stop should be the Rules Committee, which next meets on February 15. || Rules Committee members

While in the House of Representatives, real-time updates on the status of this bill can be obtained by contacting the Clerk of the House at (404) 656-5015.

Possible outcomes: If supported by the House during the current session, Bill 853 will move to the Senate. If the Senate approves Bill 853, it would proceed to Gov. Nathan Deal for consideration. This all could be expected to happen in April at the earliest, by June otherwise.

How to voice your support or concerns

DeKalb--green is as green does.

The Georgia Food Rights group has put together a document with contact information for Georgia Senators and Legislators. This document is sortable and includes 3 tabs that list senators, house representatives and Agriculture Committee members separately as well as their stance on Bill 853, if known. The document also shows which House members serve in the Rules committee that will meet on Feb. 15. 

Our local representatives are:

Mary Margaret Oliver (State House Representative for District 83): email

Jason Carter (State Senator for District 42): email

Urban Chicken Symposium [Feb 25]

We know a lot of you are interested in urban chicken-keeping so here's an opportunity to learn more through the Urban Chicken Symposium, organized by the Oakhurst Community Garden. 

As to MANA chickens, well, we've heard DeKalb is working on changing regulations but to our knowledge, it is not legal to keep chickens in our district.

Click to enlarge.

Urban Chickens Symposium in the Heart of Oakhurst Village near Downtown Decatur February 25 

Eggstra! Eggstra! Poultry in Motion. 

On the wings of Oakhurst Community Garden Project’s wildly popular “Chicks in the City” classes comes a full day of urban poultry-keeping. On February 25 the Chicks in the City Symposium offers attendees a full plate of essentials on backyard chickens. Taught by local experts, the seven sessions highlight how-tos from bees and chickens to community co-ops. 

With urban farming on the rise, and concerns about how food is made increase, this timely full day of workshops will engage and enlighten both the committed “locavore” and curious alike. The Chicks in the City Symposium equips guests with all the resources needed to start an urban flock.  Several new topics will be covered including Baby Chicks by the Georgia Gardener, Walter Reeves.   

In an eggshell, the Chicks in the City Symposium runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4pm on Saturday, February 25 and will be held at the Oakhurst Church, 630 East Lake Drive, Decatur, GA. Cost is $65. Oakhurst Community Garden Project members pay just $50. Morning sweet tweets will be available for purchase from the Little Red Hen Bakeshop. Pre-registration is requested and limited to the first 150 registrants.  Register at Oakhurstgarden.org. Contact Andrea.zoppo@yahoo.com for questions. 

About the Oakhurst Community Garden Project Founded in 1997, and located on two acres at the corner of McDonough and Oakview in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Decatur, the Oakhurst Community Garden Project works to preserve community greenspace and cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards. We engage people of all ages to take charge of their own health and environment through hands-on gardening and outdoor education programs. Our classes, events, and volunteer projects also offer community members opportunities to enhance their own green spaces and sustainable living skills. Visit oakhurstgarden.org.