AJC reports: Lawmakers hold hearing on cell towers

Last summer, Medlock Elementary and it surrounding homes narrowly escaped being occupied by a giant cell phone tower. Other schools and neighborhoods were not so lucky.

In an attempt to prevent projects of this type,

State Rep. Karla Drenner, D-Avondale Estates, said she plans to introduce legislation banning construction of the towers near schools because of concerns about radiation safety.

For the full article (which is rather brief), see http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/lawmakers-hold-hearing-on-1351720.html

Neighborhood Watch Meeting cancelled [was: Feb 27]

The Neighborhood Watch meeting is going virtual! Please continue to forward your questions to manawatch@gmail.com. Future meetings will be announced once scheduled.

Ms Janean Hightower (Center Precinct Public Education Specialist for Dekalb County Safety Services) and the MANA neighborhood watch coordinator will research your questions. Answers will be posted on this website.

So please email your questions to manawatch@gmail.com by Feb. 27.

As noted previously, we need more email coordinators. Although anyone can email the MANA neighborhood watch address, and everyone should dial 911 to report suspicious activity, the e-mail coordinator is in regular contact with the MANA neighborhood watch committee and can be an additional source of information. If you don't know who your email coordinator is, or you would like to volunteer, email manawatch@gmail.com.

Public Transportation--there's an app for that

Medlock Park is served by public transportation along its Scott Boulevard and North Decatur Road boundaries. Conveniently, there are apps that allow you to review all available routes and track the buses' location in real time.

Finding the bus stops, however, can be tricky for the uninitiated. Here are their actual locations:

- the Emory-bound stop is in front of Melton's, before the Sunstede Rd. intersection. Look for the MARTA marker on a post.

- the N. Dekalb Mall-bound stop is near the Scott. Blvd. Baptist Church (before reaching Barton Way).

Update: The Medline LCI study includes plans to enhance these stops' visibility and accessibility.

FREE CLIFF SHUTTLE

Emory's North Dekalb Mall Cliff Shuttle travels between Clifton Road and the mall via North Decatur Rd. and Scott Blvd. See below for its Medlock area stops. There are many other routes departing from campus and serving nearby locations, see the Cliff Shuttles website for details.

Cliff Shuttle apps: "Where's Cliff" for your web browser  |  Transloc App (for Android, Apple and Blackberry)

UPDATE: there is a restriction for minors using the Cliff shuttle. Parents who wish their Druid Hills High students to use the Cliff shuttle can contact parking@emory.edu to request access to the CCTMA (Clifton Corridor Transportation Management Association, http://www.cctma.org/). Indicate the student's name and that they attend Druid Hills High. The parent will receive a letter; the student should keep a copy of the letter as the bus drivers are instructed to check.

via
http://transportation.emory.edu/shuttles/PnR.html

Transloc app: Sample view of a flock of Cliff shuttles at work. Remember: Cliff shuttles are free!

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)

MARTA app:  bus #36's route (sample of real-time view).

MARTA route # 36 (N. Decatur Rd./Virginia Highlands) runs along North Decatur Road while connecting the East College and Midtown Stations. Two additional routes that briefly run along Scott Blvd. are route # 123 (N. Dekalb Mall/Belvedere)  and route # 75 (Tucker).

MARTA apps: MARTA'S WebWatch for your web browser  |  Android app  |  Apple app

LCI proposal rejected

MANA was sad to hear that the Livable Center Initiative grant application spearheaded by Kathie Gannon [DeKalb Co. District 6 Commissioner] and her staff was rejected last week. As explained by Davis Fox, who serves as Policy and Projects Manager,

The grant would have paid a for a transportation and land use plan in an area that ran from Medlock to Shamrock Plaza along US 29 and along North Decatur Road from Medlock to the Kroger shopping center on DeKalb Industrial. Church Street from Medlock to Scott Boulevard would have also been included. The plan would also have proposed an economic development strategy and sustainable design guidelines for future development. We envision mixed-use development with bicycle trails and light rail stops.

We were able to raise a significant financial match from DeKalb Medical, Selig, Patel Brothers, AS Turner, City of Decatur and DeKalb County Development Authority. Based on the level of business community support, we are now looking at another approach and are trying to see if we can raise sufficient funds to conduct the study. If we do proceed with the study, we will form a non-profit organization to raise funds and guide the process. In all likelihood nearby neighborhood organizations will be on the board of directors.

Team Gannon is working on a Plan B and will follow up on this initiative in the coming year.

As explained by the Atlanta Regional Commission,

The Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) is a program that awards planning grants on a competitive basis to local governments and nonprofit organizations to prepare plans for the enhancement of existing centers and corridors consistent with regional development policies.

Good Growth DeKalb Meeting [Feb 23]

Good Growth DeKalb is hosting a community forum discussing the Walmart at Suburban Plaza
Thursday February 23, 7 pm
N. Decatur Presbyterian Church
611 Medlock Road

For more information see their website: www.GoodGrowthDekalb.org
or call: 678-948-6696

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

Neighborhood Watch Meeting [Feb 27]

UPDATE: This meeting is cancelled, see updated information here.

Please join us Monday, February 27th 7:00 pm at North Decatur Presbyterian Church (611 Medlock Road) for the first Watch Meeting of 2012.


Ms Janean Hightower (Center Precinct Public Education Specialist for Dekalb County Safety Services) will join us to answer questions concerning crime in the neighborhood.


We will discuss the Neighborhood Watch program, the need for more email coordinators, and current crime in the neighborhood (especially the burglaries, many of which are door kick-ins).


Please email the watch ahead of time at manawatch@gmail.com with your questions so Ms Hightower will be able to do research and/or be prepared to answer promptly.