More details on MARTA @ Suburban Plaza, Emory, CDC

more info...

Link to proposed plan (and map): CCA_LPA_FACTSHEET_3_20_2012.pdf

MARTA Planning staff have completed the review of community feedback and technical analysis and have finalized a recommended locally preferred alternative (LPA) for the Clifton Corridor.  The LPA is the alternative that, based on technical analysis and stakeholder input, would most effectively address the needs of the corridor and goals and objectives of the project.The LRT 1 Alternative has been identified as the recommended LPA (see attachment), which includes 8.8 miles of new light rail service from Lindbergh Center Station in north-central Atlanta to Avondale Station in west-central DeKalb County.  The alternative includes 10 light rail station platforms and would provide direct service to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Emory University and Hospital, and the DeKalb Medical Center.  Further, the alternative would provide an alternative means for high-capacity evacuation from the CDC in the event of an emergency situation.

MARTA Planning staff will present the LPA recommendation to the MARTA Planning and External Relations Committee on March 26^th at 10:00 a.m. and to the MARTA Board on April 9^that 1:30 p.m.  We hope that your schedule will allow you to attend.   There will be a public comment period prior to both meetings.  Both meetings will be held at:

MARTA Headquarters
6^th Floor Board Room
2424 Piedmont Road
Atlanta, GA 30324
(Adjacent to the Lindbergh Center MARTA Rail Station on the Red and Gold Lines)

Upon MARTA Board approval, we will present the LPA to the Atlanta Regional Commission for adoption and incorporation into the long-range transportation plan.  Afterwards, the LPA will be advanced through the next step in the federal project development process which is the completion of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the MARTA Project Manager, Jason Morgan at 404-848-4494 or by email at jmorgan@itsmarta.com.

Leah Vaughan
Sycamore Consulting, Inc.
195 Arizona Avenue
Unit LW4
Atlanta, Georgia 30307
404-377-9147 Phone
404-377-9091 Fax
Leahvaughan@sycamoreconsulting.net

MARTA @ Suburban Plaza?

Per MARTA's website, this Clifton Corridor plan is "pending approval" from the MARTA Board of Directors:

• "8.8 miles of light rail double track (includes tunnels and elevated sections)
• 10 light rail station platforms
  • Lindbergh Center (Transfer to Red or Gold Lines)
  • Cheshire Bridge
  • Sage Hill
  • CDC/Emory Point
  • Emory-Rollins
  • Emory-Clairmont
  • North Decatur
  • Suburban Plaza
  • DeKalb Medical Center
  • Avondale Station (transfer to Blue Line)
• 3 additional optional stations for consideration
  • Piedmont (Transfer to BeltLine)
  • DeKalb Industrial
  • North Arcadia (old DeVry campus)
• 2 Maintenance and/or storage facilities"

Note that they are seeking public comment at the meetings below:

Zaxby's opening early summer next to North DeKalb Mall

A third Zaxby’s plans to open in Decatur in early summer at 3809 North Druid Hills Road, next to the North DeKalb Mall.

Read the rest here.

The history of the big box

This Advertising Age article provides a historic perspective on "big box" discount stores:

Walmart, Target, Kmart, Kohl's Lead 50 Years of Retail Revolution: Shaking Up Retail Landscape, Big Four Discounters Reshaped Our Idea of Shopping

Creative Loafing reports on Walmart's move into cities

Follow the link to Creative Loafing's Walmart Cometh cover story, subtitled The big-box retailer and progressive's worst enemy moves closer to the heart of metro Atlanta.

Lord love a (wood) duck

For additional information on wood ducks, visit the  Ducks Unlimited website.

This announcement relates to the trails behind Druid Hills Middle School (known as Shamrock Middle School to the faithful):

Dear neighbors,

We are fortunate to have the rare and incredibly shy wood duck nesting in our neighborhood. In order to encourage their successful mating, we will be closing the blue trail soon so that the birds can have the solitude they need. Please respect the barricades closing the trail and do not go around them.

We have also noticed an increase in vandalism along the trails. So far there have been three bird houses broken, numerous trail markers removed, spray painting on several trees and the tree house, a fire built ON a picnic table in the DH middle school outdoor classroom, and rip rap moved from the banks of homeowners. We suspect this is mischief being had by some typical teens. If you are the proud parent of teens in the neighborhood, could you please speak with them about respecting the hard work that others have done to create these trails and outdoors classroom. Also, please respect the privacy of thos e living along the trail or creek.

Please share this with surrounding neighborhoods, many of whom enjoy these trails.

Carol Hayes, Chair
Burnt Fork Watershed Alliance

Notes from the town hall meeting with DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis [March 13]

The meeting started promptly at 7pm. Mr. Ellis fielded questions from the audience until around 8:40pm, sometimes with added comments from departmental directors. For complaints about County services, the CEO directed a staff member to collect the person's contact information for follow-up.

1) Animal Services Task Force Report

The majority of the questions related to the DeKalb Animal Services Task Force report. Around 20 (?) audience members wore red shirts to show their support for this cause. Mr. Ellis explained the shelter's deteriorated state came to his attention soon after his election, which led to the establishment of the task force; in response to the first question of the evening, he stated that "we have a problem with animal services." He explained that he received the task force report around 2 weeks ago and in the interim, has held several meetings and visited the shelter as well. As a result of these findings and in discussion with the Board of Commissioners (BOC), 10 new positions have been approved. These will be both for individuals to work on the field and at the kennels. These individuals will be cross-trained so that they can be nimble as far as performing multiple tasks (e.g. help with adoptions).