ICS on break this week [Nov 19-23]

Alternative Gift Market @ NDCP [Dec. 1]

Click to enlarge.

Trees, and why they fall

1 inch of rain, 1 naughty pine down... May 2012.

Falling trees: a topic near and dear to our well-forested neighborhood. Dave Butler talked about tree health at a recent MANA community meeting, and now, the Scientific American's blog expands on the issue, with a focus on what is known about why trees fall during storms, and what we can do to protect ourselves:

"Although they can become unwilling weapons in severe weather, I think most of us would not want to live without our trees. They give character to our properties, shade in the summer, beautiful leaf colors in the fall, and homes to our wildlife. Most trees were living long before we were and, hopefully, will be living long after we are gone. But inevitably nature will periodically rise up and destroy some."... Read about it in Why Do Trees Topple in a Storm? @ Scientific American. 

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

Aging in place: exploring the possibilities

At the most recent MANA community meeting, representatives from DeKalb County's Office of Senior Affairs discussed a county grant scheduled to be awarded this fall, to help develop an age-in-place community.

CHCA has a writeup composed by several people who attended the presentation.

CHCA and MANA members have formed a committee to explore this issue and have attended several presentations relating to this concept. As this committee gains a better understanding of this opportunity, look to this space and the CHCA website for calls for focus groups, surveys, and other ways to provide input or volunteer.

Fall at the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve

Have you visited lately? What was once boot-worthy mud zones is now beautifully decked. 

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

                                                   -J. R. R. Tolkien, channeling Bilbo Baggins

Click to enlarge. Panoramic-ish view of where many paths and errands meet...

Around the neighborhood [Nov 18]

Never mind the raking for a minute, because they sure look pretty this time of year!