Selig issues Suburban Plaza update

Below is an open letter to the community from Selig Enterprises, where they address the ongoing court case with Good Growth DeKalb, announcement of potential new tenants and construction expectations:

Click to enlarge, or click here to view full-size pdf.

UPDATE: since this was posted, Mr. Stogner has added that the LA Fitness will feature a basketball court and pool. Thanks for the update, Deanne!

Update from Atlanta Gas Light

Marci Davis of Atlanta Gas Light contacted MANA president Bev Monroe with updates on the project that has been going on in the neighborhood since last September:

As neighbors have noticed, work has started up again in the easement by Wood Trail.  The section between Lawrenceville Hwy and Wood Trail is being re-done to go under the creek beds.  Pipes we see lying on the ground by Wood Trail are not there permanently.

As to the area between Wood Trail and Hunting Valley, they have to go back in over the next few months to make sure everything is as it should be. They may have to bring the big drill rigs back in. Property owners adjacent to the easement have been contacted and AGL is working with them.  Some of the work will be completed in the next couple of months, and monitoring of project quality will be ongoing into early next year.

People can contact AGL about the project at either the hotline number, 404-584-3130, or at eastsidepipeline@aglresources.com.

From the Druid Hills Charter Cluster - details for Tuesday's vote [Aug 13]

The Countdown to the Vote is On!

Please remember that the vote on the proposed Druid Hills Charter Cluster is this coming Tuesday, August 13, any time from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Druid Hills High School gym.  The proposed DHCC would be governed and managed by a DHCC Board of Directors and a Cluster Administrative Officer (a Druid Hills cluster-superintendent), and bring far greater operational, instructional, and financial autonomy to our seven cluster schools.  That autonomy will allow the DHCC Board to drive much more of our per-pupil tax dollars to where it belongs:  in our classrooms and with our teachers.  You can review the full Petition, the bios of the proposed DHCC Board of Directors, the proposed five-year budget, and much more on the Project Documents page of http://www.druidhillschartercluster.org/. You can vote if you have a child who will be in Kindergarten through 12th grade for the 2014-2015 school year and your child either resides in the DHHS zone (which covers the elementary school boundaries of  Avondale, Briar Vista, Fernbank, Laurel Ridge, and McLendon) or is enrolled in one of the Druid Hills cluster schools.  Please bring your photo ID, proof of your child's age (copy of birth certificate, passport, or a DeKalb County report card showing name, school year, and child's grade), and if your child is not currently enrolled in one of the schools, please also bring proof of residence (this month's or the previous month's utility bill, mortgage statement, or lease agreement).  Also, if you are a teacher (certificated personnel) or paraprofessional assigned full-time to any of the seven schools, you can vote. Teachers need only bring a photo ID (driver's license or DCSD-issued ID).  Additional parking will be available from 4-8pm only in the Emory Presbyterian lot, directly behind the church and just east of the high school.  The entrance to that parking lot is off of Westminster Way. Any questions?  Please email druidhillscc@gmail.com or message on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/DruidHillsCharterCluster

Back to school

DeKalb County schools are back in session as of next Monday, August 12. This includes Laurel Ridge Elementary and The International Community School (ICS), Druid Hills Middle School and Druid Hills High School.

As to nearby colleges and universities, first day of instruction is as follows:
GA Tech & GA Perimeter College: August 19
GA State: August 26
Emory University & Agnes Scott College: August 28
Columbia Theological Seminar: September 5

"Back to School" Tax Holiday [Aug 9, 10]

The upcoming "Back to School" sales tax holiday, scheduled for August 9 and 10, reminds us that summer break is over:

Above image via https://etax.dor.ga.gov/pressrel/2013SUTHoliday.pdf 

The holiday covers clothing, computers and school supplies, and exceptions apply. For a comprehensive of what items are exempt, visit https://etax.dor.ga.gov/salestax/holiday/5-15-13_Georgia_2013_Sales_Tax_Holiday_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Fuqua plans for Scott Blvd. Baptist Church

As noted in previous posts, Fuqua Developments wishes to convert the Scott Blvd. Baptist Church property (2532 N Decatur Rd.) into a mixed use development. As proposed, the development raises questions about its effect on traffic at the Church St./Scott Bldvd./North Decatur Road intersection and impact on the quality of life and property values for Blackmon Drive residents.

image via DecaturMetro

Fuqua filed its preliminary plan for the development in mid-July. In contrast to previous discussions, this plan shows 260 residential units (vs. ~200 mentioned at a community meeting).

⇠ DecaturMetro has shared an image of the public notice that is now posted at the site. The Community Council meeting is the first step of the review process, as outlined in this 2011 DeKalb County document: Rezoning, Land Use Amendment, Special Land Use Permit, and Major Modification Process. Generally speaking, the plan can change many times during the process. If a plan appears likely to be denied, the developer may opt to withdraw the application (because a rejected proposal means the site will be locked out of further consideration for a year).

Overlay of Fuqua plan (per County records, see below) on Scott Blvd. Baptist Church and nearby residences.
Fuqua map matched to Google map as closely as possible, per main roadways.

As noted elsewhere, Fuqua has the Scott Boulevard property and homes on Barton Way under contract, contingent on the approval of their proposal. Under this plan, Barton Way disappears.

Per County records, the site is being designed by Pieper O'Brien Herr, whose website shows examples of mixed development projects. Photos of Fuqua's site plan, as submitted to the County, appear below.

Plans drawn by Pieper O'Brien Herr Architects,
dated July 11, 2013. Click to enlarge.
For larger version of this file, click here

Site Calculations: click to enlarge.
For an larger version of this file, click here.

Site plan: click to enlarge. For larger version of this file, click here.

Another great MANA pool party

Big thank you to all the MANA volunteers who make this year's pool party possible! Special kudos and thanks to Emily (MANA social chair) and Adrianne, Barb (for Community BBQ arrangements) and to Stephen and Judy for sponsoring the King of Pops cart.