GA Naturalist Rally at Stone Mountain & Native Plant Sale [Sept 14]

The Georgia Naturalist Rally is coming to Stone Mountain!

GA Naturalist Rally wins cutest logo ever!

"Whether you are an seasoned naturalist or someone new to nature, this day-long event offers something for any lover of the outdoors.  Throughout the day, we are providing a variety of walks, hikes, and other activities throughout the park’s natural district.  Experts will lead you through forests, fields, lakes and , of course, on the mountain while focusing on a variety of natural topics.  Activities for children (with their parents) are also a part of the fun.  

$12 registration covers lunch, your choice of sessions, and parking."

Sign up for the rally via https://www.eventbrite.com/event/6580892627 and view the event schedule here.

As to rally topics, expect information on beekeeping, birds and wildlife, and gardening with native plants. The GA Native Plant Society will be there too, holding a plant sale 9am - 1pm.

City of Briarcliff Initiative -- Information Meeting [Sept 12]

For additional information on the proposed City of Briarcliff, visit the maps and documents page.

See other posts on MANA's website  on the City of Briarcliff and cityhood.

Missing cat, Willivee Rd. [Sept 6]

This hansome red and white male cat snuck out today and is missing from Willivee Drive near Hunting Valley Place. If you have any information, please contact his family at 770-289-3120.

North Decatur Rd. Safety Audit: notes from Sept. 5 meeting

Road Safety Audit focus: North Decatur Road (purple) and Clifton Road (blue). Orange bursts highlight problematic intersections (Clairmont, Wendan, Scott/Medlock). Click to enlarge.

For those who could not make this afternoon's meeting, the September 26 meeting will also cover the audit's recommendations. The audit is an incremental process where new comments and concerns are added to the study as more community members chime in. The September 26 meeting will also include comments from representatives from involved municipalities (DeKalb Co., City of Decatur).

Many thanks to Leah Ingve (Emory School of Public Health) and Rebecca Serna (Atlanta Bicycle Coalition) for leading this audit and today's presentation. The meeting was well attended and there is great energy to work together and start the process that will improve safety and quality of life in this high-traffic corridor.

A few highlights from the meeting:

Previous traffic counts estimated ~19K cars/day for the North Decatur Rd. area between the Scott Blvd and Clairmont intersections. The presenters update these counts as follows:
~17K at Suburban Plaza (North Decatur Rd / Scott Blvd. / Medlock intersection)
~23K at Wendan and North Decatur Rd
~16K at Emory Village

The unexpectedly high count at Wendan (which also shows highest travel speeds) may make a road diet less effective. The emphasis on improving traffic flow relates to lowering risk at intersections (where most accidents happen) and making roads safer so that cyclists use the road rather than take to the sidewalk, where their presence increases pedestrian accidents.

Unsurprisingly, the Medlock/Scott/North Decatur Rd intersection was perceived to "not work on foot or bike." At the very least, there is a need to complete striping on crossroads, improve pedestrian signals, and make sure the light timing is long enough to allow a pedestrian or cyclist to cross. Ramps are also needed. The intersection requires further study. As we have heard many times, this is the busiest intersection in the County. GDOT does not want to implement changes that interfere with vehicular flow, and that is the very thing that is necessary to ensure safe passage for pedestrians  and cyclists.

The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition will post an updated version of the slides used in today's presentation, which will include details on recommendations by area (Clifton Rd., North Decatur Rd at Wendan, Clairmont and Scott Blvd.).

North Decatur Road Safety Audit: Community Meeting to Discuss Recommendations [Sept. 26]

As noted elsewhere, concerned citizens and local organizations have come together to conduct a road safety audit of North Decatur Road.

The recommendations from the audit will be unveiled on September 5.

The next step in the process is to invite comments from the community in response to these recommendations. Joe Greear asked MANA to help schedule a venue for this meeting, during which Commissioner Rader, DeKalb County traffic planners, Bike Emory and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition will present the audit and discuss what the County can do to make N. Decatur safer.

This meeting is now scheduled for
September 26
7pm
Fellowship Hall of North Decatur Presbyterian Church
611 Medlock Road
Decatur, GA 303022

Lost dog now found [Sept.1]

Macho is back home, yay!

WABE reports on Suburban Plaza development

from the MANA Board:

WABE recently posted an item titled Walmart Talks About Suburban Plaza Plans. The item states that "One of the largest neighborhood groups, the Medlock Area Neighborhood Association, endorsed construction." Because the article's title and text focus on Walmart, this statement could be misconstrued to indicate that MANA endorsed the inclusion of Walmart in this development.

We would like to clarify that, as stated on our website, MANA supported a parking exception that would allow for less paving. Any discussion about the pluses or minuses of Walmart was pre-empted by the property already being zoned for a "big box" development such as Walmart.

Representatives from MANA and other area neighborhoods have met to discuss and negotiate about the development at large, which is expected to also include a Starbucks, LA Fitness, Ross Dress for Less, Home Goods and JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores.

MANA continues to respect the diversity of opinion in our neighborhood and acknowledges that 100% of our residents are capable of choosing where to shop.