PATH updates

DeKalb County and federal funds are helping the PATH foundation make great progress on the trail that will connect Mason Mill Park to North Druid Hills Road. The expected completion date is June 2018.

PATH also says that the design phase has begun for the trail section that will connect the South Peachtree Creek trail to the Emory campus, crossing Clairmont Road near the VA Hospital. Fingers crossed, that path will be available in 2018.

To read their press release, go here.

Conditions approved for N. Druid Hills Rd. development

via Google Maps

Per neighborhood queries, we have obtained a copy of the conditions attached to the re-zoning of the property located at the old driving range (Grand Slam Golf and Baseball, 3352 North Druid Hills Rd.). This re-zoning was approved on January, 2017. Rezoning conditions were negotiated by the Leafmore Creek Park Hill Civic Association (LCPHCA).

The development will include 72 townhomes. Three acres of land at the property's east end (by Burnt Fork Creek) will be placed in a conservation trust and protected from future development. Additional permits will be needed before the driving range closes and the property is redeveloped.

Image from re-zoning document (pdf), January 2017.

The list of conditions and associated documents can be accessed here (pdf).

The AJC has updates on some of the tenants that will set up shop in North Decatur Square (former site of the Nalley dealership at the corner of North Decatur Rd. and Church St.). The redevelopment is anchored by a 365 by Whole Foods, set to open in Fall 2018 and also includes ~288 apartments (to open in spring 2019).

Opening in Fall 2018 are:  Hollywood Feed (a "natural and holistic" pet food and supplies store that also offers grooming and self-serve dog wash stations),  Avalon Nail Spa, Sage Dental, "gusto! Wood Fire Grill" [it's unclear if this is a gusto! and separate restaurant called Wood Fire Grill or a new concept by that name] , and Takorea (a Mexican/Korean fusion restaurant).

To see previous posts on this redevelopment project, click here.

Blackmon Drive to become right-out only at Scott Blvd.

March 20, ~4pm: road closed for sign installation.  

Work has begun to make Blackmon Dr. a right-out only turn at Scott Blvd. This means that

• there will be no access to Blackmon Dr. and the Medlock neighborhood from Scott Blvd. except for emergency vehicles, and
• there will be a new crossing light to facilitate pedestrian access between the neighborhood and the new developments at Decatur Crossings.

We are not sure when work will be completed. The installation of the crossing light started today (March 20) and likely will take several days. It would be best to avoid the intersection and be extra-aware of traffic in the general vicinity over the next few days, as there is bound to be some confusion.
UPDATE: Fuqua Development has informed us that the project should take ~10 days to complete, and paving should be completed by Friday. There will be a 20-day "flashing burn-in" period (to alert drivers to the changes) but the intersection will be operational during that period.

As discussed in this July 2015 post that summarized negotiations with Fuqua Development, this change in traffic pattern was negotiated "to eliminate right turns into the neighborhood from west-bound traffic during the morning rush hour as well as greatly reduce afternoon traffic using Blackmon to exit the neighborhood."

Blackmon Drive is a narrow and curving road that has been handling unsafe levels of traffic for quite some time. Reducing traffic and adding a crossing light should create a safer access point for pedestrians and cyclists in the area (relative to braving the 6-way intersection at Medlock Rd./Scott Blvd./N. Decatur Rd., that is).

We are not exactly sure what the finished product will look like, but it should function as outlined in the image below.

New traffic patterns at the Blackmon and Scott Blvd intersection. Click to enlarge.

Below, the new crosswalk seen in the context of new, nearby commercial and residential (re)developments.

Congrats, Laurel Ridge!

Laurels, indeed!

Laurel Ridge Elementary School has been recognized for student achievement gains by the Governor's Office of Student Achievement.  The school ranked in the 97th percentile for College and Career Ready Performance Index (based on scores over the last 3 years).

See the AJC for a list of other DeKalb County schools in the achievement list.

International Community School love

The first sign read "Stay strong, neighbors, you are all welcome here."  Then many others joined in. Read about it here:

Decaturish: Medlock Park shows support for international students

WGCL - CBS 46 (with video): Neighborhood has message for school enrolling refugee students

11 Alive (with video): Heartwarming, welcoming signs posted around DeKalb international school

AJC: A kind display for international students in wake of Trump’s executive order

Huffington Post: Neighbors Cover Lawn Of School For Refugees With Warm Welcomes

Refinery29: This Community Did The Sweetest Thing To Comfort Immigrant ...

CNN: 'You are welcome here' - School for refugees plastered with signs

MLK work day at the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve [Jan 16]

In honor of MLK Day, the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve will hold a volunteer day from noon until 3pm on Monday, January 16.

Come out and help us with trail maintenance, stream cleanup, and invasive plant removal, among other tasks.

The Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve is located at 2580 Pine Bluff Drive Decatur, GA 30033. For directions, see their website.