News
25 September 2005
News & Notes Menu:
-Upcoming Meetings
-Websites of note
-Contacts for neighborhood water main replacement project
-Public meetings affecting our neighborhood
-Armed robbery near Shamrock Plaza
-Infill Ordinance
-Quality of Life Amendments
-New Voting Information Update
-PDK Airport Update
-Decatur Organic Market
October Meeting
When: 6:45 pm, Tuesday, Oct. 18th
Where: Univ. Heights Church on Balsam
What: We have invited the principals and PTA presidents from Laurel Ridge
Elementary and Shamrock Middle to discuss neighborhood clean-up
days, speeding by parents & staff, pedestrian safety, etc.
November Meeting
When: 6:45 pm, Tuesday, Nov. 15th
Where: Univ. Heights Church on Balsam
What: Entire meeting devoted to traffic & pedestrian concerns, such as
cut-through traffic, speeding, lack of striped intersections, pedestrian
safety, etc. We will invite a rep. from DeKalb Co Public Works Transportation
Division, and from the DeKalb Co. Police Dept.
Contacts for neighborhood water main replacement project
Saurel Quettan, MME, 404-735-2519, s_quettan@bellsouth.net (Saurel has been excellent!)
Charles McKinney, Asst. Director Water & Sewer, Public Works (Charles has been very good!)
404-371-4778, cgmckinney@co.dekalb.ga.us
Roy O. Barnes, Director, Water & Sewer, Public Works
770-621-7200, robarnes@co.dekalb.ga.us
Commissioner Gale Walldorff:
galew@co.dekalb.ga.us
Commissioner Kathie Gannon:
kgannon@co.dekalb.ga.us
Newspaper article on neighborhood water main replacement project
http://www.communityreview.net/gbase/Expedite/Content?oid=oid%3A2257"
Public Meetings of neighborhood interest:
DeKalb Parks & Recreation Citizen's Advisory Board Meeting
(same time & location as the transit meeting below)
6 pm, Tuesday, September 27, 2005
1340-B McConnell Drive, Mason Mill Park Recreation Center
http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/parks/
http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/parks/cab.htm
Area Portion of DeKalb Master Transit Plan
(same time & location as parks & rec. mtg. above)
6 pm, Tuesday, September 27, 2005
1340-B McConnell Drive, Mason Mill Park Recreation Center
The recommendations for the Comprehensive Transportation Plan for DeKalb County will be reviewed at a meeting on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 6:00 pm at
1340-B McConnell Drive-Mason Mill Recreation Center.This will be THE forum for DeKalb residents to review and comment on proposed intersection and traffic improvements. Specifically, key intersections which are in the Emory area that are included in this plan are:
Clairmont and North Decatur (2 additional left-turn lanes and 3 right-turn bays)
Haygood Road widening (addition of a thru lane in each direction)
Haygood and North Decatur (new right-turn bay, new left turn lane, eliminate right-turn option from Haygood)
North Decatur and Clifton (new left-turn lane from North Decatur into Clifton, new right-turn bay on Clifton
North Decatur and Briarcliff (new right-turn bay from northbound Briarcliff)
Briarcliff and Clifton (new left-turn lane onto Clifton and new right-turn lane onto Briarcliff
Houston Mill and Clifton (new left-turn lane onto Clifton)
Houston Mill and LaVista (extend right-turn bay from northbound Houston Mill)
Janeen Hightower Public Education Specialist, Center Precinct 3630 Camp Circle, Decatur, Georgia 30032 404-294-2184 office, 404-294-2695 fax jahighto@co.dekalb.ga.us
DeKalb Co. Bd. of Commissioners to Vote on Infill Ordinance
Tues, Sept 27,2005
BOC hearing starts at 9am
Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr., Decatur
The Board of Commissioners will vote on adopting the Quality of Life Ordinance amendments during its regular morning session September 27. The BOC hearings begin at 9 am.
Please contact the Board of Commissioners as well as CEO Vernon Jones, to let them know that you support the County-wide Ordinance providing equal protection for all residents. If you have had a specific problem or concern with Infill, please let them know how you are affected.
If you can attend the September 27 meeting, please wear a green shirt, jacket or sticker. Attendees will be asked to stand during the presentation of support for the Quality of Life Ordinances.
For more information, go to www.dekalbinfill.org , the official website of the DeKalb County Infill Task Force.The recommendations of the Task Force, the proposed Ordinances from the County Legal Department and Frequently Asked Questions are posted.
Board of Commissioners:
Elaine Boyer, Dist 1 njmcbrid@co.dekalb.ga.us
Gale Walldorff, Dist 2 galew@co.dekalb.ga.us
Larry Johnson, Dist 3 larryjohnson@co.dekalb.ga.us
Burrell Ellis, Dist 4 bellis@co.dekalb.ga.us
Hank Johnson, Dist 5 hankj@co.dekalb.ga.us
Kathie Gannon, Super Dist 6 kgannon@co.dekalb.ga.us
Connie Stokes, Super Dist 7 conniestokes@co.dekalb.ga.us
CEO Vernon Jones ceo@co.dekalb.ga.us
Mailing address:
(Commissioner or CEO)
Manuel J. Maloof Center, 1300 Commerce Dr, 6th Floor, Decatur, GA 30030
CEO & all BoC Members - (404) 371-2886
Quality of Life Amendments Provide Equal Protection Countywide
The DeKalb Infill Task Force presented recommendations to upgrade the county building code for Infill building to the Board of Commissioners in a work session, May 23, 2005. Since that time, the recommendations have been translated into Code of Ordinance amendments by the County Legal Department under the name "Quality of Life Regulations".
The Infill Task Force reached its recommendations after more than a year of study and discussion.The Legal Department used the recommendations to create Code amendments which they and the staff believe are legal and enforceable. The result is the creation of Quality of Life amendments that adopt new work hours and new regulations governing how building height and changes in building lot grade are measured and controlled.
These amendments update the current Code to address the unintended consequences of height and grade interpretations that have resulted in the construction of infill homes that are out of scale or character when compared to the surrounding homes. The amendments do not prohibit teardown/rebuilds, but will lessen the negative impact of new infill homes on existing, stable neighborhoods.
With more than 80 percent of DeKalb County already developed, county-wide policy provides equal protection under the law and assists in the uniform application and enforcement of the requirements.
The legal Department also created a new Overlay ?model ordinance? to make it easier for neighborhoods that prefer to set specific architectural, height or structural guidelines to adapt for their unique situations. Currently, there is a campaign to persuade the Board of Commissioners to adopt ONLY the Overlay ordinance and reject the county-wide Code reform. Overlay only would mean that every neighborhood would have to identify its boundaries, organize, research and agree on appropriate guidelines, petition the Board of Commissioners and hold public hearings. It would then have to be adopted by the Board of Commissioners into the County Code of Ordinance.To have hundreds of neighborhoods, each with a different set of regulations, would be an administrative nightmare to enforce.
It would defeat the mission of the Task Force which reads:
To support and strengthen all DeKalb communities, we recommend guidelines that will not prohibit redevelopment but will respect the current owners in those areas that are stable, will allow current owners to profit from property ownership as an area appreciates and will provide predictability for neighborhoods, the development/building industry and County officials.?
For more information, visit our website:
www.dekalbinfill.org
Infill Ordinance Update
The Board of Commissioners has deferred a vote on the new Infill Ordinance pending a public hearing on final version of the ordinance. In the meantime, they passed a 35 day moratorium on housing demolitions (except in the case of fire damage etc.) to prevent a "land rush" for demolition permits as has occurred when other pieces of regulatory legislation was pending (billboard legislation, tree ordinance etc.).
A version of the proposed ordinance is available at http://www.dekalbinfill.org/
The Infill Task Force presented its recommendations to the Board of Commissioners in a work session, May 23, 2005. Since that time, the recommendations have been translated into Code of Ordinance amendments by the County Legal Department. Those amendments are titled Quality of Life Regulations. Both the Task Force recommendations and the Code of Ordinance amendments can be viewed on this website.
The Infill Committee made its recommendations after more than a year of study and discussion. The Legal Department used those recommendations to create Code amendments, which they and the Development Department staff believe were both legal and enforceable. While not every recommendation of the Task Force was adopted, many of its recommendations were. The final result is the creation of new Quality of Life amendments that adopt new work hours and new regulations governing how building height and changes in building lot grade are measured and controlled.
These amendments update the existing Code to address the unintended consequences of height and grade interpretations that have resulted in the construction of infill homes that are out of scale or character when compared to the surrounding homes. With more than 80 percent of DeKalb County already developed, county-wide policy provides equal protection under the law and assists in the uniform application and enforcement of the requirements.
The legal Department also created a new Overlay ?model ordinance? to make it easier for neighborhoods that prefer to set specific architectural, height or structural guidelines to adapt for their unique situations.
The Board of Commissioners will vote on adopting these Ordinance amendments September 27.
The mission of the Infill Task Force as stated in the original report submitted to the Board of Commissioners is: ?To support and strengthen all DeKalb communities, we recommend guidelines that will not prohibit redevelopment but will respect the current owners in those areas that are stable, will allow current owners to profit from property ownership as an area appreciates and will provide predictability for neighborhoods, the development/building industry and County officials.?
New Voting Information
A government issued Photo ID will be required to vote in the November election. Georgia voters who do not have photo ID should obtain one as soon as possible in order to participate in the November, 2005 city elections.
The new law (HB 244) to tightly restrict citizens' access to the voting booth is now the law and will require Georgians to provide a government issued photo identification when they go to vote. Other currently accepted forms of ID, including Social Security cards, birth certificates or student identification, will no longer suffice.
Here is the first opportunity in Atlanta to get a photo ID from the Department of Driver Services.
The mobile GLOW bus to issue Georgia Identification Cards will be in Downtown Atlanta near Turner Field today through Friday from 9-4:30pm. They will be issuing only Georgia Identification Cards for $20.00 for 5 years or $35.00 for ten years CASH ONLY or for FREE if the citizen cannot pay.
Citizens will be required to be able to step up two steps to enter the bus for the issuance. (It is not a bad climb, there are arm rails on each side.) The location is the future site of a new DDS permanent facility (at Fulton Street and Capital Avenue - next to Turner Field - very near I-20.) It is a vacant lot that is being used for ballgame parking now.
The GLOW bus will be parked there and issuing IDs today through Friday and will be traveling to other locations soon. There is plenty of free parking. The list of documents that citizens must bring is listed on the DDS website: www.dds.ga.gov under Georgia Identification Card or Georgia Identification Card for Voting Purposes.
A birth certificate and proof of GA residency is required. www.dds.ga.gov
Check the DDS website and/or contact them for further information. They will have information soon about transportation for those who cannot make it to DDS facilities.
AIRPORT INFORMATIONAL MEETING
PDK Informational Meeting - Sept. 19 @7pm, Maloof Auditorium
AIRPORT INFORMATIONAL MEETING OPEN TO PUBLIC
PDK MASTER PLAN TO BE DISCUSSED
DECATUR - DeKalb County will hold an informational meeting regarding the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) on September 19, at 7:00 at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive.
The purpose of the meeting will be to allow serious public input and discussion of the core policies that should guide the subsequent development of the new PDK Master Plan, including the discussion of the strengths and drawbacks of the possible policies.
Invited attendees include Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones, all members of the DeKalb County Commission, three PDK Master Plan professional consultants, the members of the PDK Airport Advisory Board, the PDK Airport Association and the FAA.
Written Master Plan policy proposals may be submitted at this meeting, to be summarized and made available to the Board of Commissioners and to the public.
Decatur Organic Market Moves
Decatur Organic Farmer Market Moves To A New Time and Location In Response to Community's Growing Demand for Fresh, Healthy Food
To better serve its customers and the needs of the community, the Decatur Organic Farmers Market is changing its time from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, starting August 3, 2005.
Residents of Decatur can still expect to have a nice selection of locally grown organic produce hand-picked the same day by the farmers who planted, nourished, harvested and sell them. The Market is also moving its location from the gazebo area to the front of the Old Court House off of Ponce de Leon Avenue to increase its visibility.
Please contact 404-377-0894 or info@decaturfarmersmarket.com for more information about the Decatur Organic Farmer Market.Thursday.
3 Sepember 2005 - Community Alert
Armed Robbery - Download Flyer
1 September 2005 - New Contact
New contact for the neighborhood water main replacement project (let him know your complaints & concerns)
Charles G. McKinney
Asst. Director, DeKalb County Public Works
404-371-4778
cgmckinney@co.dekalb.ga.us
29 August 2005 - Women's Club and Country Squire Contacts
Country Squire Women's Club
President, Nancy Marsh - 770.492.1072
Country Squire Community Neighborhood Watch
Area Coordinator, Helen Sessions - 770.938.4097
27 August 2005 - Neighborhood story on CBS 46!
Go to: http://www.cbs46.com/
Scroll down to: "Featured Videos" and then
"DeKalb Muddy Yard"
"Some folks in Dekalb County are hoping Katrina doesn't bring too much rain
here. The yards are already a muddy pit after a mismanaged water main repair
project."
Unfortunately, the reporter, Adam Murphy, adam.murphy@cbs46.com,
focused on "muddy yards". He did very little research. Did not mention
the lack of silt control in the contract, six or more major water main breaks,
long-term damage to Burnt Fork Creek, trees with half of their root structure
torn out (that may not die for a year or two),
large chunks of missing sidewalks by schools, driveways torn up without prior
notice, etc.
However, big thanks to Rebecca C. for representing
very, very well. Her house was one of the first to be worked on,
and her yard is still a huge mess...and she has three little children.
Bless her for being cool and patient!
26 August 2005
WATER MAIN PROJECT CONTACT:
Roy O. Barnes, Associate Director
DeKalb County Public Works Water & Sewer Division
770-621-7200
Management of construction contracts 770-621-7212
wsmail@co.dekalb.ga.us
http://dekalbwatersewer.com/
http://www.dekalbwatersewer.com/waterofficers.asp
http://www.dekalbwatersewer.com/contact_div.asp
25 August 2005 - Residents say county bungling sewer replacement
By Theresa Woodgeard
Many of the residents who live near Laurel Ridge Elementary and Shamrock Middle
School are exasperated by the condition of their neighborhood after a
four-month long effort to replace all the water mains...
continue reading.
6 July 2005 - Water Main Replacement Project Causes an Uproar
DeKalb Neighbor
By Cathy Weaver Biscan
The water main replacement project in the North Druid Woods/Pine Glen/Laurel
Heights neighborhoods is causing an uproar, according to Dan Magee, Decatur
citizen appointed by the county for environmental issues.
Carol Hayes, chairwoman of the Burnt Fork Watershed Alliance and resident of
the affected neighborhood, said, “the issue is that the contractor the county
hired has not done an adequate job of protecting the waterways and not letting
silt go into the creek.”
Ms. Hayes has had several weeks of dialogue with the inspectors, contractors
and county employees connected with this issue, but to no avail.
Gale Walldorff, DeKalb County Commissioner said, “we do not supervise
contractors, but do report problems to the Water and Sewer Department.”
Ms. Waldorf expressed her environmental concerns. “The biggest problem is the
DOT (Department of Transportation. The roads create a tremendous amount of
siltation. Development also causes problems,” she said.
“We have an environmental code that we passed to protect the environment. It
includes a 75-foot stream buffer, that requires silt issues to be addressed,”
she explained.
During this “linear project”, the construction crew has broken a water main
four or five times with a massive silt contribution to Burnt Fork Creek.
A project is linear when it not new construction that is in a line such as a
water, sewer or railroad track. The contractors say they don’t have to maintain
the federal guidelines for stream protection for these projects.
Ms. Hayes said that she spoke to an environmental lawyer, who claims that there
is no such provision.
The second part of the problem is lack of cooperation from the county,
according to Ms. Hayes.
“The county has an archaic , disjointed system for stream protection,” said Ms.
Hayes.
She explained that the department that regulates construction is designated for
stream protection. The problem is that this section of government says that
they aren’t responsible; that the Water and Sewer Department of Public Works of
the county handles these issues.
Ms. Hayes explained that this dilemma is far-reaching. There will be a
replacement of old pipes all over Atlanta starting now and ending in 2010.
Mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, every water main that was
installed in the 1950’s and ‘60’s has to be replaced because of their dangerous
asbestos coating .
In their contract, the county made minimal and inadequate provisions for soil
and stream, so the inspector supervisor will not act because “it is not in
their contract.
Consequently, according to Ms. Hayes, the county’s attitude is that they can’t
ask the builders to do something that they are not paying them to do.
As a result, no silt fences were put up at the beginning of construction,
fences were put where they weren’t needed, or a tractor ran over the silt
fences while being unsupervised.
Thus far, the contractor has attempted to improve the soil and sedimentation
issue “because, said Ms. Hayes, “I’ve threatened him with a law suit.”
18 August 2005 - Developer still working on bringing Costco to North DeKalb
BY THERESA WOODGEARD
www.communityreview.net/gbase/Expedite/Content?oid=oid%3A2226
BY THERESA WOODGEARD
The owner of North DeKalb Mall, Charlie Hendon, has withdrawn an application to
build a parking deck for Costco in a floodplain plain near the mall. “The tea
leaves tell us we would not get a recommendation of approval from commissioners
Kathie Gannon or Gale Walldorff,” Hendon said. continue reading.
17 August 2005 - New Dekalb County Recycling Program
Provided by Crime Awareness Unit of the DeKalb Police Department
Beginning in early September, residents can recycle such items as paper, plastic, and glass at the curb rather than hauling them to a recycling site. The new program hopes to reduce the 2.6 million pounds of recyclable materials that are currently dumped in Georgia's landfills and to prevent the expenditure of taxpayer dollars for a new landfill in Dekalb.
For an annual $25 fee, plus a one time payment of $30 for a bin and special bags, residents can recycle
9 August 2005 - Sexual Assault on L'ville Hwy
“Sexual Assault” in the Lawrenceville Hwy Area (between Mclendon Dr. & N. Druid
Hills Rd)
Recently there was a Sexual Assault reported in the Summit Grove Apartments,
located off Lawrenceville Hwy.
At this time, the only description provided is that of a black male. If you
have any information pertaining to this incident, please contact the DeKalb
Police Youth and Sex Crimes Unit at (404) 294-2574 as soon as possible.
If any further information is made available I will forward it to you at that
time.
Ways to possibly avoid becoming a victim:
• Verify that all your doors and windows are secured and locked
• Always be aware of your surroundings
• Call 911 for any suspicious persons or vehicles in your community
• Install motion sensor lighting outside of your residence
• Avoid walking alone, especially in the early morning and late evening hours
• Communicate with your neighbors on suspicious activity seen