Friday, November 29, 2013

One Love / One Heart race [Dec 7]

As in past years, the The One Love, One Heart 5K (run/walk), to benefit the Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Foundation and research facilities, will be working its way through Medlock Park on the morning of Saturday December 7, 2013.

'Tis the busy season, but we ask you to please check your curb and rake away leaves/debris to ensure safe passage for the runners and walkers participating in this event. The race starts/ends at Medlock Park.

To sign up, go to http://www.rungeorgia.com/cdlsrun.html
Pre-registration (by November 22) - $20

After November 22 & Race day registration - $25
Immediate Family: moms, dads and siblings of an individual with CdLS are free, but need to register.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Found: nice dog needs help

This dog was found in the Laurel Ridge neighborhood, on Wilson Woods Dr off of Shetland and Willivee around 8:30am on November 25. She is reportedly "spayed, crate trained, house broken, smells good, kid and cat friendly, and it appears that her nails have all been recently trimmed. Unfortunately, she is not micro chipped." The lovely person who has been caring for her can no longer keep her and if someone doesn't step up to help, the dog will have to be surrendered to the shelter.

See https://www.facebook.com/groups/240359059346288/ for more details (you need to log on to Facebook first) or if you have any information, email medlockassoc@gmail.com

Solar power, anyone?

If you are interested in learning more about harnessing solar power,
Sol Haroon, lead systems engineer at Norcross-based Suniva, will discuss solar power on Nov. 30 at the Decatur Library... 10:30 a.m. Read the rest @ CrossRoads News

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Update on DeKalb Transportation Plan

Big thank you to Mary Shellman who attended several meeting and brings these updates about DeKalb County's Transportation Plan 2014. Mary writes:
"The Medlock Road project is part of the Multimodal projects (#5092).  It is also on the Bicycle/Pedestrian projects (#0308).  Sidewalks along Scott Blvd are also on there (#0276) but they seem to be unaware of the sidewalk work that Decatur has already completed.  There are many other projects on the list including several in Emory.  The Clairmont/N Decatur Road intersection is on the intersection projects.  I was told that the Scott / Medlock / N. Decatur Rd intersection would be part of the Medlock Road Multimodal project.   
You are now able to fill out the online survey and list your preferences for projects.  They said the online survey will only be up for a couple weeks..."
Also note that project #0499 appears to highlight the development of easement space for bicycle and pedestrian use. It appears to connect Medlock Park to the area between the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve and North DeKalb Mall.

These are in/near Medlock projects:
BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN: these projects are in Medlock or very adjacent, or will add to a network that will make Medlock more ped/bike-connected to other areas of interest in the County 
# 0276. Scott Blvd. From W Ponce de Leon Ave  to Church St. Widen the sidewalk on the northwest side of Scott Boulevard in sections designated as Safe Routes to School by acquiring easements from adjacent property owners. Fill in gaps in a few areas where sidewalks don't exist.   
# 0308: N Decatur Rd. From Briarcliff Rd to N Indian Creek Dr. Provide access for cyclists along this corridor. A detailed corridor study will be needed to determine the best design for this project 
# 0485: Farmers Market Trail. From South Peachtree Creek Trail to Stone Mountain Trail in Avondale Estates. Expansion of the PATH Foundation trail system (Farmers' Market Trail) 
# 0499: South Peachtree Creek Trail. From Atlanta at Lenox Rd, the North
DeKalb Shopping Center to Farmers Market Trail and Zonolite Park. Expansion of the PATH Foundation trail system (South Peachtree Creek Trail) 
MULTIMODAL 
#5092. N Decatur Rd. From Clifton Rd. to East Ponce de Leon Ave. Four lane section to include a median as well as bike and pedestrian improvements. --> this one includes our dearly demented Scott / N Decatur Rd / Medlock intersection

Transportation Plan 2014 Documents page  ||    List of all projects  ||    Survey Link 

The survey is anonymous and you can complete some or all answers. Actual questions are listed below, for your convenience :)  Your feedback will help improve County-wide transportation. If nothing else, open the survey link and offer your feedback or support for in or near Medlock-projects, whose numbers are listed next to the project map links below.

__________________________Transportation Survey Questions__________________________

Part I: Fill in the blanks to name up to 5 of your most and least supported projects for each project category.  M = Medlock interest project

Roadway Corridor Project Map

Roadway Intersections Project Map --> # 690 (Clairmont Rd / N Decatur Rd intersection: Operations; Intersection Improvement, incl turn lanes)

M Bicycle / Pedestrian Project Map: projects #0276 (Scott Blvd), #0308 (N Decatur Rd), #0485 (Farmers Market Trail), #0499 (South Peachtree Creek Trail)

M  Multimodal Project Map: project #5092  (N Decatur Rd)            

Part II.  Multiple choice answers

Transportation Policy Preferences (10 multiple choice question)

Clifton Corridor  and I-20 Corridor (1 question) : support one, both, neither?

Priorities: maintain and repair or expand and improve system & how to secure said funds? (6 questions)

Comments

__________________________________________________

Pedestrian and cyclist improvements. Purple means bike/pedestrian projects, blue highlights pedestrian projects and red indicates bicycle projects. Dashed green indicates existing PATH foundation corridors.
Multimodal Recommendations Map: Green highlights operations and safety, blue suggests road diets, burgundy indicates "new connections" and dashed green lines highlight existing PATH Foundation corridors.

Highlight of megaproject map. Yellow line represents the planned Clifton Light Rail; orange highlights the existing
MARTA heavy rail.
Per page 20 in the County's transportation plan slide presentation, "Mega projects are larger interstate or transit expansion projects (such as the I-20 and CliftonCorridor projects) for which DeKalb will advocate but not be required to provide funding.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Found dog: rottie

Friendly, neutered, male dog with an intense drive to chase squirrels  found on Harrington Drive on Nov. 17. Email medlockassoc@gmail.com if you have any information about how to contact his owners.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

North Decatur Presbyterian Church Alternative Gift Market [Dec 7]

Click to enlarge.
"North Decatur Presbyterian Church invites the Medlock Community to our annual Alternative Gift Market, Saturday, Dec. 7, 10 am to 3 pm. Shop for fair trade*, environmentally sustainable and reasonably priced holiday gifts, including many new items this year. Gifts for sale include olive oil and beautiful carvings from Palestine; hats, scarves, clothing and gifts from Latin America; delicious soup and cookie mixes made in the U.S. supporting people in transition; rugs and other gifts from local refugee and affordable housing initiatives; beautiful beaded jewelry from Rwanda; Haitian goods; fair trade coffee, tea, cocoa and chocolate; and beautiful handmade cards from around the world.

NDPC is at 611 Medlock Road at the intersection of Medlock, N. Decatur Rd. and Scott Blvd.  Make a difference in the world, one gift at a time!

_________________

* What is Fair Trade? (text credit: Fair Trade Federation)

Fair Trade is an economic partnership based on dialogue, transparency, and respect. Fair trade is not about charity. It is a holistic approach to trade and development that aims to alter the ways in which commerce is conducted, so that trade can empower the poorest of the poor. Fair Trade Organizations seek to create sustainable and positive change in developing and developed countries."

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Laurel Ridge Elementary Fall Festival [Nov 16]

Laurel Ridge “Adventure in Wonderland”
Fall Festival
November 16, 2013 11am to 5pm
Laurel Ridge Elementary School

The Annual Laurel Ridge Fall Festival will inspire you to be Curiouser & Curiouser. So don’t Be Late for that Very Important Dateon Saturday November 16th. Game Trucks, Bounce Houses, Crafts, & Great Food will be great fun for the whole family. Contact your friends and relatives and tell them about this terrific community event. Come to enjoy or come to play with us. We want to feature local ‘family- friendly’ performance artists (singers, dancers, jugglers, and comedians) on our community stage. Do you know someone with a family friendly product to promote, crafts to sell, or someone who simply is looking for a place to allow the community to rummage through their treasures? Send the performers and the crafters our way! Vendor space is available. The Registration Form is on the back!

Our theme is Adventures in Wonderland. Join those fabulous fictional characters in a variety of flavor and fun!

Proceeds will benefit the art, music, and drama programs of Laurel Ridge Elementary. Stay tuned for more!

Want a bigger part in the adventure? Volunteers (marketing, preparations, fundraising, & event day activities) are needed for Festival preparations and Event activities.

Contact Melanie Darby at meldarart@bellsouth.net for more information.

For vendor registration see this link.

DeKalb BOE rejects Druid Hills Cluster

Per the AJC,
"In a contentious 5-4 vote tonight, the DeKalb County Board of Education rejected the Druid Hills Charter Cluster petition.
The "no" vote followed about four hours of tense debate. Those voting for the cluster were Thaddeus Mayfield, John Coleman, Marshall Orson and Jim McMahan. Read the rest @ AJC's DeKalb board votes down Druid Hills Charter Cluster after long, tense meeting
Next steps are unclear.

Season of giving

Kudos to Crossroadnews for reporting on these local charities and how residents can help:

Hosea's turkey drop comes up short: The Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless helps year-round, and one of their traditions is offering a Thanksgiving meal. This year, due to the loss of a donor, they are in need of additional donations for this event. To contribute, go to www.4hosea.org.

Annual Tree of Love seeks donors to spread holiday joy: Disadvantaged children in need are identified by the County and donors purchase items that the children requested. "Wrapped gifts are due back on Dec. 14 when the annual Tree of Love Christmas Program takes place at the mall."

Also, The DeKalb County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) accepts donations for children they represent.

Monday, November 11, 2013

DeKalb Board of Education: Druid Hills Charter Cluster vote [Nov 11]

via Druid Hills Charter Cluster:
The Board of Education vote to determine the future of the Druid Hills Charter Cluster is tomorrow,  Monday, Nov 11th at 7:00 pm. 
WE NEED YOU AND YOUR KIDS THERE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!
This is the time we have all been working towards and we need to be there in force to show the board how passionate we are about the Charter Cluster.
The address for the meeting is:
1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard,
Stone Mt., Georgia 30083

The Charter Cluster Governing Board will be there for this important meeting.  In case you haven't met the governing board, let us quickly introduce you to them and help you understand their role on the Charter Cluster.  Each has valuable and complementary skills that will make this Governing Board a huge asset to the Charter Cluster.   
CHARTER CLUSTER GOVERNING BOARD 
Scott Bonder:  Brings legal experise to the DHCC.  Mr. Bonder is a business litigator with experience in multi‐million dollar cases spanning multiple jurisdictions and involving state, federal and foreign laws.   He is a former President of the Fernbank Elementary School PTA.   
Fred Daniels, Jr.: Brings financial and business expertise.  Mr. Daniels is  Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Atlanta-based Citizens Trust Bank.    Daniels’ current tasks give him charge of governance, credit risk, portfolio management, and loan administration over the $400M community bank.    Mr. Daniels is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Marta. 
Theresa Johnson-Bennett:  Brings legal and procedural expertise.  Ms. Johnson-Bennett is a Paralegal with the State of Georgia- Department of Community Health.  She previously served as Chief Deputy Clerk in the Recorders Court of DeKalb County and as an Investigator with the Office of Public Defender for the City of Atlanta.   She is currently the PTO President at Avondale Elementary School and was previously Secretary for Avondale Elementary School Council.    As a paralegal, she is knowledgeable of policies, procedures, and governing laws. 
Matthew Lewis:  Brings business and organizational expertise.  Mr. Lewis is a businessperson who spent his career playing leadership roles in a number of well-run organizations including Bank South, CheckFree, and most recently First Data Corporation.  At First Data, Matthew was President of the Financial Services Division where he oversaw a $1.8 billion budget and 6000 associates.    Matthew recently served as the Chair of the Druid Hills High School Council and has two children who have grown up in the DeKalb County schools.

Kathleen Boyle Mathers: Brings educational expertise.   Ms. Mathers is an independent educational consultant with strong analytic, project management, strategic planning, communications and research skills.   Formerly the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Student Achievement and the Program Director of the Math Science Partnership.   Ms. Mathers was a teacher in DCSS for 8 years. 
David Roberts:  Brings public sector improvement expertise.  Mr. Roberts is a Director in KPMG's Government Advisory Practice where for 13 years, he has been driving operational and financial improvement programs/transformations.  He has worked with a range of public sector organizations , including the Atlanta Public school system, the University of Chapel Hill and the Georgia State Accounting Office. 
Robert Thorpe:  Brings education and educational change experience.  Mr. Thorpe is a retired DeKalb Country Middle School Principal.  Mr. Thorpe led Druid Hill Middle School's  (then Shamrock) successful pursuit to become an International Baccalaureate school.  Prior to joining DeKalb County, he was Principal in the Gainesville School system where he successfully implemented three "theme academies".   Mr. Thorpe is a veteran in education, having served as a Teacher, Assistant Principal and Principal.   He has 3 grandchildren currently residing in the Druid Hills cluster. 
Copyright © 2013 Druid Hills Charter Cluster, Inc., All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because of your interest in the Druid Hills Charter Cluster initiative.
Our mailing address is:
Druid Hills Charter Cluster, Inc.
1798 Haygood Drive Northeast, Druid Hills, GA
Atlanta, GA 30307

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

"County seeks feedback on transportation plan" [DeKalb Neighbor]

 "Mobility, walkable communities and quality of life are a few of the visions and goals of the DeKalb County 2014 Transportation Plan.
Led by Cristina Pastore, transportation plan project manager with Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., the plan will feature a third round of workshops in the coming days where citizens can review a draft list of projects and provide their feedback.
Initial kickoff meetings and workshops were held months ago, where residents were able to tell their concerns and wishes for future transit in the county...
Pastore emphasized the need for public input in this project.
 Read the rest at DeKalb Neighbor."

Nov. 16, 8:30 a.m. to noon, DeKalb Neighborhood Summit meeting, The Courtyard Marriott Hotel – Downtown Decatur, 130 Clairemont Ave., Decatur.

Read more: Neighbor Newspapers - County seeks feedback on transportation plan 

Those unable to attend can offer feedback via www.dekalbtransportationplan2014.com


Upcoming and nearby events:

INTERACTIVE ONLINE MEETING

Thursday, November 14 | 6:30-8:00 PM
Registration begins November 1st on the project website.
Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. See http://www.onedekalb.com/

DEKALB NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT

Saturday, November 16 | Time: 8:30am - 1:00pm
The Courtyard Marriott Hotel - Downtown Decatur
130 Clairemont Avenue | Decatur, GA 30030
On MARTA: #19, 123, Decatur MARTA Station

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Information meeting on cityhood (Karla Drenner) [Nov 7]

Although Karla Drenner does not represent us, her Scottsdale constituents are included in the City of Briarcliff proposal. This meeting should be of interest to others also included in the proposal:

Thursday, November 7, 2013
6:30pm
Avondale Estates First Baptist Church
47 Covington Rd.
Avondale Estates, GA 30002

Scottdale is located in the proposed City of Briarcliff map. Join Rep. Drenner, Rep. Michele Henson will and Sen. Steve Henson at this meeting to find out what cityhood would--and wouldn't--mean for Scottdale. Presentations will be followed by a question and answer session at the end of the evening.

You can read more about the proposed City of Briarcliff here: http://briarcliffga.org

Saturday, November 2, 2013

"Battles loom over prime real estate" [AJC]

April Hunt at the AJC reported that Judge Tangela Barrie sided with DeKalb County residents in an annexation dispute over the Century Center office complex. The cities of Chamblee and Brookhaven have been vying for the property, which stands to bring $3 million/year in revenues to the winning jurisdiction. Judge Barrie's decision means that nearby residents will have the opportunity to vote and have their residential properties annexed to Chamblee; if they vote in favor, Chamblee also gets Century Center. Read the rest @ AJC: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/battles-loom-over-prime-real-estate/nbbRB/

The article also includes this quote:
Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May has applauded Chamblee for being the only city in the county whose annexations offer to take in large numbers of residents as well as prime land. 
Since taking office in July, May has also asked the rest of the county’s cities to develop similar annexation zones that call for cities for provide more residents basic services.
That effort will take time, so he plans to ask state lawmakers for a two-year moratorium on new cities to hash out a plan.
via http://briarcliffga.org/
The article does not mention our own local annexation battles relating to City of Decatur's intention to annex Suburban Plaza and multiple commercial properties (but little in the way of residential properties) on North Decatur and Clairmont Roads. These commercial properties currently supporting DeKalb County at large and are part of the incorporation plan proposed under the City of Briarcliff (also not mentioned in the AJC article). Per Crossroad News earlier this year, "The BOC’s Finance Committee estimated the loss could reduce the county’s tax revenue by $21.8 million in 2013 and become a catalyst for property tax increases of 9.3 percent and 11.3 percent."

For additional context on City of Decatur's annexation plans, see all our NIX ANNEXATION posts.

At the October 21 MANA community meeting, Allen Venet shared that the results of the viability study for City of Briarcliff (which includes MANA and CHCA and towards which MANA contributed $1000; updated map available here) should be available by the end of the year. So should be the study for City of Lakeside (a proposal that excludes MANA and CHCA). Going into the next state legislative session, cityhood and annexation will certainly be on the docket. For a list of cityhood proposals submitted to the GA General Assembly 2013-2014, see http://www.medlockpark.org/2013/09/commissioner-raders-reflection-on.html.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Selig Enterprises gets go-ahead to build Suburban Plaza Walmart

via Selig Enterprises:
Yesterday, a DeKalb County Superior Court judge ruled that Good Growth DeKalb does not have standing to appeal DeKalb County’s decision to issue Selig a building permit to construct a Walmart at Suburban Plaza.  Good Growth DeKalb had claimed that it had standing to appeal DeKalb County’s issuance of Walmart’s building permit.  The Court disagreed.  As a result, the building permit is valid and the project is now cleared to move forward.

Good Growth DeKalb filed an internal DeKalb County administrative appeal in January, contending that the County issued the building permit for the Walmart Supercenter in error. Their appeal was addressed to the Technical Board of Appeals. However, because the appeal challenged issues such as trees and hydrology that fell under the jurisdiction of the Zoning Board of Appeals, the County assigned the appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals.  In its lawsuit, Good Growth DeKalb contended that the Zoning Board of Appeals did not have authority to hear the matter.  In an eleven-page ruling, Judge Barrie rejected Good Growth DeKalb’s claims and declared that it did not have standing under the County ordinances to file the appeal.  
Selig is pleased with the outcome and believes the Judge came to the correct conclusion given the law and the facts in the case.  Selig would like to thank Dekalb County Attorneys, Duane Pritchett and John Jones, for doing such an excellent job in defending the County’s issuance of the permit and in responding to Good Growth DeKalb’s claims.

Further, Selig is excited about the continued tenant interest in the project - including LA Fitness (which will include a daycare facility), HomeGoods, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, and Ross Dress for Less.  We hope to be under construction by the end of the year.

As always, we thank you for your continued involvement and support in this project and we will continue to update the community as we progress.

Sincerely,
             
Scott Selig