Free-For-All Friday 10/13/17

Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.

44 thoughts on “Free-For-All Friday 10/13/17”


  2. Do ya’ll know if anyone has every looked into getting plastic bags banned in City of Decatur?

    1. Good lord, I hope not. I’d sugggest it’s hard enough for business to compete as it is. Why make Wal*Mart & others even more attractive?

      1. How does banning plastic bags make businesses like Walmart more attractive and harder for competition?

        1. Because Walmart is not in City of Decatur, so could offer it’s customers even more convenience than could COD shops if such a regulation were in place.

          If it’s going to work, it would have to be done state wide. I like the idea of what California does, which is require stores to charge for bags. Even the $0.10 per bag had us foregoing bags in a number of situations where, in other places, the clerk just throws the item in a bag and we walk out.

      2. Sorry, I don’t follow your reasoning. Are you saying that people will make a decision where to shop based upon the type of bag that their purchase goes in?

        1. Ever seen how many platic bags end up in the sewers and our rivers. Take a look around. Many great options. And where in Decatur besides CVS do you even need a plasic bag?

        2. I think the issue is adding additional regulations to difficulties already faced by COD small business owners. COD is difficult to access, has limited parking, and high rents. Would adding additional burdens in regards to packaging force them to increase prices? Would it encourage patrons to spend more time shopping outside of COD? I agree with Todd. Any anti-plastic bag measure would have to be a state-wide initiative.

        3. I presume the argument is that shoppers would have to provide their own bags if plastics were banned (versus stores providing paper or other alternative) and they would choose to shop outside city limits where they could use store bags instead.

          1. This was done in California years before the state-wide ban was implemented – approximately 150 different cities and counties had local bans. There is no empirical evidence showing that this had an appreciable effect on shoppers’ store selection. I lived in Los Angeles when the bans went into effect in the county and then Santa Monica, CA. My experience was that a lot of folks grumbled about it, but got used to it within a couple weeks.

            1. “There is no empirical evidence showing that this had an appreciable effect on shoppers’ store selection.”

              You have a source for this?

              1. No. I do not have a cite showing the lack of evidence. Such a thing does not exist. On review, I do agree that my statement is exaggerated. I have not done an exhaustive research looking for such evidence, so I cannot definitely say no evidence exists. What I should have said is that I am unaware of any empirical evidence. Do you have a cite to any research indicating there is an impact on shoppers’ behavior?

                1. Nope, and I don’t know if it has an impact or not. I was just curious about your emphatic statement.

      1. Yes, but your garbage keeps them from blowing down the street and becoming a blight on the environment.

    3. Adam, why don’t we focus on Police, Fire & Schools, & let responsible adults make their own informed decisions on bags? Educate & persuade all you want, but a government ban?

      1. Should we stop mandating fuel economy be posted on cars? And does a more fuel efficient car weight more for you when buying?

        What about seat belts being required?

        Not specifically asking you Deb, but there are lots of places the govt gets involved in pushing society in the right direction, IMO.

        1. If fuel economy is important to consumers, then the dealers/auto companies would post regardless of a law.

          Seat belts? No, we don’t need a law.

      1. And plastic straws. We have one world. One ocean. Do you zreally care? It is the small steps that make a big difference and beginning starts at home.

      2. And plastic straws. We have one world. One ocean. Do we really care or is it just easier to think someone else will do the the things that matter? It is the small steps that make a big difference and beginning starts at home.
        Here we are.

    5. Without getting into the politics and ethics of mandating cloth vs. paper vs. plastic, I’d like to give a shout out to resusable cloth grocery bags. It took a while to train myself to always have them in the car so they are handy whenever I’m going grocery, drugstore, or farmer’s market shopping. But boy have they improved my life! They are so much more convenient–hold more, less trips from car to house, much sturdier, less rips and spillage. And best of all, no more plastic bags underfoot around the house and yard. I swear cheap plastic bags breed and multiply in your house if don’t constantly pick them up and take them back to Publix/Kroger/wherever for recycling.

      So whether or not you believe in mandating their use, I highly recommend pilot testing the use of cloth bags only for a month. I’ll bet you’ll never go back.

      2. Or use to pick up dog poo!

        I use cloth bags most of the time, but the plastic bags that do come into my house are reused.

  4. What’s with the round arrow signs affixed to various sign posts throughout Decatur this morning?

  6. Someone please end my week on a high note and educate me how and why no new houses being built or “renovated” meet the 40% rule? Cases in point: house on Mead, house on corner of Ansley and McDonough, house on end of Bucher, and now 2 houses being built on old church space by Renfoe. Thanks y’all. Have a great weekend.

    1. Non-conforming lots is the answers to some of those builds. Lots smaller than a certain square footage do not have to conform to the 40% rule. The house on Mead is, I have heard, on a massive double deep lot.

    2. Basement space doesn’t count towards the 40% square footage, and I believe if impervious areas already on the lot, the Reno/replacement build can be greater than the 40% imperviousness (I.e. the old church lot).

  8. Still wondering about bioswales in front of highschool. Tall weeds left over bricks. Silt in swales…. why dont they finish and plants being over taken with weeds Can you post photos here??

  10. Bike lane crossing at new bike lane. East Trinity Place to East Howard. Have seen two cyclist go straight toward Kimball House and Crash. – hidden steps appear to be path continuation. dangerous transition. Bike lane turns 90 degrees but not obvious.

    1. Every time I’m on North McDonough a parked car is blocking the “cycle track”. Yet to see a bike biking on said track.

    2. Forwarded this comment to City staff Friday night. Got an email reply Sat. afternoon saying it’s been taken care of.

  12. I went over that 2 step ledge in the twilight. My mountain bike instincts kicked in but I about ate the concrete on the landing.

  14. Plastic bags can useful for shopping by bicycle, tying to the outside of a rucksack or even placing around the neck. Both methods destroy bags for good reuse. A rucksack, however, limits the number of bags used.

    The bike path in front of the high school is okay. However, people walking on it may not realize it is a bike path. Must use regular road lane, which is okay with me. However, the intersections have been made more dangerous for bicyclists, not less.

  16. If people in a less-white town flaunted open container laws like Decatur folks do, Police would be busting heads open.

    Way to teach our kids how to be addicts, Decatur. If you can’t enjoy music without getting drunk, stay in a bar.

    1. There’s nothing inherently wrong with having an open container of alcohol. Go crack open a beer and walk out to the sidewalk and tell me if you feel like a criminal.

  18. Maybe I missed it, but Porchfest sure could use a bike rental vendor. Love the festival but the walking is exhausting if you want to see a lot of musicians.

    1. You didn’t miss it. We reached out to a variety of possible providers but couldn’t get any bites. It’s definitely something we want as part of the event so we’lll try again next year.

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