Chris Billingsley writes in…

In spite of the recent heavy rains, Glenlake Park is drying out and the renovation is showing great progress. The head of SportsTurf told me Friday evening that they will soon start the irrigation system for the lower part of the park. Once in, SprotsTurf can begin laying sod. All three bridges are now up. I am looking forward to using the park again for exercise, dogs walks (always on leash of course), and walking to the Glendale neighborhood. Mud dries out, negative attitudes improve, curmudgeons smile, jonquils bloom, and spring, and the opening of the park, will be here soon.

Thanks Chris!

From the Decatur Metro “This Story is Completely Fictional” desk…

As Decatur continues to trudge through the wet, winter months, steady progress continues on one of the city’s most controversial bond projects in recent memory: the Great Glenlake Mudpit.

It’s a story of love, hate and political savvy.  A giant pit of mud that symbolizes an underlying turmoil inside five, precious square miles.

It all started with what is now being termed a “simple mistake.” In an effort to be more inclusive than humanly possible during a city-wide vote on how to spend bond-project money, city staff, commissioners and Glenlake Park advocates agreed that in order to include literally EVERYONE in the city’s decision-making process, children from 2-18 years-old would also get a say.

When asked about left out 0-2 year-olds, Glenlake improvements advocate Frank McGuilt-Trip chuckled knowingly and explained “Well, while we really DID want to include every city resident in this decision, when it came to the two-and-unders we felt that their general lack of understanding of most anything might impede their decision-making on the Glenlake project.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Photo from 231 Sycamore

Along with the usual exciting liquor license applications – this time for the Pharmhouse Restaurant and Oakview Grocery – this evening’s city commission meeting includes a request for a $121,280 increase in funding for Glenlake Park improvements, which will fall within the project’s budget.

According to a letter (page 35 of PDF) from Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon to City Manager Peggy Merriss, the increase is the result of “several factors”, including the “owner’s and architect’s requirements and concealed site conditions”.  Saxon promises that the additional funds will result in a significant upgrade to the planned drainage system and landscape treatment of the park.”

According to a breakdown of the numbers, additional funding will be used for additional storm drainage improvements, landscape materials, a granite-faced concrete, utility changes, repaving the park’s main driveway and a screening fence at the park boundary along the creek.

Saxon closes his note with word that the recent wet weather has pushed back the completion date of Glenlake to “late March, early April 2010″.

Over on his blog, Mayor Bill Floyd asks for feedback on Church Street’s relatively new on-street parking.  According to the post, the city commission will decide this fall whether to make the change permanent.

The on-street parking was originally added to Church during the renovation of Glenlake Park, but the city has made little secret that it was also a test to determine the effectiveness of slowing traffic by reducing road-width.

The mayor says he believes the changes are working “quite well” to reduce traffic, though he’d like to make “some modifications.”

Extend the reduction to two lanes all the way from Commerce Drive to North Decatur Road. Add bicycle lanes and parking on both sides of the road. I would also like to see the traffic lights at Fortner and Lucerne removed and “round-a-bouts” installed.

He wants to know your thoughts, so now’s the time to speak up!

Since my pedestrian brain tends to dominate over my automobile brain these days, I love it and can’t wait ’til Clairemont and Commerce get similar treatment.

Over at The Decatur Minute, Lyn gives two updates regarding the ongoing Glenlake Park improvements.

The first is that construction of the Glenlake bathhouse is finally complete, so the pool will reopen pool this Friday with free swimming from 5:30p-7p on Friday and all day (10a-6p) Saturday.

The second is an update on the restoration of Glenn Creek bank restoration, which looks to be coming along nicely.  Click over to see the new and improved creek (now without concrete walls!) and learn how the city is restoring the creek bank.  Pretty interesting stuff.  Lyn promises more pics as the project progresses.

Linda Harris and Dan Magee blitz the blogosphere with this press release…

The Grand Opening of the new Glenlake Bathhouse and Pool, originally scheduled for Friday, May 22 at 5 p.m., has been postponed until June 5, 2009. Completion of the new bathhouse has been delayed by the numerous rain days which occurred this spring.

Both McKoy Pool and Ebster Pool will open on Saturday, May 23, 2009 as scheduled.

The Glenlake Pool and Bathhouse Grand Opening celebration will be held on Friday, June 5, 2009 from 5 – 7:30 p.m. and will include games, prizes, refreshments, and free admission. Details will be updated and confirmed on the City of Decatur website at www.decaturga.com.

Lots on the table for tonight’s City Commission meeting (agenda found here). 

Among the most interesting issues:

1.  City Commission will vote to show support for the annexation of 10 commercial parcels along E. College between the city limits and Sams Crossing, with the understanding that Avondale will annex everything to its west up to Sams Crossing.  (page 42 of the supplemental materials)

This vote represents the first step in the process of bringing these parcels inside the city limits.  Rep. Benfield has agreed to sponsor the legislation before the GA general assembly in two separate bills (one for each city).

Though 10 parcels won’t do much to ease the city’s tax burden, the two cities are in agreement that they both would benefit from giving this strip a little TLC.

2.  Surprisingly, the “Sanitation Fee Schedule” agenda item is some of the most interesting reading the meeting “materials”.  (page 39) Essentially, sanitation fees will probably have to be increased citywide because the market for recyclables has completely evaporated.  Why?  Because the companies that collect them can no to make more off collection – though I wonder what becomes of all of these recyclables if they aren’t used.  Are they just stored somewhere?

So, keep this is mind when you throw something in the recycling.  Plastics, chipboard, cardboard isn’t currently being reused…and could just as easily wind up in a dump.  The best course of action is to minimize all garbage.  That seems to be the impetus behind the city providing a coupon for a free reusable tote with our garbage bags in the near future.

3.  The city is smartly removing the Homestead Exemption from 2009 tax bills in anticipation that the state will not meet its 3% goal (revenue above amount to fund program) to distribute them in 2009.  (page 38)

4.  The Ponce Heights traffic study – incorrectly called Ponce Terrace in the report – doesn’t recommend any action in traffic calming (except restriping crosswalks) until a neighborhood committee is estabilished and its determined there is a need for additional measures. (page 64)

5.  The Glenlake Park overhaul begins soon (late March – early April).  Church St. will be narrowed to one lane during construction to provide parking for tennis court and pool users. (page 57)

Phew!  Lots going on!