Patch reports this evening that Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss this evening recommended during the annexation work session that the City Commission only annex two heavily commercial areas, the Suburban Plaza bright green parcel on the map and the purple Emory Commons (Publix) parcel in the northwest.

Some single-family homes and apartments are also included in these parcels, but a total count of potential new residents wouldn’t be available until Tuesday morning.  However, the CSD’s annexation study group estimated in October that it could anticipate 40 new students initially in the purple area (A) and 77 if the green area (B) if annexed.

Due to the fact that so many parcels in these two areas are commercial, the City Manager suggested that this annexation may not require a referendum.  (Think the recent College Avenue annexation.) Speaking of which, according to Patch, Mayor Bill Floyd noted that such an annexation attempt could take years considering how long the College Avenue commercial annexation took.  Of the other parcels, Ms. Merriss said that the city should annex the United Methodist Children’s home eventually and should continue to work with residents in surrounding residential areas who still desire to be annexed by Decatur.

The Powerpoint of the city manager’s presentation should be posted to the city’s website Tuesday morning.

Near Oakhurst Elementary School, Decatur GA (pic courtesy of Dad – Keith)

Robin writes in…

Hi Neighbors!

I found a beautiful, sweet Boxer running loose without a collar along Scott Blvd around 10:00 am this morning (N. side, between Ace Hardware & Superior). No dermal tag found by vet.

Please call: 404.858.3292

• Back in 1960s, Santa arrived by helicopter in Decatur [Next Stop]
• “City of DeKalb would be at a disadvantage” [Crossroads]
• A well designed, quick reference guide to DeKalb cityhood [CHCA] 
• Good Growth DeKalb plans lawsuit against Suburban Plaza Walmart [Patch]
• Los Angles offering to replace residents’ lawns with rain gardens for no charge [WSJ]
• Senoia, GA, which plays “Woodbury” in The Walking Dead, avoids shrinking tax base thanks to Hollywood [NYT]

I hope the Decatur City Commission members eat Wheaties before tonight’s meeting.  (Sorry, the organic equivalent to Wheaties!)

Tonight, the commission holds another work session at 6:30p regarding a potential wide-scale annexation and then will take up approving/denying the zoning changes recommended by the Zoning Task Force to a pile of things such as parking, accessory dwellings, urban gardening, etc etc.  Aren’t you tired just reading about this?

If not, and you love a good Powerpoint presentation with maps and setback mockups, I suggest you click HERE and check out this rather succinct wrap up of the zoning changes.

As for annexation, no new news yet, but the agenda does reference a “report” that I’ve asked about and whether it’s been updated since the last meeting.   The commission is still scheduled to vote on a potential annexation on December 17th, while the school board will vote on their recommendation next Tuesday, December 11th.

If that wasn’t enough, the commission is also scheduled to vote on budgeting the temporary move of the Police Department (to 250 East Ponce – you can read more about that HERE) and Municipal Court (to the Callaway building) while renovations are made to the Beacon Hill complex.    If approved, Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon’s letter states a move-in date to these temporary locations of late January/early February.

Rendering above showing “30’ minimum setback between facing commercial and residential properties, measured from the residential property line” courtesy of the ZTF presentation