On the agenda for tonight’s Decatur City Commission meeting, adopting an ordinance to “restrict the use of the bicycle lanes by motor vehicles, with certain exceptions to provide for legitimate turning movements and to provide for emergency vehicle usage.”  Asst. City Manager David Junger sums up the reason and result in this letter to the City Manager…

After installation of the new marked bike lanes on West Ponce de Leon Avenue in the spring of 2012,  the Decatur Police Department began receiving complaints that motor vehicles were using the bicycle lanes to pass other vehicles resulting in  an  unsafe condition, particularly  with westbound vehicles use the bicycle lanes and parking stalls to pass  other vehicles waiting to make a left turn  onto a side street or into a driveway. Based upon  our review of existing state and municipal codes, the road is defined as the area from  curb to curb regardless of the markings and vehicles passing on the right  within the curb to curb area is not a moving vehicle violation.  Also, since bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles in terms of using a road, a marked bicycle lane is considered part of the curb to curb roadway and can  be used by cars to pass on the right.

Based on guidance from City Attorney Bryan Downs, the attached ordinance amendment has been drafted to restrict the use of the bicycle lanes by motor vehicles, with certain exceptions to provide for legitimate turning movements and to provide for emergency vehicle usage.

Any violation of the ordinance would be a City ordinance violation and not a moving vehicle violation, so no points would be assessed and the City’s standard code violation fine, of up to $1,000 or 30 days in jail would be  in  effect. It is recommended that we ask the Municipal Court Judges to set the fine  at $150 which  is the same as the existing fine for improper lane usage,

Church Street, Decatur GA (pic submitted by Heather)

FYI: This new spot was reported here last November.

I must be giving out some seriously wretched vibes lately, because in the past 24 hours, I received two unrelated pics of people’s trash.

The first is from Chris, who notes that his “Old Decatur” bag is a stark contrast to the 1/3 full blue Decatur bags he sometimes sees.  (I must be an “Old Decatur” poser since I’ve been known to jam way too much in my go-to yellow bag.

The recycling bins pic is from Susan, asking for larger recycling bins for all residents.  You may recall that Decatur was in the running for a Coke grant that would have funded 65 gallon bins for all Decatur residents, but based on the lack of noise on that front, I’m guessing we didn’t get it.  I believe anyone can still purchase the 95 gallon bin from the city though.

There’s no agenda online yet, but over the weekend, I happened to see the hard copy of tonight’s City Commission meeting posted outside the door of city hall.  On it, there looked to be another item regarding alcohol creation inside the city limits.  The item referenced adding boutique wineries to the list of approved activities in Decatur industrial areas.  (Or “area” as the case may be, since Decatur has only one.)

Is wine the FINAL alcohol that needs crafting approval?   Or will Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne be back before the commission in another month asking for mead and/or moonshine approval?