East Howard Ave, Decatur GA (pic submitted by Cara)

The City of Decatur has released a map (PDF) that shows the proposed areas surrounding the current city limits, which Decatur wishes to annex.  Multiple cityhood initiatives around DeKalb County have put the city under pressure to take a final stand on annexation before all surrounding, unincorporated areas are incorporated into new cities.

Decatur’s map includes many areas that have been discussed around here before.  Here’s an attempt at a verbal description of the map above:

• Area A Part 1: Adjusts the city’s western border to follow the north/south rail line to the west (The one that runs over West Ponce).  This would incoprorate two small, single family residential areas on the city’s western border.  The city has long stated a desire to “clean up” this border.  This annexation would also include the western entrance to the city, where the city’s large sign lives. (Photo right)
• Area A Part 2: Area A also includes annexing commercial property around the North Decatur/Clairemont Ave intersection.  The annexation would include the Publix plaza (formally known as Emory Commons), stretch as far north as North Decatur Plaza (Bicycle South, Mattress Firm, Wuxtry, etc) and as far west as the Kinkos/Willy’s plaza.  It would also include annexing single-family residential along Landover Drive.
• Area B: This is the big commercial/industrial annexation.  The area stretches from the existing northeast city line, which currently cuts rather arbitrarily through neighborhoods to the west/southwest/south of Suburban Plaza, up to a little north of the intersection of DeKalb Industrial and Lawrenceville Hwy.  (It looks like the northern most property is where Chaat House opened up along Lawrenceville Hwy last year).  That northern edge runs behind the Tuxworth Springs condos.  To the east, the line runs along Jordan Lane, between the Carriage Place apartments (inside the proposed line) and Washington Park cemetery (outside the proposed city line).   Where Jordan Lame dead-ends into North Decatur, the line turns west and then dips south behind the Big Kroger plaza and other commercial/industrial along DeKalb Industrial Way before turning a bit to the east to incorporate industrial along the southern portion of DeKalb Industrial (think Wag-a-Lot), up East Ponce to Kudzu. It then dips south to include all commercial/residential between North Arcadia and East Ponce west of Kudzu.
• Area C: Annexes the United Methodist Children’s Home and some residences north along Derrydown Way.
• Area D: Cleans up the southeast corner of the city line, incorporating some single family residential along McKinnon Rd/Way, Oldfield and Conway.

P.S. Avondale – That’s plenty to digest, but also note that the proposed mapped annexations of Avondale to the east, which includes all the single family residential on the west side of the city between Decatur and Avondale, but also – most notably – industrial/commercial to the north up to and including the giant, expanding DeKalb Farmer’s Market.

As previously reported, Decatur is planning to review the annexation master plan with the community this fall, with a final vote scheduled for November. It would then put before the Georgia Legislature for its January 2015 session.

From CSD…

The previously scheduled community meetings on 9/24 and 9/25 have been postponed. The Renfroe Middle School design firm and Decatur High School design-build team have requested additional time to refine and further develop their architectural plans prior to bringing them to the CSD Board of Education and community for their review and comments. City Schools of Decatur will communicate the new dates and times of the community meetings as soon as they are scheduled.

City Schools of Decatur is developing a Master Plan to prepare for the needed capital improvements to accommodate the growing student population at Decatur High School and Renfroe Middle School.

Comments, concerns and questions continue to be gathered and posted on the Master Planning website found here: http://www.csdecatur.net/master-plan/

Additionally, previous community forums were recorded and the videos have been posted to the Master Plan website. Readers may also find a link on the website to archived Master Plan work accomplished prior to August 2014, as well as a comment widget to collect the community’s feedback on the Master Plan.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia