Free-For-All Friday 1/27/17
Decatur Metro | January 27, 2017 | 7:14 amFeel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Phoenix Biking
lumpintheroad
Steve
At Home in Decatur
Scott
JC
Parker Cross
Scott
At Home in Decatur
7.62 x 39
YvetteinDecatur
At Home in Decatur
Good morning. It’s been a long week, I have a friend looking at a house in our n’hood which is in a historic district. Does anyone have experience with removal and not replacement of crumbling fireplaces on a historic home/ These fireplaces are in the back of the house and not visible to the public. One was the fireplace for the kitchen.
I can’t say definitively but I’m almost certain that MAK is a “4-sides” district, meaning the HPC has jurisdiction over all elevations, not just the front.
So long as the removal was done in a way where the result was still consistent with the neighborhood guidelines I’d imagine they’d face no pushback. But they’d still have to go before the board.
I assume you mean the external chimney? We sold our house in MAK in June. The buyers intended to remove the chimney but were refused permission. They were required to repair it. I am not certain of the details, but it doesn’t seem like it was the HPC. We were just told that “the city” refused to allow it.
RE: sale of UMCH property
An Invitation…
As a Decatur resident who supports the city’s bid to purchase the United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH) I invite like-minded folks to a conversation this Sunday from 6-7:30pm at my home. Light refreshments will be served. Let’s share our hopes and vision for this wonderful space!
For details, contact Moira at: 404-809-8359 or [email protected]
This is an honest question, not an attempt to stir things up. If the city of Decatur, as reported in recent stories, is so anxious to preserve the “history” and “original mission” of this site (from WABE article), why didn’t they annex it years back when they had the chance? Was it partly because there were children there who would become students in COD? There were many comments to that effect a couple of years back, but I’m hoping they weren’t accurate.
Maybe . . . the Children’s Home didn’t want to be annexed. Seems plausible. So the city would then have had to annex it without their approval, which they could have done, but didn’t. Had they done so, they probably would have made the Methodists mad. Maybe the city knew that they didn’t want to burn that bridge because when the Methodists move on, they city wanted to be a friendly face in the front of the line to buy it, and then annex. Makes sense to me. The thing is, the property belongs to the Methodists, and the city wanted to treat them with kid gloves, to make sure there was a positive relationship and a path to a positive outcome once this moment arrived. Maybe.
That would make sense. I was making the assumption that they wanted to be annexed, but I have no evidence for that. Thanks for a thoughtful reply!
Even if UMCH was neutral or supportive of annexation, would it have made sense for COD to annex it (years ago/not talking about current situation)? People are often opposed to COD annexing residential areas where cost to educate the children exceeds tax revenue. With UMCH there would have been ZERO tax revenue and significant numbers of students.
If this property was already in COD the valuation would be higher and the potential purchase price for the city would be higher. If the city does not end up purchasing the property and we end up with hundreds of single family residences I would be shocked and outraged if the city chose to annex. Seems to me that a possible way to finance purchase of a portion of the land would be to buy all 77 acres, use some of the acreage for parks/recreation/preservation, and sell remaining acreage at a profit after annexation. We could turn a profit because property in COD is worth more than property in unincorporated DeKalb.
Agreed that the best way for the city to buy this and provide park space without a drastic hit to the budget would be to carve off some it (10-20 acres?) to sell to a developer and keep the rest for parks. However, we residents would have to be ok with that. We’d have to recognize that, yes, part of this property would have to be developed – that might even add a few more cars to the roads and (gasp!) a few more kids to the schools. But in return, we’d get 50(?) acres of parks without higher taxes or a hit to the city’s bottom line. Another scenario would be that the city sells those carved out 10-20 acres to CSD for a new school building. Maybe. But before we get ahead of ourselves we should remember – the city hasn’t bought it yet.
i remember the comments and have been wondering the same thing. thanks for bringing it up.
This sounds new: http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/01/26/new-apartments-grocery-store-planned-across-from.html
We had a story on it back in November. I believe the AJC wrote about the meeting as well. http://www.decaturish.com/2016/11/pet-crematory-owner-is-absolutely-against-decatur-apartment-project/
Guess I missed that. Thanks.
Looking for two recommendations:
1) An exterior house painter.
2) A window washer.
Both projects will involve tall ladders.
Stephen Adams at Ashford Painting has handled both exterior painting and windows for us. Give him a call! 404-877-8399
we have used sunshine windows a few times. professional & reasonably priced.
they are having a 20% off sale for work completed in january or february.
770-422-7405
Our house also requires long ladders (3 1/2 stories in places) Scheafis Paints did our house.
John Scheafbauer (770) 294-4108
Does anyone know any updates to what happened and/or what will happen to Atlanta Gymnastic Center?
It’s a long and ugly story that is thin on details. Most of the girls team gymnasts have relocated to new gyms that are way less convenient. However, InTown Stars Gymnastics is attempting to get classes up and running again temporarily in the AGC building. You can contact InTown Stars for more information about that.
Hello all. Do you or someone you know in Decatur have a fantastic (and true) professional or life story? Someone who served in WWII or Korea, for example? Or maybe someone with a talent that you think kicks a$$?
Well, I am starting a new story-telling (sort of) project in Decatur. I hope to find and share hidden or at least overlooked goodness in this community. So in developing content I am looking for enthusiastic and engaging people with such stories who would be willing to talk, tell your story, and be recorded!
A few initial topics of interest, though I am certainly not limiting responses to these, include people who work for the filming industry that has become so popular in Decatur and veterans of WWII and Korea. But it could be anything really (family appropriate, however).
If you are interested, or know of someone who might be willing to talk and share their story, please drop me a line at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks. Scott
Many people of color are rightly asking where all those white women were at Black Lives Matter protests. As one of those white women, I’m hearing them.
So I’m asking now, a little late, how to get involved. Are there regular meetings of BLM in or near Decatur, and, if so, can someone help me find them?
Create Community 4 Decatur: Black Lives Matter operates out of Oakhurst Presbyterian Church. They meet on the third Tuesday of each month. Here’s more info:
http://www.oakhurstbaptist.org/serve-others/racial-justice-mission-group
Beth, I am a member of Create Community 4 Decatur: Black Lives Matter and a member of Oakhurst Baptist Church. We, Oakhurst Presbyterian, Atlanta Friends Meeting, and other Decatur and Dekalb County individuals, groups and faith communities are part of this effort. We alternate meetings between Oakhurst Presbyterian and Oakhurst Baptist. Our next meeting will be the third Tuesday of February at Oakhurst Baptist, and I’d love for you to join us. Let me know if you would like to ride together or have any questions: [email protected].
I’ve got several boxes filled with ~200 classical and opera CDs, all in virtually new condition. Looking for a worthy place to donate them that they might get some use/utility. Any ideas?
Perhaps the Atlanta Music Project? (http://www.atlantamusicproject.org/)
Maybe the Decatur Library, a local school music program, or a senior center?
Local group or individual helping refugees in our area? What practical steps can I take to help? Open to lying and treachery if needed, spouse is good for bail.
Their website is not the easiest to navigate, so a phone call on Monday might be your best bet.
https://www.rescue.org/united-states/atlanta-ga#how-can-i-help-refugees-in-atlanta
Can’t speak to the legitimacy of the fund but this was posted a few days ago
https://www.gofundme.com/fixerupper-for-refugees
Good job Lyft, but we’re gonna need a lot more of it!
https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/29/lyft-donates-1m-to-the-aclu-condemns-trumps-immigration-actions/
Any draft Hopslam sightings in local gin mills?
Not local exactly, but the Righteous Room in Brookhaven tapped it on Thursday. Pure chance that I happened to be there and asked “what’s that Bell’s seasonal’?
I saw a mention of it at the Marlay yesterday.
Look for it at The Imperial at 6pm Friday!
The Friends of the Decatur Library will host a book sale on Saturday, February 4, 2017, from 9 am to 3 pm on the lower level of the Decatur Library. Thousands of gently used fiction, nonfiction and children’s books, as well as CD’s, will be available for purchase. Only cash or checks will be accepted. Dealers must scan at tables. All proceeds benefit the programs and collections of the Decatur Library. Admission to this exciting event is FREE! Donations of gently used books are always welcome at library front desks. 215 Sycamore Street, Decatur, GA 30030