From the meeting materials from tonight’s Decatur City Commission meeting regarding “approval of revised public way, temporary and permanent easements for proposed development at 160 Clairemont Avenue”…

Paces will be responsible for all costs, including the City’s legal fees, associated with the preparation of the easements. In addition to the required streetscape improvements along Commerce Drive, Paces is building a new sidewalk and providing trees and landscape improvements along Montgomery Street between Commerce and Clairemont, and installing new bike lanes on Commerce between Clairemont and West Ponce de Leon that are recommended by the City’s Community Transportation Plan.

This probably is less exciting than it sounds.   How’s that for an intro?

In order to continue to provide access to the Decatur Conference Center from Commerce Drive and NOT grant a perpetual easement to a private entity (which was a concern to some commissioners), the City Manager is recommending to the City Commission this evening that they extend Montgomery Street across Commerce as a “public way” to where the planned driveway for the 160 Clairemont development will begin.  As noted in Ms. Merriss’ note…

This “public way” will provide ingress and egress to the 160 Clairemont property, but will also be accessible by any member of the public and will benefit all adjoining properties.

If approved, the “public way” will be in line for some lovely thermoplastic striping.  That and you can feel free to call it “Montgomery Street” if you want.  But it’s not a street, it’s a “public way”.