From the Decatur Book Fest press release…

Bring a piece of the AJC Decatur Book Festival to your neighborhood. On the Square during this year’s Festi- val, we will host a silent auction of twelve unique Little Free Libraries decorated by Atlanta artists. Think about teaming up with your neighbors to bring a one-of-a-kind Little Free Library back to your neighborhood. It’s a fun way to spread the love of reading and build a sense of community.

Just fill the little library with books and invite your community to borrow a book and leave one of their favorite titles, and then watch it spread. You can find more information on Little Free Libraries, at LittleFreeLibrary.org.

h/t: Patch

Photo courtesy of LittleFreeLibrary.org

Patch’s Ralph Ellis is reporting this morning that a spokesman for Family Dollar says that the store will open in the old Big H plaza “mid-summer”.  The spokesman said that Decatur was picked as a location “because it looked like a good market”, according to Patch.

Very sad news.  Patch is reporting this morning that a 53 year-old man on a bicycle was struck and killed by a Ford Ranger pick-up truck within the Decatur section of North Decatur Road this morning at around 6:30am.  More info at the other end of the Patch link.

As reported on Patch the other day, the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on the planned renovation of Suburban Plaza on Wednesday, December 14th at 1pm (how convenient!) at the Maloof Auditorium at 1300 Commerce Drive in downtown Decatur.

Interested in reading Selig’s parking exception application and parking study for yourself?  Well, we just happen to have a copy.  CLICK HERE to read all 24 pages.

Initial highlights…

• Selig hopes for a reduction from 1,786 spaces (or 5.5 spaces/1000 SF) to 1,269 spaces (or 3.9 spaces/1000 SF) because they believe that “the character of use of Suburban Plaza is such that the full provision of parking spaces required by the Zoning Ordinance is not necessary because actual demand for parking will be much less than the number of spaces required by the Ordinance.”
• Selig points to other “successful shopping centers in similar urban locations in the Atlanta area” that are functioning adequately with” the parking ratios being proposed by Selig.
• They note that MARTA buses currently serve Suburban Plaza and there’s “the possibility of being an integral component of the proposed Clifton Corridor Line.”
• The applicant is “committed” to participating in the Decatur Shuttle system, Emory Shuttle system, and other mass transit systems.
• They argue that the variety of uses in the shopper center allows to “shared parking.”  They go on to detail how grocery stores need more parking on the weekend and in the evening, while restaurants require parking during lunch and dinner, and the bowling alley will have higher demands for parking at night.
• Construction of an underground parking deck will locate 79% of Walmart’s parking underground
• Sidewalks will be built on all street frontages.  “The center will be a hub of transit activity including the Decatur and Emory shuttles over both the near and long term.”
• Selig puts DeKalb County “on notice” that the owner believes “any action other than to approve the application as requested…will result in a violation of the owner’s constitutional rights, including Article I, Section I, Paragraph I; Article I, Section I, Paragraph II; and Article I, Section III, Paragraph I of the Georgia Constitution and the 5th and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution.”

Jonathan Cribbs of North Druid Hills Patch live-blogged the Medlock Area Neighborhood Association discussing the proposed Walmart at Suburban Plaza earlier tonight.  And with both Steve Selig and Walmart representatives in attendance, there’s a heck of a lot of info in there if you’re willing to dig.  Among the highlights…

• Selig says that the development is in-line with the DeKalb’s LCI plan for the area
• Lots of bike racks
• “LA Fitness is “extremely interested” in coming as well. So is Home Goods, Dick’s, Michael’s, hhgregg. Old Pizza Hut will be a new restaurant. Bowling alley is staying. Big Lots is going to stay “temporarily.” “The question Big Lots has is can they compete with the big anchor.”
• Code is 5.5 per 1,000 parking ratio. Walmart is asking for 3.5 per 1,000.
• No Walmart Supercenter has ever been shut down – and this will be a Walmart Supercenter
• Plans are for this to be a 24-hour store
• Not many metro Walmarts sell guns, but they do sell ammo
• Trader Joe’s told Selig to “take a hike”

Lots more in the live blog, so check ‘er out!