Mold Remediation in Decatur, GA

Decatur, GA — The bandstand on the Decatur Square will be demolished during the renovation of the Square.

The city is getting closer to construction on the project. The project has gone out for bid and proposals are due by Feb. 27. The city commission is anticipated to consider a construction contract in mid-March.

“Key elements of the project include a new stage with a green room, new restroom facilities, a new play area, an expansion onto North McDonough Street featuring green stormwater infrastructure, and upgrades to the plaza, including landscaping, hardscaping, and a variety of furnishings,” Deputy City Manager David Junger said at the Jan. 21 city commission meeting.

Junger added that the bandstand will also be removed as part of the project.

“The way it’s constructed, it’s not really moveable. So much of the structure that’s there is the concrete base,” Junger told Decaturish.

He added that the bandstand was built and assembled on site on the Square and was meant to be semi-permanent.

The city commission, at its Jan. 21 meeting, awarded a task order to Jacobs Engineering in the amount $449,120 for construction administration services, and set a project budget of $500,000 related to the Square renovation.

“The professional services will include project management during permitting phase, which has already begun. Jacobs Engineering will provide support to us throughout the bidding process, answer questions and respond to any questions that come up during the bidding process, as well as the construction services, bid support, and construction services,” Junger said.

The project is set to be completed before the FIFA World Cup in June 2026, for which the city is seeking to be a watch site and will be hosting various events. Mayor Patti Garrett also said the city will be conscious of the impact construction will have on downtown businesses.

“[We want] to work with both of those goals in mind to do all we can to try to make it happen in a way that helps protect our existing businesses and also gives us the opportunity to be prepared for an exciting soccer fest celebration,” Garrett said.

In other business:

– The city commission revised a contract with Jacobs Engineering for design services for the Square renovation. The adjustment increases the contract amount from $594,000 to $660,000.

“It was during the detailed design phase and the development of construction plans for the project that additional elements were identified that required more design team hours,” Junger said. “Specifically, the location of the restrooms…as well as what would be involved in the relocation of the ‘Celebration’ art installation.”

Plans previously included repairing the water feature of the “Celebration” statue, but that is no longer included in the design “due to the challenges with keeping it operational,” Junger said.

– The city commission held a public hearing on House Bill 581, establishing a statewide floating homestead exemption. The city commission intends to opt out of the homestead exemption.

“It does introduce a statewide floating homestead exemption for the purpose of limiting the annual increases in taxable property values for homesteaded, residential properties and limiting those increases in property value to the rate of inflation to be determined by the State Revenue Commissioner,” City Manager Andrea Arnold said.

If the city did not opt out of the homestead exemption and its millage rate remained at 12.97 mills, the revenue loss for the city would be $152,127 and upwards of $1.1 million by 2029, Arnold previously said.

Graphic by Zoe Seiler.

The city will hold three more hearings on Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 3 at noon and 7:30 p.m. The city commission will consider the resolution to opt-out on Feb. 3 during the regular meeting.

“For Decatur, it is tough because we do have that millage rate cap. The other part of that caveat is we also have our own school system, which also taxes,” Mayor Pro Tem Tony Powers said. “This is not a one-size-fits-all piece of legislation. It really is a broad stroke attempt at passing something that works everywhere.”

The commissioners were also concerned about maintaining flexibility in finances and having a millage rate cap. The city of Decatur has a millage rate cap of 18 mills.

“When you talk about flexibility, I have concerns there,” Commissioner Kelly Walsh said. “It has no off-ramp and no ability for a city to recalibrate if this property tax environment becomes untenable for our city.”

To listen to the city commission’s discussion, click here. The public hearing starts at 1:13:12.

– The city commission also set the qualifying fees for the upcoming municipal elections. The fee for the city commissioner is $360, and the fee for the school board is $324.

This year, Mayor Patti Garrett, Commissioner Kelly Walsh, and School Board Members Hans Utz and Dr. Carmen Sulton are up for reelection.

Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? Sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.

Support Decaturish by becoming a paying subscriber today. Visit supportyourlocalnews.com to learn more.

Decatur, GA — Georgia Power has been planning to relocate some high-voltage transmission lines from College Avenue to Sycamore Street in Decatur, a residential area. City officials have told Georgia Power that running transmission lines in a residential area is a “non-starter.”

The project, which Georgia Power calls the Scottdale Transmission Line, begins at the Scottdale Substation, travels on Annie Street, then goes a mile down East Ponce de Leon Avenue, runs down Sycamore Street, then continues along East College Avenue to the Decatur substation.

Georgia Power paused the Decatur portion of the project in November.

Hans Utz, a school board member who lives on Sycamore Street, previously said the lines would be “high tension” lines as high as 80 feet tall. An unconfirmed number of trees will be removed. Sycamore Street is part of the Old Decatur Local Historic District.

At the Decatur City Commission meeting on Feb. 3, Utz and his neighbors asked the city to support them in their effort to get Georgia Power to run the line in a non-residential area.

“In light of it being declared Arbor Day, and the spirit of your declaration is that this is a city of trees and for all the benefits that they offer, I and my fellow neighbors today to petition the city in regard to the announced Georgia Power plans to clear-cut our residential neighborhood, removing upwards of 100 trees and running 115 kilovolts of power along this quiet residential street,” Utz said.

Utz is also the president of the newly formed East Decatur Neighbors Association.

“We have organized as a community. We have hired counsel. We are launching a fundraising and promotional campaign in the next week,” Utz said.

He added that the transmission line will change the character of the historic neighborhood and residents intend to fight it.

“They are relocating these high voltage lines from their current industrial zoned route to instead cut though a significant portion of our historic tree-lined residential neighborhood, sending hundreds of thousands volts over the heads of our children as they walk to school. This is all despite the fact that numerous viable alternate routes exist,” Utz said.

After public comments were made, City Manager Andrea Arnold said city staff, Georgia Department of Transportation officials and Georgia Power officials met in December to discuss the project.

“During this meeting, city staff, in no uncertain terms, stressed that the route along Sycamore Street off of East Ponce de Leon is a non-starter,” Arnold said. “From the city perspective, for the reasons [residents] have presented here tonight, again a non-starter, and they need to turn their attention away from the residential area to the more commercial area along the current route [on] College Avenue.”

She added that Georgia Power should also consider putting part of the line underground. The city has urged Georgia Power to work with GDOT to place the transmission lines on College Avenue and explore that possibility.

GDOT is planning a road diet project on College Avenue, between Sams Crossing and South Candler Street, so there could be an opportunity to work on these projects simultaneously.

“We do believe that with this GDOT project there are at least two options that they would have. One would be the use of the center lane, when the road is torn up for the project, as well as the north side of College Avenue, closer to the railroad tracks, where I believe a lane is going to be removed for the purpose of a bike lane,” Arnold said.

“The takeaway was you need to work with GDOT on the East College Avenue project, consider underground…they need to be talking to CSX about access to right of way,” Arnold added. “That is where we left it.”

Assistant City Manager Cara Scharer added that in mid-January Georgia Power informed the city they were working to meet with CSX and MARTA by the end of the month and meet with the community in early February.

“Then when following up to inquire if they’ve connected specifically with GDOT and the GDOT project team…they communicated that their design team have been in conversations with DOT regarding the projects they have going on,” Scharer said. “[It was] pretty standard and maybe not as specific as we have hoped. That is all the communication we have received to date.”

The neighborhood association also released a press release about their efforts. Here is the full press release:

DECATUR, GA, UNITED STATES, February 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — The City of Decatur was caught off guard last November when a resident discovered a plan by Georgia Power to construct a high-voltage transmission line through the Old Decatur Historic District. The neighborhood has mobilized and is asking Decatur residents to join them in their legal effort at EastDecaturNeighbors.com

“I received a call from an appraiser who began the call, ‘I’m so sorry to be the one to tell you this,’” Decatur resident Patrice Eastham said. “The appraiser told me that Georgia Power plans to purchase an easement that would include most of my front yard. They want access to my property to run high-voltage lines over my house. They explained this would mean cutting down trees in my front yard and potentially erecting a 100-foot steel power pole on my property. I was completely blindsided. My next-door neighbor, who the appraiser also approached, contacted the city for more information. To our surprise, they knew nothing of the plan even though it was seven years in the making.”

According to Georgia Power, “a new transmission line is necessary in order to meet a growing demand for electricity.” The company has not stated why this route is its only viable solution, rather than the industrial thoroughfare that already runs near the neighborhood.

Once the plan was exposed, the neighborhood quickly mobilized. “It was standing room only in my living room, resident Bruce Miller explained. “In one hour, we formed the East Decatur Neighbors Association, launched an awareness campaign, and funded a legal effort. Our neighborhood includes doctors, lawyers, and communications professionals, so we are prepared to fight.”

The primary goal of the East Decatur Neighbors Association is to preserve the neighborhood’s historic character. Sycamore Street is part of the Old Decatur Historic District, originally developed along a stagecoach route with houses dating back to the 1800s. Georgia Power plans to remove at least one hundred trees for its right of way in the mile-and-a-half route that runs through the neighborhood.

The impacted streets are part of Safe Routes to School, a national program that makes walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity. Scores of children use these routes twice a day, so exposure to magnetic fields from high-voltage power lines is a concern.

This is not the first time Sycamore Street neighbors have fought to protect the neighborhood. In the 1970s, many Decatur houses were destroyed during the MARTA rail construction. The neighborhood banded together to “Save Old Sycamore,” including saving a Queen Anne-style house by moving it from its original location, which then became Sycamore Park.

“It’s a terrible irony that after all the work to save this grand 130-year-old home, this architectural jewel is in danger again,” owner Janie Thompson said. “First, there was the MARTA line, then a highway extension, and now they want to run high-voltage lines along the side yard. I wish they could finally let this home live in peace.”

The opportunity to stop Georgia Power’s plan is closing. The plans have been drawn, and Georgia Power is actively seeking to procure land and easements. Tree removal is slated for Q2 2025, and poles will be erected soon after.

Because public utilities hold the power of eminent domain for easements, the neighborhood hopes public pressure and a full exploration of alternate routes will save the neighborhood.

Decatur residents and those interested in historic preservation are invited to support the effort. Donate and learn more at EastDecaturNeighbors.com.

Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? Sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.

Support Decaturish by becoming a paying subscriber today. Visit supportyourlocalnews.com to learn more.

UPDATE: Due to the inclement weather the county has suspended transportation to the warming centers on Jan. 21. Here is our previous story…

DeKalb County, GA — DeKalb County’s warming centers will be open 24-hours a day until further notice as of Jan. 19, the county announced.

Warming centers are located at:

— Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Rd.

— Tobie Grant Recreation Center, 593 Parkdale Dr.

— Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Dr. (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)

— Exchange Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Dr. (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)

“DeKalb County’s overnight only warming center, North DeKalb Senior/Community Center, 3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee, will remain open,” the announcement from the county says. “Special transportation will be provided each morning to one of the 24-hour warming center locations.”

Transportation pickups will be available to Frontline International according to the following schedule:

— Chamblee Library, 4115 Clairmont Rd., Chamblee, 5:40 p.m. to 6 p.m.

— North DeKalb Senior/Community Center, 3393 Malone Dr., Chamblee, 7:30 p.m. to 7:50 p.m.

— Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Dr., 9 p.m. to 9:20 p.m.

— Avondale Fire Station No. 3, 100 N. Clarendon Ave., Avondale Estates: Pick up No. 1, 6:20 p.m. to 6:40 p.m. and Pick up No. 2, 7:30 p.m. to 7:50 p.m.

— 2027 Candler Rd., Decatur, 8:40 p.m. to 9 p.m.

— D&K Suit City Parking Lot: 5239 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain, 6:20 p.m. to 6:40 p.m.

— 2724 Wesley Chapel Rd., Decatur, 7:30 p.m. to 7:50 p.m

— Exchange Park Intergeneration Center, 2771 Columbia Dr., Decatur, 8:40 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Here’s additional information about the warming centers, provided by the county:

Frontline Response International has been contracted to serve individuals who need assistance during extreme weather conditions. Unlike DeKalb’s traditional warming centers, hot meals, beds, and case management services are centralized at Frontline. DeKalb offers transportation services from all its warming centers to Frontline for individuals who wish to take advantage of those provided services.

Please note that DeKalb County fire stations will not be activated as overnight warming center locations.

However, Avondale Fire Station Fire Station No. 3, located at 100 N. Clarendon Avenue, Avondale Estates, GA 30002, will function as a transportation pickup location to Frontline.

Persons in DeKalb County who need homelessness assistance or housing services can contact DeKalb County Coordinated Entry by calling (404) 687-3500.

For more information about centers offered by DeKalb County and its community partners, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/weather.

Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? Sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.

Support Decaturish by becoming a paying subscriber today. Visit supportyourlocalnews.com to learn more.