Morning, Brookhaven and Chamblee neighbors! This week a Chamblee councilman explains the rationale behind the data center moratorium, Brookhaven voters just got handed the keys to a senior tax exemption decision, and there's a shovel-in-the-dirt moment coming at Fish Bolt Park. Also, curbside composting is finally here if you've been waiting for it.

- News — A Chamblee councilman wants a timeout on data centers, curbside composting goes live, and DeKalb names a new fire chief with deep local roots.
- Events — From a Fish Bolt Park groundbreaking to a Brookhaven Chamber town hall and a week's worth of library events, there's plenty to pencil in.
- Government — Brookhaven punts its senior tax exemption to voters and approves an Ashford Dunwoody rezoning, while Chamblee's council tackles Buford Highway zoning this week.
- Construction — A pricey $297K care facility renovation leads the permit list, alongside emergency radio upgrades at a Parsons Dr condo.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Chamblee Councilman Spearheads Moratorium on Data Centers
Chamblee Councilman Jimmy Furst took to the radio to provide some rationale behind Chamblee’s recent data center moratorium.

City of Chamblee Launches Opt-In Curbside Composting Service
Chamblee has introduced a new voluntary curbside composting collection program for residential households. The initiative aims to reduce municipal waste sent to landfills while promoting sustainability across the city.

Brookhaven, Chamblee, and Doraville Partner for Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Event
The cities of Brookhaven, Chamblee, and Doraville are joining forces to host a household hazardous waste drop-off event scheduled for August 22. Local residents can safely dispose of paints, chemicals, electronics, and hazardous household materials.

Brookhaven Schedules Southern Connector Bridge Community Meeting for Aug. 26
The City of Brookhaven will host a District 4 community meeting on August 26 regarding the Southern Connector Bridge project. Local residents will have an opportunity to review updated infrastructure plans and share feedback with city leadership.

Melvin K. Carter Named DeKalb County Fire Chief
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson appointed department veteran Melvin K. Carter as Chief of DeKalb County Fire Rescue. Carter 20+ years of experience in fire suppression, emergency medical services, training, fiscal administration, recruitment and retention, and strategic planning, according to a county release.

DeKalb, Decatur post test gains; ELA scores delayed
Both City Schools of Decatur and DeKalb County schools posted year-over-year gains on Georgia standardized assessments. District performance metrics showed progress across multiple grade levels, though state English Language Arts results remain pending.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, August 10
- Discussion: Tom Lake | Chamblee Branch
- Unleash Your Inner Artist: Reverse Watercolor Experience | Doraville Branch Library
- Embry Hills Monday Book Club | Embry Hills Library
- What's Your Favorite Fox Theatre Memory? | Chamblee Branch
- What's Your Favorite Fox Theatre Memory? | Doraville Branch Library
- Sandwich Scavenger Hunt | Brookhaven Branch Library
- Take & Make: Fish Bowl Paper Plate Craft | Doraville Branch Library
- Babbling Babies Storytime | Doraville Branch Library

Tuesday, August 11
- Sushi, Sips & Smiles | Brookhaven Fields Community Association
- Conversation in English! | Chamblee Branch

Wednesday, August 12
- Fish Bolt Park Groundbreaking Ceremony | City of Chamblee
- Brookhaven Chamber Town Hall Event | Brookhaven City Centre Ashford Forest and Murphy Candler rooms
- Literary Open Mic: Summer Nights | Wild Aster Books
- Blood Drive | City of Chamblee
- Drop-In Tech Support Sessions | Doraville Branch Library

Thursday, August 13
- DJ EU: Sonido "All Vinyl Set" at Block & Drum | BLOCK & DRUM
- Mindfulness for Everyday Life | Chamblee Branch
- Chair Yoga for Adults | Chamblee Branch

Friday, August 14
- Murder Mystery @ Petit Violette | Petit Violette
- SPORTY O: Chico Cantina Fridays with Sporty-O | Chico Cantina
- Aura | Square Globe Studios
- Preschool Storytime | Doraville Branch Library

[Saturday, August 15]
- Brookhaven Farmers Market | Brookhaven Farmers Market
- Electronics Recycling | City of Chamblee
- FREE Puppy Hour at Central Bark Brookhaven | Central Bark Brookhaven
- Micro Horror: Flash Fiction Workshop | Wild Aster Books
- Assumption Breakfast | Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church
- Taste of Fashion Mixer & Show | GALLERY in Doraville
- Mental Health Fashion Show ATL | GALLERY in Doraville
- TRAP N PAINT PARTY BYOB | 2700 Northeast Expy c800

Sunday, August 16
- Shaken & Stirred: A Cocktail-Making Workshop | Distillery of Modern Art

GOVERNMENT

Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

City of Brookhaven
Brookhaven's City Council held a special called meeting on August 3 and voted 3-0 to move forward with a special election referendum that would raise the homestead tax exemption for senior homeowners, a step that now puts the decision in voters' hands rather than the city's. Two days later, the Planning Commission held a work session followed by its regular meeting on August 5, where commissioners first discussed and then formally approved, 5-0, an office rezoning with conditions for a commercial site on Ashford Dunwoody Road. The commission pushed back a decision on a proposal to shrink minimum lot sizes for single-family homes on Woodrow Way by 60 days, giving staff and residents more time to weigh in before an October vote. Two citywide zoning text amendments, one covering workforce housing rules and another addressing nonconforming structures, also got deferred for 30 days rather than decided this week. The commission wrapped up by naming Sherean Malekzadeh as its new Chairperson and Andrew Plant as Vice-Chairperson.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Brookhaven Planning Commission
- 4170 Ashford Dunwoody Rd — The Commission approved a rezoning from O-I to O-I with conditions for this commercial office site, clearing the way for the project to move forward.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Aug-10 | key topics: $22.8M school nutrition contract, AI use policy (Policy IFBI), Dunwoody High stadium improvements, HVAC replacements at Briarlake and Montclair Elementary
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Aug-11, 9:00 AM | key topics: park and lake/dam renovation grants, $800,000 Sugar Creek Tennis & Golf upgrade, adult entertainment moratorium hearing, 750 Commerce Drive sewer agreement
- City of Brookhaven — Arts and Culture Commission Regular | Aug-12, 5:30 PM | key topics: "The Cows are Coming" public art project, City Centre Artist Wall, North Druid Hills Road mural update
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners - Zoning Meeting | Aug-13, 5:30 PM | key topics: Henrico Road industrial-to-residential rezonings, Chamblee-Tucker/Mercer University Drive townhomes, chronic nuisance property ordinance, Covington Highway package store request
- City of Chamblee — City Council Public Hearing & Work Session | Aug-13, 6:00 PM | key topics: zoning hearings on Buford Highway and Peachtree Road corridors, Wild Aster Books mural grant at 3460 Chamblee Dunwoody Way, micromobility safety discussion, Pierce Drive parking agreement

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 3630 Peachtree Rd NE — Century Fire Protection is adding onto and relocating the existing fire sprinkler system to meet NFPA 13 standards. Routine life-safety work, but expect some building access disruptions while crews get it done.
- 3535 Ashton Woods Dr. — $297,574 interior renovation hits nurse stations, light fixtures, resident rooms, and corridors. That's the priciest permit on the list this week, signaling a serious upgrade at a care facility in the area.
- 4047 Parsons Dr — Two permits filed for a new Emergency Responder Radio Communication System at this condo building, bringing it up to code with IFC/NFPA 1225.
- 3715 Peachtree Rd NE — A townhouse unit is getting a full interior refresh: new flooring, kitchen cabinets, carpet, and fixtures. Nothing that'll disrupt your commute, but a sign of turnover or upgrades in that building.
- 2337 Perimeter Park Dr — A single office is getting added inside an existing warehouse building's tenant space. Small-scale, but it points to continued office demand in the Perimeter Park corridor.
- 3979 Buford Hwy Ste 106 and 5150 Buford Hwy Unit C 150 — Two commercial spaces along Buford Highway closed out permits this week, including a restaurant finishing up its move-in inspections. Keep an eye on Buford Highway for new openings soon.

Beyond that, it's a quiet week. Sixteen minor residential permits came through, mostly tree removals and small alterations, totaling just $10,000 in value. Nothing here should mean major noise or road closures in your neighborhood.

Road Work

Under Construction
- Peachtree Industrial Blvd Signal Optimization — Crews are upgrading the traffic signal system along Peachtree Industrial Blvd between Peachtree and New Peachtree. Expect ongoing signal work in the corridor, but no major lane closures.
- SR 13 Resurfacing (DeKalb County) — GDOT is resurfacing SR 13 from the Fulton County line to Chamblee Tucker Rd to fix a rough, deteriorating road surface.
- Ashford-Dunwoody Rd at I-285 Ramp Widening — Construction continues on a new third lane for the eastbound Ashford-Dunwoody ramp onto I-285 northbound. This one's aimed at easing the backup that builds where the ramp meets the interstate.
- PATH400 Trail Extension, Phase II (Fulton County) — Trail builders are extending PATH400 from Windsor Pkwy to just north of Baroque Cir.

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Until next week,
Brookhaven / Chamblee Busybody

Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.