Hey Brookhaven and Chamblee! Lots to catch up on, most notably: DeKalb County just approved the largest affordable housing investment in its history, a direct response to shrinking federal support that will shape development conversations in both cities for years. And over on Chamblee-Tucker Road, thousands of IRS employees are being told to return to an office that workers say has a rodent problem.

- News — DeKalb's record-breaking affordable housing vote leads the week, plus a new $81M Ronald McDonald House reshapes the CHOA campus near Brookhaven's border.
- Events — A packed week runs from a literary open mic at Wild Aster Books to oyster shucking, LEGO days at both libraries, and Food Truck Fridays back at 4001 Peachtree.
- Government — The Emory-Brookhaven development deal decision is TBD, a North Druid Hills Road mural heads to review, and Monday's DeKalb School Board meeting includes a $15M curriculum vote.
- Construction — An $800K restaurant gut renovation and a second commercial tenant buildout signal new businesses coming to the area, while SR-13 resurfacing is ongoing.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Brookhaven approves future park space
Brookhaven has officially approved plans to acquire and develop “Goodwin Island”, adding to the city's green footprint and giving residents more local outdoor options.

Metro Atlanta IRS employees ordered back to work despite rat infestation concerns
Thousands of federal employees at the massive IRS facility on Chamblee-Tucker Road have been told to return to the office, even as workers raise alarms about a rodent infestation on site.

DeKalb leaders approve county's largest-ever housing investment as federal assistance declines
DeKalb County commissioners just approved the biggest local affordable housing funding package in the county's history, a direct response to shrinking federal assistance. DeKalb is committing $15 million per year toward creating or preserving 15,000 homes.

Brookhaven announces creative summer activities in July
The city has lined up a run of arts and recreation events to fill out your July, next up being the "Paint the Dome" program on July 18th.

New Ronald McDonald House intentionally designed for healing, comfort and connection
The new $81 million Ronald McDonald House on the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta campus near the Brookhaven border is open: click the link to see images of the thoughtful design for families experiencing some of their hardest times.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, July 13
- Adult Take & Make Craft | Brookhaven Branch Library
- Fossil Frenzy Scavenger Hunt | Brookhaven Branch Library
- Discussion: Educated | Chamblee Branch
- Mahjong Mondays - Session 3, Part 1 or Part 2 | Chamblee Branch
- Mr. Damon Presents Shadow Quest! | Chamblee Branch

Wednesday, July 15
- Connect & Swing: BYP Social at Atlanta Golf & Social | Atlanta Golf & Social
- Folklore & Magic Literary Open Mic | Wild Aster Books
- Blood Drive | City of Chamblee
- Friends of the Chamblee Library Meeting | Chamblee Branch
- LEGO Afternoon | Brookhaven Branch Library

Thursday, July 16
- 3rd Thursdays in the North Metro! ABC Veteran Entrepreneurs Group! | Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Dunwoody
- Science Guys of Atlanta | Brookhaven Branch Library
- LEGO Day at Chamblee | Chamblee Branch

Friday, July 17
- Food Truck Fridays | 4001 Peachtree Road NE
- It Had To Be You - On Stage July 10 - 26 | Merely Players Presents
- Red Cross Blood Drive | Chamblee Branch

Saturday, July 18
- Paint the Dome | 4001 Peachtree Road NE
- Brookhaven Farmers Market | Brookhaven Farmers Market
- Lagarde's Oyster Shucking Workshop | Lagarde American Eatery
- Electronics Recycling | City of Chamblee
- It Had To Be You - On Stage July 10 - 26 | Merely Players Presents
- FREE Puppy Hour at Central Bark Brookhaven | FREE Puppy Hour at Central Bark Brookhaven
- Fair Strikes Pinball Tournament at The Escape Gamebar | The Escape Gamebar
- Hello Kitty Pilates Event | Aatma Dance Studio
- A-Z Bestselling Authors Pop-Up Book Sale | Chamblee Branch
- Behind The Joy: Atlanta Premiere Screening & Community Conversation | 3300 Northeast Expy
- Magic: The Gathering for Teens | Chamblee Branch

Sunday, July 19
- The Perfect Spread: A Charcuterie-Making Workshop | Distillery of Modern Art in Chamblee, Georgia Atlanta
- Live! From The Pitch | City of Chamblee
- It Had To Be You - On Stage July 10 - 26 | Merely Players Presents
- Couples Massage Class | Cr8tive Lyfe Studios

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

Brookhaven Development Authority

The Brookhaven Development Authority held two meetings this week, one with confirmed outcomes and one still pending. At the July 7 special-called meeting, minutes are posted but do not detail final vote outcomes on one of the two major items up for consideration: a Memorandum of Understanding with Emory University and developer Blue Sky Peachtree, LLC. A second virtual meeting on July 10 was scheduled to take up the Emory MOU again, but no minutes are posted, so no final decision has been published yet.

Brookhaven Arts and Culture Commission

The Arts and Culture Commission met on July 8 with a packed agenda focused on public art and community beautification, though no minutes are posted yet, so the outcomes of these discussions aren't confirmed. Items scheduled for review included a proposed outdoor mural along North Druid Hills Road, art installations for the 2026 International Festival, and a new project called the "2026 Dashboard Public Art Installation." The commission was also set to hear updates on the Art Boxes program, which typically involves painting utility boxes around the city, and on new creative features planned for the Brookhaven City Centre. As covered in today's news section, the city has already announced a range of summer programming, and these commission discussions fit into that broader push to activate public spaces through the summer and beyond.

Discover Chamblee Advisory Committee

The Discover Chamblee Advisory Committee met on July 8 to review several major summer events and marketing efforts, though no minutes have been posted, so what was actually decided or recommended remains unconfirmed. The agenda included reviews of the Atlanta International Night Market and the June and July Chamblee Summer Concert Series, giving the committee a chance to assess how those events landed with residents and visitors. Updates on the "Live! From the Pitch" initiative were also on the table, along with a look at ongoing media and advertising partnerships with MediaMax and Decaturish.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

As covered in today's news section, the Board approved the county's largest-ever affordable housing investment this week. Beyond that, the Board officially set the 2026 property tax millage rates and approved rate increases for stormwater utility fees and residential sanitation services, so expect those changes to show up in your bills. The Board also extended the moratorium on new and expanded data centers in Districts 1 and 5, a move that limits heavy industrial development near residential areas, and approved a $20.5 million contract for expansion work at the Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Facility, which supports the region's long-term water infrastructure capacity. Several notable items were deferred for later action, including a proposed ordinance regulating blasting operations near homes, updates to the county noise ordinance, and a $4.1 million design contract for trail extensions near South River and Flakes Mill Road, all of which are scheduled to return to committees in the coming weeks.

DeKalb County Planning Commission

The DeKalb County Planning Commission met on July 7 and issued a batch of zoning recommendations that now head to the full Board of Commissioners for a final vote on August 13. The biggest residential decision was a 7-1 vote to recommend approval of a new townhome community on Chamblee-Tucker Road, with conditions including a 25% rental cap and a rear buffer fence to protect neighboring properties. The commission unanimously recommended denial of a proposed package store on Covington Highway and also recommended denying two single-family subdivision proposals on Henrico Road, while county-initiated efforts to rezone nearby industrial land for residential use were pushed all the way to the January 2027 agenda. On the approval side, home-based daycare permits on Tarragon Drive and Princeton Park Trail both received favorable recommendations, each with strict conditions around distance requirements and buffer fencing. These are advisory recommendations, not final decisions, so the August 13 BOC hearing is the one to watch if any of these projects affect your block.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Jul-13 | key topics: $15M K-12 social studies curriculum adoption, $3M district-wide roofing repairs, $2.69M public safety technology renewals, new AI classroom use policy
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Regular Meeting | Jul-14, 9:00 AM | key topics: $233M Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant overhaul, data center environmental impact rules, North Fork Peachtree Creek Trail design contract, nuisance property & anti-littering ordinances
- City of Brookhaven — City Council Work Session | Jul-14, 4:30 PM | key topics: Peachtree Creek Greenway Phase III route alternatives, ADA Transition Plan draft, facility utilities cost program
- City of Brookhaven — City Council Regular Meeting | Jul-14, 6:30 PM | key topics: sewer easements along Drew Valley Rd, Poplar Springs Dr & Burch Circle for North Fork Peachtree Creek Trunk Project, Lenox Overlook HOA land donation, $375K stormwater assessment contract, school zone speed camera program amendment
- City of Brookhaven — Board of Appeals Work Session | Jul-15, 5:30 PM | key topics: stream buffer variance requests at 1129 Hampton Hall Dr, 3950 Saint Clair Ct & 1449 Ragley Hall Rd, specimen tree removal & setback variance at 3846 Granger Dr
- City of Brookhaven — Board of Appeals Regular Meeting | Jul-15, 7:00 PM | key topics: stream buffer variance requests at 1129 Hampton Hall Dr, 1449 Ragley Hall Rd & 3950 Saint Clair Ct, specimen tree removal & rear setback variance at 3846 Granger Dr
- City of Chamblee — City Council Public Hearing & Work Session | Jul-16, 6:00 PM
- City of Chamblee — City Council Retreat | Jul-17, 9:00 AM

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

The biggest action is commercial, headlined by an $800K restaurant renovation at AMLI Brookhaven, showing movement on that new mixed-use development.

- 5647 Peachtree Blvd — Kia dealership expanding its service operation with a renovation to the existing building. If you're a customer, expect some disruption on-site during the work.
- 3509 Broad St — Fire Marshal review filed for a new restaurant business. An early-stage step, but someone's getting close to opening.
- 2822 Chamblee Tucker Rd — Tenant panel replacement on two existing pylon signs at a hotel property. New signage usually means a rebrand or ownership change worth watching.
- 4897 Buford Highway — A new owner has taken over an existing restaurant with no physical changes planned. Just a business transfer, but the area gains a fresh operator.

On the residential side, it's quiet. Twelve permits total, mostly right-of-way utility work and minor alterations, with a combined estimated value of just over $6,300.

Road Work

Under Construction
- Peachtree Industrial Blvd Signal Optimization Crews are working on signal timing improvements along Peachtree Industrial Blvd between Peachtree Rd and New Peachtree Rd.
- SR-13 Resurfacing from Fulton County Line to Chamblee Tucker Rd GDOT is resurfacing SR-13 to bring the roadway's pavement rating back up to standard. This stretch runs right through the area, so count on some delays and lane restrictions during active paving operations.

-Cliff Valley Way DeKalb Watershed is closing off this handy cut-through again through August 10th (unfortunately for those who have to brave the Clairmont I-85 exit as part of their daily commute).

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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.