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Hey, Decatur! This week: the school board scrapped its standalone early childhood center plan in favor of expanding Frasier Center, the city is weighing a 25 MPH speed limit on all city streets, and Placita Latina is bringing live salsa, food, and dancing to the Square this weekend.

- News — The school board's ECLC reversal leads a busy week that also includes a MARTA bus route hearing, a West Nile virus update, and a data center denial upheld in DeKalb.
- Events — From Beaver Complex tours and Truckin' Tuesdays to Goodnight Texas and Sean Hayes at Eddie's Attic, plus a packed Saturday featuring Salsa on the Square and the Broadleaf Writers Conference.
- Government — DeKalb advances a $17.88 million sewer loan and Michelle Obama Trail funding while Decatur greenlights a long-awaited $555,500 intersection safety fix.
- Construction — Kensington MARTA station upgrades and I-285 resurfacing continue, alongside a fresh batch of sanitation, sidewalk, and street sign service requests around town.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Decatur Schools Scraps New Early Childhood Center, Opts to Expand Frasier Center
The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education voted to abandon plans for a standalone Early Childhood Learning Center, choosing instead to expand the existing Frasier Center after community pushback over budget constraints, enrollment projections, and site selection.

Decatur Considering Lowering Speed Limit to 25 MPH on City Streets
The City of Decatur launched a formal speed study evaluating a reduction of the default speed limit to 25 mph on all city-maintained roads, gathering public feedback at a Decatur Recreation Center meeting.

MARTA Hosts Public Hearing on Proposed Decatur Bus Route Changes
MARTA held a public hearing at the Decatur Recreation Center on September 14 to present proposed adjustments to six bus routes serving Downtown Decatur, including Routes 15, 17, 75, 114, and 118, along with updates to its MARTA Reach on-demand zone.

City Schools of Decatur Hosts Community Engagement Session on Governance
The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education convened the first of four scheduled community meetings on September 14 at the Beacon Hill Middle School Media Center to discuss governance structures for local school leadership teams and the CSD system charter leadership team.

DeKalb finds more mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus
DeKalb Public Health reported that mosquito surveillance traps in Brookhaven's 30319 ZIP code and North Decatur tested positive for West Nile virus, bringing the countywide total to 10 infected traps, though no human cases have been reported this year.

Decatur City Commission Approves Contract Amendments for Decatur Square Improvements
The Decatur City Commission approved contract amendments tied to ongoing redesign and upgrade plans for the historic Downtown Decatur Square, covering public amenities, gathering spaces, and pedestrian flow.

DeKalb board upholds denial of Shadowbox data center bid
DeKalb County officials voted to uphold the zoning denial for the proposed Shadowbox data center development. Shadowbox and the county had been going back and forth for weeks, but it appears as though the county is standing firm on its denial.

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Monday, September 14
- Little Shop Writing Workshop for Aspiring Writers! | Little Shop of Stories

Tuesday, September 15
- Legacy Park Beaver Complex Tour | Decatur Legacy Park
- Lunch and Learn: Carver Hills Community in Doraville | 101 E Court Square
- Truckin' Tuesdays | Legacy Park
- LORI LEJEUNE | BE THE CHANGE Public Art Banner Exhibition | Decatur Legacy Park

Wednesday, September 16
- Bright @ Night Beaver Complex Tour | Decatur Legacy Park
- Goodnight, Texas | Eddie's Attic

Thursday, September 17
- Sean Hayes | Eddie's Attic
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – September | Woodlands Garden
- Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA | The Chapel on Sycamore
- You Can Save Life: A Naloxone Training for Teens and Parents | Decatur High School Media Center (enter off Commerce Drive)
- You Are Protected: Invoking Spiritual Support to Sustain Your Energy by Michelle Cassandra Johnson i | 184 S. Candler St.

Friday, September 18
- Placita Latina Exhibition | Decatur Arts Alliance
- Celebrating The Beach Boys: The Sounds of Summer's End | Eddie's Attic
- Candlelight: Tribute to Lauryn Hill | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Friday Night Live – 404 Theory – Modern Jazz Trio | The Reading Room
- Bikes & Brews | 115 Clairemont Ave
- The Disappearers: Marlon James in conversation w/ Doug Jones | Decatur Library

Saturday, September 19
- Festival of Cultures | Waldorf School of Atlanta
- Live Music: Acoustic Station, Dirty Shame, + Bolo Boys at 4 pm | Wild Heaven Beer
- 11th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference | DeKalb County Public Library Decatur Branch
- Field Frenzy Fest 2026 | Decatur Legacy Park
- Fall Plant Sale | Woodlands Garden
- Gather For Good Painting with Foliage Workshop | Legacy Park Decatur
- Placita Latina: Salsa on the Square | Downtown Decatur Square
- Music in the Garden with Chris Burroughs | 435 Oakview Dr
- September Flight Club: Comedy + Wine | The Reading Room
- Decatur Ghost Tour | Historic Courthouse Square

Sunday, September 20
- 2026 Huntington's Disease Team Hope Walk & 5K | Bess Walker Park
- PAINT A POT | Woodlands Garden
- Black Feminist Book Club Reads: Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo | 184 S. Candler St.

GOVERNMENT | Presented by

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

Past Week Roundup

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
The Committee of the Whole moved a stack of big-ticket items forward to the full board, including a $17.88 million loan to fund the Shoal Creek sewer trunk line and nearly $8 million combined in design contracts for the Michelle Obama Trail extension, Flat Shoals Parkway sidewalks, and a North Druid Hills Road bridge replacement. Commissioners also advanced $2.9 million in contracts to expand in-home, mobile, and community health care access for uninsured and underinsured residents countywide. A 40-week compost pilot program got the green light to move forward for 500 households, and a change order could push painting and pressure-washing contract spending up to $1.85 million for county facilities and parks. You'll also want to know the board is considering renaming the DeKalb Police Department's East Precinct to honor former Chief Eddie Moody. All of these items now head to the full Board of Commissioners for final votes.

City of Decatur
The Decatur City Commission approved $555,500 for long-overdue safety upgrades at a major intersection, tightening turn radiuses and adding traffic-calming features after more than a decade in the design phase. Commissioners also approved a $190,955 change order expanding the city's street resurfacing program and directing extra funds toward repairing pavement badly damaged by heavy municipal trucks and school buses. In a bigger-picture move, the Commission voted to send its draft five-year Comprehensive Plan update to state and regional reviewers, with a community work session set for later this month and final adoption expected in October. As covered in today's news section, commissioners also approved contract amendments tied to the Decatur Square redesign. Separately, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met to discuss a possible redesign of its Active Transportation Committee and a review of park rules, though the agenda didn't spell out specifics and no minutes are available yet to confirm what was decided. If you use the city's parks or bike routes, it's worth keeping an eye on both of these efforts as they develop.

City Schools of Decatur Board of Education
The board held a full slate of work sessions covering everything from academics to safety to money. Members reviewed data on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate performance along with the state's school climate ratings, and got a first look at the timeline for building next year's budget. A separate work session tackled a batch of policy updates covering gifted programs, field trips, graduation requirements, and interscholastic activities, while another session took up a proposed agreement with the City of Decatur on School Resource Officers along with contracts for education software and elevator maintenance. None of these sessions produced published outcomes, so it's not yet clear which items passed, so treat these as items still in motion rather than done deals. As covered in today's news section, the board also held a separate meeting where it voted to scrap plans for a new early childhood center in favor of expanding the Frasier Center.

Avondale Estates Board of Mayor and Commissioners
Commissioners took up a first reading on an ordinance that would let golf carts and other low-speed vehicles legally cross U.S. 278 at a marked crossing, a change that would make it easier to get between neighborhoods and shopping without hopping in a full-size car. The board also considered an easement letting a private developer use a public alley for construction staging and landscaping work. At a separate work session, commissioners reviewed the city's updated Comprehensive Plan ahead of a September 23 public hearing, a document that will guide zoning and development decisions for years to come. They also looked at renewing the city's speed radar enforcement permit, with a specific focus on South Avondale Road, plus proposals to buy new police patrol vehicles and tactical gear. Minutes for these meetings haven't been posted yet, so final outcomes on all of these items remain unconfirmed.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

City of Decatur
- Intersection of Sams Street & Talley Street — The Decatur City Commission approved a $120,955 contract allocation to repair severe pavement failure near the municipal Public Works facility.

Meetings This Week
- City of Avondale Estates — Historic Preservation Commission | Sep-14 | key topics: new single-family home and detached garage ADU at 68 Clarendon Avenue, backyard ADU at 41 Clarendon Avenue, exterior window modifications at 72 Dartmouth Avenue
- City of Decatur — Zoning Board of Appeals | Sep-14 | key topics: side yard setback variance at 118 Champlain Street, expanded commercial signage at 141 East Trinity Place, front yard driveway parking variance at 148 Greenwood Place
- City Schools of Decatur — Board of Education (Glennwood SLT) | Sep-14 | key topics: principal’s report, PTA update, public comment
- City Schools of Decatur — Board of Education (Talley Street SLT) | Sep-14 | key topics: principal's report, bylaws review, 90-day plan, school facility update
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Sep-14 | key topics: superintendent finalist announcement, portable A/C contract renewal, Cross Keys High School modernization, Dresden Elementary parking lot construction
- City of Decatur — Historic Preservation Commission | Sep-15
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Sep-15, 9:00 AM
- City Schools of Decatur — Board of Education (Westchester SLT) | Sep-16
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Sep-16 | key topics: E-SPLOST VII sales tax program updates, executive session action items

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 2665 N Decatur Rd, Ste 240 — Plumbing permit filed for a new tenant build out. Someone's moving into this commercial space, worth watching for what opens up there.

Road Work

Under Construction
- Kensington MARTA Station Transit Access & Mobility Ph I-LCI — Crews are working on transit access and mobility upgrades near the Kensington MARTA station in DeKalb County.
- I-285 from Snapfinger Road to SR 8 — GDOT is resurfacing SR 407 to fix a low pavement condition score along this stretch of I-285 in DeKalb County.

Service Requests
- Missed Sanitation Collection — Six reports on Claremont Ave, Nelson Ferry Rd, Shadowmoor Dr, Sycamore Sta, and the 109-113 block of Nelson Ferry Rd. Most are already acknowledged, and two are closed.
- Street Sign Issues — Five reports along W Howard Ave (including the 202-450 block), the 100-109 block of E Ct Sq, Fayetteville Rd, and the Church St and E Howard Ave intersection.
- Code Violations — Four open reports, two on E Ponce de Leon Ave and one each on Barry St and Nelson Ferry Rd.
- Sidewalk Maintenance — Four reports covering the 100-116 block of Coventry Rd, Montgomery St, the 525-527 block of Commerce Dr, and S Candler St. Three are already closed.
- City Facilities Maintenance — Four reports at Avery Gln, the Garland Ave and Pharr Rd NE intersection, Oakhurst Recreation Center, and the 867-877 block of Church St.
- Pothole — Reported on E Ct Sq.
- Traffic Signal Issue — Reported at Commerce Dr and W Howard Ave.
- Vegetation Maintenance — Reported on N Parkwood Rd.
- Feedback on Staff or Service — Filed for Decatur, now closed.
- City Parks and Greenspace Maintenance — Reported on E Ct Sq.
- Street Maintenance — Reported on E Pharr Rd.

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Until next week,
Decatur Busybody

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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.