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Happy voting day, Decatur. If you haven’t cast your ballot yet, make sure to get that done today. This week: a Michelin-recognized chef is planning a 12-seat handroll bar in town this fall, and Avondale Estates is holding off on deciding the future of its Flock cameras. Plus, a packed weekend of live music and the Decatur Wine Festival on Saturday, Nov. 7 will keep your calendar full.

- News — Decatur's commission held a Reparations Task Force work session Monday, Avondale Estates waits on the state before deciding on Flock cameras, and DeKalb's 5-2 "urban camping" vote is stirring debate.
- Business — Chef Leonard Yu of Omakase Table and Ryokou plans to open Nori Yu Handroll Bar this fall, with a wood bar, stone countertop and beer on the menu.
- Events — Eddie's Attic leads a music-heavy week, with Coco Montoya, Aaron Lee Tasjan and more, plus the Decatur Wine Festival on Nov. 7 and Angie Aparo's two-night run on Nov. 6–7.
- Government — Decatur's commission met Nov. 2, Avondale takes up its comprehensive plan and budget Nov. 4, and DeKalb schools keep digging into E-SPLOST spending and AI policy drafts.
- Construction — A $2.2M ground-floor project at 120 W Ponce de Leon Ave tops the permits, alongside a $600K Pineview Dr addition and a run of matching Booker Ave electrical permits.

Let's dive in.

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Decatur commission holds Reparations Task Force work session
The Decatur City Commission discussed the Reparations Task Force at a 6 p.m. work session on Monday, Nov. 2, at City Hall, 509 North McDonough Street, ahead of its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. The commission approved the task force's creation unanimously in 2025, and it was charged with compiling records of Black land and property loss, interviewing descendants, and developing policy recommendations.

Avondale Estates delays Flock decision, closes budget gap
Mayor Jonathan Elmore said the city will wait for the Georgia General Assembly to consider statewide rules on automated license plate readers before deciding whether to keep using its 10 Flock Safety cameras, and no vote was taken on the contract. Separately, officials said eliminating a position and revising revenue projections closed a $74,595 recurring shortfall in the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget.

First Agnes Scott PA students receive white coats in Decatur
The 30 students in the Class of 2028 arrived with a combined 84,060 hours of patient care experience and recited the physician assistant professional oath at Gaines Chapel on Oct. 26. The program is a 24-month Master of Medical Science, and students began classes Oct. 13.

Emory Decatur Hospital expanding breast surgery services
The Emory Division of Breast Surgery now offers services at Emory Decatur Hospital, led by board-certified breast surgical oncologist Priscilla F. McAuliffe, MD, PhD, FACS. The hospital also recently opened a breast health center and launched an enhanced high-risk breast clinic, and appointments can be scheduled at 404-778-3307.

Decatur man says voting signs were mistake, not voter suppression
Dave Moriarty said he taped about 16 homemade signs reading "Vote Early Daily 'til Nov. 30" to the backs of official DeKalb early voting signs in Decatur and Avondale Estates, and that the month was a typo. The final day of early voting was Oct. 30, and a DeKalb elections spokesperson confirmed the signs were not affiliated with the county.

DeKalb approves controversial 'urban camping' ordinance
The DeKalb Commission voted 5-2 on Tuesday to adopt the ordinance, with Commissioners Michelle Long Spears and Ted Terry voting against it. Opponents argue it criminalizes homelessness, while supporters say it targets harassing behavior such as aggressive panhandling and other safety concerns.

BUSINESS

Nori Yu Handroll Bar opening in Decatur — Chef Leonard Yu, who is behind Omakase Table and Ryokou, will open the 12-seat hand roll restaurant this fall, with a wood bar, a stone countertop, a menu focused on hand rolls and beer also on offer.

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Tuesday, November 3
- Moore Chapel Gardeners Volunteer Day | Legacy Park
- Coco Montoya | Eddie's Attic

Wednesday, November 4
- Trappist Beer & Cheese Event | Brick Store Pub
- Volunteer Project | Woodlands Garden
- Aaron Lee Tasjan | Eddie's Attic

Thursday, November 5
- Sips of Science | Science For Georgia
- Holiday Ornament Unveiling | Squash Blossom
- A Feast of Feminist Voices: A Celebration of Feminist Writing Across Genre | Charis Books and More/Charis Circle
- Wizarding World Movie Event | Decatur Library
- The WILD UNO Tournament | The Reading Room

Friday, November 6
- Hydroponics Symposium | Dekalb County UGA Extension Office
- Mass Destruction Metal Fest - November 6 & 7, 2026 | Wild Heaven Beer
- Mighty Fine Beer Festival Brewery Spotlights | Brick Store Pub
- Red Cross Blood Drive | Decatur Library
- Tai Chi in the Garden | Woodlands Garden
- Candlelight: Tribute to The Boss | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Friday Night Live – 404 Theory – Modern Jazz Trio | The Reading Room
- Jim Lauderdale (Rescheduled from 11/5/26) | Eddie's Attic
- Lily Dabbs, Juliet McConkey, and Little Britches Rodeo Concert | Waller's Coffee Shop
- Angie Aparo (Nov. 6–7) | Eddie's Attic

Saturday, November 7
- Decatur Wine Festival | Decatur Square
- 38th Annual WSA Holiday Fair | The Waldorf School of Atlanta
- Celebrate Charis’ 52nd Birthday! | 184 S. Candler St.
- Peter Bradley Adams | Eddie's Attic
- A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Minnie Bruce Pratt | 184 S. Candler St.
- Eliot Bronson Album Release Show at Eddie’s Attic | Eddie's Attic

Sunday, November 8
- Decatur Baby Village | First Baptist Church Decatur
- Rewind 500-Lauda Musicam Renaissance Band Concert | Holy Trinity Parish Episcopal Church
- Eric Lindell | Eddie's Attic
- Griffin House | Eddie's Attic, 545 N McDonough St
- The Story Collider | Waller's Coffee Shop

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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

City of Decatur
The City Commission met Monday, Nov. 2, starting with work sessions on the Lifelong Community Advisory Board and the Reparations Task Force before its 7:30 p.m. regular meeting. The regular agenda included lease financing for an electric fire pumper truck, a fire department response and staffing study, an energy audit of city buildings and an alcohol license for a restaurant at Ice House Lofts. The Active Transportation Committee also met that day. Only agendas are posted so far, so outcomes aren't confirmed.

City of Avondale Estates
The Board of Mayor and Commissioners met several times this week, and only agendas are posted so far, so outcomes aren't confirmed. As covered in today's news section, the board delayed its Flock camera decision and closed its budget gap. The work session agenda also included a contract revision with the engineering firm Dewberry for stormwater improvements, an update on dam rehabilitation, and a review of the 2026 Comprehensive Plan after regional and state reviews. That plan guides future zoning, land use, and transportation, so it shapes what gets built near you. Before all that, a special called meeting on Friday morning put city personnel matters in a closed-door executive session.

DeKalb County School District
The district's Audit Committee reviewed a state audit of how the district spent its E-SPLOST sales tax money in fiscal year 2025. Members also got an update on the E-SPLOST procedures manual, which sets spending and purchasing controls for school construction and maintenance. The district is working to hire a full-time E-SPLOST financial auditor too. The Policy Committee met virtually and discussed draft policies on artificial intelligence, internet use, and the disposal of surplus school property. Those drafts will shape how your child's school handles technology. The committee meets again Nov. 11, and the board also held a joint work session with county commissioners on student safety, workforce pathways, and shared facilities. None of these meetings produced formal votes.

City Schools of Decatur
The Board of Education held a special called meeting Wednesday and went straight into a closed executive session with legal counsel. The board discussed confidential personnel and litigation matters. It took no public votes and made no decisions on budgets, school boundaries, or other policies. Your schools' rules and zoning stay as they were, though the board hasn't said what the closed-door talks covered.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
The commissioners' Tuesday agenda was packed, though minutes aren't yet published, so we can't confirm outcomes beyond what's covered in today's news section on the urban camping ordinance. Items up for a vote included buying the former YMCA property on Snapfinger Road and accepting more than $4.6 million in federal grants for renovations at five county parks. Commissioners also took up two housing rezonings, a drive-through restaurant permit the Planning Commission previously recommended denying, and a plan to send 30 vacant county properties to the regional land bank. Other items included a street drifting ordinance, new pet restraint rules, and up to $490,797 in SPLOST funds to design a joint fire and police training facility. These decisions affect your tax dollars, your parks, and how land gets used across the county.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

City of Avondale Estates
- Washington St & Pine St — A proposed contract budget revision for stormwater infrastructure and drainage improvements at Washington Street and Pine Street is on the agenda for review.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
- 3316 Fayetteville Rd — A declaration of taking for a temporary construction easement is on the agenda to advance the Constitution Road freight corridor project.

Meetings This Week
- City of Decatur — Better Together Advisory Board Meeting | Nov-03 | key topics: Welcoming Business Award update, equity and civic engagement report, board recruitment and leadership
- City of Avondale Estates — Board of Mayor and Commissioners Regular | Nov-04 | key topics: Washington and Pine stormwater improvements design, 2026 Comprehensive Plan adoption, Planning, Architecture, and Zoning Board candidate interviews
- City of Avondale Estates — Board of Mayor and Commissioners | Nov-04 | key topics: FY 2027 draft operating budget and capital program, city board and committee vacancies
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole | Nov-05, 9:00 AM | key topics: Gresham Road mixed residential rezoning, Briarcliff Road salon suites rezoning, Lithonia Park recreation center contract, homeless services and shelter funding
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Planning Commission | Nov-05, 6:00 PM | key topics: Memorial Drive multifamily rezoning, North Druid Hills single-family infill, Henrico Road industrial-to-residential rezoning, Bouldercrest Road fuel pumps and alcohol sales permit
- City of Decatur — Safe Routes to School Committee | Nov-06
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Nov-09 | key topics: Dunwoody High School stadium improvements, district-wide theater audiovisual upgrades, artificial intelligence policy, surplus school properties disposal procedures

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 120 W Ponce de Leon Ave: $2.2M commercial assembly use permit, closed 11/02. The project covers the street-level floor of the existing high-rise office building. That's a big investment in ground-floor space downtown, and you'll likely see a new gathering spot or public-facing business there.
- Pineview Dr: $600K single-family renovation, closed 10/29. The work includes a kitchen remodel and a second-story addition, so the home is getting a lot bigger.
- Booker Ave: $200K electrical permit on a single-family home, closed 10/28. The job covers all-new electrical.
- Booker Ave: A second $200K all-new electrical permit on a single-family home, closed 10/28.
- Booker Ave: A third $200K all-new electrical permit on a single-family home, closed 10/28. Three matching permits on one street point to a coordinated project.
- Proctor Ave: $200K all-new electrical permit on a single-family home, closed 10/28.
- Proctor Ave, Scottdale, GA 30079: $200K new construction permit for a single-family home with all-new electrical, closed 10/28. It includes outdoor work, so you may have heard construction noise nearby.
- Kelly St: $304K single-family permit to install new plumbing, closed 10/27. That's a hefty price tag for plumbing alone.

Service Requests
- Code Violations: Seven reports came in near Ponce de Leon Pl, W Trinity Pl, Kathryn Ave, Ridley Cir, and Melrose Ave, plus two other spots nearby.
- Missed Sanitation Collection: Six reports cover Nelson Ferry Rd (three of them), W Howard Ave, W College Ave, and Avery St. Nelson Ferry Rd stands out with half the total.
- Sidewalk Maintenance: You'll find four reports at 159-299 Ansley St, 3-33 Midway Rd, another spot on Midway Rd, and W Trinity Pl.
- City Facilities Maintenance: Three reports cover Sycamore St, 436-460 W Ponce de Leon Ave, and Madison Ave.
- City Parks and Greenspace Maintenance: Two reports came in on Westchester Dr and at 321-325 Adair St.
- Street Maintenance: E Lake Dr has one report.
- Vegetation Maintenance: E Lake Dr has another, so that stretch has two separate issues on file.
- Street Sign: One report covers 914 Clairemont Ave.
- Traffic Signal Repair: The signal at Memorial Dr and Memorial Ter needs work, and crews are on it now.
- Tree Maintenance: One request is in for 4th Ave.

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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.