Hey Decatur! Lots going on around here. Belvedere Plaza scored $3M from DeKalb for redevelopment, Lime e-scooters and bikes are officially rolling through your neighborhood as part of a new pilot program, and how well locals take to them will decide whether they stick around. Meanwhile, Emory Decatur Hospital just filed $1.4 million in permits for a bed expansion, and DeKalb County approved its largest-ever housing investment.

- News — Belvedere scores $3M, Lime scooters launch citywide, WatchFest hits 140K visitors, Avondale officials discuss dispute, and a property tax hike funds DeKalb's biggest housing push yet.
- Events — The Decatur DeKalb 4 Miler takes over Saturday morning, and the Indigo Girls close out WatchFest on Sunday, plus a packed week of trivia, swing dance, and an architecture walking tour.
- Government — DeKalb commissioners approved fee hikes for stormwater and sanitation, and this week's meetings include a $233M water plant overhaul and a rezoning decision on Columbia Drive.
- Construction — Emory Decatur Hospital filed three permits totaling $1.445M for a bed expansion and electrical overhaul, and crews are actively working around Kensington MARTA Station.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Decatur starts Lime e-scooters, bikes pilot program
Decatur is rolling out Lime e-scooters and e-bikes on local streets as part of a new pilot program. You'll find the options spread across downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, giving you a quicker way to cover that last stretch between transit and your front door.

Property tax increase funds new DeKalb housing initiatives
DeKalb County just approved its largest-ever housing investment, and your property tax bill is helping pay for it. The money goes toward expanding affordable housing and addressing homelessness across the county.

DeKalb development agency approves $3M grant for Belvedere Plaza redevelopment
Just South of us, DeKalb granted $3M as part of a $24M redevelopment project to convert 90k square feet of vacant retail space to attract tenants. Big news for an area starved for this kind of development.

Avondale Estates addresses manager, commissioner dispute
After a June verbal confrontation between City Manager Patrick Bryant and Commissioner Lyda Steadman in the Avondale Estates City Hall parking lot, where Bryant thought Steadman might be a participant in gossip site “Avondale FYI”, the City Commission spent air time discussing the incident. This feels straight out of reality TV if we’re being honest.

Decatur WatchFest receives 140,000 visitors, ready for more
WatchFest has pulled in more than 140,000 visitors to watch World Cup matches in downtown Decatur so far, and they aren’t done yet, with the finals coming up and seven more concerts to boot.

Decatur Schools preparing for annual Back-to-School Bash
City Schools of Decatur is gearing up for its annual Back-to-School Bash, the community event that kicks off the new academic year with supplies, resources, and activities for families. If your kids are headed back to a Decatur school this fall, this is one you'll want to put on the calendar.

Large tree crashes onto Decatur home, knocks out power
A large tree came down on a Decatur home, causing structural damage and knocking out power to the area. If you've got mature trees on your property, this is a good reminder to get them inspected.

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Monday, July 13
- Chuck Tingle in Celebration of Fabulous Bodies | Decatur Library
- Eddie's Attic Songwriters Open Mic Night | Eddie's Attic
- Monday Night Team Trivia at 8pm. | Twain's
- Tai Chi/Qigong Midlevel Practice | Legacy Park

Tuesday, July 14
- SWING DANCE LESSONS | Roaring Social Decatur
- The Hector & Drake Quintet | Eddie's Attic
- $5 Beer Trivia Tuesdays in Avondale | Wild Heaven Beer

Wednesday, July 15
- Aging Independently: Planning Before a Crisis | Decatur Parks and Recreation
- Wednesday Walk & Talk | Woodlands Garden
- Your Artsy Friend's House - Vol. 1: Clay & Connections | NiteOwl Kitchen and Cocktails
- Kristina Murray with Corey Parsons | Eddie's Attic

Thursday, July 16
- Decatur Architecture Walking Tour – 2026 | 101 E Court Square, Decatur
- Planting Your Second Summer Garden | 435 Oakview Rd, Decatur
- Dominoes + Drums | The Reading Room
- Sustainable Landscaping Volunteer Day | Legacy Park
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – July | Woodlands Garden
- Atomic Lush with special guests Blind Jive | Eddie's Attic

Friday, July 17
- Candlelight: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Eddie's Attic 58th Bi-Annual Open Mic Shootout | Eddie's Attic
- Friday Night Live – 404 Theory – Modern Jazz Trio | The Reading Room
- Jewelry With Gin | Decatur Library

Saturday, July 18
- Decatur DeKalb 4 Miler | Decatur High School
- Candlelight: Hip-Hop on Strings | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Candlelight: Neo-Soul Favorites ft. Songs by Prince, Childish Gambino, & More | The Chapel on Sycamore
- 20th Anniversary and Open House | Lotus of Life Wellness Center
- Date Night: Couples Massage Experience | Decatur Healing Arts
- Sound Bathing | Woodlands Garden
- All's Fair in Love and Shakespeare | Sycamore Place Gallery
- Wells Ferrari | Eddie's Attic
- Monthly Meet & Mingle for LGBTQ+ Folks 50+ | 184 S. Candler St., Decatur
- Women's Tea Party | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Kingdom Readers Book Club Meeting: July 18th | The Book Bird of Avondale Estates

Sunday, July 19
- Indigo Girls | Downtown Decatur Square
- The Sound Gallery: A Sound Bath Experience | Decatur Healing Arts
- Remedy Tree | Eddie's Attic

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

Avondale Estates Board of Mayor and Commissioners

The Avondale Estates Board of Mayor and Commissioners met July 8, and its agenda included two significant items: a vote on purchasing five new in-car radios from Loudon Communications to upgrade public safety vehicle communications, and a work session focused on proposed amendments to both the 2025 and 2026 city budgets. Because minutes haven't been posted yet, it's not confirmed whether the board approved the radio purchase or reached any conclusions on the budget changes. As covered in today's news section, the tension between the city manager and commissioners is also part of the backdrop here, making the outcome of these financial discussions worth watching closely.

Avondale Estates Historic Preservation Commission

The Historic Preservation Commission held its regular meeting July 6 to review proposed changes to three homes in the historic district. The biggest item was a returning proposal to expand and connect a freestanding garage to a 1928 English Cottage, a plan that was previously deferred in April for revisions. Also on the agenda were requests to replace 19 windows and several doors on a 1968 split-level home, and to swap a front entry door for double doors on a 1941 Ranch House. Since minutes haven't been posted, none of these outcomes are confirmed, and any item could have been deferred, denied, or approved with conditions.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

The Board of Commissioners met July 7 and approved several items that could affect your wallet. As covered in today's news section, the board approved a major housing investment funded in part by a property tax increase. The board also greenlit fee increases for stormwater utilities and residential sanitation services, meaning your monthly bills are going up. On the infrastructure side, commissioners approved a $20.5 million contract with Arcadis U.S., Inc. for expansion work at the Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Facility, and extended a moratorium on new data center applications in Districts 1 and 5. Several items got pushed to later dates, including a proposed ordinance regulating pet shop sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits, a construction blasting safety ordinance, updates to the county noise ordinance, and a pedestrian safety project that would install a hybrid beacon crosswalk at a local intersection, all scheduled to return as early as July 14.

DeKalb County Planning Commission

The Planning Commission met July 7 and issued several advisory zoning recommendations that now head to the Board of Commissioners for a final vote on August 13. The commission voted 7-1 to recommend approving a new townhome community on Chamblee-Tucker Road, with conditions that include a 25% rental cap and a rear buffer fence. Commissioners unanimously recommended denying a proposed package store on Covington Highway, and voted 6-0 to deny two companion requests from Eisenhower Services to rezone land on Henrico Road for single-family subdivisions. On the approval side, home-based daycare permits on Tarragon Drive and Princeton Park Trail both received recommended approval, with requirements to verify distance rules and install buffer fencing. Remember, these are recommendations only, and the Board of Commissioners makes the final call next month.

City of Decatur Better Together Advisory Board

Decatur's Better Together Advisory Board was scheduled to meet virtually July 7 to work through some internal planning and coordination. The agenda included a review of the board's upcoming editorial calendar, which guides how the city shares community news and resources with residents, along with progress updates from active work groups focused on community engagement and local programs. Since minutes aren't available, it's unclear what the work groups reported or what outreach is planned.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Jul-13, 7:00 PM | key topics: $15M K-12 social studies curriculum purchase, $3M district-wide roofing repairs, $2.69M public safety technology renewals, new AI classroom policy
- City of Avondale Estates — Downtown Development Authority Regular Meeting | Jul-14, 5:30 PM | key topics: Centennial 100th anniversary celebration update, Town Green playground maintenance, funding request for exterior upgrades and wayfinding signage
- City Schools of Decatur — Board of Education | Jul-14
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Regular Meeting | Jul-14, 9:00 AM | key topics: $233M Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant overhaul, new data center environmental review requirements, rezoning at 1942 Columbia Dr. from R-75 to RSM is scheduled for a decision, trail and park funding including Mason Mill Park and Michelle Obama Trail extension

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

The big story this week is Emory Decatur Hospital. Three separate permits filed at 2701 N Decatur Rd cover a bed expansion and interior renovation totaling $1.445 million. Phase 1 is a general renovation, Phase 2 adds 222 new light fixtures and three electrical panels, and a third permit covers a new electrical room. The hospital is actively growing its footprint, which means construction activity on that campus will continue for a while.

Beyond the hospital, an Amazon facility pulled a commercial electrical permit worth $68,899 to replace existing panels with two new ones. Routine infrastructure work, but a closed-status permit means it's already wrapped up.

On the residential side, 13 single-family permits and a handful of other minor filings account for another $140,879 in estimated value. Nothing dramatic there, but steady home improvement activity across the area.

Road Work

Under Construction
- Kensington MARTA Station Transit Access & Mobility (DeKalb County) Crews are working to improve transit access around Kensington MARTA Station. If you use this station or drive through that corridor, expect some disruption near the entrance areas.
- I-285 Concrete Rehab, Snapfinger Road to SR-8 (DeKalb County) GDOT is resurfacing this stretch of I-285 to bring the pavement up to standard. If I-285 is part of your regular route heading south or east out of the area, give yourself extra time and watch for lane shifts.

Service Requests

Decatur residents filed 31 service requests this week. Here's what's on the city's plate.

- Street Signs — Issues reported on Upland Rd (two locations), Spring St, W Ponce de Leon Ave, and Feld Ave.
- Street Maintenance — Problems logged on Garland Ave (two locations), Feld Ave at Leyden St, the 500 block of Church St, and S Columbia Dr.
- Sidewalk Maintenance — Reported on Westchester Dr, E Howard Ave, Cambridge Ave at Leyden St, and W Ponce de Leon Ave.
- Missed Sanitation Collection — Pickups skipped on S McDonough St, Nelson Ferry Rd, Clairemont Ave, and Lansdowne Ave.
- Code Violations — Flagged at Garden Ln, Sycamore Dr, the 600 block of Clairemont Ave, and Pinetree Dr.
- Vegetation Maintenance — Overgrowth or trimming requests on Emerson Ave and Church St.
- Tree Maintenance — Requests filed for S McDonough St and Parkside Cir.
- Stormwater Issues — Drainage concerns on W Ponce de Leon Ave and Parkside Cir.
- Parks and Facilities — McKoy Park needs maintenance attention, and a separate request came in for a city facility on Clairemont Ave.
- Cemetery Issues — One report filed for a cemetery in the area.

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Until next week,
Decatur 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.