Druid Hills / Candler Park: A Candler Park Oak Splits a Home and a $5.5B Fight Heats Up

Hey, Druid Hills and Candler Park! It's been a week. A giant water oak came crashing down on a neighbor's home, splitting it clean in two, and it's a sobering reminder of what our beloved tree canopy can do when a storm turns serious. Meanwhile, Mayor Dickens is fighting on two fronts for his $5.5 billion neighborhood plan, and if you have kids in Atlanta Public Schools or a property tax bill, you'll want to know how that fight is going.

- News — A Candler Park home is split in two by a falling oak, Mayor Dickens defends his sweeping $5.5B plan before a skeptical city council and school board, and a historic DeKalb primary result signals a shift in county leadership.
- Events — Drive-By Truckers headline Amplify Decatur on Saturday, and the week is packed with Shakespeare, Dino Talks, a cemetery tour, and Decatur FC on the pitch.
- Government — Atlanta City Council takes up the FY2027 budget, a $7.8M forest land buy, and a self-storage ban in the BeltLine Overlay — all on Monday — while DeKalb commissioners eye stormwater fee hikes and a $325.5M emergency water and sewer contract.
- Construction — A major gut renovation on N. Decatur Road is stalled pending additional materials, 11 arborist permits for hazardous trees have been filed across the neighborhood, and roundabouts are in the pipeline for the Ponce de Leon corridor.

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NEWS

Candler Park Stunner As Giant Oak Slices Couple's Home In Two
A massive water oak did the unthinkable last week, collapsing directly onto a Candler Park home and splitting it clean in two — leaving the owners displaced and the neighborhood shaken. It's a stark reminder that the gorgeous tree canopy we all love comes with real risk, especially as storms grow more severe.

Atlanta mayor defends $5.5B neighborhood plan at city hall
Mayor Andre Dickens faced a restless city council last week in a nearly seven-hour marathon session over his sweeping 20-year, $5.5 billion neighborhood reinvestment plan. Dickens didn't shy away from the moment — at one point declaring, "I'm Atlanta born, I'm Atlanta bred. And when I die, I'm going to be Atlanta dead." Whether you're for it or against it, a plan this size will touch every corner of this city.

Japanese-American Candidate Makes History with Landslide Primary Win in DeKalb County
DeKalb County voters sent a clear message in last week's primary, delivering a landslide win for a Japanese-American candidate in a historic first for the county. The result is a win for AAPI and LGBTQ representation in county government.

Atlanta school board members seem skeptical of mayor's tax extension plan
Mayor Dickens isn't just facing pushback at city hall; Atlanta Board of Education members are now raising pointed questions about his proposed tax extension and what it means for school funding. For families in this part of town who have a lot riding on both their tax bills and the quality of local schools, this tension is one to watch closely.

Atlanta festivals, events and parties to check out during the FIFA World Cup
The World Cup is coming to Atlanta, and the city is not planning to play it cool. The AJC has rounded up the full slate of festivals, street parties, and watch events happening across town — expect packed patios, louder neighbors, and a whole lot of energy spilling into the streets all summer long.

EVENTS

Monday, June 1
- Story Time | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Serviceberry Fe(a)st ATL 2026 | The Deer and The Dove
- Shakespeare on Draught presents: Twelfth Night | 97 Estoria
- Looking for Frank Wills: Wesley Brown with Daniel Black | Decatur Library

Tuesday, June 2
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Graphic Novel Book Club | Decatur Library

Wednesday, June 3
- Zoning Committee Meeting June | Candler Park
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Carter Library Book Club | Jimmy Carter Presidential Library

Thursday, June 4
- Meet a Ranger | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Amplify Decatur Music Festival | Downtown Decatur Square
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – June | Woodlands Garden

Friday, June 5
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Gutenberg! The Musical! - Opening Night! | Dad's Garage

Saturday, June 6
- Culturally Relevant Science | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Meet a Ranger | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Drive-By Truckers | Decatur Square
- Baseball Opening Day Parade | Oakhurst Park
- King of Pops Yoga | Historic 4th Ward Park
- Decatur FC VS. Nashville | Decatur High School
- History, Mystery, and Mayhem | Oakland Cemetery
- Family Yoga: Yoga with Your Little Yogi | Decatur Library
- The Cleverlys | Eddie's Attic

Sunday, June 7
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History

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GOVERNMENT

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 DeKalb County Board of Commissioners held two sessions this week — a regular meeting on May 26 and a zoning meeting on May 28 — with neither set of minutes yet posted, so all items below reflect what was scheduled rather than confirmed outcomes. At the May 26 regular meeting, commissioners were set to adopt tentative 2026 millage rates — the first formal step toward this year's property tax bills — alongside proposed fee increases for residential trash pickup and stormwater utility management, both of which would directly affect household costs across the county. Road safety was also a significant focus, with roundabouts proposed at two busy intersections, a $1.86 million security upgrade at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport on the table, and a new ordinance targeting illegal scrap tire dumping. At the May 28 zoning meeting, the board was scheduled to hear a proposal from D.R. Horton to rezone land for a 214-unit single-family subdivision near Norris Lake — a major density increase that would affect traffic in District 5 — along with a cluster of commercial development requests along Memorial Drive and a proposed drive-through facility modification at an existing commercial site on North Druid Hills Road. The board was also set to consider two significant county-wide policy changes: a new ordinance clarifying excise taxes on short-term rentals like Airbnbs, and a "Repeated Nuisance" ordinance that would establish a formal process for penalizing problem properties. As with all agenda-only meetings, any of these items may have been deferred, withdrawn, or tabled before or during the sessions.

DeKalb County School District Board of Education

The DeKalb County School District Board of Education convened two committee meetings on May 28, 2026, both with minutes posted. The Audit Committee reviewed the framework for an upcoming forensic audit — including the designated firm, scope, methodology, and timeline — and received an update on the district's corrective action plan stemming from a prior E-SPLOST audit; no formal votes were taken at that session, as both items were information-only discussions meant to keep the board and public informed about how education tax dollars are being safeguarded. The Policy Committee, meanwhile, took up three policy revisions under active consideration: proposed updates to how board committees are structured (Policy BBC), how board meetings are conducted (Policy BC), and most notably, a new draft policy (JBCF) that would designate school district facilities as "Safe Zones" and establish protocols for staff responding to federal immigration enforcement. Because this was a committee review session rather than a full board vote, none of the three policies were formally adopted — they remain under consideration and are expected to advance to the full Board of Education for further action, with the next Policy Committee review scheduled for June 25, 2026. For families in the district, the immigration safe zones policy in particular is one to watch as it moves through the approval process.

Atlanta City Council

Atlanta City Council committees were unusually active this week across six separate sessions, with a mix of confirmed outcomes and pending votes. On the confirmed side, the Community Development/Human Services Committee voted 6-0 to renew a $1.05 million agreement with Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. for park maintenance, approved $735,000 in federal HOME funds for affordable housing at the Sweet Auburn Grande development, and forwarded to the full Council a nearly $7.9 million proposal to acquire roughly 30 acres along Randall Mill Road for forest and tree preservation — while deferring a sweeping neighborhood reinvestment framework and dozens of industrial-to-mixed-use land use amendments for further review. The Public Safety Committee approved a new pay structure for Atlanta Fire Rescue, a temporary open-container exemption covering Downtown during the FIFA World Cup (June 11–July 19), and a significant policy shift requiring APD to follow up any field drug test with scientific lab confirmation before making an arrest — while holding a proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor. On the agenda-only side, the Transportation Committee was scheduled to consider over $15 million in trail investments — including an $8 million PATH Westside Connector agreement and expanded funding for the PATH 400 trail — plus a $6 million state resurfacing grant and a resolution calling for dedicated bike and vehicle lanes along the Atlanta BeltLine; minutes are posted confirming the meeting occurred but detailed vote outcomes were not captured in available records. The Finance/Executive and City Utilities committees were scheduled to take up FY2027 property tax rate-setting, solid waste fee adjustments, $20 million in sanitary sewer repairs, and new rules governing when properties must connect to public sewer — all agenda items that may have been deferred or modified, as no minutes have been posted for those sessions.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education — June 1, 2026. The board is scheduled to receive a presentation on the E-SPLOST VII Resolution, a proposed education sales tax that funds school construction, technology, and facility renovations across the county. No votes are expected at this called meeting.
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education — June 1, 2026. The board will hold its first public budget presentation and first millage rate hearing, both with community input sessions. No budget adoption or millage rate vote is expected at this session.
- Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education — June 1, 2026. The board is scheduled to take a final vote on the FY 2027 budget and consider a Superintendent contract extension, along with proposals to purchase 22 new school buses, authorize Yondr cell-phone pouches for students, and approve Construction Management at Risk contracts for building improvements at Midtown High School, Maynard Jackson High School, and the Coan administrative site.
- Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council — June 1, 2026 at 11:30 AM. The committee is set to review proposed changes to public comment sign-up procedures and time limits at City Council meetings, along with a held resolution that would station certified law enforcement officers at recreation center polling sites during elections. Citizen appointments to the BeltLine Affordable Housing Advisory Board and BeltLine TAD Advisory Committee are also on the agenda for confirmation.
- Atlanta City Council — June 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM. The full council is scheduled to take up the proposed FY 2027 city budget and property tax rates, a $7.8 million forest land acquisition along Randall Mill Road NW, a $3.5 million police counter-drone technology contract, and a proposed ordinance banning new self-storage facilities within the BeltLine Overlay District. Dozens of zoning cases are also on the agenda, including rezoning proposals and special use permits at properties across the city.
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — June 2, 2026 at 9:00 AM. Commissioners are scheduled to consider proposed increases to stormwater utility and sanitation fees, an extension of the county's moratorium on new data center construction, and roundabout designs for intersections along Ponce De Leon Avenue and Clairmont Road. Also on the agenda are long-pending ordinances targeting chronic nuisance properties and vacant homes, a $325.5 million emergency contract for water and sewer line repairs, and a resolution to establish a civilian oversight board for the county's surveillance camera and license plate reader systems.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1784 N Decatur Rd NE — A full floor-by-floor gut renovation is underway on this multi-story commercial building, with separate permits filed for the basement/ground level, lobby, floors 2, 3, 4, and 5. Each phase involves full demolition and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) overhaul, plus a standalone interior demo permit. The project is currently held up pending additional materials from the applicant. This is a substantial undertaking — when it gets moving, expect noise and disruption along that N. Decatur corridor for a while.
- 586 Candler Park Dr NE — Fire sprinkler upgrade filed for this commercial space, adding two new pendant sprinklers to bring coverage up to NFPA-13 standards. Routine safety work, but a sign the space is active and maintained.
- 1225 Clifton Rd — A $300K duplex permit logged a contractor change. The project itself was previously permitted; this is an administrative update. Worth watching to see what eventually goes up here.

On the residential side, the neighborhood's 34 smaller permits are mostly quiet work — the standout category is 11 arborist permits for dead, dying, or hazardous trees, a notable cluster that may reflect storm damage assessment or proactive tree management ahead of summer weather.

Road Work

Under Construction

- SR 42/US 23 at SR 154 & Arkwright Place (Fulton County) — GDOT is converting the Moreland Avenue intersection at Arkwright Place into a right-in/right-out only, with a new median blocking all left turns. About 2.3 miles away, but if Moreland is part of your regular route south, expect adjustments to how you enter and exit side streets.
- SR 260 at Haas Ave & Eastside Ave (DeKalb County) — Pedestrian crossing improvements, including Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons (RRFBs), are going in at two locations along SR 260, about 2.5 miles out.
- SR 260 at Brownwood Ave & Joseph Ave (DeKalb County) — Same RRFB installation work, slightly further along the corridor. Expect intermittent lane activity at the intersections.
- I-20 from Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road — Lighting Upgrade (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Crews are swapping out old high-pressure sodium highway lights for LED fixtures along this stretch. Primarily a nighttime work zone situation; watch for lane closures if I-20 is in your rotation.

Pre-Construction
- SR 8/SR 10/US 23 Bridge Maintenance at Lullwater Creek (DeKalb County) — Structural maintenance work is planned for the bridge carrying Ponce de Leon Avenue over Lullwater Creek, just 0.4 miles from the neighborhood. If you cross this bridge regularly, expect potential lane restrictions when work gets underway.
- SR 8/US 23 Drainage Improvements, South Ponce de Leon Ave to Ridgecrest Road (DeKalb County) — Drainage upgrades are in the pipeline along Ponce de Leon Ave, a key corridor for Druid Hills and Candler Park commuters. Construction staging along this stretch can be disruptive — worth keeping an eye on as this moves closer to breaking ground.
- SR 8 Roundabouts at Eastlake and North Ponce/Parkwood (DeKalb County) — Two roundabouts are proposed along the Ponce de Leon corridor: one at the SR 8/Eastlake intersection and one at SR 8 at North Ponce, West Parkwood, and East Parkwood. This will reshape how traffic flows through a busy stretch — plan for significant changes to your driving patterns once construction begins.
- SR 8/US 23 Turn Lane Improvements at SR 42 (DeKalb/Fulton Counties) — Planned upgrades at the Ponce de Leon and SR 42 intersection include extending the westbound left turn lane and adding a westbound right turn lane. Spans two counties. A modest improvement that should ease a notoriously congested intersection once complete.

Service Requests

Potholes are making their presence known across several streets — Briarcliff Rd NE (two spots), DeKalb Ave NE, Indiana Ave NE, and the Saint Charles Pl & Briarcliff Rd intersection have all been flagged, with most reports currently in progress.

Traffic signals got some attention this week too. Emergency repairs were completed at DeKalb Ave & Clifton Rd, while non-emergency signal issues at Briarcliff Rd & Chalmette Dr, Clifton Rd, and DeKalb Ave & Clifton Rd are mostly being worked through.

A right-of-way litter removal request is in progress at Ponce de Leon Ave & Springdale Rd, and an overgrowth issue at Durand Dr & Decatur Rd has been resolved. Two downed tree reports on Sterling St NE have also been closed out.