Druid Hills / Candler Park: DeKalb DA Goes to Court and World Cup is Here

Hey, Druid Hills and Candler Park! Slower week in the neighborhood, but big week for the city and county. The DeKalb DA is taking the state to court over a new elections law that could reshape your local ballot, and the World Cup has officially arrived with watch parties, kickoff festivals, and Big Boi nearby on the Decatur Square all on tap this week. Plenty to dig into below.

- News — The DeKalb DA is suing the state over a nonpartisan elections law, county commissioners want to double the buffer between data centers and homes, and schools are gearing up for a major sales tax vote.
- Events — It's World Cup week in full force, with watch parties at Pullman Yards and Wild Heaven Beer, Big Boi live on the Decatur Square Thursday, Stewart Copeland at City Winery Tuesday, and a beaver complex tour at Legacy Park.
- Government — A $325 million water and sewer contract advanced in DeKalb, Atlanta's City Council banned self-storage along the Beltline, and the FY2027 city budget and tax rates are heading back to committee.
- Construction — An $850K gut-renovation leads a busy permit week, a major floor-by-floor overhaul is underway at 1784 N Decatur Rd, and two roundabouts are planned along the Ponce de Leon corridor that will change how locals navigate that stretch daily.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

DeKalb Schools prepares vote on sales tax, bonding authority
The DeKalb County School District is moving toward a public vote on extending its sales tax and establishing new bonding authority — decisions that will shape how the district funds buildings, buses, and capital upgrades for years to come. If you have kids in DeKalb public schools, or simply care about the health of neighborhood institutions, this is a vote worth watching closely.

DeKalb DA files lawsuit against nonpartisan elections law
District Attorney Sherry Boston is taking the state to court over a new law that would require nonpartisan local elections in DeKalb and several other metro counties — a change critics argue is a power grab dressed up as reform. The legal outcome could determine whether party affiliation stays on your local ballot, which is no small thing when it comes to down-ballot races that directly affect your neighborhood.

Some DeKalb leaders want to double distance required between data centers, homes
Data centers have been quietly multiplying across DeKalb, and some commissioners have had enough — they're pushing to double the required buffer zone between these massive facilities and residential areas. The noise, the heat, the 24-hour hum: neighbors near existing centers know exactly why this matters, and the zoning fight ahead will determine how much protection future residents get.

Where to watch the World Cup around Atlanta
The World Cup is here, and Atlanta — as a host city — has every reason to make some noise about it. Whether you're a lifelong soccer devotee or just looking for an excuse to crowd into a bar and feel part of something bigger, this guide has you covered on the best spots around the city to catch the matches.

EVENTS | Presented by

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The FIFA World Cup 26 kicks off this week, and our corner of Atlanta is fully in the mix. From a massive viewing party at Pullman Yards to neighborhood kickoff festivals and bar watch parties, the beautiful game is coming to us — plan your routes accordingly and expect enthusiastic crowds.

Monday, June 8
- CPNO Board Meeting June | Candler Park
- Story Time | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Eddie's Attic Songwriters Open Mic Night | Eddie’s Attic

Tuesday, June 9
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Stewart Copeland | City Winery Atlanta
- Legacy Park Beaver Complex Tour | Legacy Park

Wednesday, June 10
- Tony Shhnow, Key!, WiFiGawd, Yonder | Factor's
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Beverly Gage Author Program | Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum
- Josh Rouse | Eddie’s Attic
- Volunteer Project | Woodlands Garden

Thursday, June 11
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Big Boi | Downtown Decatur Square
- Decatur WatchFest '26 | Decatur Square
- Old 4th Ward Kickoff Festival & Viewing Party for World Cup 2026 | Historic Fourth Ward Park
- Chair Yoga for Adults | Chamblee, GA
- Gutenberg! The Musical! | Dad's Garage
- Sustainable Landscaping Volunteer Day | Legacy Park
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – June | Woodlands Garden
- Sunset Tree Tour: Atlanta Memorial Park Forest | Dekalb Memorial Park
- Decatur WatchFest 26 | Downtown Decatur Square

Friday, June 12
- Fernbank After Dark: Game Changers | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- FIFA World Cup 26™ Visa Cash App Viewing Event | Pullman Yards
- Qigong/Dao Yin Class: Mindful Movement Series | Woodlands Garden
- World Cup Kick Off | Wild Heaven Beer

Saturday, June 13
- Explorasaurus Rex | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- T. rex: The Ultimate Predator | Fernbank Museum
- Kids Concert at Lostintheletters | Lostintheletters
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Introducing O4W Soccer Program, Kickoff Festival | Historic Fourth Ward Park

Sunday, June 14
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History

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 – Committee of the Whole

The committee's biggest move was advancing a $325.5 million multi-year emergency contract for countywide water and sewer repairs and replacements — one of the largest infrastructure commitments in recent county history — splitting the work among six vendors to ensure rapid response capacity. The committee also forwarded a $20.6 million contract for construction management on the next phases of the Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Facility expansion, and routed a $29.8 million payment to the City of Atlanta covering joint water and sewer capital improvement projects dating back to 2021. On a policy front, commissioners moved to schedule a public hearing on whether to extend DeKalb's existing moratorium on new data centers, giving residents a formal opportunity to weigh in before any decision is made. A proposed ordinance amendment to create a line-of-duty death benefit for county employees, officers, and deputies — effective for deaths occurring on or after September 1, 2026 — was also forwarded to a public hearing. Several district-level items, including mobile veterinary services funding and a local kudzu removal program, were placed on the consent agenda for routine approval at the full board meeting.

Atlanta City Council

The council had a packed June 1 session, voting unanimously 13-0 to ban all new self-storage facilities within the Beltline Overlay District — a significant land-use decision aimed at keeping Beltline-adjacent parcels available for active, mixed-use development rather than low-employment storage uses. On the infrastructure side, the council approved a sweeping $1.26 billion bond budget amendment for water and wastewater projects, along with $20 million for sanitary sewer repairs, $8.5 million for asphalt resurfacing, and $4.2 million for water plant maintenance — a combined investment that reflects the aging state of the city's core systems. The council also approved $735,000 in federal HOME funds redirected to the Sweet Auburn Grande development to secure affordable housing units, and renewed a $1.05 million contract with Atlanta Beltline, Inc. to maintain parks and greenspaces within the Beltline Tax Allocation District. One significant item did not get resolved: final votes on both the proposed FY2027 city budget and the accompanying property tax millage rates were sent back to the Finance/Executive Committee for further review, meaning residents won't yet know what next year's tax bill looks like. The council's Committee on Council, which met earlier the same morning, approved procedural reforms to public comment sign-ups and proclamation time-tracking at council meetings, while deferring more contested measures — including a resolution to station certified law enforcement officers at polling sites and a request to independently investigate city contracts with a specific individual — for further deliberation.

DeKalb County School District – Board of Education

The DeKalb County School Board held two called meetings on June 1, neither of which produced final votes or adopted policies, but both signal significant financial decisions on the near horizon. The first meeting was dedicated to a presentation on E-SPLOST VII — the next round of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that funds school construction, technology, and facility upgrades through a local sales tax — with no vote taken, meaning residents should expect a formal resolution to come before the board in the coming weeks. The second meeting served as the district's first budget presentation and first millage rate hearing, both paired with community input sessions where residents could speak before any numbers are set. No budget was adopted and no millage rate was established at this session; these are the opening rounds of a process that will ultimately determine how much DeKalb homeowners pay in school taxes next year. For residents who want to influence those outcomes, these early public hearings are the most direct point of entry before the board moves toward a vote.

Atlanta Public Schools – Board of Education

The Atlanta Board of Education's June 1 agenda was headlined by a scheduled final vote on the FY2027 budget — covering the General Fund, Special Revenue, SPLOST, Nutrition, and Student Activity funds — which, if adopted, sets school funding levels and has direct implications for property tax distributions across the city. The board also had on the table a proposal to purchase Yondr cell-phone pouches, a device that locks student phones in a secure pouch during the school day, suggesting the district is moving toward a formal phone restriction policy. On the capital side, the board was set to consider Construction Management at Risk contracts for building and site improvements at Midtown High School and Maynard Jackson High School, as well as administrative consolidation work at the former Coan Middle School site. Additional items included authorization to buy 22 new school buses and 13 service vehicles for facilities, transportation, and safety departments, plus a public safety radio signal enhancement to ensure first responders can communicate inside school buildings. Note: This meeting was agenda-only at the time of our data pull — items listed above were scheduled for consideration and may have been tabled, deferred, or amended before any final action was taken.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee — Monday, June 8, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Major rezoning proposals are on the agenda, including a 12.5-acre Beltline-adjacent industrial site at 1200 White Street SW proposed for high-density mixed-use development, and a sweeping series of Upper Westside properties along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue proposed to transition from heavy industrial to mixed residential and commercial zoning. A city-wide text amendment establishing buffer zones and special use permit requirements for medical cannabis dispensaries is also scheduled for consideration.

- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee — Monday, June 8, 2026 at 1:00 PM
The committee is scheduled to consider a $3.5 million counter-drone detection system for the Atlanta Police Department, a retroactive lease extension to keep APD's Zone 6 Precinct at its Kirkwood church location through 2030, and a $500,000 civil lawsuit settlement. A proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor remains held in committee.

- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM

- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners — Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM

- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee — Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 10:00 AM
The committee is scheduled to take up a proposed $1.88 million land acquisition to construct the "Valley of the Hawks" wetlands for stormwater management, a rate study and fee adjustment ordinance for solid waste services, and a proposal to reinstate green infrastructure requirements for developers that were removed in 2020. Council information requests tracking storm drain cleanings following the May 20 flooding and investigating fish deaths in the Chattahoochee River are also on the agenda.

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 1:30 PM
The committee is set to consider a proposal to acquire nearly 30 acres along Randall Mill Road NW for permanent forest conservation at a cost of up to $7.85 million, along with a $4.5 million funding correction for a new gym at Chastain Park. A lease extension for the East Atlanta Kids Club at Brownwood Park Recreation Center and a land donation at 0 Eugenia Street SW earmarked for affordable housing development are also scheduled for review.

- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee — Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM
A proposed ordinance banning heavy commercial truck cut-throughs on residential streets in the Cabbagetown Landmark District is scheduled for consideration, alongside a new requirement for construction crews to provide temporary pedestrian walkways when sidewalks are blocked. More than $9.3 million in road resurfacing contracts and a $43.8 million SkyTrain modernization project at Hartsfield-Jackson are also on the agenda.

- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee — Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 1:30 PM
The committee is scheduled to consider adoption of the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 city budget and the setting of property tax rates, including levies for the general fund, parks, bonded debt, and special service districts covering the Atlanta BeltLine and the Atlanta Stitch. A consumer protection ordinance for park-for-hire lots and several annexation proposals that would bring unincorporated properties into Atlanta city limits and the Atlanta Public Schools district are also on the agenda.

- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners — Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM

- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education — Thursday, June 11, 2026
The board is scheduled to hold its second public hearing on the proposed millage rate, offering residents an opportunity to comment on the school district's property tax rate before any final vote is taken.

- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education — Monday, June 15, 2026

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits

A busy stretch at 1784 N Decatur Rd NE has multiple permits filed for a full building renovation — interior demo, MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) overhauls, and floor-by-floor gut work spanning the ground level through floors 4 and 5. A separate demo-only permit is also moving through review. Something significant is being remade here; worth watching for what comes next.

- 1798 DeKalb Ave NE — Window replacements on this multifamily building. Routine upkeep, but a sign the ownership is investing in the property.
- E Clifton Rd — $270K renovation of a single-family home's entire first floor: kitchen, living and dining rooms, mudroom, powder bath, and pantry. A serious overhaul.
- Clifton Rd — The big one this week: an $850K renovation of a two-story house, covering a kitchen, five bathrooms, six bedrooms, laundry, and office — plus a new one-story rear addition. One of the larger residential projects to hit the area recently.
- DeKalb Ave NE — A ground-floor bonus room in a townhouse is being converted into a full bedroom by adding a bathroom and closet. Small project, but it's navigating additional materials review, so it's not a done deal yet.

Elsewhere, 18 routine residential permits — HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and minor repairs — totaled just under $37K combined.

Road Work

Under Construction

- SR 42/US 23 at Arkwright Place (Fulton County) — The intersection of Moreland Avenue and Arkwright Place is being converted to a right-in/right-out configuration, meaning a new median will eliminate left turns at that spot. If you cut through this stretch heading south toward East Atlanta, expect adjusted traffic patterns.
- SR 260 Pedestrian Improvements at Haas Ave, Eastside Ave & Brownwood Ave (DeKalb County) — GDOT is installing Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons (RRFBs) at several crosswalks along SR 260. These are the flashing pedestrian crossing signals that improve visibility for drivers — good news for walkability in the broader area.
- I-20 Lighting Upgrade, Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Crews are replacing outdated high-pressure sodium lights with LED fixtures along this I-20 corridor. Lane closures are possible during overnight work hours, so if I-20 is part of your evening commute, give yourself extra cushion.

Pre-Construction
- SR 8/SR 10/US 23 Bridge over Lullwater Creek (DeKalb County) — Maintenance work is planned for the bridge carrying Ponce de Leon Avenue over Lullwater Creek, just steps from the neighborhood. Expect lane impacts on Ponce when this one gets rolling.
- SR 8/US 23 Drainage Improvements, South Ponce de Leon Ave to Ridgecrest Road (DeKalb County) — Drainage upgrades are in the pipeline along this stretch of Ponce de Leon Ave. This is a principal arterial, so construction will likely mean disruptions along one of the area's busiest corridors.
- SR 8 Roundabouts at Eastlake and North Ponce/Parkwood (DeKalb County) — Two roundabouts are proposed along the Ponce de Leon corridor: one at Eastlake Drive and one at the North Ponce de Leon/West Parkwood/East Parkwood intersection. Big changes coming to a stretch locals navigate daily.
- SR 8/US 23 @ SR 42 Intersection Improvements (DeKalb/Fulton Counties) — Turn lane extensions and additions are planned at the Ponce de Leon/Freedom Parkway interchange. The westbound left and right turn lanes both get more storage capacity, which should ease some of the chronic backup at that intersection.
- DeKalb Ave @ CSX Railroad Crossing Upgrade (DeKalb County) — New two-quadrant warning devices are set to be installed at the CSX crossing on DeKalb Avenue. A relatively contained project, but expect short-term disruptions on DeKalb Ave when work begins.

Service Requests
- Traffic Signal Issues — Multiple intersections flagged for repairs, including DeKalb Ave & Clifton Rd (both routine and emergency-level reports), Oakdale Rd & Fairview Rd, Decatur Rd & Haygood Dr, Haygood Dr NE & N Decatur Rd, and Ponce de Leon Ave & Springdale Rd. The DeKalb & Clifton signals drew the most attention, with six reports filed between June 1–4.
- Potholes — Reported on DeKalb Ave NE, at DeKalb Ave & Oakdale Rd, and at Saint Charles Pl & Briarcliff Rd.