Druid Hills / Candler Park: The Land Trust Needs You, Plus a New Pub Eyes Candler Park

PSA: we’ll be publishing on Tuesday next week, because Memorial Day.

Hey, Druid Hills and Candler Park — a big week for news you'll want to pay attention to. The Lake Claire Community Land Trust is at a genuine crossroads, and the call for new stewards is one of those moments where a beloved greenspace either gets the help it needs or quietly becomes vulnerable. Stick around for that, plus a new Italian restaurant making its neighborhood standing permanent, and some significant road changes headed for Ponce De Leon that will affect your daily commute.

- News — The Lake Claire Land Trust needs fresh volunteers to survive, DeKalb elections go nonpartisan, and the District 3 commission race is heating up with a rematch and a new challenger.
- Business — Gigi's Italian Kitchen makes its McLendon Avenue pop-up permanent
- Events — It's a packed week from tonight's CPNO meeting through the weekend, with contra dancing at the Trolley Barn, live music nearly every night, and Brew at the Zoo on Saturday.
- Government — DeKalb commissioners are weighing new data center regulations, millage rates, and three new roundabouts — including one at Ponce De Leon and East Lake Road — while Atlanta City Council takes up BeltLine lanes and a new APD precinct lease.
- Construction — A restaurant buildout is underway at 1643 McLendon Ave, two roundabouts are proposed along the Ponce De Leon corridor, and potholes on Indiana Ave NE and Oakdale Rd NE have been flagged for repair.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Who will step in to help the Lake Claire Community Land Trust survive?
The 1.5-acre Lake Claire Community Land Trust — a beloved greenspace and gathering place tucked along DeKalb Avenue — is at a crossroads as the longtime stewards who built it are stepping back. Without fresh volunteers willing to join the nonprofit board, this rare patch of community-held land could become vulnerable to the same development pressures that have reshaped so much of the neighborhood around it.

DeKalb Commission approves contract for new fire stations
DeKalb County commissioners have greenlit a significant contract to design and build new fire stations across the county, a move aimed squarely at improving emergency response times. It's the kind of infrastructure investment that doesn't make for flashy headlines, until you need a fire truck fast.

Governor signs bill making DeKalb elections nonpartisan
Governor Kemp has signed legislation shifting several DeKalb County elected positions to a nonpartisan format, a change that will reshape how residents choose their local leaders going forward. The idea is to put individual qualifications front and center, though anyone who follows local politics knows party affiliation has always been just one piece of a much messier puzzle.

DeKalb District 3 primary: Massiah faces rematch, new challenger
The District 3 commission race is heating up, with incumbent Massiah facing both a returning challenger and a fresh face in the primary — keeping the contest genuinely competitive heading into election season. For East Lake and Kirkwood residents, the stakes are real: the seat carries significant influence over infrastructure spending, zoning decisions, and the pace of neighborhood development.

BUSINESS

Gigi's Italian Kitchen - expanding - The seasonally-driven Italian concept that won over McLendon Avenue as a pop-up has made it official, transitioning to a permanent, full-time restaurant at its storefront — good news for anyone who's been quietly panicking about whether their favorite Sunday pasta would disappear.

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EVENTS

The CPNO Monthly Meeting kicks off the week tonight — a good reminder that neighborhood business doesn't stop for summer. Beyond that, it's a remarkably full week across the area, with live music, dancing, author talks, and a packed weekend ahead.

Monday, May 18
- CPNO Monthly Meeting May | Candler Park
- Deep Relaxation: Sound Bath & Breathwork for Stress Relief | Liminal Space
- Andres Cepeda | Variety Playhouse
- Chet Faker | The Masquerade
- White Winged Doves: A Stevie Nicks Poetry Anthology Reading | Decatur Library
- Atlanta Run Club: Monday Night Runs | Ponce City Market

Tuesday, May 19
- New Pornographers w/ Will Sheff | Variety Playhouse
- The Little Mercies: Trolley Barn Contra Dance | Trolley Barn
- Jack Cheevers, Kennedy's Coup Author Talk | Jimmy Carter Presidential Library
- ONE Monthly Meeting | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- DeKalb Symphony Orchestra Season 61 Finale | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Truckin' Tuesdays | Legacy Park

Wednesday, May 20
- An Evening of Conversation with Susan Ford Bales and Lisa McCubbin Hill | Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church
- Hops: The Muleskinner & the King with J. D. Porter | 101 E Court Square, Decatur, GA
- The Overseer Class: A Manifesto -- Steven W. Thrasher in conversation with Donovan X. Ramsey | 184 S. Candler St., Decatur, GA
- Social Circles and Loneliness: How to Stay Connected in Changing Times | Decatur Parks and Recreation

Thursday, May 21
- Third Thursdays Cinemas at Atlanta Dairies Presents: Brink! | Atlanta Dairies
- United States of Rejection: Alison Kinney with Anjali Enjeti | Decatur Library
- Salsa Dancing Class & Tapas Dinner | Buena Vida Tapas Bar
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – May | Woodlands Garden
- Internet Basics - Using the Internet In Everyday Life | Decatur Library
- Jana Kramer | City Winery Atlanta

Friday, May 22
- Decatur FC VS. TN United | Decatur High School
- The Little Mercies: Butterfly Whirl 2026 | Decatur Recreation Center
- Candlelight: Neo-Soul Favorites ft. Songs by Prince, Childish Gambino, & More | The Chapel on Sycamore

Saturday, May 23
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Brew at the Zoo | Zoo Atlanta
- Strawberry Festival | New Realm Brewing
- A Shakespeare Happening Spring Series | Avondale Estates Business District
- The Dynamic! – Funny scenes, songs and games! | Dynamic El Dorado

Sunday, May 24
- Birds Georgia Forest 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

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners had two meetings this past week — a May 12 session and a May 16 session — though minutes are not yet available for either, so actual outcomes and votes remain unknown. On the May 12 agenda, commissioners were scheduled to take up countywide regulations for the booming data center industry, including a proposal to require baseline health and environmental impact studies before new facilities can break ground. Major infrastructure items were also on the table: a $26.58 million proposal to build three new fire stations, a $32.37 million emergency expansion of the Snapfinger wastewater facility, and an $8 million allocation for the South Peachtree Creek Trail extension connecting Medlock Park to the Lulah Hills development — a project of direct interest to residents in this part of the county. The agenda also included a proposed "Water Customer Bill of Rights" following years of billing frustrations, a blasting safety ordinance to protect homeowners near construction sites, and civilian oversight measures for the county's "Digital Shield" surveillance network. Residents should note that any or all of these items may have been deferred, amended, or withdrawn during the actual meetings; confirmed outcomes will only be available once official minutes are posted.

DeKalb County School District Board of Education

The DeKalb County School Board met twice this week — on May 11 and May 15 — with minutes confirmed for both sessions. The May 11 meeting was the heavier of the two: the board approved the FY2027 Tentative Budget and Tax Levy, which sets the preliminary framework for next year's school spending and the millage rate that determines how much DeKalb property owners contribute to the school system. The board also greenlit more than $20 million in service contracts, including $7.5 million for district-wide plumbing repairs, $3.5 million for tree services, $3 million for bleacher replacements across athletic facilities, and $1 million for a new fleet of public safety vehicles — plus a $600,000 contract with Georgia Power to install EV charging infrastructure at the former North Decatur administrative site. The board also approved a student assignment policy update (Policy JBCC), which governs how students are enrolled and how school boundaries operate, and hired a firm for $500,000 to support enrollment recovery efforts aimed at bringing students back to the district. At the shorter May 15 called session, the board approved $3 million in additional spending for supplemental custodial services and a $2.5 million landscaping contract renewal, bringing the week's total authorized spending to well over $25 million.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education — Policy Review Committee

The Atlanta Public Schools Policy Review Committee met on May 14 and, with minutes now available, confirmed final approval of two policy updates: one formalizing how the district manages student counseling and academic career planning, and another tightening oversight of how district employees use credit cards and make purchases — a fiscal accountability measure aimed at ensuring tax dollars are handled transparently. The committee also began discussions on setting screen time limits for students during the school day, though that item did not come to a vote and will return at a future meeting as the district weighs digital learning benefits against health concerns. Members received a status report on surplus district properties — land and buildings the district no longer uses — which often precedes decisions about selling or leasing those sites for redevelopment, though no specific sales were authorized this week. The committee also discussed its role with the Tax Allocation District Advisory Council, which affects how certain property tax revenues are directed toward targeted development projects rather than the general fund.

Atlanta City Council

Atlanta's City Council and its committees were busy across multiple meetings this past week. In a brief Special Called Meeting on May 13, the full Council voted 8-0 to approve the final pricing terms for a series of water and wastewater "Sustainability Bonds," locking in interest rates and repayment schedules for debt that will fund ongoing utility infrastructure improvements — the urgency of the vote was to secure favorable market conditions before rates shifted. The City Utilities Committee (May 12) authorized over $100 million in water and sewer spending, including roughly $70 million across several sanitary sewer repair contracts and a $24 million change order to add the Peachtree Creek Eastside 2B project to ongoing creek infrastructure work — significant for residents in this watershed. The Transportation Committee (May 13) approved $6.4 million in state road maintenance grants and recommended abandoning a stretch of Gilmer Street SE to Georgia State University, while deferring the contentious proposal for dedicated bike and motorized vehicle lanes on the Atlanta BeltLine and stalling a $3.6 million Peachtree Street improvement grant for additional review. The Finance/Executive Committee (May 13) approved a $200,000 donation to the Piedmont Park Conservancy and advanced new Enterprise Zone infrastructure fees, but held the FY2027 budget, property tax rates, and a long-awaited Atlanta Fire Rescue compensation plan for further review. The Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee (May 11) approved a $4.89 million demolition and asbestos abatement contract, authorized a $400,000 legal settlement in the Linnet Carty case, and held the proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor at the sponsor's request. The Zoning Committee (May 11) approved a 24.7-acre planned residential development and rezoned 13 acres near the BeltLine from industrial to multi-family housing, while deferring a large mixed-use project on Sylvan Road — which already faces denial recommendations from city staff — and closing the door on a proposed community center permit on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. The Community Development/Human Services Committee (May 12) took up several land-use redesignations, a $1.05 million BeltLine parks maintenance renewal, a proposal to create a short-term rental registry, and formal adoption of neighborhood plans for Peachtree Park and Edgewood, though minutes are not yet posted so actual outcomes for those items remain unconfirmed.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council — Monday, May 18 at 11:30 AM
The committee is scheduled to take up a resolution requesting certified law enforcement at Atlanta recreation centers used as polling sites, and will consider authorizing an independent investigation into city contracts and administrative actions involving Foris Webb, III. Also on the agenda: appointments to the Budget Commission ahead of FY2027 planning, and a proposed charter change that would require a council member to be listed as primary sponsor on most legislation.

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Monday, May 18 at 1:00 PM
The committee will consider a sweeping series of land use changes that would convert industrial parcels along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue NW into high-density mixed-use development. Also on the agenda: a resolution to add dedicated bike and motorized vehicle lanes on the Atlanta Beltline, a proposal to make summer camp free for children who qualify for free or reduced lunch, and a measure to create an Office of Short-Term Rentals with mandatory permitting requirements.

- Atlanta City Council — Monday, May 18 at 1:00 PM
The full council is scheduled to consider rezoning a 13-acre site at 1125 Johnson Road and 1430 Rockdale Street NW from townhomes to apartments, and a separate proposal to rezone nearly 25 acres at 1981 County Line Road SW for a large planned residential development. Also on the agenda: a proposed five-year lease at 2025 Hosea Williams Drive SE for a new APD Zone 6 precinct, a land sale to GDOT at 3711 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW to support the I-285/I-20 interchange reconstruction, and a $1.05 million renewal for Atlanta Beltline greenspace maintenance.

- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — Thursday, May 21 at 9:00 AM
The board is scheduled to consider the tentative 2026 millage rates alongside proposed fee increases for sanitation, stormwater, and courthouse parking. Also on the agenda: three new roundabouts, including one at SR 8/Ponce De Leon Avenue NE at East Lake Road NE, a resolution to establish independent civilian oversight of the county's "Digital Shield" surveillance network, and a review of whether to extend the moratorium on adult entertainment businesses countywide.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

Permits

- 1643 McLendon Ave NE — Commercial plumbing and electrical permits filed for what looks like a restaurant or café buildout. New wiring, new service, grease trap, the works.
- Dan Johnson Rd — $150K permit closed for a new loggia and covered/uncovered patio addition at the rear of an existing home. A big backyard upgrade by neighborhood standards.

Elsewhere, the area logged 25 smaller residential and minor permits, including a notable 10 arborist permits for dead, dying, or hazardous trees — a reminder that the tree canopy here requires real upkeep. A handful of home additions and alterations round out the week.

Road Work

Under Construction

- SR 42/US 23 at SR 154 & Arkwright Place (Fulton County) — Intersection work converting the Moreland Avenue and Arkwright Place junction into a right-in/right-out configuration, with a new median eliminating left turns in and out. If you cut through this way heading south toward Grant Park or East Atlanta, expect changed traffic patterns.
- SR 260 at Haas Ave, Eastside Ave & Brownwood Ave — RRFB Installations (DeKalb County) — Pedestrian safety upgrades adding Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons at several crosswalks along SR 260. Minor disruption to traffic flow during installation, but a welcome improvement for anyone on foot.
- I-20 Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road — Lighting Upgrade (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Crews are replacing outdated high-pressure sodium fixtures with LED lighting along this stretch of I-20. Primarily nighttime lane closures to watch for if I-20 is part of your commute.

Pre-Construction
- SR 8/SR 10/US 23 Bridge at Lullwater Creek (DeKalb County) — Maintenance work is coming to the bridge carrying Ponce De Leon Avenue over Lullwater Creek, just under half a mile from the neighborhood core. Expect lane restrictions when this one gets underway.
- SR 8/US 23 Drainage Improvements, South Ponce De Leon Ave to Ridgecrest Road (DeKalb County) — Drainage upgrades are planned along Ponce De Leon Ave on this stretch of the urban arterial. Work like this typically means intermittent lane closures and slow patches through the corridor.
- 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 a second at SR 8 where North Ponce, West Parkwood, and East Parkwood meet. This is a significant reconfiguration of a stretch many Druid Hills and Candler Park residents drive daily — worth watching closely as it moves toward construction.
- SR 8/US 23 at SR 42 Intersection Improvements (DeKalb/Fulton Counties) — Turn lane upgrades are planned at the Ponce De Leon/SR 42 intersection, including an extended westbound left turn lane and a new westbound right turn lane. Spans both DeKalb and Fulton counties.

Utility Work

DeKalb County
- DeKalb Announces Memorial Day Residential Sanitation Collection Schedule — Trash and recycling pickup schedules will shift around Memorial Day. Check the county site to confirm your collection day.

Service Requests
- Potholes — Reported on Indiana Ave NE and Oakdale Rd NE, with multiple complaints filed across both streets over the past week.
- Right-of-Way Overgrowth — Visibility and vegetation issues flagged at Howard Cir NE, E Lake Rd NE at Ridgecrest Rd, and Ridgecrest Rd at DeKalb Ave.
- Graffiti Removal — A right-of-way graffiti complaint is in progress on Moreland Ave NE.
- Traffic Signal Repair — A non-emergency signal issue at DeKalb Ave and Clifton Rd has been resolved.