Edgewood / Kirkwood / East Lake: Crumbl Cookies Is Coming — Plus $80M in County Infrastructure

Hey, Edgewood, Kirkwood, and East Lake — a lot moved this week, from a cult-favorite cookie chain filing permits on Caroline Street to DeKalb County pushing more than $80 million in infrastructure spending through committee. And if you haven't marked your calendar yet, the Kirkwood Spring Fling is this Saturday at Bessie Branham Park — don't miss it.

- News — DeKalb's new blight tax puts financial pressure on neglected property owners, and Atlanta City Council advanced a $10 billion neighborhood reinvestment plan that could mean real long-term gains for East Lake and Edgewood.
- Business — Crumbl Cookies has filed permits for a 1,403-square-foot location in the Edgewood Retail District, and the East Lake Family YMCA has opened summer camp registration.
- Events — The Kirkwood Spring Fling and Tour of Homes returns to Bessie Branham Park on Saturday, and unfortunately competes with VaHi Porchfest on the same day… maybe try to hit both?
- Government — DeKalb County advanced $26.5M to build three new fire stations and fast-tracked $53M in emergency sewer repairs, while a proposed alcohol license moratorium on the Edgewood Corridor heads to committee Monday.
- Construction — Maynard Terrace townhomes are getting close to move-in ready, a parking deck is taking shape on Rogers Street, and two roundabouts are proposed along the Ponce de Leon corridor near East Lake — one worth watching closely.

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Let’s dive in.

NEWS

DeKalb County Rolls Out New Blight Tax to Target Neglected Properties
If you've got a boarded-up eyesore on your block, the county is now putting real financial pressure on the people responsible for it. DeKalb's new blight tax hits owners of abandoned and neglected properties where it hurts — the wallet — with the goal of pushing those parcels toward redevelopment rather than continued decay.

Atlanta City Council Moves Forward with $10 Billion Neighborhood Reinvestment Plan
Ten billion dollars is a number worth paying attention to. The Atlanta City Council has accepted recommendations for a sweeping reinvestment initiative targeting infrastructure and affordable housing — and neighborhoods like East Lake and Edgewood, which sit within or near Tax Allocation Districts, could be in line for meaningful long-term gains if TAD extensions move forward.

DeKalb County to Begin Construction on Major Sewer Infrastructure Project
Not glamorous, but absolutely essential: construction on Section 1 of the Shoal Creek Trunk Sewer Project kicks off May 20. It's part of DeKalb's broader push to modernize aging utility infrastructure and stay in compliance with environmental standards — the kind of work you only notice when it doesn't happen.

DeKalb County Raises Minimum Wage for Government Employees
DeKalb County has raised its minimum wage to $20 an hour for all full-time government workers, a move aimed squarely at keeping and attracting the people who keep county services running. The change affects thousands of employees across the region — the folks staffing the offices, maintaining the roads, and showing up when residents need help.

BUSINESS

Crumbl Cookies - expanding - The cult-favorite cookie chain has filed permits for a 1,403-square-foot location at 1250 Caroline Street in the Edgewood Retail District, bringing its rotating weekly menu of oversized, elaborately frosted cookies to the neighborhood sometime this summer.

East Lake Family YMCA - opening - The branch at East Lake has officially kicked off its 2026 summer day camp season, giving neighborhood kids a structured, activity-packed alternative to staring at screens all summer — and giving parents a reliable childcare option through the warmer months.

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EVENTS

One of our city’s premier events in VaHi Porchfest is back this Saturday. More locally, the Kirkwood Spring Fling and Tour of Homes returns to Bessie Branham Park this Saturday, and it's the kind of event that defines what makes this corner of Atlanta special — a beloved annual tradition that brings the whole neighborhood out to celebrate community, creativity, and the homes that make Kirkwood one of Atlanta's most distinctive places to live. If you're planning to be in the area, expect a festive atmosphere and some extra foot traffic around the park.

Monday, May 11
- Monday FUNday - Half-Priced Cocktails | Wild Heaven Beer
- Thornhill w/ Fox Lake | Variety Playhouse
- Summer Reading Challenge Scavenger Hunt | Decatur Library

Tuesday, May 12
- Tom Morello | The Eastern
- Pruning for Beginners | Chamblee, GA
- Decatur Architecture Walking Tour 2026 | 101 E Court Square, Decatur, GA
- Toadies: The Charmer Tour | The Masquerade
- Truckin' Tuesdays | Legacy Park
- Yellow: Amy Pence in conversation with Robert Gwaltney | Decatur Library
- $5 Beer Trivia Tuesdays in Avondale | Wild Heaven Beer

Wednesday, May 13
- ONE Transportation Committee Meeting | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- Mac DeMarco | The Eastern
- Overjoyed: A Jazz Tribute to Stevie Wonder | Eddie's Attic
- Popsicle & Cocktail party | The Zero Co
- Monthly Sapphic Writing Group | 184 S. Candler St., Decatur, GA
- Strumbrush | The Earl

Thursday, May 14
- 17th Annual Atlanta Shorts Fest | 7 Stages
- Storytime with Christian Robinson - Dad! | DeKalb County Public Library Decatur Branch
- Cocktails & Conversation with Authors Pamela Norsworthy & Pamela Terry | The Reading Room
- Drayton Farley Special Duo Performance feat. Jimmy Teardrop w/ support from Landon Smith | Eddie's Attic

Friday, May 15
- The Black Angels: Passover 2026 Tour | Variety Playhouse
- Candlelight: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac - Decatur | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Pete Correale | Eddie's Attic
- Bella White | Aisle 5
- End of the Year Bash - Grades 3-5 | Ebster Gym

Saturday, May 16
- VaHi Porchfest | Virginia-Highland

- Kirkwood Spring Fling and Tour of Homes | Bessie Branham Park
- Edgewood Neighborhood Flow | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- Endangered Species Day | Zoo Atlanta
- Used Book Sale | Decatur Library
- Summer Reading Pancake Launch Party! | Little Shop of Stories
- Olmsted Linear Park Volunteer Workday at Shadyside Park | Druid Hills Civic Association Events
- Buy Her Flowers Pop Up Experience | 1071 Ormewood Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA
- Culturally Relevant Science | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- SSSS presents: Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster | Plaza Atlanta

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 Planning Commission

The DeKalb County Planning Commission had a packed session on May 5, blocking several industrial and commercial proposals that neighbors had pushed back on while continuing to approve smaller residential infill projects. Commissioners denied a concrete recycling plant and a drive-through car wash on Memorial Drive by unanimous votes, and also rejected a proposal to convert a residential lot into a tire shop and emissions station 8-0. On the housing side, new small-lot single-family developments were approved at two sites, and a personal care home for up to six adults received a Special Land Use Permit — reflecting the county's ongoing push to add residential density on underused parcels. A massive proposed 214-unit subdivision was deferred until July for further review, giving residents and commissioners more time to weigh in. The commission also elected new leadership and approved a countywide update to Short-Term Rental tax and zoning rules on a 7-0-1 vote.

DeKalb County Committee of the Whole

DeKalb County commissioners moved more than $80 million in major infrastructure and public safety spending forward at their May 5 Committee of the Whole meeting. The committee advanced a $26.5 million contract to build three new fire stations and fast-tracked roughly $53 million in emergency repairs at the Snapfinger Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility — upgrades designed to prevent sewage overflows during heavy rain events. An $8 million SPLOST-funded extension of the South Peachtree Creek Trail also cleared the committee, along with a resolution to create independent civilian oversight of the county's "Digital Shield" surveillance program, a meaningful step toward public accountability for how the county uses camera and monitoring infrastructure. A proposed stormwater utility fee increase was sent to the Public Works & Infrastructure Committee for additional vetting before any final vote. The committee also advanced ordinances addressing vagrancy and unauthorized camping and a ban on pet shop sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits, both of which now head to the full Board of Commissioners.

DeKalb County Special Called Meeting

DeKalb County commissioners convened a brief Special Called Meeting on May 5 to handle a narrow but consequential agenda. The board approved real estate property tax refunds for six commercial properties under a state law — O.C.G.A. § 48-5-380 — that allows taxpayers to reclaim taxes that were erroneously or illegally assessed, resolving what appear to be specific assessment disputes, though the businesses involved and dollar amounts were not disclosed publicly. Commissioners also voted to enter a closed executive session, which under Georgia law is reserved for sensitive matters such as pending litigation, real estate negotiations, or personnel decisions. While the meeting was short, the tax refund approval is a reminder that commercial property assessments are routinely contested — and that outcomes of those disputes can quietly move through the board with little fanfare.

Atlanta City Council

The Atlanta City Council approved a $1.3 billion bond issuance on May 4 to fund improvements at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and signed off on a $39 million contract to build a new 911 Center — two of the largest single expenditures the council has approved in recent memory. FIFA World Cup preparations moved into high gear as well, with the council authorizing a $52.1 million grant application and temporarily lifting the city's public drinking ban in specific downtown areas from June 11 through July 19, 2026. On a more local scale, a new technical advisory group will now review how major festivals impact Piedmont Park, and a moratorium was placed on the proposed sale and redevelopment of a city-owned property on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway pending a community impact review — a signal that residents' concerns about displacement are getting traction at City Hall. The council also passed a resolution ordering a review of all administrative offices not mandated by the City Charter for potential staffing reductions, a move that could reshape city government depending on what the review finds.

Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council

The Committee on Council spent most of its May 4 meeting on board appointments and a notable election security resolution, while stalling several higher-profile items. On a 4-0 vote, the committee recommended requiring POST-certified law enforcement officers at every city recreation center used as a polling place — a move aimed at voter safety that now heads to the full council, though Councilmembers Dozier and Bakhtiari abstained. Several new members were recommended for the Municipal Market Board and the Atlanta Beltline's Affordable Housing and Tax Allocation District advisory committees, keeping those oversight bodies staffed as Beltline development accelerates. Two significant items were held without action: an ordinance that would require a primary council sponsor for most new legislation, and a resolution to hire outside counsel for an independent investigation into city contracts tied to Foris Webb, III — the latter deferral leaving unresolved questions about contract oversight that the full council will eventually need to address.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education

The Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education approved a $1.6 billion tentative budget for FY2027 on May 4, passing unanimously on its first of two required readings; the budget includes $1.3 billion for general operations, $174 million in SPLOST capital funds, and $40.6 million for school nutrition. The board also cleared the way for 38 property parcels — previously encumbered by outstanding school taxes and penalties — to be transferred to the Metro Atlanta Land Bank for affordable housing development under the City of Atlanta's Housing Affordability Action Plan, a notable intersection of school finance policy and the city's housing crisis. A MARTA easement at the district's Metro Transportation Facility was approved to support regional transit infrastructure, and the board authorized use of state grant funding for student mental health services. All major items passed 9-0, and following an executive session, the board voted to retain the employment of a staff member whose case had gone through the tribunal process.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee — Monday, May 11 at 11:00 AM
The committee will take up a wide-ranging docket of rezoning requests and special use permits across the city, including a 24-acre planned residential development on County Line Road, a high-density apartment rezoning on 13 acres near Johnson Road, and the "Terminal South" mixed-use conversion on Hank Aaron Drive. Rule changes affecting the Cabbagetown and MLK Jr. Landmark Districts are also on the agenda. Two properties in the Edgewood/Inman Park area — 78 and 88 Howard Street NE — are scheduled for a vote on rezoning from R-4A to Planned Development for a 0.66-acre housing project.

- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee — Monday, May 11 at 1:00 PM
Two items will be of particular interest to readers in this area: a proposed lease for 2025 Hosea Williams Drive SE to serve as the new home of APD Zone 6's main precinct, and a proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor. The committee will also consider firefighter pay increases, a nearly $5 million contract extension for citywide demolition services, and a slate of resident property damage claims.

- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners — Tuesday, May 12 at 9:00 AM

- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee — Tuesday, May 12 at 10:00 AM
The committee is set to consider more than $50 million in sanitary sewer repair contracts, an $8.5 million road resurfacing package, and a $24 million expansion of the Peachtree Creek watershed infrastructure project. A proposal to convey city-owned property on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to GDOT for the I-285/I-20 West Interchange reconstruction is also on the agenda.

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Tuesday, May 12 at 1:30 PM

- Atlanta City Council — Wednesday, May 13 at 9:30 AM

- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee — Wednesday, May 13 at 10:00 AM
The committee is expected to take up a resolution calling for dedicated bicycle and motorized-vehicle lanes along the Atlanta BeltLine to improve pedestrian safety, a $3.6 million Peachtree Street improvement grant, and an $824,000 pedestrian mobility project on Campbellton Road. A public hearing is also scheduled on a proposal to close a portion of Gilmer Street SE and transfer it to Georgia State University.

- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee — Wednesday, May 13 at 1:30 PM
The committee's headline item is consideration of the city's proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget and property tax rates. Also on the agenda: an annexation vote for several properties on Woodland Avenue NE into Atlanta city limits and Atlanta Public Schools, a $1.26 million contract for in-stream litter collection devices in city waterways, and a utility easement correction at 2041 Delano Drive (Bessie Branham Park) for underground power distribution.

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits

- 241 Maynard Ter SE — Building 2 of the Maynard Terrace Townhomes development is getting wired up, with five separate 200A electrical service permits issued for individual lots (20–24). That's new units getting close to move-in ready.
- 225 Rogers St NE — Two permits in play here: drain line installation plus a land development permit (routed for review) covering Phase 1 of a previously approved project — parking deck, stormwater management, and sprinkler service. A parking deck suggests something at meaningful scale is coming together on this site.
- 131 Whitefoord Ave SE — Site work permitted to reconfigure parking, add an accessible space, and install a dumpster pad. Minor on the surface, but parking reconfigurations often signal a business getting ready to open or expand.
- 1655 Memorial Dr SE — New gas piping and connections permitted at this commercial address. Full-scope plumbing work usually means a buildout is in progress — worth watching to see what's moving in.
- 192 Murray Hill Ave NE — Three HVAC systems going in: main floor, upstairs, and a garage apartment. The garage apartment detail is the noteworthy part — an ADU getting its own system suggests a rental unit coming online.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-20 Lighting Upgrade (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Active work is underway along I-20 from Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road to swap out old high-pressure sodium lights for LED fixtures. Expect lane disruptions, likely during overnight hours, along this stretch that runs just north of the neighborhood.
- I-20 Concrete Rehab (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Crews are also rehabbing the I-20 pavement surface from west of Hill St in Fulton County to west of Columbia Drive in DeKalb — a corridor that bookends your quickest freeway access points. If I-20 is your daily route, build in extra time and watch for lane closures.
- SR-260 Pedestrian Safety Upgrades (DeKalb County) — Multiple Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon (RRFB) crosswalk signals are being installed along SR-260 (Memorial Drive) at four intersections: Haas Ave, Eastside Ave, Brownwood Ave, and Joseph Ave. These are relatively contained installations, but expect intermittent lane narrowing near each crossing while work is active.

Pre-Construction

- SR 154/Memorial Drive Sidewalk Improvements (DeKalb County) — New and rebuilt sidewalks along Memorial Drive between Moreland Avenue and Candler Road. Good news for pedestrians and cyclists once it gets underway — this stretch has needed attention for a while.
- Atlanta Traffic Signal Enhancements – Phase II (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Signal upgrades, smarter detection, ADA ramp improvements, and fiber/4G communications installations at intersections across both counties. Expect occasional short-term signal disruptions at affected intersections when work begins.
- SR 8/Ponce De Leon Ave Drainage Improvements (DeKalb County) — Drainage work along Ponce De Leon between South Ponce de Leon Ave and Ridgecrest Road. This is a well-traveled corridor, so flag this one for your mental map when construction eventually kicks off.
- SR 8 Roundabouts at East Lake and North Ponce (DeKalb County) — Two roundabouts are proposed along the Ponce de Leon corridor: one at SR 8 and East Lake, and one at SR 8 at North Ponce/West Parkwood/East Parkwood. This one will reshape how traffic moves through the area — worth watching closely as it moves toward construction.

Service Requests
- Traffic Signal Issues — Multiple signals along Hosea Williams Drive flagged for repair, including intersections at Woodbine Ave (two reports), Clifton St, and Whitefoord Ave, plus a separate issue on Glenwood Ave.
- Litter Removal — Right-of-way cleanup requested on 3rd Ave NE (two reports) and at Hosea Williams Dr & Woodbine Ave.
- Potholes — Reported at Hosea L. Williams Dr & Anniston Ave.
- Downed Tree — A tree down at La France St & Whitefoord Ave is being addressed.
- Sign Repair — A sign repair, replacement, or installation needed at Hosea L. Williams Dr & Howard St.
- Overgrowth — Visibility obstruction reported on Lannon Ave NE.