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Hey neighbors! Kirkwood residents are pressing city hall on why Pullman Yards gets to host major events without standard permits, concrete bike lane barriers on South Boulevard keep getting cars beached on them, and Fulton County just rejected the tax district extension that was supposed to bankroll the mayor's $5 billion vision. Stick with us, there's plenty more worth knowing below.

- News — From the Edgewood alcohol moratorium getting permanently shelved to a Reynoldstown self-storage project sneaking in just before a Beltline ban takes hold, there's no shortage of decisions shaping this corridor right now.
- Business — Joystick Gamebar is officially relocating to East Atlanta Village!
- Events — The Atlanta Ice Cream Festival takes over Piedmont Park on Saturday, and the rest of the week is stacked with live music at The Earl and 529, and The Original Wailers closing things out Sunday at The Eastern.
- Government — A truck terminal got the green light on Jonesboro Road, DNC hosting prep is advancing through city committees, and DeKalb just committed $4 million to trail design for the South River and North Fork Peachtree Creek corridors.
- Construction — A 7-unit townhome project just filed on Memorial Drive, a Pilates studio is coming to Hosea L. Williams, and the Moreland Ave intersection at Arkwright is losing left turns.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Traffic, noise and a Kirkwood mystery: Why doesn't Pullman need event permits?
Kirkwood residents are questioning why the Pratt-Pullman District is permitted to host major events generating heavy traffic and noise without obtaining standard city event permits. The ongoing situation has prompted quality-of-life complaints from neighbors in the surrounding community.

UPDATE: Proposed Edgewood alcohol license moratorium permanently shelved by public safety committee
Atlanta's public safety committee has voted to permanently shelve a proposed moratorium that would have frozen new alcohol licenses just north of us on Edgewood Ave. The decision ends a prolonged debate among local business owners and residents over how to manage nightlife growth alongside neighborhood safety concerns.

Neighbors raise safety concerns after repeated crashes into Grant Park bike lane barriers
Residents are calling for design modifications after multiple vehicles have collided with newly installed concrete bike lane barriers on South Boulevard, with some cars becoming "beached" on the structures. The crashes have sparked debate over the implementation of the neighborhood's Safe Street initiative.

Self-storage project near Beltline rounds into shape as ban takes hold
A multi-story self-storage facility in Reynoldstown near the Eastside Trail is nearing completion just as the City of Atlanta enacts a temporary ban on new self-storage development along the Beltline corridor. The project's timing places it just ahead of the new zoning rules intended to encourage more housing and local business.

Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park
The mural honoring late WSB-TV anchor Jovita Moore, which was painted over in Grant Park, has yet to be restored despite continued pressure from neighborhood advocates. Community members are pushing for a replacement to be completed in her memory.

Fulton County rejects Atlanta's tax district extension
Fulton County commissioners voted against extending the City of Atlanta's Tax Allocation Districts (TADs), a decision that directly affects funding tied to Mayor Andre Dickens' $5 billion redevelopment and infrastructure plans.

BUSINESS

Joystick Gamebar - relocating - Joystick Gamebar has officially relocated to East Atlanta Village, moving away from earlier rumors that had placed the venue’s relocation in Little Five Points.

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Monday, July 20
- Rock Rangers Summer Camp | Oakland Cemetery
- Summer Safari Camp at Zoo Atlanta | Zoo Atlanta
- Twins | The Earl
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Tuesday, July 21
- Silent Book Club Atlanta | Three Taverns Imaginarium
- ONE Monthly Meeting | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- Catch These Hands | 529 Bar
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Wednesday, July 22
- Cosmic Mic | 529 EAV
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Thursday, July 23
- M!CK | 529 Bar
- D. Sablu | The Earl
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Friday, July 24
- That 70's Experience | Pullman Yards
- Mikaela Davis | The Earl
- Royal Hearts | 529 Bar
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Saturday, July 25
- Savanna Nights at Zoo Atlanta | Zoo Atlanta
- The Rock and Roll Playhouse Plays Music of Widespread Panic | The Eastern
- Black Magnolias | Oakland Cemetery
- Kids Night Out | Zoo Atlanta
- Obituary | 529 Bar
- Rod Hamdallah | The Earl
- Lemur Wild Encounter | Zoo Atlanta
- Warthog Wild Encounter | Zoo Atlanta
- Elephant Wild Encounter | Zoo Atlanta
- Petting Zoo Painters Wild Encounter | Zoo Atlanta
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- Atlanta Ice Cream Festival | Piedmont Park

Sunday, July 26
- The Original Wailers & Steel Pulse | The Eastern
- Kelly's Patio Pickle Party | 529 EAV
- Crime Through Time | Oakland Cemetery
- The Animeros | The Earl
- Trainer for a Day: World of Wild Theater | Zoo Atlanta
- Mornings at the Zoo | Zoo Atlanta
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

Atlanta City Council

The council's committees had a busy week across zoning, utilities, public safety, finance, and community development. On the zoning front, the Zoning Committee approved a special use permit for a nearly 60-acre truck terminal on Jonesboro Road, rezoned a property on Hank Aaron Drive to industrial mixed-use for the "Terminal South" development, and greenlit two digital changing billboards on Cleveland Circle, overriding denial recommendations from city planning staff. The City Utilities Committee approved a $15.5 million upgrade for the Flint River Pump Station and cleared over $1.79 million in utility adjustments along Roswell Road and Fulton Industrial Boulevard to prep for state repaving, while deferring a $2 million stream restoration at Chastain Park Golf Course. The Finance/Executive Committee approved authorization for the mayor to sign key agreements with MARTA and recreation authorities if Atlanta is selected to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention, approved a $5.98 million cloud services contract extension with Deloitte, and corrected a $12,000 alcohol license fee overpayment to the Plaza Theatre, though the FY2027 property tax rate and an updated firefighter pay plan both remain held in committee. As covered in today's news section, the Public Safety Committee permanently shelved the proposed Edgewood alcohol license moratorium, and that committee also has on its agenda (minutes not yet posted) proposals to authorize forensic financial audits of alcohol-licensed businesses and to increase alcohol license application fees through a phased approach. The Community Development/Human Services Committee, whose minutes are also not yet posted, is scheduled to consider proposals to make all city pools permanently free, add $1 million in park security contracts, and create a formal office to regulate short-term rentals, though any of those items may have been deferred, tabled, or withdrawn.

NPU-W

Neighborhood Planning Unit W met on July 15 with a packed agenda, though official minutes haven't been posted yet, so outcomes aren't confirmed. Items on the table included a proposal to annex a property on Glynn Drive from unincorporated DeKalb County into the City of Atlanta and rezone it for single-family residential use. The committee was also scheduled to weigh in on a citywide zoning text amendment that would require a special use permit for any medical cannabis dispensary operating within state-mandated distance limits, which would give neighborhoods more say over where those businesses can locate. Several fall and autumn events were up for community support, including the Summer Shade Festival, House in the Park, and Historic Oakland Cemetery's Halloween and Day of the Dead events at Grant Park and Oakland Cemetery. Keep in mind that any item on the agenda may have been approved, denied, deferred, or withdrawn during the session.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education

The APS Policy Review Committee met July 16 and took action on two district-wide policies, though the published minutes don't include vote tallies or detail on any amendments. The first was Policy IF, which governs how student devices, school-provided internet access, and classroom instructional materials are regulated across all Atlanta Public Schools. The second was Policy DFB, which sets the rules for how state funding flows into and gets allocated across the district. Both policies shape day-to-day school operations in ways families will feel directly, from what technology your child uses in the classroom to how state tax dollars are managed at the school level.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

As covered in today's news section, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted to formally oppose any extension of the City of Atlanta's Tax Allocation Districts, a decision with direct consequences for Mayor Dickens' infrastructure and redevelopment plans. Beyond that headline vote, the board approved an $8.95 million temporary staffing contract to support upcoming elections and accepted a $9.48 million state grant to design a new Behavioral Health Crisis Center in North Fulton. Commissioners also approved a grant to support a 149-unit affordable housing development in downtown Atlanta and a separate incentive grant tied to a $32.9 million Mercedes-Benz investment expected to create nearly 200 jobs in the county. On infrastructure, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with GDOT to relocate sewer lines along I-285 and SR 400 at no cost to the county, accommodating the addition of new express lanes on both corridors.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

DeKalb commissioners approved a $25 million bond program through the Housing Authority of DeKalb County to fund affordable housing initiatives including multifamily acquisition, down-payment assistance, and transitional housing. The board denied a rezoning request that would have allowed smaller, denser single-family development in Districts 3 and 7, preserving the existing medium-lot residential character in those areas. On the trail and parks side, commissioners approved design contracts totaling over $4 million for Phase VI of the South River Trail and the North Fork Peachtree Creek Trail, though a design extension for the Michelle Obama Trail was pushed to August 25. Several other significant items, including a proposed data center environmental baseline assessment and new control blasting regulations, were deferred to late August, and two ordinances targeting chronic nuisance and vacant properties were withdrawn entirely.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta NPU-W
- 1530 Marbut Ave SE — A special exception is on the agenda to allow active recreation, like a play area or sports court, in a yard that faces the street.
- 840 Cherokee Ave SE (Grant Park) — Two festival permit applications are scheduled to be heard: the ATL Vegan Festival on August 16 and the Atlanta Foodie Festival on September 19-20, with a rain date of October 3-4.
- 759 Boulevard SE (Grant Park) — The Grant Park Conservancy's Summer Shade Festival, set for August 22-23, is on the agenda for a special event permit recommendation.
- 537 Park Ave SE (Grant Park) — House In The Park 2026, scheduled for September 6, is on the agenda for a special event permit recommendation.
- 602 Brownwood Ave SE (Brownwood Park & Rec Center) — The 22nd Annual Brownwood Bike Rally, scheduled for September 12, is on the agenda for a special event permit recommendation.
- 248 Oakland Ave SE (Historic Oakland Cemetery) — Two permit applications are scheduled to be heard for fall events: the Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tours on October 15-16 and the Day of the Dead Celebration on November 1.

Atlanta City Council Community Development/Human Services Committee
- 708 Kirkwood Ave SE — A land use amendment is on the agenda to reclassify this property from Low Density Residential to Low Density Mixed Use, which would open the door for low-rise residential combined with small neighborhood-scale retail.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

The biggest news is at 2015 Memorial Dr SE, where a new 7-unit, 3-story townhome building with attached garages and balconies is routed for review.

A few other projects worth watching:

- 256 Clifton St SE — Crim High School's gymnasium roof is getting replaced. Expect some construction activity around the school while that work is underway.
- 290 Ormond St SE — A second floor addition on an existing one-story home is routed for review. Three bedrooms, a bath, and attic storage going on top of the existing structure.
- 1610 Hosea L Williams Dr NE — A tenant space is being converted into a Pilates studio. No structural work involved, so this one should open relatively quickly.
- 1631 La France St NE — A new ADA ramp and accessible sidewalk are planned for a main entrance. Still pending additional materials.
- 1015 Blvd SE — Full electrical buildout for a commercial suite. The service was already in place, so this is fit-out work for an incoming tenant.
- 475 Bill Kennedy Way SE — A drinking water fountain installation is in progress, with some drywall cutting and plumbing work involved.

Beyond those, the corridor logged 99 residential and minor permits this period, mostly HVAC, electrical, and tree work.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 42/US 23 @ Moreland Ave and Arkwright Place (Fulton County) Work is underway to convert this intersection into a right-in/right-out configuration.
- I-20 Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road, Lighting Upgrade (DeKalb/Fulton) Crews are replacing old high-pressure sodium lights with LED fixtures along this stretch of I-20. Expect lane activity as they swap out poles and conduit.
- SR 154 Pedestrian Crossing Improvements (DeKalb/Fulton) Active work is adding a mid-block pedestrian crossing, a right-in/right-out, and a restricted crossing U-turn between Hill Street and Pearl Street.
- I-20 Hill Street to Columbia Drive, Concrete Rehab (DeKalb/Fulton) Resurfacing is underway on this section of I-20 to bring the pavement up to standard.

Service Requests

Overgrowth and visibility issues top the list this week, with 13 right-of-way maintenance requests filed along Memorial Drive, DeKalb Ave at Moreland, Logan St, and several other spots across the corridor. Litter removal requests came in close behind, with five reports on Hardee St, Memorial Drive, Van Vleck Ave, Home Ave, and East Side Ave, all currently in progress.

Eight pothole reports landed on Glenwood Ave, Kirkwood Ave at Cleveland St, La France St, Bill Kennedy Way at Faith Ave, and a few other locations. Some have already been closed out, but a couple are still being worked.

Four traffic signal repair requests went in at Second Ave at Alston Dr, Moreland at Freedom Pkwy, DeKalb at Moreland, and Moreland at Hardee St. Most are resolved, with one still in progress. A pair of downed tree reports near Arkwright Pl at Moreland and on Vernon Ave and Flat Shoals Ave were filed earlier in the week and appear to be closed out. Two sign repair or replacement requests on Weatherby St round out the week's filings, with one still active.

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Until next week,
Memorial Drive Corridor 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.