North Decatur: School Closure Lead Exits, and $13.5M Trail Expansion Is On the Way

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

Hey, North Decatur! it's a consequential week for schools and streets alike. The official leading DeKalb's school closure and boundary study is out the door just as families are demanding a real voice in the process, and there's plenty more to unpack, including a significant trail funding win and some notable activity in the permit pipeline. Here's what you need to know.

- News — DeKalb's school consolidation project loses its leader at the worst possible moment, parents are pushing back hard on boundary changes, and Brookhaven lands $13.5M to extend the Peachtree Creek Greenway toward the Beltline.
- Business — Fine Fettle on Lawrenceville Highway is expanding its offerings under Georgia's newly signed medical cannabis law, with vape products hitting shelves July 1.
- Events — The DeKalb Symphony wraps its 61st season Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Decatur, Atlanta Jazz Fest returns to Piedmont Park, trivia at Wild Heaven, Candlelight concerts, and free Shakespeare show in Avondale.
- Government — The School Board approved a $500K enrollment recovery initiative and greenlit EV chargers at the old North Decatur admin site, while commissioners this week will weigh 2026 millage rates, utility fee hikes, and a new roundabout at Clairmont and Rosecliff.
- Construction — Publix canopy permits signal a retail build-out taking shape in the Lulah Hills corridor, a gym appears to be coming together at 3000 N. Decatur Rd, and Clairmont Road is queued up for a long-overdue operational overhaul.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Leader of DeKalb's school closure project leaving district
The official steering DeKalb County's controversial school consolidation and boundary study is walking out the door — and the timing couldn't be more fraught. With families in Sagamore Hills and Northlake already anxious about aging buildings and enrollment shifts, losing the project's point person raises a real question: who's driving this thing now?

Brookhaven bags $13.5M to expand popular trail and Beltline link
Brookhaven has landed $13.5 million in federal funding to push the Peachtree Creek Greenway closer to a fully connected regional trail network. For Druid Hills residents, this is the one to watch — the expansion inches the path toward a seamless multi-use connection to the Atlanta Beltline and North Druid Hills infrastructure.

DeKalb parents push for more engagement on school boundary and closure plans
Parents across DeKalb aren't quietly waiting to see what the district decides — they're demanding a real seat at the table. As boundary changes and consolidations loom over the Brookhaven and Chamblee school clusters, families are making clear that decisions this consequential require more than a few public meetings and a PDF.

DeKalb Commission approves contract for new fire stations
The DeKalb County Commission has greenlit a major design-and-construction contract for several new fire stations across the county. It's a meaningful investment in public safety infrastructure, with improved emergency response times on the line for residents in Brookhaven and Chamblee.

Water Main Break on Clairmont Road Disrupts Decatur Traffic and Schools
A major water main break on Clairmont Road late last week snarled traffic and forced local schools to scramble mid-day. Residents in the Clairmont Avenue and Westchester Hills corridors bore the brunt of it, as emergency repairs shut down a stretch of one of North Decatur's busiest arteries.

BUSINESS

Fine Fettle Dispensary - expanding product line - The Lawrenceville Highway dispensary will add medical vape products to its offerings starting July 1, following Gov. Kemp's signing of new state legislation on May 14 that broadens medical cannabis access across Georgia.

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EVENTS

Monday, May 18
- Make SamG's Graphic Signs (Free School ATL) | Heck House
- StoryWalk® at Mason Mill Park | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Summer Reading Challenge Scavenger Hunt | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Weekday Winning: Mega Mondays | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

Tuesday, May 19
- DeKalb Symphony Orchestra Season 61 Finale | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Teacher and Librarian Appreciation Night | 2076 N Decatur Rd
- Tuesday Trivia @ Toco Hills | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Demystifying Menopause Series | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Truckin' Tuesdays | Legacy Park

Wednesday, May 20
- An Evening of Conversation with Susan Ford Bales and Lisa McCubbin Hill | Glenn Memorial Sanctuary
- Drop-In Technology Support | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Hops: The Muleskinner & the King with J. D. Porter | 101 E Court Square
- Weekday Winning: Wicked Good Wednesday | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

Thursday, May 21
- JHB PLAYS JGB | Napoleon's Grill
- Meet the Brewers | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Weekday Winning: Thirsty Thursday | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

Friday, May 22
- Local Dog | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Friday Movies | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Candlelight: Back in Black (Tribute to AC/DC) | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Candlelight: Neo-Soul Favorites ft. Songs by Prince, Childish Gambino, & More | The Chapel on Sycamore

Saturday, May 23
- Memorial Day Run 5K/10K/13.1 ATLANTA | South Peachtree Creek Trail
- Woods at Night | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Brookhaven Farmers Market | Brookhaven Farmers Market
- Blooms Chinatown Market (5/23) | Atlanta Chinatown
- Woodland Explorers | Woodlands Garden

- Atlanta Jazz Festival | Piedmont Park
- A Shakespeare Happening Spring Series Romeo & Juliet | 64 N Avondale Rd

Sunday, May 24
- Thirsty Neighbors | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Music in the Garden | Woodlands Garden
- David Nail: Down To The Studs Tour | Eddie's Attic

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 Board of Commissioners held meetings on both May 12 and May 16, and because minutes have not yet been posted for either session, the outcomes below reflect what was scheduled — items may have been tabled, deferred, or amended before any vote was taken. Among the most consequential items on the May 12 agenda: an $8 million allocation for the South Peachtree Creek Trail Extension, a $26.58 million project to build three new fire stations serving Tucker, Decatur, and Lithonia, and a pair of resolutions that would require baseline health and environmental assessments before new data center land disturbance permits are issued — a direct response to the rapid expansion of that industry across DeKalb. Also scheduled were major utility investments, including a $32.37 million emergency capacity build-out at the Snapfinger wastewater treatment facility and a resolution that would formally establish a Water Customer Bill of Rights, potentially meaningful for residents who have faced years of billing problems. Several quality-of-life items rounded out the agenda, including a long-deferred chronic nuisance property ordinance, a proposed rebate program for residents who switch from gas to electric lawn equipment, and independent civilian oversight for the county's "Digital Shield" surveillance network. The May 16 meeting agenda was not publicly available at press time, so no items from that session can be summarized here.

DeKalb County School District Board of Education

The School Board met twice this week — on May 11 and May 15 — with minutes posted for both, meaning all items described here reflect confirmed actions. The May 11 meeting was the heavier lift: the Board approved the FY2027 tentative budget and tax levy, the first formal step toward setting next year's property tax millage rate, which will directly affect what DeKalb homeowners pay. More than $20 million in maintenance contracts were also greenlit, including $7.5 million for district-wide plumbing repairs across eight vendors, $3.5 million for tree trimming and removal, and $3 million for bleacher replacements at athletic facilities — all part of keeping the district's aging building stock functional. The Board also approved a $600,000 contract with Georgia Power to install electric vehicle charging stations at the former North Decatur administrative site, along with nearly $500,000 in security and network upgrades at Cross Keys High School and a $500,000 student enrollment recovery initiative to address declining district enrollment. At the May 15 called session, the Board approved a $3 million spending increase for supplemental custodial services across district facilities and a $2.5 million final renewal for district-wide landscaping — routine but significant contracts that keep schools clean and maintained for students.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — May 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM

The Board will take up a wide-ranging agenda that includes proposed 2026 millage rates, fee increases for sanitation and stormwater utilities, and rate hikes for county courthouse parking. A resolution to establish independent civilian oversight of the county's "Digital Shield" surveillance network is also on the agenda, along with a review of whether to extend the moratorium on adult entertainment businesses. A new roundabout at SR 155/Clairmont Road at Rosecliff Drive is scheduled to be considered, along with two additional roundabouts proposed for the Ponce De Leon Avenue corridor.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- Lulah Ave corridor (2760, 2770, 2780) + Mysterious Way (1041, 1051) — Multiple commercial permits filed for new retail shell buildings, including electrical service installations, fire sprinkler systems, and — notably — Publix canopy sprinklers at 1041 Mysterious Way. This cluster of activity points to a retail development taking shape in the Lulah Hills area. Expect construction noise as buildouts continue.
- 3000 N. Decatur Rd — $80K commercial electrical permit for a business fit-out: new lighting, receptacles, HVAC, and workout equipment. Looks like a gym or fitness studio is coming together here.
- N. Decatur Rd (residential) — $197K permit for serious structural work: demo of roof and interior walls, full second-story addition, window replacements, and interior/exterior remodel. Outdoor and noisy work — neighbors will notice.
- Ramble Ln — $100K permit to add a second story and expand a single-car garage to a double, plus new windows, doors, and roof. A significant home expansion, now closed.
- 3500 Peachtree Rd NE — Commercial plumbing permit pending. Scope covers full installation including supervision, materials, and labor — likely part of a larger commercial project.

Beyond the highlights, 33 additional residential and minor permits were filed across the area, with 23 single-family projects among them — steady sign of homeowners investing in the neighborhood.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR-236 Left Turn Lane Extension @ SR-155 (DeKalb County) — A left turn lane is being extended at the intersection of SR-236 (LaVista Road) and SR-155 (Candler Road), about 1.5 miles from the neighborhood. Expect some intersection delays while work is active.
- SR-10 / SR-13 / SR-410 Bridge Preservation — 6 Locations (DeKalb County) — Bridge preservation work is underway at six spots across DeKalb, covering polymer overlay, superstructure painting, deck repairs, joint replacements, header repairs, bolt tightening, and vegetation removal. If your commute takes you over any bridges along these corridors, budget extra time and watch for lane restrictions.

Pre-Construction

- North Druid Hills Road Bridge & Corridor Overhaul (DeKalb County) — A cluster of projects is converging on North Druid Hills Road. A bridge replacement is planned along the 2,600-foot stretch between Spring Creek Drive and Willivee Drive. Separately, the US 78/SR-410 westbound exit ramp at North Druid Hills Road is set to get a new traffic signal, and the eastbound shared through/right-turn lane will be extended by roughly 245 feet to ease merging. That's a lot of work queued up for one corridor — residents in Medlock Park and North Druid Hills will want to keep tabs on when construction timelines firm up.
- SR-155/Clairmont Road Improvements (DeKalb County) — A 1.5-mile stretch of Clairmont Road between I-85 northbound and LaVista Road (SR-236) is slated for operational improvements. A restriping project is also planned at the SR-155/SR-236 intersection itself. Together, these should help with one of the area's more reliably frustrating bottlenecks.
- North Druid Hills Road Sidewalk & Shared-Use Path (DeKalb County) — A shared-use path is planned for the south side of North Druid Hills Road near its intersection with SR-155, along with a 6-foot sidewalk on the north side. Good news for pedestrians and cyclists in the area — this one has a recent project update as of May 2025, suggesting it's moving.
- SR-236/LaVista Road Resurfacing (DeKalb County) — The stretch of SR-236 from the Fulton County line to I-285 is due for resurfacing. The road's pavement condition score is apparently low enough to land it on the priority list, so don't expect the bumps to last forever.
- SR-8/US-29/Memorial Drive Resurfacing (DeKalb County) — The full run of Memorial Drive from the Fulton County line to the Gwinnett County line is in the resurfacing queue. A long corridor affecting a wide swath of the area, though no timeline is set yet.
- I-285 Bridge Preservation (DeKalb County) — Four bridge locations on I-285 in DeKalb are slated for preservation work, including polymer overlay, repainting, joint replacement, and general structural upkeep. Expect lane restrictions when this one eventually kicks off.
- SR-10/US-78 Sign Upgrades (DeKalb & Gwinnett Counties) — Nine locations along SR-10/SR-410/US-78 are in line for sign replacements or upgrades. Minor in the grand scheme, but worth knowing if you're a regular on that corridor.

Utility Work

DeKalb County
- Orion Drive Sewer Improvement Project Begins May 13 — Sewer infrastructure work underway on Orion Drive as of May 13. Expect possible lane restrictions or access impacts in the area during construction.
- Memorial Day Residential Sanitation Collection Schedule — DeKalb is adjusting trash and recycling pickup around Memorial Day. Check the link to confirm your collection day if you're on a Monday or Tuesday route.