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Hey neighbors! Quieter week around here; this week: dive into the details on the record-breaking $265.8 beltline budget, and read up on a new mortgage assistance program aimed at keeping teachers and firefighters in corridor neighborhoods like yours. And if you have no plans Sunday, an F1 car is about to tear through city streets.

- News — Dive into details on the $265.8 million Beltline budget; also, just North of us, Monroe Drive breaks ground on a lane-reduction overhaul that might affect traffic, and a Sweet Auburn development earmarks affordable units for first responders.
- Business — Taqueria Taquito Express is eyeing Little Five Points for its next location, bringing more taco options to an already well-fed stretch of the city.
- Events — A packed week runs from Peruvian Independence Day at Tio Lucho's and an Amy Winehouse tribute at City Winery to the Red Bull F1 Showrun tearing down Hank Aaron Drive on Sunday.
- Government — NPU-N's July 23 agenda included a $21.9 million Memorial Drive funding request and a high-density rezoning proposal at 774 Ponce de Leon Ave.
- Construction — A new café is coming to the front of Purple Door Salon on Edgewood, a massive pool permit landed on S. Ponce de Leon, and traffic signals at Ponce and Boulevard are getting emergency attention.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Breaking down the Beltline's $265 million budget
The Atlanta Beltline budget stands at $265.8 million for fiscal year 2027 as it pushes toward its 2030 completion goal. This link has all the details on where that money is going.

This building won't be a fire station. But it could be home to firefighters
A ground-up residential development on Hilliard Street in Sweet Auburn will include 10 affordable units specifically marketed toward Atlanta first responders and the broader workforce.

Atlanta Beltline mortgage assistance program aims to keep public servants in city neighborhoods
A new Atlanta Beltline program is offering mortgage assistance to help teachers, firefighters, and healthcare workers buy homes in Beltline-adjacent neighborhoods. An important initiative as Beltline-adjacent housing prices skyrocket.

Back-to-school events set for Decatur, DeKalb, Atlanta
A series of community back-to-school events and school supply giveaways have been scheduled across Decatur, DeKalb County, and Atlanta public school districts. Families with children in these districts can find the full event listings at the link above.

Atlanta Breaks Ground on Monroe Drive Safe Streets Lane Reduction
City officials including District 6 Councilmember Alex Wan broke ground on the Monroe Drive Safe Streets project on July 22, with the overhaul targeting lane reductions to slow speeding along the corridor. The project affects commuters and residents across the neighborhoods surrounding Monroe Drive.

BUSINESS

Taqueria Taquito Express - opening - The taqueria is planning a new location in Little Five Points.

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EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, July 27
- Atlanta Run Club: Monday Night Runs | Ponce City Market
- Learn how to make informed, values-driven choices to build a more eco-conscious sewing practice. | Ponce City Market Events
- GRAD SHOW! - Feat. Ron & Tim's Stand-up Students | Dad's Garage

Tuesday, July 28
- Tio Lucho's sets the table for Peruvian Independence Day | Tio Lucho's
- Back to Black - The Music of Amy Winehouse | City Winery Atlanta
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- DWLLRS | Aisle 5
- GRAD SHOW! - Feat. Ed's Level 5 Students! | Dad's Garage

Wednesday, July 29
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- The Loneliness Epidemic: What a Monk Can Teach Us About Real Connection | 483 Moreland Ave NE
- GRAD SHOW! - Feat. Madeline's Level 4 & Zack's Level 5 (SPOKANE) Students! | Dad's Garage

Thursday, July 30
- Tamar Braxton | City Winery Atlanta
- Larry Griffith Band: Larry Griffith Trio@Two Urban Licks,6-10! | TWO urban licks
- Trivia Thursdays | New Realm Brewing
- Food & Street Art Tour on the Atlanta Beltline | 99 Krog St NE
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- tommy oeffling | Aisle 5
- GRAD SHOW! - Feat. Adam's Level 4 & Perry's Level 5 Students! | Dad's Garage

Friday, July 31
- Food & Street Art Tour on the Atlanta Beltline | 99 Krog St NE
- LATER: Rex Factor | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- O God My Heart is Ready Opening Reception | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- Meet a Monk | Event Happiness Atlanta 2026 | Little 5 Points Community Center
- FREE Back to School Event for Atlanta Youth — Hairstyling, Books & Giveaways | July 31 | The Supermarket
- Com Truise | Aisle 5

Saturday, August 1
- Pups on the Patio | New Realm Brewing
- Smithsonian (The Smiths Tribute) | Variety Playhouse
- Sunset Sessions | New Realm Brewing
- Blooms Art Class: Foo Dog | Ponce City Market
- A VOICE IN THE DARK Book Launch & Film Trailer Preview | Double Zero
- Food & Street Art Tour on the Atlanta Beltline | 99 Krog St NE
- Greg Mendez | Aisle 5
- The Tight Acquaintances | Dad's Garage
- Passion Pit | The Eastern

Sunday, August 2
- Barks & Bites: Beltline Doggie Crawl | Krog Street Market
- The Summer Singers of Atlanta present Arthur Honeggar's KING DAVID | Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church
- friendlyjordies | Aisle 5
- Red Bull Showrun Atlanta | Hank Aaron Dr.

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

NPU-N

NPU-N's July 23 meeting was scheduled to take out a packed agenda, and all items below reflect what was on the docket, not confirmed outcomes. Keep in mind that any item could have been tabled, deferred, or withdrawn before a vote was taken. The biggest item is a $21.9 million funding request from developer Gorman & Company to Invest Atlanta for a major project on Memorial Drive, a figure that signals something well beyond a small infill build. Also on the agenda is a rezoning proposal at 774 Ponce de Leon Ave that would move the property to MRC-3/BL, a high-density designation under the Beltline Overlay that could open the door to a large mixed-use building with significant height and retail at street level. Residents were also scheduled to weigh in on a city-wide ordinance that would restructure solid waste service fees and redefine who qualifies for backyard trash pickup, which affects homeowners across the area. Rounding out the agenda, the city is proposing to add a Special Use Permit requirement for medical cannabis dispensaries, giving neighborhoods more say over where those businesses can locate.

DeKalb County School District Board of Education

The Board held a Called Meeting and Executive Session on July 22, but it was a closed session with a vague agenda and no published minutes.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

NPU-N
- 112 Krog St NE — Likeminds ATL is on the agenda for a change of ownership alcohol license at this Krog Street Market address, though the item could be tabled or deferred before a vote.
- 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE — Okiboru and Norifish, a new restaurant concept at Ponce City Market, is scheduled to be heard for a new business alcohol license.
- 680 Dallas St NE / Historic Fourth Ward Park — Two events are on the agenda: PurpleStride Atlanta (proposed for April 24, 2027) and The Culture Lab (proposed for April 17, 2027, with a name change from its former title "What's Tea & Smoke").
- 830 Willoughby Way NE / Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark Field — Two fall festivals are scheduled to be heard, Beats on the Block (September 26, 2026) and Estamos Aqui Fiesta (September 27, 2026), both seeking approval to use the skatepark field.

Meetings This Week

- Atlanta NPU — NPU-M | Jul-27, 6:15 PM | key topics: citywide solid waste fee changes (Ordinance 26-O-1356), medical cannabis dispensary zoning rules (Z-26-41), new restaurant alcohol license at 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE (Ponce City Market), fall event permits for Historic Fourth Ward Park, Central Park, and 321 Edgewood Ave are scheduled for community review

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 299 N Highland Ave NE — Commercial interior renovation filed to convert an existing restaurant into a new tenant's space. No mechanical work planned, so this one's mostly cosmetic. A new restaurant concept is coming to Poncey-Highland.
- 321 Edgewood Ave SE — Permit filed to build a new café at the front of the existing Purple Door Salon. That storefront is about to get a lot more foot traffic.
- 1585 S Ponce de Leon Ave NE — Commercial pool permit accepted for a new inground gunite pool (21' x 75') plus an 8' x 8' spa. A project that size suggests a serious amenity addition, likely tied to a residential or hospitality development nearby.
- 438 Edgewood Ave NE — Work tied to a neighboring permit at 428 Edgewood includes demolition of an existing walkway, a new retaining wall, and updated hardscaping. Expect some sidewalk disruption while this plays out.
- 696 Cleburne Ter NE — A commercial tenant suite is being demised, splitting off space from what was previously a Business occupancy. A landlord dividing up space usually means new tenants are coming.
- 903 Bernina Ave NE — Interior renovation permit for an existing commercial building, though the city has flagged it for additional materials. This one's on pause for now.
- 684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave — A retroactive permit filed to legalize an existing addition that went up without approval. Nothing new being built, but the paperwork is catching up to the construction.

Beyond the headliners, there are 13 more commercial permits in the pipeline, mostly HVAC, plumbing, and interior alteration work totaling around $67,000. And on the residential side, 34 permits came in covering HVAC replacements, electrical upgrades, and a handful of addition projects, adding up to about $68,000 in estimated value.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 42 / Moreland Ave at Arkwright Place (Fulton County) Intersection work is underway here to convert this junction into a right-in/right-out configuration.
- SR 8 Resurfacing from SR 3 to SR 42 (Fulton County) Paving crews are actively working this corridor to bring the roadway surface up to standard. Expect lane disruptions along the route while work continues.
- SR 154 Pedestrian Crossing Improvements at 7 Locations in DeKalb, 1 in Fulton This one crosses county lines. 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 Lighting Upgrade from Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road (DeKalb and Fulton Counties) Crews are swapping out the old high-pressure sodium lights for LED fixtures along this stretch.
- I-75 Tunnel Lighting Upgrade at Ralph McGill Blvd and Baker Street (Fulton County) LED upgrades are underway inside the tunnels here. The scope includes wiring and conduit work, so short-term closures or lane squeezes near these ramps are possible while crews work inside.

Service Requests

Overgrowth and visibility issues topped the list this week, with right-of-way maintenance requests filed at Seminole Ave, Cleburne Ave, Angier Ave NE, John Wesley Dobbs Ave NE, Terrace Ave, and Marlbrook Dr, among other spots.

Traffic signal repairs kept crews busy on both fronts. Emergency Level 1 calls went out for signals at Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Blvd at Ponce de Leon Ave, and Blvd at Englewood Ave. Non-emergency signal issues were reported at Blvd and Englewood Ave, Clifton Rd, and Highland Ave at Pkwy Dr.

Potholes were flagged on Waverly Way NE, Clifton Rd NE, and Moreland Ave NE. And a downed tree on Elizabeth St NE rounded out the week's reports.

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Until next week,
O4W / L5P / Candler Park 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.