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Hey, VaHi / Morningside! This week: more details on why Porchfest is pausing for 2027 after outgrowing the neighborhood. We're also tracking the zoning board's decision on the Ponce de Leon Place home tied to the Hardwick case, plus Red Light Café's planned move into the Star Bar space in January. Grab a coffee and settle in, because there's plenty of local news ahead.

- News — The Board of Zoning Adjustment approved plans for a new house and pool on the Hardwick home lot, Porchfest details, and The Colonnade got a city proclamation for its 100th anniversary.
- Business — Star Bar will close Dec. 31 after 35 years in Little Five Points, and Red Light Café, now at Amsterdam Walk, will take over the space in January.
- Events — From Garden Lights and Holiday Model Trains opening Nov. 14 to zine-making, a magic and comedy show and Friday the 13K on the Beltline, the week is packed.
- Government — Fulton approved a $45.5 million jail design contract and voted to abolish its ethics board, while Atlanta City Council set tax rates and began landmark designation for the Ponce de Leon Place home.
- Construction — A Take 5 Oil Change is set to replace the building at 1916 Piedmont Rd NE, and LED lighting upgrades continue along I-85.

Let's dive in.

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Atlanta board OKs plans to demolish home at center of national gay rights case
Atlanta's Board of Zoning Adjustment approved the owner's request to build a new house and a swimming pool on the Ponce de Leon Place lot in Virginia-Highland, where a 1920s-era home now stands. The home is tied to the 1982 arrest of Michael Hardwick, which led to the 1986 Bowers v. Hardwick Supreme Court ruling, and some historians and LGBT activists had sought to preserve it.

Why Virginia Highland's Porchfest is taking 2027 off
The Virginia Highland District first announced in late October that Porchfest won't run in 2027 and will come back in a reimagined form in 2028. Crowds have grown from about 10,000 to roughly 45,000 in five years, and post-festival surveys and town halls flagged property damage as neighbors' top complaint, along with safety worries like people standing on cars. "We know we need to get the (crowd size) right," board member Ron McMurtrie said. SaportaReport's column goes deeper on the reasoning behind the pause and why taking a year off might be good for the festival and the neighborhood.

The Colonnade receives city proclamation for 100th anniversary
Councilmember Alex Wan presented the proclamation at the Nov. 2 Atlanta City Council meeting. The restaurant opened on Piedmont Road in 1927 and moved to Cheshire Bridge Road in 1962, and co-owners Lewis Jeffries and Paul Donahue, who bought it in 2024, said a book about the restaurant is planned for 2027.

Fulton Chair-elect Mo Ivory calls for 'less reality show,' 'more policy' as she outlines priorities
Ivory, who received 75 percent of the vote Tuesday, named improving the Fulton County Jail, increasing funding for county courts, continuing to protect elections and expanding access to healthcare as her top priorities. She is calling for a forensic audit of the county budget, will take over from Robb Pitts in January for a four-year term, and the county meets Monday, Nov. 9, to begin certifying results.

BUSINESS

Star Bar closing after 35 years in Little Five Points — Live music venue Star Community Bar, known locally as Star Bar, will close on Dec. 31 after 35 years in Little Five Points, and Red Light Café, currently based at Amsterdam Walk on the border of Virginia-Highland and Morningside, will take over the space in January.

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Monday, November 9
- Atlanta Running Meetup | Park Tavern
- Lazy House Presents "Burt" | The Supermarket
- Community Game Night | Green Market

Tuesday, November 10
- Weekly Walking Club | Green Market
- Community Craft Night | Piedmont Park
- Tease Tuesday Burlesque (18+ Event) (Nov. 10–11) | Red Light Cafe

Wednesday, November 11
- Dogwood Tales | MJQ Concourse
- Mystery Play Reading | The Supermarket ATL
- Zine Making Workshop ~ November | The Supermarket ATL
- Larry Griffith Band | Fat Matt's Rib Shack
- Stella Prince: Ole Smoky Roadshow Presents Moonshine & Music: The By Any Means Album Tour | Smith's Olde Bar
- The BoykinZ | Smith's Olde Bar
- Wednesday Jazz Jam - Gordon Vernick Quartet (Nov. 11–12) | Red Light Cafe

Thursday, November 12
- Folklore: Cross-Cultural Horror Exhibition | The Supermarket ATL
- Garden Lights, Holiday Nights Member Premiere | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Cider Making Workshop | Piedmont Park

Friday, November 13
- Daring Greatly | Smith's Olde Bar
- Friday The 13K - Atlanta MEET UP | Park Tavern
- Block Printing: Tea Towels | Piedmont Park
- Canyonland | Smith's Olde Bar
- Secret Aisle: A Magic and Comedy Show | The Supermarket ATL

Saturday, November 14
- Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Nov. 14, 2026–Jan. 10, 2027) | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Holiday Model Trains (Nov. 14, 2026–Jan. 10, 2027) | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Green Market | Piedmont Park
- Holiday Ride-on Train | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Smartphone Flower Photography | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- The Haunt "The Ghost Tour" LIVE at Smith's Olde Bar (Atlanta, GA) | Smith's Olde Bar

Sunday, November 15
- Ignite Teen BYOArt Show | The Supermarket ATL
- Kids 'N Crafts ~ November | The Supermarket ATL
- Family Pickup Soccer | Piedmont Park, Active Oval
- Live Portrait Drawing Session to Music ~ November | The Supermarket ATL

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

Past Week Roundup

Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Commissioners approved a $45.5 million, five-year contract to design a new 1,800-bed county jail facility, and they renewed the jail medical services contract at nearly $47 million. The board also voted 5-1 to abolish the county Board of Ethics, so independent hearing officers will now screen and decide ethics complaints. And it adopted the 2026 school millage rate, which sets the school portion of your property tax bill. Commissioners rejected two proposals from Commissioner Dana Barrett, one to lift the 5% departmental budget caps for 2027 and one urging lawmakers to curb private equity takeovers of medical practices. They also approved a grant for a 200-unit affordable housing development and a 12-month extension of the senior transportation contract.

Atlanta City Council
At its full meeting, the council adopted the Fiscal Year 2027 property tax rates, including the levies for the BeltLine and Stitch special service districts. It also extended the moratorium on new self-storage facilities in Office-Institutional zones by 60 days past its January 2027 expiration. As covered in today's news section, the council also started the landmark designation process for the Ponce de Leon Place home tied to the Hardwick case. Members approved more than $63 million in water system projects, including $25 million for replacing water lines across the city, and they sent a contract extension for water line repairs back to committee. They also rewrote the rules for public comment sign-up and proclamations. The Committee on Council had held that rules proposal earlier in the day, and it also held measures on council sponsorship requirements, an outside investigation of city contracts, and police presence at recreation center polling sites. Minutes for both meetings are posted, so those outcomes are final.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education
The board held first readings on new attendance zones for Fall 2027, covering four groups of elementary, middle and high schools in northwest, west and south Atlanta. No final votes happened, so families will get a chance to review the maps and weigh in before the board decides. Members also authorized temporary construction easements with the City of Atlanta and approved contracts for school buses, bus repairs and propane fuel. Other approvals covered therapy services, a workforce consulting subscription and an online education agreement with Arizona State University. The board also saw an early draft of its 2027 legislative priorities, which previews what it plans to ask state and local lawmakers for next year.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- 573 Amsterdam Ave NE — The Atlanta City Council filed and denied an application to rezone the property from single-family residential to two-family residential.
- 811 Ponce De Leon Pl NE — The Atlanta City Council approved legislation directing the Atlanta Urban Design Commission to begin official historic landmark designation proceedings for the property.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Nov-09, 10:00 AM | Key topics: Moores Mill Road Bridge replacement assessment, Roswell Road sidewalk land acquisition, and Downtown and Midtown safe street agreements.
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Nov-09, 11:00 AM | Key topics: proposed citywide zoning code overhaul, Monroe Drive mixed-use rezoning, and new municipal event center regulations.
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Nov-09, 1:00 PM | Key topics: pending legal settlements, rehiring retired police personnel, and protections regarding anonymous housing code complaints.
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Nov-10, 10:00 AM | Key topics: drinking water cooling restrictions on data centers, North Fork Peachtree Creek wastewater storage facility funding, and storm sewer upgrades.
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Nov-10, 1:30 PM | Key topics: Fourth Avenue urban forest purchase, Southside Park renovation funding, and land use redesignations along Monroe Drive.
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Nov-10, 1:30 PM | Key topics: $10 million Fire Station 31 construction contract, a $204 million affordable housing bond issuance, and penalties for delinquent utility liens.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 1659 Monroe Dr NE, seven multifamily alteration permits filed 11/06 for lead-based paint removal and balcony replacements, including separate filings for Bldg. A and Bldg. B. All are pending review. If you live nearby, expect scaffolding, debris and plenty of noise once crews get started.
- 1916 Piedmont Rd NE, commercial demolition permit filed 10/29 to take down the existing building. It's routed for review. Once approved, you'll hear heavy equipment on this stretch of Piedmont.
- 1916 Piedmont Rd NE, new commercial permit filed 10/30 to rework the parking lot for a Take 5 Oil Change building. It's routed for review. This is the replacement for the building coming down, so you'll see a quick-lube shop on the site soon.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-85 lighting, I-75 to north of Lenox Road — Crews are swapping the old sodium highway lights for LEDs along this stretch of I-85, and some poles and wiring may be replaced along the way.
- Buford Spring Connector tunnel lighting — Crews are swapping the old sodium lights in the tunnel at I-85 for LEDs, with some wiring work along the way.
- Piedmont Road at Lindbergh Drive and Lindbergh Way — Crews are installing a new traffic signal and pedestrian crossings at the intersection.
- Piedmont Road crosswalk at Main Street — A mid-block crosswalk is going in on Piedmont Road with a pedestrian hybrid beacon, a signal drivers must stop for when someone is crossing.
- Peachtree Road resurfacing — Crews are repaving Peachtree Road from Northside Drive to just north of Paces Ferry Road.
- Bridge maintenance at seven metro bridges — Crews are resurfacing bridge decks, repainting steel beams and replacing bridge joints at seven bridges across Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton counties.

Service Requests
- Traffic Signal Repairs: You'll find reports at Highland Ave and Ponce de Leon Ave for a non-emergency repair, and at Monroe Dr and Worchester Dr for a Level 1 emergency repair. If you drive Monroe, expect the signal there to get priority attention.
- Graffiti Removal: Reported along Cheshire Bridge Rd NE in the right of way.
- Litter Removal: Reported in the right of way at Lindbergh Dr and Armand Rd.

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Until next week,
VaHi / Morningside Busybody

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