VaHi / Morningside: World Cup and Pride Month

Hey, VaHi and Morningside! Slower week for neighborhood news, but a big week for the city with the World Cup finally here. Closer to home, Pride Month means festivities coming to Piedmont Park and nearby Midtown, the Monroe Drive/SR 13 intersection is still slated for pre-construction by GDOT (but would be a meaningful project), and City Council had a packed session with some decisions that hit squarely in our backyard. Lots to dig into below.

- News — Pride Month puts Piedmont Park and nearby Midtown at the center of Atlanta's LGBTQ+ celebrations, the Fulton County chair race is heating up with a candidate forum worth paying attention to, and Atlanta's World Cup host-city status means the watch party options are legitimately excellent.
- Events — The O4W Soccer Program Kickoff Festival lands at Historic Fourth Ward Park on Saturday, the YWCA FIFA watch party is the same day, and the Botanical Garden and Piedmont Park have something going nearly every night this week.
- Government — City Council unanimously banned self-storage on the Beltline and approved $1.26 billion in water bonds, but punted the FY2027 budget. Also, this week's committee calendar is stacked, with a rezoning at Amsterdam Ave, the city budget, and property tax rates on deck.
- Construction — SR 13 is being repaved (last touched in 2012), the Monroe Drive intersection is slated for a multilane roundabout, a new clubhouse is replacing storage buildings at 609 Virginia Ave, and nine potholes have been flagged across the neighborhood.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

June Pride Month events in metro Atlanta | 2026
Pride Month is in full swing, and metro Atlanta is showing up. As the historic heart of the city's LGBTQ+ community, Midtown sits at the center of it all — expect festivals, cultural gatherings, and the kind of energy that makes this stretch of Atlanta feel like nowhere else on earth this time of year.

Fulton County election: Pitts and Ivory clash at Atlanta forum
Commission Chairman Robb Pitts and challenger Mo Ivory went head-to-head at a recent candidate forum, sparring over county budgets and infrastructure — the unglamorous machinery that determines how well your neighborhood actually functions. Pay attention to this one: whoever wins shapes the local services VaHi and Morningside residents rely on every day.

Where to watch the World Cup around Atlanta
The wait is over — the World Cup is here, and Atlanta is a host city, which means the stakes and the crowd energy are very real. Whether you're a die-hard or someone who only discovers a passion for soccer every four years, this guide has you covered on the best spots around the city to catch the matches.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, June 8
- Community Game Night | Piedmont Park

Tuesday, June 9
- Weekly Walking Club | Piedmont Park
- Community Craft Night | Piedmont Park
- Best of The Basement Standup Comedy Showcase 6/9 | Dark Horse Tavern
- Drawing Orchids in Black and White | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Garden Playtime | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Tease Tuesday Burlesque (18+ Event) | Red Light Cafe

Wednesday, June 10
- Movie Night in Atlanta! 'Under the Lights' Special Advance Screening | Tara Atlanta
- Storybook & Sensory Bin Time | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Drop-In Kids Gardening Activity | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- LOCALS ONLY | MJQ Concourse

Thursday, June 11
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- An Evening With Patrick Wolf: Tour of The Beast | Smith's Olde Bar
- Kendall Street Company with support from The Redwoods | Smith's Olde Bar
- Garden Grooves | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Kid & Family Fishing | Piedmont Park
- Decatur WatchFest 26 | Downtown Decatur Square

Friday, June 12
- Shows for Seedlings: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's Meet the Musician with Isabel Kwon | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Fairytale Friday | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- AvantBeetle's Queer Games Showcase | The Supermarket ATL
- The Velvet Room: Variety and Burlesque Show | The Supermarket ATL

Saturday, June 13
- ✨🪣 Community Clean-Up | Virginia Highland District Association
- Green Market | Piedmont Park
- Refugee Recipe Celebration | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Music in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Cinema Social: Miss Juneteenth | The Tara Atlanta
- Introduction to Needle Felting | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Frog Feeding | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- YWCA Greater Atlanta FIFA Watch Party | YWCA of Greater Atlanta
- Introducing O4W Soccer Program, Kickoff Festival | Historic Fourth Ward Park

Sunday, June 14
- BEFORE ME PREMIERE: ONE NIGHT ONLY | Tara Atlanta
- Sun Printing Workshop | Piedmont Park
- Fresh Produce Comedy ~ June | The Supermarket ATL

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 full Council met on June 1 and delivered a packed session of zoning, infrastructure, and fiscal decisions. Most consequentially, councilmembers voted 13-0 to ban new self-storage facilities within the Beltline Overlay District — a policy aimed at protecting that corridor for active, mixed-use development rather than letting it fill up with low-employment warehousing. On the infrastructure side, the Council approved over $1.26 billion in water and wastewater capital bonds, along with $20 million for sanitary sewer repairs and $8.52 million for street paving and resurfacing — investments that affect the pipes and roads underlying virtually every Atlanta neighborhood. The Council also reprogrammed $735,000 in federal HOME funds toward affordable housing units at the Sweet Auburn Grande development and authorized a $1.05 million contract renewal with Atlanta Beltline, Inc. to maintain Beltline parks and greenspaces. One notable deferral: the proposed FY2027 city budget and property tax millage rates were sent back to the Finance/Executive Committee for further review, meaning residents won't know their tax picture yet. Earlier that morning, the Committee on Council unanimously approved reforms to how public comment sign-ups and ceremonial proclamations are handled at Council meetings, while holding in committee a more contentious resolution that would have placed certified law enforcement officers at recreation-center polling sites.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education

Minutes are posted for the June 1 Board of Education meeting, confirming the board took up a substantial agenda covering budgets, school safety, and major construction. The board was scheduled to take a final vote on adopting the FY2027 budget — covering the General Fund, Special Revenue Fund, SPLOST Fund, Nutrition Fund, and Student Activity Fund — a decision that directly shapes school spending levels and property tax allocations for the coming year. Construction Management at Risk contracts for building and site improvements at Midtown High School and Maynard Jackson High School were also on the table, signaling meaningful capital investment in two of the district's largest high schools. The board considered purchasing Yondr cell-phone pouches to lock student devices during the school day, a move that would represent a significant shift in how APS manages phones district-wide. Additional items included authorization to purchase 22 new school buses and 13 service vehicles for facilities and transportation staff, as well as a Public Safety Band Signal Enhancement to ensure first-responder radio reliability inside school buildings.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

The Board of Commissioners met June 3, and while minutes are not yet posted, the agenda shows commissioners were scheduled to act on several high-dollar items — keep in mind that any of these items may have been tabled, amended, or deferred before a final vote. The most significant item up for a vote was an eight-year, $15.5 million non-competitive contract with Motorola Solutions to upgrade and maintain the county's ASTRO P25 digital radio system used by public safety agencies — a deal that drew dissent from Chairman Robert Pitts over the no-bid nature of the award. Also on the agenda: a $12.6 million contract renewal with Grady Health System to continue operations at the Fulton County Behavioral Health Crisis Center, and a $1.5 million spending increase to expand ride-sharing transportation options for residents 60 and older. Three grant resolutions sponsored by Commissioner Dana Barrett — covering affordable housing conversion in Downtown Atlanta, a new affordable housing development in English Avenue, and preservation of historic civil rights properties — were scheduled but deferred at the sponsor's request, leaving those initiatives in limbo for now.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee — Monday, June 8 at 11:00 AM
The committee will take up a wide-ranging docket of rezoning cases, including a first reading on a proposal to convert 12.5 acres of industrial land at 1200 White Street, SW into high-density mixed-use development along the Beltline, and a contested case to rezone 13.87 acres along Sylvan Road and Cox Avenue—where city staff and the Zoning Review Board have both recommended denial despite NPU support. A city-wide text amendment establishing buffer requirements for medical cannabis dispensaries is also on the agenda. One address within the VaHi/Morningside area is on the docket: 573 Amsterdam Avenue, NE, where a rezoning from R-4 to R-5 on a 0.229-acre lot is scheduled to be heard.

- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee — Monday, June 8 at 1:00 PM
The committee is scheduled to consider a proposed $3.5 million counter-drone detection system for the Atlanta Police Department, a $500,000 lawsuit settlement in Stanley Mack v. Travis Gray and the City of Atlanta, and a resolution seeking to reduce detention of low-level misdemeanor offenders to ease municipal jail overcrowding. A targeted blight tax penalty on a neglected Midtown property at 1155 Peachtree Street, NE and a retroactive lease to keep the Zone 6 Police Precinct in Kirkwood are also on the agenda.

- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Special Called Meeting — Tuesday, June 9 at 10:00 AM
Commissioners are convening specifically to discuss the county's Service Delivery Strategy—the state-mandated agreement governing how Fulton County and its cities divide responsibility and funding for services like water, sewer, fire, and parks. The outcome of these negotiations can directly affect how property tax dollars are allocated and whether residents face overlapping service charges.

- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee — Tuesday, June 9 at 10:00 AM
The committee will consider a proposed $1.88 million land acquisition to construct the "Valley of the Hawks" wetlands for stormwater management, an ordinance to adjust solid waste service fees and clarify collection exemptions, and a proposal to reinstate green infrastructure requirements for developers that were removed in 2020. Councilmembers have also placed formal requests on the agenda for updates on storm drain cleaning following May 20 flooding and an investigation into fish deaths in the Chattahoochee River.

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Tuesday, June 9 at 1:30 PM
The committee is scheduled to consider a proposal to acquire nearly 30 acres of forested land along Randall Mill Road, NW for permanent tree protection at a cost of up to $7.85 million, along with a $4.5 million funding correction for a new gym at Chastain Park. A land donation at 0 Eugenia Street, SW earmarked for affordable and mixed-income housing development is also on the agenda.

- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee — Wednesday, June 10 at 10:00 AM
The committee will consider a proposed ordinance banning heavy commercial truck cut-throughs on residential streets in the Cabbagetown Landmark District and a new requirement for construction crews to maintain temporary pedestrian walkways when sidewalks are blocked. Also on the agenda: over $9.3 million in road resurfacing contracts and a $43.8 million SkyTrain modernization project at Hartsfield-Jackson.

- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee — Wednesday, June 10 at 1:30 PM
The committee is scheduled to take up the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 city budget alongside resolutions setting property tax rates—including the general levy, parks levy, and special assessments for the Atlanta BeltLine and the Atlanta Stitch. A new consumer protection ordinance targeting predatory parking lot practices and three separate annexation proposals are also on the docket.

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Permits

- 609 Virginia Ave NE — Demolition permitted for two accessory warehouse/storage buildings on an existing apartment property, with a new 2,136 SF clubhouse amenity building filed right behind it. The old storage structures come down; residents get an upgrade.
- 1786 Johnson Rd NW — New 5-unit townhome building (Parc Terrace, Lots 99–103) filed. More infill density headed to the area.
- 1109 Lanier Blvd NE — Major renovation and addition to a single-family home, including interior demolition of the lower level. Expect some noise on the block while this one's underway.
- 1048 N Highland Ave NE — Plumbing work filed for a commercial space (3 sinks, 2 toilets, pump). The scope suggests a buildout is in progress — something new may be coming to this stretch of North Highland.
- 736 Ponce de Leon Ave NE — Repair of an unpermitted wall removal between two commercial suites. A past tenant apparently did some unauthorized demo; the landlord is cleaning it up properly now.
- 400 Park Dr NE (Piedmont Park) — Electrical permit tied to the CHOA Strong4Life Superhero 5K on June 6. Plan around the park accordingly if that Saturday crosses your calendar.

The residential side was busy too — 41 routine permits across the area covering electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and a handful of small demolitions.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-85 Lighting Upgrade (Fulton County) — LED fixtures are being swapped in along I-85 between I-75 and north of Lenox Road, about a mile from the neighborhood. Expect occasional lane activity as crews replace poles, conduit, and wiring along this stretch.
- SR 13 Resurfacing — SR 13 is getting a long-overdue repave between SR 9 and North Fork Peachtree Creek — it hasn't been touched since 2012. This one hits close to home for anyone using Piedmont as a daily corridor, so expect rough conditions and possible lane restrictions while work is underway.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting — The tunnel where the Buford Spring Connector meets I-85 is getting its lighting upgraded from outdated HPS fixtures to LEDs. Work may involve conduit and wiring replacements inside the tunnel, so brace for periodic disruptions near that interchange.
- SR 9 (Peachtree Road) Resurfacing (Fulton County) — Resurfacing is underway on SR 9 from SR 3 north to Paces Ferry Road. If Peachtree is part of your regular route heading in or out of the neighborhood, factor in potential lane narrowing and construction delays.

Pre-Construction

The Monroe Drive intersection is about to get a major makeover. SR 13 @ Monroe Drive Roundabout (Fulton County) — GDOT plans to convert the SR 13/Monroe Drive intersection into a multilane hybrid roundabout. If you've ever white-knuckled that crossing during rush hour, this is either great news or a cause for anxiety depending on your feelings about roundabouts. Construction hasn't started yet, but start mentally rehearsing your yield technique.

- I-85 Tunnel Lighting (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Lighting upgrades are planned for the I-85 tunnels near SR 237 and the I-285/SR 13 interchange. Better visibility in those notoriously dim stretches is overdue — when work kicks off, expect lane restrictions through the tunnels.
- I-85 Resurfacing (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — A long stretch of I-85 from the I-75 Brookwood interchange north into DeKalb is slated for resurfacing. This one will sting when it starts — I-85 through Brookwood is rarely fun even on a good day.
- SR 237 Bridge Replacements & Rehab (Fulton County) — Multiple bridge projects are in the pipeline along SR 237: a full replacement over the CSX rail line, a separate replacement over Peachtree Creek, and a rehabilitation project also at Peachtree Creek. Three bridge jobs on the same corridor suggests a significant period of disruption ahead for Peachtree Road commuters.
- BeltLine NE Trail — Lindbergh to I-85 (Fulton County) — A 14-foot-wide concrete shared-use trail stretching roughly 2.7 miles is funded and in pre-construction, along with about 2.1 miles of spur trails. This is the northeast segment connecting Lindbergh Center down toward I-85 — a meaningful gap-fill for cyclists and pedestrians in the corridor.
- SR 237 @ Lindbergh Drive — Signal & Pedestrian Improvements (Fulton County) — New traffic signal and pedestrian infrastructure is planned at the SR 237/Lindbergh Drive intersection. Straightforward upgrade, but worth noting if you walk or bike through there.
- SR 237 @ Lambert Drive — Flush Curb Installation (Fulton County) — A curb and gutter project at the SR 237/Lambert Drive junction. Small in scope, but part of the broader SR 237 corridor work piling up in the pipeline.

Service Requests

Nine potholes have been flagged across the area, with Cheshire Bridge Road NE drawing two reports and additional complaints on Sheridan Road NE, Morningside Drive at Lanier Place, East Pelham Road NE, and East Morningside Drive NE, among others. Litter cleanup requests are concentrated on Virginia Avenue NE (three reports) and at Monroe Drive NE at Yorkshire and Cumberland Roads and Bonaventure Avenue NE. Two downed trees were reported on Lanier Boulevard NE and Brookridge Drive NE. A visibility and overgrowth issue has been flagged at North Morningside Drive and North Highland Avenue NE. A traffic signal at Piedmont Avenue NE and Monroe Drive was reported and resolved. A sign repair or replacement is pending on Cheshire Bridge Road NE.