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DeKalb commissioners adopt the "urban camping" ordinance 5-2
Commissioners Michelle Long Spears and Ted Terry voted no. The ordinance, authored by Commissioner Nicole Massiah, requires a warning and an offer of services before an arrest and gives people 24 hours to move belongings. The county CEO has seven days to decide on a potential veto.

Brookhaven releases a booklet on its proposed $45.6 million 2027 budget
The 24-page guide is the city's first of its kind and was compiled in-house for about $800. The budget includes no new or expanded programs, and public hearings are set for Nov. 3 and Nov. 17 at City Centre.

DeKalb schools unveil new redistricting options
Option A creates no new middle school, while Options B, C and D would convert Woodward, John Lewis or Dresden Elementary into a middle school for the Cross Keys area. The survey closes at 11:59 p.m. Nov. 10, and public comment sessions are set for Nov. 4 and Nov. 5.

Middleburg Communities shows new visuals for a 315-apartment Buckhead Village project
The seven-story building at 3110 Maple Drive would include about 7,100 square feet of ground-floor retail and replace two buildings, including the Atlanta Police Zone 2 precinct. It goes before the SPI-9 Development Review Committee.

The Beltline breaks ground on Northwest Trail Segment 2A
The 0.3-mile segment runs from Bobby Jones Golf Course along Colonial Hills Circle to a Georgia Power substation, with a 14-foot-wide path and a pedestrian bridge. Completion is expected in early 2028. Demolition has also begun at the former Elleven45 Lounge at 2110 Peachtree Road, part of a 3.2-acre BeltLine site.

Georgia-Pacific is exploring a move out of its Downtown tower
The company recently canceled a planned residential conversion within the building. It is now quietly considering leaving the tower altogether.

Parents file a class-action suit against Midtown International School
The suit alleges administrators collected tuition shortly before the abrupt closure without adequate notice or refunds. Families have been seeking emergency transfers to other schools midway through the term.

Beltline planners narrow MARTA infill station concepts at Murphy Crossing to five
Two of seven alternatives were eliminated, and all remaining options must address a 60-foot vertical gap between future Beltline transit and MARTA rail. The scoping study is expected to cost $800,000 to $900,000, with a preferred alternative targeted by next summer.

Atlanta's Dream lose Game 7 of the WNBA Finals, 68-63
Golden State's Gabby Williams scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half and was named MVP. Angel Reese had eight points, 12 rebounds and two blocks.

Chamblee's office tower implosion leaves dust complaints
The 18-story former Georgia Department of Revenue building at 1800 Century Boulevard was imploded at 7:45 a.m. Saturday. Atlas Demolition says it is reviewing each complaint individually.

The Grove Theatre's $5.5 million revival breaks ground Nov. 4
The Grove Park Foundation and Mayor Andre Dickens will lead the ceremony at the circa-1941 Westside movie house, which is set to become a community-focused mixed-use center.

Georgia Tech president Ángel Cabrera departs after seven years
Cabrera is leaving to lead the Aspen Institute. During his tenure the university expanded its campus footprint, grew research funding and set enrollment records.

Star Bar will close Dec. 31 and Red Light Café will take over
Star Community Bar closes after 35 years at 437 Moreland Avenue in Little Five Points. Red Light Café moves into the building in January 2027.

Mastro's Ocean Club opens Nov. 6 at The CTR
The restaurant takes space in the former CNN Center building, with chef Richard Lee leading the kitchen. The menu includes seafood towers, a 14-ounce filet, and Atlanta-only jerk-spiced grouper and pecan pie.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse opens at 1331 Spring St NW
The 8,233-square-foot space offers a daily prix fixe menu and Australian Wagyu. It's the chain's second Georgia location, after Dunwoody.

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint was set to open Nov. 2 at 1006 North Highland Avenue
The restaurant takes the former Taco Mac space. It's the first location to open since Green Shoot Brands acquired the 22-unit chain.

Wagaya Groceries plans an Emory Village store
The store, slated for the end of the year, sits two doors from the existing restaurant. It will include Japanese and East Asian groceries and a sit-down tonkatsu cafe. A second new store, in the former A Haute Cookie space in Inman Park, is planned for next summer.

Nordstrom Rack opens at Atlantic Station
The 28,000-square-foot store fills the former DSW space. It's the eighth Nordstrom Rack in Georgia.

Ladybird opens a second location at 690 11th Street
The 8,000-square-foot outdoor venue has a 50-seat wraparound bar, a live music grove, and a campfire-style dinner menu with Friday-Sunday brunch.

Drama Hot Pot + Tea Studio is planned for 887 Howell Mill Road
Signage points to an opening in the roughly 3,000-square-foot former Bastone space. The only other known Drama location is in Vancouver.

Nori Yu Handroll Bar is coming to Decatur this fall
Chef Leonard Yu of Omakase Table and Ryokou plans a 12-seat counter with a wood bar and stone countertop.

Lion Chaser Fitness appears headed to 2900 Peachtree Rd NW
A permit filing points to a new location for the Marietta-based gym. The timeline isn't confirmed.

Chastain Creamery signs a lease at Hillcrest in Sandy Springs
The second shop is planned for 6150 Sandy Springs Cir, in a development expected to open in summer 2027.

Atkins Park block renovation begins on North Highland
Third & Urban is investing more than $3 million across 61,120 square feet. Work should finish by spring 2027, and all businesses stay open.

Khonso Brewing advances in Capitol View
The Zoning Committee unanimously approved the microbrewery and taproom on Dill Avenue. Zoning Review Board review is next.

Buckhead's Peachtree Palisades sells for $30 million
The office building at 1819 Peachtree Road is being converted to medical office space.

Croissant pop-ups land in Reynoldstown
Viennoiseries After Dark offers drop-offs at Madison Yards in Reynoldstown.

Other permit-watch items: At Arbeta filed for a Certificate of Occupancy for a cafe at 579 N Highland Ave NE. Demolition is filed at 501 Amsterdam Ave. A 175-unit project is moving at 715 W Whitehall St SW. A Take 5 Oil Change is planned at 1916 Piedmont Rd NE. Two 3-bedroom duplexes are under review on Brewster St SW.

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Chastain Park Fall Arts Festival (Nov. 7–8)
The festival fills Chastain Park on Saturday and Sunday.

Dave Chappelle
He plays State Farm Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

The R&B Tour with Usher and Chris Brown
The tour stops at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 5.

Decatur Wine Festival
It takes over Decatur Square on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Cabbagetown Chomp & Stomp
The neighborhood event runs Saturday, Nov. 7, with a Romp & Stomp 5K at Milltown Tavern.

🍁 Virginia Row Fall Block Party (Nov. 7–9)
The block party runs three days in Virginia-Highland.

Waiting to Exhale in Concert
The Coca-Cola Film Series presents it at the Fox Theatre on Friday, Nov. 6.

Bach + Brahms (Nov. 5–7)
Performances run at Atlanta Symphony Hall.

Westside Stride and Atlanta Streets Alive Block Party
Howell Mill Road is closed to cars between 8th and 17th Streets on Sunday, Nov. 8.

Brookhaven Chamber's 2nd Annual Rooftop Soirée & Coat Drive
It takes place Friday, Nov. 6, on the City Centre rooftop.

Georgia Tech Football vs. Louisville
The game is Saturday, Nov. 7, at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

ATL StyleWriters Jam
Live painting runs Nov. 6 to 8 at Lee + White.

Other notable events: Other Desert Cities (Nov. 6–22) runs at Merely Players. Trivium w/ In Flames plays The Eastern on Nov. 6. Beer City Cup Atlanta (Nov. 7–8) is in DeKalb County. The Fab Four plays the Buckhead Theatre on Nov. 6. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is at COSM on Nov. 4. The Afghan Whigs and Julia Jacklin play Variety Playhouse Nov. 5 and 6. Mass Destruction Metal Fest runs Nov. 6 and 7 at Wild Heaven. 44 Live Jazz Festival is Nov. 7 at Piedmont Park. The Hawks host the Wizards Nov. 6, the Nets Nov. 7 and the Lakers Nov. 9 at State Farm Arena. Angie Aparo (Nov. 6–7) plays Eddie's Attic.

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Atlanta City Council committees advance FY 2027 property tax rates
The Finance/Executive Committee backed the rates unanimously and approved $1.1 million over three years for the Urban League's youth grants. It held a $3.33 million Trees Atlanta contract. The full council took up the rates Nov. 2, but results haven't been posted yet.

APS board gets a first look at fall 2027 attendance zones
At its Nov. 2 meeting, the Board of Education had first reads of new zones for more than a dozen west and southwest Atlanta schools, including Douglass and Washington high schools, plus its draft 2027 legislative priorities.

Zoning Committee extends the self-storage moratorium
The 6-0 vote adds 60 days for Office-Institutional districts. The committee also recommended denying a major site plan expansion for a five-acre housing development.

Utilities Committee recommends more than $64 million in water work
That includes $25 million for water distribution upgrades and $22.38 million for utility relocation tied to state projects. The committee held a proposed septic tank ban for new commercial development.

Public Safety Committee approves a $6.5 million AT&T contract for the 911 network
The three-year contract upgrades the E911 network. The committee also accepted a $582,102 federal policing grant and held an ordinance on anonymous housing code complaints.

Transportation Committee backs $36.84 million for airport fire safety and a Habersham roundabout
The Concourse B work was advanced, and the Buckhead CID can design a Habersham and Valley roads roundabout for up to $200,000. A $2.88 million resurfacing contract was held.

Fulton County commissioners meet Nov. 4
The agenda includes a $45.5 million jail facility design contract, 2026 school board millage rate adoption, and $35 million in bond financing for Atlanta Classical Academy.

DeKalb commissioners' Oct. 27 agenda
Items included buying the former YMCA property on Snapfinger Road, more than $4.6 million in federal grants for five parks, and moving 30 vacant lots to the regional land bank. Up to $490,797 in SPLOST funds for a joint fire and police training facility was also listed.

DeKalb commissioners' Nov. 5 meetings
The Committee of the Whole meets at 9 a.m. on a $9.9 million Lithonia Park rec center contract and Gresham Road rezoning. The Planning Commission meets at 6 p.m. on Memorial Drive and North Druid Hills Road rezonings.

Decatur and Avondale Estates meetings
Decatur's commission held a 6 p.m. Reparations Task Force work session Nov. 2 before its 7:30 p.m. meeting. Avondale Estates takes up its 2026 Comprehensive Plan on Nov. 4.

Chamblee Downtown Development Authority reviews incentive payments
The agenda included a proposed $272,166.45 administrative payment from a downtown development and a $35,460.15 fee tied to an office project reporting 546 full-time workers. September legal costs of $144,548 exceed the $100,000 full-year budget.

Brookhaven council approves Greenway easements
The resolution covers Peachtree Creek Greenway Phase II. The council also took up task orders of $330,000 to Dewberry and $160,000 to RK&K.

Invest Atlanta TAD meetings
Community meetings run Nov. 4 to 10 on the TAD extension plan. Updated redevelopment plans are expected in early 2027.

Buckhead and Lenox: Crews are repairing the SR 400 tunnel under the Justin C. Martin Building and resurfacing SR 9 from SR 3 to north of Paces Ferry Road. Permits include a ground-floor renovation at 25 Valley Rd NW and several filings at 3475 Lenox Rd NE.

Midtown and West Midtown: SR 8 resurfacing runs from Northside Drive to Moreland Avenue. A fire sprinkler permit at 1100 Peachtree St NE covers 182 heads. Three buildout permits are accepted at 889 Howell Mill Rd NW, and a parking deck and Phase 3 are under review at 1593 Huber St NW.

Downtown: A permit is filed for the Central Energy Plant at 1 State Farm Dr NW, and shade canopies are going up at 85 Centennial Olympic Park Dr NW. Repaving of the Downtown Connector is in its final stretch.

Memorial Drive, Moreland, and Little Five Points: Crews are building a median at Moreland Avenue and Arkwright Place limiting Arkwright to right-in/right-out. A building addition is in review at 801 Glenwood Ave SE. EV charger permits are filed at 374 MLK Jr Dr SE and 477 Wilmer St NE.

Virginia-Highland and Piedmont: Demolition is filed at 501 Amsterdam Ave, and a land development permit covers 500 Amsterdam Ave. The Atlanta Botanical Garden has a permit for a new building at 1425 Piedmont Ave NE. I-85 LED lighting continues from I-75 to north of Lenox Road.

Decatur and Druid Hills: A $2.2 million assembly-use permit closed at 120 W Ponce de Leon Ave, and a $600K renovation closed on Pineview Dr.

Brookhaven and Chamblee: A $234K retail build-out closed at 3983 Buford Hwy NE, and a land disturbance permit closed at 6000 Peachtree Rd. SR 13 resurfacing continues from the Fulton County line to Chamblee Tucker Road.

Southwest Atlanta: A demolition permit for eight structures was accepted at 1050 Murphy Ave SW. The Residences at West End, a 175-unit project, has a land development permit at 715 W Whitehall St SW. Crews are refurbishing the SR 14 bridge over the Beltline.

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