SERVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF DRUID HILLS
A COMMUNITY NESTLED IN THE HEART OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Emory University presented plans for a Graduate Student Housing Project in Haygood Triangle, across the street from Druid Hills High School. Information and updates about the project are posted by Emory here and here. This article from What Now Atlanta provides a good overview of the proposed project and shows initial site renderings.
We Are Listening
The DHCA has been actively engaged with the community to gather input as to their thoughts, concerns, support and/or opposition to the proposed project and to use that input to develop a plan for engaging Emory and the City of Atlanta.
We conducted two surveys regarding Emory’s Graduate Student Housing Project, one online and one door-to-door in the adjacent neighborhood.
There were 197 comments from 80 respondents to the online survey; 20% of the comments expressed support for the project and 80% of the comments expressed concern. In the door-to-door survey of 66 homes in close proximity to the project only 2 of 32 responses were in favor of the project. The top concerns expressed by residents in each survey are shown in the adjacent bar charts and more detailed survey results may be found here.
Where Are Things Now?
After careful discussion about how to best advocate for the expressed concerns of Druid Hills residents, the DHCA adopted a detailed position statement which can be found here.
Given Emory’s policy to protect and buffer surrounding neighborhoods with lower densities at the campus edges, we have requested the project be relocated toward the campus interior. However, should Emory move forward in the Haygood Triangle location, we have requested several actions to mitigate the detrimental impacts of the project on the surrounding neighborhood.
Our requests are based on the residential input we received. We are asking for mitigation related to:
The scale and orientation of the proposed southernmost building immediately across from the adjoining neighborhood
Traffic and parking congestion
Pedestrian safety
Tree canopy and greenspace preservation
Stormwater management
What Happens Next?
Emory has applied to the City of Atlanta to rezone the Haygood Triangle property and will present it to the NPU-F Zoning Committee on August 23, 2021. The DHCA will state its position at the same meeting.
Once the matter passes through the Zoning Committee, NPU-F will vote on it at its general meeting in September, and then it will proceed to the City of Atlanta Zoning Review Board, currently scheduled for review on October 7, 2021.
What Can You Do?
Druid Hills residents, especially those who live in the immediate area of Haygood Triangle, should contact their friends and contacts within NPU-F to share their concerns about the project.
Jennifer Ide is the Atlanta City Councilwoman for NPU-F. Druid Hills residents may write to Councilwoman Ide regarding the project at jnide@atlantaga.gov
Upping Our Game
The volunteers in the DHCA are working hard to advocate for all residents of Druid Hills and to communicate what is happening with this and all other issues which affect our community.
The DHCA needs your help to improve our efforts and get better at what we do. We want your input and involvement. If you would like to get involved with any of our committees to work on neighborhood issues and help us continue to do better, please reach out to any of the board members.
Above is the area that is proposed for the Emory Graduate Student Housing Project.
Please note the following correction: The above chart originally included incomplete survey results and has been updated.
The Cator Woolford Estate, which includes Frazer Center, plans to erect a fence around the perimeter of the gardens and forest. In recent years there has been an increase in concerning activities on the site. These incidents have caused growing concern about the safety and liability of children, families and others who have legitimate reasons for being on the property, as well as the historic buildings and surroundings. This, in additional to gaining better invasive species control over the grounds, is why the board feels it is prudent to fence in the property.
The fence will be a 6’ tall commercial grade black vinyl chain link fence. The placement of the fence is intended to make it disappear within the heavily wooded environment. No trees or critical root zones will be impacted, and the fence will not cross streams.
Learn more details in their FAQ. See where the fence will go on the property here. Learn about the history of the property and the issues they face here.
Emory University hosted a community meeting on June 23 to present plans for their Graduate Student Housing Project in the “Haygood Triangle” area. The recorded presentation may be viewed here. Information and updates about the project will be posted by Emory here.
The DHCA is in the process of gathering community input. We will compile and use your input to inform and direct our next steps as we interact with Emory. A follow up meeting with Emory will be announced soon.
The DHCA invites your responses and comments about the Emory University Graduate Student Housing Project.
Take our survey
GDOT held a stakeholder meeting to share conceptual plans to address safety along the Ponce de Leon corridor. Our public safety and transportation committees provided input on behalf of our neighborhood. You can read the DHCA's statement and as well as notes from the stakeholder meeting on our Ponce Corridor Page .
Atlanta City Council will hold a virtual public hearing on March 1st, 2020. This proposed ordinance, if passed, will regulate short term rentals in Atlanta and would impact all of Druid Hills within Atlanta city limits. Residents that want to rent their properties using Airbnb or other short term rental companies would have to get a permit ($150 application fee plus $300 permit fee), pay 8% tax, and follow the rules and regulations of the ordinance. There isn't currently any legislation governing short-term rentals in Unincorporated DeKalb, but the county may not be far behind in doing so.
Although most renters are respectful and are not a nuisance, some can be. Report an issue with specific renters to the authorities, as you would with any other disturbance. If you suspect that an Airbnb property is being misused or not properly handled by the owner, learn more about how to file a complaint with Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/neighbors
Read FAQ's about the proposed ordinance here.
Have you seen the red tubes being buried along certain roads in the neighborhood? Georgia Power is burying some power lines as part of its grid investment plan which will impact streets throughout Druid Hills. See map below and FAQs regarding the project rationale, the impacts, the potential for paid easements and more.
Review GDOT responses to January 2020 public meeting about drainage improvements along Ponce de Leon Ave.
Update about the proposed redevelopment at N. Decatur and Lullwater from The DHCA president, January 16, 2021
Fellow Druid Hills Residents,
As many of you already know Tribridge Residential has filed a stream buffer variance application for the Lullwater Apartments site located at the corner of N. Decatur Rd. and Lullwater Rd. just outside Emory Village. The developer would like to redevelop the site, most of which is encumbered by FEMA floodplain and state and county stream buffers, and build upwards of 85 new units there.
The DHCA has forwarded its concerns regarding encroachments into the streambuffer and development within the floodplain to the State Environmental Protection Division. The DHCA has also been actively engaged on this issue with a number of stakeholders, including the Emory Village Alliance, the Druid Hills Golf and Country Club, and the South Fork Conservancy, as well as the developer, Tribridge Residential.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to reach out to us at president@druidhills.org.
Sincerely,
Kit Eisterhold
(DHCA President)
Due to their size and our neighborhood's topography, residents may find it difficult to maneuver these cans to the curb. Jeff Rader, Commissioner, District 2, DeKalb County, suggests that residents make any concerns known to the Thurmond Administration by clicking here. Also share your concerns to all members of the BOC by clicking here as well as apply for backyard pickup by clicking here since that is the only alternative available.
Dear Neighbors,
Yesterday, the DHCA learned of an application filed with the Georgia Environmental Protection agency for a piece of property that sits at the corner of North Decatur and Lullwater Roads (known as the Lullwater Apartments). This property is located in unincorporated DeKalb County.
The application only relates to the piping of the creek tributary along 200' along North Decatur. However the reason listed for that diversion is "to make way for proposed construction of 85 multi-family apartments". Here is the site plan.
The application has been shared across key stakeholder groups including the Southfork Conservancy, the Emory Village Alliance and the Druid Hills Golf Club and we will seek to gather additional information on the plans and share information with you as we know it on our website and our Facebook page.
If you have comments or concerns, please share those with us as we wish to advocate on behalf of all of our residents in Druid Hills. Email: president@druidhills.org
Kit Eisterhold,
DHCA President
DRUID HILLS CIVIC ASSOCIATIONP.O. Box 363, Decatur, GA 30031
mail@druidhills.orgdruidhills.org
©2020 Druid Hills Civic Association. | Druid Hills Civic Association, Inc. is a Georgia non-profit corporation.
