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Author: longspearsprd

Emory Village: A Journey of Community Development and Placemaking

Photo of Emory Village Plaza – Courtesy of David Payne Emory Village, a vibrant hub nestled in the heart of DeKalb County, has a rich history of community involvement and development. Over the years, it has evolved into a unique place that combines the charm of a village with the amenities of a modern community. The creation of the Emory Village Zoning Overlay over a decade ago marked a significant milestone in the Village’s development. This zoning overlay was designed to guide development in a way that preserved the Village’s character while encouraging growth and improvement. However, as Emory Village continues to evolve, there is a growing need to amend the current overlay to better facilitate “placemaking” – the process of creating quality places that people want to be in. David Payne, Emory Village Alliance board member and Associate Vice President of Emory University, reflects on this evolution, stating, “DeKalb County made significant investments in Emory Village that added the roundabout and streetscape improvements, but over the last 10 years since that investment, no meaningful new commercial development has occurred in the Village. Hopefully, the changes being contemplated to the Village zoning overlay will prompt this development.” For the past ten years, the District 2 office has been a proud supporter of the Emory Village Alliance (EVA) and its annual Open Streets Emory Village street festival, an event that brings the community together for a day of fun and celebration and highlights the vibrant spirit of Emory Village. Today, Commissioner Michelle Long Spears, the District 2 office, and EVA are advocating for changes to the Emory Village Overlay. These amendments aim to foster greater community involvement and development while preserving the unique village character that makes Emory Village so special. One exciting development that Commissioner Spears has been actively supporting is the opening of SAVI market in the Village. Working closely with DeKalb’s Law department and Planning department, Commissioner Spears has been instrumental in facilitating the opening of this new business, which will be a wonderful addition to the Village. In addition to supporting new business development, Commissioner Spears is also committed to environmental stewardship in Emory Village. She recently supported the “Clean Up the Creek” concert, an event held in the Village to support the creation of a Rainwater Garden at Peavine Creek, with a $5,000 allocation. This initiative aims to assist with rainwater management and erosion control, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable development in Emory Village. Todd Hill, Chair of the Board at the Emory Village Alliance, appreciates this effort, noting, “Commissioner Spears knows the importance of establishing a harmoniously designed, safe and comfortable public realm to foster place making in public spaces. EVA is the volunteer entity that looks after the eleven-acre district to continuously improve the Village. All of us on the EVA Board are grateful for her leadership and engagement to strategize how to fund and implement our projects to improve and enhance Emory Village as the Living Room of Druid Hills.” As Emory Village continues to grow and develop, maintaining the charm and character that make it unique is a key priority. As we look to the future, we are excited about its potential to be a place where people love to be. Emory Village can become more than just a place – it can become a community hub.

D2 Project Detail Document

Source Budget $ Transportation Department #ERROR! SPLOST Trails (Countywide) #ERROR! SPLOST sidewalks (Countywide) $ 2,113,426 *Aspiration, based on SPLOST Team initial determination (from initial ranking for D2 projects) SPLOST D2 Discretionary $ 1,000,000 Clairmont to Briarcliff Trail Project approved by BOC on 9/4/22 Parks Department #ERROR! Parks Bond $ 790,000 D2 Discretionary portion of Bond funds D2 Capital Fund $ 970,000 Derived from 3 years of discretionary budget send to Captial Account. *D2 Discretionary (FY 2022) $ 30,000 Needs to be committed or transferred to a Capital Account by end of 2022 *D2 Discretionary (FY 2023) $ 300,000 Budget approval on February 28, 2023 will determine amount *ARP, D2 (1st Tranche) $ 1,500,000 Caroline programs for Covid and other institutional puposes *ARP, D2 (2nd Tranche) $ 957,143 per POETA dated 3/7/23 ARP Countywide (1st Tranche) #ERROR! Primarily PE costs for stormwater improvement projects in D2 ARP Countywide (2nd Tranche) #ERROR! Aspirational – estimated construction costs from PE estimates SPLOST GDOT Match From county-wide SPLOST funds for state/federal match funds. East Rock Springs. North Druid Hills bridge. SPLOST Funded Match for Rock Springs $ 90,000 GDOT LMIG funds (80% of project costs) Cumberland at Rocksprings Rd SPLOST Mini Roundabouts Mini Roundabouts at Springdale and Oakdale SPLOST Signals Match $ 50,000 GDOT LMIG funds (80% of project costs) Pedestrian signals, 4 on Briarcliff, N Decatur, Briarlake. TOTAL #ERROR! D2 Discretionary Total #ERROR! * Fixed Funding Amounts

D2 Park Tour 2023 Details

MLS Parks Meeting (5/20/23) Agenda PRIORITIES: My lead up to taking office was what I called a “listening and learning journey” in the 5 Ps – people, pets, potholes, parks, and public safety. Over my first four months in office, we have focused on building a solid D2 team, establishing constituent communications mechanisms and platforms, and completing various new commissioner trainings, tours, site visits, and the ARC’s community planning academy.  Your District 2 team hit the ground running to strategize and identify key priorities to focus on this year. As always, my top priority is YOU – being available, responsive and accountable to our county’s citizens. Additional key priorities include: In addition, we are conducting research, mobilizing resources, and monitoring other critical issue areas that we look forward to engaging in meaningfully and intentionally in the very near future. These areas include: SPLOST II Timeline for November 7, 2023 (29 Day Call) Begin Meetings with City Attorneys to finalize Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs)2 June 19, 2023 Last date to send notice of City/County meeting3 August 25, 2023 Last day to hold City/County meeting September 5, 2023 Last date to execute the Intergovernmental Agreements with the Cities September 25, 2023 Last regular BOC meeting date to adopt SPLOST IIResolution 4 September 26, 2023 Last Date to send the Resolution to the election superintendent for issuance of the Call5 September 26, 2023 Last date to send Call to Champion Newspaper for publication prior to Call Deadline6 September 27, 2023 Last date for the Issuance and Publication of Call for the Special Election7 October 9, 2023(Published on October 5, 2023) Last date to send Notice of Election to Champion Newspaper for publication prior to the Election October 4, 2023 Dates for publication of notice of the election8 October 12, 2023October 19, 2023October 26, 2023November 2, 2023 Election Date November 7, 2023 1) Supplemental signal head at Scott Boulevard and  West Ponce De Leon  2) Add additional school crossing signs  3) Reposition horizontal alignment signs  4) Replace U.S. & state route signage at bridge  5) Adjust signal timing during peak hours at Ponce de Leon at Artwood  6) Intersection warning signs at Ponce de Leon near Ridgecrest  7) Additional warning signs for large trucks to move to the left lane as they approach the curving hill from the west  8) Replacement of the curve warning signs to avoid road diversions coming from the east  9) Improved signage alerting drivers to Fernbank Science Center access on Artwood  10) Replacement of the light under the bridge alerting trucks to the low clearance problem  11) Pruning of vegetative overgrowth blocking signs and reducing visibility 1.Briarlake Sewerline Improvement Project – Sewer Main replacement project under way right now.  Community virtual meeting held 5/18 with Department of Watershed Management. Briarlake Road will be closed after Memorial Day and we hope it will be reopened before school begins in August. A total of 1240 linear feet will be replaced with 600 feet in the roadway.

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