Community advocacy is making a difference
The application for a Special Land Use Permit—required for the proposed liquor store—will next go before the Planning Commission on July 7 at 6 p.m. Please continue to speak up for responsible development that better serves our community.
- July 7, 6 pm, the Planning Commission hears the case via Zoom.
https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/s/87468073122
or Telephone Dial: USA 888-270-9936 (US Toll Free) Conference code: 691303
The liquor store would be a blight on our community’s vision of economic diversity and prosperity. We have too many liquor stores, beauty shops, dollar stores, and auto-related businesses. We deserve a variety of businesses that cater to a wide array of interests and necessities.
The final public meeting is Aug. 13, 5:30 pm. The Board of Commissioners hears the case, in person, at 178 Sams Street, Decatur.
Background:
There are 22 liquor stores within five miles of this location, shown below. (Data from ESRI Business Analyst, May 2026) Click here for a list that names each one, with addresses.
A study commissioned by DeKalb County and conducted by the Georgia State University Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, shows ” ….after controlling for population, race, and poverty, each additional liquor store in a census tract was associated with:
- 61.3% more total reported crime
- 50.5% more violent crime
- 68.5% more property crime
- 57% more public-order crime
This study was the foundation for passage of an ordinance that passed May 23, 2017 that set strict spacing requirements, zoning distance buffers, and temporary development moratoria on businesses such as liquor stores, pawn shops, check-cashing establishments, convenience stores/gas stations, fast-food restaurants, and auto-repair shops. These businesses were associated with associated with an average $13,519 reduction in median assessed residential property value, according to the study. T
This isn’t a fight against existing businesses, but a plea for balance. We welcome many types of new businesses. In the spring, the community responded to a Planning Department survey and overwhelmingly asked for more cafes and restaurants (no fast food), high quality grocery stores, a variety of retail options, entertainment venues, and professional services. We encourage developers to consider the demand for higher-end businesses in our area. They could capture the dollars we spend in Decatur, Avondale Estates, Tucker, and north DeKalb.
An Updated Hidden Hills Overlay Code is Designed to Attract High-Quality Businesses
The Planning Commission will vote on the proposed updated Hidden Hills Overlay Code the case July 7 (same Zoom link as above).

The original code was approved in 2011. It covers a four-square-mile area around Hidden Hills, from Covington to Redan, Hairston to Young Road/Panola. Click here to see the map. It did not bring about the redevelopment and businesses we had hoped for. Areas like the underused shopping centers at Hairston/Redan are ripe for redevelopment. The changes are designed to attract mixed-use development along the main commercial corridors as well as bring it up-to-date with County zoning code changes.
The main change is to allow 80% residential in the mixed-use projects rather than the current 70%. Additional density will be given for including restaurants or cafes, grocery stores, medical offices, retail, and/or more public space (all things the public asked for in the spring survey).
Planning staff Tricia Prevost and Aarya More have created a story map explaining the Hidden Hills Overlay and the proposed changes. We encourage you to review it at this link.
Congratulations on the Successful Great American Campout and Environmental Day

Many people enjoyed the day of outdoor fun, learning and adventure at Hairston Park June 27. There were camping demonstrations, nature activities, birding, wildlife exploration, and environmental exhibits. Many thanks to the following groups and individuals for providing activities, donations, and or volunteer support:
Antioch AME
Dekalb Parks RPCA
Kingdom Life Christian Center
Fresh to Order
Representative Viola Davis House District 87
Friends of Flat Shoals Park Dottie Bridges Tennis
E.M.B.A.R.C.
One Heart Ministries
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Alliance
Black Too Earth
Eco addendum
Georgia Department of Natural Resources Gateway to Fishing
Park Naturalist Tasha Messer
Alexis Jones, Zookeeper
Trelley’s Treks, LLC
Irish Chen, Environmental Educator
Beyond the Scales
Darling Ngoh, Hikes of Georgia
Little Creek Farm Conservancy DJPacino
Friends of Hairston Park
Huge credit goes to Gwendolyn Stegall for managing all the logistics and organization!
Keep up with all planning and zoning projects at
Engage DeKalb. This site has valuable information and links to dig deeper if desired.
Thank you to those who have contributed to the Greater Hidden Hills CDC.
Membership is $25 for individuals and $125 for neighborhood associations and businesses each year.
Support the effort by clicking here.
Or donate directly through PayPal
Thank you for reading. Let’s keep working together to leave our community better than we found it!
Written and prepared by Jan Costello.
Comments? Questions? Our email is GHHCDC@gmail.com

It’s a day of outdoor fun, learning and adventure. There will be camping demonstrations, nature activities, birding, wildlife exploration, and environmental exhibits. It’s free and open to all. 
We are updating the Hidden Hills overlay to attract mixed-use development along the main commercial corridors as well as bring it up-to-date with County zoning code changes.

We will show off the recently cleared path from the park to the Senior/Community Center! We’ll walk through the Serenity Garden, explore other paths, and bring people up-to-date on the lake improvements.

Our community has too many liquor stores, beauty shops, dollar stores, and auto-related businesses. And now, a developer wants to put in a liquor store in the closed Walgreens at Covington and Hairston, 5395 Covington Highway, Stone Mountain, Ga. We deserve a diversity of businesses that cater to a wider array of interests and necessities. This isn’t a fight against existing businesses, but a plea for balance.





DeKalb County is updating the Zoning Ordinance for the first time in a decade — and the Sign Ordinance for the first time in 20 years!