BOC Passed the Disputed Rezoning Request for an Indian Creek apartment complex

Despite opposition and the lack of opportunity for community review, the Board of Commissioners unanimously gave approval for the four-story apartment complex to be built behind the CVS at the corner of Indian Creek and Redan.  We saw some of the plans for the first time at the Zoom meeting July 30.  Those plans are still not part of the application.

I made the point to the Commissioners that we are missing a valuable opportunity to develop something of benefit to the Indian Creek transit corridor.  This complex looks like a weekly motel. It is a box in a parking lot.

I realize that people have different opinions about design. That is to be expected. But, give us a chance to air those views. We saw no renderings of the actual project at either Community Council meeting.  Some new images were revealed at the second Planning Commission meeting and at a hastily called “community” meeting on Zoom. Then, on July 30, a new sketch of the interior was provided.  We cannot comment on what we can’t see.

An intersection this close to a Marta station could be something grand. The idea was to have mixed-use here.  Why are we allowing the area to be developed in a piecemeal fashion, with no thought to the future that we had hoped to create.  It is a disappointment.

 

 

Slaughterhouse court date – rescheduled again

Yes, that is the same headline as used in the last newsletter. Covid-19 is completely disrupting the court calendar.

And so, the slaughtering continues at Bradford Homes & Grounds, 1676 Rice Road, Lithonia, GA 30058. The company received a state license April 22, 2014, but the owner, Rudolf Bradford, never received a license from the county.  DeKalb County issued a cease-and-desist order March 1, 2019.

Between January 2016 and May 2020, he slaughtered 3,407  cows, pigs, goats, and sheep. I have asked for the records for May and June.

The County has taken him to court, but there have been many delays due to Rudolf’s own delaying tactics and the virus. Thomas Kemp, II, DeKalb County senior assistant solicitor-general, has conscientiously kept us in the loop the whole time.   We will keep you updated.

 

Community Spirit continues to amaze me

In this dark time of our nation, with this horrible virus taking lives, compromising the health of so many thousands of people,  and changing the very fabric of our social bonds, I would like to say thank you to the people who are still out there in the community, doing what they can to make our world better.

• Thank you to all the many people who are caring for our loved ones in senior citizen and assisted living homes.
• Thank you to the doctors and nurses and aides who do so much.
• Thank you to the grocery and pharmacy workers for keeping the stores open.
• Thank you to those who pick up trash.
• Thank you to our police and fire fighters and to all the public servants who continue to report for duty.
• Thank you to our teachers.
• Thank you, postal workers. Thank you, poll workers. Thank you, UPS and Amazon delivery workers.

So many people to thank.  But I will end here by mentioning two.  Rod Frierson, president of the Hidden Hills Civic Association, continues to invest countless volunteer hours in a brighter tomorrow. He is working on so many good projects – from Marta improvements to planting trees in the neighborhood.  His service work lifts my spirits.

And Gwen Stegall, tireless advocate for Hairston Park.  Even after endless delays in a park improvement project, she is still leading the good fight.  Good luck, Gwen, on getting the grant to build a serenity trail in the park and make other improvements.

Until next time, may everybody be healthy.

 

Jan Costello

President, Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation