Youth Job Fair May 2

To keep our kids engaged and productive, the first ever Mainstreet Community Youth Job Fair will take place on
May 2^nd from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
5001 Mainstreet Park Dr, Stone Mountain, GA 30088
(the clubhouse)

Summer is the perfect time for young people to build work ethics and learn about responsibility, earning an income, and managing their time. We’ve invited businesses who are looking for seasonal help. If you have summer projects that young people can help with, please contact the Darryl Irvin (404-421-6815) or the Mainstreet office.

Let’s work together to make this summer a win for our young people and our community. See you at the clubhouse.

Say No to Another Liquor Store

The application for a liquor store at the closed Walgreens at Covington and Hairston, 5395 Covington Highway, was filed and will be on the July zoning cycle.  Now is the time to make your voice heard. You may send your comments to the Planning Department, and they will be forwarded to the case manager and Planning Commissioners:   plansustain@dekalbcountyga.gov

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

It’s also important to let our commissioners know how you feel. Send letters to

Commissioner Mereda Davis-Johnson, District 5, mdjohnson@dekalbcountyga.gov

Commissioner LaDena Bolton, District 7, labolton@dekalbcountyga.gov

Make an effort to attend the Public Hearings. Your presence matters. The meetings are:

Community Council: June 8, 2026 @ 6:30 p.m., via Zoom

Planning Commission: July 7, 2026 @ 6:00 p.m., via Zoom

Board of Commissioners: August 13, 2026 @ 5:30 p.m., in-person at 178 Sams Street, Decatur, GA 30030. (Date change from July 23, 2026)

In May, the case itself will be on the county website. Public Hearings Agendas & Minutes | DeKalb County GA 

LIQUOR STORES HURT OUR COMMUNITY

Manny Singh proposes to open a liquor store in the closed Walgreens at Covington Hwy and Hairston Road.  The Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation urges you to join us in opposing this plan.

The developer needs a Special Land Use Permit to open a liquor store, as required by the Hidden Hills Overlay Code.  The community advocated for this requirement along with other codes to improve the diversity of businesses in this area. 

Alcohol is sold in package stores, gasoline stations, and convenience stores. Mr. Singh only counted liquor stores and only counted five within 3.5 miles. We ran the numbers again, using ESRI Business Analyst. There are AT LEAST 129 places to buy alcohol within five miles of the closed Walgreens.  Use this link to see a list of the alcohol outlets.  Note, the report includes some businesses that share an address, but even if you merge the addresses, there are still well over 100 places to buy alcohol in our community.  If you see an error, please write back.

	five-mile radius
Liquor Stores	22
Gas Stations and Convenience Stores	63
Grocery Stores	44
Total	129

Our community deserves a DIVERSITY of businesses. We have too many liquor stores, beauty shops, dollar stores, and vehicle-related businesses.

• DeKalb County commissioned a study in 2016 that found that areas with a high density of liquor stores experienced a 50.5% increase in violent crime. (from GSU Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology).  A surplus of gas stations/convenience stores was associated with a 13.2% increase in violent crime.
• Adverse Economic Impact:  Areas with high density of liquor stores, gas stations/convenience stores, check-cashing outlets, pawn shops, fast-food restaurants, and auto repair shops was linked to decreased residential property values in surrounding areas.

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 Mr. Singh and other 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.

Proposed Data Center Regulations—Public Hearing May 12

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners continues to review data center regulations. You may attend a public hearing 9 a.m., May 12, 178 Sams Street, Decatur.  You may read draft 4 by  clicking here.  

Neighborhood registry

If you represent your neighborhood or know the person who does, please check this link to see if they are on DeKalb County’s Neighborhood Registry List.  This list is used to notify neighborhoods of important zoning issues that affect them directly.  Send corrections to

Nicole Marchant
nvmarchant@dekalbcountyga.gov
Copy plansustain@dekalbcountyga.gov  

Great American Campout and Environmental Day

June 27, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Hairston Park, 889 S. Hairston Road
A Day of Fun and Adventure

Get ready for a day of outdoor fun and learning for the entire family. It’s a great day of camping demonstrations, fishing, birding and wildlife exploration, and environmental exhibits. Visit with professionals in environmental and green occupations. Please, tell your friends.  See you there!

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