No slaughterhouses in our neighborhoods!    

This is a reminder to please sign the petition against allowing a slaughterhouse to operate in a DeKalb County neighborhood. Click here and sign the petition: http://chng.it/mtMYBR9G6x   

We will share it with commissioners Monday, prior to their vote on the matter Tuesday night.

Please join us if you can and Wear RED.  March 26, 6:30 p.m., 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. The Board responds to public pressure. Numbers count! 

Background:  Bradford Homes & Grounds has been running a slaughterhouse at 1676 Rice Road, Lithonia, Ga., for at least five years without a proper DeKalb County business license. Since January 2016, he has slaughtered at least 2,174 animals. Now that Code Enforcement made the business license department aware of the problem, the owner is seeking a rezoning. In addition to signing the petition calling for the commissioners to DENY the rezoning, we encourage you to call or to write all county commissioners and urge them to DENY the request.

 

Keep up with your SPLOST dollars

Here’s a great link to see exactly how the SPLOST money is being spent.
https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/splost/dekalb-county-splost

Click on Project Map and zoom in on the area you want to see. It will show you exactly what projects are on the list, in progress, and completed.

 

Ready. Set. Go!

Join us May 4, 8:30 a.m., for the 2^nd annual 5K Walk/Run through Hidden Hills. This is a fun event and a great way to start the day. It’s timed and certified for those who are keeping track. Sign up now at this link: http://www.wearehiddenhills.com/

 

Welcome to our New Board Members

KEN BLAKELY, Executive Committee-Board of Directors. Ken is a 26-year resident of the Hidden Hills community. This is his first year as a board member of GHHCDC.  Ken is retired after working for the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) for 25 years in their Washington, DC and Atlanta offices. He currently is involved with several organizations that are working to bring economic development and increased pride in our community. In addition to working with the GHHCDC, Ken is on the Board of Directors of both the Hidden Hills Civic Association, and the Imagine Greenhaven cityhood initiative. He is also a member of the South Dekalb Improvement Association.

 

 

 

LARRY COLES, Executive Committee-Board of Directors. Larry has been a resident of DeKalb County since moving to Georgia over 20 years ago.  He is President of the Highlands at Hidden Hills Condominium Association (13 years), an active member of the Hidden Hills Civic Association, and member of GHHCDC since its inception.

Larry envisions a thriving, clean, and beautifully landscaped area where residents and businesses take pride and responsibility for building a vibrant community for the next generation. 

Larry currently serves as Program Manager at the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Office in Atlanta.  He is responsible for building alliances and developing partnership opportunities and services for colleges and universities nationwide.  He has previously served as vice president and in senior management roles at Wells Fargo Bank, Urban Ed Express, the College Board, Georgia Student Finance Commission, and Brown University.

A neighborhood is no place for a slaughterhouse

Bradford Homes & Grounds has been running a slaughterhouse at 1676 Rice Road, Lithonia, Ga., for at least five years without a proper DeKalb County business license. Now that Code Enforcement made the business license department aware of the problem, the owner is seeking a rezoning. We ask you to call and write all county commissioners and urge them to DENY the request.

We also need you at the Board of Commissioners meeting, March 26, 6:30 p.m., 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. Wear red! The Board responds to public pressure. Numbers count!  Also, please sign the online petition that we will share with commissioners:  http://chng.it/mtMYBR9G6x

Unfortunately, only three people made the Planning Commission meeting. Despite a strong recommendation from the planning staff to deny the request, four commission members were in favor of granting it.  The commission could not get a majority vote, so that motion did not pass.  Instead, they passed the buck and recommended that the case be sent back for a full cycle deferral.

Here are the key reasons why you should ask for a denial:

Should not slaughter animals in a residential neighborhood

In the first two months of this year, 22 cattle, 5 pigs, 85 goats, and 98 sheep were slaughtered. The killing takes place in the middle of a neighborhood, 1/5 mile from Redan Elementary and ½ mile from Redan Recreation Center.

In the past three years, 2174 animals have been slaughtered, according to the GA Department of Agriculture. The meat is then sold to individual consumers.

This business does not belong in a residential neighborhood. The request is to rezone it as Residential Estate, but that doesn’t solve the problem of having an active slaughterhouse in the middle of a residential community.

Does not meet code

The property does not have the required building setbacks and fencing for the facility.

Has not followed the law

The owner has a history of operating outside the law. He began slaughtering in 2014 (possibly earlier) but was shut down by the GA Department of Agriculture for not having the proper state license. He has been operating for years under a DeKalb County business license that does not allow slaughterhouses, but rather construction.

Has numerous animal control complaints

Since 2012, Animal Control has been to the property numerous times, investigating the shooting of Canadian geese, unvaccinated dogs kept in barrels, ribs showing on a horse on the property, and concerns about the unsanitary conditions.

Please, write or call your county commissioners and ask them to DENY the rezoning. Also, come to the meeting and wear red! March 26, 6:30 p.m., 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. Please share this information with any DeKalb County resident who cares about the quality of life in this county.

District 5 Comm. Mereda Davis Johnson	404 371-2159	mdjohnson@dekalbcountyga.gov
District 7 Comm. Lorraine Cochran-Johnson	404 371-2899	LCJohnson@dekalbcountyga.gov
District 3 Comm. Larry Johnson	404 371-2988	larryjohnson@dekalbcountyga.gov
District 6 Comm. Kathie Gannon	404 371-4909	kgannon@dekalbcountyga.gov
District 4 Comm. Steve Bradshaw	404 371-4749	srbradshaw@dekalbcountyga.gov
District 2 Comm. Jeff Rader	404 371-2863	jrader@dekalbcountyga.gov
District 1 Comm. Nancy Jester	404 371-2844	njester@dekalbcountyga.gov

Please sign the online petition that we will share with commissioners:  http://chng.it/mtMYBR9G6x

Your Community, Your Litter –
Pick It Up!

On Friday, March 15, 2019 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson in partnership with the Greater Hidden Hills CDC will launch a guerrilla-style marketing effort designed to engage DeKalb residents to clean-up their communities, take ownership in positive community and environmental outcomes, and actively eliminate litter through clean-up across the county. The campaign will culminate with a county-wide community clean-up day on Saturday, June 1.

According to Phyllis Frierson, Board member of Greater Hidden Hills CDC and the inspiration behind the campaign, “We hope our efforts will inspire people to stop littering and to show respect for our homes, parks, and businesses. We encourage all communities to join us, clean-up our streets, and stop littering.”

To build litter awareness and encourage community pride, the comprehensive effort includes a video and jingle content where students develop original content supporting the “Your Community, Your Litter – Pick It Up!” theme. Local high schools and elementary schools will participate in the content and winning students and teachers will receive Amazon gift cards, pizza parties and recognition for their efforts.  The videos and jingles will become the marketing engine behind the anti-litter campaign.

We appreciate the involvement of Super District 7 commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and her staff.

Cricket May Be Coming to Hidden Hills

Mr. Mahammed Qureshi met with the Hidden Hills Civic Association (HHCA)  March 5 to discuss his vision for the closed Hidden Hills golf course. He wants to create cricket fields on part of the property, housing in the center, and various recreational amenities in other places.  As of this date, he has not closed on the property but he has invested thousands of dollars in surveys and other costs. The HHCA president rod Frierson and GHHCDC President Jan Costello have met with him twice and explained what development is allowed and what the community prefers.

Before any development can take place, the GHH Overlay Code requires that plans be reviewed by the County. Mr. Qureshi has committed to working with the community before he gets to the planning review stage.

He is a wealthy businessman who has put the property under contract. He is a huge fan of cricket, and in 2001, he started a professional organization called Cricket Council USA to promote, develop and expand the sport of cricket in the U.S. It is based in south Florida.

The website is:
http://www.cricketcouncilusa.com

If you would like to learn more about the sport of cricket, go to the USA Cricket website:
https://www.usacricket.org

On the home page, look for the section called, “What is cricket?” The site has ten short videos that show you how the game is played.

Congratulations to Rod Frierson for his nomination to the Marta Board of Directors.  

Rod is president of the Hidden Hills Civic Association, one of the county’s largest communities representing 1,683 homes. He is also a business development consultant with nearly 30 years of leadership experience in manufacturing, distribution and warehouse management. Frierson received a Bachelor of Science degree in resource development and management from Michigan State University. What a wonderful opportunity for our community to have Rod represent DeKalb.

Welcome new Board Members Larry Coles and Kenneth Blackly.

Larry Coles and Kenneth Blackly have been elected to the Board of Directors of the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation.

Our next Greater Hidden Hills CDC meeting is March 23, 10 a.m., at Mainstreet Community Center, 5001 Mainstreet Park Drive, Stone Mountain, 30088. You are welcome to join us for an update on our initiatives and business development in the area.

On Jan. 8, the BOC unanimously denied the SLUP for the Tycore Auto Repair shop.

Your activism made the difference!  289 people signed the petition against another auto repair shop, and those names and comments were sent to the DeKalb Board of Commissioners (BOC).

District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis-Johnson and new District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson set the tone by noting that Covington Highway has too many auto-related businesses, and they mentioned some of the facts that we presented. 

After the vote, the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation thanked all of the commissioners.  Commissioner Davis-Johnson thanked us, as well, and said, “I would also like to thank all of the engaged citizens who voiced their concerns, no matter their position on the item.”

Commissioner Cochran-Johnson added, “We need development along Covington, but we must be intentional and specific on permitting what enhances communities.”

It was a painful day for the applicant, but our position was clear before he bought the property.  This part of DeKalb County is ready for more business diversity, and your efforts in signing the petition helped make the case.  The result: the Board reflected the will of the community.

What a great way to start the year!

The latest streetscape improvement is at the entrance to Los Arcos.

We planted the 9-foot-by-20-foot entrance and landscaped a 30-foot section along Redan Road.  The old sign will be moved off the property once the restaurant gets its new digital signs fixed.

Thanks to Los Arcos for a contribution that went towards the plants. The rest of the expense was covered by all of you who contributed to our fundraising efforts. We also appreciate Impressive Lawns for the landscaping advice and the great planting effort (contact owner Willie Baker, williecbaker63@bellsouth.net, 678-618-4076).

Hurray!  Waffle House is open.

The company made tremendous improvements to the bus stop and streetscape in front of the restaurant. They also cut out islands in the parking lot and planted grass and trees.  It looks great!

 

More auto repair shops, anyone?

The Greater Hidden Hills Overlay District has a special zoning code that affects businesses within the borders.  The code has helped us keep out gas stations, liquor stores, tattoo parlors, and other businesses that do not add to the commercial health of our community.

Tycore Auto Services is asking for an exception to the types of businesses allowed in the Greater Hidden Hills Overlay District. The business needs a Special Land Use Permit to do major auto repair at 5361 Covington Highway, next door to Walgreens and across the street from Pep Boys and two other auto-related businesses. The property has approximately 110 feet of frontage along Covington Highway and contains 0.6 acre.

Auto repair shops are allowed all over DeKalb County, and we have plenty in our area. However, we’re trying to create a more diverse business environment at S. Hairston and Covington Highway, and other commercial areas in the overlay district.  This community has an excessive number of auto-related businesses. From the spot where this business would be, the table below shows the number of auto-related businesses.

Auto-Related Businesses within radius of 5361 Covington Highway	1 mile	3 miles	5 miles
Automotive Services (repair)	13	87	219
Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers	13	59	140
Gas Stations	3	37	92
Total	29	183	451
Percent of all business in the area	16.5%	9.1%	7.8%

Source: ESRI, Nov. 2018

 

The DeKalb County District 5 Community Council split on its recommendation, 4 – 3 with one abstention.  The Planning Commission voted 5 to 1 in favor of the applicant, even though three members said they felt remorse doing so.

 

The Board of Commissioners is the last stop. The public hearing is on Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m., Manual Maloof Building, 1300 Commerce Drive. Please join us.