You’re Invited to Celebrate This Saturday, 11 a.m.
A New Playground for the Community!
We are thrilled with the newly upgraded playground at Biffle Park! Thanks to a generous $50,000 grant from Park Pride, this space includes exciting new features:
Shade-covered swings (including ADA-compliant)
Safe artificial turf
Puppet theater, lemonade stand, musical instruments, and interactive panels
The playground upgrades are made possible by Park Pride, with generous support from The Home Depot Foundation. SPLOST I provided the rest of the funding.
We look forward to sharing this special occasion with you!
Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 11:00 a.m. Biffle Park 5221 Biffle Road Stone Mountain, GA 30088
Return at Sundown Free Movie Night
We’ll be showing Wicked in Biffle Park at sundown. Bring your picnics, chairs, and blankets. We’ll have popcorn and treats. Brought to you by the Hidden Hills Civic Association. All are welcome!
Sprucing Up Hairston Park
It’s almost time for our annual friends of Hairston Park Fall cleanup, and we would love your helping hands.
Be on the lookout for the official November date, but plan to join us for a couple of hours for a morning of mulching, garden care and preparing the park for the winter season. It’s a great way to connect with nature, meet new people, get outdoors and show your community Park some love!
Hairston Park is located at 889 S. Hairston Road, Stone Mountain.
What Do You Think About Data Centers in DeKalb?
There’s a moratorium on new data centers in DeKalb County through Dec. 2025. The County is working on zoning regulations to mitigate the impact of this type of business. CEO Cochran Johnson held a forum (standing room only) Oct. 15 to present the case for data centers, along with Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson (District 5) and Commissioner Dr. LaDena Bolton (Super District 7).
Data centers could have a huge impact on the county – in terms of both tax revenue and quality of life for residents. Inform yourself about this proposal. You can watch the full recording and presentation here: dekalbcountyga.gov/chief-executive-officer/data-center-town-hall
You can read the proposed legislation AND provide comments at this website.
Scroll down to Data Center Tax Amendment.
Thank you to those who have contributed to the Greater Hidden Hills CDC.
Your support helps us maintain our 501c3 status as a nonprofit, pay for our website and email notices, and other operational expenses (The PO Box, for example, was $70 eight years ago and now is $188!). We work on behalf of all communities in and adjacent to the Hidden Hills overlay district. We would appreciate your financial donation.
Membership is $25 for individuals and $125 for neighborhood associations and businesses each year.
Planning Commission Recommends Wendy’s on Redan Road
Wendy’s lease for the restaurant on S. Hairston Road is about to expire. It wants to move to the empty lot in front of Brusters on Redan Road and build its own restaurant to better meet the needs of its patrons. It needed special permission to add a drive-through. It will still have indoor seating, and it will add streetscape improvements.
The request was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission with 12 conditions. To see the case, click on this link and scroll down to Planning Commission/N2-2024-0891.
It was supposed to be reviewed by the Board of Commission Sept. 26, but Hurricane Helene caused the meeting to be cancelled. At this time, it has not been rescheduled. Click here for the latest news on the new date.
A Clearer Look: PathLink Update
DeKalb County is investing in new signs and safety improvements to help people just north of Memorial Drive make better use of the Stone Mountain Trail. On Oct. 2, 6 p.m., the County will hold a virtual meeting to provide updates and to take feedback and questions. If you would like to attend, please register for the webinar at https://tinyurl.com/pathlink2
This is the first Wayfinding project for trails. It will serve as the baseline for improving signage for other DeKalb trails.
You can learn more about this project at the Engage DeKalb page here. The recording of the meeting will also be posted shortly following the meeting.
If you have questions or comments about the project, please contact Tricia Prevost, AICP, tcprevost@dekalbcountyga.gov
Let’s Come together and enhance Biffle Park!
This 10-acre park is located between Hidden Hills and Kelley’s Place, and it is a jewel of the greater community. With your support, Friends of Biffle Park will add mileage markers, rejuvenate three large planters with vibrant paint and colorful plants, and protect the beauty of our native flora. Will you give $5 to $10 so that we can purchase supplies?
Your contribution isn’t just a donation—it’s an investment in a greener, more inviting Biffle Park for everyone to enjoy! Please donate by clicking this link.
Did you know:
Within a 20-minute walk of the park, there are approximately 8,370 people, with 22% under the age of 19.
Within a 15-minute drive, the park is accessible to around 230,200 people, with 24% under the age of 19.
If you prefer, you may send a check to Friends’ sponsoring non-profit Greater Hidden Hills CDC P.O. Box 1811 Stone Mountain, GA 30087 (501c3) Let us know it is for Biffle Park.
Join Us for Fitness & Fun
Saturday, Oct. 12, 8:00 a.m.,at the Biffle Park Gazebo.
This is a great time to meet neighbors while enjoying a light workout. Hope to see you there!
You are Invited to Grow Your Own Food in the Redan Community Garden
It’s time to start your fall vegetable garden, and our neighbors welcome you to join the Redan Community Garden. It is at 5338 Redan Road, just down the street from Redan High School. Garden fees are reasonable, $15.00 for fall, and $15.00 for spring, and that gives you plenty of space and water. See the attached vegetable planting guide for ideas on what to grow now.
You may contact Calvin E. Sims, Sr., 706-572-1425 (cell) or cesims@bellsouth.net for more information.
Coming Soon – Envisioning Greater Hidden Hills
The Planning Department is going to conduct a study of how we would like the Greater Hidden Hills area to develop in coming years. This is the first stage of a re-write of the overlay code which went into effect in 2011. It was designed to promote better business development and to protect greenspace. The overlay district runs from Covington Hwy to Redan Road, S. Hairston to Panola. Dozens of neighborhoods within and around this area are affected by the code.
The code promoted mixed-use development in the commercial corridors which sadly has not come to pass. It prohibited certain types of businesses in commercial areas such as liquor stores and gas stations. It encouraged the development of restaurants, medical and professional offices, banks, educational facilities, child care, fitness centers, retail shops, and many other businesses. One of the goals of the rewrite is to embed incentives to attract the new businesses. Some of us who helped work on that code are still around, but there are many new neighbors, and we want to hear from you. Stay tuned for details on the first meeting which is expected to be near the end of October.
Teenagers, Mark Your Calendars – Apply for Trees Atlanta PAID Summer Program
On November 15, applications will be accepted for the Youth Tree Team, a paid summer job training program. Explore green jobs with hands-on experience while working alongside Trees Atlanta staff. Participate in weekly development programs, including building job seeking skills and establishing financial literacy.
This program is open to applicants currently enrolled in high school or matriculating into high school. Must be 14 years of age or older as of May 1 to be eligible.
Which side of the tree has the most leaves? The outside!
Just a Little Fun Before We Dig In!
In December, we’re planting 65 trees in the Hidden Hills area, and we’d love to have your help. Please save Saturday morning, Dec. 7, to spend time with tree friends. With all the development in this part of the County and the loss of trees in front yards, we have lost a significant portion of the tree canopy. The young trees will grow up and provide shade – cooling the environment – and help clean the air and water.
It’s published by Sentient Media, a “nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that publishes stories and solutions to explain factory farms and their effect on climate, animals, public health, politics and more.” They had reached out to Christopher Eubanks, and he provided my name.
Still Waiting to Make Improvements on S. Hairston/Redan
We are still waiting for the contribution from Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson to spruce up the median on S. Hairston across from Kroger. The request has been winding its way through the procurement process since May 21. We’ll keep you posted.
We would like to thank those of you who have contributed to the Greater Hidden Hills CDC this year.
Your support helps us maintain our 501c3 status as a nonprofit, pay for our website and email notices, and other operational expenses. We work on behalf of all communities in and adjacent to the Hidden Hills overlay district. We would appreciate your financial donation.
Membership is $25 for individuals and $125 for neighborhood associations and businesses each year.
We will provide an update on a proposed apartment development 1332 S. Hairston Road. Roughly 170 units are planned, with a significant percentage reserved for workforce housing (for families earning between 40% – 70% of the Area Median Income.* Since this parcel is in Tier Two of the Greater Hidden Hills Overlay District, 30% of the development must be mixed use. The developer has not shown a plan with the mixed use component.
*for family of 4, in 2022, the range is $40,840 – $71,470/year
New Credit Union Coming to Wesley Chapel
There will be a new credit union in the area. VyStar Credit Union is going to open at the old Chick-fil-A location on Wesley Chapel. They will invest $6.5 million in renovations. The credit union will be open to everyone. VyStar is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL., and is expanding outside of the state; it already has 5 branches in Georgia. Learn more about the credit union at:
District 4 is considering a request to allow a drive-through oil change facility at 2209 Lawrenceville Hwy. It will also hear a request for an event center at 6009 Memorial Drive.
To read about the cases and to see the agendas, please click on this link:
The public is invited to hear about converting a former Boys and Girls Club at 6038/6048 Paul Road, Lithonia, into a production studio. You may attend the Zoom meeting Feb. 16, 5:15 p.m.
We would like to thank the Hidden Hills Civic Association for renewing its membership. We work on behalf of all communities in and adjacent to the Hidden Hills overlay district. We would appreciate your financial donation.
Membership is $25 for individuals and $125 for neighborhood associations and businesses each year.
Our redevelopment and beautification efforts are making an impact in the Greater Hidden Hills community. We had a productive 2018, and we thank all of those who were part of the effort.
We advocate for the area within and adjacent to the Greater Hidden Hills Overlay District, which covers a four-square-mile area (incorporating these four corners: Covington/S.Hairston, Redan/S.Hairston, Redan/Panola, and Covington/Panola).
Advocating for Better Business Development
Waffle House Opening – Redan Road and South Hairston. GHHCDC celebrated the opening of this new business in October.
New Waffle House on Redan
The company changed its plans to conform to the GHH Overlay District, and the result is a dozen trees in parking lot islands and the street frontage.In addition, the company improved the bus shelter in front of its restaurant, expanded the cement pads and updated the landscaping. GHHCDC provided two new benches, and MARTA pitched in the garbage cans.
New, expanded bus shelter on Redan Road
Rocklyn Homes Development – Covington Highway and Panola Road – heard our concerns and modified its design for the townhome community near LA Fitness. The development will have a one-third acre pocket park, a 30-foot landscaped buffer, and lots of trees. The area used to be in the GHH overlay district, but the city of Stonecrest annexed it. Nevertheless, we insisted that Stonecrest meet the higher standards that we have in our overlay, and they agreed. We had two meetings with the developers, one with the planning department, and attended four public hearings.
Interestingly, Rocklyn is proposing another townhome community on Covington, and this plan already has walking trails, a dog park, and a pocket park!
Tycore Auto Repair – Covington Highway and South Hairston. We attended four public meetings and one meeting with commissioners to ask that this business not be allowed to open at 5361 Covington Highway, across the street from Pep Boys, a tire shop, and next door to an auto repair shop. Within three miles of this address, there are 183 auto-related businesses. The effort continues into 2019 as the Board of Commissioners deferred its vote.
Beautification Builds Better Business
We’re beautifying the streetscape in our commercial zones. When the environment looks more attractive, more people want to do business in the area. This helps us attract better businesses and keep consumer spending close to home. This year we:
Refreshed the median on South Hairston, just south of Redan. GHHCDC hired a landscaping company to regularly maintain the median.
Planted rosebushes and perennials in the entrance island of Los Arcos and along with beautification of the sidewalk strip.
Planted 26 trees as part of our ongoing streetscape improvement, in a joint project with Keep DeKalb Beautiful and the DeKalb County Tree Bank. These include 14 Nellie Stevens Holly leading up to the entrance of Hairston Park; 10 crepe myrtle in the public easement on Redan Road, to beautify the Hairston Square shopping center; and 2 Georgia Gem Green Ash trees on South Hairston and in Hairston Park.
New plantings at Los Arcos on Redan
New crepe myrtle on Redan
South Hairston median refresh, with volunteers (from left) Lois Dunlap, Jan Costello, and Nadine Rivers-Johnson.
Planted trees on South Hairston leading to Hairston Park
Herbert Love and Gwendolyn Stegall on the cold January planting day.
Parks Add Value
Parks are an economic development tool. That’s why we are active Friends of Hairston Park. We finished installing fitness stations in Hairston Park, an effort achieved through the UPS Foundation grant that we received. We also helped make Earth Day in Hairston Park a huge success as we reclaimed trails in the beautiful wooded area on the north end of the park.
Clearing paths and adding fitness equipment at Hairston Park
Remembrance of a Fine Musician and Friend of GHHCDC.
Theresa Hightower, Aug. 2018
Theresa Hightower, the accomplished jazz musician, singer and actress, graced us with what was to be her last public performance at the 2nd annual Music on Main, a significant fundraiser for the organization. She passed away in October. Ms. Hightower was a true humanitarian, and she left a legacy of outstanding performances and community service.
Help GHHCDC Continue Our Work in 2019
Your donation can help us continue our mission to stimulate economic development and create a greener, healthier environment. Join our efforts for 2019, when we:
continue our streetscape beautification along South Hairston and Redan
advocate for amending our overlay code so that certain auto businesses and liquor stores are prohibited (No more hearings!)
watch that all new development meets our overlay requirements
lobby for tougher penalties on code enforcement violations by businesses
pursue more grants to enhance Hairston Park
stage the 3rd annual Music on Main, our annual fundraiser!
You can invest in this community. Come to our monthly meetings. And send your contributions to:
Greater Hidden Hills CDC
P.O Box 1811
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
The Stonecrest City Council heard our voices at the meeting Monday night. We asked that more of the Greater Hidden Hills Overlay District zoning code be applied to the property the city plans to annex. This property is at 6024 Covington Highway, to the west of LA Fitness. The council voted unanimously to defer the matter and asked the attorney to convey to Rocklyn Homes that some improvements were needed.
If the property had stayed under the GHH overlay, it would have been required to set aside 20% for public open space, have 30-foot buffers next to the Scarbrough neighborhood. We also asked for more trees and that the stormwater drainage system be environmentally sensitive and attractive. For example, the site could include permeable pavers, rain gardens, and vegetative swales. The stormwater retention pond could be an aesthetic and recreational feature, with a walking path and benches around it.
The next step is up to Rocklyn Homes. We’ll keep you posted.
Thank you to all the people who came to the meeting. Your presence made a difference. We only had 10 minutes to speak; we appreciate the comments made by Jan Costello, president of the Greater Hidden Hills CDC; Kenneth Saunders III, president of the South DeKalb Improvement Association; and Rod Frierson, president of Hidden Hills Civic Association. Bernard Knight, general counsel of the Stonecrest Business Alliance, provided a factual reminder that the area was part of the GHH overlay district and that the city forgot to include the zoning when it incorporated part of the district.
Also, a word about the property owner, Halpern Enterprises. The firm did meet with us and accept the conditions we asked for that apply to commercial development. We appreciate the firm’s accommodation.
Join us for Jazz, Delicious Food & Drinks, and Great Auction Bargains on Aug. 18, 8 – 11 p.m.
Our 2nd annual Music on Main features Theresa Hightower,an acclaimed jazz and blues vocalist, actor, and songwriter. During the event, you can get a deal on the items we’ll auction, such as:
Ion All-weather speaker system
Dinner for Two at CalaBar & Grill
ART Station Holiday tickets
All-Attraction Stone Mountain Park – two tickets
Hotel Indigo Peachtree – 2-night staycation
Unique, hand-painted Australian boomerang
Original Jennifer Dreznin mixed media artwork
Mystery Valley golf package
Sircles necklace and Sircles bracelet set
Nick’s Barbershop hair cut package
Fender amplifier from Pro Music
Mary Kay gift set plus spa facial for three
PJs Package Red and White wine gift baskets
Rob Reardon original metal wall art (one features the Georgia Bulldog and the other Ray Charles)
The event raises money for streetscape improvements in the Greater Hidden Hills area. We all want better business. Please support the effort to improve our commercial areas. Remember, it’s tax-deductible.
Where: Mainstreet Clubhouse, 5001 Mainstreet Park Drive, Stone Mountain
Tickets are $35 each or two for $60. You receive food, beverages, entertainment, and a fun time with neighbors and elected officials. Purchase at the door or in advance at: Music-on-Main
More than 90 people showed up for Earth Day at Hairston Park April 21. We worked happily under brilliant blue skies. Volunteers cleared a six-foot-wide path from the parking lot to the north edge of the park near Elam Road and back around to the playground. Others aired out the shrubbery next to the sidewalk, volunteers picked up litter, and children painted cement barricades.
Thanks to John Ahern at Park Pride for guiding us through the project. Many staff and volunteers came from Park Pride, and we appreciate you all. Thanks to Gwendolyn Stegall and the Friends captains: Larry Cole, Jarvis Walker, Jonathan Stegall, and Keith Williams. And thanks to Antioch AME Church, Wells Fargo, Home Depot, and Invesco for sending volunteers.
District 4 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw and District 7 Commissioner Gregory Adams opened the day’s event with gratitude and inspirational pep talks.
The community made a tremendous difference in Hairston Park. Look at the before and after pictures:
The hidden path before Earth Day
The path AFTER Earth Day!
Visit and see for yourself. We’ll have other fun projects at the park, so please join us. Write to FriendsofHairstonPark@gmail.com to be on the mailing list.
Phyllis Frierson and volunteers enjoying the last spruce-up day.
Join the effort to make a positive difference in our community. Saturday, March 24, 9:45 a.m., we will brighten a key stretch of S. Hairston near Redan (across from Kroger). The median will get spruced up with a dozen new plants and fresh mulch.
You may park between Wendy’s and Doo’s Seafood or in the shopping center parking lots.
The work is fun and satisfying. Keep DeKalb Beautiful staff will have the holes dug for the plants. We put them in the ground and spread the mulch. Bring your gloves, a shovel and a metal rake.
A dozen volunteers can knock this out in an hour. Please come! The result will please you every time you drive down S. Hairston. It will remind people that our community cares about its appearance.
The Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation invites you to Music on Main. This fabulous evening features cocktails, hors d’oeuvres,
a silent auction, and jazz.
See and hear one of the nation’s most
captivating performers, the “Lady Soul Of Jazz,” Singer-Actress Chandra Currelley.
Saturday, August 19, 2017 8 pm – 11 pm
Where:
Mainstreet Community Clubhouse
5001 Mainstreet Park Dr.
Stone Mountain 30088
The proceeds will benefit Greater Hidden Hills’ streetscape beautification efforts.
Tickets: $25
Cocktail attire Purchase your ticket with a major credit card by clicking on our EventBrite page.
Kids and the young-at-heart: Which playground do you like best
for Hairston Park? The winning design will be announced at the Groundbreaking Ceremony at Hairston Park
July 7, 10 a.m.
Let us know yourfavorite option AND your age. Please click “leave a comment”
at the bottom of this post or email your vote and age to GHHCDC@gmail.com.
You can also view a large diagram and vote at Mainstreet Community Center (5001 Mainstreet Park) through Tuesday. Or, you can stop by the booth at Mainstreet Park at 6 pm on the Fourth of July.
The playground upgrades are made possible by Park Pride, with generous support from The Home Depot Foundation. SPLOST I provided the rest of the funding.
We’ll be showing Wicked in Biffle Park at sundown. Bring your picnics, chairs, and blankets. We’ll have popcorn and treats. Brought to you by the Hidden Hills Civic Association. All are welcome!
It’s almost time for our annual friends of Hairston Park Fall cleanup, and we would love your helping hands.
Data centers could have a huge impact on the county – in terms of both tax revenue and quality of life for residents. Inform yourself about this proposal. You can watch the full recording and presentation here: dekalbcountyga.gov/chief-executive-officer/data-center-town-hall
See and hear one of the nation’s most
Greater Hidden Hills 