Jan. 31, 2026, 9am to noon Join the Tree-Planting Team
Volunteers continue to beautify Hairston Road. We invite you to join us as we plant dozens of trees along Hairston Road between Central Avenue and E. Ponce. This is part of the streetscape improvement in which Trees Atlanta and our community have planted close to 300 trees..
We look forward to our community showing up in force. Bring your friends! It is empowering to do something this simple that has such tremendous benefit. Trees provide cooler air and shade, help to clean and capture water, and improve habitat for wildlife and humans. In addition, attractive streetscapes stimulate investment.
Trees Atlanta provides the tools. Please bring gloves and water. You may park at Change Church at 1170 N. Hairston. We are meeting shortly before 9 am on Jan. 31.
The latest draft of the zoning regulations regarding data centers is available by clicking here. The next public hearing is being rescheduled due to weather closures.
Jan. 27, 6 p.m., on Zoom Let’s plan DeKalb’s future, together!
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!
As change and growth continue in the County, it’s important to revisit our priorities and ensure our ordinances support the needs and desires of the community. This update aims to align the Zoning Ordinance more closely with the 2050 Unified Plan and existing development patterns so that it better reflects the values and priorities of DeKalb’s residents and businesses.
Check out the Zone Dekalb FAQs to review commonly asked questions about the project. You can also download the project fact sheet.
Click here to register for the Virtual Open House Kickoff event (via Zoom) on Tuesday, January 27th at 6:00 – 7:30 pm!
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.
May your new year be off to a great start. This month, we would like to tell you about several community events that directly impact our area.
Jan. 20, 6-8 pm. Last Chance to Give Your Input on improving the Redan area
The Planning Department asks you to attend the last public meeting for the Redan area and provide input. Community feedback guides the planning efforts and future improvements.
The meeting is IN-PERSON at Fairfield Baptist Church 6133 Redan Road, Lithonia. Jan. 20, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Jan. 27, 6 p.m., on Zoom Let’s plan DeKalb’s future, together!
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!
As change and growth continue in the County, it’s important to revisit our priorities and ensure our ordinances support the needs and desires of the community. This update aims to align the Zoning Ordinance more closely with the 2050 Unified Plan and existing development patterns so that it better reflects the values and priorities of DeKalb’s residents and businesses.
Check out the Zone Dekalb FAQs to review commonly asked questions about the project. You can also download the project fact sheet.
Click here to register for the Virtual Open House Kickoff event (via Zoom) on Tuesday, January 27th at 6:00 – 7:30 pm!
Jan. 31, 2026, 9am to noon Join the Tree-Planting Team
Volunteers are planting 64 trees along Hairston Road between Rockbridge Road and E. Ponce. This is part of the streetscape improvement in which Trees Atlanta and our community has planted close to 300 trees on Hairston Road.
We’re motivated by knowing that attractive streetscapes attract more investment. In addition, trees provide cooler air and shade, help to clean and capture water, and improve habitat for wildlife and humans.
Volunteers for the tree-planting projects come from all over the metro area, and we encourage our community to come out in force. Talk to your church members and youth groups. Bring a group! It is empowering to do something this simple that has such tremendous benefit.
Trees Atlanta provides the tools. Please bring gloves and water. We are meeting shortly before 9 am on Jan. 31 near Change Church at 1170 N. Hairston. Please register at this link.
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.
On October 20, the median landscaping work was completed on s. Hairston, just south of Redan. We began the project as soon as we received a contribution from Commissioner Merida Davis Johnson. It took a while (we’ve been waiting since May!), and we are grateful it’s done.
Special praise to a local landscaping company, Adams Landscape Group, for their excellent work. (taglawns@msn.com)
Nov. 9 –Green New Deal Festival – Food! Music! Workshops! and More
Join the DeKalb County Planning and Sustainability department, Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry, and 20+ other organizations for a day of education, celebration, and action at our family-friendly World Planning Day featuring the DeKalb Green New Deal Festival! Enjoy live music, food trucks, eco-friendly workshops, and inspiring connections centered on community building and environmental justice. Together, we’re creating a greener future for all!
Parking is limited so we encourage guests to join us through MARTA. The DeKalb Government Service Center is easily accessible from the Avondale MARTA Station.
Dec. 8-9 – Indian Creek Marta Closed for a Very Good Reason
Anew pedestrian bridge will be installed on Sunday and Monday, Dec. 8-9, 2024. The bridge spans over the tracks, so for the safety of our customers and employees, we have to briefly suspend rail service.
The new pedestrian bridge will greatly improve pedestrian and cyclist access to the station and connect to a planned trail network. It’s one part of a major investment in the Indian Creek Station. Extensive upgrades to the platform, concourse, walls, furniture, elevator, lighting, public artwork, landscaping, as well as deep cleaning also will be completed as part of the renovation. The pedestrian bridge is scheduled for completion in April 2025 and the overall project is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2025.
Here’s what you need to know:
Rail Suspension at Indian Creek: Sunday and Monday, Dec. 8-9, 2024.
Blue Line Service: Blue Line train service will not serve Indian Creek and will terminate at Kensington Station.
Shuttle Service: Temporary bus shuttles will take customers between Indian Creek Station and Kensington Station. Please allow at least 15 extra minutes for your trip.
Parking: Customers who drive are encouraged to park at Kensington Station. Parking at Indian Creek will remain open.
Bus Routes: Local bus routes and schedules are unchanged. (MARTA routes 24, 107, 111, 116, 119 and Ride Gwinnett 70).
Coming Soon – A New Vision, A New Brand for the communities in and around 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 survey to get your ideas.
Redan Road: Check Out the Final Plan
DeKalb County conducted a study of the Redan Road Corridor to identify opportunities to improve the transportation network. This was a jointly funded study by DeKalb County and the Atlanta Regional Commission.
The study identified three major projects to improve overall capacity, safety, and operations to provide mobility along the corridor for walking, biking, transit, cars and trucks. The proposed projects were vetted with the public and agency stakeholders. Two in-person public meetings, two online survey sessions, and four agency stakeholder meetings were completed. These transportation infrastructure projects will address the challenges identified from the existing conditions analysis and identified during the community outreach activities of the study.
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.
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.
Save the Date to Plant a Tree!
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.
Please join us and bring your friends!
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.
Let’s breathe new life into Biffle Park March 16th, 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. 5221 Biffle Road, Stone Mountain
Your hands can help shape the beauty of Biffle Park by:
Liberating trees from the tight grip of ivy
Clearing the view by removing invasive privet
Beautifying our space with a litter pick-up
Polishing the park’s welcome sign
Every helping hand counts! Whether you’re a green thumb or a first-timer, there’s a task for you.
Clean Energy Workshop
March 16, 3:00 – 5:00 pm, join the next installment of the DeKalb Community Climate Champions. Discover the regulatory process behind GA’s utilities at
Hairston Crossing Library 4911 Redan Rd, Stone Mountain, GA 30088.
If you are interested in attending, please be sure to register using the registration link.
Review of DeKalb’s Clean Energy Transition Plan preliminary findings
Overview of the remaining work that is well underway
Review of our previous DeKalb Community Climate Champion Sessions
Deep dive into the regulatory framework of GA’s utilities
Snacks and refreshments will be provided. Understanding the regulatory framework behind utilities is critical to understanding how it affects residents of DeKalb County.
March 20 – Give Your Opinion on Improving Redan Road
DeKalb County has launched the Redan Road Corridor Scoping Studyaimed at identifying opportunities to transform Redan Road from a two-lane street to a multimodal complete street with improved traffic operations and safety, that supports existing users, economic development, and the planned I-285 Express Lane access. The corridor study limits are from Kensington Road/Holcombe Road to South Hairston Road. The purpose of the study is to identify transportation infrastructure projects which meet
The study needs our community goals and objectives. You can participate in person
March 20, 5:00 – 7:00 PM Hairston Crossing Library 4911 Redan Rd, Stone Mountain, GA 30088.
Can’t Make it to the Meeting? Engage Online! See the interactive map and survey at:
It’s Been Two Decades – Time to Assess the Hidden Hills Overlay District
We received great news from the DeKalbPlanning & Sustainability Department. Funding has been provided to conduct a long range study of the Greater Hidden Hills Overlay Distrct. This study will shape the re-write of our overlay code.
Public forums are expected to begin in the fall. We’ll keep you posted.
We would like to thank those of you who have contributed to the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corp. this year.
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.
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.
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!
We’re motivated by knowing that attractive streetscapes attract more investment. In addition, trees provide cooler air and shade, help to clean and capture water, and improve habitat for wildlife and humans.
Thank you to those who have contributed to the Greater Hidden Hills CDC.
Greater Hidden Hills 