Long Range Planning
Newsletter
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Mission Statement
To advance a long range vision of a livable, equitable, sustainable, beautiful, and prosperous DeKalb County through the implementation of adopted plans, policies, and partnerships.
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End of Year 2024 Newsletter | |
World Planning Day feat. The DeKalb Green New Deal | |
On Saturday, November 09, 2024, the DeKalb County Planning and Sustainability Department and Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry partnered to bring the community World Planning Day featuring the DeKalb Green New Deal Festival. Around 200 community members connected and engaged with DeKalb County staff, community advocates, and over 20 other organizations focused on sustainability, urban planning, and many more key solutions for DeKalb County. | |
The DeKalb Community Academy is an initiative aimed at empowering communities and fostering partnerships through education on policy, zoning, land-use, and other planning-related matters. Our goal is to advance the vision of a livable, equitable, sustainable, beautiful, and prosperous DeKalb County. | |
McNair Community 101
The “Community 101” program is a newly launched training designed to provide tailored training to residents in unincorporated DeKalb, equipping them with essential knowledge about the services offered by the DeKalb County Planning & Sustainability Department. The first community targeted was the McNair area. We greatly appreciate everyone who took part!
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Columbia Community 101
We are targeting the Columbia community next for this initiative. Stay tuned for more information!
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Candler Road Public Art Study
Public art is being planned along Candler Road between I-285 and Memorial Drive. Several exciting possibilities are underway or are expected to begin soon along the corridor, making it the perfect location for a public art focus.
Read the study here!
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Pathlink Wayfinding
The PathLink Wayfinding Project is an endeavor by DeKalb County Planning and Sustainability to promote use of the Stone Mountain Trail by providing wayfinding signage and safety improvements in neighborhoods north of Memorial Drive. Public engagement concluded this year, and fabrication will begin in 2025.
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Oak Creek Park
DeKalb County is conducting a feasibility study for connectivity from Memorial Drive to Oak Creek Park. ULI Atlanta awarded a mTAP for this project. Stay tuned for more information regarding this project!
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Redan Road Corridor Study
DeKalb County is identifying opportunities to transform the Redan Road corridor. The purpose of the scoping study is to identify transportation infrastructure projects which meet community goals and objectives, which can be presented to state and regional partners for funding partnerships.
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Indian Creek Rezoning
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved the application to rezone the 64 acres that encompass Indian Creek Station to MU-4 (mixed-use high density.) This accomplishment would not have been possible without the robust community engagement seen for the project, as well as feedback from different stakeholders and organizations.
The next steps for the project include selecting private for the development phase.
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Kensington LCI Partial Update
Long Range Planning is pleased to announce that on November 21st, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the Kensington text amendment. This amendment involves a “partial update” to the Kensington Supplemental LCI Plan, which was originally adopted in 2012. The update incorporates the vision, policies, and goals outlined in MARTA’s Kensington Master Plan: Transit-Oriented Development, providing a framework for future development in the area surrounding the Kensington MARTA station. Additionally, the adoption of the MARTA Kensington Master Plan Study amends Chapter 5: Small Area Plans of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, ensuring coordinated planning for the area’s transit-oriented growth.
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Global City/Willow Branch TA
The City of Clarkston, Georgia, is home to a diversity of communities from around the globe. The Global City Community Revitalization Plan utilizes the existing conditions analysis, previous planning work, and feedback from stakeholders to identify challenges and opportunities in the study and develop a series of recommendations. These recommendations were adopted into the Memorial Drive Revitalization plan in October 2
Find out more here.
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Comprehensive Housing Plan
DeKalb County’s first-ever comprehensive housing plan, a groundbreaking initiative designed to address the county's growing housing crisis, was unanimously approved by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 27. The new housing plan will serve as a guiding framework for tackling a wide range of housing challenges across the county.
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Our staff is currently exploring three communities under the Small Area Planning Program (noted in the DeKalb County Comprehensive 2050 Plan.) More information about these projects will be available in the new year as kick-off begins! Stay tuned. | |
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Explore planning and transportation initiatives, as well as key demographics of our census tracts in our new platform DeKalb Community Atlas.
Available maps and data include a Permit and Application tracker, SPLOST Projects, Community profiles, Housing and Income Statistics, Economics, and more.
Feedback is greatly appreciated. Comments can be submitted on the DeKalb Community Atlas "Comments and Feedback" tab.
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Engage DeKalb is Planning and Sustainability's community engagement platform!
With Engage DeKalb, community members can actively participate by taking part in surveys, sharing ideas, and staying up to date with ongoing projects in the community.
Some current projects include Short Term Rentals Text Amendment, Special Event Facilities Text Amendment, Global City-Memorial Drive Community Revitalization Plan, and more!
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Tree Ordinance
DeKalb County is currently rewriting the tree ordinance. The goals of this rewrite are to address gaps in the ordinance, make it easier to follow, and pursue a greener DeKalb County.
Public engagement will be underway in early 2025. Stay tuned!
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ARC Green Communities Gold Status
In 2024, DeKalb County was upgraded to the Gold level under the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) Green Communities Program, demonstrating the county’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and leadership in sustainability practices.
Read more here.
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EECBG Grant and Fellow
DeKalb County is performing an energy efficiency audit on 10 buildings to identify strategies for reducing energy consumption and enhancing sustainability in our operations. This project is supported by an Energy Efficiency Block Grant (EECBG), which will also help fund the implementation of the audit's recommendations.
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Our Front Yard Tree Program is an opportunity for DeKalb homeowners to add shade and beauty to their yard, at no cost to the homeowner. Our partner, Trees Atlanta, provides advice on species selection and the best location for the tree, and will deliver and plant the tree.
Click here to fill out an application for a front yard tree!
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As part of widespread efforts to improve sustainability in DeKalb County under the Clean Energy Transition Plan, Southface Institute, an Atlanta-based sustainable building nonprofit, is developing an extensive energy transition plan to steer the county towards a future of 100% clean energy.
For a recap of past events and news regarding Clean Energy DeKalb, visit the site below.
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December Eco-Friendly Tips
Sustainable Shopping:
- Bring your own reusable shopping bag.
- If you do use disposable plastic bags, be sure to bring them back to the store for recycling–do not put plastic bags in the curbside bin, please!
Eco-Conscious Holiday Meals:
- Minimize food waste by purchasing only what you need.
- Source ingredients from local farmers' markets.
- Use plant-based dishes where possible.
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Compost leftovers that can’t be eaten. (Here’s how)
- Avoid disposable cutlery, plates, and cups for holiday gatherings and use reusable options instead.
Mindful Gifting:
- Give experiences (like tickets, classes, or memberships), or homemade gifts (baked goods, jams, or crafts).
- Support local artisans, or choose gifts made from sustainable materials.
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Eco-Friendly Decorations:
- Use natural decorations such as dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and evergreen boughs.
- Avoid tinsel and glitter. Both are made of non-biodegradable plastic and can harm wildlife if they end up in nature. Opt for biodegradable or fabric-based decorations instead.
- Switch holiday lights from incandescent bulbs to LED, which are more efficient and longer-lasting.
Recycle!
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Long Range Planning Staff | |
Long Range Planning Staff. From left: LaSonji Marshall, Brian Brewer, Aprell King, Tony Guilford, Tricia Prevost, James Burge, Kathy Reed, Eva Chauveau, Nicole Marchant, Campbell Casseb, Larry Washington | |
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Eva Chauveau - Planner
Eva Chauveau, a new planner for DeKalb County, is a recent graduate from the University of Georgia, having obtained an undergraduate degree in Anthropology, with a minor in Landscape Studies and a certificate in Historic Preservation.
Prior to working for the County government, she focused on working with organizations whose mission centered around bringing about more livable communities that promote diversity, accessibility, and affordability. She hopes to continue to bring about more inclusive and innovative housing solutions in her new role with DeKalb County.
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