Planning Services
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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Independence Day 07/04/25 - DeKalb County Offices will be closed
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Embry Hills/Presidential Parkway Small Business Outreach 07/28/25 - Mediterranean Bakery (3362 Chamblee Tucker Road)
| |  | | | Welcome our New Director! | |
Juliana Njoku joins the Planning & Sustainability Department
Juliana Njoku was appointed as the Director of Planning & Sustainability on June 24th. Her previous experience includes working as the Director of Planning & Development in Rockdale County, and more recently, Community Development Director for the City of Mableton.
Ms. Njoku aims to make DeKalb Planning and Sustainability a nationwide example in processes, technology, plans, and communication.
| | | Please join us in welcoming Ms. Njoku as our new director! | | The DeKalb Community Academy’s Columbia Community 101 held its final public meeting at the DeKalb County Police South Precinct (2842 H.F. Shepherd Dr.) from 6–8 p.m. Residents attended to review and discuss the draft action plan, developed from input at the March kickoff session. | |
Facilitators from Planning & Sustainability, including LaSonji Marshall and Eva Chauveau, highlighted key initiatives around land-use, transportation, and sustainability tailored to the Columbia neighborhood. Community members offered feedback on proposed steps and voiced questions about implementation timelines.
Attendees were encouraged to stay engaged through the next phase by signing up to become a Community Ambassador candidate to represent the Columbia area and help carry the work forward.
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LaSonji Marshall
Special Projects Coordinator
Email
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Eva Chauveau
Planner
Email
| | Shaping Embry Hills Through Arts, Culture, and Community Input | |
Embry Hills and Presidential Parkway Arts & Culture Plan
The Embry Hills and Presidential Parkway Small Area Plan is a study sponsored by DeKalb County seeking to strengthen this area’s unique identity through public art and culture.
A pop-up was held on June 2nd at the North Hills Shopping Center/Mediterranean Bakery. Community members had the opportunity to learn about the project and provide extensive feedback.
A Business Outreach Event will be held on July 28th at Mediterranean Bakery from 11 AM to 1 PM. Business owners and community members are invited to share their input regarding the project.
Learn more about the project and take the online survey (survey closes July 31st!)
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Aprell King
Planner
Email
| | Shape the Future of the DeKalb Stone Mountain Trail | |
DeKalb Stone Mountain Trail Master Plan
DeKalb County is conducting the Stone Mountain Trail Master Plan, which will analyze a segment of the trail and adjacent areas between Avondale Estates and Stone Mountain Park.
The planning effort will identify strategies to enhance connectivity and mobility, accommodate equitable development, create more people-focused spaces, and drive economic development along the trail corridor.
Stay tuned for an open house later this year that will go over community feedback, recommendations, and more!
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Tricia Prevost, AICP
Sr. Planner
Email
| | EDENS Lula Hills Development | | |
On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Eva Chauveau, David Cullison, Robert Satterwhite, and Yvonne Trammell conducted a comprehensive site visit at the Lulah Hills Development with the Edens Group located at 2042 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033.
The visit included a thorough walkthrough of the site, a review of current project schedules, and in-depth discussions regarding upcoming phases and next steps. This collaborative review helped ensure alignment among team members and reinforced the commitment to maintaining project momentum and timely delivery.
Over the next several months, additional staff will continue to tour this site.
The anticipated opening date for Lulah Hills is the Fall of 2026.
| | Current Planning / Zoning | |
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A proposed ordinance would require hosts to:
- Register for an annual permit
- Pay an 8% excise tax per booking
- List a 24/7 local contact
- ... and more!
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Short-Term Rental (STR) Ordinance
Please see Engage DeKalb for the revised draft ordinance dated March 3, 2025. The team is still collecting feedback and research on STR's. This will go to the Board of Commissioners on July 24, 2025, for a vote.
The STR Ordinance will be presented before the Community Councils for each Commission District. You can view the Community council meetings here, or at the beginning of this newsletter.
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Plastic Free July - Choose to Reuse!
"Plastic Free July has the power to create a widespread cultural shift and prevent plastic waste from reaching our streets, oceans, and communities."
-Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, Founder, Plastic Free July
Learn more here: Plastic Free July and SDG Action Awards
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DeKalb County Sanitation Updates
- In the summer, collection crews pick up trash and recycling early in the morning, to avoid the heat of mid-day. Please make sure bins are out extra early this summer, to avoid missed pickups!
- Mowing crews are working extra hours; please be sure to give them plenty of space and be patient as they work to mow our Right-of-Ways
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See Sanitation's new video for updates on our residential recycling program.
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Lifecycle Building - Online Store
As of this month, LBC now has a live and fully functioning Online Store! You can view the store via a button on our website, by following the link HERE.
Lifecycle Building Center's mission centers on keeping usable construction materials out of landfills and redirecting them back into the community through reuse.
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Summer Travel Tips
For many, July is a time for summer vacations and traveling. Be sure to be a good environmental steward while traveling! Bring your own reusable water bottle, use reef-friendly sunscreen, and turn off the lights and A/C when not in use. Follow these tips for more sustainable travel choices!
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Reduce Energy Consumption
It's HOT out there! Check out these summer energy efficiency tips from Georgia Power:
GA Power Energy Efficiency Tips
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Recycle Right
Did you know that you can #RecycleYourCartons in your curbside cart? This includes food and beverage cartons containing milk, juice, soup, and more! It’s easy and convenient — just toss your cartons in the cart with your other recyclables. Before tossing in your cart, empty the container and replace the lid.
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Create a wildlife habitat
Create a wildlife habitat! Attracting songbirds, butterflies and other wildlife to your own yard means you won’t have to go far to enjoy nature and can help wildlife thrive too! Even small habitat improvements can make a big difference. Learn how at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division.
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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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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!
| | | Planning Services Interns | | |
The Planning Services team had the privilege of working alongside WorkSource DeKalb to host two interns as part of the DeKalb Summer Youth Employment Program.
For the past month, these two interns have worked with our team to gain practical on-the-job experience, customer service skills, and learn about our team and roles. Luckeia Edwards has been working alongside the Long Range Planning team, conducting an audit and research for our community-based organization list. Meliy Con-Roma has been working with the Current Planning team as their front-line customer service agent, fielding questions for the community.
We greatly appreciate their assistance and look forward to seeing these two brilliant minds pursue great things and impact the community in meaningful ways!
| | Hello, my name is Luckeia. Fun fact, I was born on all 7's, hence the name, and my zodiac sign is a cancer. My interests lately are exercising, exploring new restaurants, and making clothes/sewing. I am attending Georgia State University, and my major is biology, as I plan to become a surgeon. | | My name is Meliy Con- Roma. I am class of ‘25 graduate from Arabia Mountain High School and I plan to attend Brenau University in the fall with my major being in Nursing. I love new opportunities, STEM, fashion design, and caring about the people I love. | |
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Cedric Hudson joined DeKalb County in September 2002 as a senior planner within DeKalb County's planning department. During his time with DeKalb County, he has proven himself and has risen through the ranks in leadership. During his time as Director, Cedric has helped move DeKalb County forward with the adoption of several comprehensive plans and zoning updates.
While our team is sad to see him go, we are happy to see his many years of service pay him dues as he aims to enjoy retirement with his family and fur-babies. Our team wishes him the best on his new journey!
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Thank you for your service!
After over 20 years of service, Interim Director Cedric Hudson is retiring from DeKalb County.
Before joining DeKalb County, Cedric worked for the Harlem Park Revitalization Corporation in Baltimore, Maryland, as a Senior Development Specialist and later as a Project Manager. There, he was responsible for the planning, construction administration, and funding for the rehabilitation of housing developments.
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Welcome to the Team!
Tanya Flemming began her career with DeKalb County in 2006. Since her time with Planning & Sustainability, Tanya has supported both the Planning and Development Services divisions, working with all teams from permits to land development to current planning. Tanya had retired from the county for a few years but returned to DeKalb County in 2020 to work with our business license division and then our administration team.
Current Planning is excited to have Tanya return to their team after so many years and bring her years of experience as their new administrative specialist.
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Final Thoughts
This month’s newsletter reflects the heart of what Planning Services is all about: vision, collaboration, and forward momentum.
From welcoming our new Director Juliana Njoku to celebrating the legacy of Cedric Hudson, we’re reminded that leadership matters — and that it shapes the direction of our work and the communities we serve. Whether it’s the exciting progress on the Stone Mountain Trail Master Plan, the cultural revitalization of Embry Hills, or the powerful voices at Columbia Community 101, July has been about empowering people and places.
We’ve also leaned into sustainability, with programs like Plastic Free July, tree planting, and energy efficiency tips that remind us: long-term impact starts with everyday choices.
And let’s not overlook the next generation — our summer interns, Luckeia and Meliy, who brought fresh energy and curiosity to our work. Their presence is a glimpse into a future full of promise.
As always, your voice drives our vision. Stay engaged, stay inspired, and stay connected — because together, we’re building a stronger, smarter, and more sustainable DeKalb.
- Larry Washington, Long Range Planning Manager
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