CHCA news & updates
October 2021 |
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
HALLOWEEN!
Dear Neighbors,

October is here and that means HALLOWEEN!

Due to the continuing community spread of the pandemic, your CHCA has made the tough decision not to host our traditional Halloween party this year.

However, we want to help the neighborhood celebrate this favorite holiday in a responsible way. To that end:

  • We encourage you to get your Halloween decorations up EARLY so that your yard can be included in . . .

  • By popular demand, your CHCA will be creating another CHCA Scavenger Hunt: Halloween Edition!

  • Look for the scavenger hunt to be rolled out the week before Halloween

  • Plan to set up driveway trick-or-treating stations again this year. It was SO MUCH FUN to chat with all of the families strolling down the street! Let's make it bigger and even better this year!

  • Plan your costumes, house decorations, and jack-o-lanterns! We will once again have three contests on our Facebook page. You don't want to miss out on Lord Mayor Bert's prizes this year!

Spookily Yours,

Your CHCA Executive Board
Emory Village Alliance Streets Alive Returns

Emory Village Streets Alive will take place October 20-24th with lots of activities, both in person and online. Architectural tours, pet blessings, a costume parade, music performances, and much more!


The Medlock Harvest Festival & Haunted Trail is back!


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23rd
5:00-8:00 PM
CLYDE SHEPHERD NATURE PRESERVE
 
BONFIRE! SCARY & NOT SO SCARY FUN FOR ALL AGES!
LIVE MUSIC BY HOT TAMALE RINGWALD


PRE-SALE TICKETS ONLY -- $6 per ticket
Limited Number of Tickets with Timed Entry to the Haunted Trail
TO PURCHASE TICKETS go to http://tinyurl.com/hauntme21 

This is a fun, family-friendly event, that also gets a little spooky as the sun sets. All children must be accompanied by an adult on the trail.

IN AN EFFORT TO BE COVID-CAREFUL, WE ARE SELLING A LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS, ALL WITH TIMED ENTRY.
PLEASE WEAR A MASK AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING
Neighborhood News
Neighborhood Street Sign Toppers
Your Clairmont Heights Civic Association wishes to thank all of the generous neighbors who quickly claimed a street corner to sponsor!

We sold out in a matter of a couple of days and your generosity has paid for this project in full.

1. N Superior Ave & N Decatur Dr -- THE FINK FAMILY

2. N Superior Ave & Park Ln -- THE BOURBON BOTTLE BOOK CLUB

3. N Superior Ave & Superior Plc -- MEREDITH MCCOYD

4. Park Ln & Superior Plc -- SUSAN FINN & EDUARDO YANEZ

5. Densley Dr & Park Ln (SE corner) -- THE BURKE FAMILY

6. Park Ln & Densley Dr (4 way, NW corner) -- MEG & DAVID LOWE

7. N Superior & Woodmoor Ln -- THE DISQUE FAMILY

8. Densley Dr & Woodmoor Ln -- CAROL & MIKE JOHNSTONE

9. Park Ln & Woodmoor Ln -- THE MUSILLE FAMILY

10. N Superior Ave & Desmond Dr --THE SCHULER FAMILY

11. Desmond Dr & Reckle Dr (NE corner) --LYNDA MARTIN

12. Densley Dr & Reckle Dr -- DANIEL & CINDY EVANS

13. Desmond Dr & Reckle Dr (SW corner) -- THE DESCHENES-WORBOY FAMILY

14. Desmond Dr & Heritage Two -- THE TAYLOR FAMILY

15. Park Ln & Densley Dr (3-way) -- VALARIE BASHEDA

16. Park Ln & Desmond Dr -- THE ENGEBRETSEN FAMILY

17. Densley Dr & Desmond Dr -- THE EBY FAMILY

18. Webster Dr & Desmond Dr -- SAMANTHA SCHMIDT

19. Clairmont Rd & Desmond Dr-- DEAN MALLORY & JESSICA GUDMUNDSON

20. Clairmont Rd & Clairmont Cir -- BRYAN DODD & TILLIE

21. Webster Dr & Clairmont Cir -- JONATHAN, CAMILLE, LILY, & JACKSON POWELL

22. Heritage Hills Rd & Heritage Heights -- PAT & BARRY RYAN

23. Heritage Hills Rd & Heritage Bluff -- HAL BAILEY & RUTH HAAS

24. Heritage Heights & Heritage Place -- EILEEN HALLMARK
All street sign toppers have been installed and we hope that they will bring joy and pride to our neighborhood for many years to come!
Schools Updates
SAVE THE DATE!

The DHHS Auction is the main way that parents raise funds for our school's academic and athletic needs. The DHHS PTO and the Druid Hills Athletic Association split the proceeds of the Auction.

Both organizations rely on Auction funds to meet such needs as video equipment for the RedDevilTV program, extra outdoor dining tables, funding Debate Club fees, supplementing PPS for all classrooms and buses, uniforms for teams, coaching salaries and stipends, and MUCH more!
 
The more funds we raise, the more we can do for our students!
 
It's also a great party and everyone in the DHHS community is invited!
Another fun party open to the entire community!

The Druid Hills Athletic Association supports both Druid Hills Middle School AND Druid Hills High School athletes.

Community Updates
Update on Emory's graduate housing construction plans from our sister neighborhood association, the Druid Hills Civic Association:

Emory University presented plans for a Graduate Student Housing Project in Haygood Triangle, across the street from Druid Hills High School. Information and updates about the project are posted by Emory here and here. This article from What Now Atlanta provides a good overview of the proposed project and shows initial site renderings.

We Are Listening
The DHCA has been actively engaged with the community to gather input as to their thoughts, concerns, support and/or opposition to the proposed project and to develop a plan for engaging Emory and the City of Atlanta. 
We conducted two surveys regarding Emory’s Graduate Student Housing Project, one online and one door-to-door in the adjacent neighborhood. There were 197 comments from 80 respondents to the online survey; 20% of the comments expressed support for the project and 80% of the comments expressed concern. In the door-to-door survey of 66 homes in close proximity to the project only 2 of 32 responses were in favor of the project. The top concerns expressed by residents in each survey are shown in the bar charts below and more detailed survey results may be found here. 

Where Are Things Now?
After careful discussion about how to best advocate for the expressed concerns of Druid Hills residents, the DHCA adopted a detailed position statement which can be found here. 

Given Emory’s policy to protect and buffer surrounding neighborhoods with lower densities at the campus edges, we have requested the project be relocated toward the campus interior. However, should Emory move forward in the Haygood Triangle location, we have requested several actions to mitigate the detrimental impacts of the project on the surrounding neighborhood.

Our requests are based on the residential input we received. We are asking for mitigation related to:
  1. The scale and orientation of the proposed southernmost building immediately across from the adjoining neighborhood
  2. Traffic and parking congestion
  3. Pedestrian safety
  4. Tree canopy and greenspace preservation
  5. Stormwater management

What Happens Next?
Emory has applied to the City of Atlanta to rezone the Haygood Triangle property and will present to the NPU-F Zoning Committee on August 23, 2021. The DHCA will state its position at the same meeting.

Once the matter passes through the Zoning Committee, NPU-F will vote on it at its general meeting in September, and then it will proceed to the City of Atlanta Zoning Review Board, currently scheduled for review on October 7, 2021.
 
What Can You Do?
Druid Hills residents, especially those who live in the immediate area of Haygood Triangle, should contact their friends and contacts within NPU-F to share their concerns about the project. Jennifer Ide is the Atlanta City Councilwoman for NPU-F. Druid Hills residents may write to Councilwoman Ide regarding the project at [email protected]
Read a Saporta Report article about the project HERE.

Read a Decaturish article HERE.

Emory will post information and updates about the project HERE.
Traffic Updates
Did you know there is a Facebook Group dedicated to tracking incidents and advocating for a safer intersection of North Decatur Road and North Superior Avenue??

Check out Fix the Intersection if you're interested in joining.
Here's a chance to vote on the design of MARTA's new cars! There's some really fun designs! Be bold, Atlanta!
Parks Updates
Mason Mill Educational Programs with Ranger Jonah
Is Your Membership in Our Neighborhood Association Current?
Membership in Clairmont Heights Civic Association (CHCA) is open to anyone 18 years of age or older who own or reside within the CHCA boundaries. Membership is on a household basis and dues are $25. Our membership year runs from June 1 - May 31.

How we use your Membership dues:

  • Neighborhood Improvements: We buy plants for neighborhood entrances and help fund additions to Melton Park. We provide grants for things like our annual Graduation Banners. We mow common areas when necessary.

  • Social gatherings: CHCA sponsors our neighborhood’s annual Halloween potluck and occasionally other cookouts and Family Movie Nights. We try to provide opportunities to meet your neighbors and have a good time.

  • Communications: The Association website, this monthly eNewsletter, and the neighborhood Facebook group are all mechanisms that we employ to share information about the community. With separate committees addressing traffic issues, zoning and development concerns, and schools, our Board learns about a wide variety of things that we share throughout the year.
Do You Know Who Represents Our Neighborhood?
Dekalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader
Dekalb County District 2
Dekalb Co. Commissioner Ted Terry
Dekalb County District 6
Dekalb County CEO Michael Thurmond
Georgia Representative Renita Shannon
Georgia State House District 84
Georgia Senator Elena Parent
Georgia State Senate District 42
United States Congressman Hank Johnson
Georgia 4th Congressional District
United States Senator Jon Ossoff
United States Senator Raphael Warnock