The Decatur Minute

Update: The National Weather Service has cancelled the winter weather advisory for January 29. However, patches of black ice are still possible on roadways and sidewalks this afternoon through tonight. The potential for black ice can be expected especially in sheltered and protected areas or on untreated roads and sidewalks. If you must leave your home, exercise caution when travelling.

If you are in need of a warm place to hang out during the next few days while the temperatures are at their lowest, DeKalb County has opened warming centers for citizens to use as temperatures are expected to drop below freezing. The following stations will open from 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, through noon, Friday, Feb. 1.

• Fire Station 3, 100 N. Clarendon Ave, Avondale GA 30002
• Fire Station 6, 2342 Flat Shoals Road, Atlanta, GA 30316
• Fire Station 15, 2107 Flightway Dr., Chamblee, GA 30341

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for DeKalb County from 3 a.m. through 7 p.m. tomorrow, Jan. 29. A winter weather advisory means that winter weather is expected and that residents should use caution.  Light amounts of wintry precipitation or patchy blowing snow will cause slick conditions and could affect travel if precautions are not taken.

At this point, the City offices will be open for regular business hours tomorrow, but the State of the City address has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 5. Active Living programs, Children & Youth Services after-school programs, and court sessions scheduled for tomorrow have all been cancelled. Updates will be posted here, decaturga.com and the city’s official social media channels.

For more information on the difference between a winter weather advisory, watch and warning, check out the National Weather Service’s winter information page at www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/ww.shtml.

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Preparing for winter isn’t complicated or expensive. While winter is dangerous, a few simple steps can help you and your family stay safe this season. Here is what NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) recommends:

Know Your Risk

• A few inches of snow or ice can shut down a city and leave you trapped at home for days.
• Driving on ice and snow-covered roads can lead to car wrecks, injuries and death.
• Snow, ice and wind associated with winter storms can have a huge impact on travel, infrastructure, schools and businesses.
• Some winter storms can cover nearly half the nation, affecting tens of millions of people.  Annually, damages from winter storms add up to over $1 billion.
• Frostbite may develop on exposed skin when temperatures are below freezing. Add wind to below freezing temperatures and frostbite can set in even quicker.
• Other winter dangers include hypothermia and avalanches.
• Flooding is also possible due to snowmelt, ice jams and coastal storms such as Nor’easters.

Take Action

• Before you go out, check the forecast at weather.gov to make sure you’re prepared for the elements. Follow NWS on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date with the latest weather news
• At home: have an Emergency Preparedness Kit with three days of food, water, prescription medications and other supplies. Also consider obtaining a NOAA Weather Radio.
• Make sure your cell phone is fully charged when a storm is approaching and also anytime you’re planning to leave the house. It could become your life-line should disaster strike.
• In your car: make sure you have food, water and blankets in your trunk. Stay off the road when advised to do so by local authorities.
• Dress for the season: wear loose, warm clothing in layers.
• Don’t forget your pets! Keep them inside during cold weather.
• During and after the storm: never use a generator or kerosene heater indoors – carbon monoxide poisoning is a silent killer.
• After the storm: take breaks when shoveling snow and stay clear of downed power lines.

Be a Force of Nature

• Create a Family Communication Plan so that your loved ones know how to get in touch during an emergency.
• Help your neighbors before and after winter storms – especially the elderly, who are particularly vulnerable.
• Look for opportunities to help your town prepare, such as volunteering with the American Red Cross.
• Register for Smart911

In the event of snow and/or ice in Decatur

• The city will concentrate on providing a usable travel lane in each direction on major streets and clearing sidewalks near MARTA stations.
• The city will work with City Schools of Decatur to make sure entrances, exits, and driveways at the schools are clear.
• Residents should expect to clear their driveways and sidewalks. It is unlikely that the city will be able to clear interior neighborhood residential streets.
• If you, or a neighbor, are a senior, someone with a medical need or someone with special needs, consider creating a safety profile at smart911.com. Stay tuned to thedecaturminute.com blog, City of Decatur GA-Government on Facebook, @downtowndecatur or Twitter, and the city’s website for information about facilities closures.

These simple steps will help keep you safe from blizzards, ice storms and other winter hazards. A little bit of preparation can make a big difference. And many of these steps – such as preparing an Emergency Supplies Kit – will also come in handy for other hazards, such as hurricanes or power outages.

Stay tuned to www.decaturga.com, social media and thedecaturminute.com for up-to-date information.

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Whether you attended the Concept Alternative/Evaluation Public Workshop #2 on January 16 and want more information, or you missed the workshop but would like to participate, you have come to the right spot. The graphic displays (links are below) will give you the same materials to what the attendees of theConcept Alternative/Evaluation Public Workshop #2 received. We have listed each document along with a description of how it was used at the workshop.

• •  Welcome– This welcomed participants to the Workshop and tells you how to participate and provide your comments.

• •  Project Description– This gives detailed information on the various aspects and history of the Railroad Crossing Improvements @ Atlanta Avenue.

• •  Goals & Objectives– This shows “word clouds” highlighting the greatest areas of concern and the most favored solutions, concepts and ideas. It summarizes project goals and objectives that have been developed from community engagement.

• •  Traffic Patterns– This displays the travel patterns of vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists within the project area.
    • Signal Diagram

• •  Project Concepts- There were seven (7) boards displaying the concepts which emerged from November’s Kick-off Open House and Workshop and from the online Kick-Off Workshop. The seven concepts include:
    • Maintain Existing Geometry
    • “H” at Existing Crossing
    • “H” East of Existing Crossing
    • Olympic to Howard “T”
    • Adair to College “T”
    • Roundabouts
    • Runner-Up Concepts

• • Thank You!– Stay tuned for the next public workshop. Please feel free to forward this to any friends and neighbors who may be interested in participating.

We encourage you to participate in the ONLINE WORKSHOP and use Open City Hall to provide your Evaluation Comments.  The deadline for comments is February 1, 2019.

Mark Your Calendars: the next workshop is scheduled for Thursday, February 28, 4:30– 7:30 pm at the Atlanta Friends Meeting, 701 West Howard Avenue.

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This is a reminder that all city offices are closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 21. The regular Monday City Commission meeting will be held on Tues., Jan. 22 at 7:30 pm.
——
Schedule for Solid Waste & Recycling Services

Regular services for Mon., Jan. 21 will be on Tues., Jan. 22.

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Due to several days of rain, the construction company at the future Talley Street school will be working overtime in efforts to remain on schedule with completion. A special extension of work hours has been granted for January 5-11:  Saturday, January 5, construction is expected from 7 a.m.-5 p.m.;  Sunday January 6, construction is expected from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and the week of  January 7-11, construction is expected all day with some work days extending from 3 a.m. to midnight to accommodate concrete pours.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact DEC Director John Maximuk at John.Maximuk@decaturga.com or 678.710.5165 (cell).

Thank you for your patience.

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The Decatur City Commission is accepting statements of interest from residents for volunteer service on the Environmental Sustainability Board, Active Living Advisory Board, the Historic Preservation Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Descriptions of the board responsibilities and access to the Statement of Interest form can be found at decaturga.com/resident-boards-commissions. You can return the form via email to City Man-ager Andrea Arnold, Andrea.Arnold@decaturga.com or mail it to her attention at City of Decatur, PO Box 220, Decatur GA 30031.

About the Boards

Environmental Sustainability Board

The Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) provides recommendations to the City Commission regarding the city’s environmental regulations, plans and initiatives. The ESB also assists with implementation of city projects that affect the natural environment, to protect and improve the quality of life for citizens and property owners.

Four active committees are responsible for researching specific is-sues and making recommendations to the board: Natural Systems, Resource Conservation, Energy and Transportation, and Education and Outreach. Upcoming projects for the ESB include the Green Restaurant Recognition program, festival waste management, the Decatur Focus Green Insert, and serving as liaisons for the Stormwater Master Plan.

The board meets on the third Friday of each month at 8 a.m. at the Decatur Recreation Center.

Active Living Advisory Board

Active Living Advisory Board members are appointed by the Decatur City Commission to serve as advocates and advisors to the Active Living Division on projects and programs that help citizens safely incorporate physical activity into their daily routines. They also support the city’s ongoing efforts to improve sidewalks and intersections, calm traffic and expand the network of bike paths and walking trails. It seeks to educate residents about obesity and lifestyle issues and implement programs designed to change behavior and encourage healthier habits.

The board meets the first Tuesday of every month, 8 a.m., Decatur Recreation Center and welcomes ideas to help make Decatur a model healthy community.

Historic Preservation Commission

The HPC was established by local ordinance to ensure that renovations and new construction in Decatur’s five Local Historic Districts are consistent with the character of the neighborhoods. The five districts are McDonough-Adams-King’s Highway, Ponce de Leon Court, Old Decatur, Parkwood, and the Clairemont Historic District.

The Commission must approve exterior projects for homes located within these districts by issuing a Certificate of Appropriateness be-fore a building permit can be issued. Some projects may be administratively approved through the issuance of a Certificate of Exemption.

The board meets the third Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m., in the City Commission meeting room at Decatur City Hall.

Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), established by local ordinance, con-ducts public hearings on appeals from decisions of the zoning administrator and of the UDO administrator, and considers requests for variances from zoning requirements.

The board meets on the second Monday of each month, 7:30 p.m., in the City Commission meeting room at Decatur City Hall.

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The community is invited to a second open house and workshop to help plan improvements to the railroad crossing at Atlanta Avenue. Ideas and concepts that were sketched out by residents in November and December have been evaluated and used to develop several preliminary plans to make the rail crossing and intersection safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

City of Decatur staff and the design team lead by Landis-Evans & Partners and Atkins will be available to explain the preliminary plans, respond to comments and suggestions and move towards a common plan for the crossing.  A community “academy” providing information about modern traffic signal design will be held continuously throughout the January 16 workshop.

Plan to drop by the Atlanta Friends Meeting, 701 West Howard Avenue, anytime during the workshop to learn about the project and share your thoughts.

Where: Atlanta Friends Meeting House, 701 West Howard Avenue
When: Wednesday, Jan. 16, 4:30-7:30 pm

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