Memorial Day is Monday, May 26. As a result, Monday trash and recycling pick up will be on Tuesday, May 27. Tuesday trash and recycling pick up will be on Wednesday, May 28.
Archive for the ‘Sustainability’ Category
Holiday Sanitation Schedule
Posted in Sustainability, tagged Decatur, holiday, Memorial Day, recycling, sanitation, sanitation schedule, trash on May 23, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Decatur Tree Ordinance Update
Posted in Sustainability, tagged City Commission, Decatur, Decatur tree ordinance, tree ordinance, trees on May 12, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
An update process for Decatur’s tree regulations has been underway since this past fall. The second round of revisions is being considered for adoption by the City Commission on May 19 at 7:30pm, Decatur City Hall, 509 N. McDonough St. The purpose to of the update is to modernize the existing ordinance which was developed in 1988, and encourage the conservation of existing tree canopy. Regulation of tree cover is one of several approaches being used by the city to manage the community forest. The Decatur Tree Conservation Ordinance will provide minimum requirements for the protection, maintenance and renewal of trees.
Timeline
- Update process started – October 2013
- Public input meeting – December 11, 2013
- First draft tabled by City Commission for further review – January 21, 2014
- City Commission Work Session to discuss revisions – March 3, 2014
- Second draft released – April 8, 2014
- City Commission Work Session on second draft – May 5, 2014
- City Commission consideration for adoption – May 19, 2014, 7:30 p.m., Decatur City Hall
What are the impacts on residents?
Under the revised draft, owners may remove up to 3 protected trees every 18 months. Homeowners will be required to fill out a free, informational permit which will allow the City to track tree canopy. A protected tree is defined as having a 6 inches or greater diameter at breast height. If protected tree removal is part of a project that requires a land development permit or is the 4th or greater protected tree removal within 18 months, then the owner must document the existing tree canopy cover and maintain the same amount of tree canopy once the project is complete. For example, if a property has 40% tree canopy cover and the owner decides to build an addition that will cause the removal of a 12” tree with 600 square feet of tree canopy, then the owner will have to plant 600 square feet of new tree canopy cover.
Feedback
Comments can still be submitted using the DecaturNext website
UPDATED Ordinance Materials (as presented on May 5, 2014):
- Updated Tree Conservation Ordinance draft
- Administrative Standards
- Tree Species List
- Trees! Work Session Presentation May 2014
Ordinance Materials (as presented on January 21, 2014):
- Tree Conservation Ordinance
- Tree Conservation Administrative Standards
- Common Questions about Proposed Tree Conservation Ordinance
- Example Scenarios
Tree Fact Sheets:
Wanted: Your opinion about the updated tree ordinance
Posted in Sustainability, tagged City of Decatur, Decatur, Open City Hall, Peak Democracy, tree ordinance, trees on April 18, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
There are 15 days left to weigh in about the updated tree ordinance draft on Open City Hall. The question is “Do you support the adoption of the UPDATED Tree Conservation Ordinance?” You can select from “Strongly Support, Support, Neutral, Oppose, Strongly Oppose” and also have the option to submit a written statement.
What is Open City Hall?
Open City Hall is an on-line forum for civic engagement. Read what others are saying about important Decatur topics, then post your own statement. City officials will read the statements and incorporate them into their decision process.
When you post your first statement, you will be asked for your name and home address. This confidential information is only used to identify statements from residents in and near Decatur – so that users know which statements are from local residents.
Open City Hall is run by Peak Democracy, a non-partisan company whose mission is to broaden civic engagement and build public trust in government. They will keep your information confidential per their strict privacy policy.
As with any public comment process, participation in Open City Hall is voluntary; city officials will consider input from this forum along with all other channels for participation. However you choose to participate, thanks for helping us build a better Decatur.
Share your opinion about the updated tree conservation ordinance right now, online
Green Performance: UDO Meeting Considers Sustainability April 16
Posted in Meetings, Sustainability on April 14, 2014 | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, April 16
7-9pm | Decatur City Hall
While the bulk of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) project is cleaning up and better organizing our existing codes, it also presents opportunity to dig down into certain areas that have been identified by the community for further study. On Wednesday, April 16, that digging will lead us to focus on issues related to sustainability: high performance buildings, outdoor lighting standards, animals, and parking.
The session, which runs 7-9pm, will explore the various green performance issues on the table and provide an overview of exactly what “menu of options” is available for consideration. As a participant, you’ll then have opportunity to evaluate each according to either do not regulate, require, or encourage, share your feedback on what rules or regulations seem most appropriate (or not), and which ideas you think would work best.
Here’s what we’ll hit:
High Performance Buildings
High performance building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle — from design, construction, operation, and maintenance, to renovation and deconstruction. Such buildings reduce energy costs, improve indoor air quality, and provide greater, more consistent comfort. We’ll detail high performance building practices that could be incorporated into Decatur’s ordinance, along with their potential long-term costs and benefits.
Some of these most common performance issues are nicely summarized in this cool interactive overview from Southface.
Outdoor Lighting Standards
Decatur currently lacks regulations to reduce light pollution, despite increasing scientific research on the negative health and environmental impacts of excessive lighting at night. Potential changes to the ordinance include regulations about the types and placement of fixtures to control the unnecessary spread of light.
Animals
Chickens have become quite popular in Decatur, contributing to food, fun, gardening and education. Is everything working okay or does the number of chickens on any one lot need to be restricted? And what about potbellied pigs and pygmy goats? Should they be explicitly allowed or prohibited? Because, currently, the code is unclear either way.
Unbundled Parking
Today, parking is bought indirectly through the lease or purchase price of a property, which — beyond the environmental impacts of excessive parking — works against our affordable housing goals because it forces buyers and tenants to purchase parking, even if they have no car (or have fewer cars). Unbundling treats parking as separate from housing and allows tenants to save money by only buying what they need. People are still free to purchase what they require but those who need or choose to live without a car are no longer penalized.
Ahoy, Mateys! Join the Earth Day Parade and Festival on April 19th.
Posted in Events, Sustainability on April 2, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Back by popular demand, the 2014 Decatur Earth Day Festival is Pirate themed!
WHEN: Saturday, April 19
Parade- 12:30pm (Harmony Park)
Event- 1pm-4pm
WHERE: Oakhurst Garden at the corner of Oakview and South McDonough, Decatur.
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Earrrrrth Day Activities!
- Costume Parade led by the Funk Pirates at 12:30pm
- FREE ARRRTS & Crafts for Kids
- Over 40 Vendors
- LIVE Music
- Special Earth Day T-shirt contest
- World Famous Cake Contest (pirated themed of course)
More info online at: wyldecenter.org/decatur-earth-day-festival
Even Pirates Love Parades…
Kick the event off in true pirate style by joining this year’s earth-friendly parade. Line up will begin at noon, in Harmony Park in the Oakhurst Business District. The parade sets sail at 12:30pm, led by the Funk Pirates, and ends in the Oakhurst Garden. Decorate your bike, wagon, stroller or yourself, but no gas powered vehicles allowed you land lubbers! Groups over 10 should send an electronic message in a bottle to the parade coordinator, Lena Stevens at lena.stevens@decaturga.com.
Reminder: Electronics Recycling This Saturday!
Posted in Events, Sustainability on March 19, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Get Ready for Spring Cleaning! Electronics Recycling Day & Neighborhood Clean Ups
Posted in Events, Sustainability on March 5, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Mark your calendars! Spring is right around the corner, and Decatur is hosting 2 great events to help you clean out your stuff.
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Spring Electronics Recycling Day
WHEN: Saturday, March 22nd, 9 am -1 pm
NEW LOCATION: Decatur Public Works, 2635 Talley Street
*Enter from Columbia Drive
Decatur has combined two of your favorite recycling events to make it simple and convenient for you to recycle your old electronics and Styrofoam, and safely shred and recycle your documents too!
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Neighborhood Clean-Up Days
WHEN: Saturdays between March-June. See schedule for details.
The City of Decatur offers Neighborhood Clean-Up days once a year to allow residents to dispose of bulky items that wouldn’t normally be placed in Pay-As-You-Throw bags. Each street in the City is assigned to one Saturday each spring, generally between March-June.
CLICK HERE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP SCHEDULE & INSTRUCTIONS
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For more information on either event, contact: Sean Woodson, Solid Waste Superintendent, sean.woodson@decaturga.com, 678-898-8562.
Green Infrastructure Tour at Sugar Creek Garden
Posted in Events, Sustainability, tagged Dara Suchke, garden, greenspace, sugar creek garden, tour, wylde center on March 5, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
The Sugar Creek Garden’s off-the-grid, solar-powered water pump
Site Coordinator/Head Gardener Dara Suchke shared the following information about tomorrow’s tour at Sugar Creek Garden:
Thursday, March 6
5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Part of the Parks and Greenspace Conference, this tour of Sugar Creek Garden will focus on its integration of green infrastructure (sustainable and natural management techniques that harvest, treat and utilize rain runoff in greenspaces). Participants will be shown an innovative, off-the-grid pump system and will learn about water conservation through active and passive rainwater harvesting; these water harvesting techniques are applicable to home and landscapes of all scales. The tour will be led by Wylde Center’s Sugar Creek Garden manager Dara Suchke. Local rain water harvest experts Paul Morgan, Daniel Ballard, and Benjamin Portwood will also be present to add insight to the passive and active rainwater designs currently on-site and in the future designs for the property. Registration is just $20 and space is limited! *Park Pride’s 25th Anniversary Kick-off Event will take place immediately following this tour at Solarium. There is no additional charge to attend this kick-off event!* Sugar Creek Garden is located in the floodplain behind the Oakhurst Presbyterian Church; approximate GPS address is 415 East Lake Dr., Decatur, GA 30030
Sugar Creek Garden, a Wylde Center Greenspace
Located at the back of the Oakhurst Presbyterian Church Parking Lot, near the intersection between E. Lake Drive and 2nd Avenue
GPS Address: 415 E. Lake Dr., Decatur, GA 30030.
Upcoming Workdays:
Mondays 10 a.m. – Noon
Wednesdays 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
4th Saturday of the month (March 22) 9 a.m. – Noon
Co-existing with Coyotes
Posted in Community, emergency management, Sustainability on February 27, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Every few weeks, I receive a notice in my inbox about a coyote sighting in a Decatur neighborhood. As annoying as this might sound, coyotes have adapted to an urban lifestyle and are here to stay, so co-existence is encouraged. The City of Decatur does not have a policy to remove coyotes. Here is a summary of information from the Stanley Park Ecology Society about co-existing with coyotes in an urban setting –
It is not normal for coyotes to attack or pursue humans, especially adults; it is a learned response to human behavior (e.g., feeding). You can discourage coyotes from hanging around your home by scaring them off your property and by removing coyote attractants, such as:
- Accessible garbage or compost, including fruit that has fallen from trees or shrubs
- Outdoor pet food and water
- Neglected yards, garages or sheds that make an ideal habitat for rodents (the main source of a coyote’s diet)
While coyotes will prey on outdoor cats and small dogs, here are some things you can do to reduce the risk to your pets.
If you own a cat – The only way to guarantee your cat’s safety is to keep it indoors. Outdoor cats face potential death from cars, diseases, parasites, raccoons and dogs, in addition to coyotes.
If you own a small dog –
- Keep your dog on a short leash while outside and avoid extension leashes
- Supervise your dog when it is off-leash in the yard
- Walk your dog at times and places that coincide with high pedestrian traffic
- Keep your dog in front of you where you can see it
- Dog walk with other people
If you own a large dog – Coyotes pose less risk to medium- to large-sized dogs. Keep large dogs on leash, except in designated areas, and discourage your dog from feeling comfortable with coyotes by preventing it from “playing” or interacting with a coyote.
For more tips on how to deal with coyotes and to report Decatur coyote sightings, please visit the City of Decatur Coyote Information Page, www.decaturga.com/coyotes.
Update on Tree Conservation Ordinance
Posted in Events, Sustainability on February 4, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
In October 2013, the City Commission passed a 90-day moratorium on tree removal, and directed staff to develop an updated tree ordinance that would reflect current best management practices in the industry. The final recommendations were presented on January 21st. Based on concerns voiced by the community, the City Commission requested that the ordinance be revised and brought back for consideration in March.
On February 3rd, the Commission modified their request to include a work session on March 3rd. The format of the session will be designed to provide the Commission with an opportunity to articulate and discuss their specific concerns and the concerns expressed by the community. Once a clear policy direction has been established, a schedule for ordinance revisions and community input will be developed.
The work session will be open to the community, but there will not be an opportunity for attendees to comment. Amendments to the tree ordinance will not be considered until after March 3, 2014.
Below are the updated materials on this issue. Public comments are still being accepted on the DecaturNEXT website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Amanda Thompson, amanda.thompson@decaturga.com, 404-370-4102.
January 21st Presentation to City Commission
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Ordinance Materials (as presented on January 21, 2014):
Supporting Materials:
Tree Factsheets:
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