A list of some of the suggested changes to the city’s zoning code that was on display at last night’s UDO meeting.

I went to a public input meeting last night, Jan. 8, regarding Decatur’s zoning code rewrite, aka the Unified Development Ordinance.

It was a well-attended event for a topic that’s about as deep into the weeds as you can get on public policy. The UDO is an attempt to reconcile some contradictions in the zoning code and give the city a coherent policy moving forward.

One thing that’s been confusing to people, at least from what I gathered last night, is the process itself. Caleb Racicot, with city consultant TSW, explained that in February the City Commission will consider approving a framework for the zoning code rewrite. The framework will be something that will be fleshed out over the coming weeks and months with specific details about how zoning will change in the city.

Decatur Next is a blog set up by the city to keep residents updated, and they post lots of in-depth information there. To visit that site, click here.

Other items worth a mention:

– While at the meeting last night, I bumped into Paul Mitchell, chairman of the MLK Jr Service Project. It’s a huge community effort that brings out volunteers to fix houses of low-income residents in the city. It’ll take place the weekend of Jan. 18, and every year brings in a larger turnout. About 1,000 people showed up last year and Mitchell expects even more this year. Mitchell said the MLK Service Project has identified about 26 homes, 13 of which will need major repairs. To learn more about the service project, click here.

– A couple of items posted on Decatur Metro this morning. Taste on Church Street is closing and moving to Phipps Plaza and Tin Drum is moving from Emory Village to North Druid Hills Road.