Decatur City Commission to consider adopting parks and recreation master plan
Sterling Plant, an Operator 1 with Decatur Sanitation Services, goes for the fence during the city of Decatur’s Neighborhood Adult Field Day kickball tournament at Legacy Park on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Decatur, GA — The Decatur City Commission will meet on Monday, March 20, for its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a dinner session at 5 p.m., an executive session at 5:30 p.m. and a work session at 6 p.m. The meetings will be held in person at Decatur City Hall, 509 N. McDonough Street, and virtually via Zoom.
During the regular meeting, the city commission will consider adopting the parks and recreation master plan. The Decatur Planning Commission, at its March 14 meeting, recommended that the city commission adopt the parks and recreation master plan, which is called Recreatur. Recommendations in the could cost a total of about $150 million.
To access the meeting, follow these instructions:
To view the agenda, click here.
This meeting will be held in-person. Members of the public wishing to participate during either the “Public Comment” or “Requests and Petitions” portions of the meeting may attend the meeting in one of two ways:
1. Attend in-person by coming to Decatur City Hall, 509 N. McDonough St.
2. Register in advance at https://zoom.us/j/99341017142. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You may also participate by phone by calling (929) 205-6099 and entering the meeting ID (The 11-digit number shown in the Zoom registration link.)
NOTE – This meeting will utilize virtual meeting technology. We cannot guarantee it will operate as planned. If your participation must be a matter of public record, attend the meeting in person or email your comments to City Manager Andrea Arnold at [email protected] by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 20th.
Members of the public may also view the live broadcast of the Decatur City Commission meeting at https://www.decaturga.com/citycommission/page/streaming-video
Some of the big ticket items identified in the plan include:
— $1.2 million to improve restrooms at Glenlake Park.
— $1 million to improve the field at Adair Park
— $2.5 million to improve the access and field at Glenlake Park
— $1.5 million to improve the baseball and mini rectangle field at Westchester Elementary
— $2.6 million to improve baseball fields at Glenlake Park
— $1.5 million to improve baseball fields at Glennwood Elementary
— $3.5 million to create a neighborhood park in downtown Decatur
— $2 million to build a lighted basketball court, pavilion, restroom buildings, and a skate park at Ebster Field
— $11.2 million for a Sugar Creek Garden / Oakhurst Park master plan that would include enhanced softball and multi-purpose fields
— $1.5 million for a plan and park amenities at Beacon Hill Middle School
— $5 million to create a Scott Boulevard Trail that would connect city parks
— $3.9 million to create a trail from downtown to Legacy Park
Also during the regular meeting, the city commission will consider approving alcohol beverage licenses for multiple events including Truckin’ Tuesdays, the SUDS festival, Amplify Music Festival and the Decatur Arts Festival.
During the work session, the city commission will discuss the tree ordinance. The commission amended the ordinance in January 2022 and the updated ordinance has been in effect for about one year.
The ordinance is triggered and applicable when someone applies for a land disturbance or tree removal permit. The ordinance is also triggered when impervious area is increased on any property.
The updated ordinance requires property owners to submit a tree removal permit to remove untreatably diseased, dead or hazardous trees, which could previously be removed with a tree information permit. Discretionary tree removal, which is removing three protected trees in an 18-month period, is no longer allowed.
The ordinance prohibits property owners from removing trees that are in fair or better condition.
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