2 min read March 2023 — Invest: spoke with City of Decatur’s Mayor Patti Garrett about what she accomplished in her previous term with regard to providing affordable and inclusive housing as well as future plans for more of the same, how her administration is working to encourage civic engagement and soliciting input on future plans for the city, and what makes Decatur attractive to businesses.
What were some of the key highlights for the city over the last year?
In Decatur, all paths lead back to planning and then execution of those plans. With input from the community, we recently completed the city’s 10-year strategic plan that outlines our goals through 2030. The Strategic Plan’s six focus areas are Equity and Racial Justice; Climate Action; Civic Trust; Affordable Housing; Mobility; and Economic Growth. Of course, the approach is one that is dynamic and overlapping. Companion planning documents that are close to completion are the city’s parks and recreation master plan and the downtown master plan. All of these provide the roadmap for how the city will move in the next few years.
Some of our accomplishments in affordable housing include the adoption of an inclusionary housing ordinance that requires a percentage of units in new developments to be set aside as affordable, and we anticipate our first major private apartment development to come online in 2024 that meets the ordinance requirements. Other recent amendments to the city’s Unified Development Ordinance have allowed opportunities for more housing types, including cottage court developments, duplexes, and small walk-up flats of three and four units to be built in residential districts. The Development Authority of the City of Decatur partnered with Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, a non-profit housing developer, to develop a cottage court of six cottage homes available for sale in mid-2023 to income-qualified employees of the city, Decatur Housing Authority, and Decatur school system. The land will be transferred to the Decatur Land Trust to keep the homes affordable in perpetuity. We hope that private developers will take notice of this desirable workforce housing type and seek to build similar housing options.
In partnership with the Decatur Housing Authority, construction of 66 affordable housing units at Legacy Park will begin in Spring 2023. The Legacy Park property was purchased by the city four years ago and part of the Master Plan for that property includes affordable housing. Low-income housing tax credits have been approved to begin phase one of this housing project. In addition, the city is partnering with the city schools of Decatur to construct a track and field for both competitive use by the schools and community use.
The city prides itself on active living. After the recent purchase of a former Boys and Girls Club, the city renovated the facility as the Oakhurst Recreation Center, which has a pool, facilities for after school programs, and a field, as well as offerings for seniors and classes for adults. We have installed pedestrian and bicycle paths and have more planned for the future to provide alternative transportation options. We also have three transit stations in the city and are looking at ways to best utilize the spaces around them, including mixed use developments and green spaces.
The Clean Energy Plan was passed this year and we are excited to implement strategies that will help the city meet its clean energy goals. Several hybrid vehicles for the police have been ordered and solar panels have been installed on the public works facility as well as a backup battery installation. Decatur is serious about being an example of what a community can do when they come together to create policies that support clean air, transportation, and responsible energy use. We also adopted an updated tree ordinance to protect the tree canopy and increased the tree canopy goal in recognition that trees contribute to clean air, health, and quality of life. We continue to work for ways to reduce stormwater and the impact of storms to the city as well.
What are the key updates regarding strategic opportunities over the long term?
We continue to work on equity and racial justice and ensure we do everything we can to be a welcoming city that has housing options for those who may not be able to currently afford living in Decatur. This won’t happen if we don’t work to implement policies that allow for change. The city recently took action to adopt a missing middle housing ordinance to re-allow duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes in single-family only zones. That’s part of our affordable housing plan and our strategic plan.
Another area we are focused on is civic engagement. We offer many opportunities for people to have a voice by coming to and participating in meetings and by soliciting comments online. We have a robust outreach effort, including social media, print media, and statistically valid surveys during a planning process. We livestream our meetings and have hybrid meetings so all can attend or participate online, and meetings are recorded as part of the public record and for review. We also offer closed captioning for those meetings.
What gives Decatur a competitive advantage in the business world?
The six themes in our strategic plan are part of our promotion to businesses. We might not be a great fit for every business, but we are a great fit for businesses that care about those themes. We have five commercial districts and easy access to three MARTA transit stations, one of which comes to our downtown square. Business owners tell us access to MARTA and the airport are important for the business district. Great restaurants and cultural events add to the quality of life we offer businesses and their employees. Another benefit employers cite is the support they receive from the city in the form of promotions, marketing, and business-to-business connections through associations and sector specific groups.
What services do you feel are missing?
Downtown Decatur had a 15,000 square foot grocery store that recently closed, and thousands of downtown residents and employees depended on that store for everyday items. Until we can bring in a new grocery, the city has implemented a pilot program with Let’s Ride Atlanta and sponsored by the Decatur Downtown Development Authority and Publix to provide free shuttle transportation from downtown Decatur to Publix.
How do you balance developing the city while ensuring longtime residents aren’t displaced?
Metro Atlanta has continued to see a strong housing market and increased housing values. To prevent further displacement, the city is presently in the process of updating its homestead and senior tax exemptions to assist homeowners, especially those on fixed incomes. The Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project over the MLK Jr. weekend has been a part of this effort for more than ten years. Volunteers work in teams to provide assistance by doing minor, and sometimes major, repairs to homes. In addition, a new initiative called Decatur Home ReHAB will be offered through the Decatur Land Trust and funded by the Decatur Housing Trust Fund, which will provide these services year-round to income-qualified homeowners, especially for emergencies like fallen trees or plumbing leaks. We want to support longtime residents so they can remain in their homes affordably and safely.
What is your outlook for the city over the next few years?
2023 represents an important milestone for the City of Decatur as we celebrate the 200th year of Decatur’s founding. We will be celebrating the city’s birthday with a variety of festivals and events throughout the year. There are three key endeavors this year: 200 Stories Project, 200 tree plantings, and $200,000 donation campaign for the Decatur Land Trust. The city has partnered with Savannah College of Art and Design and Story Corps on a 200 Stories Project to record and archive the stories from a wide range of residents who help make up the unique place we call home. In addition, we have a 200 Trees Project to plant at least 200 trees in Decatur this year. Part of the celebration will be recognition that some past decisions have not always been equitable. We want to ensure that our legacy will leave Decatur in a better place for future generations.
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