City Schools of Decatur Expands Land Holdings

City Schools of Decatur has placed an additional two acres of land next to the four acres it already had under contract in hopes of constructing a larger school on the property.

Outgoing CSD Superintendent Phyllis Edwards tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she would like to see a joint kindergarten - third grade and fourth/fith grade academy built on the six acre property on Talley Street in south Decatur.

In order to afford the $7 million purchase price for the Talley Street properties, City Schools of Decatur needs city voters to approve a $75 million bond that would see the school system prepared for 93 percent of projected low-growth enrollment needs with a $680/year property tax increase for Decatur residents. CSD has until March of next year to close on the purchase.

Residents were asked to participate in an online survey in April to help the school system gauge community opinions on how much they could ask the Decatur City Commission for in a bond referendum; a $60 million figure would cover 89 percent of the school system’s projected low-growth enrollment needs, with a $545 increase on property taxes for a home worth $500,000, while an $82 million figure would cover the entire projected need with a $744/year property tax increase.

City Schools of Decatur must also complete an environmental study on the site as it formerly contained an automobile storage site, the AJC says.