Northlake Overlay Plan Meeting

Holy Moly--

We have a shot at making another impression on the Simon Malls people. Next Tuesday (June 7) evening (6:30 to 8:00), hopefully hundreds of people will choose to hear DeKalb County.

The meeting is at the new "One DeKalb" government resource center on the bottom floor of Northlake Mall. Was anyone aware that the office is there? I hope they have a lot of seats.

Planners talk about their way of accomplishing a walkable community in the Northlake business core. They see this happening via creative zoning--a "zoning overlay"--in other words, taking existing zoning and layering more specifics regarding exterior architecture, planned compatibility among building heights all the way down to street furniture and bike racks. They call it a "compatible use" overlay because it doesn't completely remove the "character" of the regional business center that it once was.

Anyway--this meeting will be wonderful if we get YOUR ideas across and get to add stuff to the agenda--like how to promote a commuter rail stop so we can get to Emory and downtown when gas is $10 a gallon. It's either that or bicycles folks.

Then there's the mall property. I like to call it the mall PROPERTY because I firmly believe it won't be a mall in the future--indeed malls are antiquated. No--not a mall, but what...and what would have to happen to Simon to jar the company loose from the property?

Hey--do you suppose a Simon decision maker from Columbus, OH, will make this county tutorial next week?

(That's two questions here for feedback folks, and I know darn well this mall area is a subject of ill-repute around here. I can't walk on my street before I hear someone taling about it.)

The Northlake Overlay
Tuesday, June 7
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
One DeKalb Resource Center
Northlake Mall
(lower level next to Macy's)