Chamblee Council To Discuss Property Tax, Street Projects

Chamblee residents may have a new property tax rate, and some streets could soon get a facelift, depending on what the Chamblee City Council decides at its work session tonight, July 12, at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

The council will decide whether to raise, lower or keep the current property tax rate. Even if the rate is kept the same, the city will bring in less revenue because of dropping house values, said City Manager Niles Ford.

While the city council normally does not vote on measures at a work session, council members must pass the property tax rate tonight in order to submit it to Dekalb County by its deadline tomorrow, Ford said.

The council is also considering several street projects that would deal with both traffic and pedestrians.

One planned improvement will make it easier to walk to and from the MARTA station. Along Peachtree Road – between Pierce Drive and Chamblee-Tucker Road – sidewalks will be widened and landscaping added between the sidewalk and the curb, creating a buffer against traffic. The street will also get new benches and trash cans, Ford said.

“We’re trying to encourage people to walk more and travel by MARTA,” Ford said. “So we’re trying to make it as easy as possible – and as safe as possible.”

On-street parking spaces will also be created – something that businesses in the area have requested, Ford said.

The council will consider a bid from SD&C for $193,968. The project will be funded entirely with grants – from Dekalb County and the Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) through the Atlanta Regional Commission, Ford said.

In a related matter, the council will discuss restricting parking to three hours on Malone Drive and Miller Drive. Right now, people are parking there and hopping on MARTA, and businesses in the area have complained, Ford said.

Chamblee residents may also see other street improvements soon. The city council has given priority to the area from City Hall to Clairmont Road, Ford said, and wants to improve traffic around the new Chamblee Charter High School being built on Chamblee-Dunwoody Road.

Tonight, the council will also consider these proposals:

• Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, from Peachtree Road to Harts Mill Road. The council will evaluate the cost and funding of making this area more walkable and improving traffic flow.
• Peachtree Road parking improvements and medians. 

The public is invited to attend the work session at 6 p.m. tonight, July 12, at Chamblee City Hall. For more information, check out the city’s website.