Unpopular Poplar Fund

The Unpopular Poplar

Contributed by South Fork Conservancy
A LMMNA Community Partner

Many Lindridge-Martin Manor trail users have noticed the fallen 50-foot, 16,000-pound tulip poplar which is jammed into the banks of the South Fork along the Confluence Trail as well as the litter which it collects.

It is harder to notice the inch-by-inch erosion it is causing along trail banks and the limits it places on the movement of local wildlife. The South Fork Conservancy recently put out a call to help fund the removal of this tree and reports they are very grateful for everyone who has joined so far.

They are already one-third of the way to a goal of $1,500 to fully fund the removal of a large portion of the trunk of the tree. If you are able to give at this time, consider making a gift to help the conservancy reach their goal!

You can also join our last litter cleanup at the tree by RSVPing here.

This big popular collects trash and debris.

‘Unpopular Poplar’ Update From South Fork

Thank you all so much for your generosity and support during our crowdfunding effort to remove a large section of the tree jamming the South Fork.

It was deeply heartwarming to see so many of you come together to help the creek flow freely again. South Fork Conservancy supporters contributed $2,525, breaking through our goal! This means that your support will not end with this specific tree project; we will use the funds for future restoration projects along the Confluence Trail.

In partnership with the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, 20 volunteers helped to prep the tree for removal by joining together for a creek cleanup earlier this month. An astonishing 1,300 pounds of garbage was removed and disposed of safely. Oddest find of the day? A working sand timer!

On Aug. 13, the 50-foot, eight-ton tulip poplar’s trunk which was jamming the creek was cut by Boutte Tree, Inc. This complex project required a full day of work, over 200 feet of rigging, and a powerful winch.

Several sections of trunk, each weighing up to six tons, were removed from the stream channel to help reduce bank erosion next to our nature trails. South Fork plans an upcoming volunteer day to remove some of the remaining litter which is jammed along the root ball which will stay in the creek.

Please stay tuned for more updates. If you didn’t have a chance to contribute to the crowdfunder but want to support our work, you can make a gift at our website. Every dollar makes a difference. Also, visit the South Fork website to volunteer for clean-up days and other outreach activities.

The first clean-up effort was a big success. Another one is needed to clean up after tree removal.

LMMNA Education Update

Notes from AJC Community Conversation
Suggestions Ahead of School Re-openings

Earlier this month, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution moderated a lengthy community discussion with a panel of educational leaders of Metro Atlanta public schools.

The community submitted questions for the panel, which included the AJC's education reporter, Marlon A. Walker; Lisa Herring, the new Atlanta Public Schools superintendent; Mike Looney, Fulton County Schools superintendent; and Cheryl Watson Harris, DeKalb County Schools superintendent. 

The superintendents for Cobb, Clayton, and Gwinnett county schools also participated, as did the superintendent for Marietta City Schools. Richard Woods, Georgia's State Superintendent of Schools, did not attend the meeting as he was with the president during his July 15 visit to Atlanta.

All superintendents answered several questions about COVID-19 policies and practices. Lisa Herring is the new superintendent for Atlanta Public Schools, beginning her post July 1.

One of the first decisions made by Herring was to delay the opening of School to August 24. Herring perceives the number of cases in Atlanta, Fulton County, and Georgia requires caution and a delay to in-person return to schools.

Consequently, children attending schools in the APS system will return online only. Through questions posed to Herring during the roundtable of superintendents, she noted the following:

• Returning to virtual learning would afford the time to engage in needs assessments such as community needs of technological devices, availability of wireless connections, and student levels of technical skills.
   

• Additional needs assessments include those about trauma, support services, and challenges in households. 
   

• Herring also expressed the intention of identifying volunteers and partner organizations to offer support services to community members and to monitor children in need.
   

• When APS resumes, in-school services will require students to wear masks. Students will be required to maintain physical distancing requirements and to have temperature checks.
   

• Herring further stated that APS would be adhering to hand washing and hygiene standards. 

In addition to listening to the roundtable, it was equally fascinating to read the comments on the chat line. Teachers in every part of Greater Metro Atlanta are frightened of their well-being.

As a side note, when schools open, I caution Lindridge-Martin Manor parents to consider the ability of their kids to maintain physical distances over six feet. Six feet is the bare minimum for distancing. More importantly, ask questions of faculty and administrators about the quality, density, and flow of the air in the classrooms and corridors. 

I also suggest all kids should have practice in wearing and using:

• 3-4 ply masks or masks with filters
   

• Face shields
   

• Portable desk shields

A few other thoughts: Please take time to familiarize children with what distancing of 8 to 10 feet looks like. Make certain that they wash all sides of their hands frequently while singing the "Happy Birthday" song and not stopping until it is finished. And remind them not to touch or share pens, pencils or crayons with others or to touch anything that others have handled.  

Best regards,

Cathi Trapani
LMMNA Education Chair

Blackboards might be virtual for a little while.

School Board COVID Update

Atlanta Public Schools Update from Michelle Olympiadis

Lindridge-Martin Manor is in Municipal Board of Education District 3, and Michelle Olympiadis is our elected board representative.

In a recent announcement to the neighborhood, Michelle shared an update from the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) on its proposed opening of the 2020-2021 school year utilizing a full virtual learning model. That date will be August 24.

The Atlanta Board of Education (ABOE) approved moving the start date on first reading, during a special called meeting Monday, July 13. The second and final reading is scheduled for the regularly scheduled Board meeting on August 3.

The district’s plan, “Day One 2020 Return + Learn,” would move Day One for the 2020-2021 school year to Monday, August 24 with schools offering virtual learning programs for all students, and reduce the District’s instructional days to 170 for the school year. A series of online public forums will be held on Facebook for parent questions.

APS staff will start on Monday, August 3, for two weeks of mostly virtual pre-planning with some in-person, small-group activities. These two weeks called Day One “Runway” will focus on family connections, team building, teacher planning and professional development, and safety planning.

As part of this plan, beginning the week of August 17, APS will conduct additional student assessments and get-to-know-you activities and set learning expectations for a strong start to an unconventional school year. The district is also focused on student wellness and preparation and will collect the most current contact information for every student.

This model will be maintained for at least the first nine weeks of school, or until the spread of COVID-19 has been reduced to minimal or moderate. District administrators will continue to monitor and evaluate the spread of COVID-19 in Atlanta and the metro area, to determine when and if a return to in-person instruction is safe.

For more information, contact Michelle D. Olympiadis C/O Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education, 130 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30303. Her office number is 404.802.2255 and her mobile number is 404-502-0725. He email address is michelle.olympiadis@atlanta.k12.us.ga.

APS will post its COVID plans on this site.

NPU-F Update for July 2020

NPU-F July Meeting Updates Residents on City Activities

The City of Atlanta is divided into 25 Neighborhood Planning Units, or NPUs. Lindridge-Martin Manor is in NPU-F. There have been two virtual meetings this summer, and the most recent was held virtually July 20.

Here are the latest updates from that meeting:

General City Updates

• City of Atlanta offices, as well as NPU-F, are still operating “virtually.”

• The Department of Watershed Management reminds us that “disposable wipes” are not flushable in toilets, despite claims that they are.

• Atlanta311: All agents are working remotely. Call Barbara Dougherty if you have problems with 311. She is at 470-689-5171.

• Michael Bond is one of our at-large city council reps. He can be reached at 404-330-6770 or 404-274-8111 (cell).

• Piedmont Park Conservancy: Executive Director Howard Werthheimer reports there are plenty of volunteer opportunities available. The Green Market is operating Saturdays in the area of the Park Tavern. Although weddings are not being conducted in the park, they’re offering “Elopement Packages.”

• City Planning Department: City Planner Doug Young reports the Zoning Review Board and the Board of Zoning Adjustment will resume operations starting on August 6. They will go through the backlog of cases in order of receipt.

• NPU-F voted to support the application of the Dogwood Festival to take place from October 9-11. Dates have been changed several times.

• NPU-F voted not to support a change to the zoning code (Z-20-36, amended) that would alter the garage recess requirement, from 10’ to 6,’ in the R-4, R-4A,R-4B, and R-5 zoning categories.

Proposed Billboard Removal / Peachtree Creek Environmental Project

NPU-F voted to defer making a recommendation on Z-20-43, otherwise known as the “Grand Bargain,” which would authorize the removal of five privately owned billboard faces and their supporting structures.

This removal would be permitted under Part 16, Chapter 28A of the 1982 Zoning Ordinance of the City of Atlanta, as amended, in exchange for the right given to their owners to upgrade and/or relocate five billboards.

The upgrade and exchange may allow for the creation of the 14th Street Linear Park and the Peachtree Creek at Cheshire Bridge Road Environmental Project after the five privately owned sets of billboard faces and the supporting structures of relocated billboards are removed.

For Lindridge-Martin Manor, the Georgia Aquarium and the South Fork Conservancy would partner to provide stream restoration of the South Fork of Peachtree Creek at Cheshire Bridge Road, to install a device to capture trash in the creek, and to conduct educational opportunities. The current billboard would be removed.

Because concerns have been raised by other NPUs that would be affected by this legislation, the bill is being reframed.

North Fork Peachtree Creek Tank and Pump Station

During wet weather, overloading in the Peachtree Creek basin collection system has resulted in flooding in Peachtree Creek, sanitary sewer overflows and bypasses within the system.

To address these problems and comply with consent decree stipulations, the city’s Department of Watershed Management proposes a new Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project, the North Fork Storage Tank and Pump Station. Its proposed budget is $107.7 million. The contract bid process started in May 2020. A portion of the funds will likely be paid by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program.

It would complement the South Fork Storage Tank and Pump Station (Liddell tank) placed into operation in 2014. Once complete, it will serve as a key capacity relief projects to meet the consent decree compliance date of July 1, 2026 for Peachtree Creek Basin. The implementation of this project before the consent decree deadline will provide a resolution to the flooding problems in Peachtree Creek and the major trunk system within the basin.

The project will include the development of a 15 MG storage tank and 75 MGD pump station, which will be designed to handle a 10-year design storm. During a significant storm event, wet weather flows will be diverted from the main trunk sewer to the pump station wet well, from which the flow will be pumped to the storage tank. After the storm event has ended, the storage tank will be dewatered using another set of pumps, as soon as downstream conditions permit.

Concept designs have been prepared. The site proposed site for the project is owned by Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). The city is finalizing negotiations with GDOT for shared use of the site, through a permanent easement. Proposed construction start is July 2020 and scheduled completion is proposed for June 2022.

The next remote NPU-F meeting will take place Monday, August 17, at 7 p.m. A link to the ZOOM meeting will be posted on the NPU-F Agenda. To find it, go to the NPU-F website.

You can learn more about LMMNA and our involvement with the NPU system on our website. We have two LMMNA Board members who represent our needs at NPU-F once a month:

Richard Sussman NPU-F Co-chair for Parks, Trees, and Environment

Jane RawlingsNPU-F Chair for Alcohol Licenses and Permits

You can contact them by sending an email to npu@lmmna.org.

This is the South Fork Storage Tank and Pump Station.

Rep. John Lewis Passes Away

U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) for District 5 Passes Away

Lindridge-Martin Manor Neighborhood Association is sad to report that U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), our representative for District 5, died July 17. He was 80 and fought a battle with pancreatic cancer for many months.

Georgia Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs told the Associated Press that Gov. Brian Kemp must schedule a special election to fill Lewis' current term, and the election would have to be held within 30 days.

Concurrently, the Democratic Party of Georgia had to appoint a replacement candidate to fill Lewis' space on the November ballot because of his primary win on June 9, 2020. The AJC has an explanation of the process online.

On the afternoon of July 20, Georgia Democrats chose Nikema Williams, the party chairwoman, to replace Rep. Lewis on the November ballot.

Learn more about our elected representatives on LMMNA’s Government and Elections Page. Details on any interim elections will be posted there.