Clairmont Heights Civic Association

This page is devoted to documents, files and links to sites with information related to the construction of the South Peachtree Creek Multi-Use Trail (aka "PATH" trail) from Medlock Park to Mason Mill Park completed at the end of 2008. By providing links to content outside the CHCA website, CHCA does not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed or vouchsafe the reliability of the information in those sites.  For information on later phases of the trail since 2008, search the site for "South Peachtree Creek Trail."

INTERACTIVE MAP

Updates

CHCA Documents 2004-2008

News reports and historical documents

PATH and other Communities

State and National Standards for multi-use trails

Articles on Multiuse Trails in Urban Forests

Eminent Domain Info from State of Georgia

State and Local Codes on Land Disturbance

Update: January 1, 2009.  The trail from Medlock Park to the Burnt Fork Creek stone bridge in Mason Mill Park is now completed. Some work remains in phase one. The contractor will clean up the construction materials, and CHCA/MANA volunteers will continue to work with the county to replant cleared sections. Phase Two, if implemented as proposed, would connect the stone bridge to McConnell Drive near the Tennis Center. A third segment, if implemented as proposed, would connect the trail from the end of McConnell Drive to Clairmont Road near Clairmont Campus.

Past Updates

• December 19, 2008. The county and opposition plaintiffs reached an agreement to allow completion of Phase One, specifically, the wooden bridge connecting the boardwalk to the concrete sections in Mason Mill Park.  See AJC article or Champion article. Completion is expected by end of this year (2008).  Replanting efforts over the winter and spring will continue under direction of County Greenspace director Dave Butler and the Oversight Committee.  Assistance with site clean-up and planting of large trees that had been negotiated with the PATH Foundation will now be undertaken by the new contractor.
• October 15, 2008. The county, working with a different contractor than the one currently under legal challenge, hopes to complete the middle section of the trail that was left unfinished. CHCA, MANA, and the trail oversight committee in coordination with the county have initiated a replanting project. First session is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 4:00 p.m. till dark at the Mason Mill end of the trail.
• August 22, 2008. A new group formed to support the trail. New article "Stalled path has allies, foes" by Ty Tagami, AJC, August 21, 2008.
• August 15, 2008. A superior court judge has ruled (see attached) that the county and the PATH Foundation must stop work on the South Peachtree Creek Trail because the contract was not set out for bid nor properly approved by the Board of Commissioners nor properly permitted. More information can be found online in the AJC, the Champion and at GoDekalb. The county has appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court. Opponents in the meantime obtained a stop work order.
• June 30, 2008. The trail in Medlock Park – both the boardwalk and the concrete – seem to be completed and open to the public. In other words, you can walk or bike from the parking lot to Willivee Drive. In addition, a second stop sign was added to the northbound side of Willivee -- on the more visible left hand side.
• June 20, 2008. The Oversight Committee walked the site with PATH Foundation and county reps. Concrete segment in Mason Mill complete and EPD ok'd removal of silt fences. Boardwalk segment in Medlock completed; concrete segment nearly complete. Boardwalk construction started in Mason Mill. Committee gave top priority to drainage mitigation and slope stabilization. Completion estimated in 45 days.
• June 6, 2008. The clear span steel bridge across Peachtree Creek west of Willivee Drive bridge has been installed. The boardwalk from Willivee Drive to the drainage ditch in Medlock is complete, except for the bridge over the ditch. The first section of the concrete segment in Medlock has been poured. Two additional stop signs have been installed at the intersection of Scott Circle and Willivee Drive. Photos
• May 28, 2008. Concrete segment in Mason Mill from Burnt Fork Creek bridge to sewer cut completed. First abutment for wooden bridge over sewer cut completed. First abutment for steel bridge over Peachtree completed. Footings for boardwalk segment in Medlock in process. Photos.
• May 20, 2008. Uploaded notes on May 16 Oversight Committee site visit and link to photos.
• May 19, 2008. Added links to May 16, 2008 AJC article and May 18, 2008 GDK article. Added section with articles on multi-use trails in urban forests and along stream corridors. Added more documents from 1997 including route options, meeting flyer, steering committee roster, letter from Willivee Place.
• May 17, 2008. Update given at Annual Meeting, May 15. Monthly Oversight Committee meeting on site May 16. Notes pending. Links added for 1930 Water Works map showing dirt roads through Mason Mill woods, 1988 Parks Master Plan showing connecting trail between Mason Mill and Medlock Parks, Fall 1995 Druid Hills newsletter article, 1995 and 1996 Correspondence between Nature Preserve and PATH Foundation, and Spring 2004 CHCA newsletter article.
• May 8, 2008. Clearance of boardwalk route from sewer cut in Mason Mill to Peachtree Creek crossing nearly done. Third native plant rescue by CHCA and Oversight Committee members completed on Sunday, May 4. First section of concrete poured in Mason Mill Park. Photos here.
• April 28, 2008: After a week's hiatus to address EPD concerns and one day of wet weather, PATH will resume work Tuesday April 29, 2008.
• April 25, 2008: photos and April 23, 2008 CHCA Update
• April 24, 2008: PATH stopped work voluntarily to correct EPD violations. DeKalb County used construction access road and cleared an additional 150 yards to fix sewer line on creek unrelated to PATH construction. Map and photos here. Members of Oversight Committee and CHCA tag or remove selected native plants.
• April 15, 2008: Judge refuses to issue new TRO based on ZBA resolutions. Trail construction continues with installation of more silt fencing and tree fencing in Mason Mill. PATH agrees to remove abandoned sewer pipes outside the trail route. Clearance nearly completed from access road at Willivee Place to ridge above stone bridge at Burnt Fork Creek.
• April 4, 2008: Judge voids temporary restraining order. Construction may resume.
• March 4, 2008: Trail contractors were set to begin construction but were halted by opponents who obtained a temporary restraining order.
• Feb. 29, 2008: Silt fence contractor has spray painted and flagged locations for a double silt fence to go around the periphery of the project to prevent disturbed soil going into creeks.

CHCA Documents 2004-2008

• INTERACTIVE MAP showing trail route (with link to detailed PATH plan), the water works site, creeks, 100 year floodplain, sewer lines and nearby destinations. If you get a "Server Error" message in your browser, try clicking Reload or Refresh. See also historical aerial photos
• April 23, 2008 CHCA Update
• Feb. 13, 2008 CHCA Flyer
• February 5, 2008 Memo on State of the Forest
• 2004-2008 Timeline of CHCA Communications
• 2006 Meetings and Correspondence between CHCA, County, and PATH Foundation
• Fall 2006 Newsletter with article on trail
• Summer 2006 Newsletter with article on trail
• Spring 2004 Newsletter with update on trail
• Picture sets of Arabia Mountain PATH trail and two different flood events along South Peachtree Creek

News reports and historical documents

• May 18, 2008. "ZBA Upholds Three Forks Appeal And Criticizes County Departments," by Mary Swint, GoDeKalb.com
• May 16, 2008. "Chamblee chooses path to save plants," by April Hunt, AJC.
• April 24, 2008. "Trail Controversy." by Kyle Dominy. DeKalb Neighbor.
• April 16, 2008. "Three Forks Fails To Stop Trail In Court, Turns To EPD." by Mary Swint, GoDekalb.com
• April 10, 2008. "Zoning Board of Appeals And Residents Try To Stop Trail Construction," by Mary Swint, GoDekalb.com
• April 10, 2008. "‘Work must stop’: Zoning Board rules in favor of group opposed to PATH project," by Andy Phelan, The Champion Newspaper.
• March 31, 2008. "PATH Trail Opponents Keep TRO But Lose In Condemnation Case," by Mary Swint, GoDekalb.com
• March 13, 2008. "Judge upholds temporary restraining order," by Andy Phelan, The Champion Newspaper.
• March 12, 2008. "PATH trail blocked: Judge stops work in DeKalb after neighbors complain," By Thomas Wheatley, Creative Loafing
• March 6, 2008. "Temporary order halts construction on controversial DeKalb trail" by Mary Swint, GoDekalb.com
• March 6, 2008. "Judge puts the brakes on bicycle path near Emory" by Ty Tagami, AJC
• March 6, 2008. "Judge suspends construction of controversial path," by Andy Phelan, The Champion Newspaper.
• February 2008. DeKalb County District 2 Commissioner Jeff Rader's web page on PATH
• Feb. 21, 2008. "SOUTH PEACHTREE CREEK TRAIL: PATH through nature" by Ernie Suggs and Ty Tagami, AJC
• Feb. 16, 2008. "Neighbors disagree on bike trail proposal" by Ernie Suggs and Ty Tagami, AJC
• February 5, 2008 GoDekalb.com article "Controversial PATH Trail Takes New Turns In DeKalb" by Mary Swint
• February 1, 2008. "A man-made walk in the woods?" by Andy Phelan, The Champion Newspaper
• September 26, 2006 Board of Commissioners approves "Resolution of Taking" of property at 2176 Willivee Pl
• June 2006 DeKalb County Comprehensive Transportation Plan Greenways for Central Quadrant
• August 23, 2005 Board of Commissioners approve Bond Proposal including Mason Mill Trail System and PATH
• November 9, 2004 Board of Commissioners approve proposed donation of 2176 Willivee Pl
• November 9, 2004 Board of Commissioners approve funds for “Bike Trails between Medlock and Mason Mill Parks"
• November 9, 2004 BOC approves donation of property at 934 Willivee Drive
• November 13, 2003 BOC approves Extension of Master Agreement with PATH Foundation
• April 8, 2003 BOC approves Greenspace Program Report (includes greenspace acreage in Mason Mill Park, role of Greenspace Office, contributions of PATH foundation, general plans for trails)
• March 12, 2002 BOC approves proposed appropriation for South Peachtree Creek Trail
• January 27, 2000 Letter from Soil and Water Conservation Commissioner
• January 20, 2000. "Commissioners accept trails plan" by Howard Holden, Community Review
• January 20, 2000. "Board accepts multi-use trail plan," The Champion
• January 18, 2000. "Trail trouble: Paths called threat to DeKalb streams" by Ben Smith III, AJC
• January 11, 2000. BOC accepts Master Trail Plan for county
• January 6, 2000. "PATH wants to build trails in DeKalb" by Aileen Harris Miller, The Champion
• October 1998. BOC approves master contract with PATH Foundation
• 1998 County Greenway Trails Description, Project History, Analysis by Segment
• January 1998 Meeting notice from Medlock Flood Plain Coalition
• December 1997. Letter from Willivee Place with survey results
• December 18, 1997. "PATH Foundation will follow recommendation of steering committee: three options for PATH linking North Dekalb Mall and Mason Mill parks being reviewed", Community Review
• November 1997. Trail Steering Committee members
• October 1997 Trail route options
• October 1997 Community Meeting flyer
• January 8, 1996. Correspondence from PATH Foundation to Nature Preserve.
• December 6, 1995. Correspondence from Nature Preserve to PATH Foundation
• Fall 1995. "Proposed South Peachtree Creek Greenway gains increased community support," Druid Hills Neighbor.
• 1994 Application for State Funding with local letters of support
• 1988 Master Plan for Mason Mill and Medlock Park with connecting trail
• 1930 Map of City of Decatur Water Works showing dirt roads through middle of Mason Mill woods.

PATH and other Communities

• PATH Foundation
• Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance
• Chattahoochee Hill Country Greenway Trail
• Newton County Trails
• Tanyard Creek Park

State and National Standards for multi-use trails

• Georgia Department of Transportation Guidelines
• Georgia Power Guidelines for Trails
• National Standard (AASHTO)

Articles on Multiuse Trails in Urban Forests

• 2008. "The skinny on the environment." Scientific American. Quote: "in a January 2007 study by PATH foundation staff and Emory University researchers, sponsored by Georgia Healthcare Foundation, a third of 315 trail users surveyed at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve said that most of their weekly physical activity has involved the trails."
• 2008 "Toolkit for Evaluation of Land Parcels for greenspace planning." University of Georgia. Quote: "Alternative transportation such as multiuse trails for biking, walking, and equestrian activities contribute to mobility, access, social equity, the environment and quality of life within a community." p. 7.
• November 2002. "The potential for community forests to be self-financing: an hedonic analysis of the enhancement value of Georgia's trees." University of Georgia. Case studies including Silver Comet trail showing increases in property values.
• October 1997. "Land Development Provisions To Protect Georgia Water Quality." University of Georgia. Quote: "The “managed forest” zone of streamside buffers is an appropriate place for greenway trails for recreation and nonautomotive transportation...." p.16.

Eminent Domain Info from State of Georgia

• Landowner Notice of Rights: Eminent Domain/Condemnation Proceedings
• Landowners Notice of Rights: Condemnation by a Governmental Entity, Proceedings Before Assessors

State and Local Codes and Guidance on Land Disturbance (erosion control, etc.)

• Field Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control In Georgia (Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission)
• Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act of 1975
• DeKalb County Muncipal Code.
  • See especially Chapter 14. Land Development; Article II. Environmental Controls and the following sub-sections:
    • Sec. 14-37 Grading, esp. (b)(5) Exceptions
    • Sec. 14-38. Soil erosion and sedimentation control, esp. (3) Exceptions
    • Sec. 14-42 Water Quality Control, esp. i. Stream Buffers (2) Exceptions
    • 14-34. Issuance of notice of violation; variances; specification of time period for correction; appeals
  • 27-901 Establishment and procedures of the Zoning Board of Appeals