[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6081442,"mediaKeyId","2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231","parentId",2942412,"title","City updates progress on Tuckertown Green, Fitzgerald Field, John’s Homestead and dam repairs; Fitzgerald Field to open Saturday","audioSeconds",460,"startMs",3032000,"endMs",3492000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231&start=3032&end=3492","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231/thumbnail_3032000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6081442/Tucker/DeKalb-County/Georgia/City-updates-progress-on-Tuckertown-Green-Fitzgerald-Field-Johns-Homestead-and-dam-repairs-Fitzgerald-Field-to-open-Saturday","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081442-20a59fa148008cba3fbca2ed27a8ed5c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163510&Signature=MXS1YYqmr4ObTYki0aKXlX8WkFEKGhWvrZH4qL1PX4hYPL9KFSBwzfiZR1G0pX1fkr1-ET7Uu4~2aK0iYgDtchW1BmKoI5CNd3SqVl0D4T-ndb6OEaR~iQelOfHHUqvZddiJgUidDaJ8s~gfjIeBy~aKDpwf8jiET1~oKXbaPydsdwhjVPxnM25pYGyk3APc~1dTlCDQ7Xr9bBgJveaM82dUg9a~46e8Mqdq19R1-MFfnhMyhG8XKk~xbP0i9hJLCHJyFvaAe2uWPW0mMWevF20VLsZ5FiNWiIl3nk8zHn79IWryYYwbAvG5eJ6YdfL5MuV8pUT~mBE~ikC96J8wWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Tucker GA ","date","2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","article","City staff briefed the mayor and council on ongoing capital projects at the March 24 meeting and confirmed public events tied to several completions.

Tuckertown Green: Staff said most horizontal work is complete and utility relocation has been expensive but largely finished. The project will include a stage, seating, restrooms, play spaces, art installations, arbor swings and water features; staff indicated the schedule aims for a September completion and said the project is now moving “vertical.”

Fitzgerald Field Sports Complex: The mayor and staff announced an official grand opening and ribbon‑cutting scheduled for Saturday during the Spring Fling; staff listed amenities including three new fields, two baseball fields, two concession facilities, restrooms, parking and walking areas. Staff credited the Tucker Football League for donating the land several years earlier and said the facility improvements were funded by the city and partner contributions.

John’s Homestead and Lake Heron Dam: Staff presented a multi‑year John’s Homestead project that will replace two dams, add accessible amenities (including a fishing pier and expanded parking), and add trails and bird blinds. The presentation noted the city was awarded a Department of Natural Resources grant (approximately $2.5 million) secured with help from a friends group; the full project budget was described in the presentation as about $4.9 million, with roughly half covered by the DNR grant and the remainder city funds. Staff said Lake Heron Dam replacement is slated to begin in April and that portions of parks and trails will be closed while work proceeds. The Lake Heron project received $1.4 million in ARPA funds from the county for dam repair.

Hugh Howell and Stone Intersection: A near‑term streetscape and safety project at Hugh Howell/Lower and Stone is nearly complete with crosswalk, ADA ramp and signal improvements, expected to finish by mid‑April.

Communication and neighbors: Council members pressed staff to improve on‑site signage and neighbor notification for projects, specifically asking for signs near playgrounds and trailheads for John’s Homestead and Lake Heron work. Staff said signs are being produced and will be placed at parking areas and trailheads and that the city will coordinate outreach with friends groups.

Ending: Staff said sidewalk work on Railroad and the city’s repaving award will proceed under planned budgets; council confirmed upcoming outreach events: the transportation/trails open house and Fitzgerald Field grand opening on Saturday.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Council Meeting - 2nd Mtg of the Month 2025-03-24","oneSentenceSummary","Staff reported progress on several major capital projects: Tuckertown Green construction proceeding (utilities undergrounded), Fitzgerald Field grand opening scheduled for Saturday, John’s Homestead dam replacement and amenity additions funded in part by a DNR grant, and Lake Heron dam replacement to begin in April with ARPA funding.","taxTitle","Tucker, DeKalb County, Georgia","taxId",57373,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081447,"Council raises city purchasing‑card authorization amid growing card usage; finance director explains controls",3114,2395000,5509000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231&start=2395&end=5509","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231/thumbnail_2395000.jpg","/articles/6081447/Tucker/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Council-raises-city-purchasingcard-authorization-amid-growing-card-usage-finance-director-explains-controls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081447-472b869ff8dd0d7e714d33255680735c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163510&Signature=TkXPHt3-LgBKQSgL6k1z9uL7gXMIBoeBiQFYelkzMdAmSbY6JT8DYhqFvX6myUCeRppncUCfOTCpRrPa1Wqei0YmOkoGmPQbl34vxpxAoB1of~4J~h2HIQQtU4q-9UHzxi3J-BT4N4p11FV6Jvxf4-6qFxUDMiq5O7K9xiG4EoL7astUULqed5jPXuEs7uFvuVEnL9f1-zMM9aUntrotexQKuDlwttsSzMD1FfTTOhiCrD1WqhABBTlNOQ4iHUjcGUTT22UnMIWu3Rnp8SprO3zJ-wObeTwaS346Nv5riLx7OLiql2JVt2aZABo6Z~-T49LbxFBWjM07jdE8dIyF2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tucker City Council on March 24 approved Resolution R2025-3-10 to increase the city’s purchasing‑card credit limit after a finance presentation on recent card usage and budget context.

Beverly (finance director) explained the card program and controls used by the city: employees sign for individual cards and are personally responsible for charges; the bank issues a monthly statement with funds withdrawn around the 20th of the following month; finance staff reconcile receipts and will recover improper charges from payroll if necessary. Beverly said the city averages roughly $24,250 in card charges per month across about 3,100 transactions in the past 13 months.

Why it matters: the requested increase is intended to prevent the city’s card account from hitting the existing limit during months with heavier seasonal charges (summer programs, conference registrations, travel and program supplies) and to avoid delaying purchases or forcing alternative payment workflows.

Councilmember Rees asked for an explanation for the public; Beverly described typical card uses (supplies for athletics, food for programs, travel and conference registrations, membership dues). Councilmembers asked about opportunities to centralize recurring payments and reduce credit card use; staff said the city maintains some business accounts (Amazon, Sam’s, Staples), is moving more vendors to ACH when possible and is drafting a travel policy to reduce the need for ad hoc card charges.

Vote: Council approved Resolution R2025-3-10 unanimously (7–0).

Ending: Finance staff will continue to reconcile monthly statements, pursue ACH and central‑billing options where possible, publish a travel policy under development and report to council as requested.","Council approved Resolution R2025-3-10 to raise the city’s purchasing‑card credit limit to avoid payment timing issues. Finance director Beverly explained monthly card flows, oversight and the need for a larger authorization to cover the 30‑day billing cycle plus processing time.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081452,"Council awards nearly $600,000 contract for six stormwater repair locations, approves 10% contingency",583,4443000,5026000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231&start=4443&end=5026","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231/thumbnail_4443000.jpg","/articles/6081452/Tucker/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Council-awards-nearly-600000-contract-for-six-stormwater-repair-locations-approves-10-contingency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081452-f38ee795162336dd57623ff32c95b45c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163510&Signature=KnA2q5NQFJ4RHXnV3TdffcZfoTj2Z7rjCf0GvQtJMELN1Qtm7JQarsec3EyYd8Pbw3mESaUXMb3PQGgz9CozjKBguDKj2CfYy88IM9UPL89x0crD5gfCNpMuWh45a-6nZxIFkFPjsUkPfPAsbM-LDmlnoHH5g8x74-QyNbZjO8~AC9xHjUvr2D9lFFIjpDD4jAsqMpevdnw1TD09wAMYR4XJV2K7qDJDfkwrYziGKphgF6JBuqq2jy7G~EwUt0r0eEZFGIk2f~KvK4g9AP~IHx8Xvigc58TDpJyR6eGDzJPogg-t6u73u17sLWUuQehCeDWSPaZTOFSB9HCEGnIYEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tucker City Council voted to award a contract for repairs at six stormwater locations and approved a 10% contingency at its March 24 meeting.

Public works staff described six repair locations identified through service requests and an Atlas inventory and CCTV inspections: Mountain Shadow (1612), a site from DeKalb County records (6098), Rotherwood (2804), Woburn (identified by Atlas), Canadian Way (3458) and a wing wall at Lilburn‑Stone Mountain (1921). Staff described common failure modes — separated joints, holes in pipe walls, debris build‑up and sinkholes caused by soil migration — and said locations will be addressed with combinations of dig‑and‑replace, point grout repairs and cured‑in‑place lining. One site (Canadian Way) is a perennial, live stream-affected pipe requiring damming and dewatering during work.

Procurement: the city received eight bids and staff recommended awarding the base bid to Southern Premier Contractors. The base bid totaled $501,311; an alternate to repair the wing wall was $98,160, bringing the contract to $599,471. Council also approved a 10% contingency to cover unforeseen underground conditions such as buried construction debris or “bury pits”; with contingency the authorization is $659,418.

Why it matters: the work addresses active sinkholes and damaged drainage infrastructure that can undermine yards and, in some cases, roadways. Staff said neighbors were contacted and right‑of‑entry agreements or coordination are in place for all sites.

Vote: Council approved the contract award and added contingency; the motion passed unanimously (7–0).

Ending: Public works staff said on‑site inspectors will monitor the contractor daily and that council will be notified if any change orders exhaust the approved contingency.","Council awarded a $599,471 construction contract to Southern Premier Contractors for six stormwater repair sites across the city and approved an additional 10% contingency for unforeseen underground issues, bringing the authorized total to $659,418.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081457,"Council amends neighborhood shopping rules to allow pet daycare and other uses; ordinance passes unanimously",577,3851000,4428000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231&start=3851&end=4428","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231/thumbnail_3851000.jpg","/articles/6081457/Tucker/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Council-amends-neighborhood-shopping-rules-to-allow-pet-daycare-and-other-uses-ordinance-passes-unanimously","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081457-d4556dee8600fbbd5f5d24ca6947a5e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163510&Signature=aZ36aQeo16YaQwLn5YKpLhv~DhcItv2OGpc2WKiAKAIQyjxD-dKZlgsVDYiGSF42qag3zmGudyLRmW0Htt33CF0yzfD5IzvHc41lzAha3VtgMp9UAc4l3pVwgDVYlV1nC6-1J4-7V7pyirdGbfduaWhO-4GC5abPQkm2i9tE2QhCl3~lfbE5gmVC0~wayM3FX9EhtE6t1RiQbVysM2ndaDGdGEldSA8Eox6kbn5hoywhkv4DevMXZXHOiknLCHwUsSFZrmTop4TGE54W~d1-ME6LGIPlSXutj~FMabLX3pNGkdvQy1Fg346BTVpssZFzwwYOBokS13VoXzhuJj-BsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tucker mayor and city council approved Ordinance O2025-3-6 on second reading and by public hearing on March 24, 2025, amending the city’s zoning ordinance (Chapter 46) to add or clarify several permitted uses in the Neighborhood Shopping zoning district and related use tables.

Courtney Smith, city staff who introduced the item, told the council staff recommended adding thrift/secondhand/antique stores, child daycare centers, places of worship, pet daycare and pet grooming, home health care services, and alcohol manufacturing (brewery and distilled spirits) as permitted uses in Neighborhood Shopping. Smith also recommended removing automotive service stations and emission stations from that district and adding pet daycare as a special land permit (SLP) allowance in the DT‑3 downtown district. The amendment adds an “amusement game room” use in several tables and updates definitions.

A business owner, James Bradley, spoke in favor during the public hearing to explain his family’s FurBusters grooming and daycare operation on Main Street and to ask council to approve the code changes. No speakers registered opposition.

Why it matters: the change creates clear, city‑wide rules for small retail and service businesses that seek to operate in neighborhood shopping areas and gives specific routes for pet daycare in downtown (DT‑3) via SLP. Smith said the change followed staff direction after a previous rezoning denial at 5950 Hugh Howell and is intended to provide consistent rules rather than repeated rezoning requests.

Vote and formal action: Council approved Ordinance O2025-3-6 on second reading. The motion carried unanimously (7–0).

Ending: Smith and council members said the amendment brings clarity to business owners and staff about permitted uses within neighborhood shopping districts; staff will publish the ordinance and update land‑use tables accordingly.","Council approved a text amendment to Tucker Code Chapter 46 to add several uses — including pet daycare and pet grooming — to the Neighborhood Shopping district and to add amusement game rooms to specified districts. Planning Commission recommended approval; council vote was unanimous.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081462,"Developer outlines how low-income housing tax credit projects are financed and how Tucker can attract them",1907,517000,2424000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231&start=517&end=2424","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2942412-711113f63351229795a3e1689efda231/thumbnail_517000.jpg","/articles/6081462/Tucker/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Developer-outlines-how-low-income-housing-tax-credit-projects-are-financed-and-how-Tucker-can-attract-them","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081462-af63ccbe3c3cb965f41969ea7c99a4a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163510&Signature=EnaQ2Pw6turCJlrshkOBTCtuYOs8LUlG6mxRIEyyh43iB8gXSnL~Mh0LApTMPGV1IdBb25lmGw-T~bR6LxUU0na41xbhbOK0jX-PtfW7wqfNI9FUhh0qGgotQoSMVCpmql69anMASHYJa~u3R37tIh0kCd9c-6THFk~itFPxoHvKHC3NixXA9QuNhxO~T5YLHkOFm~Tx5IZLV9-k~ROXcSEsQA4l~pCcrjfTZ4jaMeIDvhI1YpNiyBo1xh4geF1cFlRP3R66yrH2lFBricscVwV~~jQuwYI8ILKarb3vV~yOtPkwNHwCpP5GbUx6Ftdp2rndk1E1CXE2py1GIIfr1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","John Toppin, a developer with Tapestry Development, gave the Tucker mayor and city council an overview of the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program and steps local governments can take to attract projects on March 24, 2025.

Toppin told council that “the low income housing tax credits is a housing program embedded in the IRS tax code,” and that the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) administers the credits in Georgia through a Qualified Allocation Plan that awards points to applications that meet state priorities.

The program targets households at 60% of area median income, Toppin said, and projects that win credits typically require many layers of financing and take years from application to completion. “It takes 3 or 4 months of a lot of work to submit,” he said. He described the typical timetable: applications in spring, awards several months later, then 12–15 months to close and roughly 18 months for construction. Projects carry affordability restrictions for at least 30 years.

Why it matters: LIHTC is a major source of subsidized rental housing across the U.S. and in metro Atlanta. Toppin said the competition for credits is intense — he estimated roughly one in four applications are funded — and said cities can improve their chances of hosting funded projects by taking specific policy and administrative steps.

Key local actions Toppin recommended:
- Entitle potential sites in advance. “The zoning has to be in place when you submit the application,” he said, because applicants must tell DCA they can build the project if funded.
- Join state programs that yield application points, such as the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH). Toppin said a city that participates and can provide a supportive letter can gain points in the DCA scoring process.
- Adopt redevelopment plans for target census tracts. DCA awards points to projects in designated “redeveloping” areas with active redevelopment plans that address housing and infrastructure.
- Provide soft financing or local subsidy. Toppin said DCA gives points for locally supplied soft money (grants or forgivable loans) that increase a project’s competitiveness.
- Identify and assemble suitable land. Toppin said infill land and assemblage are common challenges in Tucker; he recommended cities assemble or offer land and run an RFP for affordable housing developers when possible.

Toppin described common project constraints: rising construction costs (he said they have increased “50% in the last 5, 8 years”), expensive land in the Atlanta region, multiple overlapping funding rules and long entitlement and permitting timelines. He also discussed design and program constraints, including unit-size rules, accessibility requirements and tradeoffs between garden-style buildings versus denser multi-story buildings.

Council members asked about mixed-income projects, homeownership pathways, management and maintenance. Toppin said LIHTC is rental-only but developers sometimes include a portion of market-rate units in mixed-income projects; townhouses and single-family affordable ownership are separate funding lines and more expensive to build. On property management he said oversight is substantial: DCA inspections, investor oversight and on-site professional management companies are standard, and “most developers that I know well really care a lot about their business and their properties.”

Toppin closed by noting demand: “Most of our properties have waiting lists of well over a hundred,” and he characterized the need for affordable rentals in the region as a crisis.

Ending: City staff and Toppin said they will continue dialogue; council members asked staff to consider the specific zoning, land‑assembly and policy steps Toppin described as the city updates its plans and looks for sites.
","Tapestry Development’s John Toppin explained how the federal low-income housing tax credit program works, what local governments can do to score points in state allocations and the timeline and constraints for building tax-credit rental housing in Tucker.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City updates progress on Tuckertown Green, Fitzgerald Field, John’s Homestead and dam repairs; Fitzgerald Field to open Saturday

Council raises city purchasing‑card authorization amid growing card usage; finance director explains controls

Council awards nearly $600,000 contract for six stormwater repair locations, approves 10% contingency

Council amends neighborhood shopping rules to allow pet daycare and other uses; ordinance passes unanimously

Developer outlines how low-income housing tax credit projects are financed and how Tucker can attract them