Decatur development authority maps continued grants, redevelopment and parking push

The Decatur Development Authority on Dec. 1 presented an annual update that laid out ongoing grant programs, redevelopment activity and a renewed focus on downtown parking.

At a work session before the City Commission, DDA Chair Connor McDonough said three grant programs that began in the pandemic remain central to the authority’s strategy: a Commercial Facade Improvement Grant, a Commercial Build‑out Grant and a Marketing & Digital Connectivity grant. "We've awarded a total of $252,000 to 43 businesses," McDonough said, adding the DDA budgets $100,000 annually for facade work, $75,000 for build‑outs and $25,000 for marketing to support roughly two rounds of awards each year.

McDonough described eligibility rules (up to a 75% matching share with a capped award), a committee review process and payback provisions if a grantee does not remain in Decatur. He acknowledged the authority has not performed exhaustive business‑level impact studies post‑award but said aggregate tracking of dollars distributed (about $400,000 over three years) plus a proposed year‑over‑year sales comparison for awardees would be a reasonable next step.

The DDA also reviewed redevelopment work, including a catalyst agreement for 750 Commerce Drive. The project envisioned just over 360 residential units, about 13,000 square feet of grocery space, an additional roughly 12,000 square feet of retail and about 134 parking spaces. The DDA said it used a usufruct/bond‑title structure (13‑year effective term) and that the bonds are validated; issuance is contingent on the developer securing a qualifying grocery lease and obtaining final land‑disturbance permits from the city and DeKalb County.

McDonough presented the fiscal case the authority used to evaluate the abatement: under current valuations a vacant site would produce roughly $3.4 million in tax revenue over 10 years; the proposed development would generate about $28.5 million in that same period, while the abatement value would be just under $14 million (about 49%). He said the DDA views the incremental tax revenue, and the project’s grocery and inclusionary‑housing components, as meriting the incentive under its policy thresholds.

Parking emerged as a top operational priority. Staff summarized a December 2024 parking assessment and proposed measures that would require ordinance changes — including expanded enforcement hours and citation adjustments — and emphasized promoting discounted off‑street employee parking. The DDA and staff flagged the DeKalb County courthouse deck (an estimated 1,100 spaces) as a key asset and described ongoing discussions with DeKalb County and MARTA to improve signage, pedestrian connectivity and user experience, and to promote the deck as the primary parking for downtown visitors.

DDA staff also highlighted partnerships that support downtown vitality: a Block by Block ambassador program that tracks trash removal and hospitality assists, a resurgent Decatur Business Association and the Decatur Arts Alliance’s public‑art partnerships on private developments.

Next steps included tracking grant recipients’ sales performance, continuing LOI negotiations for city‑owned parcels such as 252 South Columbia Drive, advancing county deck wayfinding work ahead of summer events and returning with ordinance language on parking policy adjustments.

The DDA presentation concluded with commissioners asking the authority to return with more granular measures of grant effectiveness and vendor proposals for parking technology and enforcement models.