Lithonia to use county 'extra spots' IGA funds for off‑leash dog area, Wiggins parking and amphitheater fixes

A council member told the meeting the city recently signed an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the county to receive 'extra spots' funds that must be spent on green‑space projects such as parks, amphitheater work and sidewalks. The funds must be used by December 31, the speaker said.

"We just finally signed our IGA with the county for our extra spots funds," Council member (S5) said, and proposed using the Johnson Street lot for an off‑leash dog area. The speaker said the city owns the Johnson Street parcel and has begun contacting businesses that design off‑leash areas to get estimates and plans.

Council members discussed routing the Rabey/Rabia Mountain trail through the corner of the lot and connecting to existing sidewalks on Wiggins Street. Staff indicated a full six‑foot sidewalk may not fit and suggested trail signage and indicators to guide pedestrians from Johnson Street to Wiggins and the parking lot.

The council member also reported the city is in escrow and awaiting a purchase‑and‑sale agreement (PSA) for 6975 Main Street, which would allow staff to connect an alleyway and parking as part of the overall project. Once a PSA is signed and a survey completed, staff will bring design options — tree locations, benches, restroom siting and storm‑drainage fixes — back to council after on‑site review.

Members raised accessibility and infrastructure trade‑offs: siting bathrooms closer to existing sewer taps would reduce installation costs but present ADA compliance challenges depending on location. Staff proposed meeting on site and walking the properties so members can see constraints in person before final design decisions.

No contracts were approved at the meeting; staff will arrange site visits, collect vendor estimates and return with design options and cost estimates once the PSA and any required surveys are complete.