It is ALL too much. I attended the meeting, and they want to have their driveway directly across from the fire station! We pleaded with them to wait and do a traffic study AFTER Quik Trip opens. That area does not have the infrastructure for all those left turns!

t is ALL too much. I attended the meeting, and they want to have their driveway directly across from the fire station! We pleaded with them to wait and do a traffic study AFTER Quik Trip opens. That area does not have the infrastructure for all those left turns! They plan on having two drive through lines and about 35 parking spaces. Too much greed on McDonald's part. This will casue WAY too much "neighborhood" traffic!

This is amazing. I commend McDonalds for holding some kind of meeting, though not sure who it was with. I live pretty close by and they apparently avoided me (LOL). If this is the best looking McDonalds ever designed in metro Atlanta, it might get support -- depending on where it really is proposed. The article is vague. If I understand Carol's comment that it is across from Fire Station No. 8 that would put it actually IN Briarcliff Shopping Center. If so, I would say this project is dead on arrival, to use a technical planning term. The QT itself has several irregularities with DeKalb code and with Ga. DOT regulations, too. I would suggest that anyone who thinks that more QT's, McDonald's, and WalMarts are the way to upgrade north DeKalb ought to rethink their concept of what an upgrade is...

I am actually glad to see the QT spurring new development at the Clairmont intersection. That IGA was a dump and the adjoining strip mall needs a facelift to say the least. I hope the old Vol Repair site gets something new as well! I am concerned about traffic, but the QT meant getting a turn lane in front of the bank which was SO badly needed. Maybe McDonald's will mean other infrastructure improvements.

Has anyone noticed how many cars block the driveway of the fire station during morning rush despite the signage and police officers giving tickets? Imagine how convoluted things will be if a McDonald's opens next to the QT. The delay caused to the emergency responders by traffic congestion will possibly be property and life threatening.

I pass by the remodeled MCD's on N. Druid at North Dekalb mall often and there are some striking similarities: it's on a very busy 4 lane road, it's right between 2 traffic lights, it's almost directly across the street from a fire station, and it gets lots of in/out traffic that often causes backups. Yet it has the advantages of a turn lane and rear access to a signaled road (Mistletoe). I come down (eastbound) that stretch of Clairmont often during the afternoons. I can't imagine what's going to happen when the QT opens, much less adding a MCD to the mix, w/out any improvements to the road.

in the morning there would be a lot of cars (coming from Decatur toward I-85) trying to turn left into this McDonalds, thus holding up the cars stuck behind them. And then they'd need to make a left out of the McDonalds back onto Clairmont.

This is all bad enough, but there's no 5th lane, that middle turn lane, on Clairmont.

The McDonald's actually seems like it's on the wrong side of the street for optimal business, and Clairmont is not set up well for handling this many cars going in and out in that location.

Why doesn't McDonald's just build small kiosks in everyone's front yard that's dumb enough to eat this stuff? Think about it... you could tell your kids to walk outside and get themselves a nice delicious and nourishing Happy Meal. Whenever you're hungry, you could waddle your fat ass out the front yard for a Big Mac Combo!

If you don't want to live in a world of fast food crap chains - don't go to them. Demand better for yourselves. Better yet, make yourself a sandwich.

Development needs to happen, and infrastructure needs to be improved. But not across from the Fire stations and slammed right against the beginning of the neighborhood.

Develop over by Popeyes. Develop the land where the junk cars pollute the corner lot by QT. Develop the eye sore around Benchwarmers.

There are numerous urban blights in the area that need to be looked at before we start to squeeze in development where it doesn’t belong.

Beside the point – there is a McDonalds at ¼ mile away. What a joke.

Contact our Commissioner Jeff Rader jrader@dekalbcountyga.gov
And Commissioner Kathie Gannon kgannon@dekalbcountyga.gov

Lucas- They had a public meeting this past week. It was the quietest meeting notice I have ever seen.

*** ITS as rediculous as them wanting to put another mcd's where the Diner used to be on N. Druid Hills not too far from the other one just over the interstate...& I agree w/ the idea to do SOMETHING on the Popeyes side back there & something decent w/ the Volvo place. R.I.P. Eds/IGA. Traffic has become a cluster frick in that area for years & the problems will continue .. Also,, your right, wait till QT gets goin & accidents occur......thers my local 2 cents...........

Now lets go back up & be grateful for the vote on old Briarcliff Stadium,,,yeah I know , , , , Adams,blah. >> B/CLIFF to me ,,,,,my old school (1975) > Just glad that "SEMBLER" wasnt allowed to go thru & rip out those childhood memories of the OLD Kittredge & the pool & Little League.. As well as the old Woodlake apts where I lived during H.S.,,Rumor has it theres still something gonna happen to Woodlake,,,,,uh sorry,, the PARK !! I guess its now my 2 & 1/2 cents......

Hoping McDonald's builds there. That whole area has been an eyesore for sometime. I am so grateful someone is doing something about it. Be it McDonald's or whoever.

I'm ecstatic, I agree with Sally. It's been an eye sore. Can't wait. Hope someone replaces those old stores near quick trip too.

REFERENCE TO M.YOUNG--11/10 ABOVE:: "CHEVRON" GOUGING..I JUST MOVED BACK TO THE AREA FROM N/LAKE. CHEVRON ON LAVISTA WAS ALWAYS 10 C CHEAPER THAN THE B/CLIFF GUY...THATS WHY STATIONS RUN BY THE PATEL FAMILY MAKE ALL THE MONEY,,,LOOK AT SOME OF THE PATEL FAMILY OF SHELL LOCATIONS PRICES TOO. JUST A COINCIDENCE I GUESS . . .THEY'RE EXTREMELY COURTEOUS AS WELL...ANYWAY,,,,uhh-"NO TO McD'S !! Heres a good one,,,maybe a Chuckee Cheez or Dave & Brusters or a Putt-Putt !! something really conducive to the neighborhood

Chevron even charges 1 dollar to use their air pump that only blows air for 20 seconds.
So happy QT has been built.

Stepped into that one Dr Z.:

Broussard had to lead a lawsuit to defeat a "washed" Board of Appeals decision to put a (drum roll please) hip-hop nightclub (!!) in that very location. If he hadn't, you'd be having gang-bangers with gun fire in that parking lot.

Broussard was on the Planning Commission and is the land planning business dude. What he's saying is that is an important strategic intersection that requires a four-corner 200-acre master plan (by the county), including eminent domain that tells all developers the way things are to be in those locations for the next 50 years.

New uses of old and tired buildings is good. Land owners being able to use their land is also a good thing. Utopia does not exist

Sure Tom, but wouldn't you agree the only thing closer to Utopia than the 4 McDonald's (we already have in the same area) would be 5 or more?

When does the QT at Clairmont and B'cliff open? Interested to see what the impact is going to be on traffic, etc. (and how long it will take for other property owners in the area to see the potential benefits of redeveloping their parcels too).

Jonathan - I may send you a message on general redevelopment thoughts, to see if there is a better place to post it... it would be great to have a place for a broader discussion of development options for the area, other than within narrower threads.

Do you have a "general discussion" board? Ideally, a board that could be devoted solely to the respectful exchange of specific facts, ideas, and visions - and not tolerate personal attacks or arguments about personal preferences? I'm sure that's what most people on here want, though even those with the best of intentions sometimes slip over the line. Self-policing "flags" never seem to work effectively enough to keep snarkiness at bay and avoid claims of 'censorship.' Private blogs might contain more info, but they seem to become biased megaphones in support of a particular position. A 'journalist' in the middle (in a moderated board) can help keep things on track and respectful. I guess that's the value "Dear Abby/Anne" brought to the table :)

It's quite a trick, I'm sure, to achieve both quality and speed of discourse in an online environment.

I'd like to be more transparent with folks online, but due to the relational risks I'll still be 'Knott Telling' for now.

KT

There's plenty of places to put a McDonald's on Clairmont. Across from Fire Station #8 is one of the worst places I can think of to do it. If it's got to go somewhere, it's got to go on a corner.

Since we just got word of this thread, we thought we'd add our thoughts that we intend to send to our neighbors, friends and patients in the area:

As many of you are aware, McDonalds is trying to open a drive through restaurant at 2706 Clairmont Road where we have maintained our Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Practice since 1983. We want to assure you all that we neither instigated nor knew about this action until 5 weeks ago. We were not part of this process in any way and as tenants in this location for these past 29 years were as surprised as many of you at this development.

Along with our neighbors, we are concerned about this change to the neighborhood we have considered our home. We would like to take this opportunity to let you know that whatever happens in this matter, we will remain nearby and continue our practice serving the residents of this area as we have these past years, whether we remain at this location or another one.

We await the outcome with many of you, and sincerely hope the situation works out the best for all of us!

We wanted to let our neighbors know that this past Monday (December 3rd) an orange sign was posted at the street near the entrance to our Dental Office. The sign informs all of a "community meeting" on December 19th at 6:30 pm at the Mason Mill Center for Seniors located at 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur, GA regarding the property located where we have maintained our Dental Office (2706 Clairmont Rd) as mentioned previously in this blog. We thought it relevant to inform our neighbors of the sign's existence since it is far too small to read without having to stop and get out of your car to make note of the information. The contact information on the sign is 404-371-2155 should you wish to obtain more information about the meeting or the signage.