Decatur Community Engagement

In 2023, the Decatur city commission voted to amend the city’s zoning ordinances to allow for the development of up to a quadplex by-right in all single-family zones.

In partnership with the City of Decatur, MicroLife Institute hosted a series of educational and community engagement events to work with Decatur residents to design a potential missing middle housing development for 600 Commerce Drive to demonstrate the newly passed missing middle housing ordinances.

The process ultimately culminated in a community-driven proposal for a 4plex unit that also featured a small walk-out ADU to accommodate a total of 5 households on the 1 acre lot.

  • 1. Missing Middle Housing Safari

    MicroLife led interested residents on a “safari” to see missing middle homes in their natural habitat along Drexel Ave.. in Decatur. Illustrating how gentle density can weave into a community often without notice.

  • 2. Design Charrette

    MicroLife led residents on a design charrette where teams of community members each proposed their own design solution for the lot and presented them to the group.

  • 3. Community Site Visit

    MicroLife and Decatur’s Mayor met with local residents on site to discuss their wants, needs, and concerns to address as part of the ultimate design solution.

  • 4. Design Presentation

    MicroLife coalesced the community design ideas into a final concept proposal to present to the community for comment.

The Design.

Ultimately the community agreed to provide maximum affordability by envisioning a 4plex unit with an attached ADU. The building features a wrap-around porch for access to the units and to help it blend in with the surrounding neighborhood context by presenting itself as a single, stately home at first glance.

The plan features (4) 2 bedroom/2 bathroom units and then a 1 bed/1bath ADU that is accessed from the rear of the property. It has shared parking in the back and preserves almost 1/2 acre of the 1 acre lot for trees and surface level stormwater retention. The sidewalk was expanded to accommodate Decatur’s downtown master plan to encourage walkability.

MicroLife presented the design to the Decatur City Commissioners who looked favorably on the concept. The City is now working with the Decatur Land Trust and other departments to put together a plan to issue an RFP to enable a Developer to build it- and of course MicroLife eagerly awaits the chance to bring its design to life!