DeKalb Dollar Store Ban Gets Extended

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — The moratorium on dollar stores in DeKalb was extended Tuesday, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The county commission unanimously passed a 180-day extension at the zoning meeting, which included a public hearing portion.

Initially, DeKalb County passed a 45-day moratorium in December. It was set to expire at the end of the month. Some local officials have said that the stores are not only attracting crime in the area, but are also causing a food desert in 20 percent of Dekalb County.

According to the AJC, commissioners said Georgia State University researchers will now be able to conduct an in-depth study on the impact of dollar stores in DeKalb. The extension will also allow officials more time to create longer regulations for businesses like dollar stores.

A spokeswoman for Dollar General has referred to the ordinances in the past as “restrictive” and disappointing, reports the news outlet. Representatives for the dollar store companies have said that discounted prices benefit communities.