Quality Growth Resource Team report, Grant Park : March 2003

Quality Growth Resource Team Report

H ERITAGE P RESERVATION | SENSE OF P LACE | ENVIRONMENTAL P ROTECTION | GROWTH P REPAREDNESS | APPROPRIATE BU S I N E S S E S | EDUCATIONAL O PPORT U N I T I E S | H OUSING O PPORT U N I T I E S | LO C A L SELF - D ETERMINATION | REGIONAL COOPERATION | SHARED SOLUTIONS | EMPLOYMENT O PTIONS | REGIONAL IDENTITY | INFILL DEVELOPMENT | TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS | O PENSPACE P RESERVATION | TRANSPOR TATION ALTERNATIVES | GROWTH P REPAREDNESS | APPROPRIATE BU S I N E S S E S | EDUCATIONAL O PPORT U N I T I E S | H OUSING O PPORT U N I T I E S | LO C A L SELF - D ETERMINATION | REGIONAL COOPERATION | SHARED SOLUTIONS | EMPLOYMENT O PTIONS | REGIONAL IDENTITY | INFILL DEVELOPMENT | TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS | O PENSPACE P RESERVATION | TRANSPOR TATION ALTERNATIVES | H ERITAGE P RESERVATION | SENSE OF P L ACE | ENVIR ONMENTAL P ROTECTION | GR OWTH P REPAREDNESS | APPROPRIATE BUSINESSES | EDUCATIONAL O PPORTUNITIES | H O U S I N G O P P O RTUNITIES | LOCAL SELF- D ETERMINATION | REGIONAL COOPERATION | SH A R E D SOLUTIONS | EMPLOYMENT O PTIONS | REGIONAL IDENTITY | INFILL D EVELOPMENT | TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS | OPENSPACE P RESERVATION | TRANSPOR TATION ALT E R N ATIVES | H ERITAGE P R E S E R VATION | SE N S E OF P L ACE | ENVIR O N M E N TAL PR OTECTION | GR OWTH PREPAREDNESS | APPROPRIATE BUSINESSES | EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES | HOUSING O PPORTUNITP I K E I E S | LOCAL SELF- D ETERMINAT I O N | REGIONAL COOPERATION | SHARED SO L U T I O N S | EMPLOY M E N T OPTIONS | REGIONAL IDENTITY | INFILL DEVELOPMENT | TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS | OPENSPACE P RESERVATION |HERITAGE P RESERVATION | SE N S E OF P L ACE | ENVIR O N M E N TAL P ROTECTION | GR OWTH P REPAREDNESS | APPROPRIATE BU S I N E S S E S | EDUCATIONAL O PPORT U N I T I E S | H OUSING O PPORT U N I T I E S | LO C A L SELF - D ETERMINATION | REGIONAL COOPERATION | SHARED SOLUTIONS | EMPLOYMENT O PTIONS | REGIONAL IDENTITY | INFILL DEVELOPMENT | TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS | O PENSPACE P RESERVATION | TRANSPOR TATION ALTERNATIVES | GROWTH P REPAREDNESS | APPROPRIATE BU S I N E S S E S | EDUCATIONAL O PPORT U N I T I E S | H OUSING O PPORT U N I T I E S | LO C A L SELF - D ETERMINATION | REGIONAL COOPERATION | SHARED SOLUTIONS | EMPLOYMENT O PTIONS | REGIONAL IDENTITY | INFILL DEVELOPMENT | TRADITIONAL
Grant Park NEIGHBORHOODS | OPENSPACE PRESERVATION | TRANSPOR TATION ALTERNATIVES | HERITAGE PRESERVATION | SENSE OF
March 2003 P L ACE | ENVIR ONMENTAL P ROTECTION | GR OWTH P REPAREDNESS | APPROPRIATE BUSINESSES | EDUCATIONAL
O PPORTUNITIES | H O U S I N G O P P O RTUNITIES | LOCAL SELF- D ETERMINATION | REGIONAL COOPERATION | SH A R E D SOLUTIONS | EMPLOYMENT O PTIONS | REGIONAL IDENTITY | INFILL D EVELOPMENT | TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS | OPENSPACE

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Introduction

The Quality Growth Resource Team for Grant Park was brought together in March 2003 through a collaboration with the Atlanta neighborhood of Grant Park, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the Georgia Quality Growth Partnership, a state-wide coalition of government agencies, universities, non-profits and business groups working to provide technical assistance on "quality growth" issues to Georgia communities. The resource team focused their study on the neighborhood area of Grant Park, generally bounded by the Grant Park Neighborhood Association's official boundaries (see illustration 24).
The multidisciplinary team was made up of specialists in city planning, real estate development, urban design, historic preservation, architecture, resource conservation, and housing. Team members were chosen with the area's particular concerns in mind, which were initially defined in a meeting with the local officials held weeks in advance of the actual team visit.
The team spent approximately a week in the project area. The visit began with a facilitated meeting involving a broad cross section of community representatives, designed to give the team members a deeper understanding of development issues and needs of the project area. During the week the team toured the project area by bus, visited area buildings, spoke with local officials, reviewed local ordinances, conducted field surveys, prepared schematic design solutions, and formulated policy recommendations. The visit culminated with a final presentation to the local officials on Thursday, March 20th. The team's recommendations were then passed to DCA staff for formatting into this final report.
The Resource Team would like to thank the Grant Park Neighborhood Association officials and citizens for making us feel so welcome in the area. The ideas and solutions proposed here are only a beginning intended to stimulate interest in redeveloping Grant Park so that residents may continue to enjoy living in a vibrant and beautiful area.
Community Resource Team visits and final presentation reports are coordinated and produced by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The electronic version of this publication (PDF) may be found online at: www.dca.state.ga.us/publications/grantpark.html
CDs are available upon request. Contact: Julie Brown jbrown@dca.state.ga.us phone: 404.679.0614
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Meet the Resource Team

Team Members

Support Staff

Darby Beach Georgia Regional Transportation Authority
John Cheek Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart, Inc.
Darice Fichter Georgia Institute of Technology
Brian Hendry Moore-Bass Consulting
William R. Hover Georgia Department of Natuaral Resources
Quentin Kruel Parsons Corporation
Richard Laub Georgia State University

Danny Bivins University of Georgia
Julie Brown DCA Quality Growth
Jan Coyne University of Georgia
Steve Dempsey University of Georgia
Cindy Eidson DCA Downtown Development
Jim Frederick DCA Quality Growth
Kent Kirbow DCA Single Family Housing
Dee Dee Quinnelly DCA Quality Growth

Stephanie Macari City of Atlanta
Amanda Rhein Georgia Institute of Technology

Elizabeth Smith DCA Coordinated Planning

Emily Ritzler Parsons Corporation

Paul Simo
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

Harry Strate Wilbur Smith Associates

Maurice Ungaro Atlanta Regional Commission

Doug Young
Atlanta Urban Design Commission

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Georgia Quality Growth Partnership

The Georgia Quality Growth Partnership (GQGP) is a collaboration among diverse public and private organizations formed out of the desire to coordinate their efforts at promoting "quality growth" approaches throughout the State of Georgia. The primary purpose of the GQGP is to facilitate local government implementation of quality growth approaches by:
1. Disseminating objective information on the various approaches.
2. Developing tools for implementing these approaches.
3. Sharing of best practices learned from other places, times, and cultures.
4. Promoting acceptance of quality growth by the general public and community leaders.
Founded in March, 2000, the GQGP has grown to more than forty organizations, each contributing time, in kind services, or financial resources to fostering Partnership efforts.
Guiding Principles The GQGP members believe that fostering livable communities requires innovative solutions that:
1. Ensure equitable access for all citizens to a range of options for education, transportation, housing, employment, human services, culture, and recreation.
2. Create opportunities for citizens to learn more about community planning and actively encourage their involvement in public decisionmaking.
3. Respect and protect our natural resources wildlife, land, water, air and trees.
4. Shape appealing physical environments that enhance walkability and positive social interaction.
5. Recognize that community decisions have an impact on neighboring jurisdictions and, therefore, must be made from a responsible regional and statewide perspective.
6. Incorporate practices learned from our local experience as well as from other communities and cultures.
7. Preserve and enhance our cultural and historic places for future generations.
8. Provide for the efficient and economical use of public infrastructure.
9. Employ the principles of sustainability and balance to ensure the economic viability of all communities and to enhance the state's economic competitiveness.
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Overall Development Concept

The Resource Team sees a tremendous opportunity for Grant Park to become an even more vibrant and interesting neighborhood by: - Preserving trees and protecting or expanding greenspace to
ensure that Grant Park retains its attractive "neighborhood in a park" character.
- Enhancing the pedestrian-friendly environment, by improving sidewalks and creating other pedestrian routes linking to transit stops and other major destinations in the neighborhood, such as the proposed neighborhood center, commercial clusters, parks, schools.
- Reducing the role and impact of automobiles in the neighborhood by employing attractive traffic-calming measures along major roadways, exploring alternative solutions to parking congestion, and increasing the availability of public transit including a new neighborhood shuttle that harkens back to the
street-car suburb origins of the neighborhood. - Creating an attractive, well-designed neighborhood commer-
cial/service center through redevelopment along Memorial Drive and Boulevard (think Virginia & Highland Avenues in another part of Atlanta). This neighborhood center would
provide a focal point for the entire neighborhood, while also providing a suitable location for a grocery store, hardware store, and similar appropriately scaled retail establishments serving neighborhood residents. - Encouraging greater mix of uses throughout the neighborhood,
particularly by rehabilitating Grant Park's many scattered historic commercial structures for restaurants, corner shops, and similar neighborhood services. - Returning to historic population levels by encouraging development of well-designed, architecturally compatible, small-scale,
scattered-site, multi-family housing throughout the neighborhood both as new infill construction or conversion of larger historic residences. In addition, larger multi-family developments could be built near future transit stops. Adding these new residents will bring vitality to the neighborhood, with more
pedestrian activity and "eyes on the street" to help counteract crime. - Maintaining a variety of housing types, sizes and costs to permit Grant Park to maintain the diversity in incomes and backgrounds that has always made it one of Atlanta's most
interesting neighborhoods.
To make all this happen, the Resource Team feels that an important first step is to create a formal, full-time-staffed organization that is responsible for: - Shepherding implementation of improvement projects called for
in this report and other neighborhood plans;
- Making sure the neighborhood is heard in development decisions that affect it; and
- Building and maintaining the relationships with city government, and other major players that have a role in future development of the neighborhood.
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Recommendations

Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANTPARK GRANT PARK Recommendations GRANT PARK Recommendations

More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation Coordinate the various existing plans for the neighborhood, determine gaps, and create a final, consensus plan for the neighborhood Assure that the neighborhood plan is adopted by City Council as part of the Comprehensive Plan Establish a 501(c)3 neighborhood/community development corporation, perhaps called the Grant Park Revitalization Corporation (GPRC)

Why Necessary

Further Details

Need a single plan for directing

neighborhood development activities

Becomes enforcible Ctiy policy and basis for modifiying necessary ordinances

Provide a formal structure for

Illustration 1

coordinating revitalization efforts,

business, community & economic

development; 501(c)3 designation is

necessary to receive many grants

(also recommended by Memorial

Corridor Study)

Project Type Organization
Organization Organization

Define clear organizational mission, goals, and work plan for GPRC, drawing from the neighborhood plan above

Important to have a clear and consistent message to convey to stakeholders, local gov't, funding agencies

Appendix C

Organization

Hire full-time manager to oversee GPRC. This manager (and costs of employing him/her) could be shared with other neighborhood-focused organizations. The manager's responsibilities should include:

Successful and consistent

Existing

revitalization effort requires a full- neighborhood

time manager; extensive

association and

coordination and regular follow up on business

implementation required

association may

also share this

manager

* Business recruitment, maintenance

and implementation of the neighborhood

* Increase public involvement--enlisting The City of Atlanta needs to be

residents to vocalize their support for

aware of the resident support of

projects that work towards

programmed projects to be implemented implementation of the

by the City of Atlanta

neighborhoods vision

* Engage the district city council member and build successes for him/her
* Develop relationships with individual City of Atlanta department heads and staff who affect community issues/projects/programs

City will be primary vehicle for implementing or impeding programs/projects
City will be primary vehicle for implementing or impeding programs/projects

Organization

12

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Implementation of Recommendation

Moderate

Immediate

Funding Source Quality Growth Grant Program (DCA)

Technical Assistance DCA Office of Quality Growth

Applicable Toolkit at www.georgiaquality
growth.com

Low

Immediate

Low

Immediate

City of Atlanta Planning
DCA Office of Downtown Development; Sandy Springs Revitalization

Low Moderate

Immediate

DCA Office of Downtown Development; Sandy Springs Revitalization

Immediate Create special DCA Office of tax district in Downtown neighborhood Development

For Local Use Notes

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More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation * Develop permanent relationships with other key organizations that are critical to success of the neighborhood revitalization efforts, include Georgia DOT, Atlanta Regional Commission, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce

Why Necessary Building support base for revitalization efforts

Further Details Project Type

Set up a permanent office for GPRC - visible Image of ligitamacy, professionalism; May also serve

site

physical presence helps give plan as business and program a face and focus in resource and

community

welcome center

Identify highly visible projects for shortterm success and to establish a trackrecord for the GPRC Organize program for both "internal" and "external" communication and education ("internal" communication brings informationon programs and services to community members; "external communication makes local agencies and markets aware of the community and its activities) including:

Energize community; build credibility

For program to have success it must Part of GPRC

have widespread recognition in

manager's

community and among local

responsibilities

agencies

Organization Organization
Education

* Use of the neighborhood association website as a major communication and education vehicle
* Produce/distribute a newsletter (or utilize the existing neighborhood newsletter) to educate residents and investors with pertinent information

Inexpensive and easy means to disemminate information to the neighborhood residents

Link to City Depts, Info sites (e.g., Planetizen, ULI, ARC)

Provide a vehicle for information to be made available to interested parties - think e-mail too

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Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Implementation of Recommendation

Funding Source

Technical Assistance

Applicable Toolkit at www.georgiaquality
growth.com

For Local Use Notes

Moderate Immediate Appendix B

Low

Immediate Appendix B DCA Office of

Quality Growth

Low

Immediate Appendix B Sandy Springs

Revitalization

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More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation

Why Necessary

* Educate neighborhood residents about Dispell "fortress"mentality-eyes on

the need for a mix of uses and income levels to avoid the BANANA syndrome

the street and more pedestrian activity will provide security and assist visitors

(B.A.N.A.N.A. = Build Absolutely Nothing

Anywhere Near Anything)

Further Details Project Type

* Establish a Block Captain Program

Identify contact person on each block to spread the word about meetings, issues and provide safety component for the neighborhood

Change development regulations to

The city's Land Use Plan and Zoning Appendix A;

accommodate existing non-conforming uses Map only permit residential uses in

all but the most northern section of

and to promote creation of the

Grant Park

Appendix D

neighborhood commercial nodes

recommended in this report

Establish illustrated design guidelines for rehabilitation and new construction

To prevent incompatible design and development; to promote clean up and compatible new commercial development

Development Regulations
Development Regulations

Enforce design guidelines through Urban Design Commission

Gives structure and validity to the development process

Update the National Register of Historic Places listing

Expand the current district, especially Illustration 2 in the south and southeast parts of neighborhood; this will allow use of tax incentives over a larger part of the neighborhood

Redevelop the Old Grant Park Elementary School and encourage it to flourish as center of the arts community in the neighborhood.

Redevelopment of the site will take advantage of surrounding local resources (packet park, FCS Urban Ministries) while preserving a historic resource

Development Regulations
Historic Preservation
Historic Preservation

16

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Implementation of Recommendation

Funding Source

Technical Assistance

Applicable Toolkit at www.georgiaquality
growth.com

For Local Use Notes

Low

Immediate Quality Growth City of Atlanta Mixed Use Zoning

Grant Program Planning

Districts; Overlay

(DCA)

Districts

Moderate

Immediate

Quality Growth Georgia Historic

Grant Program Preservation

(DCA); Georgia Division; GSU

Historic

Heritage

Preservation Preservation

Division

Design Guidelines

Low

Immediate

Atlanta Urban Design Commission

Design Review

Low

Mid-term Georgia Historic Georgia Historic

Preservation Preservation

Division

Division

High

Mid-term

Appendix B; DCA Housing Finance Assistance

Georgia Historic Preservation Division

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More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation Develop long-range plan for revitalizing existing commercial structures and creating future neighborhood commercial districts Adopt National Main Street Four-Point Approach: Organization, Design, Economic Restructuring, and Promotion

Why Necessary To bring a mix of uses into the neighborhood, including neighborhood commercial and services
To promote revitalization and appropriate development of commercial areas of the neighborhood

Further Details Illustrations 3, 4 & 5

Project Type Commercial
Nodes

National Main Street Center

Commercial Nodes

Undertake a comprehensive market study for the neighborhood
Create a business recruitment package

Needed to identify the types of businesses the neighborhood needs and could support
To assist business owners who are interested in locating in Grant Park

Commercial Nodes
Commercial Nodes

Establish Business Incentives to attract new commercial opportunities, including:

Incentives will make neighborhood more attractive to potential businesses/entrepreneurs

* Revolving loan fund

Provide financial incentive for business development, working with banks to provide below market rate loans

* Faade grant program

Provide financial incentive for business development to ensure good design and preserve historic resources

Relocate existing Tire Shop to another

Use is not compatible with

location, possibly on Memorial Drive for

surrounding residental character of neighborhood

more exposure; identify a more appropriate

neighborhood commercial usage for this

property

Set-up Ambassador Program

Provide foot, bike, mounted, as well Model Midtown

as Segway enabled patrols - Eyes on Alliance

the street give security and assist approach to

visitors

setting-up

program

Commercial Nodes
Commercial Nodes
Crime/Safety

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Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Moderate

Immediate

Funding Source

Technical Assistance

Livable Centers Atlanta Regional Initiative (LCI) Commission

Grant

Applicable Toolkit at www.georgiaquality
growth.com

Low

Immediate

DCA Office of Downtown Development

Moderate Immediate Appendix F

Low

Immediate Appendix F

Moderate Immediate Appendix B

DCA Office of Downtown Development
DCA Office of Downtown Development
DCA Office of Downtown Development

Notes

Moderate Mid-term Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

Moderate Immediate Appendix B

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More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation Implement recommendations of the Memorial Drive and MLK Jr., Revitalization Study (examples: streetscape and pedestrian improvements)

Why Necessary

Further Details

The recommendations from this

Appendix A

extensive study are complimentary to

the recommendations made herein

Project Type Streetscape

Undertake two streetscaping projects

These projects are within the TIP to

already programmed for the neighborhood be completed by 2006

Grant Street and Cherokee Avenue

Illustration 6; Appendix A

Streetscape

Re-design entrance bridges into Grant Park
Develop unified sign restrictions for Grant Park

Create a more unified theme, and provide safe pedestrian access to and fro
Gives a sense of continuity and lets visitors know when they've arrived

Provide signage on I-20 and I-75/85 to identify exits for Grant Park Neighborhood/Zoo Atlanta/Cyclorama Create special "Grant Park" information signs providing directions to zoo, transit routes, remote parking, commercial areas, etc.

MLK Historic Dist, Freedom Pkwy and Carter Center have brown "park" signage to identify exits
Poor signage doesn't provide adequate information for users, especially for visitors to get around community and utilize amenities

Construct streetscape improvements geared towards traffic calming on Boulevard Avenue (detailed recommendations for streetscape improvements are included in Appendix A)

This road is a major thoroughfare through the community providing access to I-20, with associated high traffic volume and other hazards

Illustration 7; Appendix A

Construct a raised planted median on Park Avenue south of I-20
Establish a banner program for the entire neighborhood

Park Avenue was dissected by I-20 and is a dead end road. However, this road is considered a "cutthrough" roadway and its width encourages high speeds
Located on bridges and throughout district/ brand recognition

Illustration 7

Streetscape Streetscape Streetscape Streetscape
Streetscape
Streetscape Streetscape

20

Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Applicable Toolkit at

Funding

Technical www.georgiaquality

Source

Assistance

growth.com

High

Mid-term TEA Program City of Atlanta Right-of-way

(GaDOT);

Planning

Improvements;

Appendix B

Targetted Corridor

Redevelopment; Utility

Relocation

Low
High Moderate

Immediate City of Atlanta City of Atlanta Planning

Mid-term

TEA Program (GaDOT); Appendix B

Immediate Appendix B

DCA Office of Quality Growth
DCA Office of Quality Growth

Right-of-way Improvements; Targetted Corridor Redevelopment; Utility Relocation
Sign Ordinance

Moderate Mid-term GaDOT

City of Atlanta Planning

Moderate Mid-term Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

High

Mid-term Appendix B City of Atlanta Right-of-way

Planning

Improvements; Utility

Relocation; Traffic

Calming

High

Mid-term Appendix B City of Atlanta

Planning

Moderate Mid-term Appendix B

DCA Office of Downtown Development

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Notes

More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation Undertake a comprehensive traffic study, parking study, landscape design study, transit study for the neighborhood

Why Necessary A study is necessary to make sure the most efficient measure is being used and at the right location

Further Details Make part of neighborhood plan (above)

Project Type Transportation

Re-stripe Boulevard Avenue resulting in a north and south bound automobile lane, a bike lane, and a center turn lane; or maintain 4-lane section, no street parking, add bike lanes on both sides

This road is a major thoroughfare through the community providing access to I-20, with associated high traffic volume and other hazards

Illustration 8

Study the addition of traffic signals on Boulevard Avenue

Traffic can't enter onto Boulevard easily and pedestrians can't walk across Boulevard safely

Illustration 8

Reduce speed limits on the internal residential streets from 35 to 25
Eliminate the one-way streets and provide traffic calming measures on two-way streets

Travel speeds increase hazards to pedestrians
The one-way streets were used to Illustration 7 alleviate the traffic leaving Turner Field. This is not consistent with the design of the neighborhood and is no longer considered necessary

Construct traffic calming measures on Georgia Avenue, Cherokee Avenue, and at Cherokee's two intersections with Sydney Street (examples: bulb-outs; wider sidewalks; crosswalk treatments; streetscape improvements)

These areas are particular pedestrian/traffic hazards

Illustration 7

Construct a new roadway connecting Grant Street to Mead Street

Trucks enter and exit the warehousing operations on the southern end of the neighborhood; providing this link will continue the grid street system and provide a more direct truck route from the warehousing area out of Grant Park

Illustration 8

Transportation
Transportation Transportation Transportation Transportation
Transportation

22

Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Moderate

Immediate

Funding Source Quality Growth Grant Program (DCA)

Technical Assistance DCA Office of Quality Growth

Applicable Toolkit at www.georgiaquality
growth.com Corridor Study; Local Parking Study

Moderate Immediate Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

Low

Immediate Appendix B City of Atlanta

Planning

Low

Immediate

Moderate Immediate Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning
City of Atlanta Planning

Traffic Calming

High

Mid-term Appendix B

Atlanta Regional Traffic Calming Commission

Notes

High

Mid-term Appendix B

Atlanta Regional Commission

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More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation

Why Necessary

Further Details

Implement the parking proposals identified Visitation to the zoo and park

If revenue

in the Grant Part Master Plan (paid parking)

combined with limited parking adds to traffic congestion and parking

arrangement is negotiated, post

and negotiate an arrangement to dedicate problems in adjacent areas

signage stating

parking revenues for improvements of the (controlled parking may help alleviate that parking

park

situation)

revenue is dedicated to

Grant Park

Set-up metered parking in the primarily commercial areas of the neighborhood; negotiate an arrangement to keep these parking revenues in Grant Park community, perhaps as a funding source for the GPRC (example: Downtown Athens, Georgia)

Limited parking adds to traffic congestion and parking problems in adjacent areas. Situation worsened by poor signage (controlled parking may help alleviate situation)

Develop a neighborhood parking program (i.e., decals for residents, passes for resident guests); investigate programs in other communities. (example: French Quarter in New Orleans)
Evaluate potential parking solutions for Grant Park, including alternate, attended, paid parking locations such as industrial areas (off hrs. and weekends), church lots, school lots, NFL facility

Limited and/or paid parking at the park may push people to park on neighborhood streets
Limited parking adds to traffic congestion and parking problems in adjacent areas

Re-evaluate existing off-street parking space requirements for new commercial development, and encourage use of shared parking wherever possible

Limited parking adds to traffic congestion and parking problems in adjacent areas

Project Type Parking
Parking
Parking Parking Parking

Work with MARTA to modify bus routes for focused service between park, commercial zones, and MARTA MLK Station.

MARTA bus routes provide extensive service coverage to Grant Park, but not in a manner that effectively meets the needs or helps resolve particular park and neighborhood transit problems

Transit

24

Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Applicable Toolkit at

Funding

Technical www.georgiaquality

Source

Assistance

growth.com

Low

Immediate Appendix B City of Atlanta Intergovernmental

Planning

Agreement for

Services

Notes

Moderate Mid-term Appendix B

Low

Immediate Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

Creating More Onstreet Parking; Increasing Use of Onstreet Parking; Intergovernmental Agreement for Services

City of Atlanta Planning

Low

Immediate Appendix B Georgia Parking

Association

Low

Immediate

City of Atlanta

Low

Immediate

City of Atlanta Planning

25

More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation

Why Necessary

Further Details

Establish a "park and neighborhood"

To provide residents and visitors with Illustration 6

shuttle/trolley linking existing tourist sites, a transportation alternative, reduce traffic and parking problems in the
commercial centers, transit station(s), and neighborhood

parking facilities. The shuttle might also

connect with tourist sites in other parts of

the city.

Project Type Transit

Support implementation of the beltway light MARTA bus routes provide extensive Illustration 6

rail transit plan; provide linkages with the park and neighborhood shuttle system

service coverage to grant park, but not in a manner that effectively meets the needs or helps resolve

particular park and neighborhood

transit problems

Transit

Reconstruct the pedestrian underpass to MLK Marta Station, and/or construct a new pedestrian bridge over railway lines
Construct a pedestrian bridge over I-20 connecting the north and south portions of Park Avenue Create a `sidewalk fund' (administered by the neighborhood association or GPRC) to fix, build and maintain sidewalks (with lighting and landscaping as desired) throughout the area; identify priority pedestrian corridors and build the program from there; encourage use of consistent sidewalk paving materials throughout the neighborhood

The tunnel is the only means of accessing the MLK MARTA station from the South, but is currently unsafe for pedestrians due to poor lighting and water ponding
This will help in reconnecting the north and south Grant Park neighborhoods

Pedestrian Ways Pedestrian Ways

Sidewalk maintenance is currently Priority

Pedestrian Ways

left to the property owners, leading to pedestrian

inconsistent levels of maintenance; corridors might

this approach would have the

include those that

advantage of immediate action and pass close to

minimal government involvement commercial

areas or lead to

parks, schools,

or transit

station(s)

Use alleyways as pedestrian walkways connecting with sidewalks

Separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic

Illustration 9

Pedestrian Ways

Clear excessive vegetation from alleyways and sidewalks

Most alleys are accessable but are Individual

overgrown with trees and shrubs; homeowners

trees are plentiful and some could be could easily do

taken out to provide more light and this. Tree

clear sidewalks (where they have removal may be

broken and grown through the

more difficult

sidewalk)

Pedestrian Ways

26

Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Moderate

Mid-term

Funding Source Appendix B

Technical Assistance Georgia Power possible sponsor of electric bus

Applicable Toolkit at www.georgiaquality
growth.com

Notes

High

Long-term Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

High

Mid-term

TEA Program (GaDOT); Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

High High

Long-term TEA Program (GaDOT); Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

Immediate Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

Moderate Mid-term Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

Moderate Mid-term Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

27

More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation

Why Necessary

Further Details Project Type

Improve streetlighting along main pedestrian areas and around the park; alleyways could have a light at each end and one or two along the interior

Safety and promote more pedestrian Streetlights

Pedestrian Ways

activity

should reflect the

period

architecture of

the Grant Park

area

Improve crosswalks; make them more more Different paving material at

visible (street lights and or pavers at intersections)

crosswalks will alert automobile drivers that pedestrians may enter the roadway (example: Perimeter

Center crosswalks)

Pedestrian Ways

Connect existing bike lane on Glenwood Street to bike path near Edgewood

By linking the existing lanes, bicyclists would have complete connection to MARTA MLK Station, Grant Park and other amenities

Illustration 6 (consists of adding on-street and off-street lanes from Glenwood to Cherokee over Memorial Drive to the MLK MARTA Station)

Greenspace & Trails

Encourage the creation of at least 20% greenspace in new development.

More greenspace in the neighborhood

Include in development regulations

Greenspace & Trails

Work for provision of plenty of greenspace Would act as a linear park and site Illustration 9

along proposed beltline transit route

buffer

Greenspace & Trails

Contact owners of empty lots for use as pocket parks

More greenspace in the neighborhood

Lot owners could donate empty lots to GPRC

Greenspace & Trails

28

Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

High

Long-term

Funding Source Appendix B

Technical Assistance City of Atlanta Planning

Applicable Toolkit at www.georgiaquality
growth.com

Moderate Long-term Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

Moderate

Long-term TEA Program (GaDOT); Appendix B

City of Atlanta Planning

Notes

Low

Immediate

Low

Long-term

Low

Immediate

University of Georgia Institute of Ecology
University of Georgia Institute of Ecology
University of Georgia Institute of Ecology

29

More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation Establish a Neighborhood Housing Task Force, which would be responsible for:

Why Necessary Necessary to provide guidance and direction to the various housing development initiatives in the neighborhood

* Coordinating with the City of Atlanta

to address affordability of housing stock,

rehabilitation of elderly and/or fixed

income owner-occupied properties

Further Details Appendix E

Project Type Housing Mix

* Coordinating the efforts of local Community Development Corporations and non-profits such as Progressive Redevelopment, Habitat for Humanity, Cooperative Resource Center, Urban Residential Development Corporation, and the Community Housing Resource Center to create and preserve affordable housing

* Working with area banks to develop

programs in cooperation with Fannie

Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home

Loan Bank

* Providing education to neighborhood residents about homeowner assistance programs

Homestead exemptions and tax payment programs allow for lower income residents faced with rising property taxes to remain in their homes, specifically targeting the elderly

* Provide home buyer education for moderate to low income tennants already in neighborhood.

Educates on how to become a homeowner, develop individual financial literacy, and overcome credit concerns, thereby perhaps allowing current tennants an opportunity to buy housing in Grant Park

30

Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Applicable Toolkit at

Funding

Technical www.georgiaquality

Source

Assistance

growth.com

Low

Immediate Appendix B DCA Housing

Finance Division

Notes

Programs currently provided by City of Atlanta and DCA Housing Finance Division
31

More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation Provide assistance for rehabilitation of deteriorating housing stock; possible sources/programs include:

Why Necessary Impacts of gentrification on property taxes severly challenge elderly and low/moderate-income households with housing maintanence and upkeep

Further Details Appendix E

Project Type Housing Mix

* Application for Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) by the Neighborhood Development Corporation

Provide funding at the community level for local infrastructure, housing improvement projects, community facilities, and economic development projects

* Community HOME Investment Program Support development that results in

(CHIP)

the rehabilitation, acquisition, or production of affordable housing

* Bond Allocation Program

Assist low-income families in homeownership and facilitate the development of small multi-family mixed income projects

Adopt design guidelines for appropriate (but Ensures that new housing

affordable) infill housing, including multifamily developments that blend into the

development adds to the charm of the neighborhood

neighborhood (not detectable from the

street)

Illustrations 1121

Housing Mix

Provide incentives for building new
affordable infill housing on vacant sites in
the neighborhood; possible
sources/programs include: * Federal Home Loan Bank- FHA

Brings more residents into the neighborhood, adding pedestrian activity and "eyes on the street" that counteract crime

Illustration 10

Provide funding resources for developers and potential homeowners to develop affordable rental and home ownership opportunities

Available through area banking institutions affiliated with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

Housing Mix

32

Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

High

Immediate

Funding

Technical

Source

Assistance

Community

Community

Housing

Housing

Resource

Resource Center

Center (CHRC); (CHRC); DCA

Home Access Housing Finance

Program

Division

Applicable Toolkit at www.georgiaquality
growth.com

City of Atlanta (CDBG)

DCA Housing Finance Assistance

DCA Housing Finance Assistance

Moderate

Immediate Quality Growth DCA Housing Design Guidelines;

Grant Program Finance Division Design Review; Infill

(DCA)

Development Program

High

Immediate Appendix B

DCA Housing Infill Development Finance Division Program

Federal Home Loan Bank

Notes

33

More Information About Recommendation

Recommendation

Why Necessary

Develop architecturally compatible high and Provides access to alternative

low density rental housing

housing for eldery households and familes that may wish to remain in

the neighborhood but nolonger

desire to be homeowners

Further Details Illustrations 1121

Require new development to reserve ten percent (10%) of proposed units for affordable housing

As Grant Park continues to gentrify, Appendix E rentention of long-time residents and those who work in proximity to Grant Park are increasingly threatened

Project Type Housing Mix
Housing Mix

34

Implementation of Recommendation

For Local Use

Cost Recommended Timeframe Status Responsible Party

Applicable Toolkit at

Funding

Technical www.georgiaquality

Source

Assistance

growth.com

Low

Mid-term Appendix B; DCA Housing Infill Development

DCA Housing Finance Division Program

Finance

Assistance

Low

Immediate

DCA Housing Finance Division

Notes

35

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36

Illustrations

Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Illustrations GRANT PARK Illustrations

1

Organizational Structure

38

Historic Districts

2

39

3

Existing Commercial Nodes

40

Future Commercial Nodes

4

41

5

5 Minute Walking Radius on Beltline

42

Streetscape, Shuttle, and Bike Path Opporunities

6

43

7

Traffic Calming Opportunities

44

Recommended Roadway Changes

8

45

9

Greenspace Plan

46

Parks Commercial Schools

Vacant Sites

10

47

11

Compatible Infill Housing

48

Compatible Infill Housing

12

49

13

Compatible Infill Housing

50

Compatible Infill Housing

14

51

15

Compatible Infill Housing

52

Compatible Infill Housing

16

53

17

Compatible Infill Housing

54

Compatible Infill Housing

18

55

19

Compatible Infill Housing

56

Compatible Infill Housing

20

57

21

Compatible Infill Housing

58

Before

After

Compatible Infill Housing

22

59

Before

After

23

Compatible Infill Housing

60

Grant Park Neighborhood Association Boundaries

24

61

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62

Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix

GRANT PARK

GRANT PARK Appendix

Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix Appendix GRANT PARK GRANT PARK Appendix

Summary of Georgia's Urban Redevelopment Act (O.C.G.A 36-61-1)
Purpose: l Gives cities broad powers to redevelop blighted or threatened areas of the community. l Allows communities to use eminent domain to buy and assemble property for revitalization and resale. l Does not require a referendum. l The required Urban Redevelopment Plan (URP) is fairly easy and inexpensive to prepare and amend. l Can be implemented either by a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) or a Redevelopment l Authority appointed by the city. l Encourages involvement of private enterprise/public private partnerships to redevelop neglected areas of the
community. l Permits use of tax exempt bonds for redevelopment purposes. These may be secured by loans and grants. l Lets the public know what is being planned for the redevelopment area. l Guides City investments in infrastructure to support redevelopment. l Allows the City to negotiate variances and wave many requirements of its existing zoning and development
requirements in order to achieve the optimum economic and aesthetic results in the redevelopment area.
Process: l Draft the Urban Redevelopment Plan. l Hold a public hearing. l Adopt the plan. l Appoint an organization (urban redevelopment authority or DDA, city redevelopment agency) to implement
the plan. l Implement the plan.
What is an Urban Redevelopment Plan? l A general blueprint for redevelopment and targeting of public investments in the redevelopment area. l Required components of the Urban Redevelopment Plan: l Statement that the URP is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan. l Clearly defined boundaries of the redevelopment area (need not be contiguous). l Explanation of negative conditions in the area necessitating redevelopment. l The city's land use objectives for the area (types of uses, building requirements, zoning changes, and
development densities). l Description of land parcels to be acquired and structures to be demolished or rehabilitated. l A workable plan for leveraging private resources to redevelop the area. l A strategy for relocating any displaced residents. l Any covenants or restrictions to be placed on properties in the redevelopment area in order to implement
the plan. l Public infrastructure to be provided transportation, water, sewer, sidewalks, lighting, streetscapes, public
recreational space, parking, etc. to support redevelopment of the area. l A workable financial strategy for implementing the plan.

Suggested Land Development Regulations
Required site plan review: Require each new development or subdivision to undergo detailed site plan review to ensure that it meets all local regulations (like those suggested below) and that the development plan is pedestrian friendly, protects environmentally sensitive areas, includes roadway interconnections with adjoining properties, etc. This requirement is critical to successful implementation of other regulations suggested herein.
Innovative subdivision regulations: Appropriate subdivision regulations will be needed to ensure that new developments follow the principles of conservation subdivisions and traditional neighborhood developments recommended throughout this report. These include elements such as connective grid street patterns, mixing of uses, smaller street widths, lot sizes and building setbacks.
Sign & billboard regulations.
Architectural design standards: Standards should be based on analysis of historic structures throughout the region to identify patterns that define the "regional vernacular" architecture. Professional assistance from an architecture/planning firm will probably be necessary to develop a good set of standards, customized for each separate character area. Properly enforced, the resulting design requirements will prevent spread of "Generica" by ensuring that new development is compatible with the regional vernacular.
Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) or Transfer of Development Rights (TDR): Both of these are incentive approaches for reducing development pressure in areas best set aside from development for reasons of environmental conservation or farmland protection.
Tree preservation requirements for new developments: Site clearance restrictions may be included in a general tree preservation ordinance designed to save the maximum possible number of native trees on all development sites.
Design codes for intown neighborhoods and historic districts to ensure that new development is compatible with traditional neighborhood character. Criteria to consider for adoption include: l Maximum square footages for commercial uses to maintain human scale and encourage pedestrian access. l Wide sidewalk requirements in front of store fronts to encourage street-side pedestrian activity. l Adequate lighting requirements to help ensure pedestrian safety. l Build-to-lines to bring the buildings close to sidewalks. l Maximum and minimum building height requirements to help ensure pedestrian scale (Minimum height 18
feet; Maximum height 35 feet). l Planting strip and street tree requirements along street curb to provide shade and help protect pedestrians
from vehicles. l Inter-parcel access and alley requirements to limit curb cuts. l Limit sign size to pedestrian scale and orientation. l Store fronts with clear display windows required. No blank walls. l Primary pedestrian entrance directly off public street sidewalks. l Encourage on-street parking, where possible. l Lower minimum parking requirements and/or shared parking requirements to minimize land areas
dedicated to parking. l Off-street parking located behind or beside structures. l Permit zero-lot line residential development and low density multi-family residential. l Require new gas stations to place building at corner (zero lot line) with pumps in rear.
Large lot zoning: This is an appropriate tool for protecting farmland, undeveloped forested areas, and critical riparian areas from development pressures, provided the minimum lot size is set high enough (larger than 10 acres suggested).

Recommended Streetscape Improvements
l Construct, repair or replace sidewalks. l Sidewalks adjacent to residential development must be 2-5 feet from back of curb without street trees and a
minimum of 8 feet with street trees. Sidewalks should be 5-8 feet in width. l Sidewalks in commercial areas should have a 15-20 feet minimum width from edge of building with street
trees planted every 30 feet in 8x5 tree wells l Plant street trees (hardwoods). l Install attractive street lights. l Relocate utilities off the street frontage or underground (see the toolkit topic "Utility Relocation" at
www.georgiaqualitygrowth.com) l Hang street banners from lightposts. l Provide benches and trash receptacles. l Improve signage design and limiting the size and number of signs. l Create 10 foot landscaped buffers to shield parking lots from view. l Install traffic calming devices, such as raised pedestrian crossings, on-street parking, or landscaped
medians, in high-speed areas to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. l Note: Consult with the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) during the process of planning and
designing these streetscape improvements.

Georgia Quality Growth Funding Sources Menu

Program Title & Description Capital Outlay for Public School Facilities Construction Eligible Activities: Grants for new construction, renovation, and modifications of public school facilities. Total Funding: Determined annually by the Georgia General Assembly. Maximum per Project: Determined by project application. Match Requirements: 10% - 25% local matching funds required.

Administering Agency/Contact Georgia Department of Education Facilities Services Unit 1670 Twin Towers, East Atlanta, Georgia 30334
William Jerry Rochelle, Ph.D. (404) 656-2454

http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/facilities/facilities.asp

Community Development Block Grant -- Loan Guarantee Program (Section 108 Program)

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

Eligible Activities: Loans for:

60 Executive Park South, NE

(a) Acquisition of improved or unimproved real property, including acquisition for economic development purposes;

Atlanta, GA 30329

(b) Rehabilitation of real property owned or acquired by the public entity or its designated public agency;

Office of Economic Development

(c) Payment of interest on obligations guaranteed under the 108 program;

(404) 679-4940

(d) Clearance, demolition and removal, including movement of structures to other sites, of buildings and improvements on real property acquired or rehabilitated pursuant to activities a and b of this section;

(e) Site preparation, including construction, reconstruction, or installation of public and other site improvements, http://www.dca.state.ga.us/economic/section108.html utilities, or facilities (other than buildings), which is related to the re-development or use of the real property acquired or rehabilitated pursuant to activities a and b of this section, or for an economic development purpose;

(f ) Payment of issuance, underwriting, servicing, trust administration and other costs associated with private sector financing of debt obligations under the 108 program;

(g) The acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or installation of commercial or industrial buildings, structures, and other real property equipment and improvements, including railroad spurs or similar extensions. (h) The provision of assistance to a private for-profit business, including, but not limited to loans and other forms of support where the assistance is appropriate to carry out an economic development project, excluding those described as ineligible in CFR Part 570.207(a). In selecting businesses to assist under this authority, the recipient shall minimize, to the extent practicable, displacement of existing businesses and jobs in neighborhoods. (i) A debt service reserve to be used in accordance with requirements specified in the contract entered into pursuant to CFR Part 570.705(b)(1); and (j) Acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or installation of public facilities (except for buildings for the general conduct of government), public streets, sidewalks, and other site improvements and public utilities.

Total Funding: twenty percent (20%) of its current and future CDBG allocations

Maximum per Project: $5,000,000

Match Requirements: N/A

Community Development Block Grant Program -- Regular Round Eligible Activities: Grants for housing improvement projects, public facilities such as water and sewer lines, buildings such as local health centers or headstart centers, and economic development projects. Total Funding: Approximately $37 million available for the annual competition. Maximum per Project: Single-Activity: $500,000; Multi-Activity: $800,000 Match Requirements: Grants up to $300,000, or grants for single activity housing projects - no matching funds required. Grants of $300,000 to $500,000 5% local matching funds required.
Grants of more than $500,000 10% local matching funds required. Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP) Eligible Activities: Grants to stimulate the creation of local public/private partnerships whose goals are to expand the availability of decent, safe, sanitary, energy efficient, and affordable housing within the community. Total Funding: $3,000,000 Maximum per Project: $300,000 Match Requirements: N/A
Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund (DDRLF) Eligible Activities: Loans to non-entitlement cities and counties for small and middle-size communities in implementing quality downtown development projects. Total Funding: Approximately $2.3 million per year. Maximum per Project: $200,000 Match Requirements: N/A Other: Interest Rate: below-market rates, depending on project requirement Repayment Period: up to 20 years, depending on the assets financed and project requirements. Security: usually project collateral and backing by the applicant. Employment Incentive Program Eligible Activities: Grants for local projects intended to facilitate and enhance job creation and/or retention, principally for persons of low and moderate income. Total Funding: Approximately $5 million per year. Maximum per Project: $500,000 Match Requirements: Dollar for dollar private leverage minimum.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Office of Grant Administration (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/grants/grantprogram.html
Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329
Office of Grant Administration (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/grants/homeinvestment.html Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Office of Economic Development (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/economic/ddrlf2.html Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Office of Economic Development (404) 679-4940

Georgia Cities Foundation Program Eligible Activities: Loans to cities requesting financial assistance in their efforts to revitalize and enhance their downtown areas. Total Funding: Not to exceed one-third of the project cost Maximum per Project: $250,000 Match Requirements: Interest Rate: below-market rates Repayment Period: generally not to exceed 15 years Project collateral and backing by the cities and Downtown Development Authority.

http://www.dca.state.ga.us/economic/eip.html Georgia Cities Foundation 201 Pryor St., SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Linda Wilkes (888) 488-4462 lwilkes@gmanet.com
http://www.gmanet.com/gcf/

Georgia Commission for National and Community Service/AmeriCorps State Eligible Activities: Grants to meet community service needs which match national need areas as determined annually by the Corporation for National Service. Total Funding: Approximately $4.4 million per year. Maximum per Project: Varies dependent on need. Match Requirements: 15% local matching funds required.
Georgia Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) Housing Program Eligible Activities: Loans for predevelopment activities (CHDO Predevelopment Loan Program), acquisition, new construction, and rehabilitation of rental housing developments for multi-family, special needs, and elderly tenants of 20 or more units that are targeted to low-income housing. Total Funding: Approximately $3.0 million per year. Maximum per Project: $2,800,000 Match Requirements: N/A Georgia Heritage Grants Eligible Activities: Grants to assist eligible applicants with the rehabilitation of Georgia Register-listed historic properties and related activities. Total Funding: $300,000 for FY2002, $250,000 for Development Projects, $50,000 for Predevelopment Projects. Maximum per Project: $40,000 for Development Projects, $20,000 for Predevelopment Projects. Match Requirements: 40% local matching funds required.

Georgia Commission for National and Community Service 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
James P. Marshall, Jr. (404) 327-6844 jmarshal@dca.state.ga.us Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Office of Housing Planning & Administration (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/index.html
Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division 156 Trinity Avenue, SW Suite 101 Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Cherie Bennett (404) 651-5181 cherie_bennett@mail.dnr.state.ga.us

Grassroots Arts Program Eligible Activities: Grants to arts organizations and other groups to support Grassroots arts activities that broaden and deepen public participation in the arts. Total Funding: N/A Maximum per Project: $2,000 Match Requirements: N/A Home Buyer Program Eligible Activities: Loans at fixed, below market interest rates to qualified low to moderate-income home buyers. Total Funding: Approximately $120 million per year. Maximum per Project: Individual maximum loan amounts vary by type of unit (new or existing), location, and type of loan (FHA, VA, RECD, or Conventional). Match Requirements: N/A

http://www.betterhometown.org/news/2003ghg.html Georgia Council for the Arts 260 14th Street, NW Suite 401 Atlanta, Georgia 30318 (404) 685-2787
http://www.gaarts.org/grants_programs/gap_program/index.html Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Office of Homeownership (404) 679-4940

http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/index.html

HOME CHDO Loan Program Eligible Activities: Loans for construction financing and/or permanent financing for the costs of constructing or rehabilitating rental housing as defined in the State of Georgia's 1999 Qualified Allocation Plan. Rental dwelling units financed through the program must be affordable by low-to-moderate-income households as defined in the State of Georgia's 1999 Qualified Allocation Plan, the OAHD Application Manual, and the HOME Investment Partner-ships Program Final Rule (24 CFR Part 92). Total Funding: $13,000,000 in FY2002 Maximum per Project: $2,000,000 in non-Rural counties and $2,800,000 in Rural counties Match Requirements: N/A HOME CHDO Predevelopment Loan Program Eligible Activities: Loans for the predevelopment costs associated with a CHDO Program-eligible project, incurred up to the closing of the CHDO Program loan (construction and permanent debt financing), as listed in the Sources and Uses Form (CHDO-025) in the Application. These costs include, but are not limited to, market study and title search costs which are incurred before applying for CHDO Program funds, and environmental review and appraisal costs which are incurred after being approved for CHDO Program funds. Total Funding: $150,000 Maximum per Project: $45,000 Match Requirements: N/A HOME CHDO Permanent Supportive Housing Program Eligible Activities: Grants to create the best possible projects recognizing the difficulty of coordinating the activities necessary for special needs populations. Total Funding: $5.2 Million Maximum per Project: N/A Match Requirements: N/A Other: Application deadline is December 31, 2002 HOME Rental Housing Loan Program Eligible Activities: Loans for construction financing and/or permanent financing for the costs of constructing or rehabilitating rental housing as defined in the State of Georgia's 1999 Qualified Allocation Plan. Rental dwelling units financed through the program must be affordable by low-to-moderate-income households as defined in the State of Georgia's 1999 Qualified Allocation Plan, the OAHD Application Manual, and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program Final Rule (24 CFR Part 92). Total Funding: $13,000,000 Maximum per Project: $2,000,000 in non-Rural counties and $2,800,000 in Rural counties. Match Requirements: N/A

Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329
Office of Housing Planning & Administration (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/index.html
Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329
Office of Housing Planning & Administration (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/chdopre.html
Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329
Office of Housing Planning & Administration (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/pshp_nofa_memo.html Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329
Office of Housing Planning & Administration (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/homerental.html

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Eligible Activities: Grants for acquisition of real property and development of facilities for general-purpose outdoor recreation. Total Funding: Dependent upon annual congressional appropriations. Maximum per Project: Varies year to year based on appropriations. Match Requirements: 50% local matching funds required.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division Grants Administration and Planning 205 Butler Street, SE Suite 1352 Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Antoinette Norfleet (404) 656-3830

Local Development Fund Eligible Activities: Grants to fund community improvement activities of local governments in Georgia Total Funding: Approximately $617,500 per year. Maximum per Project: $10,000 for single community projects; $20,000 for multicommunity projects. Match Requirements: A 50% cash or in-kind match is required

http://www.ncrc.nps.gov/programs/lwcf/grants.html Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Rural Development Division (404) 679-4940

Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program Eligible Activities: Federal income tax incentives for the following activities: Acquisition To qualify for the acquisition Credit, the building must have been last placed in service at least 10 years prior to application -- certain exceptions apply -- and must involve rehabilitation. Rehabilitation To qualify for the rehabilitation Credit, rehabilitation expenditures chargeable to capital account must equal the greater of 10 percent of the building's adjusted basis or average at least $10,000 per low-income unit. New construction. Total Funding: Approximately $14.2 million of annual federal credit authority with a matching amount of state credit available. Maximum per Project: an annual Credit of approximately thirty percent (30%) of the present value of depreciable basis for developments involving acquisition, and an annual Credit of approximately seventy percent (70%) of the present value of depreciable basis for developments involving new construction or rehabilitation. Match Requirements: N/A

http://www.dca.state.ga.us/grants/developfund.html Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329 Office of Affordable Housing (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/lihtc.html

OneGeorgia Equity Fund Program Eligible Activities: Grants and loans to finance activities that will assist in preparation for economic development. Eligible projects include traditional economic development projects such as water and sewer projects, road, rail and airport improvements and industrial parks as well as workforce development projects, technology development or tourism development proposals, just to name a few. Applications considered for projects in Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 (with conditions) counties only. Total Funding: Approximately $10 million per year. Maximum per Project: $500,000 Match Requirements: N/A Other: Application deadlines are: January 28, 2002/Awarded April 17, 2002 May 28, 2002/Awarded August 13, 2002 September 30, 2001/Awarded December 10, 2002 OneGeorgia Regional E-9-1-1 Fund Eligible Activities: Grants and loans to finance activities that assist the mostly rural counties in Georgia that are currently without enhanced 9-1-1 emergency telephone services ("E-9-1-1"). This manual should clearly define the role of the Regional E-9-1-1 Fund as a program to provide financial assistance including grants and any other forms of assistance authorized by (O.C.G.A.50- 34-1 et seq.). Such assistance will finance activities to assist applicants in promoting the health, welfare, safety, and economic security of the citizens of the state through the provision of E-9-1-1 services on a regional basis to counties currently unserved or under-served in this area. Total Funding: N/A Maximum per Project Award limits will be based on the number of counties participating within a particular project as follows: a) two counties maximum of $400,000 per project; b) three counties maximum of $500,000 per project; c) four counties maximum of $600,000 per project; and d) five or more counties maximum of $700,000. Match Requirements: N/A OneGeorgia EDGE Fund Program Eligible Activities: The purpose of the EDGE Fund is to provide financial assistance to eligible applicants that are being considered as a relocation or expansion site and are competing with another state for location of a project; and, where the EDGE Fund is used when the health, welfare, safety and economic security of the citizens of the state are promoted through the development and/or retention of employment opportunities. Total Funding: Approximately $10 million per year. Maximum per Project: N/A Match Requirements: N/A

OneGeorgia Authority 1202-B Hillcrest Parkway Dublin, Georgia 31021 (478) 274-7734 http://www.dca.state.ga.us/onegeorgia/funds.html
OneGeorgia Authority 1202-B Hillcrest Parkway Dublin, Georgia 31021 (478) 274-7734 http://www.dca.state.ga.us/onegeorgia/funds.html
OneGeorgia Authority 1200-B Hillcrest Parkway Dublin, Georgia 31021 (478) 274-7734 http://www.dca.state.ga.us/onegeorgia/funds.html

Organizational Grants Eligible Activities: Grants designed to provide support to arts organizations and other groups administering arts projects. Total Funding: N/A Maximum per Project: $5,000 Match Requirements: 25% local matching funds required.
OwnHOME Program Eligible Activities: Loans for first-time home buyers with a deferred payment to cover most of the down payment, closing costs and prepaid expenses associated with their home purchase. Total Funding: Approximately $3 million per year. Maximum per Project: $5,000 Match Requirements: 1.5% personal matching funds required.
Public Library Capital Outlay Grant Program Eligible Activities: Grant program providing financial and consultant assistance for the construction of public library facilities. Total Funding: Dependent upon annual appropriation. Maximum per Project: $2,000,000 Match Requirements: 10 15% local matching funds required.
Quality Growth Grant Program Eligible Activities: Grants for projects directly promoting growth management concepts, infill housing, brownfield redevelopment, or similar projects that discourage urban sprawl; preparation of local ordinances, regulations, or intergovernmental agreements promoting growth preparedness, sustainable development, and other quality growth strategies; public education on quality growth topics; programs to preserve community heritage, sense of place, and regional identity; alternative/multi-modal transportation facilities; preservation of critical environmental resources, wildlife habitat, prime farmland, or sensitive ecosystems; start up cost of new programs for implementing quality growth initiatives; and physical development projects that are particularly critical to local implementation of quality growth. Total Funding: $150,000 for FY2003. Maximum per Project: $25,000 Match Requirements: Dollar for dollar local-matching funds required. Other: Application deadlines each year are: November 15th and May 15th

Georgia Council for the Arts 260 14th Street, NW Suite 401 Atlanta, Georgia 30318 (404) 685-2787
http://www.gaarts.org/grants_programs/organizational_grants/index.html Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Office of Homeownership (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/index.html Georgia Department of Education Office of Public Library Services 1800 Century Place, NE Suite 150 Atlanta, Georgia 30345
Thomas A. Ploeg (404) 982-3560 Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329
Office of Growth Management (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/grants/qualitygrowthgrant.html

Recreation Assistance Fund (RAF) Eligible Activities: Grants for the purchase of real property, facility development or rehabilitation of existing facilities to increase the local supply of public recreation lands and/or facilities. Total Funding: Approximately $1 million per year. Maximum per Project: $12,500 Match Requirements: N/A
Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Eligible Activities: Grants for acquisition and/or development (80% federal / 20% local) of motorized and non-motorized recreational trails including new trail construction, maintenance/rehabilitation of existing trails, trail-side and trail-head facilities. Total Funding: Approximately $1.3 million per year. Maximum per Project: $100,000 Match Requirements: 20% local matching funds required.
Regional Assistance Program (RAP) Eligible Activities: Grants for Regional Economic Development Total Funding: $1,128,125 per year. Maximum per Project: $500,000 Match Requirements: Applicants for facilities and construction grants in local governments within Tier 1 counties or in joint development authorities including a Tier 1 county are not required to match the requested grant amount. Applicants for facilities and construction grants in local governments within Tier 2 counties or in joint development authorities including a Tier 2 county must match at least one-quarter (25%) of the requested grant amount. Applicants for facilities and construction grants in local governments within Tier 3 counties or in joint development authorities including a Tier 3 county must match at least one-half (50%) of the requested grant amount. Applicants for facilities and construction grants in local governments within Tier 4 counties or in joint development authorities including a Tier 4 county must match an equal or greater amount of the requested grant amount. Applicants for grants for multi-county activities that do not involve construction must match at least one half (50%) of the requested grant amount. Rural Rental Housing Development Fund (RRHDF) Eligible Activities: Construction financing and permanent financing for the costs of constructing up to ten (10) units of new rental housing, including land acquisition, hard construction costs, and soft costs. Rental dwelling units financed through the RRHDF must be affordable by low and moderate-income households as defined in the Manual and this Program Description. Total Funding: $4.2 Million Maximum per Project: $600,000 Match Requirements: Required to provide cash equity equal to the level of operating reserves required by underwriting (approximately $20,000).

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division Grants Administration and Planning 205 Butler Street, SE Suite 1352 Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Antoinette Norfleet (404) 656-3830 Georgia Department of Natural Resources Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division Grants Administration and Planning 205 Butler Street Suite 1352 Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Trudy Davis (404) 656-3830 Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Office of Economic Development (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/economic/rap.html
Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329
Office of Housing Planning & Administration (404) 679-4940
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/rrhdf_memo.html

Transportation Enhancement Program Eligible Activities: Federal grants for twelve categories of transportation enhancement activities. Total Funding: Approximately $23 million per year. Maximum per Project: $1,000,000 Match Requirements: 20% local matching funds required.

Georgia Department of Transportation Planning Division No. 2 Capitol Square Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Rhonda Britt, Joy Still, or Cindy VanDyke (404) 657-6914 or (404) 656-5726

Title II Eisenhower Professional Development Program Competitive Grants Eligible Activities: Grants for demonstration and exemplary projects for improving instruction in mathematics and science. Total Funding: Approximately $12,130,000 per year. Maximum per Project: Determined by project application. Match Requirements: 33% local matching funds required.
Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program Eligible Activities: Grants designed to encourage citizen involvement in creating and supporting long-term and sustained urban and community forestry programs throughout the state. Total Funding: $300,000 annually Maximum per Project: $20,000 Match Requirements The federal funds are awarded on a matching basis. Federal funds must be a least 100% matched by the grantee. The non-federal share of such support must be in the form of in-kind contributions or cash. Sources of the non-federal match must not be used as a match for any other federal costshare project.

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/planprog/planning/projects/te/index.shtml#projsel Georgia Department of Education Division of School Support 1852 Twin Towers East Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Brendon Long (404) 657-8300 Georgia Forestry Commission Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program 5645 Riggins Mill Road Dry Branch, Georgia 31020
Susan Reisch (912) 298-3935
http://www.gfc.state.ga.us/Services/UCF/FinancialAssistanceProgram.cfm

Live-Work (LW) Ordinance
Fact Sheet
The Live-Work (LW) District is an important tool for supporting the rehabilitation or development of underutilized industrial and rail corridor areas adjacent to residential neighborhoods. The purpose of this district is to revitalize and protect neighborhoods by allowing a mixture of uses appropriate for creating a live work environment at a scale and character which is in keeping with the surrounding neighborhoods. This district would also provide neighborhood-oriented shops and services, and enhance environmental and recreational amenities through greenspace and landscaped buffers, pedestrian and bike connections and adjacent neighborhood parks.
Current regulations have resulted in automobile-oriented strip retail, service, office and dining uses which are intended to serve larger areas of the City than a single neighborhood or a small group of neighborhoods. In many areas of the City, huge parking lots and blank walls have replaced pedestrian-scale streets. This type of development has contributed to the destruction of the traditional character of many of our intown neighborhoods. The new LW district would protect and rebuild our neighborhoods by establishing pedestrian-friendly design standards and providing close-at-hand goods and services to nearby residences. These standards include minimum sidewalks that have street trees, shop fronts that are adjacent to the sidewalk and parking that is to the rear or side of buildings.
The LW district establishes the following minimum requirements to protect existing neighborhoods:
Establishment of a compatible mix of uses. Maximum building heights. Minimum side and rear yards. Maximum block face lengths. Requirements for sidewalks and street trees.
City staff will be available to work with neighborhoods, businesses and property owners, to determine if a property is appropriate for a LW district. This district is intended to be an alternative to the existing light industrial (I-1) and community commercial (C-1) districts. The rezoning of any properties to the LW designation will follow the standard process for rezonings of going to the Zoning Committee of Council, the affected NPU, the Zoning Review Board, back to the Zoning Committee of Council and finally to the full City Council. This process takes a minimum of three months to complete.
For questions/comments please contact the Bureau of Planning at 404/330-6145, or visit our website for a copy of the ordinance at:
www.ci.atlanta.ga.us/citydir/dpdnc/current.htm
City of Atlanta, Department of Planning, Development and Neighborhood Conservation

Multi-family Residential (MR) Ordinance
Fact Sheet
The Multi-family Residential (MR) District is an important tool for protecting existing and developing multi-family residential areas and building forms from the incompatible uses resulting from intense highway-oriented development and to preserve and restore existing, traditional and pedestrian-scale buildings in established, historic multi-family residential districts. The purpose of this district is to encourage a balanced mix of uses to include residential uses with small accessory retail uses and to facilitate safe, attractive and convenient pedestrian circulation.
Current multi-family district regulations have resulted in mono-use, automobile-oriented residential uses which are incompatible with the scale, character and needs of adjacent residential neighborhoods as well as commercial districts. In many areas of the City, gated communities with unit entrances facing large internal parking lots have replaced pedestrian-oriented building forms relating to the street. This type of development has contributed to the destruction of the traditional character of many of our intown residential and commercial districts. The new MR district would protect and rebuild our multi-family districts by establishing appropriately designed and scaled housing types with ground-level, neighborhood serving accessory retail in a pedestrian-friendly manor. The district regulations include design standards with minimum requirements for sidewalks, street trees, shop fronts and pedestrian entrances located adjacent to sidewalks, and parking that is placed to the rear or side of buildings.
The MR district establishes the following minimum requirements to protect and revitalize existing commercial districts:
Establishment of multi-family residential uses with the allowance of ground level, neighborhood-serving retail uses.
Maximum building heights. Minimum side and rear yards. Maximum block face lengths. Requirements for sidewalks and street trees.
City staff will be available to work with neighborhoods, businesses and property owners, to determine if a property is appropriate for a MR district. This district is intended to be an alternative to the existing Residential General (RG) multi-family districts. The rezoning of any properties to the MR designation will follow the standard process for rezonings of going to the Zoning Committee of Council, the affected NPU, the Zoning Review Board, back to the Zoning Committee of Council and finally to the full City Council. This process takes a minimum of three months to complete.
For questions/comments please contact the Bureau of Planning at 404/330-6145, or visit our website for a copy of the ordinance at:
www.ci.atlanta.ga.us/citydir/dpdnc/current.htm
City of Atlanta, Department of Planning, Development and Neighborhood Conservation

Mixed Residential Commercial (MRC) Ordinance
Fact Sheet
The Mixed Residential Commercial (MRC) District is an important tool for creating districts that promote a mixture of residential and commercial uses. The purpose of this district is to provide an appropriate balance and scale of commercial uses which meet the needs of residents in the district as well as surrounding residential districts, and to encourage significant infill multi-family residential uses within areas that have traditionally contained a predominance of commercial uses.
Current commercial district regulations have resulted in mono-use, automobile-oriented strip retail, service, and office uses which are intended to serve larger areas of the City than a single neighborhood or a small group of neighborhoods, while also discouraging residential infill development. In many areas of the City, huge parking lots and blank walls have replaced pedestrian-scale streets. This type of development has contributed to the destruction of the traditional mixed-use character of many of our intown commercial districts. The new MRC district would protect and rebuild our commercial districts by establishing appropriately designed and scaled commercial uses mixed with significant residential uses in a pedestrian-friendly manor. The district regulations include design standards with minimum requirements for sidewalks, street trees, shop fronts located adjacent to sidewalks, and parking that is located to the rear or side of buildings.
The MRC district establishes the following minimum requirements to protect and revitalize existing commercial districts:
Establishment of a compatible mix of commercial and residential uses. Maximum block face lengths. Requirements for sidewalks and street trees. Permit shared parking arrangements.
City staff will be available to work with neighborhoods, businesses and property owners, to determine if a property is appropriate for a MRC district. This district is intended to be an alternative to the existing commercial C-1, C-2, and C-3 districts. The rezoning of any properties to the MRC designation will follow the standard process for rezonings of going to the Zoning Committee of Council, the affected NPU, the Zoning Review Board, back to the Zoning Committee of Council and finally to the full City Council. This process takes a minimum of three months to complete.
For questions/comments please contact the Bureau of Planning at 404/330-6145, or visit our website for a copy of the ordinance at:
www.ci.atlanta.ga.us/citydir/dpdnc/current.htm
City of Atlanta, Department of Planning, Development and Neighborhood Conservation

Neighborhood Commercial (NC) Ordinance
Fact Sheet
The Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District is an important tool for supporting the revitalization of our neighborhoods. The purpose of the district is to revitalize and protect neighborhood commercial districts at a scale and character which is in keeping with the surrounding neighborhoods, provide neighborhood oriented shops and services, and emphasize pedestrian convenience.
Current regulations have supported the proliferation of automobile-oriented strip shopping centers and chain store development. Huge parking lots and blank walls have replaced pedestrian scale streets. This type of development has destroyed the neighborhood character and uses within our traditional neighborhood centers.
A Neighborhood Commercial District ranges in size from a single shop to several blocks and will provide close-at-hand goods and services to nearby residences. The new NC District regulations support the rebuilding of our traditional neighborhood commercial districts by establishing pedestrian-friendly design standards. These standards include minimum sidewalks that have street trees, shop fronts that are adjacent to the sidewalk and parking that is to the rear or side of buildings.
The district also enables established neighborhoods to retain their own unique character by allowing them to tailor the ordinance to meet their particular needs. The following elements of the ordinance may be adjusted by individual neighborhoods to obtain a desired character:
Maximum parking requirements. Types of uses. Number of certain uses. Sizes of uses. Building heights. Maximum densities of certain uses. Hours of operation of certain uses. Minimum side and rear yards. Minimum block face lengths. Species of street trees. Sidewalk requirements and supplemental zone requirements on blocks
where 50% or more of the buildings were built before 1950.
The City will work with businesses and property owners who may wish to rezone their neighborhood commercial areas to NC, and to have the City Council adopt the rezoning of their particular district. The rezoning of any properties to the NC designation will follow the standard process for rezonings of going to the Zoning Committee of Council, the effected NPU, the Zoning Review Board, back to the Zoning Committee of Council and finally to the full City Council. This process takes a minimum of three months to complete.
City of Atlanta, Department of Planning, Development and Neighborhood Conservation