Cartersville quality growth hands-on workshop : December 12-14, 2005

Cartersville Quality Growth Hands-On Workshop
December 12 - 14, 2005

Quality Growth Team Visits Cartersville
The Quality Growth Team for Cartersville was brought together in December 2005 through collaboration with the city of Cartersville, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), and its Quality Growth Partners, a statewide coalition of government agencies, universities, nonprofits and business groups working to provide technical assistance on "smart growth" issues to Georgia communities. The team focused their study on the intown areas of Cartersville, generally bounded by Joe Frank Harris Parkway/Highway 41 to the east, East Main Street to the south, railroad tracks to the west, and to the rail crossing on Joe Frank Harris Parkway to the north.
The multidisciplinary team was made up of specialists in city planning, real estate development, urban design, 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 three days in the project area. The visit began with a facilitated meeting involving a broad cross section of community representatives,
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 Quality Growth Team Visits Cartersville 1 What is Quality Growth? 2 Quality Community Objectives 3 Does Quality Growth Matter? 4 Why Have a Quality Growth Team Visit? 4 What Resources Are Available to Implement... 5 Meet the Team 6 Overall Development Concept 11 Recommendations 24 Images
Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Planning & Quality Growth

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 review of the team's recommendations for the local officials on Wednesday, December 14th. The team's recommendations were then passed to DCA staff for formatting into this final report. The team would like to thank the city staff, elected officials, and citizens for making us feel so welcome in the area. The ideas and solutions proposed here is only a beginning intended to stimulate interest in redeveloping Cartersville so that residents may enjoy living in a vibrant and beautiful area.
What is Quality Growth?
Quality Growth, in many ways, means returning to the way we used to build our communities and neighborhoods: places where people could walk to school or the corner drugstore, pursue recreational activities at a nearby park, or just sit on the front porch and get to know their neighbors. The following Quality Community Objectives, adopted by DCA, embody the ideals that quality growth practices are intended to promote.
Figure 1 - The image above illustrates quality growth best practices.
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Quality Community Objectives
Regional Identity Objective: Regions should promote and preserve an "identity," defined in terms of traditional regional architecture, common economic linkages that bind the region together, or other shared characteristics.
Growth Preparedness Objective: Each community should identify and put in place the prerequisites for the type of growth it seeks to achieve. These may include housing and infrastructure (roads, water, sewer and telecommunications) to support new growth, appropriate training of the workforce, ordinances to direct growth as desired, or leadership capable of responding to growth opportunities.
Appropriate Businesses Objective: The businesses and industries encouraged to develop or expand in a community should be suitable for the community in terms of job skills required, linkages to other economic activities in the region, impact on the resources of the area, and future prospects for expansion and creation of higher-skill job opportunities.
Educational Opportunities Objective: Educational and training opportunities should be readily available in each community to permit community residents to improve their job skills, adapt to technological advances, or to pursue entrepreneurial ambitions.
Employment Options Objective: A range of job types should be provided in each community to meet the diverse needs of the local workforce.
Heritage Preservation Objective: The traditional character of the community should be maintained through preserving and revitalizing historic areas of the community, encouraging new development that is compatible with the traditional features of the community, and protecting other scenic or natural features that are important to defining the community's character.
Open Space Preservation Objective: New development should be designed to minimize the amount of land consumed, and open space should be set aside from development for use as public parks or as greenbelts/wildlife corridors.
Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Environmental Protection Objective: Air quality and environmentally sensitive areas should be protected from negative impacts of development. Environmentally sensitive areas deserve special protection, particularly when they are important for maintaining traditional character or quality of life of the community or region. Whenever possible, the natural terrain, drainage, and vegetation of an area should be preserved.
Regional Cooperation Objective: Regional cooperation should be encouraged in setting priorities, identifying shared needs, and finding collaborative solutions, particularly where it is critical to success of a venture, such as protection of shared natural resources.
Transportation Alternatives Objective: Alternatives to transportation by automobile, including mass transit, bicycle routes and pedestrian facilities, should be made available in each community. Greater use of alternate transportation should be encouraged.
Regional Solutions Objective: Regional solutions to needs shared by more than one local jurisdiction are preferable to separate local approaches, particularly where this will result in greater efficiency and less cost to the taxpayer.
Housing Opportunities Objective: Quality housing and a range of housing size, cost, and density should be provided in each community, to make it possible for all who work in the community to also live in the community.
Traditional Neighborhood Objective: Traditional neighborhood development patterns should be encouraged, including use of more human scale development, mixing of uses within easy walking distance of one another, and facilitating pedestrian activity.
Infill Development Objective: Communities should maximize the use of existing infrastructure and minimize the conversion of undeveloped land at the urban periphery by encouraging development or redevelopment of sites closer to the downtown or traditional urban core of the community.
Sense of Place Objective: Traditional downtown areas should be maintained as the focal point of the community or, for newer areas where this is not possible, the development of activity centers that serve as community focal points should be encouraged. These community focal points should be attractive, mixed-use, pedestrianfriendly places where people choose to gather for shopping, dining, socializing, and entertainment.
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Does Quality Growth Matter?
Quality growth can yield a number of benefits for your community:
Residents will enjoy an improved quality of life, more affordable housing, cleaner water and air, more walkable neighborhoods, and reduced commuting times.
Developers will experience reduced infrastructure and land costs and more predictability in the development approval process.
Your local government will benefit from reduced service delivery costs, increased tax revenues, and enhanced economic development potential.
Cost Savings
Studies show that sprawling development costs government in terms of provision of public services like water and sewer, emergency services and transportation. Research by the Real Estate Research Corp. shows that compact growth can be as much as 70 percent cheaper for governments than in areas with more dispersed growth patterns. Comparing the costs for governments in 10 counties, the University of Kentucky found that police, fire, and school services cost less in those counties where growth was concentrated and highest in those with scattered growth. In South Carolina, a study concluded that planned development could save 12 percent in infrastructure costs that would be spent providing the same infrastructure under sprawling growth projections. The development community saves costs as well through reduced per-unit costs for power and telephone lines, small streets, and more efficient service delivery.
Protecting the Environment
Implementing quality growth principles like compact development, greenspace protection, better street connectivity, and greater opportunities for using alternative transportation lead to less urban runoff into streams to pollute our waters and less traffic exhaust to pollute our air. A 2000 study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of three California neighborhoods suggested that the environmental benefits of quality growth are real and can be measured. A more

recent study by NRDC and EPA in Nashville corroborates this study and further suggests that the combination of better transportation accessibility and a modest increase in land-use density can produce measurable benefits even in automobile-oriented suburban communities. These studies are the first to evaluate actual neighborhoods rather than conceptual models. In the Nashville study, a more densely populated neighborhood closer to downtown Nashville out performed a suburban, lower density neighborhood in terms of land consumption, water consumption, air pollutant emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and storm water runoff.
Economic Development
The quality of life offered by quality growth development is important to residents, and contributes to economic development. Corporations are more mobile than ever, and quality of life is a big location factor for business. A case in point is Hewlett Packard's decision not to construct a second office tower in the Atlanta region because of its traffic congestion and air quality. Research also shows that perceived decline in quality of life leads to lower retention of skilled workers. Recent surveys in Austin, Texas show that the more educated residents are, the more likely they are to perceive decline, and skilled residents who do perceive decline are more likely to leave the area.
Public Health Benefits
Quality growth is an emerging issue in the public health field where significant research is starting to focus on the relationship between sprawl and obesity related diseases like diabetes and heart problems. Such research is underway now at the Centers for Disease Control and at Boston University's School of Public Health and is expected to demonstrate that better development patterns improve health on community residents. Active Living by Design, a joint program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is devoted to issues of public health and the built environment, financing both research on the issue, and actual projects testing the impact of community design that fosters daily activity.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Why Have a Quality Growth Team Visit?
A Quality Growth Team Visit is an important first step toward achieving more desirable development patterns in your community. If your community is experiencing symptoms of unplanned development, a Quality Growth Team can help determine why, and what factors are under your control to change. Planning commissions, other local officials, community leaders, citizens, civic organizations, and the media can use the results of this report to guide planning and decision-making that will promote more quality growth in the community.

Quality Growth Toolkit - The Quality Growth Toolkit provides advice to local governments on tools that may be used to put quality growth principles into practice at the local level. The link below will take you directly to the Georgia Quality Growth Partnership (GQGP) website Toolkit page. http://www.dca.state.ga.us/toolkit/toolkit.asp
Other Resources
Georgia's Urban Redevelopment Law http://www.legis.state.ga.us/cgibin/gl_codes_detail.pl?code=36-61-1
Georgia's Housing Source http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/HOUSING_at_DCA.pdf

What Resources Are Available to Implement Quality Growth Team Recommendations?
Quality Growth Funding Sources - A variety of funding sources are available to assist with the implementation of quality growth best practices on the Georgia Quality Growth Partnership (GQGP) website. The link below will take you directly to the GQGP website Financial Sources Directory. http://www.dca.state.ga.us/toolkit/FinancialSources.asp
Quality Growth Technical Assistance and Training Opportunities - A variety of resources are available to assist with the implementation of quality growth best practices on the Georgia Quality Growth Partnership (GQGP) website. The links below will take you directly to the GQGP website Technical Assistance Directory and Training Opportunities page.
Technical Assistance http://www.dca.state.ga.us/toolkit/directory.asp
Training Opportunities http://www.dca.state.ga.us/toolkit/training.asp

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Meet the Team
Denise Abboud
Ross+associates
Peter Bilson
Bilson and Associates, P.C.
Julie Brown
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Planning & Quality Growth
Joe Burgess
Georgia Forestry Commission, Forestry County Units - CherokeeCobb-Pickens-North Fulton County; District 1
Diane Burgoon
Village Habitat Design, LLC
Joel Cordle
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Downtown Development
Doug Dillard
Dillard & Galloway, LLC.
Gregory Frisbee
North Georgia Realty Group
Curt Gervich
Etowah Watershed HCP
Nicholas Gilley
Three Rivers Valle, LLC
Kirby Glaze
Public-Private Partnership Project Management, Inc. (4PM)

Renetta Hobson
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Planning & Quality Growth
Cam Jordan
City of Fitzgerald
Kent Kirbow
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Homeownership, Training, & Marketing
Jonathan Lewis
Jordan, Jones & Goulding
Chrissy Marlowe
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Planning & Quality Growth
Paul O'Shield
Georgia Concrete & Products Association
Dee Dee Quinnelly
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Planning & Quality Growth
Greg Ramsey
Village Habitat Design, LLC
Leamon Scott
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Regional Services
Christopher Smith
Temple Inland
Annaka Woodruff
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Planning &
Quality Growth

The team would like to thank the city staff, elected officials, and citizens for making us feel
so welcome in the area.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Overall Development Concept
The Quality Growth Team developed six recommended character areas to identify both existing and potential character areas in the community.
Character Area means a specific geographic area within the community that:
has unique or special characteristics to be preserved or enhanced (such as a downtown, a historic district, a
neighborhood, or a transportation corridor);
has potential to evolve into a unique area with more intentional guidance of future development through adequate
planning and implementation (such as a strip commercial corridor that could be revitalized into a more attractive village development pattern); or
requires special attention due to unique development issues (rapid change of development patterns, economic decline,
etc.).
Each character area is a planning sub-area within the community where more detailed, small-area planning and implementation of certain policies, investments, incentives, or regulations may be applied in order to preserve, improve, or otherwise influence its future development patterns in a manner consistent with the community vision.
The character areas are described below in Table 1 and mapped in Figure 2.

Table 1 Cartersville Quality Growth Character Areas

Character Area

Description/Predominant Characteristics

Suggested Development Strategy

Garden District

A district or area that is a focal point for several neighborhoods that has a concentration of activities such as general retail, service commercial, professional office, higher-density housing, and appropriate public and open space uses easily accessible by pedestrians corresponding to areas of Cartersville, generally bounded by Joe Frank Harris Parkway/ Highway 41 to the east, East Main Street to the south, railroad tracks to the west, and to the rail crossing on Joe Frank Harris Parkway to the north.

Strategies for specific areas in the district are described in the following character areas.

Neighborhood Parks and Greenways

Area of protected open space that follows natural and manmade linear features for recreation, transportation and conservation purposes and links ecological, cultural and recreational amenities. Greenways can provide safe, efficient pedestrian linkages and at the same time give users an opportunity to enjoy the natural environment. Properly designed greenways can serve as an alternative transportation network, accommodating commuting to work or shopping as well as recreational biking, skateboarding, walking and jogging.

Link greenspaces into a pleasant
network of greenways
Set aside land for pedestrian and
bicycle connections between schools, churches, recreation areas, city centers, residential neighborhoods and commercial areas.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Social Intersections

Activity areas for social interaction and retail corresponding to intersections along Tennessee Street and North Gilmer Street at the cross sections of Church Street, Nelson and Ruby Streets, Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Opal Street, Buford Street, Mockingbird Drive, Gentilly Boulevard, Quail Run, and Pointe North Drive.

Village Nodes

A neighborhood focal point with a concentration of activities such as general retail, service commercial, professional office, higher-density housing, and appropriate public and open space uses easily accessible by pedestrians corresponding to areas identified in the Garden District.

Encourage compatible architecture
styles that maintain the regional character.
Wherever possible, connect to regional
network of greenspace and trails, available to pedestrians, and bicyclists for social interaction.
Can be designed for greater pedestrian
orientation and access, more character with attractive clustering of buildings, leaving pocket parks with benches, fountains, and meeting spots within the center.
Each node should include a mix of retail,
services, and offices to serve neighborhood residents day-to-day needs.
Residential development should
reinforce the center through locating higher density housing options adjacent to the center, targeted to a broad range of income levels, including multi-family town homes, apartments and condominiums.
Design for each node should be very
pedestrian-oriented, with strong, walkable connections between different uses.
Road edges should be clearly defined by
locating buildings at roadside with parking in the rear. Include direct connections to the greenspace and trail networks.
Enhance the pedestrian-friendly
environment, by adding sidewalks and creating other pedestrian-friendly trail/bike routes linking to other neighborhood amenities, such as libraries, neighborhood centers, health facilities, parks, schools, etc.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Garden District Corridor

Developed or undeveloped land paralleling the route of a street or highway in town that is already or likely to experience uncontrolled strip development if growth is not properly managed corresponding to the Tennessee Street/ Highway 61 corridor.

Gradually convert corridor to attractive
boulevard with signage guiding visitors to downtown and scenic areas around the community.
The appearance of the corridor can
immediately be improved through streetscaping enhancements (street lights, landscaping, etc.).
In the longer term, enact design
guidelines for new development, including minimal building setback requirements from the street, to ensure that the corridors become more attractive as properties develop or redevelop.
Corridors leading to town centers or
downtown, in particular, should be attractive, where development is carefully controlled (or redevelopment tools are used) to maintain or improve appearances.
Reduce the role and impact of
automobiles in the community by employing attractive traffic-calming measures along major roadways and exploring alternative solutions to parking congestion.
Provide basic access for pedestrians
and bicycles, consider vehicular safety measures including driveway consolidation and raised medians (which also improve safety for bike/pedestrians).
Coordinate land uses and
bike/pedestrian facilities with transit stops where applicable.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Commercial Corridor

Developed or undeveloped land on both sides of designated high-volume transportation facility, such as arterial roads and highways corresponding to the Joe Frank Harris Parkway/ Highway 41 corridor with declining, unattractive, vacant or under-utilized strip shopping centers. Characterized by high degree of access by vehicular traffic and transit if applicable; onsite parking; low degree of open space; moderate floorarea-ratio; large tracts of land, campus or unified development.

Maintain a natural vegetation buffer (at
least 50 feet in width) along the corridor.
All new development should be set-back
behind this buffer, with access roads, shared driveways or inter-parcel road connections providing alternate access to these developments and reducing curb cuts and traffic on the main highway.
Encourage landscaped, raised medians
to provide vehicular safety, aesthetics, and also pedestrian crossing refuge.
Provide pedestrian facilities behind
drainage ditches or curb.
Provide paved shoulders that can be
used by bicycles or as emergency breakdown lanes.
Coordinate land uses and
bike/pedestrian facilities with transit stops, if applicable.
Manage access to keep traffic flowing;
using directory signage to developments.
Unacceptable uses: new billboards. Retro-fit commercial redevelopment
areas to be more aesthetically appealing and, therefore, more marketable to prospective tenants by:
Building new commercial structures at
the street front, taking up a portion of the oversize parking lot and creating a shopping "square" around a smaller internal parking lot.
Upgrading the appearance of existing
older commercial buildings with faade improvement, new architectural elements, or awnings.
Reconfiguring the parking lot and
circulation routes for automobiles.
Providing pedestrian and bicycling
amenities, including covered walkways, benches, lighting and bike racks.
Adding landscaping and other
appearance enhancements, trees in parking lots to provide shade and help reduce storm water runoff.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 2 Cartersville Quality Growth Character Areas Map

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Recommendations

Character Area

Recommendation

Benefits

Further Details

Garden District

Create Tennessee Street Garden District Overlay.

Stimulates development. Increases overall connectivity. Improves traffic flow. Creates uniform aesthetically
pleasing appearance.

Develop the following Standards (similar to East side Overlay District):
Architectural Landscape Parking

Provides social intersections
and connection to downtown.

Density Signage

See Figure 3

Underground Utilities Pervious area

Lighting

Garden District Provide incentives to stimulate quality growth.

Stimulates development.

Incentives include:
Meeting overlay requirements = No
rezoning required.

Expedited review in the district.

Expedited vertical construction
allowed.

Case specific incentives.

Possible city demolition of site for
developer or existing land owner.

Facade grants for existing
structures.

Reduce parking requirements for
existing and future to add pervious surfacing.

Reduce setbacks for providing
interconnectivity.

Garden District

Encourage nodal development by concentrating density at intersections requiring businesses to connect driveways reducing cuts on the road.
See Figure 4

Increases overall connectivity. Improves traffic flow. Creates uniform aesthetically
pleasing appearance.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area

Recommendation

Benefits

Further Details

Garden District

Promote interconnectivity between commercial uses throughout district to minimize curb cuts.
See Figure 4

Increases overall connectivity. Improves traffic flow. Creates uniform aesthetically
pleasing appearance.

Garden District

Utilize existing streams to provide pervious lighted pedestrian path that connects pocket parks to social intersections.
See Figure 5

Provides social intersections
and connection to downtown.

Garden District

Develop Sign Ordinance.

Reduces visual impact of sign
clutter.
Creates continuity in design
throughout neighborhood.
Fosters historic character and
sense of place.

Ordinance to include:
Size requirements for surface area
of sign.
Height requirements. Design specifications based on
historic character of older signs throughout neighborhood.
Incentive or requirement for all
signs to be multi-language.

See Figure 6

** Provide supplementary materials such as photographs and illustrations to ordinance. Text only ordinances, without supplementary materials, often allow misunderstandings concerning the intended objectives of policy.

Garden District Develop Outdoor Storage Ordinance.

Reduces visual impact of
outdoor storage clutter.

Ordinance to include:
Screening requirements. Limit amount of outdoor storage
and type.

See Figure 7

** Provide supplementary materials such as photographs and illustrations to ordinance. Text only ordinances, without supplementary materials, often allow misunderstandings concerning the intended objectives of policy.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area

Recommendation

Garden District Develop Architectural and Design Ordinance.

See Figure 8
Garden District Create Neighborhood Employment Program.

Garden District

Create Neighborhood Business Ownership Program.

Garden District Develop Public Space Use Program.

Benefits

Further Details

Creates continuity in design
throughout neighborhood
Fosters historic character and
sense of place

Ordinance to include:
Architectural and design
specifications based on historic character of older buildings throughout neighborhood.

Develop regulations for all zoning
categories.

** Provide supplementary materials such as photographs and illustrations to ordinance. Text only ordinances, without supplementary materials, often allow misunderstandings concerning the intended objectives of policy.

Fosters growth of community
members to coincide w/ redevelopment.
Adds value to community by
fostering tight-knit community with high degree of social capital.
Fosters sense of place.
Promotes live, work, play
environment.

Identify funding opportunities/develop incentives to encourage neighborhood business owners to hire from neighborhood work force.

Encourage entrepreneurship
among neighborhood residents.
Increases productivity of
community members.
Reduces transient nature of
community.

Identify funding opportunities/develop incentives to encourage business ownership in neighborhood.

Increases standard of living.
Promotes live, work, play
environment.

Fosters tight-knit community. Fosters sense of place. Increases foot traffic. Increases patronage of retail
areas.

Encourage use of appropriate public spaces for festivals, markets, parades, concerts and cultural events.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area
Neighborhood Parks and Greenways
Neighborhood Parks and Greenways
Neighborhood Parks and Greenways
Village Nodes
Village Nodes - Tabernacle Baptist Church

Recommendation
Implement pocket park plan in district to serve the existing and proposed residential.
See Figure 9
Improve American Legion Fairgrounds (ALF) as park to connect Garden District corridor to Highway 41 retail.
See Figure 10
Turn retail focus to the ALF park with possible mixed use.
See Figure 10
Open high school up for public use...walking jogging, etc.
See Figure 11
City should take an active part in the redevelopment of this property.

Benefits
Fosters tight-knit community. Fosters sense of place. Increases foot traffic.

Further Details

Fosters tight-knit community. Fosters sense of place. Increases foot traffic. Increases patronage of retail
areas.
Fosters tight-knit community. Fosters sense of place. Increases foot traffic. Increases patronage of retail
areas.

Fosters tight-knit community. Fosters sense of place. Increases foot traffic.

This property represents the
gateway between Tennessee Street and the existing downtown area. It also serves as a link between the Booth Museum and the High School.
Provides an anchor for the
existing downtown and Tennessee Street.
Stretches existing downtown
development into the Tennessee Street corridor.
Stimulates downtown foot traffic Provides opportunities for
downtown living.
Increases tax base.

Suggested steps to implement such a process are incorporated in the recommendations below.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area

Recommendation

Village Nodes - Tabernacle Baptist Church

Create redevelopment team.

Village Nodes - Tabernacle Baptist Church

Set Goals for the redevelopment.

Village Nodes - Tabernacle Baptist Church

Determine the type of development desired.

See Figure 12

Village Nodes - Tabernacle Baptist Church

Create a master plan for the development.
See Figure 13

Benefits

Further Details

Allow Church and community
to find common objectives
Plan for orderly transition for
both

Redevelopment team members should include:
City Church Leadership Downtown Development Authority Convention and Visitors Bureau Private Developers Neighborhood Leaders

Allows community to establish a vision for redevelopment

Team should develop outreach process that includes transparent mechanism for gathering input from diverse community members and disseminating information about the project's progress to larger community.

Permits the community to present a development concept to private developers
Insures community value in redevelopment project
Creates compatible partnership with the private sector

1. Possible redevelopment uses:
Hotel/Conference Center Condos/Apartments Retail Park/Public Space Landscaped Multi-use parking
(deck parking)

2. Establish parameters of the redevelopment:
Preserve the buildings/Don't
preserve the buildings.
Incorporate Conference
Center/Don't incorporate Conference Center.
Create more greenspace/Don't
create more greenspace.
Promote downtown
residential/Don't promote downtown residential.

Visual representation of
concept.
Allows further discussion of
redevelopment concept.

Take such steps as are necessary to insure master plan can be accommodated in the City's zoning and development ordinances.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area

Recommendation

Benefits

Further Details

Village Nodes - Tabernacle Baptist Church

Consider funding sources to facilitate reaching desired development pattern.

Garden District Corridor/ Social Intersections

Create social intersections every 1200' with benches, fountains, meeting points, etc.
See Figure 14

Garden District Corridor

Use existing side street Right-of-Ways (R.O.W.) to provide sidewalks to connect parks and corridors.

Public funding for portions of the project is likely necessary to encourage and direct the desired private participation.
Fosters tight-knit community. Fosters sense of place. Increases foot traffic. Increases patronage of retail
areas.

Possible funding sources:
Hotel/Motel tax SPLOST funds Tax increment financing DDA ownership-leaseback tax
abatement
Public and foundation contributions Private investment
1st Option - Cross section to
include 5' sidewalk, 5' beauty strip with street trees on both sides, 5' bike path on both sides, center turn lane, pedestrian scaled lighting.

- This would require R.O.W. acquisition which from cursory review would not impact the existing business dramatically.

2nd Option - Provide same as
above but only have sidewalk on one side.
- This would be achievable with existing R.O.W.

See Figures 15,
16, & 17
Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Planning & Quality Growth

3rd Option - One Way Pair that had
been presented by DOT.
- This would allow for a
streetscape that would have 2 sidewalks, 2 bike lanes, and 5' beauty strips with street trees.
** All options need to be implemented by the City at one time.
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Character Area

Recommendation

Benefits

Garden District Corridor

Create usable, landscaped sidewalks; drainage improvements; pedestrian lighting (interspersed w/ overhead); traffic calming devices; uniform architectural design standards; underground design and placement of utilities; pedestrian miniparks; and curb-cut guidelines.
See Figure 18

Managed growth. Gateway into downtown. Live-Work-Play corridor. High-quality residential &
commercial mixed-use development.
Reinvestment in Tennessee
Street corridor.
Fosters sense of place. Enhance City of Cartersville's
built environment and local historic character within Tennessee Street corridor.

Garden District Develop requirements

Corridor

for:

Overlay District-
Greenspace

Landscaping

Minimal
Setbacks(front w/ Landscaping)

Live-Work-Play corridor. Managed growth. Appropriate gateways into
downtown.
High quality mixed-use
development.
Fosters sense of place.

Pervious Surface
Standards

Shielded Parking
(limit front and corner parking lots)

Site-specific Buffer
Requirements

Approved
Appearance Standards

Signage (restrict the
use of billboards and electronic signs)

Restrict use of
Certain Building

Further Details
Possible funding sources:
DOT TE/City/State Contract SPLOST General Fund Developer Fee Utilities
Developer incentives include:
Facade improvement grants for
existing buildings.
Reduced frontage requirements. Reduced side setbacks. Fee abatements. Expedited permitting, inspections &
plan review.
Demolition assistance. Increased height allowance. Increased density allowance. Decreased parking requirements. Low-interest local financing pool. New markets tax credits.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area
Commercial Corridor

Recommendation

Benefits

Further Details

Materials

Interconnectivity
provisions (residential/commerci al mix);

Expand the number
of zoning districts permitted within the overlay district.

Create usable, landscaped sidewalks; drainage improvements; pedestrian lighting (interspersed w/ overhead); traffic calming devices; uniform architectural design standards; underground design and placement of utilities; and curb-cut guidelines.

Managed growth. Reinvestment in Joe Frank
Harris Parkway.
Fosters sense of place. Enhance City of Cartersville's
built environment.

Possible funding sources:
DOT TE/City/State Contract SPLOST General Fund Developer Fee Utilities

Commercial Corridor

See Figure 19
Develop requirements for:
Overlay District-
Greenspace
Landscaping Minimal
Setbacks(front w/ Landscaping)
Pervious Surface
Standards
Shielded Parking
(limit front and corner parking lots)
Site-specific Buffer
Requirements

Live-Work-Play corridor. Managed growth. Appropriate gateways into
downtown.
High quality mixed-use
development.
Fosters sense of place.

Developer incentives include:
Facade improvement grants for
existing buildings.
Reduced frontage requirements. Reduced side setbacks. Fee abatements. Expedited permitting, inspections &
plan review.
Demolition assistance. Increased height allowance. Increased density allowance. Decreased parking requirements. Low-interest local financing pool.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area
Community Wide

Recommendation
Approved
Appearance Standards
Signage (restrict the
use of billboards and electronic signs)
Restrict use of
Certain Building Materials
Interconnectivity
provisions (residential/commerci al mix)
Expand the number
of zoning districts permitted within the overlay district.
See Figures 20 &
21
Encourage Georgia Initiative for Community Housing Team to continue efforts.

Community Wide

Promote appropriate infill design.
Designs should be
compatible with the neighborhood character in the community. Several cities around the state are working to maintain neighborhood

Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Benefits

Further Details
New markets tax credits.
The City of Cartersville is a participating city in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing and has developed a very talented housing team to address housing issues in the city. Every effort should be made to utilize this group in the design and implementation to all issues related to housing and development of compatible uses of properties surrounding neighborhoods. One example is the program that is offered through the City of LaGrange through the DASH program. DASH has undertaken the redevelopment of existing neighborhoods adjacent to LaGrange College and one of their old textile mills near their downtown
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Character Area
Community Wide

Recommendation
integrity.
See Figures 22 &
23 Ensure properties adjacent to downtown are compatible to existing downtown.

See Figures 24 &
25
Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Benefits

Further Details

The City of Fayetteville created a new Redevelopment zoning district to facilitate the redevelopment of the Jeff Davis Intown Condominiums and other similar projects. Jeff Davis Intown is the first project to be developed under the new zoning district and is a good representation of the type of development that the new Redevelopment district will encourage. The Jeff Davis Intown project is the recipient of a 2004 ARC Development of Excellence award. Jeff Davis Intown is a complete rehabilitation of a dilapidated 1970 apartment complex and addition of four new buildings containing an additional 28 units (68 units total). A clubhouse was added next to the existing pool. The project includes streetscape improvements along North Jeff Davis Drive, one of Fayetteville's main thoroughfares. Brick pavers, benches, planters and new streetlights were added. A public plaza was built on North Jeff Davis Drive. The project exceeds the City's landscaping requirements. Additionally, the property is located in the City of Fayetteville's historic downtown but was not originally built to conform to the historic design character of the downtown district. In addition to rehabilitating the residential units, many architectural changes were made to help the development fit in better to the surrounding historic area. Major changes to the structures included steeper rooflines, new door and window placement and design, and the addition of historic moldings.
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Character Area
Community Wide

Recommendation
Develop a community wide tree ordinance.

Benefits

Further Details

Conserves community
character.
Reduces stormwater runoff. Decreases urban heat island. Increases property values.

Ordinance to include:
1. Develop a tree ordinance identifying:
Minimum canopy coverage
standards for commercial, office and industrial, single family, and multifamily developments.
Provide incentives for canopy
cover conservation and incentives and requirements for specimen tree conservation.
Required minimum canopy
coverage requirements for new parking lots.
Required minimum canopy
coverage requirements for redeveloped parking lots.
Mesh streetscape / R-O-W
ordinance with tree ordinance requirements.
Requirements for tree protection
on public property.
2. Develop a city-wide community forest management plan.
3. Ensure current and future park plan requirements exceed requirements for commercial office and industrial developments.
4. Involve a certified arborist (inhouse) in community forest management plan development, plan review, inspection, code enforcement.
5. Ensure streetscape design incorporates "Georgia Model Urban Forest" specifications and guidelines for tree inclusion and establishment.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area
Community Wide
Community Wide
Community Wide

Recommendation

Benefits

Further Details

Develop PostConstruction Stormwater Management Ordinance.

Improves water quality. Restores natural hydrology. Protects aquatic habitat for
endangered species.

Ordinance to include: 1. Runoff volume limits (infiltration requirements). 2. Stream channel protection.

3. Flood control.

4. Incentives for restoration/greenspace development (decrease infiltration requirement for restored/greenspace areas).

Develop Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance.

Prevents downstream sedimentation of waterways Protects aquatic habitat Minimizes loss of topsoil

Ordinance to include:
Performance standard for sediment
basins (capture efficiency).
Pre-development planning
meetings w/ developer/landowner and all on-site professionals.
Required self inspection and
maintenance.
Achievable inspection rate for local
inspectors.
Allow building inspectors to deny
inspections if erosion control is inadequate.
Erosion bond. Emergency on-call numbers at all
project sites.

Develop Underground Utility Ordinance.

Reduces visual impact of
above ground utilities.
Creates usable open space in
utility right of way.

Ordinance to include:
Provisions to encourage shared
trenches for multiple utilities.
Allow utility right of way (ROW) to
be used as public open space (parks, greenspace, greenways, walking and bike trails).
Require horizontal directional
drilling on all stream crossings.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Character Area
Community Wide
Community Wide
Community Wide

Recommendation Create Meeting Space/ Public Use Program.
Create Conservation Program for Urban Greenspace Protection.
Develop language training programs.

Benefits

Further Details

Supplies funding for meeting and open space infrastructure.

Program to include incentive program for development funded meeting and open space program.

A. Developer fee to fund development of meeting/open space, or

B. Density, height, or parking reduction for meeting space included in development.

Supplies funding for neighborhood greenspace/park/greenway infrastructure.

Program to include incentive program for development funded urban greenspace program.
A. Developer fee to fund urban greenspace acquisition and development, or

Fosters integration of ethnic
communities and current residents.
Increases productivity and
standard of living of neighborhood residents.
Increases employment
opportunities for neighborhood residents.
Decreases crime and ethnic
conflict.

B. Density, height, or parking reduction for open space included in development.
Identify funding opportunities/develop language training programs for local residents.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Images
Figure 3 Tennessee Street (Before & After)

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 4 Interparcel Access and Connectivity

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 5 Pervious Pedestrian Path

Figure 6 Signage

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 7 Outdoor Storage Screening (Before & After)

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 8 Architectural Character Figure 9 Pocket Park

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 10 American Legion Park (Below Aerial of park with amphitheater and retail from Highway 41 connections.)

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 11 Pedestrian Paths

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 12 Examples of Possible Reuse for Tabernacle

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 13 Develop a Master Plan for Reuse of the Tabernacle

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 14 Social Intersection

Figure 15 Use of Right-of-Ways for Sidewalks and Streetscaping

Figure 16 Bike Paths

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 17 Possible Garden District Corridor Cross Sections Figure 18 Possible Garden District Corridor Design Standards

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 19 Joe Frank Harris Parkway (Before & After)

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 20 Interparcel Access Management

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 21 Parking Area Screening

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 22 LaGrange's Redevelopment Master Plan

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 23 Redeveloped homes in LaGrange

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 24 Fayetteville's Jeff Davis Intown Condominiums (Before & After)

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Figure 25 Fayetteville's Jeff Davis Intown Condominiums

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Office of Planning & Quality Growth

Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Planning & Quality Growth