A week after its glowing profile in the New York Times, Atlanta's Beltline project could now be in jeopardy as a suburban developer threatens to sell his critical piece of the proposed transit corridor.
"The investor who owns more than five miles of the Beltline in northeast Atlanta is taking a preliminary step to withdraw his offer to donate about 46 acres for public parks, trails and transit."
"In a letter dated today, the company headed by Gwinnett County investor Wayne Mason started a process that could result in the sale of the actual corridor of train tracks. The rail corridor is about 30 feet wide and runs the entire length of the 5 1/2-mile-long section of the Beltline that Mason bought in 2004 from Norfolk Southern Railway Co."
"Mason's company, the Northeast Atlanta Beltline Group, offered to donate land for public use when the company filed rezoning applications on the rest of its property in June 2005. The offer was based in part on Mason's plan to develop, or sell for development, five pockets of land along the rail corridor and use those profits to offset the cost of the donation."
"Mason's ownership of about a quarter of the actual Beltline corridor has been a flash point among Beltline advocates for the past 15 months. Many envisioned a leafy trail around the city, flanked by parks and ice cream shops, that would be built largely with property taxes collected in a special tax district around the Beltline. Mason's development plans were a sharp reality check that caused residents to realize that the private sector may have different ideas."
FULL STORY: Land for Beltline may not be donated
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
