'Zoning Ordinance Diagnostic' Underway in Atlanta

Candler Vinson introduces the "Zoning Ordinance Diagnostic" underway in Atlanta. According to Vinson, the "core philosophy" of the effort is a desire to make the city more accessible for people other than motorists.

The Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development is undertaking the effort, along with consultants Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh, the Canvas Planning Group, and the Zoeckler Firm. An expected six-month review process has already launched, with the first of many public hearings aimed at reviewing the city's current zoning regulations.

Much of the article focuses on introducing the concepts behind zoning—land uses, density, walkability, and preservation, for instance. The city would like to move away from the "conventional" planning that separates uses and leads to sprawl, according to Vinson, though city officials characterize its current zoning code as "hybrid." Atlanta's team of consultants have been reviewing recent zoning code reforms in Denver, Raleigh, Philadelphia, and Miami, according to the article:

The regulatory strategies the planning firms focused on are transitioning from a hybrid zoning code to more form-based (but still hybrid) code, establishing metrics other than FAR (Floor Area Ratio) for judging development plans, lowering parking requirements, and more.

The article includes a lot more explanation of form-based codes and also provides information about the mid- and long-term steps for the review process, as well as the expected zoning code rewrite process that will follow.

For more information, also visit the city's official website for the Zoning Ordinance Diagnostic.