The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is working on mixed-use development plans for a location near Kensington Station, in DeKalb County.

"MARTA is seeking a developer to build a mixed use project, complete with affordable housing, at its Kensington Station, which is located in eastern DeKalb County between Avondale Estates and I-285," reports David Pendered.
According to Pendered, the property's current zoning presents a "stumbling block" for the project. "The site is zoned for any of an array of single and multi family structures – detached houses, townhouses, apartments, boarding houses, group personal homes and nursing homes, even adult and child day care centers," writes Pendered. That's all residential, with no room for any of the office or retail uses that would make any potential project mixed-use.
Pendered also describes MARTA's lofty ambitions for the site. "The RFP notes that the Kensington Station is ranked as MARTA’s 12-busiest rail station. An average of 5,565 riders board at the station every weekday, according to the RFP. This level of ridership seems likely to support a fairly dense development adjacent to the station."
In a separate article, following up on Pendered's scoop, Sean Keenan presents MARTA's development plans as the latest in a series of suburban transit oriented developments along MARTA lines.
This month, developer Columbia Residential debuted a senior housing complex less than a mile from both the Decatur and Avondale MARTA stations, and the city’s economic development arm Invest Atlanta launched a $15 million fund specifically for transit-oriented development.
Elsewhere, the City of College Park has adopted the first-ever transit-oriented zoning district on the south side of metro Atlanta.
FULL STORY: MARTA’s Kensington Station up for development, if zoning can be resolved

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie