Planning is politics, an Atlanta case study.
"Atlanta will take a month to reconsider a controversial proposal to boost residential density in traditional neighborhoods," reports David Pendered.
The Atlanta Department of Planning and Development has been working on the proposed Comprehensive Development Plan for about a year, aiming to align the city's land use regulations with the Atlanta City Design vision created in 2017. The entire program has strong support from Mayor Keisha Bottoms and a template that echoes reforms supported by the Biden administration.
Now, however, Bottoms is not seeking reelection and the Comprehensive Development Plan is encountering opposition from councilmembers. Bottoms had emerged as a strong voice in support of pro-development planning reforms to deliver new housing supply to keep pace with rising demand (and prices) for housing.
Recommendations included in the current draft of the Comprehensive Development Plan include "providing housing for future residents by allowing owners to subdivide a house lot, and sell pieces of land for construction of one or more dwelling units," reports Pendered.
"Another plan is to allow a house near a MARTA rail station to be replaced by an apartment complex of eight units, or thereabouts."
FULL STORY: Atlanta’s plan to boost density stalls in council; Mayor’s team doesn’t reveal intents
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This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors
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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.
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