City officials say the warehouse-style centers don’t support the Beltline overlay district’s goal to foster pedestrian-oriented development.
The Atlanta City Council is considering banning data centers along the Beltline corridor and near rapid transit stops based on concerns that the massive facilities disrupt the walkability of the multiuse trail and guzzle too much electricity. “The legislation mirrors similar bans on new storage facilities, gas stations and drive-thru restaurants within the Beltline overlay district, which city leaders said should foster pedestrian-focused developments,” Zachary Hansen explains in Governing.
The proposed legislation would not affect existing centers, but it could prevent them from expanding. “The legislation was also influenced by Georgia Power’s recent request for regulators to approve huge amounts of new electricity-generating capacity — mostly powered by fossil fuels — mainly due to the vast number of data center projects across the state. Georgia Power executives have said data centers are responsible for roughly 80 percent of the demand crunch it says it is facing.”
FULL STORY: Atlanta Considers Banning Data Centers from Beltline, Transit Stops
Atlanta Changes Beltline Rail Plan
City officials say they are committed to building rail connections, but are nixing a prior plan to extend the streetcar network.
Beltline Surpasses Annual Affordable Housing Goal
The Atlanta Beltline agency is actively working to prevent the displacement of longtime residents along the trail system, where property values are rising rapidly.
Atlanta Beltline Expands Westside Trail and Redevelops Rail Corridor
The Beltline is expanding the Westside Trail with new sections, including the Kudzu Trail, while also redeveloping abandoned rail corridors, with completion expected between 2025 and 2027.
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.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
NYC Congestion Pricing: Still Working
10 million fewer vehicles entered the congestion pricing zone in the first six months of the program than last year, while pedestrian fatalities are at ‘historic lows.’
Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.
Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont