The expansive Beltline transit and parkspace development planned for Atlanta is being hindered by one man's lawsuits over the legality of the funding used to build it.
"The project, which promises to transform a largely forgotten freight rail corridor into a showpiece loop of transit, trails, parks and new development, has captured the city's imagination and stands to become a legacy of Mayor Shirley Franklin's administration."
"But a significant obstacle remains in the Beltline's way. His name is John Woodham."
"Woodham, a little-known 41-year-old Buckhead real estate lawyer, has filed a series of legal challenges and appeals that have tied up the Beltline in court for the past year and a half."
"In a June 2006 lawsuit, Woodham argues the Beltline violates a provision of the state constitution he says mandates that school property taxes be spent only on education-related projects. More than $850 million in school property taxes are projected to be spent on the Beltline during the next 25 years."
"Lawyers for the city say the Beltline funding mechanism is legal, citing a different part of the state constitution that allows for the creation of tax allocation districts like the one funding the Beltline."
FULL STORY: Funding lawsuit ties up Beltline

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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