A federal lawsuit alleges that the city of Atlanta is overstepping its bounds by threatening the removal of murals and other art located on private property.
"A group of artists and property owners on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Atlanta to halt the city’s regulation of murals on private property," reports Bill Rankin.
The lawsuit focuses on the city's regulation of existing art as well as new art—both require application processes with threat of prosecution of destruction of the art. "The city recently notified a number of artists and property owners that they had until June 9 to comply with the ordinance’s requirements or have their murals removed and be cited for violations," according to Rankin's sources. The law has been on the city's books since 1982.
Hat tip to Rachel Dovey, who shared this news for Next City. Dovey also implies that the implementation of this ordinance and the lawsuit contradict the policy goals established when Mayor Kasim Reed proposed a dedicated source of revenue to support local artists.
FULL STORY: Artists, landowners sue Atlanta over crackdown on murals
Georgia Feud Over Mask Mandates May Not Be What it Seems
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) has sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) and the Atlanta City Council over the city's mask mandate, which is stricter than mask provisions defined in the governor's July 15 executive order.
Resident Sues MARTA for Suspending Bus Service Due to the Coronavirus
A local transit advocate is using legal pressure in an effort to hold the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) accountable for bus transit cuts in the early months of the pandemic.
Patent Lawsuit Accuses Uber and Lyft of Stealing the Idea
A former engineering professor (i.e., not a planning professor) says he invented the transportation network company first, and that he has the patent to prove it.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
Guerilla urbanists are building DIY bus stop benches in Chicago
A before-and-after of one of the bus stops with a new bench. The new benches are not officially sanctioned or permitted, but the residents who placed them hope they will be the start of a network of DIY benches across the city.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association