Given that industrial, warehouse, and distribution activities will continue to grow in the Atlanta region regardless of the desire to attract or stave them off, it is important for municipalities, counties, and the ARC to plan for these activities. Moreover, it is important for those who shape urban design through municipal and regional policies and plans to provide guidance for accommodating these activities.

When structured appropriately, such guidance can help reduce the sprawl of freight activities by developing goods and trade-related distribution facilities within existing transportation corridors and zones. This can also help ensure a balance between the movement of people and the movement of goods across key corridors in the region.

To complete this task, the study will include a detailed assessment and analysis of:

• The impacts of local land use plans, policies, and decision-making on freight and goods movement in the Atlanta region
• The impacts of freight and goods movement on existing land uses
• The role of local and regional comprehensive planning processes with regard to freight planning