ARC Livable Centers Initiative Awards Four Smart Growth Grants
(ATLANTA - February 15, 2008)
The Atlanta Regional Commission is awarding four local governments a total of $396,000 in grants to create quality growth plans that will enhance the livability of their communities.
The Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) grants will help Spalding County and the cities of Norcross, Atlanta and Palmetto design plans that will better link transportation improvements with land use strategies. Once plans are completed, these communities are eligible for a larger pot of federal funding to implement their projects.
“LCI has helped communities across the metro region re-tool and redesign to become higher quality magnets for residents and businesses alike,” ARC Chairman Sam Olens said. “On both the community level and regional level, the LCI program has been transformative.”
Since the first LCI grants were awarded in 2000, more than 63,000 residential units, 11 million square feet of commercial space and 40 million square feet of office space are either planned, under construction or complete in these areas. Region-wide, 33 percent of all new office space has been built within LCI areas. And, LCI areas have attracted 3.7 percent of all new residential units and 10.5 percent of all new commercial development built in the region.
The goal of the LCI program, created in 1999, is to help local governments devise strategies that reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality by better connecting homes, shops and offices, enhancing streetscapes and pedestrian amenities and improving access to transit options. With this latest round of grants, LCI has assisted 90 communities with more than $140 million in grant awards.
The four 2008 LCI grant winners are:
• City of Norcross (Norcross Activity Center) $100,000
• City of Palmetto (Palmetto Town Center) $100,000
• City of Atlanta (Vine City MARTA Station) $96,000
• Spalding County (Tri-County Crossroads Activity Center) $100,000
“Local communities are eager to revitalize their town centers and create places that foster a neighborhood feel and environment,” said Dan Reuter, chief of ARC’s Land Use Division. “LCI grants allow them to accomplish this and the cumulative effect of these projects is changing the face of the region.”
2008 LIVABLE CENTERS INITIATIVE STUDIES
NORCROSS ACTIVITY CENTER
Award Amount: $100,000
Sponsor: City of Norcross
Contact: Jennifer Peterson, Community Development Director
Phone/Email: 770-448-2122, jpeterson@norcross-ga-gvt.com
The focal point of the Norcross Activity Center study is on the east side of Norcross, between Buford Highway and Interstate 85, which has developed in an incongruous pattern over the past 40 years into a mix of commercial strip centers, offices, single- and multi-family housing and institutional uses. The study area contains properties in the City of Norcross, unincorporated Gwinnett County and the Gwinnett Village CID. This area has excellent access to the interstate system, has potential for substantial expansion of public transportation systems and is in need of pedestrian connections to lower the reliance on automobiles. The area also has considerable opportunities for mixed-use developments, higher densities with a variety of housing choices, quality office space and supporting commercial services. The city, county and CID will work together to prepare a unified plan for the activity center’s development, reinvestment and implementation.
PALMETTO TOWN CENTER
Award Amount: $100,000
Sponsor: City of Palmetto
Contact: John Miller, Mayor
Phone/Email: 404-310-4473, jmiller@xroadsautomotive.com
The Palmetto Town Center Study Area is located entirely within incorporated Palmetto in south Fulton County, approximately 18 miles southwest of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Like many small communities throughout Georgia, growth and development patterns in Palmetto have been largely shaped by the presence of the railroad. Although much development has occurred in a linear fashion along the railroad line, the city has a distinct town center that is comprised of historic homes, residences, retail establishments and numerous churches. The study will focus on improvements aimed at downtown enhancements and pedestrian connectivity, particularly for multi-purpose pedestrian/bicycle facilities throughout the town center and linking to improvements included in the Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance master land use plan. The study will identify redevelopment opportunities and constraints existing within the study area and address issues regarding land use, transportation, economic development and urban design.
TRI-COUNTY CROSSROADS ACTIVITY CENTER
Award Amount: $100,000
Sponsor: Spalding County
Contact: Charles Taylor, Community Development Director
Phone/Email: 770-467-4220, ctaylor@spaldingcounty.com
The study area is located in the southern portion of Spalding County on the border with Lamar and Pike counties where U.S. 19, U.S. 41 and S.R. 155 converge. This area is considered an emerging activity center and the study will focus on the increasing growth pressures relative to an expanding urbanized area. The study will be instrumental in helping offset the negative impacts of automobile-oriented, strip-commercial development that commonly occurs along major arterials by promoting increased density, intensifying uses and reducing auto-dependency through alternative modes of transportation such as biking, walking and transit. Furthermore, the study will help prevent the formation of a regional bottleneck that could have significantly negative impacts in the south Atlanta region.
VINE CITY MARTA STATION
Award Amount: $96,000
Sponsor: City of Atlanta
Contact: Flor Velarde, Assistant Director, Bureau of Planning
Phone/Email: 404-330-6731, fvelarde@atlantaga.gov
The Vine City MARTA Station study encompasses an area approximately one-third of a mile in diameter around the transit station, along with an additional corridor extending eastward connecting to the Ashby MARTA station area. This study will formulate strategies to create an urban scale, mixed-use node that exemplifies pedestrian-friendly design, provides multimodal transportation choices and creates an efficient regional east-west connection linking the City Center to activity centers such as the Beltline, Washington Park, the Historic Westside Village and the Atlanta University Center. The strategies will assist surrounding neighborhoods and employment centers with streetscape improvements and increased connectivity, while leveraging the area’s proximity to the Georgia Dome and Georgia World Congress Center to create an integrated and vibrant 24-hour community.
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 10-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 66 other cities. The Atlanta Regional Commission serves as a catalyst for regional progress by focusing leadership, attention and planning resources on key regional issues.
