Proposals to boost housing in Atlanta are fueling a drive in the Buckhead section to secede from the city.
“Changes now being proposed by the City of Atlanta would subdivide residential lot sizes, increase housing density, decimate the tree canopy, tangle traffic, and strain resources,” reads the web site of the Buckhead City Committee, the organization aiming to form a new city. “Such devastation, proposed ostensibly to increase ‘affordable housing’ will only enrich developers at the cost of Buckhead’s livability.”
The zoning changes have been proposed while city planners look to a future that could mean a doubling of the city’s population to 1.2 million by 2050. City leaders would like to convert more single-family homes into multifamily dwellings. Today, about 60% of the city’s residential zones restrict such arrangements.
City leaders propose rezoning areas within a half-mile radius of public transit stations to encourage construction of moderate-sized apartment buildings nearby. One to four units per building would be the standard, but a developer could build up to eight units if one of them is below-market rate, and as many as 12 if two or more are below-market.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Feb 6, 2017
New white paper on modular bathroom pods offers insight on best uses
When to use them, cost, and installation are issues that are explored.
Codes and Standards | Feb 3, 2017
Justice in Design initiative to explore how to design a modern jail
The report will inform design principles for New York City jails.
Codes and Standards | Feb 1, 2017
Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois lead annual Top 10 States for LEED Green Building list
LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance the most popular rating system in top 10 states.
Codes and Standards | Jan 31, 2017
Planning for world’s first floating city underway
New approach to resiliency examined in French Polynesia.
Codes and Standards | Jan 30, 2017
Denser development could reduce emissions more than building energy retrofits
More tightly packed cities would cut building emissions significantly, study says.
Codes and Standards | Jan 27, 2017
Calif. legislator proposes statewide solar mandate for new buildings
It would be the first such requirement in the U.S.
Codes and Standards | Jan 25, 2017
Standard baseline for measuring building efficiency needed
EUI could push sustainability through market-driven approach.
Codes and Standards | Jan 23, 2017
Workers, local officials rally for new construction safety law in New York City
The new law would require those who work on 10-story-plus buildings to go through an apprenticeship program.
Codes and Standards | Jan 23, 2017
Prominent Atlanta construction executive faces charges in $1 million bribery scheme
The company has worked on some major projects, including Hartsfield Airport.
Codes and Standards | Jan 20, 2017
New resource lists green incentives by state
USGBC's new Public Policy Library includes tax and energy benchmarking policies.