Atlanta – Coming to Grips with Growth: The Evolving Health Connection
Accounting for Health in Planning PolicyDesign for Health, University of Minnesota
April 30, 2007
Jim Durrett, Executive DirectorLivable Communities Coalition
www.LivableCommunitiesCoalition.org
Atlanta Atlanta Region Land Region Land
CoverCover
’’72-’9372-’93
• Emory University, Georgia Tech, CDC, others
• Started 2003, meets monthly
• Outcomes: HIA activity; Dannenberg (CDC) and Ross (Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development) collaboration
• Report (with ARC): The Role of Local Boards of Health in Community Design and Development
• Working with ARC to identify opportunities to integrate health into regional planning– Developing strategy with ARC to incorporate health-
related measures into LCI program (physical activity, obesity risk, emissions, pedestrian/vehicle safety)
Identify a set of key growth strategies to successfully accommodate the next 2.3M people to be added by 2030
Recommend the policies and actions necessary to achieve these key strategies
Marshal business, public and political support for implementation
Public-Private Task Force convened 2003 to:
Metro Atlanta Quality Growth Task Force
Benchmarking the Atlanta Region
Atlanta
Los Angeles*
San Francisco
Washington D.C.
Dallas
Houston
Boston
San Jose
Nashville
0
25
50
75
1982 1992 2002
Annual hours of delay per capita
Average: 0.29
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York
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ago
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phia
Det
roit
Den
ver
Port
land,
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ix
Mia
mi
Los
Angel
es
San
Fr
anci
sco0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
Median lot size (acres) within MSA
Benchmarking the Atlanta Region
Median lot size (acres) within Region
Los An
geles
San
Fran
cisco
New Y
ork
Miam
i
Chica
go
Phoe
nix
Was
hing
ton-
Balti
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roit
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tle
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aul
11.0
9.6
8.3
6.96.1
5.75.1 4.8 4.6 4.6 4.5 4.4
3.63.1 2.8
0
3
5
8
10
13
Population density ofurbanized area* (people/acre)
Top 15 Metropolitan Area
Benchmarking the Atlanta Region
Population density of urbanized area (people/acre)
National Demographic Changes
2006 – 2012
Persons Turning 65
Region’s Demographic Changes
65+ 55-65
35-54
20-34
Under 20
2000 2030
3.7M
6.0M
0
2
4
6M % Change
43%
43%
37%
136%
241%
Household Demographic Changes
2000 Agingpopulation
Smallerhouseholds
2030
0.8M
0.8M
0.3M 1.9M
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0M
No. of people preferring higher density housing in centers and corridorsNumber of people preferring higher density, mixed use housing, some of which could be in centers/corridors
Regional Household Demand
Different Land Use, Same Transportation Network
Today Status Quo Alternative
36
44
33
0
10
20
30
40
50
Duration of Delay (Minutes/Household)
We can accommodate population growth and reduce the time spent in traffic delay
• The region’s centers and corridors make up less than 10% of the region’s land area
• Portions are ripe for higher density, mixed-use development and redevelopment
We can accommodate population growth and reduce the time spent in traffic delay
Status Quo
AcresSaved
Alternative
439
-107332
0
100
200
300
400
500K
Acres ofLand Consumed
• Preservation of land
• More efficient use of infrastructure investments
• Preserves more options for both growth and greenspace beyond 2030
Benefits
This land use approach can also save 107,000 acres of land
A Diverse Network of Leaders:
• A strong, diverse Board of Trustees• 39 member organizations• Advisory Committee
– Project Implementation Subcommittee– Policy Subcommittee– Communication/Education
Subcommittee
Livable Communities CoalitionLivable Communities Coalition
• AARP Georgia• AIA Atlanta• Alliance for Quality Growth• ASLA Georgia• Association County Commissioners of
Georgia• Atlanta Apartment Association• Atlanta Board of Realtors• Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors• Atlanta Neighborhood Development
Partnership• Atlanta Regional Council for Higher
Education• Atlanta Regional Health Forum• Center for Quality Growth and Regional
Development• Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance• Citizens for Progressive Transit• Clean Air Campaign• Congress for the New Urbanism• Council for Quality Growth
• Cumberland CID• Fanning Institute• Georgia Affordable Housing
Coalition• Georgia Apartment Association• Georgia Concrete & Products
Association• Georgia Conservancy• Georgia Municipal Association• Georgia Planning Association• Georgia State Trade Association of
Nonprofit Developers• Greater Atlanta Home Builders
Association• MARTA• Metro Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce• Park Pride• PEDS• Perimeter CIDs• Regional Atlanta Civic League• Regional Business Coalition• Sierra Club• Southface• Trees Atlanta• Trust for Public Land• Urban Land Institute
A Mission Based on Four Principles:
1. Support greater densities and mixed-use development in appropriate areas
2. Integrate transportation and land use
3. Increase housing choice
4. Guide “greenfield” development
Livable Communities CoalitionLivable Communities Coalition
Working for quality growth in 3 Ways:
1. Engage communities to implement quality growth projects
2. Support public policy for quality growth
3. Educate the public on quality growth (LivableCommunitiesCoalition.org)
Livable Communities CoalitionLivable Communities Coalition
Meeting the Market: New Opportunities for Building Healthy
Communitiesfeaturing
- New Data for a New Era -
Paulding
Carroll
Lamar
Butts
DeKalb
Clayton
Barrow
Forsyth
Dawson
Haralson
Heard
Douglas Fulton
Bartow Cherokee
Cobb
Coweta
Fayette
Gwinnett
Henry
Jasper
Meriwether
Newton
Pickens
Pike
Rockdale
Spalding
Walton
Project completed or in final stages
Project underway or in planning
$10 million over 10 years for studies
$500 million for transportation funding
79 Studies 67 funded by ARC
12 grandfathered
$6,307,250 in study funding
$1,047,900 in supplemental funding
$107,666,806 in transportation funding
$115,021,956 in total funding
• Mix of land usesMix of land uses
• Multiple transportation modesMultiple transportation modes
• Public InvolvementPublic Involvement
Town Centers – Activity Centers – CorridorsTown Centers – Activity Centers – Corridors
Completed LCI Studies by County
Atlanta – 13
Cherokee – 4
Clayton – 5
Cobb – 11
DeKalb – 15
Douglas – 1
Fayette - 2
Fulton – 10
Gwinnett – 11
Henry – 2
Rockdale – 1
Outside – 4
Total – 79
Clarkston, GA - The city measures just 1.1 square miles. Yet there’s a big vision in place that will soon transform this former railroad town into a model of walkable urban living.
Last night, Clarkston City Council unanimously passed a sweeping new zoning ordinance that sets the stage to remake its downtown into an inviting town center, while retaining the city’s intimate small town character. “We realized the old zoning wasn’t working,” admits Mayor Lee Swaney. “With active community participation, we now have a zoning plan that will connect the pieces and enhance what we have. People want to walk to offices, shops and parks. For the first time in our history, the new zoning strongly encourages it,” Swaney says.
Press Release April 24, 2007Clarkston Passes New City-wide Zoning:Sounds the Call for Quality Development
Suwanee
Woodstock
PROJECT STATUS REPORT
Sandy Springs Pedestrian Improvements
A Comprehensive Standard for Green Residential DevelopmentMike AlexanderJackie BensonCyrus BhedwarBrian BordenWalter BrownTed BrownChristopher BurkeJim ChapmanHarold CunliffeLaurel DavidJim DurrettBruce FergusonJohn FishHaley FlemingLaurie FowlerArthur GibertMike GuinanBryan HagerTal HarberHarry HousenAndy HullShannon KetteringSusan KiddWayne KingJonathan LewisBill LincicomeCharles McMillanDee MerriamPaul MorganLiza MuellerSteve NygrenKatherine PringleJeff RaderRobert ReedDan ReuterPam SessionsErling SpeerRon SprinkleSusan VarlamoffRandy VinsonAlycen WhiddenOrtrude White
Performance Categories
• Site Selection• Water Management• Planning and Design• Preservation Landscape• Community Engagement• Green Building
www.Southface.org
Certification Process
• Submit an initial application that includes the information detailed and requested specifically in the text of each guideline
• Undertake a pre-development site review with the EarthCraft staff
• Receive designation as a “Certified EarthCraft Community”
• Submit additional documentation as the site design is developed and construction is commenced
• Annual renewal of Certification through site inspections, periodic reviews and an annual charrette with EarthCraft staff and community development team
Certified Communities
• Clark’s Grove, Covington, GA• Glenwood Park, Atlanta, GA• Long Leaf at Callaway, Pine Mountain, GA• Serenbe, Fulton County, GA• Vickery, Forsyth County, GA• Lakewood, Athens, GA• Barbour Pointe, Savannah, GA• Sustainable Fellwood, Savannah, GA• Kanawha, Fort Mill, SC
Local Government Adoption
• Coweta County, GA, Zoning Ordinance– EarthCraft House – 10% density bonus– EarthCraft House, 4-side brick – 15%– EarthCraft Community – 20% bonus
Current Landscape Traditional Practices
Balanced Development
Village•Concentrates development and preserves the surrounding landscape•Benefits of this type of clustered, high-density development: lower development cost, lower service costs, less land consumption, more walkable•In order for Villages zoning to work, Transfer of Development Rights must be used
Hamlet
•Small version of a village•Allows mixed-use and dense development with residential, office, retail and commercial uses
•40% maximum developable area
•60% minimum open space requirement
Conservation Subdivisions
•Preserves a significant portion of the land as open space while maintaining the same density of houses by clustering homes.•Sets aside conservation areas before selecting roads and house sites
Summary of ProgressLand Use Plan Amended and
Overlay District Adopted (Oct 2002)
VillageHamletConservation Subdivision
State TDR Legislation Amended (April 2003)
County TDR Resolution Adopted (March 2003)
Area Wide Standards Amended (May 2005)
Lessons Learned• Get Everyone Involved in the Planning Process
Early, Including Developers
Lessons Learned• Expect the Planning Process to Take Twice as
Long as You Think it Should.
Concept Adoption
Lessons Learned• Don’t Assume Existing Ordinances are
Consistent with the Revised Land Use Plan
– CHC Changes-• Overlay District Regulations Adopted• TDR Legislation Changed• Area Wide Standards Created• Overlay District Regulations Amended
• Walkable, high-density (18,000 in 4.2 sq. mi.), mature town, urban core of Atlanta region, “Active Living Community”
• Community transportation planning underway– Health Impact Assessment integrated into process– Community Workshop TODAY to identify/prioritize health
impacts, ID affected groups, identify/prioritize recommendations– Mobility concepts: pedestrian recommendations; bicycle
recommendations; street typologies– Intersection concepts: intersection redesigns– Safety concepts: traffic calming; railroad quiet zone
- 49 -
ATLANTA BELTLINE, INC.
Atlanta BeltLine, Inc – March 19, 2007
25-YEAR BELTLINE OVERVIEW
• Covers 6,500 acres or 8% of City’s land area
• Nearly 1,300 acres of new greenspace
• 33 miles of trails
• 22-miles of transit
• ~30,000 new jobs in 20 economic development areas
• 5,600+ affordable workforce housing units
• Touches and connects 45 neighborhoods
• Investments in transportation / pedestrian access and streetscapes, public art, historic preservation and environmental clean-up
Key attributes of the BeltLine
Ponce / Old4th Ward
Inman Park / Hulsey Yard
Midtown / Virginia
Highlands
Ansley
Armour yard
Lindbergh
Peachtree
UpperMarietta / Westside
Park
RDA / Cascade
West End / McDaniel Glenn
MurphyTriangle
University /Metropolitan
Lowery /Hollowell
Simpson /Maddox Park
University /Pryor
BoulevardCrossing
Memorial Drive / Glenwood
Northside
Oakland City
North AvePark
Boulevard Crossing Park
IntrenchmentWoods Park
MurphyCrossing Park
Hillside Park
Maddox Park
WestsidePark
WaterworksPark
Ansley Sq.
North Woods Park
Field ofDreamsPark
Glenwood W.Park
Southside H.S. Park
DL StantonPark
Lawton StPark
Enota Park
UpperWest Side
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
10
1
Colonial Park
TallulahPark
Peachtree Ck Park
8
ORMEWOODPARK
BEDFORD PINE PONCEYHIGHLANDS
ATKINS PARK
CANDLERPARK
EDGEWOOD
REYNOLDSTOWN
CABBAGETOWN
GRANTPARK
INMANPARK
ST. CHARLESMIDTOWN
MORNINGSIDE-LENOX PARK
SHERWOODFOREST
BROOKWOOD
BROOKWOODHILLS
PIEDMONT HEIGHTS
LINDRIDGE MARTIN MANOR
VIRGINIAHIGHLAND
ANSLEY PARK
SUMMERHILL
PEOPLES-TOWN
VILLAGESAT CARVER
HIGH POINTCAPITAL
VIEWMANOR
CAPITALVIEW
SOUTHATLANTA
JOYLAND
AMAL HEIGHTS
MURPHYCROSSING
ADAIRPARK
MCDANIELGLENN
MECHANICSVILLE
PITTSBURGH
CHOSEWOODPARK
BOULEVARDHEIGHTS
ENGLEWOODMANOR
BENTEEN
CUSTER /MCDONOUGH
OAKLANDCITY
VENETIAN HILLS
CASCADE ROAD
WESTVIEW WESTEND
MOZLEYPARK
ATLANTA UNIV.
HUNTER HILLS
WEST LAKE
GROVE PARK
BANKHEAD
WASHINGTONPARK
ENGLISH AVENUE
VINECITY
BLANDTOWN
KNIGHT PARKHOWELL STATION
ROCKDALE
BERKELEYPARK
CHANNING VALLEY
COLLIERHILLS
WILDWOOD
SPRING LAKE
LORINGHEIGHTS
HOME PARK
UNDERWOOD HILLS
Ponce / Old4th Ward
Inman Park / Hulsey Yard
Midtown / Virginia
Highlands
Ansley
Armour yard
Lindbergh
Peachtree
UpperMarietta / Westside
Park
RDA / Cascade
West End / McDaniel Glenn
MurphyTriangle
University /Metropolitan
Lowery /Hollowell
Simpson /Maddox Park
University /Pryor
BoulevardCrossing
Memorial Drive / Glenwood
Northside
Oakland City
North AvePark
North AvePark
Boulevard Crossing Park
IntrenchmentWoods Park
MurphyCrossing Park
Hillside Park
Maddox ParkMaddox Park
WestsidePark
WestsidePark
WaterworksPark
Ansley Sq.
North Woods Park
Field ofDreamsPark
Glenwood W.Park
Southside H.S. Park
DL StantonPark
Lawton StPark
Enota Park
UpperWest Side
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
10
1
Colonial Park
TallulahPark
Peachtree Ck Park
8
ORMEWOODPARK
BEDFORD PINE PONCEYHIGHLANDS
ATKINS PARK
CANDLERPARK
EDGEWOOD
REYNOLDSTOWN
CABBAGETOWN
GRANTPARK
INMANPARK
ST. CHARLESMIDTOWN
MORNINGSIDE-LENOX PARK
SHERWOODFOREST
BROOKWOOD
BROOKWOODHILLS
PIEDMONT HEIGHTS
LINDRIDGE MARTIN MANOR
VIRGINIAHIGHLAND
ANSLEY PARK
SUMMERHILL
PEOPLES-TOWN
VILLAGESAT CARVER
HIGH POINTCAPITAL
VIEWMANOR
CAPITALVIEW
SOUTHATLANTA
JOYLAND
AMAL HEIGHTS
MURPHYCROSSING
ADAIRPARK
MCDANIELGLENN
MECHANICSVILLE
PITTSBURGH
CHOSEWOODPARK
BOULEVARDHEIGHTS
ENGLEWOODMANOR
BENTEEN
CUSTER /MCDONOUGH
OAKLANDCITY
VENETIAN HILLS
CASCADE ROAD
WESTVIEW WESTEND
MOZLEYPARK
ATLANTA UNIV.
HUNTER HILLS
WEST LAKE
GROVE PARK
BANKHEAD
WASHINGTONPARK
ENGLISH AVENUE
VINECITY
BLANDTOWN
KNIGHT PARKHOWELL STATION
KNIGHT PARKHOWELL STATION
ROCKDALE
BERKELEYPARK
CHANNING VALLEY
COLLIERHILLS
WILDWOOD
SPRING LAKE
LORINGHEIGHTS
HOME PARK
UNDERWOOD HILLS
PROTECTED LANDS INVENTORY & REGIONAL PRIORITY MAPPING
REGIONAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING
PROTECTED LANDS INVENTORY & REGIONAL PRIORITY MAPPING
Recent History – Defining Needed Resources
• March 2004 Greenspace Stakeholders Meeting
• May 2004 Greenspace Symposium
• Dec 2004 Greenspace Stakeholders Meeting
• Feb 2005 Data and Technical Committee
• Sept 2005 Begin Primary Tasks
• Nov 2006 Release of key resources
PROTECTED LANDS INVENTORY & REGIONAL PRIORITY MAPPING
PROTECTED LANDS INVENTORY & REGIONAL PRIORITY MAPPING
PROTECTED LANDS INVENTORY & REGIONAL PRIORITY MAPPING
PROTECTED LANDS INVENTORY & REGIONAL PRIORITY MAPPING
PROTECTED LANDS INVENTORY & REGIONAL PRIORITY MAPPING
Resource – Green Infrastructure Toolkit
• Provide a better understanding of the necessity of greenspace and its associated benefits
• Outline a common language with which to discuss greenspace acquisition and preservation
• Suggest the steps necessary to create a local greenspace strategy
Best Practice?
• Monthly “Planners Breakfast”– MPO, local government planners, ULI, CIDs,
MARTA, Coalition, others– No agenda, open discussion of policies and
activities, idea generation
• ARC’s Envision6– Land use / transportation linkage
Atlanta – Coming to Grips with Growth: The Evolving Health Connection
Accounting for Health in Planning PolicyDesign for Health, University of Minnesota
April 30, 2007
Jim Durrett, Executive DirectorLivable Communities Coalition
www.LivableCommunitiesCoalition.org