Regional Planning Issues
Council for Quality Growth Serves as Co-host for ACEC Georgia’s P3 Summit on May 14th
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia, or ACEC Georgia will hold their annual P3 summit on May 14th at the Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart. The program will begin at 8:00am and last most of the day. The conference will focus on P3 legislation with regard to projects in the state of Georgia. Speakers include the following: Senator Brandon Beach Senator Hunter Hill Jeff Lewis, Georgia DOT Board Member Tim Lowe, Chairman of World Congress Center Authority Chris Tomlinson, Executive Director of State Road and Toll...
read moreCouncil for Quality Growth Raises Concern with Proposed Cheshire Bridge Ordinance
Council to Speak in Opposition Tonight, May 9 at Zoning Review Board Hearing Two ordinances, 12-O-1599 and 12-O-1600, introduced by Atlanta City Councilman Wan, will be heard by the Zoning Review Board at tonight’s meeting and the full Atlanta City Council on June 3. The ordinances, if approved, would sunset all non-conforming businesses along two parts of Cheshire Bridge Road, zoned to the Neighborhood Commercial Districts NC 4 and NC 5. This issue raises serious property rights concerns. Existing grandfathered...
read moreCouncil for Quality Growth Co-hosts Cumming-Forsyth County State of the Community; A Great Success!
Pictured Above: Mayor H. Ford Gravitt of Cumming, R.J. Pete Amos, Chairman, Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, Mason Zimmerman, Chairman, Council for Quality Growth, Darla Light, Chairwoman, Forsyth County Board of Education, Michael Paris, President and CEO, Council for Quality Growth, and James McCoy, President and CEO, Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce. At the annual State of the Community Luncheon employment and population growth, new school openings, and improvements in public safety were just a few of the...
read moreGeorgia Planning Association Hosts Successful Spring Conference
The Council for Quality Growth was proud to be a sponsor of the Spring GPA Conference, which saw an attendance of 175 + people and Session presentations by Council Members Seth Weissman of Weissman, Nowack, Curry and Wilco, P.C. and Adam Williamson of TSW. Conference attendees were updated on sustainability policies, new EPD regulations, consultant management, Airport Areas Development and Redevelopment and other topics relevant to the planning and development industry. The Council would like to thank GPA President Laura Keyes for her time...
read moreGeorgia World Congress Center Authority Approves Architecture Firm for New Falcons Stadium
On Tuesday, the GWCC agreed to a $35 million deal with Kansas City based architecture firm 360 Architecture to design the recently approved Atlanta Falcons stadium. While the design is in the early stages, a video that shows the possible features of the new stadium can be viewed...
read moreCouncil for Quality Growth Raises Concerns with Proposed City of Atlanta Cheshire Bridge Ordinance
Two ordinances, 12-O-1599 and 12-O-1600, introduced by Atlanta City Councilman Wan, will be heard by the Zoning Review Board at its May 9, 2013 meeting and the full Atlanta City Council on June 3. The ordinances, if approved, would sunset all non-conforming businesses along two parts of Cheshire Bridge Road, zoned to the Neighborhood Commercial Districts NC 4 and NC 5. This issue raises serious property rights concerns. Existing grandfathered businesses would have two years to adhere to the zoning requirements. If they cannot,...
read moreCouncil for Quality Growth Executive Committee Member and ARC Chairman Tad Leithead Presents: “It Takes a Region” to CREW
Last Thursday, at the Commercial Real Estate Women’s April lunch, ARC Chairman was the featured speaker and gave a rousing presentation on the changing demographics and economics of the Metro Region. While highlighting the future plans of ARC, Leithead warned attendees that we must continue to move forward and address the region’s transportation and land use issues. Atlanta, although one of the fastest growing regions , is facing a future crisis in the region, if we cannot solve our three major issues: Water, Transportation...
read moreCommon Sense Economic Development vs. Byzantine Environmental Regulations
Last week, Council for Quality Growth President & CEO Michael Paris presented in the AJC Op-Ed Section, a balanced perspective on protecting and respecting the environment and the states vital infrastructure and transportation needs. This is in response to a single Indiana Bat disrupting over $450 in infrastructure in Georgia. To read the editorial Click HERE To read contrasting editorials to the Council for Quality Growth by Cindy Dohner, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Glenn Bowman, administrator of Environmental Services...
read moreFinally Some Good News for Homebuilders: The Slow Climb Back
Georgia homebuilders pay attention: the good news is slowly but surely coming for the metro Atlanta region based on recent upticks in residential permits nationwide, especially in areas such as Phoenix, Chicago and Minneapolis. We are seeing some of the highest homebuilding rates since October 2008 nationwide with the pace rising steadily since late 2011. Nationwide, residential permits have seen a 27% increase over the last year; however, we have the fewest number of new homes available for sale in theUnited States, since 1963. CLICK...
read moreDCA Planning Rules Task Force Update
The Planning Rules Task Force met on February 21st to continue discussions on a revamp of local planning rules. At this meeting, Task Force members discussed a draft of the planning rules. The main topic of discussion was to decide the thresholds for determining which areas of the state would be considered metropolitan areas and which would not. Metropolitan areas will have additional requirements including transportation plans, a land use element and a capital improvements element. Options that were discussed include tying the...
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