Atlanta has historically been known as the poster child for sprawl, but local policy makers, developers, and even the Urban Land Istitute think that is changing to Atlanta becoming the poster child for smart growth. “The only reason we’re the poster child of sprawl is that we grew faster than other cities when sprawl was the preferred developmental pattern across the country. But I also think Atlanta has done pretty well in an environment where there aren’t a lot of barriers to sprawl development,” said Stephen Arms, owner of Marthasville Development LLC in Alpharetta in a recent article in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Smart-growth development — both urban and suburban — is seen today in many locales. “Look at the projects in Duluth or Lawrenceville, or downtown Woodstock or Cobb County,” Terry Russell, CEO of John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods Inc. and a ULI volunteer said. “For cities, the smart thing to do is to figure out how to manage growth and make sure [what's built] is of very high quality. It’s not just to ignore the growth or to dig in your heels, but to manage it well.”
Metro Atlanta doesn’t lack major challenges…a big one lies in gaining public acceptance for denser growth in areas with existing infrastructure. This is the polar opposite of the decades-long practice of building communities ever farther from the urban core, necessitating the construction of water and sewer lines, streets and other costly new infrastructure.
“When you look at the problems facing Atlanta — air quality, water quality and traffic — the real challenge is the attitude toward change,” he said. “People just see red when it comes to higher-density development, even though it may take cars off the street, use less land, improve the local tax base, and give mixed-use and housing options to residents. It can save taxpayers money.”
Stephen Arms, who chairs the chapter’s smart growth committee, believes Atlanta is ready to relinquish the title of poster child of sprawl. “I think we can pass the baton off to another city — maybe Phoenix,” he said.
ULI is doing the right things to make a positive difference with our growth management problems. The chapter recently brought together the mayors of East Point, McDonough, Roswell and Canton to discuss managing growth while strengthening the sense of community, goals metro area cities have latched onto as growth has washed over them.
“It’s part of a series of programs to encourage regional cooperation,” Jeff DuFresne said. “Cities share a lot of common problems.”
I am curious to see what Mayor Cecil Pruett of Canton will do with all the pending developments in Canton to further establish Metro Atlanta as a poster child for Smart Growth?
