CNU Atlanta Monthly Meet-Up

For anyone interested in the true root cause of SnowJam 2014 and potential solutions, this month's CNU Atlanta monthly meet-up will be quite informarive.  The theme is "The Day We Lost Atlanta and Answers for Tomorrow."  Rebecca Burns will be discussing her widely circulated Politico article, The Day We Lost Atlanta, How 2 lousy inches of snow paralyzed a metro area of 6 million.  We will also have Charlie Harper, exectuive director of PolicyBEST and editor of Peach Pundit to talk about advancing the transportation discussion in a post-TSPLOST world.  

Event Details

• What: CNU Atlanta T3 - Urban Talk Featuring Rebecca Burns & Charlie Harper
• When: Thursday February 20th, 2014; 530pm - 730pm
• Where: Steel Restaurant, 950 West Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta

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image: CNU Atlanta

Be Afraid.. Be Very Afraid

The witching month is upon us and some local ghouls, pundits and politicians would have you believe that one of the most terrifying moments in Roswell’s history is looming.  They will have you believe the Unified Development Code (UDC) will cast a shadow of doom over our great city that will be wrought by our current crooked city council and their greedy developer cronies.  These oracles will try to convince you, the naive and credulous, that this new code will usher in smothering density, rampant apartments, skyrocketing crime, soaring infrastructure costs, high-rise buildings, dysfunctional schools, choking traffic and the most ghastly of all...  URBANISM!!!

The UDC does allow for increased density and apartments in certain areas.  Will it be smothering? Is Vickery Village in Cumming a smothering Place?  Are the Providence Townhomes on Canton St smothering?  How about the Bricks and Founders Mill?  What about Liberty Lofts?  I guess they’re right.  Density is unbearable.

Some local examples of Unbearable Density. Clockwise from top left; The Bricks, Founders Mill, Vickery Village, Providence

What about the apartments?  Our current apartment complexes are unmitigated disasters.   Most were not well designed, poorly maintained and thoughtlessly located.  They segregated residents by class and effectively created billboards of indigence.  Lessons have been learned, just take a look at the Canton City Walk plans.  We need new, well-designed apartments like these.

The latest renderings of Canton City Walk illustrate the power of a quality architectural scheme coupled with walkability.

Will we see skyrocketing crime? I have faith in the men and women in law enforcement here in Roswell and the laws we have in place to prevent criminal activity.  It’s just not going to happen.

Infrastructure Costs will soar. Hmm.. Developers pay a lot of infrastructure costs up front and a tighter development pattern reduces infrastructure maintenance costs.  The alternative is to continue a sprawl pattern of development which has proven to cost more to maintain in the long run.  

Evaluation of Urban Residential vs Suburban Residential development in Sarasota, FL. image: Urban3

They’re bringing high-rises.  It’s the ghost of Charlie Brown.  Seriously folks, we have to move on.  The parcel of land at 400 and Holcomb Bridge is too valuable not to redevelop.  The UDC will permit buildings up to 8 stories in that area.  Additionally, it will likely be a future MARTA station.  It’s coming.  Get over it.  It’s only 8 stories.  The next most towering height permitted is 6 stories at Hwy 140 & 9.  There are 6 story buildings all over North Fulton.  Several other areas permit a lofty 4 stories and the rest of the map allows up to 3 stories.  (Correction: 6 stories are permitted in most of the industrial areas North of Mansell along the hwy 9 corridor and east into the industrial areas.  I did not clarify that in the published column.)

Roswell East (aka Charlie Brown) is a little too intense for Roswell. The UDC isn't dictating that this type of development be built anywhere.

Density will destroy our schools.  Huh?  Transiency, poverty and social disorder kill schools not people.  If we build a place where responsible people want to live, regardless of whether they are renters or owners, we won’t have a school problem.  

We will Choke on Traffic.  Our Transportation Master Plan that was approved in September helps address these issues but I challenge anyone out there to name any thriving city that does not have traffic?  Cities and towns without traffic problems are dying cities and towns.  Detroit’s done a fantastic job solving its traffic problem.  

They’re mandating URBANISM!!! - Let’s set this straight.  Urbanism is a design philosophy covering the spectrum from low density to very high density.  Urbanism does not mandate Manhattan but it allows it, just as it allows single family residential. Urbanism promotes connectivity, proximity, mixed-use, walkability, bikeability, incremental change and value creation through effective and thoughtful land use.  

The transect outlines development patterns from Rural to Urban. New Urbanism does not mandate high density.

Canton Street, the Mill Village, Milton Crabapple, Historic Norcross and Marietta Square are all examples of good URBANISM.  So is Seaside which is the only place I can think of that consistently and genuinely has the idyllic “white picket fence” that seems to define the “small-town feel.”  So, how is it that the world’s preeminent model of ‘urbanism’ provides exactly the idyllic, small-town feel that these public agitators preach will be destroyed by said ‘urbanism’? Go sell your Revelations somewhere else preacher men because I’m not buying it.  (30-A stickers anyone?)

The process has been rushed!  I disagree.  Our 2030 Comp Plan was adopted in Oct. 2011.  Amongst other things, it aims to revitalize declining areas, add additional housing options and update existing codes to attract high-quality projects.  Our current codes could not easily accomplish this task and in May 2012 the city brought in Code Studio to assist with the mammoth effort of updating and simplifying them.  A stakeholder committee was formed and has worked diligently over the past 16 months to get to this point. There have been over 40 meetings since the process began and all of them have been open to the public. The process has been well documented and open to the public.

All legislation should have a clear purpose.  The purpose of the UDC is to aid the city in implementing the 2030 Comp Plan and its Strategic Economic Development Plan.  Those that proselytize against the UDC have no plan, they just don’t like this one.  Some of their concerns have some merit but to spout off every worst case scenario to sack legislation is immature and disingenuous.  The bottom line is that Roswell has a plan that was created through a very open process with SIGNIFICANT and UNPRECEDENTED community input and the UDC helps implement that plan.

The kicker is that almost everything the UDC allows could be done today but it would take a lot more effort between the city and developers, builders & property owners thereby wasting taxpayer money and sending a discouraging signal to anyone wanting to do business in Roswell.  The UDC will help Roswell execute on its vision by reducing red tape, clarifying the vision and enabling the private sector to more efficiently and effectively put capital to work.

The Devil’s Advocate likes to say the Devil is in the Details.. I say the Devil is in Delay... NO ONE IS EVER GOING TO AGREE WITH EVERYTHING IN THIS DOCUMENT.

Let your mayor and council know that you support the UDC by sending them an email at  RoswellMayorandCouncil@roswellgov.com

Stacked Flats Coming to Roswell

This is a cross-post from my monthly column, Community Design Matters, in The Current.

You can call the project whatever you want; apartments, stacked flats, too dense, gentrification, revitalization, progress, catalytic.  But, no matter where you stand, it increasingly looks like we will soon see the first major redevelopment in Roswell’s historic district under the new Groveway code.  Lennar Multifamily is planning on dropping $43 million+ into the parcel of land where the Frazier Street Apartments currently sit and the Roswell City Council allowed Lennar to take a major step forward last month when it approved the site plan by a 5-1 vote.  It should come as no surprise to readers that I am a proponent of this project.  I actually purchased a home in April that quite literally backs up to this project, not in small part due to my strong convictions about the project’s value to the surrounding community.

That said, there have been no shortage of arguments made as to why this is a bad idea.  These tend to center around six main themes; Density, Mix of Uses, Cars, Schools and Displacement.  If you were able to attend the May 13th City Council meeting you would have seen Chris Cassidy, Regional VP, Lennar Multifamily, address these concerns with the council and audience.  Here’s a recap with color. As far as density is concerned, this project will be 32 units per acre (320 units on 10 acres) which is an increase from the roughly 16 units per acre currently.  Given the cost of the property and need for profitability, this is the optimum amount that Lennar believes is suitable.  Additionally, people living in close proximity to amenities is what creates truly walkable places.  

Another big concern was that it did not adhere to the Groveway code because it was not mixed-use.  First, there are many varieties of mixed-use from vertical to horizontal.  Second, not every building or parcel in our historic district needs to be mixed use and the code does not require that.  All mixed-use all the time is a nice vision but realistically, it doesn’t always work.  Putting space for retail on the ground floor doesn’t magically bring a business to fill it. Ideally, these apartments will provide patrons for what should eventually be a vertical mixed use parcel right next-door where the Value Village and Southern Skillet strip mall currently sits.  These apartments will be the spark needed to finally get that parcel redeveloped.  

Probably the single biggest concern centered around the car.  Yes Roswell, we are preoccupied with our cars, but not just our own cars.  We are preoccupied with everyone else’s cars and what they do with them.

The evil twins of Traffic and Parking came up numerous times and were addressed well by Mr. Cassidy.  On parking, Lennar feels that the number of spaces they are requesting (a variance, as they are requesting fewer spaces than our minimum parking reqs. require) is appropriate given the usage in other similar properties.  They have found that they require approximately .9 spaces per room in similar projects.  This means that the 420-445 that they are considering would be appropriate and they will tweak the # of spaces to meet the number they feel is appropriate.  Big concerns were raised by councilman Igleheart as well as others in the audience that this would not be enough and the “what if’s” were flying.  But, you must remember that apartments are rarely 100% leased, people vacation, take business trips, work at different times and some don’t even have cars (some).  The point is that you don’t build the church for Easter Sunday and we shouldn’t build our parking lots with excess capacity.  It’s a waste of space and money.

It’s as simple as this.  Lennar and Mr. Cassidy understand apartment parking needs far more than an ordinary citizen going off their gut feelings.  If Lennar isn’t interested in doing more projects in Roswell, it would be shocking considering they are putting such a sizable investment into the heart of our city.  Gambling on parking requirements and upsetting the city seems like a losing deal for them.  Additionally, we want walkability in this area.  NOTHING kills walkability more than the blank expanses of surface parking lots.  Mr. Cassidy referred several times in his presentation to the Highlands of West Village project in Smyrna as being a good comparison for what they are looking to construct here.  The parking allotment there is roughly the same as what they are looking to do here without any significant issues.
The car dominated another discussion which was about what cars do when they aren’t parked.  Arguments were raised that the traffic counts would be unbearable and that we would grind to a halt in that part of town.  The city’s traffic studies suggest otherwise (these are the same people that were crazy enough to suggest that the round-a-bout would not be a total disaster).  Lennar had the most conservative analysis possible done.  They did not remove the Frazier St Apartments traffic from the count and added the estimated traffic from their project on top of that.  The models showed increased traffic but not significant enough congestion to warrant concern from DOT. 

The concerns raised about the impact to schools would normally apply.  The only problem is that the demographic that Lennar is targeting generally won’t have kids or won’t have them living with them.  Thus, Fulton county’s estimates of 168 to 265 students borders on absurdity.  The true number will be much lower than that and comparable properties say that the number may even be in the single digits but it is more likely between 10 and 20.  That does not account for the displacement of the school age kids that are currently living there which could end up with an overall reduction to Roswell North, Crabapple Middle and Roswell High.

Another concern raised, which I agree with, is that the current conceptual name is not appropriate.  Canton City Walk tries to play on the success of Canton Street and the fact that the target demographic will desire walkability.  However, it just doesn’t sit well with most people who hear it.  That said, the name is conceptual and will be reviewed by Lennar.  I have even heard that they may be open to suggestions.

Finally, there were some folks in the audience who were appropriately concerned with the designs.  The initial concept was exactly that, a concept.  Lennar has worked extensively with our city staff and their team of architects and advisors to put together a project with a design that will reflect some of the history and vernacular of Historic Roswell while also incorporating a new feel.  Mr. Cassidy stated that the designs had “significantly changed” since they were initially released.  Having seen them, I can agree.  The new designs should go before the Historic Preservation Commission for final approval on July 17. 

It is exciting to see a project that increases walkability, brings unique residences and cleans up the heart of our city coming to us in the near future.  if all goes well, we could see construction begin toward the end of this year and we might have some new neighbors sometime next year.  Once that happens, the true power of proximity and walkability will start to be realized in our historic district.

Who Is Speaking for the Trees?

I feel like the Lorax here but I thought the language of HB 501 being voted on tomorrow in our state legislature was interesting enough to share...

To amend Article 1 of Chapter 6 of Title 32 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding the maintenance of public roads, so as to require the Department of Transportation to remove all trees in the public right of way that are capable of falling on an interstate or limited-access highway; to provide for the department to designate the removal of trees by a third party after a competitive bidding process; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Link to Legislation

I could not find anything that told me whether this was:

1. Cost Effective? - How much would cutting every tree that meets this definition cost?  How many are there?  How long would this take?
2. Necessary? - How many crashes, injuries, deaths per year are caused by a tree falling on a road?  I'm sure there are some and don't want to sound insensitive to those people who have lost loved ones to an unfortunate accident of this nature but I'm just not convinced that there isn't lower hanging fruit out there.
3. A Legitimate Safety Concern? - It sounds to me like a way around the Supreme Court case regarding trees covering billboard views.  The last sentence in the bill "All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed." made me think that might be the case.

You can send an email to your legislature through this link if you are opposed to a wholesale cutting of all trees meeting this definition.  Here's the link.

http://protectgeorgia.net/editalert-ckbox.asp?aaid=6990

Update on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 11:00AM by Michael D Hadden

Update:  This bill died in committee on 3/8.  Lorax 1 - Georgia House 0

http://saportareport.com/blog/2013/03/house-bill-to-cut-trees-along-state-highways-dies-in-committee/

Out with the Old.. In with the New

In yesterday's NUR Update, I mentioned that there is a vote this week on whether a demolition request will be approved for the old red building that sits vacant at 647 Atlanta Street and the old shed structure that sits behind it on Maple Street.  This is the first step toward realization of an incredible vision that was proposed by Andres Duany in the Historic Gateway Master Plan.  Please take the time to contact the Historic Preservation Commission if you are in favor of approval of this demolition and consider attending the meeting on Wednesday at 6pm at City Hall.  We need all the help we can get in order.  

Local resident and world renowned architect, designer and town planner, Lew Oliver, issued a call to action to ensure those who are in favor of progress are heard.  Read Lew's Letter.  The key point that Lew makes is this:

The issue is not that the structures are historic…they are in fact.  They contain 19th century materials and traces of the past.  They are, however, very much compromised, obscured, to use preservationist jargon.  The larger issue is that they are in the direct path of progress.  The progress I am referring to is not as it has been in our recent past, where great buildings, streets, or the environment are sacrificed for the sake of a degraded landscape, which currently surrounds and in fact forms the spine of our City.  The progress I am referring to is the implementation of the Andres Duany (DPZ) scheme for providing Roswell with a real heart, a commercial and civic realm with no equal in North Georgia.

Below are some images of the current situation versus what has been proposed and what is the vision that the land owners have in mind.

Current Structure

This building has been empty for 10+ years.  The one behind it on Maple St has been vacant much longer.  At some point, it's time to admit that this building has realized all of it's potential and it's time to move on.

Current versus the Master Plan Vision

The red shaded area is the space that the two buildings occupy.  As you can see, this spot is critical to realizing the overall vision.

The Master Plan Vision

This is the vision of what we could see.  This is looking south from Oxbo.  The property in question would be part of the development in the upper right of this rendering.

tsp-LOST.. Where Are We Now?

image: FakeMARTAWell, that was fun.  I'm glad it's over.  My $99.00 grocery bill won't become $99.99.  That's what I was really worried about.  I hope I never have to hear the horrid TSPLOST acronym again.  You'll hear a lot of post-mortems over the coming weeks and this one is in no way comprehensive but it's representaive of where I stand.

TSPLOSTs got thumped around the state and that should tell you something.  The fact is that the legislation sucked.  It was drafted under a gold dome that didn't want anything to do with a functional transportation bill.  It took a last minute deal in 2010 just to hammer something through and finally break the multi-year deadlock.  

They effectively punted the responsibility to the citizens by telling us that if we want infrastructure improvements, we will have to design a project list ourselves and then vote to pay for it ourselves.  Oh yeah.. if you don't vote for it, your state local match for road projects will be cut from 90% to 70%.

Apparently, we don't like having to compromise with our neighbors and we really don't like being told that we will have to pay for it and be penalized if we don't.  TIA was riddled with flaws ranging from how the project selection would take place to how it hamstrung MARTA as the ONLY transit system in the state that was not allowed to directly benefit from the tax revenues.  It did not create a region-wide transportation system and it left too many vagaries as to how the funds would be managed, spent and accounted for although there were provisions that feigned oversight.  Unfortunately, the devil was in the details and the devil was teased out over time.

So, we're back to the drawing board.  What's next?  That would be the enigma that is "Plan B." I'm sure you will see a dozen new Plan B's over the next month or so and each one of them will push more roads growing ever wider. EXACTLY WHAT WE DON'T NEED.  In fact, the governor already has one... and it's said to be pretty top-down just like those wiley, patriotic liberty loving Tea Partiers like it.

Why did it fail?

Regardless of what the naysayers say, this didn't fail because of the project list.  It didn't fail because there was 52% transit versus 48% roads.  It failed because of the structure of the legislation and VERY poor messaging by its supporters.  It failed because of a massive conservative led and stoked distrust (in some cases well founded) in the government which is ironically overwhelmingly conservative run at the moment.  Let's not forget that the legislation (intentionally?) set the vote for what would be a Republican dominated state primary with a historically low turnout of just the type of voter who would vote for a tax increase.

Many of those who voted no had no idea what was on the project list.  They were ideologically against tax increases.  Additionally, there was a pervasive misunderstanding that this was going to be an $8.5 billion bailout of MARTA which would ultimately result in trains, crime and density in the suburbs.  

You can't combat that level of ideology and misunderstanding with an alternative ideology. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the UntieAtlanta campaign tried to do.  It failed miserably. The ad campaign was opaque at best and never resonated with any faction of the electorate.  It relied on people doing their own research.  You have to be OUT OF YOUR MIND to think that the average voter who already feels they are over-taxed is going to check out a list of 157 projects and then sift through local news or municipal websites to find their local share projects.  Most people didn't even know there was a 15% local share.  The marketing was a collosal waste.  

Oh yeah... let's not forget the hot lane and GA400 disasters that were so well timed ahead of this vote as well as the crazy Agenda 21 nuts that started coming out from the fringes this year.  The horrid acronym that became attached to the Transportation Investment Act didn't help either.  TSPLOST just sounds like a monster waiting to get voted down.

This was a perfect storm that swamped the TSPLOST.

Last but not least, I can't really blame the asshole who stole the one Vote Yes sign that I put up the day after I put it up but that was just wrong.  I'd like to assume it's the same asshole who stole the lone Vote NO sign in the neighborhood the day after I sent this email to my neighborhood about it. But it was probably dueling sign bandits. Interestingly, only TSPLOST signs seemed to be disappearing though as the other signs were still there. Odd.. Do signs really even influence votes anyway? 

If I thought it was bad legilsation from the get-go, then why did I support it?  

I play with the cards I'm dealt.  All in all, the project list was solid and very compromising for the region.  I prefer to see action rather than inaction.  An imperfect plan that ultimately gets the job done is better than no plan at all.  It's also better, in my opinion, to start now with a plan that works than wait years into the future to see if a perfect plan comes along.

Any real visionary action in our region has now been pushed 4 years down the road.  That's FOUR YEARS if we are lucky.  That's the same amount of time it takes to get a college education.  That's A LONG time.  I'd rather get to work than sit and wait for politicians to come up with something else that may or may not work.  Maybe I'm just too impatient.  

What's Next?

I will continue to advocate for places that enable people to drive less and enjoy life more.  The new Roswell Gateway Master Plan is just that and we will continue to work to bring awareness of its benefits.  Unfortunately, the $20.4M that would have funded the critical Hwy 9 redesign that would have helped bring the master plan to fruition just got tspLOST.

Here's what we can expect to see around the region in exchange for that penny.  

• Lots of one sided Plan B's
• Lots of fragmented local projects that don't help the 65% of us that commute between more than one county
• Lots of people saying this is a mandate that we ONLY want road expansion in the Atlanta region
• More toll road proposals
• More toll road proposals... so get your PeachPasses
• Increased Local Share Responsibility on Road Projects (10% becomes 30%)
• No Transit Expansion up 400 or into Cobb or Gwinnett or out I20 or into Clayton
• MARTA Cuts
• GRTA Cuts
• Fewer sidewalk projects
• Fewer bike lane projects
• Increasing commute times
• Increasing air pollution
• The list goes on.....

I don't know if penny pinching feels so good when I see that list but at least my $99.00 grocery bill is still $99.99.

TSPLOST Letter to the Neighborhood

I figured I'd share a letter I sent out to my neighborhood earlier this week with the NUR readers since it might pertain to some of you...  

Hi everyone!  When I got home today, I noticed a vote NO sign sitting at my neighborhood entrance.  It surprised me to have a bold NO shouting at me before I even walked in the door.  That is generally my 3 year old's job.  I attached another Vote NO sign to this email that makes me feel better.  

Up front, this email isn't for anyone who can't get past a no-tax ideology or an anti-transit bias.  If that's you, by all means, vote NO on Wednesday.

Seriously though, this is an important vote and the Mill Village is significantly impacted by the projects on the list.  It's easy to say no, but everyone should know what they are saying no to.  There are 157 total projects on the list that cover 10 counties.  The tax will raise about $8.5B over its 10 year life. The regional list will receive 85% of the total funds (~7.2B).  The other 15% will be divvied up by the region's municipalities for individual local projects.  See the Roswell list here.  Of the 85%, 52% will go to transit (that's bus & rail) and 48% will go to roads.  But, that's a little misleading since the road projects in many cases will qualify for matching state or federal funds.   So, it's more like 67% roads, 33% transit in addition to the 15% that will go to the localities which can be used as they please, primarily, from what I've seen, on roads and sidewalks. Here are some points everyone should know.

• Public Input - Over 200,000 metro residents had the opportunity to give input.  Actually everyone had the opportunity but 200,000 participated in some way.
• Local Control - 21 elected representatives from all around the region were tasked with putting the project list together.
• Unanimous Agreement - Once the project list was whittled down, all 21 officials AGREED that it was a list that met the needs of the region. 21 Politicians AGREED on something?
• Tax Sunset - This tax sunsets in 10 years or when the projected funds are raised.  An extension must be voted on by the region.  This is not another GA400 toll.
• NO PLAN B - The real Plan B is the status quo. So, if you like the status quo, vote no. Anyone who says there is one is pushing their own agenda or they just have their own idea of a better plan.  

How does this directly impact Mill Village?

A YES vote will accelerate the timeline for removal of the reversible lanes on Atlanta Street by ~4-5 years.  This project is fully funded by TSPLOST.  So, instead of getting a safe road in ~2020-2021, we would likely have one by about 2016-2017.  That in itself is enough secure my YES vote.  If you are considering voting no, just remember that you will undoubtedly be locking yourself into 8-10 more years of the suicide lane.  This road project also complements the DPZ Master Plan that was presented to the public last night at City Hall.

 

Other major projects that will impact us here in North Fulton are the $48M ($23M TSPLOST + $25M Federal) to improve traffic flow at the Holcomb Bridge/GA400 interchange and a total of $450M ($112M TSPLOST + $337M Federal) to improve flow at the I-285/GA400 interchange.  There's also a ton of money in there for roads all around North Fulton such as Arnold Mill and Old Milton.  These projects will be accelerated with TSPLOST and may never happen without it.

 

There will NEVER be a list of projects that suits everyone and there may never be an opportunity like this again in our lifetimes.  Remember that a no vote gives complete control back to GDOT and the state and takes it away from the region and municipalities.  Let me know if you have any questions as

I've done a lot of research on this topic.  You can also check out my article in the Roswell Current here.

 

Thanks!

 

Mike Hadden

image courtesy FakeMARTA

NUR Weekly - TSPLOST, Parking, Restaurants, Blocks & Mixed-Use

I keep coming up with good ideas for this weekly digest so I had to add a section.  The last part is dedicated to fun stuff and may or may not relate to what we discuss on the NUR blog.  This week, Joan Durbin at the North Fulton Neighbor was on fire with several notable stories.

What’s Up in Roswell

Holcomb Bridge/GA 400 Improvements Tied to TSPLOST - North Fulton Neighbor

Here’s the gist from city council woman Betty Price:

Whether or not T-SPLOST passes, some interim improvements will be evident in the near future. With additional funding and guided by the recommendations of this study, whole-scale improvements can be made in the future that will revitalize this inadequate intersection, bringing with it a welcoming and functional entrance to Roswell from 400.  

Pay Parking May Come to Roswell Historic District - North Fulton Neighbor

My prediction...  People are going to hate this more than they hate looking for a space.  If you’re willing to walk 200 yards, there is NO parking problem.  Key Excerpt:

The locations are the lot next to Wells Fargo on the west side of Canton Street and a lot on the east side between Ga. Hwy 9 and Canton Street that used to be the old city fire department years ago. 

Roswell’s Red Light Cameras May be Relocated - North Fulton Neighbor

This is fairly controversial to some.  Here’s my 2 cents.  These cameras tend to reduce deadly ‘perpendicular’ or ’T-Bone’ crashes at intersections but increase rear-end collisions.  Generally, anything that causes people to pay more attention

Four Canton St Restaurants on Jezebel Magazine’s Top 100 Restaurants for 2012

This is a great sign that Canton Street is doing all the right things.  Little Alley Steak, Inc Street Food, Salt Factory and Table & Main made the list in that order.  You’ll have to check out the magazine to see where they weighed in.

4th Annual Trilogy Trolley Crawl Tix on Sale

Top 5 Articles of the Week

What is a Block? - Better Cities and Towns

The block is something that confuses most people.  This article takes a stab at defining it and does a pretty good job.  Here’s how they define one:

the definition of a block should be based on the legal structure of urbanism. Therefore, a block is legally defined as private property surrounded by public rights-of-way. By this definition, a block is one of the two fundamental units of urbanism (alongside the right-of-way) reflecting the two types of property (private and public, respectively).

The article also uses an example from up the road in Alpharetta to illustrate the absurdities of suburban ‘blocks.’  They managed to find one has a perimeter of 12 miles!  We need more connectivity and smaller blocks. 

Don’t get Mixed Up on Mixed-Use - PlaceShakers

Mixed-use is one of those terms like sustainability.  It is over used and often used out of context.  This article lays it out pretty well:

Today, the most common misunderstanding I find about mixed-use is that most people think it equates, on any street or in any context, to a shopfront with housing above.

In short, mixed-use makes for three-dimensional, pedestrian-oriented places that layer compatible land uses, public amenities, and utilities together at various scales and intensities. This variety of uses allows for people to live, work, play and shop in one place, which then becomes a destination for people from other neighborhoods. As defined by The Lexicon of the New Urbanism, mixed-use is multiple functions within the same building or the same general area through superimposition or within the same area through adjacency… from which many of the benefits are… pedestrian activity and traffic capture.

How to Get a Trader Joe’s - Smyrna is signing a petition - Smyrna Patch 

I’d love it if it were just this easy to get a grocery store where you want it.  I’m sure we could collect a lot of signatures to get one here in Historic Roswell.  This commenter said it best:

Ultimately Smyrna has to prove we have the demographics to ensure Trader Joe's can survive. It's not about where we want it and why. Will Trader Joe's consider Smyrna and why?

Cops Set Up Sting to Keep Pedestrians Safe - AJC

Read this article, you just might learn something that will keep you out of trouble when walking or driving.  Here’s a stat that I wanted to be sure got out there.

...four people are hit by cars each day in the metro Atlanta area. (Sally) Flocks said between 70 and 80 pedestrians are killed each year in the metro area and more than 20 percent within 100 feet of a transit stop.

Alpharetta Downtown Development Picks Up Speed - ABC

Keep moving forward Alpharetta!  This will be a big boost to walkability in North Fulton.  I thought this excerpt was noteworthy:

In the past decade, other suburban cities including Woodstock, Norcross and Suwanee have tried to reinvent their downtowns by launching major projects.  Those ideas reflect principles of New Urbanism, a countermovement to the development patterns in the 80s and 90s across metro Atlanta that to suburban sprawl. New Urbanism aims to create public spaces, such as a city center, where people can congregate in parks that are near shopping, restaurants and entertainment.

Unfortunately, Roswell didn’t get a mention in the article but we are doing great things and our historic district has arguably been more successful than any of the towns that were mentioned even though they pursued very high profile projects.

Fun Stuff

Church vs Beer Map - Guess Where Georgia Is

Beijing’s Olympic Ruins - Much worse than Atlanta’s Ruins

Top 10 Best & Worst Cities to Live - This ranking used a very interesting methodology.  Number one on the list, Hong Kong.  Last on the list, Tehran.  Best US City, Washington DC.  

What the World Would Look Like Covered in Lego - Simple and Fun.. I’d love to drive under this bridge..

Weekly Top 5: HBR400, Agenda 21, Health Risks, Privatization, Cities of the Future

Here's the weekly recap of all of my readings last week.  Enjoy...

What’s up in Roswell

Holcomb Bridge - Georgia 400 Plans Unveiled - NorthFulton.com -  The long term plan for the HBR-400 interchange was released this week.  It looks like a great plan to improve virtually all aspects of the intersection; traffic flow, pedestrian and bike paths and aesthetics.  The project would take about 20 years to be complete and, oh yeah, almost $100M.  If you like it, there is a sizable portion of that money allocated to the project in the TIA2012 penny sales tax.  BTW.. I’m voting yes.  

July 4th Celebration at Roswell High School - That’s pretty much the biggest thing going on this week in Roswell.  It’s not urbanism related but I figured it was worth noting.  

Pure Taqueria Making Progress - The building frame is going up right now.  Can’t wait for some tasty Mexican food later this summer!

Ryan Pernice of Table in Main on Using Twitter - Ryan is quoted in this Restaurant Management Magazine article about how T&M uses Twitter to entice his followers.  They send out a number of pictures of their specials.  I’m a follower and am often left with my mouth watering.  Follow them on twitter  @TableAndMain for some great pics.. You’ll get hungry.

Economic Development Meeting Scheduled - There will be a public meeting at City Hall (room 220) on 7/12 from 7-830pm to present the new Strategic Economic Development Plan to the public.

Top 5 Articles of the Week 

Georgia and the UN: Why Walking Leads to One-World Government - The Economist

...a former candidate for governor now running for commissioner of Cobb County, just north of Atlanta, condemned plans to build a jogging and biking trail alongside a highway because, "That's Agenda 21. Bicycles and pedestrian traffic as an alternative form of transportation to the automobile."

You want more?  You’ll have to read the article.  This one will make your head spin. 

The Grave Health Risks of Unwalkable Communities - The Atlantic Cities

With an obesity epidemic, weight-related childhood issues and soaring healthcare costs, the point of this article should resonate with all of us.  

Safe, walkable neighborhoods are not just an amenity, they're a matter of life or death. They create environments where we can live active, engaged lives. And more walking brings more social interaction, more time outdoors, more recreation, more smiles and more "life" in every sense. 

A Georgia Town Takes the Peoples Business Private - NY Times

Sandy Springs (aka “the model”) is highlighted for it’s almost complete privatization of local government in this article. I liked this quote:

Drive around and you’ll see a nondescript upscale suburb, where the most notable features are traffic lights that seem to take five minutes to turn green. There is no downtown, or at least anything that looks like a main street. Instead, there are strip malls with plenty of usual-suspect franchises — although one strip mall, oddly enough, includes a small museum that tells the story of Anne Frank. 

Three Atlanta Schools to Watch - Grading Atlanta

This post has some excellent analysis that is probably much more predictive than most people realize.  In it, blogger Jarod Apperson takes a look at the demographic shifts going on within the Atlanta Public School system.  Some of the data is telling and goes with my thinking that the schools that are great now... might not be so great in 15 years.  A long time ago, the in-town schools were the best schools in the Region.  Will that be the case in the future?  Here’s an excerpt:

Toomer (Elementary) underwent the most dramatic shift with the percent of white students rising from 0% to 23%.  Bolton Academy was not far behind with the percent of white students rising from 5% to 19%.

The 15 Hottest US Cities of the Future - Business Insider

This list was actually not that surprising to me.  First, Atlanta is not in it. No surprise there.  The two southeastern cities that were on the list were Nashville and Raleigh which seem to be becoming more desirable than our region.  Look at the list and think about the implications of the TIA2012 referendum.  I’d say that Atlanta might be able to budge its way back into a list like this if the Beltline becomes a reality.

Other Stuff

Bike Sharing Coming to Charlotte

Crabapple Plan Taking Shape

Group Fights Continuation of GA400 Toll 

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Weekly Top 5 - Homeownership, Trickle Up, Kasim Reed, Biking & Walking, Bad Architecture

Here's what we found this week out there.. 

What's up in Roswell...

This Tuesday, the final public input meeting will be held for the Holcomb Bridge Road Corridor Study from 5 to 7 pm at the Holiday Inn at 909 Holcomb Bridge Road.

The Groveway Architectural Design Guidelines were released.  Check out the document here.  This document clarifies a lot of the questions that were found in the hybrid form-based code document.

Top 5 Articles of the Week

Homeownership Means Little to Economic Growth - The Atlantic Cities

OUCH! The truth hurts.

Robert Shiller of Yale University documents that from "1890 to 1990, the rate of return on residential real estate was just about zero after inflation." Other studies have shown how America’s historic over-investment in housing has distorted its economy, leading to under-investment in technology and skills. Or as Nobel prize-winning Columbia University economist Edmund Phelps bluntly states it: "To recover and grow again, America needs to get over its 'house passion.'"

Tools for Trickle Up Economics - Place Shakers

This article made it to the top 5 simply because of the quote below. Think of how many worthless buildings we have dotting the landscape that were not beautiful when they were constructed and are decaying now with little hope of ever becoming commercially viable again.  Some of the solutions to the conundrum that the post recommends are Form-Based Codes, Updating Infrastructure Standards and ceding more control to localities.

I hope that you of San Diego, whose city is just entering on its great period of development, will recognize what so many old communities have failed to recognize. That beauty is not only well worthwhile for its own sake, but that it is valuable commercially. Keep your waterfront and develop it so that it may add to the beauty of your city. Do not let a number of private individuals. . . make it hideous with buildings, and then force your children to pay them an exorbitant sum to get rid of the ugliness they have created. - Teddy Roosevelt

Mayor: Conversation over T-SPLOST too ‘esoteric’ - Creative Loafing

I can’t tell you how much I loathe the conversation going on about the transportation tax right now.  The opening paragraph of this article sums up my thoughts pretty nicely below... no ned to say more (but I will in this month’s Roswell Current).

Bickering over the number of lanes on a road project. Debating whether the Atlanta Beltline will reduce a Cherokee County soccer mom's commute time. Or, for that matter, if a Sugarloaf Parkway expansion will help a Little Five Points barista have better access to transit.

House Republicans Ramp Up War on Safe Biking and Walking - Sierra Club Compass

It’s no secret that we like walkability and bikability at NUR.  We recognize that not all areas are walkable and bikable and accept that they never will be.  Cars are necessary tools just like a hammer and chainsaw but I generally don’t use a hammer or a chainsaw for every task that I do.  That being said, our national legislature continues to pursue a ‘cars only’ agenda.. the four bullets below is all you need to know from this Sierra Club post.

• Nationwide, biking and walking account for almost 12% of all trips, yet biking and walking infrastructure receives less than 2% of all federal transportation funding.
• But as Senate and House negotiators enter the final three weeks of negotiations over a transportation bill, House Republicans are demanding that the Senate drop provisions that will make biking and walking safer across the country
• One particularly egregious demand from House Republican negotiators is that the Senate eliminate the Safe Routes to School program.
• 83% of Americans support maintaining or increasing funding for biking and walking, including 80% of Republicans. 

25 Buildings to Demolish Right Now - ca Home & Design

I agree with most of the buildings on this list.. most notably the Boston City Hall.  Yikes!  So, what buildings in Roswell need to be “Demolished Right Now?”  I’d have to say the AT&T building on Oak Street is on the list.  How about the entire south east quadrant of the HBR/400 interchange?