Upper Westside Livable Communities Initiative (LCI) Update (2009)
Introduction
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The Upper Westside LCI was adopted by City Council and the Mayor in July, 2005 (per 05‐R‐0900). The plan is a guide for public and private investment in a two square mile study area within the Northwest quadrant of the City of Atlanta. The study area encompasses approximately 1,400 acres centered on the Marietta Street, Howell Mill Road, and Northside Drive corridors. The study area is in Council District 2, 3, 8, and 9 and in Neighborhood Planning Units D, E, K, L and M.
Plan recommendations were made for each of the 8 character areas of the Upper Westside. These are Marietta‐Howell Mill main street, Howell Station/Knight Park, Huff Design, Employment, English Avenue North, Antioch, Arts/Education/Research and Downtown. Future development, mixed uses, community space, transportation options are directed to the primary node in each of the character areas. These are Northside Drive and 14th street, Howell Mill Road and Huff Road, JE Lowery Blvd and West Marietta Street, Marietta Street and Howell Mill Road, Marietta Street and Northside Drive and Marietta Street and Means Street. The plan provides a vision and strategies in housing, economic development, transportation, land use, zoning, urban design and real estate development to implement the plan’s vision. |
Existing Conditions
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Prior to the Upper Westside LCI, a large portion of the study area had an Industrial land use designation. Areas along Huff Road, Marietta Boulevard and Marietta Street had a Mixed Use land use designation. Sections of Marietta Street and the area between Howell Mill and Northside Drive had a Commercial land use designation and Howell Station had a Single Family Land Use designation.
The plan recommended changing most of the area to the Mixed Use land use designation. Many of the parcels with industrial uses were given a non‐industrial land use designation. Some parcels retained their Industrial land use but they were isolated from other Industrial land uses. Parcels that had an Industrial Enterprise Zone designation were also given a non‐industrial land use designation leading to conflicts with the Enterprise Zone program requirements. Contrary to the plan’s goal of retaining a critical base of industrial operators, these land use changes have led to the loss of industrial businesses. With the passage of the Quality of Life bonds, the Department of Public Works has been able to implement a large number of transportation projects throughout the City. In the Upper Westside study area, sidewalk improvements, traffic calming, street resurfacing, traffic signal and communication projects have been completed. Required repairs for all sewer lines in Sewer Groups 1 (SG1) have been completed. The staging area for the work in the Combined Sewer Overflow areas is on Champa Street in the UWS. Adjacent to the UWS, will be the new drinking water reservoir in the Westside Park. |
Strategies and Recommenda-tions
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The overall implementation strategies that were identified by the plan to guide the Upper Westside development and to coordinate the many activities planned include:
1. Maintain land use flexibility for redevelopment – promote land use and zoning the support the Quality of Life zoning districts. Promote flexible zoning to promote housing, work space, recreation and retail in existing industrial and in new developments. 2. Maintain diversity – Encourage housing diversity and retain and attract small scale non‐profits and business uses. 3. Enhance the public realm – Develop community spaces such as streetscapes, opens spaces and parks, particularly along key corridors. 4. Leverage investments with existing programs – Use existing tools such as the Renewal Community, Urban Enterprise Zone, and the Tax Allocation Districts to promote economic development. 5. Establish partnerships – Link community based groups and institutional and private sector interests to implement and fund initiatives. 6. Promote environmental sustainability – encourage LEED certification in new developments, promote sustainable development that incorporate such things as green roofs, rainwater reuse, porous paving etc. The Upper West Side LCI recommended a network of smaller dispersed pocket parks and urban plazas or linear greenway features. Some of these parks would serve as gateways to the neighborhoods in the study area or serve as small neighborhood parks. The recommended parks could be included as part of a private development. Renovations to the Knight Park Building in order to convert the facility into a community meeting space are included in the Department’s 15 year work program. The plan recommends public access to the Hemphill Waterworks Plan and installation of public facilities such as paths, picnic benches and shelters. |