Can Atlanta End Single-Family Zoning?

[M II A II R II K]

Can Atlanta End Single-Family Zoning?


15 Jan 2021

By Rebecca Bellan

Read More: https://citymonitor.ai/government/pl...-family-zoning

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Regional Atlanta is one of the ten largest metropolitan areas in the US, and it ranks 316th in terms of density. It was designed to be a low-density city – and that doesn’t correlate well to its population growth. It was the fourth-fastest-growing metro area in the country over the past decade, and according to the National Association of Realtors, it’s poised to become one of the top ten US housing markets post-Covid. Though Atlanta has a population of just over 500,000, it’s estimated to grow to 1.2 million in the next few decades.

- Low housing density and racial segregation go hand in hand in Atlanta, the former creating a housing crisis that will only worsen as the city grows and the market cannibalises affordable housing. That’s why the city has recently published the Atlanta City Design Housing (ACDH) initiative, a project that deep-dives into the metropolis’s history of restrictive and exclusionary zoning laws. Its aim is to better understand how the city’s built environment became what it is today and how it might remedy the situation to create more naturally occurring affordable housing. --- “We zoned out more naturally affordable housing options over the course of 100 years because we wanted to do intentional economic and racial exclusion in neighbourhoods,” explains Joshua Humphries, director of housing and community development for the city of Atlanta. “We built the city this way on purpose, and now that built environment is running up against a significant population growth that we haven’t seen in 50 years.”

- The ACDH project breaks down the city into “growth areas” and “conservation areas” based on the physical nature of Atlanta. Growth areas represent the city’s densest locales that are ripe for further urban development. Conservation areas make up a larger portion of the city and include low-density residential regions and green space. To maintain the form and character of these neighbourhoods, “subtle” density could be added, which looks very different from building apartment buildings or other multifamily dwellings. --- One creative solution to achieve subtle density is to legalise additional living spaces on single-family properties, such as basement apartments or accessory dwelling units (ADUs) – apartments that by their less desirable nature make them more affordable. These additions would also give homeowners another source of income through rent. If just 15% of the single-family properties in the city right now were to add a second unit, that would achieve 11,500 units.

- Another big piece of zoning reform legislation would eliminate parking minimums, which mandate how many spots a property is required to have. These requirements are a relic of Atlanta’s exclusionary, suburban-style zoning that relies heavily on cars. Parking minimums also disincentivise homeowners to rely on public transit to get around, which only exacerbates Atlanta’s traffic problems. Other major cities, including San Francisco, Honolulu and Chicago, have recently eliminated parking minimums as well. --- Atlanta’s Department of City Planning has already proposed an expansion of the Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) programme, which is working its way to the Georgia General Assembly for a vote. The UEZ was created in the 1980s to spur redevelopment in the city. It currently requires that at least 20% of total housing units created be dedicated to affordable housing for a ten-year property tax abatement.

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Neighbourhoods in Atlanta that are zoned exclusively for single-family homes have consistently less racial diversity. This was the intentional outcome of the original policymakers. (Source: US Census and Department of City Planning)






As a result of a decade of exclusionary zoning practices, over 60% of Atlanta is zoned exclusively for single-family housing. (Source: Department of City Planning GIS)










Conservation areas (shown above) make up the majority of Atlanta, largely comprising low-density residential areas and green space. Growth areas (below) make up the densest parts of Atlanta that are most conducive to further urban development. The Department of City Planning hopes to conserve the soul and character of conservation areas while adding density by legalising the building of additional dwelling units on single-family properties. (Source: Department of City Planning GIS)

[C.]

Neighbourhoods in Atlanta that are zoned exclusively for single-family homes have consistently less racial diversity. This was the intentional outcome of the original policymakers. (Source: US Census and Department of City Planning)

This says Atlanta, but I would venture to say this is true for most U.S. cities. Having large swarths of lands dedicated to single-family zoning does have the effect of keeping lower income persons out of certain neighborhoods.

Minimum lot sizes and maximum densities per acre limit the amount of housing, creating a scarcity of land for existing homeowners and drive up the cost to create any new construction. The lower densities and the segregation of land uses also makes transit less viable, further limiting the amount of people that can live in a neighborhood due to the cost of the land and the need for private car ownership.

[Yuri]

Just a random question: which one is more desirable, Downtown or Midtown? Are there many people living in both or it’s just corporate? What about retail?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by M II A II R II K

Though Atlanta has a population of just over 500,000, it’s estimated to grow to 1.2 million in the next few decades.

for real? they expect another 700,000 people within city limits over the next few decades?

that'd be a 140% increase, pretty damn impressive if they can pull it off.

[Omaharocks]

Originally Posted by yuriandrade

Just a random question: which one is more desirable, Downtown or Midtown? Are there many people living in both or it’s just corporate? What about retail?

Well, they are essentially continuous, but serve very different functions.

Downtown is the historic center, and is home to a large student population (GSU), tourism (centennial park/museums), convention hotels, and the bulk of jobs.

However, it is only active 9-5 (pre-pandemic), has a very large homeless population, and has historically lacked investment and any real residential population. But, it has character and is gritty, so there's potential.

Midtown is shiny and new and full of mid-rise and high-rise residential, with a fair amount of restaurants and nightlife. It is very walkable, with a couple grocery stores and a couple MARTA stations, Piedmont Park (Atlanta's Central Park) is right there as well, which adds to the appeal. I find it a bit bland, but there is still enough old stuff mixed in to keep it fairly interesting. Midtown Atlanta somewhat resembles downtown Austin, minus the 6th street craziness.

The retail in both is lacking. Atlanta has a couple of mega mixed-use developments each about a mile from Midtown on either side - Atlantic Station, which largely houses the large chains (H&M, Dillards, etc), and Ponce City Market, which is a large food hall and trendy/expensive local shops. Those really dominate the urban ATL retail scene (outside of Buckhead where all the upscale malls are located).

[Omaharocks]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

for real? they expect another 700,000 people within city limits over the next few decades?

that'd be a 140% increase, pretty damn impressive if they can pull it off.

Yeah, the City of Atlanta Planning Dept has pretty lofty population projections, but it's probably not realistic. Still, they are setting the new zoning code to accommodate that level of growth, which is great.

[jd3189]

I’m curious how they would be able to fit a million people into the city. The zoning would have to dramatically change and most of the vacant/natural land in the suburban surrounding the core would have to be built on. Hopefully Atlanta will still retain much of its tree canopy by then.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Omaharocks

Yeah, the City of Atlanta Planning Dept has pretty lofty population projections, but it's probably not realistic. Still, they are setting the new zoning code to accommodate that level of growth, which is great.

Gotcha. That makes more sense now. +700,000 within city limits within 3 decades seems like a pretty far reach.

But like you said, even if it is a rather lofty goal, it's still cool that they're thinking boldly.

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Gotcha. That makes more sense now. +700,000 within city limits within 3 decades seems like a pretty far reach.

But like you said, even if it is a rather lofty goal, it's still cool that they're thinking boldly.

There's room for a lot of this on underused and former industrial land within the City actually. The transformation of the Howell Mill and Memorial corridors recently is a prime example.

[Ifactwo]

Very interesting thread.