Tour of Proctor Creek Watershed

March 27, 2014 by Mackenzie Madden

On Saturday, March 22, Park Pride hosted a Tour of the Proctor Creek Watershed in collaboration with the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, the Trust for Public Land, the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and more organizations doing parks and water-related work in the watershed.

The tour began here, in the downtown area known as “The Gulch”, which is part of the headwaters of Proctor Creek. This parking lot, which currently produces vast amounts of storm-water runoff, is targeted for redevelopment as a Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal (MMPT).

The bus tour continued, passing by Mims Park and Boone Boulevard before stopping at our next destination, Fire Station #16, shown above. This is a site of interest because of the rain garden, shown right. The lack of upkeep since the garden was first planted was used to highlight some of the challenges of maintaining green infrastructure in communities with limited resources.

The next stop on our tour was the North Avenue Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Facility, shown above. During rain events this facility is used to treat sewer overflow before releasing the treated wastewater into Proctor Creek, at the location shown below.

Some evidence of the creek bank degradation can be seen, where powerful water erodes the bank after being channeled through concrete tunnels and artificial creek beds.

The photo above shows the future site of the Emerald Corridor Demonstration project, which will remove invasive species and trash from this site, adding native wetlands vegetation to help slow and clean the waters of Proctor Creek.

One of the last stops on our tour was the former Bellwood Quarry in northwest Atlanta, which will be transformed into the Westside Reservoir Park as part of the BeltLine redevelopment project. Once filled, this site will hold up to a 30 day supply of water for the city of Atlanta.

View the handouts that we received on this tour here: Proctor Creek Tour Materials

Also check out our Water and Environment page for a list of local resources relating to the Proctor Creek Watershed.

Urban Agriculture Zoning Ordinance

March 26, 2014 by Mackenzie Madden

The zoning committee of Atlanta City Council recently introduced Z-14-05/14-02-05, an ordinance to amend the 1982 zoning ordinance of the city of Atlanta for the purpose of defining urban gardens and market gardens as a permitted use. This amendment has been developed over the last three years through a joint effort of Georgia Organics, the Atlanta Local Food Initiative, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the Office of Planning, the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University, and local growers. The definitions of urban gardens and market gardens are as follows:

Urban Garden – a lot, or any portion thereof, managed and maintained by a person or group of persons, for growing and harvesting, farming, community gardening, or any other use, which contributes to the production of agricultural, floricultural, or horticultural products for beautification, education, recreation, community use, consumption, off-site sale, or off-site donation.

Market Garden – a lot, or any portion thereof, managed and maintained by a person or group of persons, for growing and harvesting, farming, community gardening, or any other use, which contributes to the production of agricultural, floricultural, or horticultural products for community supported agriculture or on-site sales.

A main function of this ordinance is to add urban gardens and market gardens as permitted uses of land in the city of Atlanta, such that urban farmers and gardeners will be able to obtain business licenses and enter into lease agreements. The amendment also details where and how these gardens are allowed to operate. The ordinance is currently making its way through the NPU approval process. For more information about the amendment and to submit a comment, please visit www.gogrowatlanta.com

BeltLine Proactive Rezoning

December 3, 2013 by Mackenzie Madden

On Monday, October 28^th, the Atlanta BeltLine Inc. held their Westside Study Group for Subarea 9 on Proactive Rezoning at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The purpose of the meeting was to share the vision with residents, listen to their feedback, and answer any questions.

About proactive rezoning:

The next step in realizing the Atlanta BeltLine vision is a multi-year effort to rezone specific parcels per the recommendations in the master plans. The City of Atlanta’s Department of Planning and Community Development will initiate proactive rezonings in key redevelopment areas identified in the master plans. The proactive rezoning will occur in the three phases: Phase 1 includes Subareas 3, 5, 9 which kicked off in summer of 2013.

The meeting, though low in attendance (14 community members), was not low on opinions. One particular point that sparked debate was a swath of industrial zoned land that currently separates Mixed Residential from Single Family Neighborhoods in NPU K.

One of the most refreshing parts of attending any BeltLine meeting is knowing that every question from an attendee will be answered and if not answered on the spot, will be transferred to a more knowledgeable body. Three BeltLine representatives were present – Brandy Crawford from the City of Atlanta Office Of Planning; James Alexander, Manager of Housing and Economic Development for Atlanta BeltLine Inc.; and Lynette Reid, Community Engagement Advocate with Atlanta BeltLine Inc. See the minutes posted below to see their thorough responses to all questions and concerns. Residents from Howell Station were very vocal about their concerns and BeltLine offered to come to their next community meeting to work out specific issues.

Changes in Subarea 9 will be occurring in NPUs G, J, K, and L.

See attachments for minutes of the meeting as well as handouts, maps, and zoning districts.

BeltLineZoningProactiveZoningMinutes

Subarea 9 Proactive Rezoning

Atlanta Zoning Districts

“How Can Colleges and Universities Engage in Community Development: A Communities Perspective.”

November 8, 2013 by Mackenzie Madden

You’re invited to attend the first Westside Communities Alliance (WCA) Discussion Forum entitled “How Can Colleges and Universities Engage in Community Development: A Communities Perspective.”

Event Flyer: WCA_Panel_Nov15

The forum will take place Friday afternoon, November 15th, 3:00-5:00pm at 590 North Avenue NW, Atlanta, 30318. We are pleased to have Dr. Harley Etienne, one of the founders of the Westside Communities Alliance and author of Pushing Back the Gates: Neighborhood Perspectives on University-Driven Revitalization in West Philadelphia moderating the discussion.

The City of Atlanta has prioritized the development of the Westside through a commitment to support the new Atlanta Falconʼs stadium, advances with the BeltLineʼs Westside Trail, and more. There are at least seven colleges and universities located in West Atlanta, and more than half of all Atlanta college students are educated on the Westside. We believe hearing Westside community voices and understanding resident perspectives is essential for lasting community transformation. Through this forum the WCA seeks to provide a platform for community organizations and active residents to share concerns, interests, and wishes for responsible partnerships with Atlantaʼs area colleges and universities. Together, we believe, we can bring about community transformation that has lasting benefits across all Westside communities.

The WCA provides a mechanism for sustained partnerships with city officials, relevant funders, higher education institutions and community stakeholders. Together, we can develop comprehensive solutions for complex community challenges. Together, we can rebuild thriving urban neighborhoods on Atlantaʼs westside. Together, we can do better.

Technique: Connecting Students with Service

October 2, 2013 by Mackenzie Madden

Connecting students with service

By The Technique Editorial Board on September 19, 2013 Leave a reply

Photo Courtesy of Westside Communities Alliance

The Westside Communities Alliance (WCA), a communications network that connects volunteers with service projects in Atlanta, shows great promise. Started by two west-side neighborhoods and Tech’s Westside Task Force in 2011, the WCA offers students an option to get involved in ongoing, long-term projects that directly improve several aspects of life in west Atlanta. Though the WCA has a wide range of projects, it still needs more funding to be sustainable and has yet to gain a foothold in the general Tech community. By improving its campus presence, the WCA could greatly develop as a program.

WCA helps organize the Semester-in-the-City courses, which offer Tech honors students a chance to explore urban neighborhoods and the unique challenges in each locale. These programs, though rewarding, would be more effective if they were extended and publicized to a wider set of students. Involving more students in the Semester-in-the-City program would give the participants first-hand experience with the issues in urban communities and directly increase membership with WCA.

Taking active measures to ensure a strong campus presence is also necessary. Setting up a showcase with community service projects or holding student workshops would increase student awareness. Additionally, forming a group of student representatives would enable WCA to directly communicate with Tech students. By pushing their name and creating a reputation on campus, WCA can accomplish many of its short-term and long-term goals.

Since one of their objectives is to match passionate students with service projects, WCA can further increase their campus presence by taking suggestions for community project ideas. Not only would this gain student approval, but it would also improve the quality of the organization as a whole.

http://nique.net/opinions/consensus-opinion/2013/09/19/connecting-students-with-service/

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