City of Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development

City of Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development
Name	City of Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development
Formed	1930s
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Jurisdiction	City of Atlanta
Employees	~200
Chief1 name	N/A
Chief1 position	Commissioner
Website	N/A

City of Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development is the municipal agency responsible for planning, land use, neighborhood revitalization, and housing policy within Atlanta, Georgia. The department coordinates zoning, comprehensive planning, historic preservation, housing programs, and community engagement across the city, working with elected officials, neighborhoods, and regional institutions. It bridges municipal policy with federal and state initiatives, collaborating with civic organizations, nonprofit partners, and academic institutions.

History

The department traces roots to early municipal planning efforts alongside federal programs such as the New Deal and agencies like the Public Works Administration, while later aligning with federal legislation including the Housing Act of 1949 and the Community Development Block Grant. During the postwar era the department engaged with projects connected to the Interstate Highway System, referencing conflicts similar to those in Robert Moses-era developments and the Atlanta freeway revolts. The department’s modern form evolved during periods influenced by urban scholars at Georgia State University, initiatives from the Korean War industrial shift, and local reform movements linked to figures such as Maynard Jackson and Andrew Young. Subsequent milestones included comprehensive plans responding to growth after the 1996 Summer Olympics and alignment with regional entities like the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Organization and Leadership

Leadership structures parallel municipal departments in cities like New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, and Philadelphia, featuring a commissioner reporting to the Mayor of Atlanta and coordination with the Atlanta City Council. The department organizes divisions akin to those at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, including planning, zoning, housing, historic preservation, and community outreach. Directors and commissioners have engaged with professional networks such as the American Planning Association, the Urban Land Institute, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Congress for the New Urbanism. Staffing frequently draws alumni from institutions like Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University.

Functions and Responsibilities

The agency’s remit covers tasks comparable to departments in Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, and Denver: producing comprehensive plans, administering zoning codes, managing neighborhood plans, and deploying federal funds from programs like HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Community Development Block Grant. It reviews development proposals referenced against standards similar to the National Register of Historic Places and coordinates environmental compliance related to statutes such as the Clean Water Act and consultations with the Environmental Protection Agency. The department advises on transit-oriented development connected to projects by MARTA and regional corridors planned with the Atlanta BeltLine Inc., while interfacing with state agencies like the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Planning Programs and Initiatives

Key initiatives include citywide comprehensive planning similar in scope to PlanNYC and 2030 Comprehensive Plan efforts, corridor studies akin to work on the High Line and Crosstown Concourse, and neighborhood revitalization programs inspired by models from Cleveland, Detroit, and Baltimore. Programs address resilience agendas comparable to 100 Resilient Cities and climate adaptation frameworks advocated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Transit-aligned planning references projects like Atlanta BeltLine and coordinated planning with MARTA, while urban design tools echo principles from Jane Jacobs, Kevin Lynch, and Jan Gehl.

Community Development and Housing

The department administers affordable housing strategies influenced by federal policy from the Fair Housing Act, interactions with Habitat for Humanity International, and partnerships with local organizations such as Invest Atlanta and community development corporations modeled after Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Programs address displacement issues documented in cases like Gentrification in New York City and strategies similar to inclusionary zoning used in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.. The agency manages grant-funded initiatives in coordination with foundations such as the Ford Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and works with developers like The Carter Group and stakeholders including neighborhood associations modeled on Virginia-Highland Civic Association.

Zoning, Land Use, and Urban Design

Zoning administration aligns with practices used in Miami, Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix, balancing mixed-use development, form-based codes akin to those in Miami 21 and historic district regulation comparable to Savannah Historic District protections. The department conducts site plan reviews, variance hearings before bodies similar to the Zoning Board of Appeal and collaborates with preservation entities such as Atlanta Preservation Center and the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. Strategic urban design efforts reference case studies from Times Square, Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, and streetscape initiatives like those in Charleston, South Carolina.

Partnerships, Funding, and Grants

The department secures and administers funding streams from federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, state sources via the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and local financing through entities like Invest Atlanta and municipal bond programs modeled on those used by New York City Economic Development Corporation. It partners with nonprofit networks such as the Enterprise Community Partners, Community Housing Improvement Program, and philanthropic institutions including the Rockefeller Foundation and Citi Foundation. Intergovernmental coordination involves the Atlanta Regional Commission, MARTA, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and regional planning collaborations with metropolitan bodies comparable to the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.

Category:Government of Atlanta