Focus Area Meeting Summary
A series of Focus Area meetings were held during June and July for each of the six Focus Areas within the study area. All interested stakeholders were invited to share their thoughts and opinions on the existing and future land use, circulation and development opportunities for each area. Attendees ranged from property owners, residents and developers to business owners, concerned citizens and students.

Discussion during these meetings resulted in a list of key issues and ideas, as well as a map illustrating future land use and circulation visions for each area. The purpose of these meetings was to provide the Working Committee with clear direction, including goals and objectives for future land use and circulation for each Focus Area. The Working Committee has been using this information - both the lists of key issues and compilation maps - to guide their "code-writing" work.

Following are the key issues and ideas identified during each Focus Area meeting. Meeting notes that provide additional details regarding presentations and discussions at each meeting can be downloaded below.

View a map of the Focus Area boundaries (448 K, PDF)

View a summary map of the Focus Area meeting issues and ideas as detailed below (772 K, PDF)

Centennial Olympic Park Area (COPA) and Fairlie-Poplar

• Update SPI-13 to reflect more recent enforcement issues
• Adjust SPI-13 boundary at Fairlie-Poplar
• Separate district or standards for Fairlie-Poplar - needs to address historic compatibility, sidewalk cafes and valet parking
• Provide additional on-street parking
• Development opportunity at north end of park - mixed-use, primarily commercial, and possibly civic uses.
• Centennial Hill area - primarily residential.
• Marietta Street north of International possible historic sub-area
• Possibility of Baker as a two-way street
• More pedestrian improvements

South of North Area (SoNo)

• Improve cross-area access from west to east
• Pine Street is a "brutal" pedestrian environment
• Area has a great mixed-use potential, but currently feels "fractured" and unfriendly
• Coordinate traffic signalization
• Nodal developments needed to entice convention and hotel traffic back into area. Future land use should focus on mixed-use destinations.
• Assess advantages and disadvantages of C4/C5 relative to SPI-1 to ensure simple, straightforward regulations.

Northeast Downtown Area

• MLK Historic District as separate regulatory area, possibly expanded to the north towards J.W. Dobbs Avenue. What is the best policy and administrative way to handle?
• J.W. Dobbs Avenue should be a mixed-use residential corridor.
• Shift northwest boundary into COPA focus area
• Investigate provisions of parking limitation district
• Expand pedestrian space plan
• Consider expanding uses to target vacant parcels
• Consider Piedmont and Courtland as two-way streets
• Formation of a Development Authority to market area to investors
• Need mid-block crosswalks - particularly on Peachtree Street
• Desire more residential development

Georgia State Area

• Better campus connectivity to surrounding area
• Decatur Street as Georgia State's "Main Street"
• Additional university facilities and housing
• Improve GSU Plaza and access via Collins Street
• Close Gilmer Street between Peachtree Center Avenue and Courtland Street
• Vehicular speed on north-south streets is a concern
• Increase identity of GSU through streetscape enhancements

South Central Business District (South CBD)

• Encourage ground-level retail in new institutional buildings
• Improve on-street parking
• Consistent streetscape in "Government Center" area
• Mixed-use residential district around Mitchell/Forsyth/Trinity/Spring
• Emphasize Trinity as principal east-west pedestrian street
• Focus on protecting and improving retail character of Broad Street
• Need more diversity of uses - more non-institutional
• Need density and development incentives to encourage new housing and preservation of historic structures
• Persistent homeless challenges
• Pay special attention to connections to other areas - particularly south and west.
• Chronic lack of on-street parking balanced with government security concerns

Gulch Area

• Castleberry Hill as separate district reaching north to MLK
• Improved vehicular access to I-20 along Northside Drive.
• Focus on Nelson Street bridge as pedestrian connection to South CBD
• Building height around Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal (MMPT) not perceived as a problem
• Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal and surroundings may require special regulatory treatment
• Utilize sectional depth of viaducts for parking and the MMPT as opportunity to bring activity up to street level.
• Traffic is an issue - need to complete a traffic study for the area
• Consider MLK as a two-way street
• Set "ground level" at viaduct level for zoning datum