Wal-Mart coming to Glenwood Park? (Atlanta, Carl: theater, schools, live in)

[UrbanConquistador]

Originally Posted by arjay57

One would hope that our elected officials would fight to uphold the city's carefully developed master plans, rather than leaving residents to battle wealthy developers on their own. Much less siding with said wealthy developers.

VERY good point. If I could use one word to describe what I saw at the appeal, it would be "Betrayal".

I guess Mayor Reed isn't as good of a friend to the Beltline as I had thought. I wonder if this is genuinely how he feels, or if he is distracted by the whole stadium fiasco?

[UrbanConquistador]

Also, where is the Beltline in all of this?? Why are the people left to fight this all alone? Has Ryan Gravel and other key players done anything to try to stop this?

[cxbrame]

Originally Posted by mjedwards409

Assuming there isn't a fire sale on houses as soon as the development is built, how much could home values REALLY drop? (And I mean drop compared to now, not compared to hypothetical home values when the Beltline is complete) It will still be an intown neighborhood full of young families and a strong neighborhood association. IMO there will always be a market for that moving forward.

I think you have to look at it not in how much the values will drop compared to now but instead in comparison to a big box development with a large parking lot versus a walkable human scaled mixed use developments. The value over time is exponentially higher for what the neighborhood and the city would like to support. Getting the development character now is important to the overall neighborhood character later. This is evident in the public and private investment across Atlanta that has made improvements to sidewalks and streetscapes.

[jsvh]

The "city" does not have absolute control over this. I think the planning office is at fault and the elected officials could fire people over this as planning officials did not act in the best interest of the citizens. But the damage has been done.

The city did change the zoning, so undesirable future permits will get rejected. However, it will be interesting to see what approach can be used to stop this already approved SAP. Regardless, I think we are still going to court.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Frankster87

VERY good point. If I could use one word to describe what I saw at the appeal, it would be "Betrayal".

I guess Mayor Reed isn't as good of a friend to the Beltline as I had thought. I wonder if this is genuinely how he feels, or if he is distracted by the whole stadium fiasco?

Well, to be fair, real estate developers tend to be powerful in local politics everywhere. They not only make big campaign contributions, they also make the pitch that they are bringing in desperately needed jobs and tax revenues. (It would be interesting to see how those numbers actually work out but that is the standard pitch).

In addition, they are able to argue that their opponents are a bunch of small minded NIMBYs standing in the way of progress. It's a free country, they say, and they have the right to put a contract on property and develop it to maximum monetary value.

The rub comes when they run up against land use and zoning regulations (such as the Beltline overlay). In most such situations the golden rule probably applies.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by jsvh

The "city" does not have absolute control over this. I think the planning office is at fault and the elected officials could fire people over this as planning officials did not act in the best interest of the citizens. But the damage has been done.

Bear in mind that the planning department doesn't make policy. Their job is simply to implement the policies which are set by the mayor and council (presumably acting at the behest of the citizens).

The mayor and council can always override the recommendations of the planning department.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by cxbrame

I think you have to look at it not in how much the values will drop compared to now but instead in comparison to a big box development with a large parking lot versus a walkable human scaled mixed use developments. The value over time is exponentially higher for what the neighborhood and the city would like to support. Getting the development character now is important to the overall neighborhood character later. This is evident in the public and private investment across Atlanta that has made improvements to sidewalks and streetscapes.

Yeah, this is right on the money. Well stated.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Bear in mind that the planning department doesn't make policy. Their job is simply to implement the policies which are set by the mayor and council (presumably acting at the behest of the citizens).

The mayor and council can always override the recommendations of the planning department.

I'm not sure that he does have that power. The mayor is not above the law. Not even zoning laws.

He cannot override the recommendations of the planning department if the zoning and law do not support it. And I think it will take a court to figure that out. And the mayor was not directly harmed by this zoning so he does not have standing to appeal the approval.

Yes, the Beltline overlay was intended to project a vision on what we wanted for the parcel, but it will take a a court to read it a determine if this project and its variances satisfy the legal requirements.

I am on your side. I live three blocks from this. And think it was clear what the citizens wanted. But, there were some errors made in getting this properly zoned. So all I am saying is it is not a slam dunk at all, it is a complex legal issue, that will take some fighting to win.

[equinox63]

I'm new to the discussion and I haven't read every post, so someone may have answered this already. I posed the question in a previous thread:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...kson-high.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...neighbors.html

But I was just wondering why/how the development will lower property values in nearby Grant Park and Glenwood Park if it is built in the manner that it is currently intended. And why can't it be designed to the "walkable" specifications of the residents? Why is the builder so unwilling to compromise? Lastly, could I get a quick crash course in how this affects the Beltline? Are we talking about the land across the street from Jackson High School?

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by equinox63

I'm new to the discussion and I haven't read every post, so someone may have answered this already. I posed the question in a previous thread:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...kson-high.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...neighbors.html

But I was just wondering why/how the development will lower property values in nearby Grant Park and Glenwood Park if it is built in the manner that it is currently intended. And why can't it be designed to the "walkable" specifications of the residents? Why is the builder so unwilling to compromise? Lastly, could I get a quick crash course in how this affects the Beltline? Are we talking about the land across the street from Jackson High School?

Because Fuqua is: 1. Lazy 2. An A-hole.