Georgia's population reaches 10.2 million

[atler8]

Originally Posted by AtlantaIsHot

The Atlanta Regional Commission calls itself the "planning" agency for that 10 county region, but I see no evidence their "planning" was all that great. They certainly didn't encourage density at all and didn't help the traffic problems caused by over-use of cul-de-sac's and gated subdivision growth which worsened air pollution. They certainly weren't able to curtail sprawl in the region. I'm not sure what good they have done the region and by default the state since the Atlanta region constitutes the lions share of growth for the state...


And now that development has spilled outside their 10 county region and into Forsyth, Paulding, Bartow, Coweta, and Carroll counties, they are a little less meaningful when the fastest growth is in Forsyth county which has grown by double digits (16%) in only 4 years. A great deal of that growth remains in cul-de-sac's and subdivisions with only one way in or out to a main arterial. I'm not sure how much actual power they have, but cul-de-sac usage really needs curtailed.

To be fair, the ARC is not to blame for the errors in development that have been widespread in metro Atlanta. One can call them a "planning agency" but that's a not an entirely accurate or point-on representation of their mission. To be brutally frank, they are almost toothless & lacking in effective power that can be wielded as a force.
The real power for decisions rests in the multiple planning agencies, boards & governing councils in the myriad number of cities & counties that encompass the vast geographic expanse of metro Atlanta, whether they be in the 10 county ARC area or elsewhere in the giant 28 or 29 county CSA.

[AtlantaIsHot]

Originally Posted by atler8

To be fair, the ARC is not to blame for the errors in development that have been widespread in metro Atlanta. One can call them a "planning agency" but that's a not an entirely accurate or point-on representation of their mission. To be brutally frank, they are almost toothless & lacking in effective power that can be wielded as a force.
The real power for decisions rests in the multiple planning agencies, boards & governing councils in the myriad number of cities & counties that encompass the vast geographic expanse of metro Atlanta, whether they be in the 10 county ARC area or elsewhere in the giant 28 or 29 county CSA.

True, there is more than enough blame to go around. Your post really illustrates the problem. It is toothless and doesn't do anything to actually "plan" or aid the region.

[atler8]

Originally Posted by AtlantaIsHot

True, there is more than enough blame to go around. Your post really illustrates the problem. It is toothless and doesn't do anything to actually "plan" or aid the region.

Exactly.
And with all of the many, many layers of government in our balkanized metro area, and the go-it-alone/***** you mindset that I could say is representative of the attitude of various localities or a county or two, therein lies the crux of the problem for metro planning and a "toothless" agency such as the ARC, no matter how good it's intent may be.