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Sometimes it is hard to get excited about blueprints and diagrams, sketches and concepts, ideas about the future of what metro Atlanta might look like 10 or 20 years from now. But there are two concepts brewing on the horizon that Smoke Rise and Tucker residents really should pay attention to in the coming months. Though it is hard to conceptualize how they will impact our neighborhoods, there is potential for a lot of change in this area in the future. First, state law requires DeKalb County to update its comprehensive land use plan once every decade. We are set to do that later this year. Residents of our area will get to see the unvieling of the county staff's first draft of the comprehensive plan on June 7. It's a vision for further development and redevelopment of the county. It will be presented from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 commerce Drive in Decatur. During this hearing, the county's planning staff is expected to offer the public recommendations on where future growth should occur and pair it with recommended transprotation improvements. We should expect to see higher density projects such as apartments, town homes and condominiums along transit lines-such as MARTA-and along interstate highways. It's important for residents to attend this meeting to make sure there are no surprises planned for their neighborhood. While the draft comprehensive plan will only be a blueprint for zoning, land use and transportation projects, it will be a guide the county commmission willuse for future zonings. Residents should turn out at this initial meeting to look at the recommendations and prepare to make comments at future meetings scheduled for later this summer. In addition, there is another rtansportation project now int he discussion stages that could impact the Smoke Rise and Tucker communities. A consortium of academic interests and developers in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties is urging the state to reconsider building a commuter rail line along the existing CSX right of way from downtown Atlanta to Athens. Dubbed the "brain train," proponents want the passenger train to connect the University of Georgia, a new college slated for Gwinnett County and Emory University. Stops would certainly be likely in the Tucker or Northlake area. The current proposal has a host of problems including te cost. Estimates range from $300 million to as high as $1 billion. The owner of the rail line, CSX, has not expressed any interest in leasing the line to the state. Others have said a second track may need to be built to accommodate passendger service because of busy freight traffic. Smoke Rise and Tucker area residents should monitor this issue as it will have a direct impact on our community not only because of potential access to another transportation mode, but it may impact local property values. In the meantime, I hope the commission will remain neutral on the issue until the state explores the pros and cons of the idea to see if it is viable for our county and the taxpayers who would likely hav eto help fund the project. In the meantime, if you have thoughts or comments about the upcoming comprehensive paln or the "brain train," feel free to contact me at my office at 404-371-3052. |
