Tag: Atlanta City Council
“The birds stopped singing”: Inside the battle for Atlanta’s South River Forest
Over the centuries, the South River Forest has been many things: Indigenous land, a prison farm, a dumping ground—and the keystone of an ambitious proposal to incorporate nature into Atlanta’s growth. But in 2021, people living nearby were surprised to learn that the city had different plans for it: a massive new police training facility.
How to make housing affordable in Atlanta
Here’s how inclusionary zoning works, how it doesn’t, and how the system could grow to provide more affordable homes.
What Music Midtown’s cancellation could mean for the city that “influences everything”
Tyler Lyle, the Atlanta-based half of synthwave band The Midnight, believes the city “got punked by the gun lobby,” as Music Midtown organizers on Monday called off the iconic, (usually) annual festival at Piedmont Park.
Roe v. Wade Overturned: What’s next for Georgia’s “heartbeat bill” and legal abortion access in the state
For now, abortion is still legal up to 20 weeks in the state, but the state's six-week abortion ban, currently tangled up in the courts, will likely go into effect soon. Here’s what to know about the future of reproductive care in Georgia.
What’s holding back Atlanta’s food trucks—and what’s being done about it
Costs and red tape—plus strict municipal regulations about where food trucks can do their business—have conspired to stifle the growth of the industry in the Atlanta area, keeping trucks at the fringes of the dining scene. Some relief, though, is on the horizon.
Is this the year Atlanta’s tree-protection ordinance gets an update?
Atlanta’s tree-protection ordinance—a critical tool for preserving the forest in the city—is more than two decades old. Is this the year it gets an update?
The New Mayor: Andre Dickens comes to the job calculating and confident
Andre Dickens is still acquainting himself with his job as mayor of Atlanta. But his mission is clear: Fight crime, produce affordable housing—which, experts say, would help prevent crime—and create good-paying jobs (another noted crime deterrent). Simply put, he must make Atlanta safer and more equitable.
The Atlanta City Council runoff election—explained in 10 minutes
With no more than seven incumbents returning, the Atlanta City Council will look much different in 2022. The extent of that change is still to be determined, however, as two council members, with more than 30 years combined experience, face stiff challenges in the November 30 runoff. If they lose, Atlanta's legislative arm will feature more newcomers than returning members—a dramatic makeover for a city that has long favored staying the course. Here's a look at the races yet to be decided, as well as who won their elections outright earlier this month.
What’s at stake in the Atlanta mayor’s race?
Crime’s the biggest issue on the ballot, but it's not the only issue. Atlanta’s transit, bike lanes, sidewalks, and roads will need an advocate and big-picture thinker who makes sure the city gets the maximum benefit from the $1 trillion in federal infrastructure cash expected to flow to states and cities.
Next stop, Cop City? What’s happening with the controversial plan for a new police and fire training center in DeKalb
On September 8, Atlanta City Council voted 10 to 4 in favor of a proposal to build a training center for police and firefighters on 85 acres of land in south DeKalb County. The vote came amid fierce controversy and followed 17 hours of public comment. Here's why many groups are opposed to the plan, and what could happen next.