Prince Avenue Needs A Comprehensive Plan, Not Just Zoning Changes, Committee Says

May 1, 2013

Mr. Paul Dellaria, Chairman
Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission 120 W. Dougherty St.
Athens, GA 30601

RE: Prince Avenue Corridor: Potential Future Development, Zoning Map Changes and Zoning Text Amendments

Dear Chairman Dellaria and Members of the Planning Commission:

We write to voice our concerns about potential proposed zoning changes to the Prince Avenue corridor.

We all served as members of the Prince Avenue Stakeholder's Committee. As you know, the committee was appointed by Mayor Nancy Denson to serve as a sounding board for Planning Department staff as they explored potential zoning-related changes for the corridor.

Like many others--including policymakers, residents, institutional leaders and developers--we share the sense of urgency about the need to revisit the policies that shape one of Athens-Clarke County's most significant community corridors. In our view, ACC's Mayor and Commission, and its Planning Department staff have rightly devoted attention and resources to studying the corridor, seeking public input and beginning to develop proposals to guide its future development.

We felt privileged to serve on the stakeholder's committee, and thanks to the patient and well-prepared efforts of Planning Department staff, we all learned a great deal in a relatively short amount of time about the complexities involved in making this corridor work for everyone who uses it--nearby neighbors, pedestrians, cyclists, commuters, businesses, developers, hospitals, colleges and others.

We understand that the proposed changes you will be hearing about from the Planning Department at your May 2 meeting are preliminary and subject to your review, further input from the public and guidance from the Mayor and Commission. But even though this is still an early point in the process, we want to highlight our concerns about these still evolving proposals and to make a suggestion about how to proceed.

1. Zoning changes should be implemented only as part of a comprehensive plan for the corridor. We agree it makes sense to consider zoning changes as a first step in developing a comprehensive plan for the corridor. But we believe--very strongly--that implementing zoning changes intended to allow for more development first and on its own would damage rather than improve the character of the corridor. We believe that phasing-in zoning changes should be done in tandem with plans for right-of-way improvements designed to allow for safer pedestrian and bike access across and along the corridor, plans for protecting the rich array of historic structures and cultural resources that stud the corridor and plans for preserving tree canopy and creating public green spaces. From our perspective, the guiding principle here is: if you're going to allow for more density and intensity of use along the corridor, make sure you have the infrastructure (in terms of traffic planning, pedestrian safety, protection of historic resources and other amenities) in place so that any increased development enhances rather than spoils other valuable uses and aspects of the corridor.

2. Developing a master street scape design should be a priority. As it is today, the corridor is dangerous to cross on foot, and not much better for cyclists. Nor, in certain locations, is it well-designed for cars and trucks. In listening to our neighbors and fellow Athenians, the most frequent comments we hear about the corridor are: it's not safe to walk across and it can be frustrating to bike and drive on. We believe rezoning without a master street scape would increase pedestrian, cycling and vehicle traffic problems--a result that would be viewed by many in Athens as a serious step backwards for the corridor.

3. Application of a new zoning category intended to foster and preserve modest- scaled development adjacent to residential areas should be expanded. We welcome the intention behind the effort to create this new zoning category (originally dubbed "Commercial Neighborhood Established"), and we generally approve of what we've seen so far of the details of this proposal. But we wonder why the proposed application of this new zoning category does not--in addition to where it has been proposed--also include more of the north side of Prince Ave. from Grady St. to Satula Ave. After all, this is the area that originally inspired efforts to create this new category.

4. Developing a plan to protect historic and cultural resources along with tree canopy and plans to create public green spaces should begin now. Over the years, the Prince Avenue corridor has changed, and lost many magnificent homes and other buildings. But it retains a critical mass of them, and these historic resources combined with their setbacks and the existing tree canopy still make Prince Avenue one of the most visually pleasant corridors in Athens. We believe having a plan in place to protect these resources is essential if the corridor is to retain (let alone enhance) its iconic and graceful character. Attached, for your information, is a document that highlights the history of the corridor, and locates and illustrates many of the historic and cultural resources along it.

5. Potential up-zoning near the bypass should be weighed carefully to avoid turning the entry way to Athens' most attractive corridor into another Atlanta Highway. We understand that allowing for more development along the corridor could, if done right, add considerable value. This increased value--expanded opportunities for businesses and institutions, the creation of more sustainable neighborhood-serving establishments such as grocery stores, restaurants, other small shops, and more tax revenues for ACC--would be good for everyone. But if proposed up-zoning, even in parcels like those near the bypass that might seem suited for larger scale developments in less walkable areas, is done too hastily and drastically and without accompanying streetscape and traffic flow design plans being in place, this entranceway to Athens could well come to resemble the undistinguished sprawl that characterizes parts of Atlanta Highway.

Given our concerns and how we've described them, our suggestion about how to proceed with planning for the corridor should come as no surprise. We ask that you join us in recommending to the Mayor and Commission that the Planning Department:

• "  • Develop a comprehensive plan for the corridor before implementing zoning changes. This comprehensive plan would include zoning changes, a master street scape plan and a plan to protect the corridor's historic resources.

• "  • Consider applying the new zoning category designed to protect and enhance the established, more modest-scaled developments adjacent to residential areas to additional appropriate parcels along the corridor;

• "  • Be the given resources it needs to accomplish these tasks as soon as possible, and with continuing public input.

  ACC's comprehensive Prince Avenue Corridor Study remains an invaluable resource for this effort. The concerns we have highlighted in this letter and the suggestion we have made for developing and implementing a comprehensive approach for the corridor are-- in our view--consistent with the findings and initial recommendations contained in the study. As you know, both the Planning Commission and the Mayor and Commission voted to accept the corridor study as the basis for moving forward with planning for the corridor.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of our concerns. Sincerely,

Elliot Francis Caldwell, Bob Carson, Dan Lorentz
Jessica Nickelsen,  Peter Norris, Rachel Watkins