Clifton Corridor

Urban Design Guidelines

prepared for the Clifton Community ParTNership by Goody Clancy

december 2008

Contents

Letter from Mike Mandl iii D. Design Guidelines 27 Letter from the Clifton Community Five Steps to Creating Successful Places 28 Partnership Advisory Group iv Natural Environment Restoration Areas 30 Behind this Plan vi Connectivity 37 Acknowledgments viii Neighborhood Preservation Areas 44 Overview xi Corridor Enhancement Areas 49 Using these Guidelines xv General Guidelines 51 The Planning Process xxiii District Guidelines 63 Clifton | Sage Hill 64 A. Forces shaping growth and Clifton | Wesley Woods 76 change in DeKalb County Clifton | Hilltop 88 and the Clifton community 1 Clifton | Emory Health Sciences 104 Demographics 1 Clifton Station 116 Household affluence 2 Clifton | Emory Core 128 Land use and transportation 4 Haygood | Druid Hills High School 144 Institutional growth and scale 6 Druid Hills | North Decatur 158 Transportation challenges 7 Clairmont | North Decatur 172 Clairmont | Lullwater 184 B. Core Principles 11 Create places of greater civic value 12 Appendices Promote environmental sustainability 13 A. Appropriate plant species list Expand choices 14 B. Emory Forest Canopy Policy Improve accessibility and connectivity 15 C. Zoning Analysis Enhance personal well-being 16 Foster community-wide engagement 17

C. Vision 19 Natural Environment Restoration Areas Neighborhood Preservation Areas Corridor Enhancement Areas

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■  ii From Mike Mandl Weather and schedule permitting, the latter not nearly often enough, I enjoy walking from home to my office at Emory. It is surprising what I notice on these walks to work, when, out of my car, I am able to see the Clifton community in a very different light.

Our community is fortunate to maintain a healthy, green “tree canopy,” an abundant stock of classic historic homes and mix of local businesses. Unfortunately, walking or bicycling within the Clifton community can be dangerous, with uneven or missing sidewalks and a lack of bike lanes. Over time, a clear pattern has emerged of traveling through our community primarily by car—often with only one occupant.

These Urban Design Guidelines are meant to challenge each of us to see a new vision for our community. The Clifton Community Partnership (CCP) and Emory initiated this project to support the four CCP focus areas—transportation choices as alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles; housing that enables employees to live closer to their workplaces; vibrant activity centers with shops, restaurants and amenities; and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and outdoor spaces.

The vision and ideals reflected in these Guidelines are energizing and provide a solid foundation for tackling long-term changes and opportunities in our community. But, I am equally pleased that this initiative provided many occasions for neighbors to assemble and begin discussions about how our community should evolve in the most beneficial way for the largest number of people in the face of inevitable change.

From the start of our discussion at the end of 2006, hundreds of neighbors, civic leaders, business owners, and Emory stakeholders contributed to the final set of Guidelines. This document outlines what aspects of our community are “sacred” and should be preserved—and what aspects are dated, underutilized, and do not contribute sufficiently to the public good.

Please take some time and review the Guidelines closely. The ideas envisioned in this document will evolve over the coming years and quite possibly decades. But the Guidelines provide a great planning tool that allow us to continue our ongoing conversation about what the Clifton community can look and feel like in the years ahead.

I look forward to seeing the evolution firsthand on future walks and bike rides throughout the community.

Best wishes,

Michael J. Mandl

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ iii From the Clifton Community Partnership Advisory Group

To the Clifton community:

Fifteen months ago, the Clifton Community Partnership, Emory and members of our community met to initiate the development of Urban Design Guidelines for our community. As we started this extended dialogue – the first of a series of public meetings and charrettes - we met, appropriately in the auditorium of Druid Hills High School, a rich, historic educational fixture in the middle of our community.

The setting was appropriate as we were about to embark on an experience that was educational as much as it was visionary.

As we learned, our community, our county and our region are all changing. The projected demographic shifts and lifestyle changes will be profound. A primary goal of these guidelines is to ensure that we, as a community, have a broad yet nimble plan that will provide the framework for embracing change in a way that preserves our cherished quality of life.

Ours is not a one-size-fits all community, and as one Advisory Group member aptly described, “We are not just a collection of cul-de-sacs.”

Different corridors require different considerations and no two should look the same. The “gateways” to our community touch key thoroughfares – Briarcliff, Clifton, North Decatur and Clairmont roads – but also coexist with historic communities, pristine woodlands, creeks, schools, shops and jobs. The distinct corridors received individual attention to preserve their unique qualities.

The education didn’t end with urban design concepts. These guidelines represent not just standards for a community in evolution, but an important process that brought divergent views together to find common interest. Hundreds of community members rolled up their sleeves, marked maps, ate pizza and listened – really listened to one another -- as we envisioned what our community “could” be.

The discussion easily led from specifics on certain streets, to the larger needs of our community through a process that most of us had not participated in previously.

iv No education is cheap and ours was not either. We thank Emory for generously funding this process, and extend special thanks to David Dixon and Ben Carlson at Goody Clancy, without whom we would not have produced this exceptional work product.

When people of divergent opinions sit down together, in the spirit of goodwill, there is no end to what we can accomplish.

We hope you enjoy reading these guidelines and a perspective on shaping the future of our community.

Clifton Community PARTNERSHIP Advisory Group (CCPAG) Members

Ingrid Blanton Stuart Meddin Emory University Alliance to Improve Emory Village Robert L. Brown Jim Morawetz RL Brown & Associates Druid Hills Civic Association Charlie Bleau Maria Mullins Clairmont Heights Civic Association DeKalb Economic Development Vanessa Cameron Harvey Nation Mason Mills Civic Association Nancy Ciliax Clairmont Heights Civic Association Everett Patrick Druid Hills High School Natalie DiSantis Atlanta Neighborhood Mac Platt Development Partnership, Inc. Druid Hills Civic Association Jeffrey Dufresne Julie Ralston Urban Land Institute (ULI) Atlanta Regional Commission Sara Fountain Dr. James Ramsay Leadership DeKalb, Briarcliff Woods Emory University Civic Association Doris Robinson Alicia Franck Coldwell Banker Emory University Kenneth Rose Lynn Cherry Grant Centers for Disease Control and Prevention DeKalb Board of Education Sally Sears Renee Huskey Alliance to Improve Emory Village Mary Leight Arnie Silverman Briarwood Hills Civic Association Silverman Program Construction Management Bruce MacGregor Lorine Spencer Druid Hills Civic Association Centers for Disease Control and Prevention JoAnn Godfrey McClinton John Wegner MARTA Board of Directors Emory University

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■  Behind this Plan: The Clifton Community Partnership, the Clifton Community, and the Clifton Community Partnership Advisory Group

The Clifton Community Partnership (CCP) impact on the community, including: is an initiative started by Emory University • Encouraging housing in the Clifton to provide a framework for discussing community that will appeal to local common quality-of-life issues within the employees, allowing them live near Clifton community—the area within three their jobs, and reducing the number of miles of Emory’s main campus. commuter vehicles on area roads. • Promoting walking as a healthy The collaboration between the CCP and viable commuting option on and Emory supports the University’s pedestrian-friendly streets with wider Strategic Plan and its challenge: sidewalks and safer pathways. Creating Community, Engaging Society. • Reducing the number of residents Through the CCP, Emory is putting its and employees traveling on local strategic initiatives into action. Many roads in single-occupancy vehicles. of the CCP’s projects support Emory’s The CCP encourages the idea of Sustainability Initiatives, which promote commuters’ traveling in ways other healthy ecosystems and environmental than single-occupancy vehicles to stewardship. improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion in the Clifton community. Community input is a core value of • Improving the community by the CCP. The CCP initiates significant supporting local shops, restaurants, outreach and engagement efforts that entertainment venues and activities. include a dynamic community website, a monthly newsletter mailed to nearly The CCP established an Advisory Group 16,000 homes in the Clifton community, of neighborhood, business, institutional, and periodic community workshops. and civic leaders representing broad and varied interests within the greater By engaging local residents, civic Clifton community. The group serves leaders, business leaders, local as advisors to Emory on several early governments, and employers and initiatives, including the Emory Point employees, the CCP concentrates on and development of these Urban Design four areas that will have a significant Guidelines.

vi The CCP envisions that within ten years, students, faculty, staff, patients, residents, and visitors will know that they are in the Clifton community by teh progressive urban design, beautifully landscaped streets, walkable and safe sidewalks, range of activities offered in the area, and the confluence of people actively engaged in the community. There will be the sense that “this is the place to be.”

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ vii Acknowledgments

Emory University David Payne, Michael J. Mandl, Director of Communications, Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration Campus Planning and Outreach Jen Fabrick, Thayra Riley, University Architect Transportation Planning Manager Charlie Andrews, Robert Rodriguez, Senior Associate Vice President for Health Science Associate General Counsel Center Space Planning and Construction Karen Salisbury, Barry Atwood, Manager, Chief of Staff to the Vice President for Campus Services Graphic Design Ron Sauder, Debra Bloom, Vice President, Communications and Marketing Associate Administrator, Emory Healthcare Jamie Smith, Tina Chiles, Senior Program Associate, Administrative Assistant Clifton Community Partnership Adele Clements, Director, Denise Walker, Transportation Assistant Director, Community Affairs Bryan Cooke, John Wegner, Executive Director, Clifton Community Partnership Senior Lecturer and Chief Environmental Officer Beverly Cormican, Betty Willis, Assistant Vice President, Business Management Senior Associate Vice President, Governmental and Community Affairs Lynn Drawdy, Project Manager Julia Yeager, Senior Director, Emory Healthcare Kelly Gray, Communications Manager, Campus Planning and Outreach The President’s Cabinet, Emory University David Hanson, Associate Vice President, Finance and Special Assistant Real Estate, Buildings, and Grounds to Executive Vice President Committee of the Emory Board of Bob Hascall, Trustees Vice President, Campus Services Gary Hauk, Woodruff Health Sciences Center Vice President and Deputy to the President Ciannat Howett, Emory University Committee Director, Sustainability Initiatives on the Environment James Johnson, Chris Beck Project Manager Tim Bryson Sharon Jordan, John Wegner Administrative Assistant

viii The Clifton Community Partnership Clairmont Heights Civic Association Advisory Group Tim Bryson Nancy Ciliax Alliance to Improve Emory Village (AIEV) Jim Smith Davis Fox Stuart Meddin Clifton Corridor Transportation Management Association (CCTMA) Atlanta Regional Commission Adele Clements Julie Ralston Thayra Riley

Center for Quality Growth & Regional DeKalb County Development (Georgia Tech) Kathie Gannon Karen Leone Di Nie Jeff Rader Catherine Ross Andrew Baker Centers for Disease Control and Patrick Ejike Prevention (CDC) Stacey Grear George Chandler Kevin Hunter David Clark Maria Mullins Howard Frumkin Debbie Schneider Robert Lawson Druid Hills Civic Association Jim Maxwell Sallie Freeman Ken Rose Bruce MacGregor Brent Rosser Jim Morawetz Greg Rossery Chad Palazzo Sam Tarr Mac Platt Children’s Healthcare Dick Spangler of Atlanta at Egleston Dan Maxwell Druid Hills High School Everett Patrick City of Atlanta Parks Department Dee Merriam Druid Hills High School Advisory Council

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ ix Emory Presbyterian Church Bill Choate Rev. Jill Oglesby Evans Wendy Riggs

Fernbank Museum of Natural History Aneli Nutgeren

Friends of Emory Forest Daniel Denton Bob Kibler Marianne Skeen

Georgia Brain Train Emory Morsberger

Livable Communities Coalition Jim Durrett John Maximuk

MARTA Paul Grether

Mason Mill Woods Civic Association Harvey Nation

Olmsted Linear Parks Alliance

ULI Atlanta Jeff Dufresne

Victoria Estates Neighborhood David Littlefield

Members of the Clifton community that supported this effort

 Overview An idyllic suburban community center emerged, and a handsome suffering from success university grew to national stature. Emory University and its neighbors collaborated to create the Clifton Corridor Three trends that Olmsted had foreseen Urban Design Guidelines out of a desire and that supported his vision—the to build on the area’s unique heritage attraction of suburban living, increased and to reinvigorate that heritage to meet availability of automobiles, and creation 21st-century needs and aspirations. of new wealth—grew wildly in the 20th century, far beyond his or anyone’s ability When Frederick Law Olmsted laid to predict. At the time Olmsted’s office out a plan for Druid Hills—graced delivered his plan, DeKalb County held by a network of parks that lined fewer than 30,000 residents and probably pleasure drives and by streets whose well under 1,000 cars. By contrast, in curves celebrated the area’s hills and the years 1990–2005 alone the county streams—he evoked the spirit of the added roughly 170,000 residents. The City Beautiful movement. Reacting to metropolitan region is expected to add unhealthful and dehumanizing conditions another million people by 2025, roughly in America’s late-19th- and early-20th- one-fifth of whom are expected to settle century industrial cities, Olmsted and in DeKalb County. The number of cars fellow City Beautiful advocates sought on local roads and the number of hours to introduce parks, public squares, lost to congestion have grown even and grand promenades that would faster than population has. At the same restore a sense of grace to cities. time, increasing affluence—household Olmsted and his contemporaries also income in Druid Hills has surpassed explored the possibilities of idealized $100,000—and rising land values suburban environments such as Druid have drawn investment toward this Hills as escapes from foul urban air part of the rapidly growing region. and congestion. Olmsted spoke of the kind of community spirit found Burgeoning population, traffic, and in villages where people of different wealth together have created a sort of generations lived and nature nourished perfect storm that began to strengthen humans. The wisdom of his plan was in the mid-1980s and has grown borne out as trees matured, attractive steadily since then. While the physical houses were built on streets, a village framework that Olmsted imagined

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ xi has weathered this storm and remains of other institutions, county officials, visible and treasured, the quality of and other stakeholders in energetically life he hoped to foster faces serious supporting the process of developing the threat. Residents complain that clogged guidelines. Their active involvement— streets and anonymous strip shopping including participation in a broadly centers create a sense of isolation representative advisory committee, rather than community. Roughly half community workshops, a visioning of Emory and CDC employees drive to charrette, community meetings, lunch regularly—because their desired and a page-by-page review of these options are not located within reasonable guidelines—suggests the depth of walking distance—further exacerbating commitment and mutual goodwill on congestion. Both younger faculty/staff which the community can build. seeking to live near Emory or the CDC and older residents seeking to retire in An uncharted course their neighborhood complain that they The guidelines that emerged from this lack suitable housing choices. Criss- broad and inclusive process represent crossed by a series of auto-oriented far more than their title implies. The corridors, the area lacks the walkability guidelines do offer specific direction that supports personal health and puts for shaping a more livable future for the people in touch with nature. The forest corridor and adjacent neighborhoods canopy, woodlands, and streams so and institutions, but they also represent loved by everyone in the community a dramatic step beyond that. have suffered from the polluted runoff sluicing off the acres of surface parking • The guidelines recognize the need that have spread across the landscape. for a far more robust response to the corrosive impacts of suburban The Clifton community and Emory growth—one in which all members of chose not to surrender to the impacts the community benefit from working of growth. Instead, they chose to create together. While neighborhoods and the Clifton Community Partnership universities in numerous older urban as a vehicle for managing growth neighborhoods have joined forces to and transforming its impacts into address decades of disinvestment, opportunities for community building. these guidelines represent the first One of the Partnership’s first tasks collaboration between suburban was to develop guidelines to foster neighborhoods and a university to a more walkable community and create such a tangible vision for the promote a wider range of housing community they share. Equally notable, and transportation options. Hundreds participants recognized the futility of of residents joined Emory faculty, trying to isolate the community from staff, and students, representatives xii the impacts of regional growth and By taking the risk of charting a new chose instead to focus on how to work course—setting aside differences and together to amplify the benefits and experimenting with collaboration— limit the costs that growth can bring. Clifton’s neighborhoods, institutions, and other stakeholders have moved to take • These guidelines establish the value charge of their shared future. Through of a shared vision, inspired by diverse these guidelines and future products perspectives. Clifton boasts a rich of this collaboration, they are building history of visions, from Olmsted’s a model for other communities across plans for a regional park system and the country and laying the groundwork for the Druid Hills neighborhood to for benefits in their own community recent plans drawn up by individual that will represent an enduring legacy. neighborhoods, Emory, the CDC and others. This process represents the A journey marked by discovery first time, however, that widely diverse These guidelines are very different stakeholders sat at the same table, in spirit, scope, and detail, from month after month, to hammer out a the document that the Partnership shared vision that reflected the needs originally envisioned. In many ways and aspirations of the entire area. the process of creating the guidelines represented a journey that led its • The guidelines explore non-traditional participants into unanticipated territory strategies. In place of generic and produced unexpected discoveries: approaches to accommodating growth—wider roadways designed • A vision shaped by preservation, to handle increased traffic but that restoration, and innovation. As inevitably invite more, and down- originally conceived, the vision and zoning that pushes growth to other guidelines would have focused areas but inevitably brings more solely on enhancing walkability and through traffic—the stakeholders expanding housing and transportation investigated other strategies designed choices along existing auto-dominated to create a more livable community. corridors. Instead, the process The guidelines call for incentives that produced a far broader vision that encourage people who work along the embraced this initial approach, but corridor to live in new housing in the broadened its focus to include the corridor (and walk, bike or ride transit value of preserving the character of to work); concentrate growth in places historic and traditional residential that could be served by future transit; neighborhoods, of restoring the and link development to the creation quality of natural habitats, and of of new public parks and other steps maintaining a fit between people that produce a greener community. and nature across the area.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ xiii • A cultural shift from a mid-20th-century Continuing the journey together automobile-centered suburb into a Perhaps more important than the 21st-century walkable community. guidelines is a widespread interest in a The process began with a widespread partnership through which stakeholders sense that the goal of moving traffic of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints efficiently (already impossible, given can continue to collaborate on managing congestion levels) took precedence growth for mutual benefit—even though over the aspiration for increased this holds no guarantee of solving the walkability. As tradeoffs between challenges that lie ahead for the area. facilitating traffic and enhancing Articulate neighborhood residents remain walkability became more apparent, committed to enhancing quality of life. stakeholders came down strongly in Environmental advocates remain focused favor of planning, programming, and on protecting and restoring natural design decisions that would enhance habitats. Emory, as a world-leading walkability and reduce traffic growth. university and health center, remains committed to excellence in a fast- • A new community-wide sense of changing world—a goal its colleagues responsibility for sustainability. While at the Centers for Disease Control and many stakeholders reported taking Veterans Administration Hospital share. increasing personal responsibility Shopping centers developed in an earlier for better environmental practices, era remain significant and tempting the process of collaboration built investment opportunities. These varying a shared sense of area-wide stakeholder interests and conditions responsibility. This translated directly represent a potentially combustible mix into an invitation for Emory, through that could undermine the goals of all its Office of Sustainability and other stakeholders. Managed by the collective resources, to form new partnerships efforts of stakeholders committed to aimed at preserving forest canopy, partnership, these same interests and managing groundwater, and providing conditions could lead to a very different environmental education across the future. They offer almost unparalleled area. The sense of shared responsibility opportunities for community revitalization extended to enhancing the entire marked by greater livability, mold- area’s “performance” on a range breaking innovation, and sustainability. of sustainability components—for example, locating housing, jobs, and other activities within walking distance of each other and creating new connections that invite walking.

xiv Using These Guidelines

developments, changes in existing Sections within buildings, and streetscape and other this chapter: landscape initiatives. Emory can also 1. Audience refer to the guidelines in working with 2. Guidelines structure surrounding neighborhoods and others 3. The study area to plan new environmental or other ini- and its history tiatives intended to enhance the quality 4. Making a difference and character of the larger community. 5. Terminology • All members of the community—to identify steps toward restoring the natural environment and creating 1. Audience a better fit between traditional These guidelines are intended for use by neighborhoods and the busy corridors a broad range of people and agencies running through them. who play or will play important roles • Architects, engineers, landscape in defining, planning, and creating architects, and planners—to shape responses to forces of growth and initial planning and design proposals change in the Clifton community, DeKalb and to work with the larger community County, and metropolitan Atlanta. The to design buildings, public streets, guidelines have particular relevance to: parks, and other improvements. • Residents and neighborhood • Elected officials—to understand organizations the kind of improvements that the > working with developers and community seeks and the shape they institutions to shape concepts should take. for new projects, policies, and • County urban design and planning programs; staffs—to shape county-sponsored > reviewing new projects; and projects, programs, and policies— > shaping initiatives to enhance from new developments to public the quality and character of their parks and street and streetscape neighborhoods. improvements—and in reviewing • Property owners and developers—to projects proposed by others. create plans and designs for new • County, regional, and state agency developments or changes in existing staffs—to formulate regional transit buildings. and related development policies. • Emory and other institutions—to • Everyone whose actions directly draw up plans and designs for new or indirectly affect the character

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ xv and quality of this wonderful • Section B, Planning Principles, or- community—to assess their own ganizes diverse goals expressed by actions and to understand more fully the community into six key principles. what they can do to help build a still Component elements of the principles better community. inevitably overlap, but the six state- • Neighborhood and environmental ments stand as the backbone of plan- preservation interests. ning policy for the Clifton Corridor.

These guidelines also draw on a • Section C, Vision, translates the wealth of information, research, and principles into graphic form by recommendations provided by others. identifying three fundamental types Key sources for further reference are of land throughout the study area that included in the appendices. merit distinct treatment. Its composite schematic plan shows general 2. Guidelines Structure opportunities and goals that grow out These guidelines address many issues, of community input, and it contains from the community-wide forest a more detailed illustrative plan of canopy to individual crosswalks, and the primary study area that highlights many scales. The chapters provide specific opportunities and goals. complementary perspectives on these scales and issues. • Section D, Design Guidelines, represents the largest chapter of this • Overview, Using These Guidelines document and is itself divided into and The Planning Process provide parts. Five Steps to Creating Place background on the origins, evolution, briefly explains that the process and spirit of the guidelines as an of creating great places requires instrument that serves a broad and simultaneous attention to multiple complex community. issues, and that excluding any of them jeopardizes the success of the whole. • Section A, Forces of Growth and Natural Environment Restoration Areas Change, describes key external and describes the first of the three types internal forces in the study area that of land identified in the vision, the shape issues like transportation and natural realm. Connectivity addresses housing demand. These forces will the need for new and different affect the study area no matter what transportation choices, a pervasive its course of action, and they will pose theme throughout the document. both challenges and opportunities for Then follow the other two types of achieving community goals. land, that together constitute the built realm: Neighborhood Preservation

xvi Areas and Corridor Enhancement 3. Study Area and Its History Areas. The latter of these two includes Druid Hills and the residential both guidelines that apply universally neighborhoods around it evolved hand across the study area’s corridors and in hand with Emory University and ten chapters that focus on specific other major area institutions during the sub-districts along the corridors. These twentieth century. The neighborhoods chapters, with their greater level of and institutions have always had close detail, form more than half of this relationships in terms of a shared document. community of faculty, staff, students and supportive services, and in terms of • Appendices provide additional refer- physical planning and architecture. Over ence information on plant species ap- time, these relationships have changed propriate for use in the area, Emory’s as a reflection of shifting neighborhood tree canopy preservation policy, and demographics, institutional scale an analysis of zoning changes that and other factors, introducing new would help achieve community goals. complementarities and tensions. As

The design guidelines primarily address the corridor areas shown in blue, but are informed by conditions throughout the context area shown in yellow, covering the traditional neighborhoods of Druid Hills, adjacent neighborhoods, multiple institutional campuses and commercial areas.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ xvii summarized by Emory University programs. The admission of women Historian Gary Hauk, this history breaks in 1953 further expanded the student roughly into four eras: body. The campus grew physically • 1910s–1940s. This period saw the with new dormitories, academic and original development of Druid Hills research buildings and the expansion as planned by the office of Frederick of Emory Hospital on Clifton Road. Law Olmsted, and the establishment The CDC began to develop its current of the Emory campus in its current campus in the 1950’ and 1960s location in 1916. Initially a small liberal on land provided by the university. arts college without today’s research Transportation, meanwhile, shifted and medical components, Emory predominantly to the automobile as grew up together with Druid Hills. The local rail and streetcar services ended neighborhood housed college faculty by the 1960s. Despite significant and staff, and a strong shared culture growth, Emory’s scale still posed few emerged among the community and direct challenges to the established the institution. Emory Village was character of the surrounding developed as a community center for neighborhoods, which themselves saw both, with stores, restaurants, a theater significant expansion after World War II and streetcar service to Atlanta by way within the final Olmsted-planned tracts of Oxford, the Byway and Briarcliff and other areas. roads. Emory Station provided rail service to the larger region and beyond. • 1970s–late 1990s. In the 1970s, in- In response to the growing number of creasing institutional scale brought faculty with children in the community, more significant changes to the Clifton Emory helped the community establish community. Emory’s 1972 library was the Druid Hills School in 1919 on the the first building of significant height in college’s campus. In 1928 the school the area. The 1979 Woodruff gift to the moved to the current location of Druid university led to significant expansion of Hills High School, where it served medical care and research facilities on students in grades K through 11. In campus, including significant hospital 1959 the school shifted its focus to growth and the Emory Clinic B building students in grades 8-12 as elementary in the 1980s. The CDC began to de- pupils began attending Fernbank velop its campus more aggressively in Elementary. the 1990s. Controversies began pitting Emory and the community against one • 1940s–1970s. The passage of the GI another. The scale of proposed devel- Bill spurred Emory’s growth after World opment proved a particular flashpoint War II with a large influx of students for such projects as the North Decatur and the introduction of new and Road medical building, the Emory Con- expanded graduate and professional ference Center Hotel and Boisfeuillet xviii Jones Center. By the 1990s, mean- change, ensuring that a variety of people while, traffic had emerged as a serious will bring many unique concerns to and growing community problem. different stages of change, and offering the flexibility to evaluate progress and • Late 1990’s–today. A new era began reorient planning goals as time passes in the late 1990s with the realization and key issues shift. that the growing complexity of development and related issues called At the same time, incremental change for more comprehensive approaches presents a different set of difficulties, to campus and community planning. particularly that of coordinating the Planning perspectives would need many independent actions that take to engage more stakeholders and place throughout the study area. A key embrace a larger scope. Efforts to recommendation of these guidelines revive Emory Village began in 1998 outlines the comprehensive improvement through a community-inclusive process. of portions of Clifton, Briarcliff, North The university renewed its campus Decatur and Clairmont roads and master plan with more attention to Haygood Drive with upgraded sidewalks, edge conditions along neighborhoods. medians, landscaping, travel lanes, bike A growing appreciation emerged for the lanes, and, in some cases, adjacent area’s natural areas as traffic problems redevelopment. As portions of these took on even greater urgency. The corridors undergo improvement, others process of creating these guidelines will remain as they are, yet improved has intended to build upon these steps and existing areas must continue to with a longer-term view both to the work together as a system. Therefore, goals of physical planning and to a the design guidelines for each Corridor more inclusive community process by Enhancement District outline interim which it should occur. improvements along with ultimate improvements. Interim measures—which 4. Making a Difference typically can be accomplished through Phasing. While conceptual plans and simple restriping of roadways—provide goals throughout this document depict a tangible near-term enhancements and thorough set of potential improvements help support improved areas. extending through large areas, reality dictates that changes will occur A phasing priority map and matrix con- incrementally over five, ten, and even clude each of the ten chapters that focus as many as twenty years. The gradual on individual Corridor Enhancement Dis- pace of change is highly beneficial, tricts. The map and matrix organize the protecting the community from the initiatives recommended for each district impacts of overwhelming simultaneous in a sequence that reflects the consulting

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ xix team’s best understanding of community • Emory University: priorities and of opportunity. The CCPAG > The Office of Finance and Adminis- and other stakeholders working to imple- tration has provided significant input ment these guidelines, however, should and information for these guidelines. remain in ongoing dialogue to confirm Within this larger entity, the Office and reconfirm priorities, even among of Sustainability Initiatives, Office of the priorities already listed. This process Campus Services, and the University will help identify priorities among initia- Architect have had particularly strong tives having a variety of time frames. For engagement. instance, achieving the long-term goal of > Committee on the Environment rail or other improved transit will require (COE)—Creator of some of the na- more immediate and ongoing efforts. tion’s most progressive environmen- tal policies for Emory, the committee Clifton community members—especially plays an important advisory role in many of the direct participants in this what gets built on university land. planning process—are simultaneously > The Emory Bike and Pedestrian engaged with a number of entities whose Committee recommends specific initiatives will play an instrumental role improvements for strengthening in meting the goals of these guidelines. pedestrian and bicycle accessibility. Notable among these are: • The CCTMA has studied opportunities • The CCPAG—The Clifton Community for enhanced transit service in the area Partnership, particularly its Advisory and helps coordinate transportation Group, is the most direct owner of planning among area landowners and these guidelines as well as its most DeKalb County. important community advocate. The CCPAG will need to work actively • DeKalb County: The county retains with stakeholders and the general conventional zoning control throughout community to coordinate actions and the study area, but it has expressed priorities. While Emory has provided a interest in the possibility of adopting majority of the initiative and funding for the guidelines in whole or part as the CCP and these design guidelines, overlays to area zoning that support the intent is that the CCP continue to the intent of the revised county master serve as a forum representing the entire plan. The CCP should continue working community, with strong and growing with the county to determine the most involvement by other institutions, appropriate approaches to policy and residents, land and business owners, administration of planning guidelines in and other stakeholders. support of mutual community goals.

xx • Neighborhood homeowner 5. Terminology associations: Principal neighborhoods • Clifton Community refers to the broad represented in the preparation of this spectrum of people who live, work, document include: study, shop or otherwise spend time > Druid Hills in the study area. The people who > Clairmont Heights participated in the public meetings, > Victoria Estates workshop, and charrette as part of this > Briarwood Hills planning process are assumed to be > Briarcliff Woods broadly representative of the Clifton > Morningside community. > Mason Mill • Clifton Corridor refers to the collective • Livable Cities Coalition: This planning corridor areas of major roads: Briarcliff, agency, based in Atlanta, has engaged Clifton, North Decatur and Clairmont with the planning process to provide roads and Haygood Drive. These both general assistance in explaining are indicated in blue on the Design and evaluating regional development Guidelines Study Area Map, p.XV. prototypes, and specific experience working with private owners of • Clifton Boulevard: Central to the commercial land in the study area to promise of this area is the prospect discuss redevelopment possibilities. of transforming Clifton Road—now The LCC has also been active in designed mainly to move traffic—into planning for Emory Village and North a public space that offers compelling Druid Hills at Briarcliff. opportunities for walking, biking and using transit, and overlays enhanced • Emory Village: The Alliance to landscaping and improved land uses Improve Emory Village (AIEV) has led on its continued traffic function.Clifton an initiative for redeveloping key public Boulevard is used in this document and private spaces in Emory Village to refer to the portion of Clifton from over the past several years. Zoning for Briarcliff to North Decatur roads and an updated village plan was approved connotes a more appropriate, more this year. Concurrent reconstruction balanced, more urban thoroughfare of North Decatur Road from Emory than does the word “road.” Clifton Village to Clairmont Road with a “road Road in many cases describes the diet”—shifting from a 4-lane to 3-lane existing thoroughfare, but both format—complements AIEV’s efforts names refer to the same entity. as well as corridor improvements Officially renaming Clifton Road is not recommended by these guidelines. necessarily practical nor expected; even if that were to take place, the use

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ xxi of “boulevard” here would not preclude use of an entirely different term. However, fundamental transformation of Clifton Road’s character is a basic premise of these guidelines; ideally, its name would reflect this. Independently of any decision about renaming Clifton Road, various new names could be given to new and enhanced civic spaces along the corridor—public squares, parks, paths and so forth—as another means of creating a more unique sense of place within the Clifton community.

• Walkability refers to use of sidewalks by anyone able to use them within a range of mobility levels. The design guidelines aim to make public sidewalks (including all crosswalks, and multi-use paths where possible) fully accessible to people with mobility constraints as well as to those able to walk.

xxii The Planning Process Steps along the journey to a > A public educational community vision workshop on January The Clifton Community Partnership (CCP) 26, 2007, at Druid Hills engaged a team led by Goody Clancy to High School featured develop these design guidelines, begin- guest speakers and a ning in the fall of 2006. Goody Clancy roundtable discussion provided planning, urban design and on key issues affect- public process services, and its consul- ing the Clifton com- tants—Dovetail Consulting and Kittelson munity. The speakers Associates—provided supplementary included: transit and traffic planning services. 1. Jeff Dufresne of the Urban Land Goody Clancy worked with a broad vari- Institute, on forces for growth ety of stakeholders to develop the guide- and the resulting choices and op- lines under the premise that widespread portunities; participation both brings to light a full 2. Paul Grether, MARTA liason to range of ideas and builds broad commu- the Transit Planning Board, on nity consensus on goals and initiatives regional transit initiatives; that is the best means of ensuring suc- 3. Dee Merriam, Atlanta Parks De- cessful realization of those goals. Key partment planner for parks, open elements of the process included: space and greenways, on creat- • Public engagement ing successful public spaces for > A public meeting on November people; and 30, 2006, presented the scope of 4. David Dixon, Goody Clancy, on the design guidelines efforts and the possibilities and key ingredi- elicited community input on goals ents of mixed-use development. and priorities through discussion > A public charrette on January 27, groups. 2007, at Druid Hills High School built on the themes of the previous evening’s workshop by eliciting community opinions in small discussion groups on planning priorities as the Clif- ton community looks to its future. Yolanda

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ xxiii Takesian of Kittelson Associates of neighborhood organizations and gave a presentation on transit and businesses, Emory’s historian, DeKalb traffic strategies, and Ben Carlson County planning and economic de- of Goody Clancy presented an ur- velopment officials, Druid Hills High ban design analysis. DeKalb County School staff and parents, and staff Commissioner Jeff Rader made of the Olmsted Linear Park Alliance, concluding remarks. among others. The team also met > A public meeting on March 28, at least bimonthly with members of 2007, fea- the CCPAG to review and discuss the tured illus- evolving design guidelines. trations of • Contact with development teams conceptual for ongoing projects—The announce- visions for ment of several significant project key areas in proposals for the Clifton Corridor in the Clifton 2006 played a major role in launching corridor, the process that created these design followed guidelines. The prospect of these ma- by small group discussion allowing jor projects suggested the need for a community feedback. comprehensive plan in order to verify > A public meeting, June 11, 2007, the appropriateness of the proposed presented draft content of the de- projects to their context. It also sug- sign guidelines incorporating public gested that these projects, if properly input from the March 28 community executed, could serve as compelling meeting. models for subsequent development. > Public meeting, November 27, 2007, The planning team held a series of hosted by the CCPAG, at which coordination meetings with represen- these guidelines were presented tatives of projects already in planning and next steps identified. or design to ensure that the guidelines > CCP hosted a continuously updated and the projects will reinforce each website other, including: and and > The Emory Point development on distributed the site of Emory’s Turner Village newsletters and Emory Inn. Plans for the project, reporting on developed by Cousins Properties, the progress Inc., and Gables Residential (under of the plan- a long-term ground lease from Em- ning process. ory), include more than 850 housing • Stakeholder interviews—The plan- units, 100,000 square feet of neigh- ning team met with representatives borhood-serving retail and com-

xxiv munity uses, and a landmark public Emory Point park. While the project’s initial goals generally aligned with the emerg- ing design guidelines, the design guidelines team and DeKalb County representatives helped refine many aspects of the project to ensure that it will address community priori- certification program of the U.S. ties for public open space, building Green Building Council that has height, types of retail, housing avail- emerged as one of the nation’s fore- ability, Clifton Road streetscape, most sets of standards for sustain- and other issues. The project will able development—focuses on the set an important precedent both sustainability of large projects cover- along the corridor and within DeKalb ing multiple blocks and buildings. County: It is the county’s first Pe- USGBC developed the new standard destrian Community Subdistrict 3, a with assistance from the Natural new zoning classification intended Resources Defense Council and the to provide a “complete and sustain- Congress for the New Urbanism. able mixed use, pedestrian-oriented > The Clifton Clinic, Emory’s new community” with a focus on provid- medical clinic building, studied in a ing a center of retail, employment, location adjacent to its current Clinic and community identity for existing Building B. residential areas. In July 2007, the > The possible reconstruction of the county commissioners approved a Clifton/Haygood intersection and rezoning proposal for the develop- bridge over the CSX tracks. The ment. Notably, the project intends planning team met with transporta- to give priority consideration for tion engineers at Kimley-Horn and residential units to people who work Associates to discuss this possible in the area in an effort to promote project, which would have major walking, biking, and transit use impacts on the experience of Clifton rather than driving to and from the and Haygood Roads. Discussion also site. The development also avoids addressed other sections of Clifton, impacts on Wesley Woods by pro- Haygood, North Decatur and Clair- viding a public path with views into mont to find a better balance among the preserve but no direct access. traffic, pedestrians, transit, bikes and The project plays another pioneer- street character. ing role through participation in the pilot stage of the new LEED® for Neighborhood Design (LEED-ND) standard. This version of LEED—a

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ xxv xxvi Forces Shaping A Growth and Change Demographic, economic, transportation, and other forces—not just in Atlanta but across the U.S.—present different growth challenges and opportunities than existed for much of the period from the 1950s to the present.

Demographics • DeKalb County’s population is DeKalb County Population, 1990–2025 growing significantly. Population is expected to rise by 26% between 2005 and 2025, following 37% growth during the period 1980–2000. These increases arise from several long-term trends.

First, the Atlanta region continues to see strong population growth, thanks to its mild climate, strong economic base, moderate cost of living, and immigration. According to the Atlanta Regional Commission, the metropolitan area is currently gaining 100,000 new residents per year, and overall population growth of 2.3 million is foreseen by 2030. This in turn creates strong demand for development, with Atlanta figuring prominently in the 56% share of building construction expected to occur in the southeastern United States through 2030. increase of 12,600 (a 30-year record) between Second, more of this growth—confined to April 2006 and April 2007. According to the the edges of an expanding metropolitan area Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the city issued over the past generation—will take place 10,779 housing permits in 2006, outpacing in the metropolitan core, including DeKalb all ten surrounding counties. Driving this County. For instance, Atlanta has reversed trend, in Atlanta and across the United a long-term decline—the city lost 80,000 States, is increasing frustration with the residents between 1970 and 2000—with a time and cost of long commutes from the gain of nearly 50,000 new residents since urban periphery; increased interest in the 2000. This rise included a gain of 9,500 amenities of urban living—and the increased between April 2005 and April 2006, and an sophistication of planners and developers

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■  Metropolitan Atlanta Population and lofts, rental and ownership apartments, and Employment, 1970–2030 live-work units each has an increasingly important place in a housing market once dominated by nuclear families. Over the next 20 to 30 years, a variety of groups will increase their share of the housing market: Growth & Change > “empty nesters” of the baby boom generation who are interested in leaving larger family homes and/or seeking a more urban lifestyle; > the children of the baby boomers, or “millenials,” who increasingly choose to postpone having children until they have

*projected completed post-secondary education and established a career, and who are often in providing this sort of environment; and seeking a more urban environment than declining numbers of households with the suburbs of their youth; children, lessening (although not removing) > “non-traditional” households, including the impact that access to quality public unmarried partners, gay and lesbian schools has on location decisions. The partners, divorcees, and other groupings. presence of significant numbers of jobs and DeKalb County expects particularly strong well-regarded schools in the Clifton Corridor growth between 2000 and 2025 in three make it a natural magnet for additional age groups: 0-13 (millenials), 25-54, and housing. 65+ (baby boomers).

A third factor in county population growth is • Fast-growing racial and ethnic diversity strong immigration, especially in southern in the county will also require the Clifton districts. community to incorporate greater choice in housing options. Choices need to be suitable • Population growth among diverse age for greater variety of cultural preferences. groups, and a decline in the proportion of households with children, has generated a need for more more varied housing types. Household affluence The conventional single-family home—which • The affluence of the average DeKalb served a market dominated by families with household has increased relatively children for generations and defined most rapidly—by 37% between 1990 and 2000, Americans’ image of home—now appeals or 15% above the state average—putting only to a minority of the housing market. The upward pressure on housing prices and diagrams on the facing page suggest how increasing demand for retail and other national housing demand has changed in services. During the same period, limited the last 15 years. More diverse, and typically growth in housing supply within the Clifton more urban unit types such as townhouses, community placed further pressure on

 40% of total housing dollars

These diagrams demonstrate a historic shift in the housing market that will change patterns of development for at least a generation. From about 1950 to about 2000 (upper diagram), roughly 40% of housing market demand came from traditional families with children who wanted a single-family detached house in a suburban setting. Although demand for other housing types existed, the size of this particular demand segment led most developers to focus on the single-family detached house as a generic product suitable for every household, regardless of structure. Since 2000 [lower diagram], demand from traditional families has significantly slackened as younger and older households, often without children, have become more significant segments of the market. The resulting evenness of demand among different age groups and kinds of households seeking a variety of types of housing has led developers to intensify efforts to produce a more diverse range of housing types. A key effect of this change is increased production of more urban housing types of greater quality.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■  prices. Housing affordability has failed to most existing businesses, homes, retail areas, keep pace with rising affluence, producing and other significant uses were chosen on the a highly ironic result: most members of the assumption that automobiles would provide humanities faculty can no longer afford to the primary means of access. For decades, buy a house in a neighborhood developed this assumption worked well enough, largely for Emory faculty and staff (many giving all sorts of land uses great flexibility Growth & Change other potential residents find themselves in in choosing location. Within the relatively the same boat). Increasing housing supply loose constraints of zoning law, this allowed and offering an appropriate variety of unit most uses to locate where land cost the types at affordable prices would find strong least—in some cases on infill sites within the support in the market, and that new housing community, and in some cases on cheaper would bring with it strong support for undeveloped land at the edge of metropolitan neighborhood retail and other supportive Atlanta. In recent years, however, high trip- services. generation rates (that is, the frequency with which automobile trips are taken to and from a site) inherent in this pattern have revealed Land use and transportation themselves to be a great strain on the area’s • DeKalb’s “jobs/housing balance”—the roads and quality of life. relationship between locations of homes and workplaces—is in fact The assumption that most activities would be quite out of balance. According to DeKalb reachable by car meant that little attention was County, 77% of the people working in the paid to making non-automobile transportation county commute in from other counties, workable—say, allowing children to walk to while many school or workers to walk to lunch—or to 77% of workers in DeKalb residents clustering uses at sufficient densities along commute out. major travel routes to support convenient county commute from This imbalance transit service. In the Clifton Corridor, the outside of the county. adds to the CDC reports that up to half of its staff leaves pressures campus to get lunch daily and drives to do on transportation infrastructure and it; a CCP survey in September 2006 found erodes quality of life by increasing travel that 58% of people in the corridor who leave time for commuters and noncommuters their workplace for lunch drive to a restaurant alike. A greater variety of quality housing nearby. Likewise it is not unusual for people opportunities closer to jobs and reachable via to drive ¼ mile from work to a gym or from transport modes other than a car would help home to work, owing in part to unwelcoming correct this condition. sidewalk and crosswalk conditions in between, and in part to a culture that treats • More broadly, both the county and Druid the automobile as the default means of Hills contain combinations of land use transportation. Nationally, children walk less and transportation infrastructure that due to the obstacles present in the Clifton exacerbate traffic loads and erode community: “…fewer than one in seven sense of community. The locations of children walk or bicycle to school, compared

 to nearly 50 percent in 1965…. Distance was box” and other large-format stores—should the biggest obstacle at 55 percent, followed be located in places where their traffic will not by traffic dangers at 40 percent.”(National crowd neighborhood streets or overburdened Safe Kids Campaign: Report to the Nation on arterial roads. Combinations of uses that Child Pedestrian Safety, 2002). Correlations reduce vehicle trips—by integrating housing, have been found between this trend and retail, jobs and/or other uses within walking childhood obesity: “Approximately one in ten distance of each other—should be promoted, preschoolers and one in seven school-age and they should be sited to take advantage children are overweight; more than triple of existing transit services and to build that in the 1960s” (Ewing, Dr. Reid, and a market for new ones. Emory Point, for Kreutzer, Dr. Richard. Understanding the instance, is projected to produce 44% fewer Relationship between Public Health and the Built automobile trips as planned than if it followed Environment: A Report Prepared for the LEED- conventional development patterns—that is, if ND Core Committee, 2006). its components were scattered in areas further from supportive uses and transit. While the automobile will remain an important means of transportation for the • Projected regional and countywide foreseeable future, many benefits would come employment growth will come in from planning land use and transportation sectors with a major presence in the infrastructure to support a variety of Clifton community, particularly education, transportation options, so that people begin health and social services. The Centers for to think of walking as a default means of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the getting around. Uses with inherently high VA Hospital, Children’s Hospital at Egleston rates of automobile trips—particularly “big and Emory Hospital form one of the most significant centers of Reduction in Trip Generation, Emory Point medical research, clinical services, and training in the southeastern U.S. Indeed, the CDC campus is the national headquarters of the agency as well as the site of significant research facilities. These institutions find great value in their proximity to one another, both through formal collaborations, as between the CDC and Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health, and through informal synergies, principally the concentration of skilled medical staff and

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■  faculty in the area. Each institution already Hospital at Egleston and the VA Hospital figure makes use of satellite locations to carry out most prominently among these institutions, but some of its medical work, but the high value other important ones include Druid Hills High of proximity—especially proximity within School and Ben Franklin Academy. While each easy walking distance enjoyed by all but of these institutions has grown over the years, the VA Hospital—will continue to generate nearly all are also contemplating further physical Growth & Change pressure to locate significant operations and program expansions to meet mission-driven in the Clifton community. The growing goals. importance to public health and the regional economy of the biomedical sector generally, For instance, Emory’s health sciences aim to and of the Clifton community’s concentration continue to increase the cutting-edge research of it, will amplify this pressure. While this they conduct, meaning additional research growth poses real challenges in terms of facilities are needed. Emory Hospital occupies transportation, urban aging facilities needing design and related Traffic congestion would redevelopment and issues, it holds equal anticipates a steady potential to overcome continue to increase even increase in patient them, offering an with a halt to development visits over the coming intensity of use decade. The CDC has and value that can in the Clifton Corridor. seen major expansion support the improved since the 1990s, transit services, walking environment, and driven by and driving a nationwide increase in efficient groupings of uses that offer the investments and discovery in the biosciences, most promising tools for reducing traffic and anticipates further redevelopment of older congestion and other threats to quality of life. campus buildings with new, higher-capacity facilities. Children’s Hospital at Egleston has • Significant ongoing investment in plans to continue to improve facilities on DeKalb County businesses will have portions of its campus. Even Druid Hills High an impact on job profiles.Decreasing School has significant development needs to levels of local control over local economic address a growing student body and outdated sectors make it all the more important that facilities designed originally for elementary-level local planning around those sectors be more students. DeKalb County sees the cluster of intentional and pre-emptive. life-sciences institutions in the area, and related private-sector businesses, as a central driver of Institutional Growth and Scale countywide economic performance. Institutions in the Clifton Corridor have played major direct and indirect roles in the corridor’s The major area institutions often face strong development, supporting growth in jobs, property internal pressures to meet their mission- value and cultural life while also contributing to driven goals. Historically, these pressures community concerns around traffic, architectural have sometimes diminished consideration of scale and limited public input on campus the of their growth on the community. At the initiatives. Emory University, the CDC, Children’s same time, the institutions have demonstrated

 an increasing awareness of community in distances driven annually—vehicle miles interests as inseparable from their own. traveled, or VMT—has significantly outpaced Community concerns around traffic, housing other growth indicators. According to Ewing costs, environmental protection and historic and Kreutzer, “in recent decades, VMT has preservation have become institutional concerns increased at three times the rate of population as well when negative impacts on quality of life growth. VMT has similarly outpaced employ- hinder staff recruitment, program operations ment and economic growth.” Atlanta’s VMT and adherence to core principles. The formation increased at 2.25 times the rate of population of the Clifton Community Partnership and this growth between 1982 and 1996, less than design-guidelines effort represent two examples the national average for such growth, but still of institutions responding pre-emptively a significant rate whose effects are obvious Typical evening to community growth concerns, from the across the regional road network. Recent traf- rush hour on Houston Mill perspective that future growth needs to mitigate fic studies have recommended easing conges- Road at the its own impacts and remediate some of the tion by adding more turn lanes at intersec- pedestrian impacts of previous growth. Other examples of tions, but residents have resisted this step overpass. institutions’ pursuing enlightened self-interest through a broad community-based approach include the Clifton Corridor Traffic Management Association and partnerships between Druid Hills High School and Emory University. Intensified use of these partnerships and new ones—including a stronger county role—will be essential as area institutions make plans for their own and their community’s future.

Transportation challenges • Druid Hills was originally conceived as streetcar suburb: The office of Frederick Law Olmsted included streetcar tracks to Emory Village and along Ponce De Leon Avenue in its neighborhood plan, as well as a network of connecting sidewalks. Regional rail service was also available at Emory Station (the station structure adjacent to the Clifton Road overpass, now occupied by a restaurant) through the 1950s.

The shift to automobiles since the 1960s has reached its limits in terms of road capacity and negative effects on neighborhood quality of life. Traffic congestion would continue to increase even with a halt to development in the Clifton Corridor. Nationally, the increase

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■  a Poor pedestrian conditions make it unpleasant and unsafe to get around much of the Clifton community by any means but car. Sidewalks are missing in places where people frequently walk, including Briarcliff Road at Sage Hill (a) and Desmond Drive in Clairmont Heights (b). In some cases the connections between sidewalks, crosswalks, and curb cuts are missing

Growth & Change or poor, and street furniture functions as an obstruction, such as at Clifton and Houston Mill roads (c). Utility poles, steep grades, and poor surfaces also create obstacles, especially for people with disabilities (d). Some locations require new or improved crosswalks with convenient signals to b prevent dangerous crossings, such as often occur on Clifton Road near Emory’s WHSCAB building (e) and on Clairmont Road between Desmond Drive and Starvine Way (f). Many sidewalks directly expose pedestrians to passing traffic, parking areas, and other unpleasant adjacent conditions (g).

e

DeKalb County c has the highest pedestrian fatality rate in Georgia and one of the highest f in the country.

d

g

 at a number of locations because the wider that are evident in the Clifton community. rights-of-way required would dramatically Many roads and streets lack sidewalks. In affect many adjacent properties. some instances, a decent sidewalk network in a residential neighborhood runs into a High traffic volume and speeds on major major arterial road that lacks sidewalks or roads (during non-rush-hour periods when crosswalks at key points, forcing people to some multilane roads are lightly traveled) walk where vehicles do not expect them. degrade the character and value of street- Some transit stops lack paved or wheelchair- side homes. Cut-through traffic seeking to accessible sidewalk access. Ironically, the avoid congested arterial roads crowds onto evidence of real potential for decreased residential streets not planned or laid out for reliance on automobiles includes the fact that such volumes. While MARTA and, increas- so many people walk, bike and take transit in ingly, Cliff® provide important transit the area despite the frequent inconvenience services, their reach and ridership potential and hazard of doing so. could be much improved with strategies for more convenient service, restoring transit • Lack of a coordinated approach as a major part of the transportation balance among transit providers and parking in Druid Hills. The success of current initia- policies combine with limited walking tives to bring regional rail service to the area opportunities at service stops to would significantly reinforce this. Reducing constrain the effectiveness of services. traffic congestion will also depend heavily on Easy access to transit schedules and passes, strategies at the county and coordinated timing regional levels, since up to Up to 60% of traffic in the of connecting 60% of traffic in the Clif- transit services, ton Corridor is on its way Clifton Corridor is on its way and the ease of to or from somewhere else, to or from somewhere else, getting from according to recent studies. transit stop to Reducing traffic congestion according to recent studies. destination, within the Clifton com- often dismissed munity is essential and readily achievable; as “details,” actually play a major role in it must, however, be part of a larger, more determining whether or not transit is an comprehensive approach developed with appealing choice for people. For transit transportation and land use officials in sur- service to have a real and measurable impact rounding areas in order to achieve satisfac- on traffic reduction, such details need to tory results. be taken care of so that transit becomes a first choice, not the choice of last resort. In • Lack of suitable pedestrian, bike and addition, policies that impose at least some transit infrastructure poses hazards, cost for parking can provide a very important limits choice, and exacerbates traffic incentive for transit use, while reflecting impacts. DeKalb County has the highest the costs that automobile use imposes on pedestrian fatality rate in Georgia and one the community. For instance, when Emory of the highest in the country, for reasons approximately doubled its monthly parking

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■  fee to $600 in February 2007, it saw a 20% North Decatur and Clairmont Roads have drop in demand for parking passes over the been designed over the past 50 years with next three months as commuters chose other traffic flow and convenience as priorities and transportation modes or carpooled. Other accommodations for pedestrians, cyclists, area institutions that provide free parking transit, landscape and cultural history as could help reduce automobile traffic—as afterthoughts, if they are considered at all. Growth & Change well as their own dollar and land costs for As one pertinent example, GDOT guidelines providing parking—by instituting similar for roads like Clifton with speeds of up to policies. 35 miles per hour call for trees greater than four inches in diameter to be located eight • Conventional engineering approaches feet or more from the curb, to reduce the need to be changed if corridors are to likelihood of auto-tree collisions. Research accommodate pedestrians, bikes and has shown, however, that locating trees and transit as well as cars. As implied by their other vertical elements closer to the curb in designations as “roads,” Clifton, Briarcliff, settings like the Clifton Corridor effectively reduces auto collisions by making drivers more attentive to obstacles, pedestrians, and other things around them. Such an approach would also support landscape, pedestrian safety, and land use goals. Successful accommodation of multiple goals on a road requires a paradigm shift that treats roads as streets designed to serve multiple functions. The concept of seeking “context-sensitive solutions” in road engineering has emerged in recent years to address this need to balance traffic flow with other priorities. The Federal Highway Administration and Institute of Transportation Engineers have developed guidelines that exemplify good policies for GDOT and DeKalb County to apply in the Clifton Corridor. The Connectivity chapter contains further recommendations on context-sensitive road design.

A bus stop and shelter at Wesley Woods (upper photo) lack paved access or a curb cut. Emory’s Cliff® bus service (lower photo), significantly expanded and promoted over the past 18 months, has increased transit usage in the Clifton Corridor and drawn requests from area residents for service to their neighborhoods.

10

B Core Principles

These principles emerged from a planning process sponsored by the Clifton Community Partnership that incorporated significant input from local community residents, county officials, regional planning experts, Emory faculty, staff and students, representatives of other Clifton Corridor institutions, and other stakeholders.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 11 1 Create places of greater civic value.

• Channel growth and change to to and used by the whole community. strategic sites and away from • Build public spaces that draw diverse valuable natural areas and traditional people together. neighborhoods. Core Principles • Combine uses that create places to • Encourage the creation of forms that live, work, play, and learn... promote community. • …and enhance quality of life for the • Create environments whose design larger community. and uses support sidewalks accessible

North Decatur/ Clairmont, today and future

12 Promote environmental sustainability 2 and historic preservation.

• Restore high-value natural habitats. • Provide wildlife habitat and connectivity. • Expand opportunities to enjoy nature across the community. • Reduce the need to drive: > Increase opportunities both to live and work in the community. > Increase opportunities to walk rather than drive for shopping, recreation, culture, and dining. • Link development rights to enhancements of the natural environment. • Promote green building. • Apply smart growth principles to development. • Preserve historic neighborhood areas: > Direct new development to more appropriate locations. > Ensure sensitive transitions of development scale, use and landscape between historic districts and areas of new development. > Manage traffic impacts on neighborhoods. > Continue using historic district design guidelines to set high standards of architectural character.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 13 3 Expand choices.

• Offer housing choices that accommodate the full range of households, incomes, Core Principles and life stages. • Broaden transportation choices by offering multiple alternatives to driving: > Walking > Biking > Transit • Offer recreation options that expand local opportunities to enjoy: > Parks > Culture > Entertainment • Introduce more retail choices for campus and community.

14 4 Improve accessibility and connectivity.

• Concentrate larger-scale development • Assure that the accessible network into walkable “transit ready” nodes. ties together commercial areas, • Expand near- and longer-term transit natural areas, and neighborhoods. strategies at the same time. • Provide services for the full spectrum • Create a network of accessible, of age groups, and mobility levels. walkable streets, paths, and trails.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 15 5 Enhance personal well-being.

• Seek the long-term, symbiotic sustainability of the human community AND the natural environment. Core Principles • Promote health through better environmental design, creating environments that: > invite increased walking > address air quality and other pollution issues • Promote health through increased personal safety: > Reduced auto-related injuries > Places designed to promote personal safety • Increase opportunities for lifelong learning.

16 6 Foster community-wide engagement.

• Ensure that all community members have an educated voice in decisions about managing growth and change: > Provide continuing education for and by all members of the community on technical issues, values, and trade-offs > Make the Clifton Community Partnership a forum for the entire community • Commit to using growth and change to improve quality of life and create value for the entire community.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 17 Core Principles

18

C Vision As a starting point for planning, these guidelines identify three types of land in the Clifton community that require distinct treatment:

1 Natural Environment Restoration 3 Corridor Enhancement Areas are Areas possess particular ecological linear corridors along major streets that sensitivity and value that have been or represent the most appropriate areas— should be protected from development. and most compelling opportunities— They are described as restoration areas for significant change in the Clifton because they typically show negative community. The major streets that form impacts from nearby human develop- the backbone of these areas constitute ment and deserve focused efforts to a significant public setting that defines reduce and reverse these impacts in ad- the character of the Clifton community. dition to ongoing protection. Many present a poor character as a result of heavy traffic, outdated land 2 Neighborhood Preservation uses, and buildings and landscape that Areas, predominantly single-family do not relate to the public setting. residential neighborhoods, play a strong role in defining the character of Different portions of the Corridor the Clifton community and should be Enhancement Areas merit very different protected from new development. They levels of change. Both the community include the neighborhoods laid out by and property owners feel that the the office of Frederick Law Olmsted and retail parking lots at Sage Hill and incorporated in the Druid Hills Historic along Clairmont and North Decatur District. They also include other mostly roads should eventually see significant single family-neighborhoods such as redevelopment. Corridor areas in Clairmont Heights, Victoria Estates, sensitive cultural and natural contexts, and Morningside. Parcels in these like the Druid Hills Historic District and neighborhoods that abut major corridors Wesley Woods, deserve a different are considered part of the Corridor type of change, one that repairs the Enhancement Area, but they are subject negative impacts of traffic and other to design guidelines that aim to create factors on the context but involves sensitive transitions of building size, limited or no redevelopment. The land land use and similar characteristics to area diagrams on the following pages the Neighborhood Preservation Area. highlight these special areas within the Corridor Enhancement Areas. In all

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 19 cases, the kinds of changes in Corridor Significant stretches of institutional Vision Enhancement Areas, and their extent, campus land—including Emory must take into account a given setting’s University, Children’s Hospital at relationship to adjacent contexts, Egleston, the CDC, and the VA be they natural, historic, campus, or Hospital—present opportunities for commercial. These guidelines identify coordinating redevelopment with ten different district areas within the adjacent Corridor Enhancement Areas overall Corridor Enhancement Areas, that would strengthen the corridor and each with distinct themes, urban design reinforce the character of the institution recommendations, and implementation involved (these parcels appear in blue priorities. Identification of ten different on the map that appears on the facing districts also contributes to sense of page). Parcel locations and the missions place, by highlighting the unique and of the respective institutions will memorable characteristics that define or determine whether redevelopment takes should define different portions of the place on this land. Clifton community.

20 Types of Land in the Clifton Corridor

Where land in the Clifton Corridor falls among three major classifications— Natural Environment Restoration Area (green), Neighborhood Preservation Area (brown), and Corridor Enhancement Area (yellow)—should determine its treatment. Blue areas denote significant institutional campuses, some portions of which offer opportunities for redevelopment in tandem with adjacent Corridor Enhancement Area. Other portions of these campuses merit preservation or restoration as cultural or natural environments. The diagram above shows all three classifications of land area in an overview of the study area; diagrams on the next pages isolate each of the three areas and indicate significant activity centers that help define the ten distinct character districts identified in the Corridor Enhancement section of this report.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 21 Natural Environment Restoration Areas Vision

Neighborhood Preservation Areas

22 Corridor Enhancement Areas—with important institutional campus areas

Selected Activity Centers­—with 5-minute walking radii

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 23 Illustrative plan Vision

24 This plan presents a conceptual idea of improvements to the public and built realm that serve community goals. Portions of the plan are enlarged and annotated by district in the Corridor Enhancement section of this report. Although the plan is entirely conceptual, it very seriously accounts for the feasibility of the roadway, public realm, and built realm changes it suggests, with careful consideration given to dimensional constraints, engineering recommendations, property ownership, and similar real-world constraints. Building color-coding reflects specific projects that are proposed or under way by property owners, or are the recommendations of this document.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 25 Composite Charrette Vision

Legend

This composite diagram combines the varied goals that emerged from the community charrette and from other sources of community input. Not all of these goals are explicit parts of the design guidelines; for instance, some proposed recreational paths and areas of increased residential density would require further study and discussion to merit recommended status. Design guidelines in the following chapter address implementation of these goals in greater detail.

26

D Design Guidelines

This is the largest chapter of this choices, a pervasive theme throughout document and is itself divided into parts. the document. Then follow the other two Five Steps to Creating Place briefly types of land, that together constitute the explains that the process of creating great built realm: Neighborhood Preservation places requires simultaneous attention to Areas and Corridor Enhancement Areas. multiple issues, and that excluding any The latter of these two includes both of them jeopardizes the success of the guidelines that apply universally across whole. Natural Environment Restoration the study area’s corridors and ten chapters Areas describes the first of the three that focus on specific sub-districts along types of land identified in the vision, the the corridors. These chapters, with their natural realm. Connectivity addresses the greater level of detail, form more than half need for new and different transportation of this document.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 27 Five steps to creating Place and that equip streets and open spaces to serve multiple roles. Coordinated attention to all these elements will go far nnovative design of buildings, open space, infrastructure, toward creating sucessful places that amplify the value of and streetscape offers great potential for improving individual investments many times over. quality of life for everyone who lives, works, or plays These steps to creating successful places build on themes Iin the Clifton Corridor—but only with careful planning that can transform the Clifton Corridor into a more livable and implementation. To assure this, the design guidelines and walkable community. By providing a framework for how address site planning, landscaping, transportation and new development projects will look, function and feel, the environmental sustainability, elements that help integrate guidelines help implement this urban design vision. buildings gracefully into urban and natural environments

1 Choose the right environment. Broaden transportation options near development.

Protect natural areas and neighborhoods. Find appropriate development sites.

2 Define the program.

Plan for open space.

Make sure multiple uses fit well together.

Ensure active uses 28 at sidewalk level. 3 Provide supportive infrastructure.

Encourage walking and biking, which yield healthier communities.

Conduct ongoing transit advocacy Balance vehicular while creating movement and development ready parking with to support transit. the needs of pedestrians.

Engage all stakeholders. Put it all together. 4 Community buy-in is crucial. 5

Design guidelines New development with community should not only support and the provide jobs, backing of zoning housing and will ensure quality community uses, design. but should also contribute to quality of life.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 29 natural environment restoration area

erhaps the most appreciated quality of the the Clifton community both aesthetic and practical. Clifton community is its natural environment. With damage already done, natural areas need This is rightfully so, as the area forest canopy active restoration as well as further protection. is stately and extensive, and the Wesley The following guidelines advocate education on

Design Guidelines P Woods forest area along South Fork Peachtree why the natural environment is important to the Creek is some of the most significant natural habitat Clifton community, requiring new development to within the Atlanta perimeter. At the same time, this cause net benefit to the natural environment, and natural environment has been significantly degraded enabling existing neighborhoods, other development by development, and continues to be threatened, and people of the community to help in their own with potential negative impacts on the people of capacities.

Tell the environment’s stories Develop broad community awareness of and appreciation for the multiple reasons natural areas are significant. 1. Make natural green corridors more prominent. Make the larger green networks in the area—most notably stream corridors such as South Fork Peachtree Creek and Peavine Creek—more apparent, both by emphasizing their physical presence along streets that cross them and by documenting their continuity and extent through maps. Where it would not impose overall harm on the natural environment, seek opportunities to create recreational paths through and along green corridors to bring people into closer contact with nature.

Pedestrian- Orientation sign at Hahn Woods oriented signage 2. Provide information on significance explaining environmental of natural systems. Reveal all the reasons issues why natural systems are important and why their level of well being impacts that of people. Stormwater flow, aesthetic beauty, quality of microclimate and biodiversity represent just a few of these. Also, determine the potential positive and negative impacts of

30 different planning and development choices upon natural systems as a basis for their evaluation.

3. Create interpretive signage as part of the public realm. Give people very direct information about their environment by placing signage oriented to people walking, driving or engaging in recreation in natural areas. What tree species are represented? Where does water flow downstream? What animals inhabit the area at what times? Let the natural environment be another setting for learning in the Clifton community.

Greenway and walking trail information

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 31 Link development rights and green benefits Conventional development often heavily exploits the natural environment. Create mechanisms requiring development to

Design Guidelines make a positive impact instead.

1. Link development rights to public benefit investments in the natural environment. There are many ways to harness new development so that it helps the natural environment. Consider using some of the following methods: • Continue to require minimum areas set aside as open space in development projects. For projects in areas targeted for denser development, consider allowing at least some of this open space to be achieved through direct purchase of property elsewhere or contribution to a public fund for this purpose. Diagram of transfer of development rights (TDR) • Require development to meet certain concept as applied in Plymouth, Massachustts. minimum environmental standards in building and/or neighborhood design. rights to their development to owners of LEED® and Earthcraft represent two other property in areas appropriate for standards gaining broad national higher-density development. Development acceptance, but others may emerge as well. rights are typically expressed through a The Clifton community has an unusual formula that equates a certain amount opportunity to be a national leader of allowable development—in terms of in this regard, as Emory has built the floor-area ratio, number of bedrooms, or third-highest number of LEED-certified similar measure—in the zoning district buildings of any organization in the of the “sending area” into an amount of country, and the Emory Point development comparable impact in the zoning district is participating in the pilot phase of the of the “receiving area.” Use design new LEED® for Neighborhood Design guidelines to ensure quality higher-density certification process. Not only can development in receiving areas. sustainable development be required, but • Require and/or offer a development its methods can be demonstrated in built density bonus in return for other form and through education. investments in the natural environment, • Use a transfer of development rights be they financial contributions toward (TDR) process to enable protection of environmental restoration or protection; developable natural areas by selling the preservation of larger natural areas on

32 development sites; creation of natural areas in the public realm; achievement of higher environmental performance in buildings; environmental education; or other appropriate steps. • Require and/or offer a density bonus

in return for documented reductions Design Guidelines in traffic generation and associated air- quality impacts achieved through choice and mix of land uses, location relative to transit, transit-ridership incentives, contributions to transit services or advocacy, or other measures.

2. Ensure that development projects open space areas; and include parks, appropriate transitions provision of or contributions to natural areas, and similar benefits to area parks and other to natural systems and the public public natural areas. At realm. Natural systems should—and transitions to natural areas, do—pervade developed areas just as they consider whether building do undeveloped ones. Development should form, lighting, noise, paved incorporate careful attention to landscape area, or other aspect may design—including appropriate levels of impose particular impacts Neighborhood parks of all scales investment in street trees and other street on natural areas and deserve good quality plantings. plantings adjacent to its site; appropriately therefore need particular preserved, maintained and/or planted private control.

Denser mixed-use development can help fund more extensive public landscaping.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 33 Major Contiguous Forested Areas

Design Guidelines and follows a policy on its own land of “no net loss” of forest canopy. This policy could serve as a model to be expanded to other areas as well. Emory’s policy covers not only canopy trees but also understory vegetation, and is included as Appendix B of this report.

C Address the environment across the community As with new development, existing neighborhoods and developed areas can play a major role in protecting and restoring the natural environment. Environmental stewardship can and should be another example of broad partnership in the Clifton Corridor.

1. Preserve forest canopy. The tall, lush natural forest canopy that prevails in the Tree canopy on a residential street. Clifton Corridor is among the most valued characteristics of the area, yet it has been significantly interrupted in many corridors and other developed areas. The Clifton community as a whole could follow rules that require in-kind replacement of any forest vegetation lost to development, as well as restoration of a target amount of past losses. DeKalb County guidelines do set minimum standards for tree plantings, but these do not necessarily equal the amount of vegetation removed from a development site. Emory has developed

34 sive—such as much of the commercial and some of the institutional development along the Clifton community’s main cor- ridor—this imposes high peak flow rates in stormwater systems and the streams into which they empty. It also reduces the natural replenishment of groundwater. Reduce impervious surface by methods such as using permeable paving in park- ing and pedestrian areas, providing green roofs on buildings, and encouraging taller buildings with smaller footprints rather than lower buildings that cover more land. In addition, current DeKalb County regu- lations allow paved areas to count as site open space; these should be changed. • Provide information on watershed flows. This stormwater retention basin on the CDC campus exemplifies how practical, environmentally sensitive Explain stormwater infrastructure can also create beautiful people’s public spaces. place within the larger 2. Manage watershed and stormwater. watershed • Develop a comprehensive plan system with community and county. around them. Effective stormwater management • Make cannot be accomplished on a site-by-site double use basis, but rather requires cooperation of storm- among landowners and public agencies water throughout a watershed. Emory and manage- DeKalb County are in the process ment as an of coordinating their stormwater amenity. management plans; similar efforts should Retention be undertaken with other landowners. ponds and • Reduce impervious surface and im- similar ar- prove groundwater recharge. Areas eas created to collect water during storms South Fork covered by buildings and pavement com- can be designed as attractive amenities at Peachtree monly direct their stormwater to piped all times. Recent local examples include Creek at Clifton stormwater systems rather than letting the CDC’s retention basin near Houston Road. it naturally infiltrate into the ground. In Mill Road, and prominent ponds at the areas where impervious surface is exten- Glenwood Park and Atlantic Station devel- opments in Atlanta.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 35 3. Ensure that architecture and landscape architecture are designed appropriately to climate. Select plants native to the region that do not require irrigation, extensive fertilization, or other

Design Guidelines environmentally demanding measures in order to thrive. Select trees that offer good shading of occupied outdoor areas and buildings during warm weather. Because building heating and cooling accounts for up to one quarter of all energy use in the United States, pay particular attention to reducing energy consumption through site and building design. Good orientation of building façades relative to movement of the sun, incorporation of exterior window shading and high-performance windows, passive ventilation, and similar techniques can significantly reduce long-term energy use and its associated impacts on the environment— not to mention building owners’ operating expenses.

4. Expand community education. Help people make choices that are good for the natural environment in their daily lives. For instance, foster environmentally friendly landscape practices, addressing such topics as lawn care and invasive species.

(Upper photo) Solar shading on the Woodruff Memorial Research Center. (Lower photo) Invasive English Ivy in Wesley Woods.

36 connectivity

oday, connectivity in the Clifton term, solutions should focus on practicality, community largely means road safety and expediency over aesthetics or other connections that are becoming concerns. While the illustrative plan suggests increasinginly unreliable as traffic a number of more extensive, long-term im- T provements—including special paving at ma- levels rise. To maintain and improve jor crosswalks, dedicated bike lanes, expand- connectivity in the future means creating ed planting strips, and new multi-use paths— convenient, extensive networks for that vision should not delay implementation movement other than auto travel: specifically, of interim improvements. These should be better pedestrian, transit and bike networks. of high-value, relatively low-cost, and quickly Connectivity requires both making each completed measures, like introducing high- movement network complete in and of visibility crosswalk markings, repairing itself—filling the missing links in sidewalks, cracked sidewalks, and restriping roadways transit routes, and bike lanes—and linking to create at least a shoulder area available to the networks together to expand travel bicyclists. Pedestrian and bike permeability of options. Since no one travel mode satisfies the Emory campus—which both the commu- all needs, good connectivity will depend on nity and Emory support—should incorporate providing people attractive, efficient and safe clear definitions of campus edge through use choices of ways to get around. of signage, landscaping, and structures.

2. Focus the pedestrian network on 1. Place priority on basic pedestrian and nodes that feature transit and mixed, bike connectivity and safety—and complementary uses. Pedestrian and make the Emory campus permeable transit networks are most useful and effec- to community pedestrian and bike tive when multiple destinations are located routes. within walking distance of a transit stop and Some of the neighborhoods and all the cam- each other. Ideally, the destinations include puses in the Clifton community have their a mixture of activities—employment, din- own pedestrian networks that range from ing, shopping, study, living—allowing people decent to excellent, but the network falls apart to accomplish multiple objectives with one along the major traffic corridors—Briarcliff, stop and a short walk. This reduces the time Clifton, North Decatur and Clairmont roads. and distance people need to travel in the Here, sidewalks and crosswalks often don’t first place. Layout of the pedestrian network, exist where needed, and where they do exist therefore, must be considered together with they often run uncomfortably close to heavy an understanding of area land uses and tran- traffic. Other common deficiencies include sit service opportunities. Wherever possible, narrow widths, obstruction by utility poles, concentrate more intense development and poor access for people with disabilities, and activity close to transit stops, particularly BRT inadequate crossing signals. and rail services with higher capacity and lon- ger intervals between stations. Because pedestrians and bicyclists already endure difficult and dangerous conditions 3. Offer more convenient, coordinated on a daily basis, better and safer connectiv- and comprehensive transit at nodes. ity for them is of utmost priority. In the near Transit should be a preferred rather than a last

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 37 Principal Neighborhood Access Corridors

This diagram indicates existing and proposed bike and pedestrian routes in the Clifton Corridor that deserve priority attention for improvements and wayfinding signage.

38 choice for people. For this to happen, transit retail. Fulfilling these needs means coordinat- should serve people’s real needs: choices of ing services among providers like CLIFF® travel times and routes, information on ser- and MARTA, investing in quality vehicles, vice, low cost, accessibility for people with stops and information systems, and earning mobility limitations, minimal need to transfer ridership with excellent service operations. among routes, minimal wait times, vehicles and waiting areas that are comfortable and 4. Facilitate vehicle traffic improvements safe under the full range of daylight and in balance with other modes, working weather conditions, and amenities like access toward a goal of maximum benefits to wireless internet, news, and convenience for the overall transportation system. Selected Activity Centers­—with 5-minute walking radii

Focus pedestrian improvements, transit stops, and development around a limited number of activity centers, shown within a quarter-mile walking radius, to make most efficient use of transit and land resources, facilitate walking, and minimize development impact on other areas.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 39 “Throughput” should be measured compre- Landman, WalkBoston, October 22, 2007.). hensively counting all transportation modes, For vehicle drivers and passengers, “…nar- not just vehicles. Convenient driving access rower streets, with individual lanes and street will remain important, however. Fortunately, sections that are reduced in size, are safer better accommodation of pedestrians, transit than wide streets because drivers are more and cyclists can often be done with little or cautious, slowing down and behaving less Design Guidelines no loss of traffic capacity. Narrower lanes that aggressively. Conversely, crash rates increase keep traffic speeds moderate, combined with exponentially as street width increases” (Ew- synchronized signal timing, can move the ing, Reid, and Kreutzer, Richard. Understand- same volume of traffic as do roads that allow ing the Relationship between Public Health and higher-speed traffic interrupted by red lights. the Built Environment: A Report Prepared for the LEED-ND Core Committee, 2006). These Balancing vehicle traffic with other trans- guidelines recommend 11-foot-wide lanes for portation modes and functions of streets as primary through lanes; CCTMA and trans- public space will require particular attention portation engineers have confirmed the need to three issues: travel-lane width, street inter- for this width to allow operation of both buses connection and street tree location. and potential streetcars. Reduced widths of 10 for passing lanes and 9 feet for turning lanes, • Travel lane width. Narrowing travel lanes where they occur, are recommended. These from the 12-foot (or greater) width common accommodate the 35mph maximum posted on through roads to 10–11 feet translates speed associated with the Urban Collector

into tremendous safety Average Lane Width vs. 85th-Percentile Speed and Urban Lo- This chart improvements for pedestri- cal Street clas- shows that ans, drivers and bicyclists sifications that reducing travel lane alike—while also improving the Georgia width reliably neighborhood character and Department of decreases appeal of walking. Reducing Transportation typical traffic lane width reliably trains (GDOT) has speeds, providing drivers to moderate their applied to Clif- significant speed. Reducing a lane from ton Corridor safety benefits 11 to 10 feet, for instance, streets. to pedestrians, bicyclists, has been shown to decrease and vehicle speed by 5 to 7 mph. Re- Lane width occupants. Source: Fitzpatrick, K., Carlson, P., Brewer, M., and Wooldridge, ducing vehicle speed, in M., “Design Factors that Affect Driver Speed on Suburban Streets,“ changes can turn, dramatically increases Transportation Research Record 1751, pages 18-25, 2001 achieve signif- pedestrian safety. Cutting icant benefits vehicle speed from 40 to 30 mph almost and be implemented relatively quickly and halves the likelihood of a pedestrian fatality cheaply simply by restriping existing rights of in a car-pedestrian accident (45% instead of way. Although the illustrative plans for each 80%), and cutting speed from 40 to 20 mph district in these guidelines commonly show results in one-eighth the likelihood (5% in- long-term visions that include medians, new stead of 80%) (source: presentation by Wendy curb locations and new turn lanes, practi-

40 cal improvements should occur in advance (Source: Ewing, Reid, and Kreutzer, Richard. Encourage of these more ambitious initiatives. See the “Understanding the Relationship between Public bicycling through General Design Guidelines in the Corridor Health and the Built Environment: A Report Pre- multiple means, Enhancement Area chapter for more about pared for the LEED-ND Core Committee,” 2006) including lane width. designating bike Grid networks can also reduce traffic conges- lanes on streets where room • Street interconnection. Traditional grid tion by accommodating driveways on side allows; avoiding networks offer greater redundancy and more streets instead of through streets. Finer street bike lane choice of routes, preventing the bottlenecks networks further serve urban design goals conflicts with that plague many parts of the Clifton street of reducing block size (which improves the pedestrians and transit; network today, where only one constricted pedestrian experience) and creating more accommodating route is available. While topography, land visibility and access to development parcels, bikes on buses ownership and preservation/restoration areas increasing their value. and rail cars; limit opportunity to create conventional grids providing bike racks at in much of the Clifton community, every op- • Street tree location. The horizontal destinations; portunity should be taken to provide alternate distance between street trees and the curb and providing street routes. This is particularly important, (typically measured from curb face to tree changing rooms and/or showers and possible, in the Clifton/Sage Hill and centerline) has been identified as one poten- at major Clairmont/North Decatur districts, where tial area of conflict in designing street im- destinations, even a modest increase in street interconnec- provements. Roadway engineering standards where possible. tion would take significant pressure off inter- specify minimum horizontal clear distances sections of the major through roads. Creating between a curb and fixed objects such as a more gridlike network has been shown to trees and utility poles in an effort to prevent offer multiple benefits: vehicle collisions with these objects. The > Generation of fewer vehicle miles traveled minimum clearance rises with higher speeds (VMT) than dendritic street networks (the and in rural areas, and it decreases with lower treelike patterns common in the area today speeds and in suburban and urban areas with that funnel traffic into sole routes). more pedestrians, bikes, transit, and activity. > Reduced trip lengths For instance, GDOT requires at least 10 feet > More route choices of clearance in rural areas with speeds of 35 > Reduced NOx and VOC emissions gener- to 45 mph or more (GDOT Design Manual, ated per household chapter 5, “Roadside Safety and Horizontal > Increased public transit, walking and bicy- Clearance”). In urban areas, GDOT allows cling trips reduced clearances, along with a greater flex-

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 41 ibility of guidelines that recognize the impor- ance for urban roadways generally is related tance of accommodating a broader variety of to a combination of environmental, opera- priorities—culture, history, alternative trans- tional and safety characteristics, both for pe- portation, fixed existing conditions—consis- destrians and vehicular traffic.” Along urban tent with Federal Highway Administration roadways, GDOT’s guidelines recommend 8´ guidelines for context-sensitive solutions. of clearance between curb and trees exceed- ing 4 inches mature diameter at 2´ above GDOT’s manual states that “horizontal clear- ground. The Clifton Community design Transit Service—existing and proposed

Cliff® local routes MARTA Proposed Lindbergh-to-Decatur transit corridor

42 guidelines strongly recommend reducing this Existing trees clearance requirement to 4´ (the clearance in the Clifton allowed by GDOT for trees under 4 inches Corridor located mature diameter) along principal roadways in between 4 and the Clifton Corridor as a more appropriate 8’ from the curb enhance the minimum clearance for a variety of reasons: safety of car > Reduced horizontal clearance has been passengers and demonstrated to reduce vehicle collisions pedestrians alike. along streets with speed limits of up to 35 mph. One recent study noted that “in downtown areas, aesthetic streetscape enhancements that create a distinct edge, more moderate speeds and with greater such as trees, concrete planters, sign attention to their environment. supports and other fixed objects placed > In many stretches of the Clifton Corridor, along roadsides and medians appear buildings, property lines and other fixed to reduce the number of crashes on conditions so constrain available width roadways.” (Ewing, Reid, and Kreutzer, that insufficient space exists to allow 8´ Richard. Understanding the Relationship of horizontal clearance as well as desired between Public Health and the Built roadway lanes and sidewalk widths. Fol- Environment, 2006) Another notes that lowing the 8-foot minimum would in “in urban areas, the inclusion of trees and many cases push sidewalks to the curb to concrete planters along streets reduced avoid interference with trees and adjacent mid-block crashes by up to 20%.” (Naderi, elements. This would make walking less J.R.. Landscape Design in Clear Zone: safe and appealing, since street trees and Effect of Landscape Variables on Pedestrian poles for lights and other elements provide Health and Driver Safety. Transportation an important physical and perceptual bar- Research 1851, 2003, pp 119-130.) In rier between traffic and pedestrians, which urban conditions, safety increases with encourages walking. reduced clearance because the presence of > Existing conditions in the Clifton Corridor trees, poles and similar vertical elements include horizontal clearances at trees as near the curb induces drivers to travel at small as 4´. While the even smaller clear- ances at many existing utility poles are clearly a hazard and should be increased, 4´ is a reasonable minimum dimension at existing trees. Enforcing an 8-foot mini- mum would imply removing many exist- ing mature trees, a step at odds with the broad goals of these guidelines. > Reducing the minimum horizontal clear- ance from 8´ to 4´ also allows matching the 6-foot dimension designated by Olmst- Existing utility poles less than 4’ from the curb present a hazard to vehicles. ed from curb to center of tree along Ponce de Leon Boulevard.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 43 Neighborhood preservation areas

ike the tree canopy that covers them, the district designation recognizes and has successfully Clifton Corridor’s residential neighborhoods are protected much of these neighborhoods. Their one of the area’s most valued characteristics. character is threatened, however, where they meet Olmsted-designed neighborhoods and postwar principal corridors and developed areas. While certain

Design Guidelines L subdivisions alike offer modestly scaled, well-detailed corridor and campus areas deserve development on homes nestled discreetly amidst a profusion of a relatively urban model, neighborhood preservation vegetation to create, in the words of Druid Hills districts should be treated and protected as distinctly Civic Association president Bruce MacGregor, suburban in character, with careful graduated a “cultured environment in the woods.” Historic transitions to areas of greater development.

1. Preserve traditional neighborhood character. Refer to the Druid Hills Local Historic District Design Guidelines for proj- ects located in or near the historic district. These guidelines (accessible at http://www. co.dekalb.ga.us/planning/mainpage.html) comprehensively address key characteristics: > Density—typical density, zoning allowances > Uses—residential, but consider renewing allowance of accessory apartments with appropriate design controls > Architecture—style, detail, materials, and variation neighborhoods. These edges should Historic Druid > Site planning—setbacks, orientation, lot be permeable to pedestrians and bikes Hills and adja- coverage wherever possible. cent neighbor- > Building scale and massing > Choose and locate uses to avoid conflicts hoods harbor a > Diversity of housing types and with adjacent residential uses. powerful sense of place, rooted affordability > Building scale transitions: Gradual, in landscape sensitive transitions are important, design and 2. Respect neighborhood edges and should not necessarily preclude residential scale that integrates >  Adopt an urban (as opposed to suburban) significant scale in activity centers. See them with the approach to district adjacencies: define General Design Guidelines in Corridor woods, hills and and encourage appropriate direct adjacen- Enhancement Area chapter for more on creeks in which cies instead of loosely defined margins. building scale transitions. they are set. Seek continuity of scale and access. Do not > Make deliberate landscape character turn service, parking areas or other low- transitions. While buildings change in- quality edges toward adjacent districts. crementally in scale at edges, make simi- > Clearly define institutional campus lar incremental changes in landscaped edges where they meet residential setbacks. At the same time, however,

44 emphasize continuity of Average Reduction in Collisions by Traffic-Calming Measure A variety of the forest canopy from traffic-calming neighborhood preserva- measures can tion areas to both cor- be effective ridor enhancement and in residential neighborhoods. natural environment restoration areas.

3. Address through-traf- fic on neighborhood streets. Neighborhoods should be protected from cut-through traffic without causing undue basic principle rules out one-way streets, road inconvenience to residents. In general, this closures, and abrupt speed bumps. A num- ber of other strategies, however, have proven a effective in reducing traffic speeds and dis- couraging cut-through drivers looking for a quick shortcuts. These same measures have

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Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 45 little or no negative impact on residents who growth in the community. They can play drive at moderate speed. Development and a leadership role in helping set larger transportation planning in the Clifton Cor- community goals. ridor should, as a rule, study potential traffic impacts on residential neighborhoods and offer residents a choice among strategies to The Olmsted Legacy prevent these impacts. The final plan for the Druid Hills residential suburb was completed in 1905, two years 4. Create appropriate relationships to after the death of Frederick Law Olmsted, its natural areas (creeks, open space): principal designer. It represents the last plan with appropriate access and protection. The for a residential suburb shaped by the father of Olmsted neighborhood plans frequently American landscape architecture and, as such, placed backyards along creeks, giving the reflects principles for suburban design that creeks protection and providing amenity to Olmsted had developed nearly 40 years earlier. residents. Highlight the creeks where they Druid Hills and the neighborhood’s parks also are visible to the public—at road bridges and reflect Olmsted’s overall design attitude that culverts, for example—with signs, bridge parks and residential suburbs serve as “antidotes design and particularly views revealing their to urbanization” that, when properly designed, presence. could improve “human morals, politics, spirituality and aesthetics”. (Hall, Lee, Olmsted’s 5. Involve neighborhood associations America, p.163.) in ongoing community planning. Neighborhood associations should actively The Neighborhood engage in understanding and evaluating the As the designer of Central Park, Boston’s positive and negative impacts of potential Emerald Necklace, Niagara Falls Park and urban parks throughout the U.S., Frederick Law Olmsted earned a reputation as the designer of This drawing —from the plan for Druid Hills designed by the office of Frederick Law Olmsted and his sons—focuses on the Ponce de Leon corridor at the south edge of the Clifton Corridor.

46 large parks and green spaces. He also designed many residential suburbs, beginning with subdivision plans at Berkeley, California, and Long Beach, New Jersey.

In his early suburb designs, Olmsted encouraged communal access to natural areas and beachfront land so that all parcels within the neighborhood could enjoy increased property values rather than only those fortunate enough to own frontage properties. He also experimented with a network of curving streets that followed local topography, rather than superimposing an angular grid on the landscape. The curving streets emphasized the natural features of the landscape, enhanced views, and minimized steeply-sloped streets that streets but within the front and side yards would be difficult to walk on, let alone traverse of each residence. The intent was for these A tributary to Peavine Creek by horse carriage. landscape elements—300,000 trees and plants flows through in all—eventually to blend with the wooded the former Olmsted’s suburban design principles reached areas behind the houses so that the entire Druid residential an apex with the development of the 1868 plan Hills neighborhood appeared to form one large property now preserved as for Riverside, Illinois, a 1,600-acre suburb of park with a near-continuous tree canopy. To Burbanck Park Chicago. He designed the community as a self- further emphasize the park-like nature of the in Druid Hills. sufficient village with a downtown commercial community, Olmsted encouraged construction area adjacent to a commuter rail station and of an eclectic mix of homes that were built “into” surrounded by residential neighborhoods, many the landscape rather than “on top” of it. People of whose curving streets led directly downtown. living in these homes were served by streetcar Many elements of the Riverside plan had never lines that ran along Ponce de Leon Avenue and been seen before in residential design, such as Oxford Road, connecting Emory Village and a network of walking paths, detached homes, other portions of Druid Hills to downtown. irregular planting of trees along streets and in open spaces, and the use of design guidelines. The Parkway Though placed along the southern edge of the As in Riverside, Olmsted employed design 1,500-acre site, the series of “linear parks” and guidelines for the Druid Hills plan. The the Ponce de Leon Avenue are, in many ways, guidelines stipulated a minimum of one-quarter- the heart and soul of Druid Hills. The six parks, acre lots with further subdivision not allowed, combined with Ponce de Leon, form a corridor minimum street- and side-yard setbacks to of green open space that creates the transition ensure privacy, and perhaps most important, from the more urban and gridded neighbor- the exclusion of all but residential uses. The hoods of Virginia Highlands and Little Five more natural and irregular planting of shade Points to the west and the natural and curv- trees and shrubs was required not only along ing network of streets and open spaces within

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 47 Druid Hills. At the west end of the linear parks, Lessons For Future Planning Springdale Park’s grassy knolls, pastoral vistas, The Olmsteds’ turn-of-the century work offers and mature stands of oaks create a dramatic a number of lessons for our 21st-century gateway between the two contrasting landscapes. planning efforts. First is the significant idea that At the east end of the linear parks lies Deepdene the design of buildings and their surrounding Park, which Olmsted kept in a natural, wooded

Design Guidelines landscape should not be separated, and that state in order to replicate the experience of a development should never entirely eliminate forested, Piedmont wilderness. In the other five a site’s natural topography and existing tree parks, however, Olmsted utilized numerous park canopy. The melding of nature and architecture design principles including the deployment of enhances the qualities of both and allows the elongated, winding paths that respect the natural surrounding landscape to feel larger and more slope of the land in order to catch bucolic vistas enveloping. and exaggerate the size of the green space. Second, the Olmsteds’ landscaping planning The design of the parkways anticipated their use in Druid Hills emphasized irregular clusters for both utilitarian purposes—in the late 19th of trees and other plants (as in nature) and century, carriage driving—and for strolling, bicy- the picturesque qualities of landscape that cling, and recreational riding. The elder Olmsted encourage people to meander rather than originally conceived Ponce de Leon Avenue for moving directly through the space. The these purposes, and his son John Charles (who community’s winding paths and streets help took over his father’s practice after his death) maximize the experience of moving through a added an electric railway system to the parkway. natural area, even in a confined setting. Finally, The introduction of a rail line to downtown At- the Olmsteds firmly believed that transportation lanta inaugurated the trend toward using Ponce should not be relegated to a single mode and de Leon more exclusively for utilitarian and that streets—and especially parkways—should commuter use. With the removal of the rail line be designed to meet the transportation and in the mid 20th century, the parkway became a recreational needs of people in carriages, on more important conduit for vehicle traffic. Even bicycles, in streetcars and on foot. This thinking though the shift from rail transit to cars likely should inform today’s planning efforts as people reduced the parkway’s overall capacity to move look for ways to move around Atlanta without people, it drew such heavy volumes of traffic that relying on often-gridlocked cars. the linear parks were threatened in the 1980s by a proposed elevated freeway. Vehement citizen opposition ultimately blocked the plan.

To this day, the Druid Hills community remains one of the most stunning examples of suburban design in the U.S. and a testament to the Olmsteds’ skills in urban planning and landscape design.

48 corridor enhancement areas

he design guidelines focus heavily on the realm that runs the length of the corridor; reaches Corridor Enhancement Areas, the areas that greatest intensity around major activity nodes, with contain the sites where significant change is a significant mix of uses and transportation access; Tmost likely and appropriate. The initial portion and ties directly into intersections, streets and other of this section outlines general guidelines that apply corridors that connect to adjacent neighborhoods. throughout the enhancement areas. The remainder of A variety of changes in the built realm—from safer the section includes guidelines tailored to each of ten driveways serving historic houses to new housing districts that have been defined based on conditions and jobs close to transit—are recommended to and sense of place. An overriding theme in the support this pedestrian realm with land uses, building section on Corridor Enhancement Areas is creation forms, and landscaping that help create destinations of a welcoming, convenient, and safe pedestrian and sense of place and fulfill other community needs.

This diagram shows the overlap of Corridor Enhancement Areas, with Natural Environment Restoration Areas and Neighborhood Preservation Areas, and adjacent campus areas. Corridor Enhancement Areas

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 49 Design Guidelines

50 General Guidelines > Defining the built realm neighborhood. Define public streets A. Street edge and parks by creating a clearly visible 1. Define the public street. The forms alignment of façades from building to of individual buildings should work building. Landscaped areas can and collectively to define streets, parks, and should intervene between buildings, other open spaces as spaces clearly but relationships from one building to bounded on two or more sides. This ap- the next should remain apparent. While proach enables each building to provide the suburban, heavily landscaped char- both its intrinsic form and use to help acter present in much of the Clifton shape the form and use of the larger community means that the built edge

1 10 2 3 4 7 5 6 8 9

The study identified ten distinct districts within the Corridor Enhancement Areas. General design guidelines for all ten districts appear in this chapter, followed by specific chapters that address each district’s specific opportunities and challenges. Approaches vary by district, not only to address different contexts, but also to reinforce community identity within localized areas.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 51 need not be as strictly consistent as and predominant build-to line. in more urban settings, edges should 2. Locate uses that engage pedestri- remain approximately consistent from ans in the ground floors of build- building to ings. Retail, academic, community building for and residential uses all can and should at least the provide degrees of engagement. Design Guidelines length of a 3. To facilitate pedestrian block. Tradi- engagement by adjacent uses, tional setbacks provide frequent and consistent should be visual and physical access thought of as between the sidewalk and build-to lines ground-level building uses. For that function nonresidential uses, compose the as a means ground-level façade of at least 60% of organiz- Consistent building edges flanking the street, together transparent glazing; for residential with street trees of consistent height and/or planting ing building uses, employ 40% transparent glazing. pattern, help define the street as a three-dimensional orientation Allow no more than 20 linear feet public space. rather than of façade without glazing. Provide as a means of defining minimum entrances to retail and academic spaces separation of buildings and the side- at least every 100 feet where possible. walk. In fact, a building should always In multiunit residential buildings maintain clear connections with its provide individual entrances for sidewalk—whether by a traditional ground-level units and prominent lobby front walk across a lawn in a residen- entrances. tial setting; placement of the building 4. Create a human-scaled setting at façade directly on the lot line in a more street level through careful pro- urban, activity center; or a condition portioning of architectural mass- that falls between the two. Occasional ing, bays and details. deep setbacks 5. At street edge, observe building of buildings heights that reinforce walkable to create front streets. Generally, buildings should be courtyards and at least two stories high to clearly define similar open the street edge, and not more than spaces can be the typical height of the surrounding appropriate, tree canopy. Greater heights may be but only if acceptable for floors set back at least 20 they represent feet from the primary façade edge. See a distinct, individual district guidelines for more isolated condi- specific guidance on appropriate height Provide generous entrance and visual access between tion relative to ranges. sidewalks and ground-floor uses to make walking a well-defined more interesting and safe.

52 2. Screen parking and servicing. 3. Integrate new sidewalks with ex- isting ones to enhance the larger pedestrian network.

This building at Harvard University makes a sensitive transition to an adjacent residential street by terminating in a smaller building mass that matches the scale of nearby houses.

B. Transitions 1. Buildings adjacent to neighbor- hood preservation areas • Step down height to be compatible with adjacent buildings. The height of building portions closest to neighborhood preservation areas should be no more than one story New development projects should repair taller than the average height of discontinuities in the surrounding pedestrian network, existing context buildings within such as at Houston Mill and Clifton roads (upper 300’; greater heights may occur photo) and along Clifton Road near Gambrell Drive further away from the context (lower photo). building. Incorporate architectural > Defining the public realm scale that responds to context and A. Sidewalks matches prevailing setbacks. 1. Accessibility: Sidewalks and • Reinforce landscape design patterns. crosswalks should be accessible to all people, particularly those who deal with contraints on mobility. Provide appropriate sidewalk width, grades, tactile edges, signals, and other appropriate elements. Throughout these design guidelines, any references to “walking” should be understood to apply to all people who can use sidewalks at a range of mobility levels, not just those who can actually walk. 2. Width: Provide at least 8’ of continu- Separate structured parking from streets with occupied buildings, as in this example of housing built ous clear width for walking along retail in front of parking in Alexandria, Virginia. or other active building frontage; at

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 53 Brick-colored sidewalk areas on the plan indicate prominent areas of high pedestrian traffic that deserve special attention to pedestrian convenience, safety and investment in quality materials. Paving should not necessarily be brick or other

Design Guidelines masonry pavers, but it should have design accents that help define the area as a landmark place within the Clifton Corridor.

least 6 feet along multifamily residen- tial buildings; and at least 4 feet along The lush vegetation in single-family houses. Provide additional this planting width for bus strip at shelters and 1462 Clifton other transit separates pedestrians very facilities, and comfortably for outdoor from passing seating and/or traffic. sales areas along retail and possible, consider placing an attractive other uses that fence between sidewalk and curb. support active 4. Crosswalks: Good crosswalks have outdoor use. convenient signaling, high visibility to Provide sufficient sidewalk width so that bus shelters 3. Protection drivers, accessible connections to side- do not crowd walking area. from traffic: walks, and median refuges where nec- Provide at least a planting strip and essary. Most area crosswalks lack one or preferably on-street parking as well more of these basics. Crosswalks col- wherever possible. In planting strips, ored red in the illustrative plan indicate include street trees where width allows; locations of particular prominence and in other areas, provide shrubs or other pedestrian volume that should receive plants up to 3 feet tall. Where neither is priority for installation of masonry pav-

54 ers or similar enhanced surface materi- the presence of pedestrians. Special als, and added width and crossing time. paving may also be considered. Use • Provide pedestrian signals that masonry pavers only if they are in- display a numeric countdown of re- stalled and can be maintained well maining crossing time and have au- enough to retain a smooth surface. dible indications of phase. At cross- Markings impregnated in asphalt walks that experience regular use, offer a functional alternative. In all eliminate pedestrian signal buttons cases, regular maintenance, at least in favor of a standard pedestrian annually, is important to maintain- ing markings and surface quality. • Make each crosswalk at least as wide as the widest sidewalk approaching it. Provide accessible curb cuts link- ing crosswalks to sidewalks. • At intersections where crosswalks span more than four traffic lanes, provide if possible a median refuge for pedestrians at least 4 feet wide and preferably 6 feet wide. 5. Paving: Give priority in paving design crossing phase to maintaining smooth surfaces with Countdown crossing signals alert pedestrians to remaining safe that runs con- level changes not exceeding ¼ inch. crossing time more effectively than currently with This standard facilitates ease and safety simple flashing signals. parallel traffic. of access by people in wheelchairs or At crosswalks with other mobility constraints, as that experience occasional use, well as those on foot. Maintaining this provide a signal-actuation button standard with bricks or other masonry that provides a clear signal, prefer- pavers can be difficult, even when ably immediately or after a wait of bricks are embedded in a concrete base. no more than 30 seconds. Existing For this reason, if pavers are desired, crosswalk signals often require pe- consider using them as an accent and destrians to wait an unreasonably combining them with a continuous long time for a clear signal, which concrete sidewalk at least 4 feet wide. encourages jaywalking. Concrete sidewalks can be visually ac- • Clearly distinguish the crosswalk cented where desired with score lines from adjacent traffic paving. Painted and integral coloring. Sidewalk and markings, preferably striped paral- crosswalk areas colored red in the il- lel or at an angle to travel lanes, do lustrative plan indicate prominent areas this effectively. Where additional of high pedestrian traffic that deserve prominence is desired, raising the special attention to pedestrian conve- crosswalk on a gentle rise or “traffic nience, safety and investment in quality table” very effectively cues drivers to materials. In other areas, give priority

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 55 to basic connectivity over special aes- ing plan for each. Highlight special thetic treatments. places with particular species, plant- B. Parks and plazas ing layouts, or other features that 1. Consciously program any public contrast with prevailing species or park or plaza with a variety of uses layouts in adjacent areas. that are supported by its design and • Select trees that best tolerate the par- Design Guidelines context. ticular stresses of urban locations, 2. Make parks and plazas readily including air pollution and contact. accessible by sidewalk, transit, bike Use only species on the Appropriate and automobile via area street and path Plant Species list included as Appen- networks. Create views and introduce dix A. Coordinate mature size and signage to shape of trees with building height emphasize and volume on adjacent parcels. the presence What species are appropriate where of such public trees will grow above buildings, spaces on and where buildings will rise above surrounding trees? streets, a mea- • Along mixed-use streets, select trees sure that will that allow good visibility of ground- also add value floor uses beneath branches. Next to to nearby pri- residential development, select and vate develop- locate trees to balance desires for ment. residential privacy and for mainte- 3. Design the landscape to enhance nance of prime views. Occasional pedestrian and take advantage of existing • Locate trunk centerlines at least 4 plazas should natural features. Add plantings that feet from the face of the street curb be planned shape space and support intended uses; to prevent contact from vehicles in with multiple specific uses in avoid invasive species. travel or parking lanes. mind, activated 4. Locate open spaces, buildings • Provide ample soil area and ground- by retail or and trees to create a mix of water access to ensure long-term other activity microclimates that are welcoming survival of trees. Plant trees in in adjacent buildings, to people under various weather extended planting strips wherever and built with and seasonal conditions. possible to maximize opportunity for high-quality rainwater infiltration to root areas. materials and C. Trees and landscaping Provide irrigation, preferably from landscaping. 1. Design character: Create a compre- retained stormwater instead of mu- hensive tree-planting plan along streets nicipal supply, as necessary. and in other public spaces with these 3. Planting strips: Create planting strips goals in mind: wherever possible along streets to serve • Reinforce the distinct character of multiple functions: districts within the overall neighbor- • Reinforce separation of sidewalk hood with an appropriate tree-plant- and residential uses from traffic

56 Planting strips accommodate a variety of vegetation that should help separate pedestrians from traffic, define the character of the overall street, enhance adjacent buildings and open space, and allow natural stormwater infiltration. with space for trees, lawn and/or from traffic and create pervious ground ornamental plantings up to through which rainwater can reach 3 feet tall. their roots. Also include flowering • Create continuous extended areas plants, grasses, shrubs, and other plant- where stormwater can infiltrate the ings up to 2 feet tall, whether or not ground, promoting the health of trees are present. Choose plants that street trees and other vegetation, require little or no maintenance, toler- restoring groundwater levels, and ate traffic conditions, and are native or reducing demand on storm sewer otherwise well-suited to the climate. systems and impact on waterways. Provide supplementary irrigation as Individual unit pavers may be appropriate, preferably from sources of placed across planting strips at retained stormwater instead of public periodic intervals to facilitate access water supplies. Consider opportunities to parked cars. for medians that can accommodate • Encourage residents, business and ground infiltration of stormwater from property owners to maintain their road runoff. own ornamental plantings 5. Retaining walls: Where retaining 4. Medians: Include medians in the walls are necessary to accommodate street section where indicated in the sidewalks or other elements amidst plan to help control traffic speeds, pro- the area’s rolling topography, provide a vide pedestrians a refuge point midway level of finish quality better than plain along crosswalks, and add a significant concrete. Consider adding granite fac- landscape component. Where street ing, art installations or similar design trees are intended, make medians at accents to add interest and help relate least 10 feet wide between outside the form and finish of the wall to the curb edges (tight with at least 9 feet of surrounding landscape. earth) to give trees adequate separation

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 57 D. Identity E. Lighting Use design of public realm elements to Street lighting should include fixtures spe- reinforce Clifton Corridor identity. cifically scaled to pedestrian environments 1. Hierarchy: Devise a hierarchy of as opposed to vehicular travel, particularly identity that defines the overall Clifton in active mixed-use areas. Integrate light- Corridor foremost, then individual ing with poles for traffic signals, signage, Design Guidelines corridor districts and activity centers, and other elements as feasible to mini- institutional campuses, and individual mize the number and variety of poles in buildings and civic spaces. Consider identifying Natural Environment Restoration Areas and Neighborhood Preservation Areas consistently as well. Identifying elements may include signage, light fixtures, banners, paving design, transit shelter design, street furniture, tree species and placement pattern, building form and/or other consistent Street lighting should specifically address pedestrian environments (photo at left), should be integrated with elements that offer opportunity for the design of other streetscape elements, and can be customization. powered by renewable energy sources (both photos 2. Gateways: Landmark gateway at right). elements offer special opportunities to sidewalks. Select fixtures that direct light define identity at a variety of levels. The primarily to ground surfaces with mini- intersections of Clifton and Briarcliff, mal spillage into adjacent buildings or Clifton and North Decatur, and the night sky. Consider using lighting of possibly Haygood and North Decatur unique design, color, or other quality at are especially appropriate locations for special places in the neighborhood. Con- gateways to the overall Clifton Corridor. sider energy-saving fixtures that are pow- Gateway markers could take a variety ered by sunlight or wind. of forms from stone pillars to more subtle changes in landscape such as the groves of native trees at Clifton and North Decatur.

58 Beyond offering basic weather protection, seating, and information, bus shelters should make an architectural contribution to the public realm and celebrate transit as a community resource.

G. Public information Create a compre- F. Street amenities hensive plan and design for neighbor- 1. Transit shelters: Use distinctive hood signage and information fulfilling shelters to celebrate transit as a public a variety of functions: amenity; clearly identify stops; provide • Assisting wayfinding within the Clif- service information; make waiting con- ton Corridor, within its campuses, venient; and reinforce corridor identity. and to adjacent neighborhood and 2. Benches: Provide benches in sidewalk natural areas. or plaza areas colored red in the il- • Reinforcing identity as described lustrative plan, parks, near pedestrian- above. oriented retail, and any other places • Announcing community events that facilitate public gathering. Choose through formal postings (such as durable benches and locate them out of event banners) and/or informal post- the main sidewalk passage area. ings accommodated on kiosks.

High-quality wayfinding signage at pedestrian scale is as important to pedestrians as road signage is to drivers.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 59 • Telling stories of place—endowing I. Roadway lanes the community with its history, cul- 1. Vehicles: Narrow existing lanes to ture and future trajectories. control speeds, accommodate other modes. Pedestrian- • transit lanes—11 feet scale signage should explain • passing lanes—10 feet local history, • turn lanes—10 feet (11 feet where as does this used by transit) Cannonball • on-street parking—8 feet Historic Walking Trail marker 2. Bikes: 5-foot dedicated lanes where in Norfolk, possible (curb gutters, catch basins, Virginia. and related drainage infrastructure may protrude up to 18 inches into this H. Public art zone provided that drainage grates Public art adds visual and cultural interest and other elements are oriented to the public realm, offering opportuni- and sized to allow safe passage by ties for community members to express bicycle wheels). Alternatives include individual and collective identity and uphill-only lanes, striped shoulders, help shape their own environment. Many shared lanes. In all cases, pavement everyday items along sidewalks, in parks markings and signage are important to and other public areas—from pavers and alert drivers to the presence of bikes. fences to bus shelters and pedestrian Dedicated bike lanes and lanes shared bridges—offer possibilities for collabora- by vehicles and bikes along designated tion with artists. Public art cannot substi- bike routes—“sharrows”—should each tute for active ground-floor building uses have distinct pavement markings. that engage pedestrians, but it can serve as Signs should alert drivers at crossings an important supplement.

Many ubiquitous elements of streetscape present good opportunities to incorporate public art.

60 of bike lanes and multipurpose paths. These design guidelines endorse the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s evaluation of Clifton Corridor biking conditions and recommended improvements, which include additional examples of good design practice for bikes. In addition, provide important amenities at bicyclists’ destinations: bike racks near campus buildings, stores, parks, and transit stops, and, where possible, changing rooms and showers. Provide bike storage lockers at Clifton Station and other areas where longer-term safe storage of bikes is desired. Encourage one or more bicycle service and/or rental shops to locate within the Clifton Corridor. Clifton Station has been identified as an especially appropriate location for such a shop.

J. Utilities Wherever possible, bury utilities. Utility burial is invariably costly, but it tremendously improves the appearance of streets. Priority areas for utility burial should include: • Sidewalk and plaza areas colored red in the illustrative plan, indicating areas Utilities intrude excessively in a number of places, especially where poles obstruct sidewalks, are of high pedestrian volume and, often, hazardously close to vehicles, and carry high-voltage public gathering. wires on extra-tall pylons. • Clifton Boulevard between North Decatur Road and Clifton Station • North Decatur Road, with particular focus on the high-voltage lines on tall pylons.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 61 62 Districts

2 1 10 3 4 5 7 9 6 8

1 Clifton/Sage Hill 2 Clifton/Wesley Woods 3 Clifton/Hilltop 4 Clifton/Emory Health Sciences 5 Clifton Station 6 Clifton/Emory Core 7 Haygood/Druid Hills H.S. 8 Druid Hills/North Decatur 9 Clairmont/North Decatur 10 Clairmont/Lullwater

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 63 1 Clifton|Sage Hill

Overview District 1 shares with District 9 a District 1 contains numerous distinct set of opportunities and “grayfields”—that is, older shopping challenges. Both require different centers with broad surface parking treatment than the other districts. lots—along with aging industrial buildings, housing and other uses The other eight districts of the study that will likely face redevelopment area are more clearly defined by in the next five to ten years as a single primary corridor—Clifton pressure grows for them to Boulevard, Haygood Drive, North generate more economic and civic Decatur Road or Clairmont Road. value. Redevelopment of these The key factors that influence urban large parcels of land held by single design—among them land ownership, owners would likely be significant potential redevelopment sites, in scale—potentially including larger appropriate land uses, and street buildings, multiple uses, new streets, design—tend to be well-defined. Such and other characteristics that would clear definition makes it possible to dramatically alter character of place write specific design guidelines that and relationships to the context address these factors. District 1, around them. These characteristics by contrast, encompasses a larger could just as easily produce negative area with much greater potential for impacts on the Clifton community change and fewer set conditions. as they could resolve many of the These recommendations, which are area’s most significant challenges. broader and more general in scope, These development guidelines define are therefore development guidelines a way to shape redevelopment rather than design guidelines. that will yield maximum benefit for the entire Clifton community.

64 Development Guidelines

Clifton/Sage Hill should be a place Note: These guidelines that invites walking. also apply 1 to District 9, Clairmont/ • Animate it with pedestrian-friendly to block. Install light fixtures scaled to the North Decatur, uses, particularly on more prominent pedestrian. where they are public streets. Include a variety of stores, • Gather a critical mass of activity…and repeated. restaurants and other uses that engage opportunities. Locate these on a series pedestrians with generous windows, easy of blocks within a network of open public access, and visible activity. In particular, streets, not an internalized convenience include cafés, retail displays, and other uses center. 30,000–50,000SF of retail and that spill out onto the sidewalk. Make these similar active pedestrian-friendly uses as continuous as ground-floor possible throughout the street network: uses is a typi- avoid gaps exceeding 100´ of frontage. cal amount • Create comfortable sidewalks and public required to spaces with quality design that gets the animate one details right. Include street trees—empha- full block. sizing continuity of canopy as in the other Employ the Clifton Corridor districts—and lower orna- mix of uses mental vegetation. Provide places to sit and to create “the rest, observe, eat, converse, and read. Pro- third place” vide curbside parking to buffer pedestrians where people from cars and make retail uses viable. Create gather outside of home and work—with uses The “main street” sidewalks that are wide enough for signifi- and design that foster opportunities to meet of the Edgewood cant pedestrian traffic but not so wide as to people informally—for people of every age. development south be vacant—8´ to 12´ of clear passage along Foster activity that is sustained 24/7, using a of Druid Hills offers a active ground-floor uses works well. Also use mix of commercial, civic, residential, and fun good model of mixed- attractive paving, and continue this paving that provides multiple reasons to be there use development that locates housing or through crosswalks to emphasize continuity at many different times of day and days offices above pedes- of the pedestrian environment from block throughout the week. trian-oriented stores. The larger stores The district should contain uses that meet community behind Edgewood’s main street, howev- needs and aspirations. er—such as Ross and 2 Best Buy, representing • Incorporate a variety of retail services, should constitute a significantly smaller an intermediate size, including both national franchises (that fraction of development than housing, office, and Target and Home Depot representing draw people) and “mom and pop” or research uses, its presence and visibility “big boxes”—would businesses (that make a development on key streets and intersections are of great not be appropriate at into a place). Include both larger-footprint importance. Clifton/Sage Hill unless “destination” retailers and small start-ups. • Expand the community’s variety of they are in mixed-use, Restaurants should range from places housing options. Accommodate life-cycle multistory build- for grabbing a snack to those suitable for transitions to allow people to remain in the ings, the mix of uses significantly reduces a celebratory dinner. Appeal to students community and to welcome new residents traffic generation, and and retired bankers—in other words, the of all types. For instance, adding small apart- parking is covered or full complement of diversity of the Clifton ments and houses enables young people to screened. community and its visitors. While retail remain in the area as they become adults

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 65 Clifton|Sage Hill 66 • • gine representedcollectivelybytheCDC, uses thatcomplementtheeconomicen Accommodate office,research,andother impacts. work orstudy,significantlyreducingtraffic lets morepeopleliveclosetowherethey are attractedtoliveinthearea,whichturn increases thesheernumberofpeoplewho familiar setting.Expandinghousingoptions vices allowsresidentstoagegracefullyina adding variouslevelsofsupportiveser adults accommodategrowingfamilies;and private orpublicoutdoorspacehelpsthose larger, multi-bedroomunitswithconvenient and startindependenthouseholds;adding blocks toframepublicstreets that connect apart fromit. fully withinitscommunity context,not New developmentshould be andfeel private-sector usesthatmightnotfitorbe A varietyofsupportiveinstitutionaland VA Hospital,andothermajorinstitutions. Emory, Children’sHospitalatEgleston,the 3 interaction ofdiversepeople. daily The districtshouldbuildcommunitybyfostering Usenewbuildingsand - - • retail, andgrandpublicopenspaces. varieties ofhousing,modestneighborhood and officespacewithsignificantamounts combine commercialandinstitutionalresearch Cambridge, Massachusetts,bothsuccessfully (upper leftphoto),andUniversityParkin The CarlyledevelopmentinAlexandria,Virginia mask activityfromthecommunity. Very malls, atriaorotherarrangements that streets—prevent creationof internal to neighborhoods.Orientall usestopublic and parkinginfrastructure. ing andminimizingtheneedfornewroad buttressing advocacyeffortsfortransitfund these districtsshouldfullyanticipatetransit, Decatur andLindbergh.Developmentin services linkingtheCliftoncommunitywith Train” commuterrailcorridorandlocaltransit given itsadjacencytotheproposed“Brain most promisingnewtransit-orientednodes, ton/Sage HillisoneofmetropolitanAtlanta’s service. LikeClairmont/NorthDecatur,Clif tivity neededtojustifyandsupporteffective without theconcentrationsofpeopleandac services butmayhavetroublesecuringthem community needsabroaderrangeoftransit Create “transit-ready”nodes. traffic demands. connections tothecorridor—furthereasing Decatur withgoodtransitandpedestrian Corridor couldthriveinClairmont/North appropriate withincoreareasoftheClifton The Clifton - - - This housing in Portland, Oregon, is an example of ap- propriate transitional use and scale between existing residential neighborhoods and the core of mixed-use areas like Clairmont/North Decatur and Clifton/Sage Hill. Individual building volumes, pitched roofs, and residential window bays relate to traditional single- family detached neighborhoods, while the small lots, proximity of building to sidewalk, and ground-floor live-work spaces relate to higher-density development that combines multifamily housing, neighborhood retail, and research or office space.

for a “Saturday night in the neighborhood”— importantly, make appropriate transitions cinemas, restaurants, lectures. Provide a in scale and use to nearby activities, variety neighborhood patterns, and natural of public open space areas. Finally, place visible spaces— emphasis on pedestrian over vehicular sidewalks, connections. squares, • Build a network of physical connections parks—to that make access convenient. Provide accommo- multiple pedestrian connections to every date many surrounding activity where possible, to a reasons variety of transit modes, and to adjacent and times parks, trails, bike paths and other recreation- to visit, al resources. Include convenient vehicular formally connections to nearby neighborhoods but or infor- prevent “cut-through” traffic. mally. Also • Create places for the social connections include that support community life. Include civic community uses—libraries, education facilities, post spaces for offices, etc.—that serve as destinations for a meetings, broad community. Include all the ingredients concerts, and other group activities. Creating a street grid Create a sense of place that is rooted in the larger with multiple neighborhood. circulation 4 choices is one of the • Make a workable traffic network possible. neighborhood centers with direct retail most effective Begin with a strong access plan built around competition and avoid overwhelming ways of a balance among multiple transportation streets with uses that generate significant reducing traffic modes: rail transit, buses, shuttles, bike traffic. Include retail geared to everyday congestion. lanes, as well as cars. Allow direct access neighborhood needs (at a variety of scales) to arterial streets to prevent traffic impacts as well as new neighborhood amenities—a on neighborhoods. Assemble uses whose unique bakery, bookstore, or similar amenity peak traffic generation offsets each other. desired by the community. Draw upon Develop traffic-management programs to local entrepreneurs to create distinctive keep traffic out of local neighborhoods. destinations. • Choose retail that fits the community. • Create a sense of community within the Avoid overwhelming other valued site. Develop around a pattern of internal

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 67 Clifton|Sage Hill • • 68 • evokes, respectatalargerscale (appropriate Invest indesignthatconveys, andtherefore realm allcomplementdistrict character Ensure thatbuildings,uses,andthepublic within thedevelopment. Make well-designedmassingtransitions avoid badaestheticandshadowimpacts. transitions toadjacentneighborhoods being monolithic.Makewell-designedheight that conveysvarietyandavoidsasenseof At upperlevelsofbuildings,usemassing a senseofquality,interest,andpermanence. proportioned tothehumanbodyandevoke signs, materials,andotherelementsthatare at pedestrianlevelwitharchitecturaldetails, people andcontext. to makedevelopmentfeelrightnext Pay carefulattentiontoscaleandmassing education, thatappealtothecommunity. services andactivities,suchascontinuing informal meeting.Includeavarietyof and concerts,squaresthatpromote a socialexperience,parksthatinvitepicnics visit. Provide avarietyof“public”reasonsto architectural elementshighlightingthem. retail signs,frequentwindows,andother with individualdwellingentrances,attractive shopkeepers, employees,regularcustomers, the street—residents(ownersandrenters), them. Makeavarietyof“owners”apparenton streets andusesthatorienttoenliven streets andblocks,withbuildingsthatframe Design sidewalksthatmakeshopping Create “humanscale” . oriented storesandrestaurants. under acourtyardandincludesseveral neighborhood- without seemingtoobig.Italsohides itsparking the street,toeight-storytowersthatofferfineviews volumes similarinscaletotraditionalhousesacross 20 yearsago,stepsupfromtwo-andthree-story well-regarded byitsneighborhoodsinceconstruction neighborhood. ThishousinginAlexandria,Virginia, to helpgivecomfortable,beautifulformits Housing canandshouldvaryinshapescale streetscape. Embodyuniquelocalqualities quality designtostorefronts,signage,and and delightatapersonalscale.Extend height, massing,uses,streetrelationships), materials. through designtraditions,workofartistsand surrounding acourtyardabovethemarket. at groundlevelandseveralstoriesofhousing Foods supermarketinapedestrian-friendlylocation example inAlexandria,Virginia,includesaWhole supermarkets, intomixed-usebuildings.Thisgood Integrate anystoreswithlargefloorareas,suchas Seek to understand how the district can become a public 5 and welcoming place for this community. How can the Clifton community use mixed- the full spectrum of the community? What are use development as a tool to shape its the community’s design aspirations, and how future? What uses reflect its special culture? can growth symbolize these? How can mixed- Which of these is missing, difficult to fit in, or use development serve as a better model for hard make feasible elsewhere? What new uses growth than conventional patterns, improving and places—and changes in existing ones— the balance of costs and benefits? would enhance quality of life? What defines

Given the size and diversity of area’s future: residents, individual the district, these development businesses and institutions, other guidelines will succeed only if property owners, DeKalb County, applied through a process that state and regional agencies, the draws on the perspectives of Clifton Community Partnership, everyone with a stake in the and more.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 69 Clifton|Sage Hill 70 oriented aroundnewcommuter rail areas. Thisdevelopmentcould be pressure offneighborhoodrestoration while helpingtakingdevelopment and otherneighborhoodamenities, improved settingandchoiceofstores space servingareaemployers,andan Village), 500,000SFofofficeorresearch to GlenwoodParkorInman a varietyoftypes(similarincharacter offer morethan1,500newhomesof the surrounding neighborhoods. It could development sensitivelyintegratedinto blocks ofsignificantmixed-use identity, andaccesswith12to16 a centerofneighborhoodactivity, surrounding neighborhoodsinto older auto-orientedusesthatdivide Clifton/Sage Hillcouldtransformthe Key Themes single ownership—including theSage land parcelsof5to10acres under Briarcliff Road.Thepresenceoflarge other neighborhoodsalongandwestof have strongerlinkstoMorningsideand district. Morelocally,thedistrictcould support relatedimprovementsinthe landscaping aswellautomobiles, pedestrians, transit,bikes,and County could,withdesignthatfavors on BriarcliffanticipatedbyDeKalb points northandwest.Improvements particularly thosecomingfromI-85and major gatewaytotheCliftonCorridor, at bothterminals.Thedistrictisalsoa to Lindbergh,thenlinking Decatur alongtheCliftonCorridorand light railcirculatorservicerunningto the CSXtracks,andimprovedbusor service totheheartofdistricton MARTA

Today, only a small green traffic sign at Clifton and Briarcliff alludes to the nearby presence of Emory University and the Clifton Corridor, and the landscape is dominated by the Sage Hill shopping center’s broad parking lot, retail signage and billboard. This intersection should be transformed into a memorable gateway to the Clifton Corridor, anchored by a concentration of mixed-use development that generates traffic at lower rates than existing uses and takes maximum advantage of potential new transit services, including the “Brain Train.”

Hill shopping center, industrial parcels South Fork Peachtree Creek further in the Zonolite district, and service separate portions of the district from facilities for the CLIFF® transit service— adjacent neighborhoods, diminishing increase the feasibility of creating access and possibly requiring comprehensively planned, mixed-use investment in more crossings of the developments that engage area streets rail corridor in particular. Anticipated and uses in sophisticated ways. investments on Briarcliff Road could also increase traffic burdens if not Key Challenges designed properly. In spite of the progress already made, commuter rail service will take years to implement. Thus, other transportation options must be aggressively employed to accommodate any significant development in the interim without major traffic impacts. Briarcliff Road, a major arterial, bisects the district and will require careful attention to become a welcoming place for pedestrians and adjacent uses. The rail corridor and

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Clifton/Sage Hill first needs an improved settings. The signature civic space should be street network that is much more walkable associated with a new, central, intermodal transit and sensitively integrated with adjacent station serving buses and eventually commuter neighborhoods. It should introduce greater rail. Restore and assure ecological protection for choice and efficiency of routes, and create natural forested ecosystems along South Fork valuable, block-scaled frontage for new Peachtree Creek, and make the creek accessible development. The district also deserves a major for recreation to the extent that accessibility signature civic space as well as smaller squares or doesn’t compromise ecological goals. Preserve parks dispersed throughout the area to enhance public views over the surrounding landscape value and sense of place in more localized from high points in the district.

A future bus and/or rail transit station at Sage Hill could anchor a civic square incorporating housing, retail, and recreation space, similar to this development planned around a rail and bus station in a Massachusetts town.

Briarcliff Road lacks sidewalks connecting Sage Hill to adjacent residential areas—an inconvenient and dangerous situation. Emory’s plan to add new graduate student housing in the area will help, creating a continuous sidewalk along Clifton Road.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 73 Clifton|Sage Hill 74 local economy. and shouldcomplementexistingsectorsofthe institutional usesifcompatiblewithresidential, uses couldallbeappropriatecommercialand Office, researchandpossiblylightindustrial to automobileaccessandaregionalmarket. trian-oriented businessesoverstoresoriented Retail shouldemphasizeneighborhood,pedes study withoutdependenceonautomobiles. residents whocouldtraveltonearbyworkor dential areas.Housingpoliciesshouldfavor making sensitivetransitionstoadjacentresi district, andcouldbeanappropriateusefor Housing wouldbeappropriatethroughoutthe on areastreets. value usesandincreasetraffic as itwoulddisplacehigher- not appropriateinthedistrict oriented torailcommutersis Significant amountsofparking traffic andparkingdemands. with one stop and mitigate peak access tomultipledestinations niently utilizetransit,enable and housing—thatcanconve mix ofuses—includingjobs district byincludingabroad promise asatransit-oriented The districtcanonlyfulfillits Private Realm - - - accomplishes bothofthesegoals. residential neighborhood— University campusandatraditional situated betweentheOhioState Columbus’s HighStreetcorridor— This residentialdevelopmentin screen parkingfrompublicview. prevailing context,anditshould modest scalethatrelatestothe neighborhoods shouldbeof New housingnearestablished This multifam proved transit the Lindbergh tion isagood ily housingat be appropri services are what would MARTA ate atSage established model for Hill ifim there. sta - - - - Redevelopment Concepts Conceptual studies of redevelopment possibility in Clifton/Sage Hill revealed potential for more than a dozen blocks of mixed-use development incorporating housing, neighborhood- oriented retail, office, and research space as well as public open space. Anticipated redevelopment areas are located mainly on industrial and retail C sites now in the Zonolite district and SX the Sage Hill shopping center, and avoid affecting South Fork Peachtree Creek and its floodplain. Development scale should be similar to context at district edges, and increase in density gradually toward the district center and transit station. One or more new street bridges and/or decks across the rail corridor would enhance development opportunity and neighborhood connections.

Next Steps DeKalb County has expressed interest in devel- oping a sub-area plan for Clifton/Sage Hill. Such a plan would provide a necessary framework for advancing planning of the district and engag- ing landowners and the broader community in a discussion of possibilities. Ongoing state- and federal-level advocacy for near- and long-term transit improvements will also need to continue The combination of significant new housing, new in order to unlock the district’s strong potential workplaces, improved neighborhood connectivity, for compact, transit-oriented development. transit access, and hidden parking at Sage Hill could foster a core area of lively streets animated Emory University will soon create a continuous by neighborhood-oriented retail and pedestrian activity, similar to what has been accomplished with sidewalk and improved bike routes from Sage new transit-oriented development in the Fruitvale Hill to the current truncated sidewalk near 1761 neighborhood of Oakland, California. Clifton Road as part of its new graduate student housing on Briarcliff Road.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 75 42 CliftonClifton|Wesley|Emory Health Woods Sciences

Key Themes comingboth sidesthrough of thisClifton stretch makes of the the corridor, street itself TheWesley Emory Woods Health and Sciences contiguous District forested is a regardlessan important of how part they of travel,campus should identity feel and ac- distinctareas along portion South of Fork the CliftonPeachtree Corridor Creek— fo- refreshedtivity. At by the their same contact time, with the nature. district provides much of it preserved in perpetuity as part Wesley Woods should also continue to cused on specialized academic and research the critical link among the Clifton Hilltop of the Emory campus—represent some of serve as a welcoming home to residents of activity. As in the Emory Core District, the District, Emory Station District, main Emory the most valuable wildlife habitat within Emory-affiliated assisted-living facilities. presence of Emory-related buildings along campus and Houston Mill Road—an overall The Perimeter. Clifton Boulevard must tread lightly where it passes through this Key Challenges natural restoration area, but it should also As large as this natural area is today, showcase the beauty of the woods and development and transportation have educate people about their significance to significantly reduced its size and both the region’s ecology and the Clifton compromised its health. Restorative community. The woods can serve as a initiatives that can undo some of this subtle but powerful gateway into the Clifton damage include such measures as reducing community marked not by signage or and filtering stormwater runoff into South development but by the intensely natural Fork Peachtree Creek; removing invasive experience so valued by residents. People plant species; replanting native species;

76 In the district, Clifton lacks a sidewalk along its south side and does nothing to highlight important surrounding natural areas. The rendering on the facing page suggests ways to strengthen the corridor by adding new plantings, improved walks, a median, informational signage, and other measures that emphasize the presence of Wesley Woods and contiguous greenway areas at district and regional scales.

preventing human intrusion into protected areas; and reducing the visual and ecological impacts of assisted-living developments. Increase the presence of trees and other plantings along Clifton Boulevard without compromising driver safety. Encourage significant pedestrian and bike activity between the Sage Hill and Hilltop districts, despite a lack of intermediate destinations and engaging street frontage that offer attraction and safety. Train drivers to moderate speeds in deference to the volume of pedestrians and bikes in and beyond the district. Create a distinctive corridor gateway that respects the predominance of the natural environment.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 77 Clifton|WesleyClifton|Sage Woods Hill 78 Opportunities

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Add sidewalks along the south/west side of Clifton. Consider adding a new dedicated bridge over South Fork Peachtree Creek for pedestrians. Improve Add sidewalks along crosswalks Old Briarcliff Way connecting to Sage Hill. B

Include significant trees between the sidewalk and roadway along Clifton. Create a multi-use path on the north side of the CSX right of way that links to Clifton Station and the main Emory campus.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 79 Clifton|WesleyClifton|Sage Woods Hill 80 Plant newtreesinthemedianandside grow totheheightofexistingcanopy. enough toaccommodatetreesthatwill Create amedianinCliftonRoadwide Plantings ment andofitssignificanceinpeople’s lives. expand awarenessbothofthenaturalenviron the EmoryandDruidHills communitiesand pedestrian routestobuildontheknowledgeof 1/8 mileorless.Add interpretivesignagealong emergency assistancetelephonesatintervalsof ways visibletopassingtraffic, andbylocating should bepromotedbymakingwalksandpath developed street.At thesametime,theirsafety is normallypossibleonatypicaltree-linedand setting muchmoreintenseandsecludedthan corridor shouldbeabletoexperienceawooded or onthepotentialmulti-usepathalongrail destrians walkingorjoggingalongClifton Road tion breakingupexpansesofasphalt. with treesandothernativewoodsvegeta biles, ridingtransit,onfoot,andbikes, a parkwaycharactertopeopleinautomo The WesleyWoodsDistrictshouldpresent Overview Public Realm plantings andminimizeevidence ofhuman the experienceofvistasdominated bynatural sion forotherportionsofDruid Hills, maximize necessary. InkeepingwithOlmsted’s designvi while keepingtherailroadrightofwayclearas Clifton Roadandtherailroadembankment, new treecanopywhereitismissingbetween nearby. the speciestypicallyfoundinwoods tree canopyacrossCliftoncomprising planting stripsthatprovideacontinuous Pay particularattentiontocreating Pe ------the naturalenvironment,nearlycomplete that ofotherdistrictsinanemphasison Woods Districtwillremaindistinctfrom The pedestrianenvironmentintheWesley Pedestrian Environment the impactofpavedsurfaces. help controlandcleanstormwatermitigate pervious areasandsimilarnaturalstrategiesto intrusion. Usevegetatedswales,additional South Fork Peachtree Creek andSageHill. The road rightofway; andthesteep gradebetween portunity forcrossingbelow or abovetherail over SouthFork Peachtree Creek; limitedop sidewalk onthesouthsideofClifton bridge route facesthreesignificantobstacles:lackofa ing tothelong-termvisionfordistrict.The Road; thisshouldbedesignedandbuiltaccord planned graduatestudenthousingonBriarcliff a linkinthenearfuturetofacilitateaccess to SageHill. Emory anticipatescreatingsuch or westsideofClifton Roadfrom1762Clifton of asidewalkwherenoneexistsonthesouth The mosturgentcurrentneediscompletion residential areas. Way, andOldBriarcliff Roadleadingtoadjacent Biltmore Drive,Towers Circle,OldBriarcliff the mainEmorycampus;andsidewalkson Station DistrictandalongPeavine Creek to and cyclistsalongtherailroadtoClifton potential multi-usepathssharedbypedestrians include sidewalksonbothsidesofClifton; access. suitability forrecreationaswellbasic engagement andpotentialrefuge, absence ofadjacentbuildingsoffering Pedestrian waysinthedistrictshould - - - Roadway cuts Public Realm Existing a wide break in the tree canopy.

No lighting or security communica- tions is available for pedestrians.

No sidewalk along the south side of Clifton

Narrow sidewalks expose pedestrians to speeding traffic.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Planting strips and median Public Realm Proposed support the restoration of a continuous tree canopy above the road. Sidewalk design separates pedestrians from traffic and gets them into the woods while keeping them visible from the road.

Multi-use path to Clifton Station

Pedestrian- Narrower lanes reduce scaled speeds, allowing lighting recovery of space for bike lanes and medians.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 81 Clifton|WesleyClifton|Sage Woods Hill 82 Wesley Woods. nificance ofthe ecological sig highlight the greenway—to a woodedriver bor ecologyand explaining har like these pedestrians— oriented to pretive signs Install inter

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more quicklyandwithlessenvironmental pedestrian bridgecouldlikelybeimplemented or anadjacentdedicatedpedestrianbridge.The Creek eitheronawidened Clifton Roadbridge Briarcliff Road,crossingSouthFork Peachtree west sideofClifton fromOldBriarcliff Way to should alsoincludeasidewalkonthesouthor to avoidtheseobstacles.Longer-term plans rear drivetotheSageHill ShoppingCenter Old Briarcliff Way, OldBriarcliff Road,andthe plan forthissidewalkanticipatesaroutealong woods. from trafficandastrongersense ofbeingamongthe and trees,likethisone,togivepedestrians protection be separatedfromtheroadwayby aplantingstrip running, andbiking.SidewalksalongCliftonshould campus alongalevelroutesuitableforwalking, and SageHillwithCliftonStationthemainEmory corridor, likethisexample,couldlinkWesleyWoods A newmulti-usepathonthenorthsideofCSXrail and accessforanimproved impact. Thenewsidewalkshouldprovidespace MARTA busshelter roadway behindinterveningtrees(totheextent sides ofClifton tomeanderup30´fromthe struck bydesigningsidewalksononeorboth offered bypassingtraffic. Thisbalancecouldbe woods withaneedforinformalsurveillance woods environment. should belaidouttomaximizeexperienceofthe potential recreationalpathalongtherailcorridor upon itbutdoesnotspreadtootherareas.The ing thatilluminatestravelsurfacesandpeople lar intervalsofupto1/8mile,aswelllight and discreetcamerasshouldbeinstalledatregu preference. Ineithercase,securitytelephones trians achoiceofroutesdependingonpersonal to thestreetasinotherdistricts,givingpedes ity andthesidewalkothersidetostaycloser to weaveamongmoretreeswithreducedvisibil would entaildesigningthesidewalkononeside sidewalk androadway. Analternativeapproach to allowclearviewsbetweenallportionsofthe ground) whilecontrollingunderstoryvegetation this routedoesnotcrosspreviouslyundisturbed increased experienceofthe balance theopportunityfor Sidewalk designneedsto paved access. assisted-living facilities,lacks by staff fromWesley Woods existing shelter, regularlyused at OldBriarcliff Way; the - - - - Bicycles The MARTA bus > Vision stop at Wesley Create new bike lanes along Clifton Bou- Woods, well levard and multi-use pathways along the used by staff of Emory Health- railroad and Peavine Creek that offer more care’s Wesley direct, less steep routes to Clifton Station and Woods Center, the main Emory campus. Install a public bike needs paved, accessible rack near South Fork Peachtree Creek for sidewalk access bicyclists interested in stopping to walk, read from both sides interpretive signage, or enjoy the scenery. at more moderate speeds. Replace galvanized of Clifton. > Interim steel guardrails with a more context-sensitive Uphill bike lanes, 4´–5´ wide. material, such as wood or weathering steel. The median should also accommodate left-turn lanes Transit of modest length (100´ or less) at Old Briarcliff Old Briarcliff Road/Wesley Woods Center Way, Tower Circle, and Biltmore Drive. Maintain (Clifton Corridor Transportation Study stop C9). at least a 6´ width of planted median where these A potential second track in the railroad corridor turn lanes occur (as long as this does not cause for commuter rail service should be designed to undesirable expansion onto ecologically sensitive minimize visual and ecological impacts during land beside the roadway) in order to avoid exces- construction and over the long term. sive expanse of paving around the intersection. Consider eliminating all roadway lighting in this Vehicles district except at crosswalks. Choose light fixtures Add a median with significant trees, masonry whose material, color, and scale that relate well to curb, and narrow lanes to induce drivers to travel the natural environment.

Use street light poles that are appropriate to the wooded environment, such as this example.

Rebuild Clifton Road with a median that extends the forest canopy of Wesley Woods over the road and reduces the road’s expanse To the extent space allows, maintain a continuous of asphalt. Narrowing lanes to median, even at intersections, to extend forest canopy 11’ and installing tall curbs will and reduce length of crosswalks. Make turn lanes as encourage driving at lower speeds narrow and short as practical (example: VFW Parkway, that are safer for the pedestrians Boston, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted). and bicyclists sharing the road in this and adjacent districts. Where topography or proximity to trees require them, consider using guard rails faced in timber or weathering steel, which fit in better with the colors of the natural environment than do standard metal guard rails (example: steel-backed timber guard rail, Merritt Parkway, Connecticut).

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 83 Clifton|WesleyClifton|Sage Woods Hill 84 be modifiedtominimizespreadClifton and thenightsky. green roofscouldimprovegraduatedgroundwaterrecharge;andinteriorexteriorlighting ing treescouldreducetheirvisibilityfromClifton Road;newperviouspavingandinstallationof ties toreducetheenvironmentalimpactofthesebuildingsandaccessthem.For instance,plant north ofCliftonhaveprominenttowersandoccupysignificantlandarea. Although nobuildingsdirectlylineCliftoninthisdistrict,existingassisted-livingfacilities Private/Built Space housing access. pervious paving,andprovisionofbettertransit include theadditionofgreenroofs,introduction Other environmentalstrategieswithmultiplebenefits extending nativevegetationacrossdevelopedareas. Woods Centercouldbereducedbymeanssuchas The ecologicalandaestheticimpactsoftheWesley Seek opportuni - - Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 85 Clifton|WesleyClifton|Sage Woods Hill 86 Phasing

Urgent andfeasible Medium term (1–3 years) In progressurgent (6–12 months) Long term (2–7 Years) (8–15 Years)

phasing for key improvements PHASE TIMEFRAME ELEMENTS ‹ Urgent (6-12 months) >Crosswalk and bus shelter access and readily improvements feasible ‹ In process (1–3 years) >Emory commitment to build new sidewalk access to Sage Hill graduate student housing on south/west side of Clifton; verify route and coordinate with potential walking/recreational path along north side of rail right of way; include bike improvements >Bike path to Emory campus via Old Briarcliff Way and sports facilities near Peavine Creek ‹ Medium term (2–7 years) >Medians and landscaping >Interpretive signage >North-side sidewalk improvements ‹ Long term (8–15 years) >Roadway bridge improvements

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 87 43 CliftonClifton|Hilltop|Emory Health Sciences

Key Themes Villaboth International, sides of Clifton and residential makes the Clifton street itself TheBroad Emory views Health of Druid Sciences Hills and District downtown is a Heights—withan important the part proposed of campus Emory identity Point and de- ac- distinctand midtown portion Atlanta, of the complementary Clifton Corridor uses fo- velopmenttivity. At onthe the same Turner time, Village the district site, bring provides- cusedand land on owners, specialized and theacademic redevelopment and research po- ingthe significant critical link housing among for the local Clifton workers Hilltop and activity.tential at Asthe in Turner the Emory Village Core Conference District, Cen the- retailDistrict, and public Emory open Station space District, oriented main to the Emory presenceter and Emory of Emory-related Inn—described buildings in the “Plan along- neighborhood.campus and Indeed,Houston the Mill Turner Road—an Village overall and ning Process” section—poise the district to Emory Inn sites represent a key opportunity become a lively new center of community within the corridor to introduce new housing and activity. The district can create a strong within walking distance of multiple work- model for shaping growth to maximize com- places. For travelers arriving from the north munity benefits and minimize negative im- and west, Hilltop can become a welcoming pacts such as added traffic. Strong synergies gateway into the corridor as a whole, and the will result from the combination of existing CDC and Emory in particular. This gateway uses—the CDC campus; the hospitality func- opportunity would establish a distinctly pe- tions of the Emory Conference Center Hotel; destrian-oriented character that transforms Emory office and community functions; Clifton from a utilitarian road into a gracious other Emory campus facilities within walk- boulevard that forms the backbone of the ing distance; and Ben Franklin Academy, area’s neighborhood street network.

88 Narrow sidewalks exposed to traffic, a broad roadway, and buildings that lack orientation to the street make the Hilltop District uninviting for pedestrians, even though many people who would like to walk among facilities in the area are already present. Better sidewalks, a planted median, and narrower travel lanes on Clifton, together with proposed construction of new housing, streetfront retail and public open space opposite the CDC, would transform this area into an important pedestrian-oriented activity center.

Key Challenges Many of Hilltop’s opportunities face real but surmountable challenges. Transforming Clif- ton from a car-dominated road to a neigh- borhood main street will require a cultural shift for people who drive, work, or study in the area today. This in turn will require both redesign of Clifton itself and outreach by area institutions to set new policies for ac- cess and housing. The full benefits of new mixed-use development can only be tapped by significantly favoring pedestrian, bike, engage the street on the south side. Per- and transit access rather than automobiles. haps most important, change in the district Realizing the Hilltop District’s full potential must occur hand in hand with protection of will also require paying careful attention the fragile natural environment immediately to pedestrian-friendly urban design on the to its north and west. north side of the street; security needs of the CDC campus severely limit chances to

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 89 Opportunities

Location of street Location of street sections shown on sections shown on pages 91 and 97 pages 93 and 99 Clifton|Hilltop

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90 A Landmark buildings form a gateway into the Hilltop District from Wesley Woods.

Potential bridge for pedestrians and Expanded buildings/ bikes—and possibly quadrangle at 1762 cars—linking across Clifton could accommodate the rail corridor to significant new Emory campus Emory’s core campus. program. B

Significant civic space with Special paving linking views of the the civic space and CDC surrounding pedestrian-entrance pavilion landscape engages the street as part of and the civic space. downtown Atlanta in the distance. C Extend the footprint of 1599 Clifton (former home of Extend the the American Cancer pedestrian Society) to the street, network with active retail along side and/or other uses streets. that engage the public.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 91 Public Realm Clifton|Hilltop Overview on integrating Clifton with a broader network The Hilltop District—like the Health Sciences of improved pedestrian access, including streets District and other Clifton districts to the east and walks on the Emory Point site and adjacent and south—will be defined heavily by Clifton parcels; better access to the CDC’s pedestrian Boulevard’s multiple roles as a public space, entrances; potential new bridges to the Emory campus from Houston Mill Road and 1762 Clif- ton Road; and better access to Sage Hill through the Wesley Woods District. Finally, the Clifton streetscape should mark a significant transition for people entering Hilltop from Wesley Woods, celebrating the robust community being entered and cueing drivers to reduce speeds and expect more pedestrians sharing the boulevard.

Plantings Mature trees grace portions of the district today, particularly along the CDC campus and 1599 Clifton (the former American Cancer So- collection of complementary uses, and ac- ciety building). They should be retained. Oth- The broad, un- cess corridor that gives as much weight to er areas, such as the frontage of the Emory Inn, broken width of paved roadway, welcoming and serving pedestrians, tran- lack trees. Plant additional street trees to create poor crosswalk sit, and bikes as it does to welcoming and a more continuous canopy in keeping with the signalization serving automobiles. Preservation of broad rest of the corridor and provide shade for pedes- and access, view corridors toward downtown and midtown and intermittent trians, though trees should be placed carefully building pres- Atlanta and into nearby wooded areas, and to maintain significant distant views, including ence all need to high-quality design of plantings and buildings those toward downtown Atlanta. Tree species be changed to along the corridor will be vital to the district’s with high canopies and relatively few lower improve pedes- success as a public space. The intensified group trian conditions branches would facilitate distant views as well in the district. of uses—especially housing and retail—directly as visibility of ground-floor retail. Locate canopy along Clifton will play an equally important trees primarily in planting strips on either side role in bringing public spaces to life, with more of the boulevard to help separate pedestrians people using and enjoying the corridor’s public from traffic and as a response to restrictions on spaces and providing the economic underpin- trees in the median (which is nonexistent west nings for new investment. Improved access will of the CDC pedestrian entrance and so narrow depend not only on making walking, transit, and east of that point as to limit tree sizes). Plant- biking more attractive on Clifton itself, but also ings in this median—whether smaller trees, low

92 Public Realm Existing at Mixed-Use Development

Buildings set back Lack of tree from the street fail to canopy define a street edge.

Pedestrians exposed to traffic

Broad expanse of paving

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Public Realm Proposed at Mixed-Use Development

Continuous tree canopy above street

Buildings brought closer to the street provide a clear edge to street space.

Planting strips, trees, and on-street parking separate pedestrians from traffic.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 93 shrubs, or flowers—should allow good visibility across Clifton by pedestrians and passengers in buses and automobiles.

Planting strips along portions of the CDC cam- Clifton|Hilltop pus include a variety of shrubs and some boul- ders that provide additional aesthetic interest and pedestrian separation from traffic; continue this precedent within other planting strips in the district. Ben Franklin Academy’s well-main- tained rose garden along the existing sidewalk has been prized by the community for 20 years. This street in Arlington, Virginia, suggests how Clifton Clifton Boulevard improvements in front of the could look along the Emory Point project. Well-articu- academy should be carefully designed to pre- lated buildings define the street edge and add residen- tial and retail activity; median and side planting strips serve and protect the rose garden and enhance create room for canopy trees and shrubs and reduce its presence. paved surface; and on-street parking serves retail and helps buffer pedestrians from traffic. The public park planned as part of the Emory Point rpoject should have plantings appropri- edge have been improved in recent years with a ate for a high degree of public use: shade trees, meandering sidewalk set back from the curb be- robust grasses or other ground covers and orna- hind a generous and well-planted strip. Extend mental plantings interspersed with hardscaped this design along portions of the CDC edge that areas that can accommodate foot traffic and lack it, and add landscaping along the entire outdoor dining. edge to lend it a more beautiful and welcoming character in the absence of more active uses. Pedestrian Environment Over the long term, vigorously pursue any op- The security fence along the CDC campus portunities made possible by alternative security will create distinctly different pedestrian policies to bring active uses and building front- conditions on ages closer to the two sides the sidewalk of Clifton for along the the foresee- CDC campus, able future. both for the Portions of benefit of this the CDC’s sidewalk zone and the vitality of the area as A public park on the Emory Point site and open to Clifton should form the a whole. civic heart of the district, welcoming people who live, work, study, shop, The north side and relax in the Hilltop District and in the larger Clifton community. of Clifton, and portions of the south side

94 Public Realm Existing at 1599 Clifton

Building sits far from the street, with main entrances oriented to parking at rear.

Pedestrians exposed to traffic

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Public Realm Proposed at 1599 Clifton

Building meets the street with significant entrances.

Street trees and on-street parking separate pedestrians from trafficwhere possible.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 95 Include a landmark transit station serving the public park, Emory Point and and coordinated with property CDC pedestrian entrance. owners, including the CDC, since traffic and pedestrian improvements near Houston Mill Road will require additional Clifton|Hilltop right of way, possibly affecting the CDC fence, Clifton Heights’ driveway and fence, and Ben Franklin Academy’s rose garden and parking.

along 1762 Clifton, have extraordinary potential New or improved sidewalks on side streets will to be some of the most attractive, most active be necessary complements to sidewalk improve- and safest public areas in the Clifton community ments along Clifton. The series of sidewalks and thanks to planned or potential development of recreational walks planned for Emory Point—in- significant housing, ground-floor retail and other cluding links to the Emory Conference Center uses. To fulfill this potential, active ground-level Hotel along the hotel’s entrance drive, to 1599 uses should be placed along the sidewalk where Clifton, and to Houston Mill Road destinations, possible to create as continuous an active edge as including Miller-Ward Alumni House—will possible. Create 8´ of clear sidewalk space at all lo- contribute greatly to establishing a true pedestrian cations for through pedestrian passage. Sidewalk network in the area. Additional sidewalks are areas along the Emory Point development—par- needed along Houston Mill Road north and south ticularly between drives 1 and 2—will offer greater for better access to neighborhood housing and width for additional hardscape areas with outdoor other portions of the Emory campus. dining, general seating, transit shelters, bike racks and similar uses, as well as additional landscap- Crosswalks deserve particular attention due ing. These expanded sidewalk areas should be ter- to heavy anticipated pedestrian volumes and u Create raced to accommodate sloping topography in this curves that limit sight distances for drivers. a signaled The crosswalk connecting the CDC pedestrian crosswalk from area and provide additional separation between the proposed outdoor uses and traffic. entrance to the planned public park should public park at be distinct and prominent, both for its high the Emory Point Limited street width at the Ben Franklin Academy anticipated pedestrian volume and its potential development to the new CDC and Clifton Heights condominiums will likely pedestrian en- require making trade-offs among sidewalk width, trance, pictured planting strip width, median width, and building at right, to serve the many CDC setbacks. Of these, a minimum 8´ sidewalk width staff interested should remain a priority, perhaps by creating in walking to a narrower planting strip with a taller, more restaurants, substantial traffic buffer such as shrubs or an stores, open space, or hous- iron fence or by routing the sidewalk north of Ben ing at Emory Franklin Academy’s rose garden. Street improve- Point. ments in this area should be carefully discussed

96 possible. Second, it would moderate the speed of passing traffic. Third, retailers need it, not so much for supply it adds as for signaling the Ground-floor presence of a retail district. While legitimate residential units concerns have been raised over the feasibility in Emory Point should have of on-street parking, these guidelines strongly individual street recommend its placement in the Hilltop District entrances and on at least a provisional basis to verify its utility. planting areas wherever pos- sible to enliven Bicycles streets with > Vision human scale, Sidewalks along restaurants and stores should New bike lanes. Public bike racks at regular visual interest, and the unique incorporate extra space for tables and merchandise intervals along retail and other active street display; trees, low plantings and on-street parking identities of should be used to help buffer pedestrians from traffic, frontage, and other dedicated bike parking residents. as in this example in Alexandria, Virginia. provided for residential and other major uses. for expanding the perceived space of the park > Interim across Clifton. Additional pavement graphics Striped proposed to mark the overlap of the park with shoulders, Clifton should be implemented, but with clear 4´–5´. definition of a dedicated crosswalk area to pre- vent conflicts of pedestrians and vehicles. Transit 1762 Clifton/ On-street parking will play an important role in Villa Interna- helping the district succeed as a vital mixed-use tional (Clifton center. Although not currently allowed along the Corridor CDC campus (for security reasons) nor in some Transportation Study stop C8); Mixed-use plaza/ areas with limited sight lines, on-street park- CDC pedestrian entrance (C7). The transit stop ing should run most of the length of the Emory shelter serving the public park and CDC pedes- Point frontage for three key reasons. First, it will trian entrance should have a special prominence make sidewalk users feel comfortably separated as a public landmark and symbol of accessible from passing traffic, a particular concern where transit service. outdoor dining and similar accessory uses are Vehicles At Emory Point, The extension of left-turn lanes from Clifton include a public onto the CDC campus and Houston Mill Road promenade offering views should ease peak-hour traffic impacts. Balance into the Wesley the length of the left turn lane to Houston Mill Woods but Road with need for a significant planted me- protecting the dian along the same block. On-street parking is sensitive forest from direct highly desirable, as described above. access.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 97 Private/Built Space

The collection of current and Setback/build-to line (measured to curb) anticipated uses within the > North/east side: 25’ to 50’ with well-defined street edge and civic Hilltop District is central to its space. Extend buildings at 1599 Clifton (former American Cancer value as a major smart growth Society) closer to sidewalk. opportunity for the Clifton > South/west (CDC) side: CDC landscaped edge, fence, and 150’

Clifton|Hilltop building setback for security purposes are assumed condition. If an Corridor. Where market rea- opportunity to reduce this setback arises, seek a setback to match sons make retail difficult, other the north/east side. active, community-oriented uses that create good visual and Height at façade (within 20’ of build-to line) pedestrian interchange with the > North/east side: 5 to 6 stories; zero or minimal setback; well-de- sidewalk should be prioritized. fined street edge and civic space. > South/west (CDC) side: 5- to 6-story base building height in keep- Proposed uses such as lifelong ing with that on the opposite side of Clifton is recommended, with learning programs, a green de- greater heights possible emerging from this base. sign information center, and a >Context: ACS is 5 stories on 1-story berm; CDC up to 8 stories storefront for the Clifton Com- munity Partnership could be highly appropriate per stories along Clifton and elsewhere will complements to retail. greatly increase opportunities to walk to work or transit in the Clifton Corridor and ease • Emory Point development. Anticipated housing demand in the region in general. neighborhood-serving retail is highly ap- The housing program should continue to propriate on sidewalks and plazas along include the large quantity (more than 850 Emory Point. Live-work units planned for the units), variety of unit types, and affordability westernmost block of the project can address range currently planned, as these address the the steep slope there that does not favor great range of housing demand. retail access and floor sizes. The significant residential development planned for up- • 1599 Clifton (former American Cancer Society building). As this site is occupied by Emory and integrated into the Emory Point project, it should be modified to provide stronger physical and programmatic rela- tionships to Clifton than the existing angled setback and berm permit. Ground-floor programming should stress additional retail to the extent possible. Community-oriented academic or administrative uses could also be appropriate.

The Emory Point development should continue to integrate the private and public realms, with buildings giving physical shape to the public park and pedestrian plazas (upper image) and active ground-floor uses, particularly retail and restaurants, that make them lively community destinations (lower image).

98 Private Realm Existing at Mixed-Use Development

Buildings are disengaged from the street.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Private Realm Proposed at Mixed-Use Development

More extensive land- scaping enhances the Mixed-use buildings sidewalk in front of the bring active ground- CDC where adjacent build- floor retail and well- ings cannot be added. articulated upper-floor housing to enliven the street.

Use below-grade parking to minimize the need for surface parking.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 99 • 1762 Clifton. This site has traditionally Needed improvements housed administrative office space for Emory, for traffic and but its proximity to the Emory Point develop- pedestrians ment and the CDC, the potential for con- at Clifton and necting to the main Emory campus across Clifton|Hilltop Houston Mill could affect the railroad, and a gateway location along the setback Clifton all make this a valuable location for in front of the redevelopment with higher-density, higher- Clifton Heights condominiums. profile campus-related uses. Staff or student Engage property housing, research, or additional administra- owners to seek tive uses could all work well here. In any case, Road—streetscape improvements that might mutual benefit active ground-level uses—retail or other—are require some additional right of way and, from opportuni- ties to improve strongly encouraged to provide the first sig- potentially, a more prominent entrance with both the street nificant sidewalk engagement outside of the diminished parking and enhanced presence and private Wesley Woods District and invite pedestrian of its rose garden. frontage. } access onto the site. One or more buildings on the site should be designed as bold archi- • Clifton Heights. These relatively new condo- tectural landmarks for people approaching miniums add needed housing choice within along Clifton from Wesley Woods. Building the Clifton Corridor. The residents’ association scale, materials, and other qualities must be should be engaged to discuss opportunities for carefully designed or selected to relate to both comprehensive improvement of the Clifton/ the built and natural contexts. Houston Mill Road intersection with minimal negative impacts on their driveway and fenc- • CDC. What possibilities for sidewalk engage- ing. With 1762 Clifton, this site frames the ment the CDC campus lacks (due to security passage between Clifton/Hilltop and Wesley setbacks and fencing), it makes up for in the Woods. Design buildings and landscaping ac- thousands of employees who work there. Many cordingly as prominent gateway elements. have expressed keen interest in the residential, retail (especially lunch), and transit opportu- • Villa International. This residential facil- nities that Emory Point will offer; the CDC ity for international students is a valuable will also continue to make periodic use of the cultural and academic complement to Emory Conference Center Hotel. These and Emory’s campus. Because the existing facility other land use synergies will continue to re- is significantly set back from Clifton, seek duce traffic growth, build community through opportunities to create new building front- professional, economic, and cultural affilia- age along Clifton that better integrates Villa tions, and support improved quality of life in International with adjacent access and uses the area. while supporting its overall mission.

• Ben Franklin Academy. The private Ben • DeKalb County Fire Department. The fire Franklin Academy has important synergies station will remain next to the CDC’s pedes- with Emory and provides valuable educa- trian entrance. Emergency vehicle access will tional options to local residents. The academy remain a priority among other enhancements should be engaged to discuss opportunities of the Clifton Boulevard streetscape. for improving its frontage along Clifton 100 Private Realm Existing at 1599 Clifton

Deep setback distances build- ing functions from the street.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Private Realm Proposed at 1599 Clifton

Extending the building to the street edge adds valuable, highly visible, and accessible program Seek opportunity to space. keep CDC buildings near sidewalks where security considerations allow.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 101 Clifton|Sage Hill 102 Phasing

(8–15 Years) Long term (2–7 Years) Medium term (1–3 years) In PRocess (6 to12months) UrgenT andfeasible

phasing for key improvements

PHASE TIMEFRAME ELEMENTS ‹ Urgent 6–12 months >Crosswalk improvements and readily feasible ‹ In process 1–2 years >Emory Point development project and associ- ated roadway improvements Medium term 3–7 years >Improvements at 1599 Clifton, including expan- ‹ sion to street edge Long term 8–15 years >Renovation/redevelopment of 1762 Clifton with ‹ additional Emory uses and/or housing having direct orientation to Clifton, opportunity for pedestrian/bike bridge connection over railroad right of way to main Emory campus >CDC campus initiatives to create new buildings further from Clifton

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 103 4 Clifton|Emory Health Sciences

Key KeyThemes Themes intersectionsboth sides of of Clifton Gatewood makes and the Houston street Millitself This distinctThe Emory portion Health of the Sciences Clifton Corridor District hosts is a roadsan important with Clifton, part andof campus on the sidewalk identity alongand ac - specializeddistinct academic portion and of theresearch Clifton activity. Corridor As in fo - thetivity. north At sidethe same of Clifton. time, the district provides the Emorycused Core on District,specialized the Emory-related academic and buildings research • Createthe critical engaging link among street frontage the Clifton within Hilltop build - alongactivity. both sides As of in Clifton the Emory make Corethe street District, itself the an ingsDistrict, dedicated Emory to Station academic, District, research main and Emory importantpresence part of of campus Emory-related identity and buildings activity. alongAt campuscampus residential and Houston uses. Mill Road—an overall the same time, the district provides the critical link • Accommodate needed traffic lanes, median among the Clifton Hilltop District, Clifton Station Dis- refuge areas, tree lawns and sidewalks within a trict, main Emory campus and Houston Mill Road— constrained street right of way. an overall area that includes a very significant mix and magnitude of uses within walking distance. The • Accommodate some of the tallest buildings Emory Health Sciences District must function as an along the overall Clifton Corridor frontage with inviting and safe pedestrian environment in order for a comfortable sense of scale. the neighboring districts to truly work together as • Create a consistent sense of Emory campus the vibrant mixed-use community they could be. identity along this stretch of Clifton Boulevard, continuing themes of the Clifton/Emory Core Key Challenges District. • Significantly improve unpleasant conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists, particularly at the

104 Poor sidewalks and crosswalks, and a lack of engaging buildings discourage walking in the district, as in this photo at Clifton and Gatewood roads. The rendering opposite suggests several ways of making walking a first choice, not a second: adding a café in a potential new research building at the corner; adapting academic buildings to engage the street with more permeability and activity; and incorporating new trees and vegetation in planting strips and a median to reduce the dominance of paved roadway.

a Poorly defined crosswalks (a) make crossing on foot difficult. Carelessly sited bus shelters (b) intrude on sidewalks. A narrow sidewalk along Clifton (d) offers no protection from fast-moving traffic.

b c

d

Hazardous pavement conditions along the edge of the road (d) discourage bicycling. Many buildings stand isolated from the street by deep setbacks (c), making nearby sidewalks feel unwelcoming.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 105 Clifton|EmoryClifton|Sage Health Sciences Hill 106 Opportunities

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v e Improve hostile pedestrian environment A by introducing a planted median that provides a mid-crossing refuge and relieves the expanse of the wide roadway. A new building at the corner of Houston Mill Road and Clifton Road would help to define the corner and create a destination for pedestrians.

A potential new building containing research B or other Emory uses at 1523 Clifton could support creation of an appealing landmark corner—including active ground-floor retail and a paved plaza—that would strengthen the pedestrian environment and function as an important halfway point between Clifton Station Strategic corner retail and the Hilltop District. Plaza paving

Additions to 1462 Clifton would C introduce more engaging and pedestrian-focused building frontage and define the street edge more clearly at this gateway to the Clifton/ Emory Health Sciences District from Clifton Station.

D An improved sidewalk along the east side of Houston Mill Road would introduce an important new pedestrian link to the main Emory campus via a planned bridge over the rail corridor. A new building and landscaping planned adjacent to the Grace Crum Rollins and Nell Hodgson Woodruff buildings should provide good connectivity and context to this sidewalk.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 107 Clifton|Emory Health Sciences 108 crossed. four lanesare more than median where relieved bya to drivers,and marked clearly sible ramps, by acces broad, served walks shouldbe grow. Cross more roomto canopy trees to walkand more space give pedestrians together to should work planting strips Sidewalks and - }

- turn lanes. the treesandbuildingtomake roomforadded building whilerelocatingthesidewalk between cant existingtreesattheNell Hodgson Woodruff width fortrees.Take caretomaintainthesignifi right-of-way widthconstraintsmayleavetoolittle ornamental plantingsalongthemedian,where height ofexistingbuildings.Usesmaller-scale reach atleasteightstoriestomatchorexceedthe along sidewalks;atmaturity, thesetreesshould existing coniferswithadditionaltallstreettrees Gatewood, presence oftheLullwaterPreserve. intensity ofitsbuildingsandsignifythe in thisdistricttomitigatethescaleand Street treesshouldhavesignificantstature Plantings trees withdenseshrubsorflowerbeds the streetcorridor, andplantareastoonarrowfor commodate aseriesoflargecanopytreesalong to provideatleastenoughplantingareasac the widthoftreelawnsandmedians,takecare to serveasalternatives.Whereconstraintslimit must bemadeaspedestrian-friendlypossible median refuge.OthercrosswalksacrossClifton crosswalk—a fullsevenlanes—unrelievedbya to theroadway, andproduceanextremelylong limited areasforsidewalksandplantingsnext for Clifton westboundwouldfurthereatinto Mill intersection,whereasecondleft turnlane challenge comestoitsheadattheHouston its mostconstrainedrightsofway. and vehiculartrafficflowswithinoneof the CliftonCorridor’sheaviestpedestrian the challengeofaccommodatingsome The CliftonHealthSciencesDistrictfaces Overview Public Realm reinforce thetall,opencharacterof At Gatewood , extendthecampus’s . The West of - - realign thewalkopposite Lullwater entrance tree lawnonthewestside,south ofGatewood; good sidewalkconditionswith awell-planted tions. and CliftonStationaswelllocaldestina clear, safethroughconnectionstoHilltop Sidewalks andcrosswalksmustfunctionas Pedestrian Environment bridge approach. here wherevertheyarenotremovedforthenew Maintain existing ornamentalfloweringtrees Clifton/Haygood bridgeovertherailcorridor). expand aspartofthepotentialrealignment median andtreelawns(theeastlawnwould by addingtreestypicalofthepreservein Gatewood open spacelandscapeintostreetscape. Seek 8´min.sidewalkpassage. Maintain emphasize thepresenceofLullwater East of - Public Realm Existing

Narrow sidewalk, missing tree lawns expose pedestrians to fast-moving cars. Sidewalks are too narrow and distant from buildings.

Unrelieved roadway width makes pedes- trian crossing uncom- Note: The Opportunities map shows the fortable and risky. location of this street section diagram.

Coordinate landscape Public Realm Proposed design for green space and street. Narrower traffic lanes, including multimode transit lane and a bike lane, provide more travel choices.

Use smaller- scale median plantings.

Added tree lawns Planting strips and wider side- buffer pedestrians walks create a safe and pleasant from traffic. pedestrian environment, provid- ing a good setting for active ground-floor building uses.

A new median breaks down the scale of the road and provides a safe stopping point for pedestrians caught in the crosswalk.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 109 Clifton|EmoryClifton|Sage Health Sciences Hill 110 mid-block crossingat1525Clifton. and HoustonMill.Moreeffectively discourage instead. ImprovethecrosswalksatGatewood entirely andusetheGatewood Roaddriveway across it—or, betteryet,removethedriveway the drivewayandextendconcretesidewalk dential Center drivewayoff Clifton Road,narrow of existingtrees.At thebroadWoodruff Resi wood, rebuildtheeastsidewalkbehindline research buildingatGatewood. EastofGate ship tothenewretailuseandlobbyin Create anexpandedplaza withastrongrelation by plantingtallershrubsand/orerectingafence. walk; andmakethemostofalimitedtreelawn eliminate thebusshelterintrusionintoside replace themwithoccupiedbuildingspace; tunities tosetbacktheretainingwallsand/or adjacent retainingwalls:seeklong-termoppor lenging conditionsduetoitsnarrowwidthand Houston MillandGatewood presentsverychal existing streettrees.Theeastsidewalkbetween at theNellHodgsonWoodruff buildingwestof Mill willrequirerealigningthewestsidewalk rail bridge.Additional turnlanesatHouston to accommodateClifton’s realignmentatthe ------not obstructthesidewalkandsideviews. shelter eastofHoustonMillwithonethatdoes and eastofGatewood (C5).Replacetheexisting ( Identified transitstopsareeastofHoustonMill Transit > > Bicycles wood Roadinsteadforentranceandexit. access fromClifton RoadandrelyingonGate removing Woodruff Residential Center driveway for streettreesneartheintersections.Consider pedestrian refugemedian,andprovidelocations Mill andGatewood roads,maintainatleasta4´ Where left turnlanesareaddedatHouston and createroomforamedianbikelanes. Narrow lanesto11feetmoderatetraffic speed Vehicles Clifton CorridorTransportation Studystop Share existinglaneswithtraffic; createuphill New bikelanesalongClifton Boulevard. bike laneorshoulderwherepossible. Interim Vision C6) - Some sidewalks along Clifton run directly on the edge of the street, with no separation from traffic to protect pedestrians.

Academic and research buildings can enhance the pedestrian en- vironment by locating interesting, active uses so that they are visible from the sidewalk, such as these teaching labs at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 111 Clifton|EmoryClifton|Sage Health Sciences Hill 112 scientists. the workofits inspired by art installation a permanent ing—and of inside thebuild view ofactivity trians aclear gives pedes parency that level oftrans level withahigh activity atstreet a lackofretail pensates for Building com Biosciences MIT’s Koch Overall street: > > Fourtoeightstories(notexceedheightofexistingtrees)and Height atfaçad Setback/build-to line Context: story podium) District anditsviewstowardAtlanta. among allthedistrictsandcontrastwithopennessofHilltop well-defined buildingedgecreatethemostverticalstreetsection - - - Rollins Building(eightstories);1525(fivestoriesontwo- - 120‘-130‘ an approachthatcombinesinsertingretailuses destrian-focused buildingfrontagewillrequire recent plans.Creating more engagingandpe Gatewood), andotherbuildingsproposedunder 1523 Clifton (thenorthcornerofClifton and research buildingwithinthenextfiveyearsat Health andrelatedfunctions,apotentialnew School ofNursing, theRollinsSchoolofPublic plan anticipatesthecontinuedpresenceof district foryearstocome:theEmorycampus Academic andresearchuseswilldominatethis Overview Private/Built Space > of academic,researchandresidential buildings. vide interestandinteractionat thegroundlevel where possibleandintensifyingefforts topro pedestrian-oriented retaillies inEmory’s The premieropportunityfor a caféorsimilar (within 20feetofbuild-toline) (measured tocurb) Building tocurb: 25‘-40‘ - - > > this retailusewouldhaveverystrongpositive amount ofspacewithinthelargerbuildingto destinations. Dedicatingarelativelylimited pedestrian passagebetweentheseimportant Station andtheHilltop District,itwillassist Station. AsahalfwaypointbetweenClifton landmark visibletopedestriansfromEmory of Clifton Roadmakethisstrategiclocationa uses at1523Clifton. potential newbuildingforresearchorother tutional buildings. strategies toincreaseengagement attheseinsti meeting rooms,smallretailuses andsimilar plays, program-inspiredartwork, activelobbies, engagement andvisibility. Useeducationaldis ground floorofthebuildinglimitssidewalk conditions attheterracedstair, astheelevated building, payparticularattentiontoimproving Residential Center, and1525Clifton. At thelatter the Grace Crum RollinsBuilding, Woodruff changes totheseEmorybuildings: ment withrenovations,additionsand/oruse Seek opportunitiestoimprovesidewalkengage priate developmentatbothlocations. Road wouldcreatemoreefficient andappro with theadjacentbanksiteonHoustonMill west. Redevelopingthissiteinconjunction landmark particularlyvisiblefromthenorth ground-level retail,andcreateanarchitectural to intensifylanduse,possiblyincorporate corner siteoffers animportantopportunity Clifton andHoustonMill. Egleston propertyeastoftheintersection building toengagesidewalksonChildren’sat Seek anopportunityforexpandedornew impacts onthepedestrianenvironment. Topography andtheroute This high-visibility 1462 Clifton, - - - - - Private Realm Existing

Deep setback means no building interaction with pedestrians.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Private Realm Proposed

New Clifton research building, with stores and restaurants at ground level, defines the street edge and introduces uses that activate the edge.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 113 Clifton|EmoryClifton|Sage Health Sciences Hill 114 Phasing expansion of PublicHealth Rollins School sidewalk improvements building additionand Grace CrumRollins

Clifton Roadbuilding Additions to1462

at Clifton/Hilltop with newstreetimprovements Emory Pointredevelopment Houston MillRoad New buildingsat

1523 Clifton Medium term ( urgent &feasible Long term (2–7 Years) (8–15 Years) 6-12 months) replacement rail bridge Clifton/Haygood Hillel Center

phasing for key improvements PHASE TIMEFRAME ELEMENTS ‹ Urgent and (1–3 years) >Crosswalk improvements feasible ‹ Medium term (2–7 years) >1523 Clifton building >Potential Clifton-Haygood rail bridge replacement ‹ Long term (8–15 years) >Additions to 1462 Clifton and Grace Crum Rol- lins Building that engage the sidewalk >Children’s Hospital at Egleston site improve- ments

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 115 45 Clifton| StationEmory Health Sciences

Key Themes willboth open sides important of Clifton opportunities makes the for street im- itself TheClifton Emory Station’s Health prospects Sciences for District regional is rail a provingan important the pedestrian part of environment campus identity in ways and ac- distincttransit, its portion function of theas a Clifton local bus Corridor hub, and fo- thattivity. will helpAt the the same district time, succeed the district as a transit provides cusedits central on specializedlocation ensure academic a growing and role research for hub.the critical link among the Clifton Hilltop activity.the district As as in athe multimodal Emory Core hub District,and gate the- District, Emory Station District, main Emory presenceway to the of corridor. Emory-related Numerous buildings elements along Keycampus Challenges and Houston Mill Road—an overall come together to make this a representative The Clifton Station District today is more gateway to the whole community—not just a gap than a connector within Clifton’s Emory’s campuses, but Children’s Hospital, pedestrian corridor. Design of the potential Lullwater Preserve, the planned recreational bridge and intersection must do as much path along the rail corridor, and direct road to promote walking, biking, transit use, connections to Druid Hills High School and and sense of place as it does to facilitate residential neighborhoods. Promising oppor- traffic flow. A dearth of building sites tunities for retail uses that serve commuters means that adding pedestrian-oriented and the general community exist at some uses depends on making the most of a few strategic locations. Potential realignment of key opportunities—the envisioned transit- the Clifton/Haygood intersection and recon- access kiosk; new construction on the struction of the bridge over the rail corridor remnant of the current rehabilitation clinic

116 Poor sidewalk conditions missing crosswalks, and long gaps between adjacent buildings make Clifton Station an unpleasant area to walk in today, despite Lullwater Preserve’s wooded presence. A new transit hub serving buses and eventually the Brain Train, plus reconfiguration of the Clifton Road/ Haygood Drive intersection, would create welcoming pedestrian connections in multiple directions, pictured opposite. Small retail and food service shops in the transit station and at ground level of nearby buildings would serve the many people passing through this gateway point and help anchor a public plaza with views toward the Lullwater Preserve.

site; possible additions to or ground-floor modifications of 1462 Clifton; and potential kiosks or other temporary structures on the plazas that will flank the new bridge. Making the district a true transit hub—in particular, bringing regional rail transit to the Clifton community—will require significant, sustained advocacy at state and federal levels over years.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 117 Opportunities

Clifton Station B A C

118 Create a hub of area access and civic A identity, incorporating a landmark intermodal station building, accessory retail, pedestrian plazas of civic scale and quality, visual connections to Lullwater Preserve, and supportive uses and orientation in surrounding buildings.

B Make Lullwater Preserve truly visible and accessible, with improved pedestrian access, adjacent on-street drop-off, signage identifying the preserve and providing directions to additional parking, and extension of Lullwater’s tree canopy across Clifton.

C Create a building on the narrow but strategic site east of Clifton Station, accomplishing multiple goals; create a presence for the potential new building(s) on the Turman residential site; screen the substation from the public view; create a fourth built edge to help define Clifton Station; and accommodate additional research, office, academic, ground-floor retail or other uses in this highly visible and central location.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 119 Public Realm Clifton Station Overview The prominent but relatively blank façade of Children’s Hospital dominates As a gateway point, the streetscape in the the approach from the north. Adding welcoming landmarks can make Clifton Station District should celebrate the district a true gateway to the entire Clifton community. Coordinated landmarks of the natural and built environ- improvements for Clifton and Haygood would make it possible to introduce a new building in front of the hospital and a new intermodal transit station ment that help define the character of the on the west side of Clifton. broader community, and it should provide excellent access in all directions for the full range of transportation modes that come together here: walking, transit, bicycles, and automobiles. The potential realignment of the Clifton/Haygood intersection and widening of the bridge over the railroad would also create opportunities for new public realm ameni- ties—one or more pedestrian plazas, landscaped areas, a landmark transit station and improved access to Lullwater—that can serve access and recreational needs as well as help create a strong sense of place. Placing active uses in adjacent buildings where possible and within the transit the bridge median and side decks using irrigated station and open space will be critical to making planters and panels. Irrigation will be essential expanded public areas inviting and safe. for the viability of these deck plantings, but its environmental impact can be minimized by Plantings feeding it with captured rainwater from adjacent Showcase the presence of Lullwater by buildings or other low-impact sources. Preserve extending its tree canopy (and, to the the existing trees along the WHSCAB building. extent practical, understory vegetation) across Clifton, Haygood, and the rail Pedestrian Environment corridor as much as possible. The new Today’s pedestrian conditions are inad- bridge deck would have very limited capacity equate and unpleasant, constrained by to accommodate trees, but new medians and limited sidewalk width, direct adjacency planting strips along Clifton and Haygood offer to heavy traffic, lack of a crosswalk at valuable locations for substantial new trees. the north side of the Clifton and Haygood Distinguish the district as a unique place by intersection, lack of adjacent buildings or using a different, more urban palette of street active ground level uses, and long pedes- trees and other plantings along the surrounding trian signal wait times. Safe and welcoming legs of Clifton and Haygood beyond the district. walking conditions must be created, connecting Install landmark ornamental plantings within both legs of Clifton Boulevard, Haygood Road,

120 adjacent campus areas, the Lullwater Preserve, and mobile vendor’s carts would greatly help and future recreational path along the railroad the plaza become an active destination for with broader sidewalks protected from traffic the entire Clifton community. High-quality and enlivened with active uses and attractive materials and design will also be important in landscaping. Particular attention must be paid defining this public space. Artwork should be to helping pedestrians cross the busy traffic of incorporated in high-visibility elements such as freestanding sculpture, plaza Vegetation in paving, or the transit station planters can thrive on the itself. Vegetation—including deck of the larger trees in any areas not potential new on the deck structure—and Clifton/Haygood lower ornamental plantings bridge, as it does on this should also play an important bridge deck in role in this area, compensating Boston, but only for a relative lack of building with effective frontage by providing a lush irrigation and maintenance. natural setting. Clifton and Haygood, with broad (12- to 16´) crosswalks paved with distinctive and high-qual- Lullwater already has a significant presence in ity materials. the district due to its entrance gate on Clifton Road and the visibility of its woods from Clifton The potential bridge deck west of Clifton would and Haygood, but limited signage, pedestrian create a fine setting for a broad pedestrian plaza and vehicular access limit its potential benefit. accented by a landmark transit station, forming Realignment of Clifton in front of the gate offers the perceptual core of the district. Conceptual the opportunity for a broader pedestrian-oriented design of the transit station includes a significant entrance plaza with improved signage and plant- bus station along Asbury Circle, which would ings that identify the preserve. Public access to pass below Clifton and Haygood at the elevation Lullwater should be improved by providing an of the railroad tracks and future rail station. opportunity for cars to pull off of Clifton, drop Additional bus stops are anticipated at the off passengers, and view directional signage to level of Clifton and Haygood; collectively, the and from nearby public parking in Emory’s park- stops on both levels would serve as a hub for ing structure at Houston Mill Road and Michael the CLIFF® bus service, MARTA bus services, Street. The potential bridge decks east of Clifton and potential light rail or enhanced BRT Road offer additional opportunities for pedes- service. A transit station structure within the trian vistas into Lullwater and signage describing pedestrian plaza would provide access to bus its history and ecological significance. and rail services at the lower level and should include small-footprint but high-volume retail Bicycles oriented to commuters, such as a coffee shop, > Bicycles/vision newsstand and florist. Additional programming New bike lanes (turning bikes merge with of the outdoor space with periodic uses such traffic) on Clifton Boulevard and Haygood as a farmer’s market, music performances, Drive; new multi-use path (see below). The

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 121 Stone pillars mark the entrance to Lullwater Preserve, Clifton Station but without supporting signage, parking, high- quality sidewalk access or street plantings, this important community amenity remains underutilized.

new transit station would be an especially and restoring Woodruff Circle as landscaped appropriate location for amenities serving open space. The station would also serve MARTA bicyclists, including secure bike storage, bus services in the near term, adding potential changing and shower facilities, distribution Brain Train commuter rail services to downtown points for maps and information, and bicycle Atlanta, Lawrenceville, and Athens in the future. repair, rental and/or sale. Conceptual studies for the transit station have envisioned ameni- Vehicles ties like these on the lower level of the station Realignment and reconstruction of Clifton/Hay- along Asbury Circle. good intersection and rail corridor bridge would shift more traffic to Haygood instead of the > Bicycles/interim southern leg of Clifton and improve traffic flow Share existing lanes with traffic. through the intersection. It would also improve accommodation of bus stops and queueing. Transit Consider adding short-term on-street parking on Create a new, two-level transit hub at the the north side of Clifton west of Lullwater, or any intersection of Clifton, Haygood, and the other place it may fit in the district, to serve taxis CSX rail corridor, possibly incorporating Clif- and private vehicles meeting transit users, drop- ton Corridor Transportation Study stop C3 and off for people walking in Lullwater, and people C4, and designed as a principal district feature. parking to use nearby retail. The intermodal station could replace the CLIFF® transit hub now located at Woodruff Circle, Multi-Use Path allowing layover bus queuing to occur incon- The Clifton Station District could serve spicuously below the Clifton/Haygood bridge as a key access point for a multi-use path

122 running along the north side of the rail- Clifton Boulevard/Haygood Drive rail bridge that road corridor west to the Wesley Woods connects directly to the existing paved Lullwater District. This path would expand recreational Preserve drive and/or the sidewalk on the east and access options for pedestrians, runners, and side of Clifton, eliminating the need for grade- cyclists, offering a more direct and level alterna- level crossing. This latter connection would tive to Clifton Road with bridge connections to depend both on the suitability of routing the path the main Emory campus. It should also connect on protected land in the preserve and on ensur- to the Lullwater Preserve by a grade-level cross- ing that sufficient right-of-way width—preferably ing of Clifton Road near the Lullwater entrance 10´—can be provided adjacent to the north abut- and potentially by an extension east beneath the ment of a new bridge.

As an intermodal transportation hub and area gateway, the core of Clifton Station District should be defined by a landmark station building. Modest in size but architecturally prominent, it should provide access and information for rail, bus and bike routes and include accessory retail. Canopies for bus or future light rail platforms, such as in the photo example from San Francisco, could be important parts of this landmark. A generously sized public plaza should accompany the station, providing easy pedestrian access from multiple directions, allowing public gatherings and temporary functions such as farmers’ markets, framing views to the adjacent Lullwater Preserve, and including high-quality plantings, paving and street furniture that befit this important civic space.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 123 Private/Built Space

Clifton Station Setback/build-to line (measured to curb) > Emory Rehabilitation Center site. The ex- > 25’ building-to-curb for Children’s Hospital at Egleston and transit/retail isting rehabilitation center building would be kiosk. removed to accommodate realignment of Clif- > Because buildings here do not clearly define the overall street width, ton and Haygood. In its place a smaller poten- landscape design must play an important role to compensate. tial building site would be created between the Height at façade (within 20’ of build-to liNE) Children’s Hospital at Egleston campus and > 4 to 8 stories, with emphasis on landmark building(s) for rebuilt the new intersection. While dimensionally Clifton/Haygood intersection. constrained, this site would have great promi- > Context: existing Children’s Hospital at Egleston building 6.5 tall nence to people approaching along Clifton stories; WHSCAB approximately 5 stories. from the northwest and should be developed Overview with a suitable architectural landmark that Use limited ground-floor area—mainly at the also serves to screen the Egleston emergency transit station building site now occupied by the room driveway from prominent public view. Emory Rehabilitation Center, and possible addi- The upper-floor building program could be as- tions to or renovations of 1462 Clifton—to best sociated with and physically connected to the effect with active retail oriented to commuters Children’s Hospital at Egleston campus, or it and the larger community. could remain independent of it. In either case, the ground-floor space here represents the > Transit station. This structure should be a most significant opportunity to incorporate prominent architectural landmark in addition new community-oriented retail in the Clifton to its key role in facilitating—and celebrat- Station District. Prioritize retail uses with ing—intermodal transit access. Its size will strong relationships to the sidewalk. be limited by available space and the view easements to the WHSCAB building, so it > 1462 Clifton. The southeast corner of this must be carefully designed to accommodate Emory building frames the northern edge transit and retail functions. The vertical of the district together with the Lullwater connection between the Clifton Road and entrance. Although not central to the district, Asbury Drive levels must be convenient and this corner could provide an important op- have a strong visual component. Small retail portunity to introduce more pedestrian-ori- shops such as a café, newsstand, and flower ented program at ground level to enhance the vendor should also be incorporated into the important sidewalk connection to the Emory building footprint. Include bicycle facilities, Health Sciences and Hilltop districts. Uses as described on page 61. Clear information could include retail and/or academic func- on transit services and accessory shelters at tions that have significant access to and visual bus stops will also be essential to making this engagement with the sidewalk. Additions to transit station fulfill its transformative poten- or renovations of the building should also tial for the Clifton community. create an architectural orientation southeast toward the core of the Clifton Station District.

124 > Turman site The site of the Turman resi- ents the opportunity to site a new multistory dence halls has been identified as a valuable building that could be of significant value in location for a new Emory campus building, defining the district’s eastern edge and con- possibly containing medical research. The tributing active uses. western end of this site, though narrow, pres-

Clifton Station’s central location in the Clifton Corridor and transit connections make it a natural place to include small retail shops and kiosks serving commuters and the general community. Rail stations such as this one in Boston commonly support food vendors, dry cleaners, flower shops, newsstands, and similar retail in compact indoor and outdoor locations.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 125 Phasing Clifton Station UrgenT and feasible (6 to 12 months) Medium term (2–7 Years) Long term (8-15 Years)

126 phasing for key improvements PHASE TIMEFRAME ELEMENTS Urgent and 6–12 months >Crosswalk improvements ‹ feasible >Lullwater signage improvements ‹ Medium term 2–7 years >Potential Clifton/Haygood rail bridge replacement and associated public realm improvements. >Transit station (serving buses initially, anticipating rail over long term) >New building opportunity north of Children’s Hospital at Egleston >Potential new research building on Haygood site ‹ Long term 8–15 years >Initiate commuter rail service

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 127 6 Clifton|Emory Core

Key Themes gateways, including an open-space corridor This will remain the principal point at along a re-exposed Antoinette Candler which Emory’s academic and medical Creek that ties together university facilities centers meet the broader community. The on both sides of Clifton. These measures university’s presence here—along with could dramatically improve the experience Children’s Hospital at Egleston—plays a of pedestrians and patients and foster key role in defining its public identity. It also more interchange between university and drives intense interchange of all transport community by showcasing Emory’s mission modes, including heavy pedestrian traffic and introducing needed retail, health care, and the CLIFF® shuttle hub. Significant student life, and transit services. potential investment in new and existing medical and academic buildings flanking Key Challenges Clifton opens up tremendous possibilities Create a coherent Emory identity and set for improving campus definition with new of gateways. Incorporate ground-level re- built edges and landscaped areas and tail where effective and feasible without

128 With buildings far from the side- walk, sidewalks directly next to traffic, and utility poles that obstruct the sidewalk, Emory Core District does not invite walking, despite its being an integral part of Emory’s medical and academic campuses. The rendering opposite demon- strates how this stretch of Clif- ton Road could become one of America’s signature boulevards linking university and com- munity. Key changes include median and street tree plantings that extend the Emory campus across Clifton and diminish the presence of traffic; bike lanes; and sidewalks that appeal to a diverse community with engag- ing campus buildings, accessory campus- and neighborhood-ori- ented retail, public art, plantings and protection from traffic.

compromising campus identity. Signifi- long-term strategy for the existing Emory cantly improve conditions for pedestrians Hospital building, with appropriate program and bicyclists, particularly at Lowergate and street engagement. Coordinate a long- Drive—which will see more travel between term rehabilitation plan for Woodruff Circle campus areas west and east of Clifton—and with the opportunity to relocate its key tran- between Uppergate and Haygood drives, sit hub to Clifton Station. where a lack of crosswalks induces many pedestrians to cross the road at a point with limited sight distance. Create engaging street frontage within academic and medical buildings. Balance the significant program, traffic, and scale of the potential new Emory campus building east of Clifton with the need for high-quality pedestrian conditions and other urban design goals. Confirm a

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 129 Clifton|Emory Core 130 Opportunities pages 131 and135 section shownon Location ofstreet

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N o r t h D e c a t u r R o a d Restored Improved, landscaping consolidated Reclaim Woodruff Circle as an inviting crosswalk A campus open space by relocating the existing CLIFF® transit hub functions to Clifton Station and consolidating campus road access to Clifton opposite Uppergate Drive. Consolidate improved pedestrian walks and crossing signals at Uppergate Drive to allow easier, safer crossing of Clifton Boulevard.

B Create a pedestrian plaza at the gateway to the east half of Emory’s campus, framed by Emory New pedestrian bridge Clinic Building A, the potential new Emory campus building to its south, and active ground- Pedestrian plaza engaged by ground-floor uses in Emory Clinic A floor retail or restaurants in each building. and addition to Visually extend the Emory campus Emory Clinic B across Clifton Boulevard with canopy tree plantings in the median and planting strips, prominent crosswalks, and daylighting of Antoinette Candler Creek below. Consider long-term relocation of the Emory Hospital emergency Pedestrian gateway into campus room and its service drives to allow along Antoinette Candler Creek for better pedestrian conditions.

Strong architectural C presence of new Enhance a third campus crossing of Clifton Emory building Boulevard at Fishburne and Gambrell drives, with a potential new building to the northeast serving as a prominent new corner landmark and improved sidewalks and crosswalks on all sides.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 131 Clifton|Emory Core 132 Woodruff CircleasEmory’spremier landscaped “frontyard”onClifton. replaced withconventionaltransit Boulevard, allowingrestorationof not be.The stops andsheltersalongClifton relocated toCliftonStationand queuing andlayoverareaneed part oftheClifton/EmoryCore district—but the Transit shouldbeacentral CLIFF® traffic generationbutalsotohelpthemissions scaping, all of which will serve not only to reduce capacity forpedestrians,transit,bikesandland capacity withgenerous(andmuchincreased) all streetdesignmustbalancesignificanttraffic between Gambrell andNorthDecatur. Theover will imposenewtraffic volumes,particularly new accesstoEmoryfacilitiesonGambrell Drive median attheheartofdistrict,butpotential reduce throughtraffic levels,allowingawider tential relocationofthe the Clifton andHaygood intersectionandpo munity-oriented retail.Thereconfigurationof for Emory, Children’s atEgleston,ornewcom larger communitypassingthroughordestined will remainatruepubliccorridorwelcomingthe Candler Creek. and exposingthepresenceofAntoinette west portionsofthecampusacrossClifton pus openspacecorridorlinkingeastand conjunction withtheproposednewcam piece oftheEmorycampuslandscapein brell andUppergatedrives,asanintegral Clifton Corridor,particularlybetweenGam Consider anddesignthissegmentofthe Overview Public Realm hubcouldbe CLIFF® bus At thesametime,street CLIFF ® transithubmay ------plant species. open spacetreatment,viewcorridorsand portions ofthecampuswithconsistent palette acrossCliftontolinkwestandeast Extend adistinctcampuslandscape Landscape Design leston, tothrive. enterprises, aswellthoseofChildren’s atEg and identitiesofEmory’s academicandmedical element ofthedistrictgatewayatNorthDecatur. Boulevard, theymakethenativeforestadefining a similarprotectedstandoftreesacrossClifton of thearea’snativeforestecosystem.Togetherwith The treesatrightarepartofaprotectedrestoration Take particularadvantageof stretches ofClifton toempha planting palettealongadjacent Create acontrastingtreeand medical patients. particular experientialvalueto creek itself,whichmayhave and thepresenceof highlight theoverallcorridor Antoinette Candler Creek to the proposed“daylighting” of

- - Public Realm Existing at new Emory building

Pedestrians are isolated from Roadway interrupts buildings and the tree canopy. active users.

Sidewalks sit Bikes ride directly adjacent to with traffic. traffic, with no curb in some locations.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Public Realm Proposed at new Emory building

Continuous tree canopy supports campus and community continuity. Buildings with active ground- floor uses give pedestrians scale, security, and destinations.

On-street parking, where possible, buffers pedestrians from traffic and supports adjacent short-term uses.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 133 Clifton|Emory Core 134 Egleston. Hospital at near Children’s crossing Clifton as these doctors conditions, such dangerous and downright inconvenient cations produce walks inkeylo Missing cross }

- - force bothpalettes—inparticular, usethecam Frontage alongEmory/Clifton ClinicBuilding A general campusseatingandotherrelateduses. in ordertoaccommodaterestaurantseating, floor usessuchasretailandbuildinglobbies Provide extrasidewalkwidthnexttoground- emphasize these important campus connections. Gambrell, Lowergate,andUppergatedrivesto be especiallyappropriatewhereClifton crosses 20´ range—accentedwithmasonrypaverswould at least8´wide.Wider crosswalks—inthe16´to crosswalks acrossthestreet. on bothsidesofCliftonandimproved build significantlyimprovedsidewalks To accommodateheavypedestriantraffic, access toClifton andPierceroads. and refiningthetopographyforbetterpedestrian ing accessible andusableopenspaceareabyrelocat tur Road.Re-createWoodruff Circleasamore landscape areasflankingClifton atNorthDeca Clifton’s plantingpalettewiththemorenatural pus and/orClifton Roadpalettes.Coordinate unique andprominentartworkintothecam the sectionwhereitcrossesClifton. Incorporate pus openspacepaletteinthemediansolely corridor. Useanewlandscapedmediantorein size thedistinctionoftransversecampus Pedestrian Environment energetic campus,andtransportation allhaveaplace.

Virginia’s waterfrontdistrict(above andright),would sidewalks andcrosswalks,aswas doneinNorfolk, CLIFF® help transformCliftonfromasingle-purpose traffic munity wherepeople,thenatural environment,an thoroughfare toacrossroadsofcampus andcom Creation ofaplantedmedianandbroad,inviting shuttlequeuestoClifton Station Bothshouldbe ------parking wherepossible—particularlyonthe offer goodmodels.Provideon-streetparallel existing plantingsatHarris andGoizuetahalls strips thatcontainstreettreesandlowshrubs; Separate sidewalksfromthestreetwithplanting prime opportunitiesforthis. and thepotentialnewbuildingsouthofitoffers limits howfardriverscansee. point whereClifton passesoveracrown,which area todayinvitesdangerousjaywalkingata Woodruff Circle.Thelack ofcrosswalksinthis access betweenClifton, Uppergate,Pierceand Station, coordinatedwithimprovedvehicular or otherappropriatelocationclosertoClifton two signalizedcrosswalksatUppergateDrive and thefuturebuildingtoitssouth.Add oneor pedestrian plazabetweenClinicBuilding A corridors intothecampusandproposed and pavingmaterialswithprimarypedestrian and supportground-flooruses.Integrateroutes Uppergate—to furtherenhancepedestriansafety east sideofClifton betweenGambrell and Bicycles > Bicycles/vision Create dedicated bike lanes; provide access to campus bike routes. > Bicycles/interim Share existing lanes with traffic; provide access to campus bike routes.

Transit Maintain important stops at existing clinic, hospital and Children’s Hospital at Egleston (Clifton Corridor Transportation Study stop C3, C4) but relocate hub bus stacking to lower level of Clifton Station or other location as feasible.

Vehicles Pursue the potential for removing the passing lane between Northgate and Southgate, allowing a more generous landscaped median to engage and continue the campus open space corridor that will cross Clifton here. Add on-street parking in this area to support new retail and short-term campus access. (Upper photo) This pedestrian plaza on the Portland State University campus in Portland, Oregon, shows the kind of landscaped space that could be created between Emory Clinic A and a potential new building to its south. This gateway to the eastern portion of campus could incorporate light rail service, one of the improvements under consideration for the Clifton Cor- ridor. Ground-level retail and/or restaurants on both sides should help foster lively pedestrian and dining activity on the plaza, while deferring architecturally to the larger campus context. (Lower photo) Existing sidewalks in the district are too narrow to accom- modate pedestrians at well-used bus stops, and a lack of curbs in places like this one makes pedestrians especially vulnerable to passing traffic. Clifton|Emory Core 136 Private/Built Space building southof ented restaurant Academic Area— ages atright—a integrated intoa medical building > Westside: > Eastside: contain ground- > 3 to 5 stories; anticipated setback for greater heights of at least 20 Height atfaçade Setback/uild-to line suggest agood Clinic Ashould pedestrian-ori rant—enliven campus space Drive. Theim ing sidewalks Thomas halls,andapproximately50’atHarrisHall. site. Maintain 25’setbackatfutureChildren’sHospitalNorthgatebuilding ideally acafé The potential floor retail— near existing Medical and and outdoor new Emory in Boston’s Lowergate Longwood prototype. or restau Match 65’-70’BuildingAsetbackatnewEmorybuilding. - - - - Maintain existingsetbacksof36’-38’atGoizuetaand

Business and—toalesserdegree—theHospital trance andvisualaccess(theGoizuetaSchoolof deep setbacksandlimitedopportunitiesforen of engagingthepedestrianenvironment ence alongCliftonbutgenerallydoapoorjob Existing campusbuildingshaveastrongpres Overview (within 20’ofbuild-toline) (measured tocurb) due to - ´ - . maintain predominancetoservetheirbasic time, academicandmedicaluseswillneedto district’s overlappingcommunities.At thesame activity andserveunmetneedsamongthe expressed stronginterest,wouldgeneratestreet New retailuses,inwhichstakeholdershave pedestrians andstrengthenstreetdefinition. should beexaminedforopportunitiestosupport Each existingandnewbuildinginthiscorridor and Clinicbuildingsaresignificantexceptions). Clinic couldincorporateretailusesandashuttle its planninganddesignprocess,thenewEmory ardous pedestrianconditions.Asenvisionedin sidewalk inplaceoftheexistingpoor, evenhaz Clifton andtocreateabroad,activeinviting edge definitionmissingfromtheeastsideof Law Schoolwillallowittoprovidethestreet- the betweenClinicBuilding AandtheEmory most valuableoneinthedistrict.Itslocationon design, presentsakeyopportunity—possiblythe The newEmoryClinicbuilding,currentlyin pedestrian realmandtothelargercampus. program connectionstoClifton Boulevard’s presence throughstrongerarchitecturaland however, gainamorewelcomingandengaging functions andshapecampusidentity. Theycan, ticularly withtheadditionofoutdoor seating. ties together, and fostervibrantstreetlife,par key unmetneed,helpbringdifferent communi one caféorotherinformalfood shopwouldfilla tients andthegeneralcommunityalike.At least desired bystudents,medicalstaff members,pa as possibleandaccommodatemultipleservices should engageasmuchoftheClifton streetedge Clinic Building A tothenorth.Thisretailspace Clifton sidewalkandacampusplazaframedby bus lobbyatitsnorthwestcornerorientedtothe - - - - Private Realm Existing at new Emory building

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Private Realm Proposed at new Emory building

Height at street edge remains in scale with the surrounding context.

New building gains valuable retail spaces oriented to the sidewalk.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 137 Clifton|Emory Core 138 upon anoutdoor spaces inEmory A couldcontain shops opening Clinic Building rants orretail small restau Ground level pedestrian plaza. - > possibilities forfurtherenliveningClifton Road: Other sitesoffer avarietyofchallengesand into theheartofdistrict. oriented toallpeoplepassingnorthonClifton southwest cornerofthebuildingasalandmark ing theClifton streetscapeitself.Designthe tant campuslandscapeareasonallsides,includ and ThomashallsacrossClifton, andtoimpor ules scaledtonearbybuildings,includingHarris ing shouldbebrokenintosmallerverticalmod Architecturally, thelengthofpotentialbuild environment here. building couldalsocontributetothepedestrian academic orresearchactivitieswithinthe and agradualelevation.Displaysthathighlight upper floorifconnectedbyviews,vegetation, a finetransitionbetweenthesidewalkandan level isinfeasible.Outdoorterracescouldmake building’s upperfloorsanywhereretailatground relationships betweenthesidewalkand should bepaidtoprovidingvisualandaccess and/or similarmeasures.Particular attention with otherbuildingfunctions,publicart to theretailspace,accessandusesassociated activated byoutdoorseatingorotherusesrelated due tospaceorgradeconstraintsmustbe Any buildingfrontagewhereretailisinfeasible Clinic BuildingA. for addingretailorotherengagingground- especially valuableatitssouthendtocomple floor usestoClinic Building A.Thesewouldbe Thereislong-termpotential - - - - - > compact setback. a comfortablesidewalkwithin by accommodatingplantingsand detailed architecturaledgeand by definingastrongandwell- of CliftonRoadasapublicplace Harris Hallcontributestothesense > Harris andThomashalls. ridor, theEmoryCoreDistrictandlaw landmark—identifying thewholeClifton Cor into afarmorewelcomingandplace-based ground levelcouldtransformthebuilding ing. Aredesignedexteriorwithanaccessible make itappearanonymousandunwelcom wall atgradelevelandhorizontalemphasis of MacMillan-Gambrell Hall, whoseblank plan anticipatesreconstructionoftheexterior mass ofactivityintheplazabetweentwo. creating asignificantdestinationandcritical ment retailinthenewbuildingtosouth, in frontofHarris andsubstitutelandscaping. conditions, but,ifpossible,remove thedrive these buildingscontributetogood pedestrian level andtostrengthenvisualaccesscon mon roomsorothersharedspacesatground consider opportunitiestolocatestudentcom gage thestreetthananacademicbuilding,but dence hallslikelyhaslessopportunitytoen the districtfromNorthDecaturRoad. school itself—attheprominententranceto MacMillan-Gambrell Hall. Thispairofresi TheEmorycampus in frontof ing sidewalk and meander landscaping The existing the sidewalk. nections to ------> Emory Hospital. The university is consider- and a redesigned Woodruff Circle includ- ing ways to improve its hospital facility, in its ing rationalized driveway access and more current and/or alternate locations, providing usable landscaped areas. significant opportunity to improve the envi- ronment around the current building. This > Cross-Clifton Bridge. Wherever possible, process is likely to proceed incrementally. pedestrian street crossings should occur at Long-term opportunities include: grade level to contribute to the vibrancy of • Removing the existing loading and am- the street and condition drivers to expect bulance service drives to make way for to share intersections with pedestrians. portions of the new landscaped open space Certain uses in the potential new Emory Clinic building south of Clinic A, however, could justify creation of a new pedestrian bridge providing internal connections to the existing hospital building; crosswalks below it would likely receive heavy pedestrian traffic in any case. Such a bridge would likely lead to removal of the existing bridge to Clinic Building A. The high visibility of such a bridge in the public realm dictates that it be carefully designed with these criteria in mind: along Antoi- • Design it as an element of public Relocating Emory Hospital’s nette Candler art, contributing to the quality of emergency room access (toward public and campus realms. right in photo) and service drives Creek. (toward left) would enhance • Replacing • Treat it as a natural landmark that the opportunity to create a new the existing celebrates passage in and out of the pedestrian gateway into the Emory emergency Clifton Corridor’s southern end. campus here, following Antoinette Candler Creek, which flows under room entry • Design it to complement the campus the area in a culvert. and drive with landscape corridor crossing Clifton at uses, building Candler Creek. Given the bridge’s location, forms, and landscaping more appropriate it and the landscape corridor must be to the surrounding pedestrian environ- designed together to avoid any conflict. The ment and the architecture of the historic bridge—including any access to ground- hospital building. Depending on whether level and adjacent buildings—should also the historic building retains medical func- complement the design and character of tions or shifts to another use (such as resi- the potential pedestrian plazas adjacent dential), appropriate ground-level uses in to Clinic Buildings A and B and the new this area could include a significant pedes- Emory Clinic building to the south. trian-oriented building entrance and lobby, student amenities, and/or small-scale > Evans Medical Education and Research retail that complements the new retail rec- Building. The medical school’s new home ommended across Clifton. makes a handsome presence along Clifton • Creating a new relationship between the Road. Rich new plantings in the building’s original entrance to the hospital building deep 105´ setback from Clifton Road

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 139 Clifton|Emory Core 140 pedestrian environmenthere. interest alongthesidewalkwould furtherimprovethe building thatprovideshumanscale, activityand parking. Overthelongerterm,construction ofa future withalandscapedbermscreening valet temporary buildings(atrightinphoto)thenear Children’s HospitalatEglestonwillreplaceits > > Children’s HealthcareofAtlantaat Woodruff HealthSciencesCenter alongside apartiallysubmergedtunnelthat the streetandcreationofalandscapedberm Clifton sidewalkwithaplantingstripalong of Northgateincludereconstructionthe term plansforthevacantparceljustnorth Haygood roads.Children’s atEgleston’s near- east sideofClifton betweenNorthgateand Egleston landscaped areasbesidetheentrance. and invitingmoreeffective useofoutdoor visibility betweenthelobbyandsidewalk, perpendicular toClifton Road,improving Consider reorientingthelobbyentrance and rotationawayfromsidewalkedge. with thesidewalkduetoitssetback dramatic lobbylacksastrongrelationship Administration Building. connections withWoodruff Circle. create strongerwalkingandlandscape to enhancetheadjacentsidewalkand should beintegratedwithbroaderefforts occupiesitsowncampusonthe

WHSCAB ’s material andfontsamongdifferent retailers. and haveconsistentelementssuchascolor, scale, avoidobtrusivelightingoranimation, nage inparticularshouldremainmodest and signsshoulddefertotheircontext.Sig Significant exteriorelementssuchasawnings primary academicandmedicalfunctions. ment andremainsubsidiarytothedistrict’s Any retailoutletsinthisdistrictmustcomple ground-floor usessuchasretailoractive District. Thebuildingshouldhaveactive 4- to8-storyheightoftheEmoryStation context oftheEmoryCoreDistrictto transition inheightfromthe3-to5-story to thenorthandthatwouldaccomplisha Children’s HospitalatEgleston’s building defined bythe27´to30´curbsetbackof this sitethatwouldreinforceastreetwall term, considerputtinganewbuildingon undergoing reconstruction.Inthelong serves Egleston’s mainentrance,currently in turnwillscreenavaletparkingareathat links toEmoryClinicBuilding A.Theberm along theChildren’s at Eglestoncampus. description foradditionalopportunities functions. SeetheEmoryStationDistrict public-oriented programsrelatedtohospital - - Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 141 Clifton|Emory Core 142 Phasing

In progress (6 to12months) Medium term UrgenT adfeasible Long term (2–7 Years) (8–15 Years) (1–3 years)

phasing for key improvements PHASE TIMEFRAME ELEMENTS ‹ Urgent and 6–12 months >Temporary sidewalk improvements feasible addressing missing curb cuts, curbs, poor surfaces, obstructing poles >Improved pedestrian crossing-signal timing ‹ In process 1–3 years >Crosswalk improvements >Children’s Hospital berm and valet parking at Uppergate ‹ Medium term 2–7 years >New Emory Clinic building east of Clifton and associated streetscape improvements ‹ Long term 8–15 years >Clinic A building renovations and streetscape improvements >Children’s Hospital building at Uppergate >Additional Emory buildings

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 143 7 Haygood|Druid Hills High School

Key Themes right of way between Clifton Road and Haygood Drive can transform from a Ridgewood Drive. Second, a potential shortcut and service road to a boulevard new Emory building containing research that serves as a proud setting for Druid or other uses on the site of the Turman Hills High School and a gradual transition Residential Center could introduce ground- from the historic context of Druid Hills/ floor uses and architecture that significantly North Decatur to the intense medical and improve Haygood’s appeal to pedestrians. academic functions in the Clifton Station A third initiative, involving substantial and Emory Core districts. Improvements community input, will define goals for along Haygood will also play a key role in potential improvements along Haygood accommodating better pedestrian, transit, from Ridgewood to North Decatur Road, and bike connections for the whole area. including an expanded open-space setting Three initiatives along Haygood could for Druid Hills High School; an addition, bring significant improvements. Efforts building renovations, and parking and to rebuild the intersection of Haygood access improvements for the high school; and Clifton on a new bridge over the rail improvements at the North Decatur Road corridor would broaden and realign the intersection; better accommodation of

144 Four key community institutions come together haphazardly at Haygood and Ridgewood drives: the Druid Hills Historic District, Emory, Children’s Hospital at Egleston, and Druid Hills High School. Opportunities to rebuild Haygood Drive and some of the buildings along it offer a valuable chance for each institution to present a proud new face to the community and create a deft transition to its neighbors, together creating a place of connection.

pedestrians, transit, and cyclists; and them. Any new campus infrastructure on higher-value uses such as multifamily the Turman site, combined with difficult residential within the portion of the site geometry, may compromise the quality “Haygood Triangle” defined by Haygood, of the adjacent street and pedestrian North Decatur, and Ridgewood Drive. environment.

Key Challenges The district could face a higher level of traffic than it does today, as potential changes at Haygood’s intersections with Clifton and North Decatur would divert more through traffic onto Haygood and away from the stretch of Clifton between Haygood and North Decatur. The presence of a variety of property owners and constituencies will require open and patient dialogue to confirm district goals and the means of reaching

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 145 Haygood|DruidClifton|Emory Hills Core H.S. 146 Opportunities

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medical research or other uses, H a yg o should offer ground level uses and o d D design that appeal to pedestrians. ri ve Whether research, academic, residential, retail or transit, ground level uses here should be visible, accessible and interesting to people walking, enhancing Haygood’s role as an important pedestrian corridor.

B Possibilities at the intersection of Haygood and North Decatur include a signature public green space serving Druid Hills High School and Druid Hills residents, a high school addition solving program needs and forming an important community landmark, and much improved Ha yg oo mobility for d Dr ive vehicular traffic, bikes and pedestrians alike.

Possible area for ad prominent high Ro tur ca school addition De rth No

New bike path

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 147 Haygood|DruidClifton|Emory Hills Core H.S. 148 like theoneinthisexample. the Clairmont/NorthDecaturdistrict, bike pathtoCliftonBoulevardand adjacent residentialareas,anda High School,parkamenitiesfor a dignifiedsettingforDruidHills include publicgreenspaceoffering Decatur Roadmeet.Elementscould where HaygoodDriveandNorth ways tocreateaspecialcivicplace A communityprocesswilladdress conditions alongitslength,rangingfrom coherence tothevarietyofusesandedge need aconsistentdesignapproachtobring joins atCliftonStation. character ofCliftonBoulevard,whichit boulevard thatcontinuesthescaleand Haygood Driveshouldbedesignedasa Overview Public Realm with StarvineWay andplannedimprovements Hills/North DecaturRoaddistricts,aswell provements intheClifton StationandDruid and bikelinksintegratedwith plannedim convenient, high-qualitypedestrian,transit, North DecaturRoad.Haygood shouldprovide among historicbungalowsat at Clifton Roadastheydo eight-story medicalbuildings need tofitaswellamong and thescaleoftreeswill the sametime,roadwidth Druid Hills High School.At lic openspaceinfrontof Hospital atEglestontopub service drivesatChildren’s The boulevardwill - - Ridgewood Drive,althoughitmayneedtodrop trees. Themedianshouldcontinueeastbeyond wide enoughtoaccommodatelargecanopy median approachingClifton Roadwillalsobe along bothsidesofHaygood. Aplanned16´ Provide canopytreesinnew6´plantingstrips Plantings facilities ofbothEmoryandEgleston. at DruidHills High Schoolandthemedical intersection ofHaygood andRidgewood,assub Starvine Way. Providesignaled crosswalksatthe Circle asitmayberenamed)connecting to facilities, andalongAndrewsCircle(orAsbury on RidgewoodDriveleadingtoEmorymedical 6´ and8´ifpossible.Providetosidewalks reconstruction. Sidewalk widthshouldbeatleast from traffic byplantingstrips,aspartofroad Provide newcrosswalksandsidewalks,separated Pedestrian Realm approaches itnearClifton Road. views totheLullwater PreservewhereHaygood of theDruidHills Historic District. Highlight with Olmstedprecedentsduetotheproximity as wellHaygood itselfshouldbecompatible as awhole.Landscapedesignoftheopenspace function asagatheringspaceforthecommunity to improvethehighschool’s settingbutalsoto school. Thisopenspacehaspotentialnotonly of boththeDruidHills communityandthehigh Druid Hills High School,incorporating thegoals Create alandmarkcommunity openspaceat additional separationofpedestriansfromtraffic. contain shrubsandlowornamentalplantingsfor on adjacentparcels.Plantingstripsmayalso to 8´or10´reducetheboulevard’s impact

- Public Realm Existing

Single lanes hamper traffic flow and turns. Sidewalk is missing east of Ridgewood.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Public Realm Proposed Design road improve- ments to preserve Vegetation at a variety existing canopy trees of scales helps mitigate and add new ones. scale transitions among buildings and uses.

Pedestrian and bike passages are protected from traffic.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 149 Haygood|DruidClifton|Emory Hills Core H.S. 150 Bicycles students andstaff. campus toservehighschool the DruidHills High School recreational pathdirectlyonto path. Considerextendingthe connect directlywiththe lanes alongHaygood should approaching bikes.Newbike signal-operation equipmentdesignedtodetect with signalsatHaygood Drive,withautomatic detail underDistrict8)shouldincludeacrossing side ofNorthDecaturRoad(describedinmore The proposedmulti-usepathalongthenorth Multi-Use Path Ridgewood DriveandNorthDecaturRoad. intersections ofHaygood withClifton Road, should beusedforcrosswalksatthesignificant Turman Residentialsite.High-quality surfaces additional transitandparkingontheredeveloped Way atEmory’s ClairmontCampus andpossible presence ofthe stantial pedestrianvolumeswillresultherefrom > Vision existing bikepassagealong lanes alongClifton Road,the Drive linkingtonewbike New bikelanesonHaygood CLIFF® transitnexusonStarvine and wouldbeveryappropriateaspartofanew volume anddiversityoftransitusersitwillserve, some architecturalprominenceduetothehigh Children’s atEgleston.Thistransitstopdeserves High School,Emorymedicalfacilitiesand Andrews Circle/RidgewoodservingDruidHills Transportation StudystopC1/D11)atHaygood/ Significant transitstop(Clifton Corridor Transit this area. level ofdetailthatcouldserveasagoodmodelfor townhouses atInmanParkVillagehaveascaleand Druid HillsHistoricDistrict.(Above)Thenewly-built and multifamilyresidencesscaledtorelatethe Decatur couldalsomakeafinesettingfortownhouses (Left) ApublicgreenspaceatHaygoodandNorth building ontheTurman site. > Interim Share laneswithtraffic. along NorthDecaturRoad. Starvine Way, andthepotentialmulti-usepath Vehicles Improvements on Haygood should Traffic and parking improvements at Druid Hills include new configurations for the High School are a community priority. These high school driveway, parking and student drop-off areas that resolve improvements include removal of diagonal interference with Haygood traffic. school parking along Haygood Drive, reconstruc- tion of the school driveway to accommodate 20 school buses, and one or more convenient, safe ”kiss and ride” areas where parents may drop off and pick up children. Other key traffic improvements include increased turn capacity at Ridgewood Drive and Asbury Circle serving campus uses, transit and parking, and intersec- tion improvements allowing improved capacity to carry through traffic between North Decatur and Clifton roads.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 151 Haygood|DruidClifton|Emory Hills Core H.S. 152 lege, Boston.) Emmanuel Col quadrangle of center onthe and recreation Student life tution. (Shown: community insti this important the vitalityof showcasing open space, on newpublic as abeacon could alsoserve academic needs ing important School serv Druid HillsHigh An additionto Private/Built Space >East ofRidgewood: >West ofRidgewood: >East ofRidgewood: >West ofRidgewood: Height atfaçade Setback/uild-to line Ridgewood. Druid HillsHighSchoolandresidentialneighborhoodcontexteastof - - - of engagement with the pedestrian realm. environment owing to their appearance and lack façade, seriously detract from the pedestrian whether exposed or covered with an architectural are located along Haygood. substantial and active nonparking uses streetscape along Haygood, but only if environment significantly and shape the up an opportunity to enhance the pedestrian Emory’s Turman Residential Center opens The new buildings proposed to replace Building Uses 2to4stories. to bedeterminedthroughpublicprocess. (within 20’ofbuild-toline) 25’to30’. 3 to8stories,withcarefultransition (measured tocurb) Parking decks, ed to three orientations: 1) the Haygood Drive Drive Haygood the 1) orientations: three to ed devot attention special have should buildings or building new The site. on parking any to trances en public and services, transit stores, ments), apart or (townhouses housing offices, include would well, as floors building upper or space level ground just occupying whether site, the on uses appropriate potential Other level. ground at sidewalk the engage strongly can they if priate appro highly be would uses research Potential during school hours. hours. school during students draw to likely facilities avoiding in tion administra School High Hills Druid of interest the respect should uses retail any of choice The Preserve. water Lull and Haygood both to views enjoy would and District Station Clifton the fine de help could building multistory a where site, the of end west the toward 3) and appropriate; especially be would parking and transit to access where Drive, Ridgewood of corner the 2) edge; ------The potential building opportunity between relo- A new Emory building north of Haygood could include cated Haygood and the Children’s Hospital at Eg- a transit station as a prominent architectural element leston campus (see Clifton Station District chap- and a significant programmatic component. This ter) can also contribute to the quality of Haygood station could be an important intermodal center that combines parking, extensive transit services, and Drive. In addition to adding active ground-level pedestrian and bike access. The station would serve uses, it would help screen the hospital’s emer- not only Emory staff but also Druid Hills High School, gency-room access drive and parking structure. Children’s Hospital at Egleston, and the general community. The contemplated addition to and/or renovations of Druid Hills High School offers a very attractive gage Haygood Drive with pedestrian access and opportunity to orient the high school and its en- good visibility between interior and exterior. trance more directly to the Druid Hills commu- nity. The existing student parking lot east of the Appropriate long-term uses for single-family high school building would be a prime site for residential properties south of Haygood are an addition that strengthens the presence of the less certain and deserve community input as school on North Decatur Road and for a potential part of discussions about the proposed public new public open space. Good visual connections open space and intersection improvements at between interior space and outdoor activities Haygood/North Decatur. Some other properties should be included, showcasing the vitality of would be required in part or whole to provide this celebrated community institution. If a new land for any widening of Haygood or creation of building replaces the former elementary school open space. The increased property value and west of the high school, it should also directly en- visibility that would result from these improve-

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 153 Haygood|DruidClifton|Emory Hills Core H.S. 154 the district. improvements in ally beneficial shaping mutu and Emoryin neighborhood, the DruidHills the highschool, in workingwith important role tion canplayan The congrega North Decatur. Haygood and landmark at is animportant terian Church Emory Presby - - - residential scaleandthelargercampus and makeatransitionbetweenneighborhood character oftheDruidHills Historic District New developmentshouldreflectthescaleand cal facilitiestothenorthandwest. District andhigher-density academicandmedi single-family contextoftheDruidHills Historic transition ofscaleandusebetweenthedetached density housingcouldmakeaveryappropriate or othermultifamilyresidences.Such moderate- higher-value developmentsuchastownhouses pressure toreplacesingle-familyhomeswith ments wouldinturnincreaseopportunityand action regardingpreservationofthisstructure. community todeterminetherightcourseof Hardeman-Howell cabinandwillworkwiththe is studyingthehistoricsignificanceof structures tothenorthandwest.Emory - of otherusesalongNorthDecaturRoad. See theseparateDistrict8sectionfordiscussion provide mutualcommunitybenefit. religious mission,andotherthemesthatcould parking, managingconstructionimpacts, with thehighschoolandEmoryaroundshared presence, butalsoduetopotentialsynergies for thearea,notonlybecauseofitsphysical church canbeanimportantpartnerinplanning institution atHaygood andNorthDecatur. building andfrontlawn,isanotherlongtime Emory PresbyterianChurch,withitslandmark

The Private Realm Existing

Buildings have limited street engagement.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Private Realm Proposed

New Emory building faced with research, office, transit, housing and/or other uses that support a quality pedes- trian environment

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 155 Haygood|DruidClifton|Emory Hills Core H.S. 156 Phasing

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Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 157 8 Druid Hills|North Decatur

Key Themes impacts on adjacent residential areas and The Druid Hills/North Decatur Road District the neighborhoods beyond. Burying utility embodies the conflicts that growing traffic and high-voltage lines along North Decatur volumes create in historic neighborhoods as would further enhance esthetics and safety. they erode character, value, and quality of An important opportunity exists to link life and make walking and biking unpleasant complementary institutional, residential, and hazardous. The Druid Hills Historic and commercial uses along North Decatur District abuts most of the southern side between Clifton and Clairmont with viable of North Decatur Road and about half the transit, sidewalks and bike lanes. Extensive length of its north side in this district. The redevelopment potential at Clairmont and heavy traffic and overbearing power lines North Decatur (see district 9 description) along the road make the historic district’s will make these links all the more valuable. neat single-family homes look out of place. Their poor condition today precludes an Renewed focus on the design of North important synergy of uses and increases Decatur Road and the buildings that face it, traffic on North Decatur. Evaluate potential looking to other local Olmsted streetscapes changes near the intersection of Haygood as precedents, can preserve the historic and North Decatur through a public dialogue setting while reducing negative traffic addressing the goals of creating public open

158 Along much of North Decatur Road today, pedestrians endure narrow, broken sidewalks that sit uncomfortably close to traffic; bicyclists lack a margin of shoulder space; adjacent homes are exposed to traffic; and power lines, not trees, dominate the view above the road. The rendering opposite suggests the possibility of creating a pair of paths along the north side of North Decatur Road that accommodate bicycles separately from pedestrians, and buffer both from road traffic with new plantings.

space, an improved setting for Druid Hills Decatur Road may limit application of High School, better access for pedestrians, comprehensive improvements, although bikes and vehicles, and appropriate Emory’s recent purchase of several redevelopment of residential parcels north of residential properties may help in this North Decatur and west of Haygood. regard. Burying utilities, particularly high-voltage lines, will be expensive. Key Challenges Reducing the high levels of traffic, particularly through traffic, on North Decatur Road will require regional strategies that go beyond the need for streetscape investments within the district. Right-of-way constraints limit options for adding sidewalks, bike lanes and landscaping while respecting traditional building setbacks. The large number of individual property owners along North

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 159 Druid Hills|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 160 Opportunities A Clifton Road in theDruid HillsHistoricDistrict. architecturally tothe scaleofbuildings North DecaturRoadshould relate new Emorycampusbuilding on North DecaturRoad. A potential signaled pedestriancrossingof opportunity toaddaneeded Emory buildingscouldofferthe Decatur servingpotentialnew A newaccessdriveoffofNorth

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Improve conditions for pedestrians by rebuilding B broader sidewalks separated from the roadway with wider planting strips containing New multi-use path trees and shrubs, and by adding New sidewalk and increasing the prominence of crosswalk markings. Improve conditions for bicyclists by creating a new multi-use path along the north side of North Decatur linking Clifton Boulevard with Clairmont Road. Add clusters of trees and lower shrubs at a variety of scales to further buffer homes from traffic and convey a picturesque landscape character.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 161 Druid Hills|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 162 would addressthemostsignificantland trees betweencurbsandnewsidewalks Installing plantingstripsandcanopystreet Plantings modes. present-day balanceofusesandtransportation implement themwithconsiderationforthe significant arearoadsfordesigncues,but Olmsted designsforPonce deLeonandother documented Olmstedplanfortheroad,consult of naturalforest.Intheabsenceanoriginal and landscapedhistoricneighborhoodinstead areas, butonecharacterizedbyawell-scaled calm intervalamongmoreintenselydeveloped a woodedparkwayservingasdistinctand this stretchofNorthDecaturshould“read” as Clifton RoadintheWesley Woods District, also improveitssuitabilityfortraffic. attention tothesebasicfunctionsshould conduit—and assumethatimproved setting atleastequalsitsvalueasatraffic experience anhistoricneighborhood value asaplacetolive,walk,bike,and Restore NorthDecaturRoadsothatits Overview Public Realm the street.Olmsted’s designfor Ponce de Leon trees thatdefineaclear, consistentcanopyover front yardsalike;or2)regular rowsofstreet that spillamongplantingstrips andadjacent groupings oftreesandintervalsopenspace of neighborhoodlandscapedesign:1)informal one oftwodistinctstrategiesinOlmsted’s body tion andplacementshouldconsciouslyfollow ans fromautomobiletraffic. tree canopyandhelpingseparatepedestri scape challengesinthedistrict,expanding Streettreeselec Like - - - mont andNorthDecatur. Emory PresbyterianChurchpropertyatHaygood turity. Theprominentmagnoliasinfrontofthe span ofyearsrequiredfornewtreestoreachma served asimportantassets,consideringthegreat trees closetoNorthDecaturshouldalsobepre work alongNorthDecatur. Allexistingcanopy there andsuggestingthateitherapproachcould never planted,raisingquestionsabouttheintent Avenue includesanalléeofstreettreesthatwas sidewalks andplantingstrips haveprecedencein signage orotheritems.These dimensionsfor smoothly pavedandunimpeded byutilitypoles, ing strip(sidewalksmaymeander ifdesired) separated fromthecurbbyatleast6´ofplant along bothsidesofNorthDecaturto6´inwidth, existing andpotentialdevelopmentatClair along NorthDecaturbetweenCliftonandthe create aninvitingandsafewalkingcorridor Significant improvementsareneededto dians infavorofacompactcurb-to-curbwidth. Decatur atEmoryVillage. Otherwise,avoidme of theroaddietbeingimplementedonNorth Decatur intersectionandanyeastwardextension as partoftheredesignHaygood/North medians maybeappropriateatspecificlocations fringing onexistingfrontyards.Asspaceallows, consistent plantedmedianwithoutseverelyin The right-of-way widthprecludesinstallation ofa passing traffic. plants servingtofurtherbuffer pedestriansfrom strips mayalsocontainlowshrubsorflowering tained toallowvisibilitybeneaththem.Planting Drive shouldalsobepreserved,althoughmain Pedestrian Realm

Rebuild sidewalks ------Public Realm Existing

Utility poles dominate street corridor.

Pedestrians are exposed to traffic on poor-quality sidewalks.

Bicyclists must ride in traffic.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Public Realm Proposed

Street lighting in scale with pedestri- New canopy trees ans and houses

Dedicated path for bicycles Wider side- walk buffered from traffic Buried utilities

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 163 Druid Hills|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 164 cyclists. ational pathfor add arecre the sidewalkto room nextto from traffic,and broad sidewalk separating a strip properly road, aplanting close tothe street trees includes mature other areas.It good modelfor serves asa Emory campus tur alongthe North Deca This portionof - - walk atoneoftheintersections withPrinceton, wood andHaygood, andconsideraddingacross add signalsatcrosswalksBurlington, Ridge and limitedsightlines.Improve markingsand other destinations;relativelyhightraffic speeds; walk toEmory, DruidHills High School,and number ofpeoplewhocrossNorthDecaturto Crosswalks alsoneedattention,giventhelarge velopment occursineitherdistrict. Drive inDistrict7evenbeforesignificantrede Clairmont RoadinDistrict9andalongHaygood ing goodcontinuitywithsidewalksasfar private parcels.Pay specialattentiontoensur to interiorneighborhoodparksnestledbehind side shouldconnecttoexistingwalksthatlead on thenorthside.Thesidewalk planted betweenthemulti-usepathandsidewalk to 10´fortreeswillbenecessary, ortreesmaybe 8´ ormorefromthecurb,aplantingstripofup requires large-calipercanopytreestobeplanted and wouldsuitcurrentneedswell.If the OlmsteddesignforPonce deLeonAvenue GDOT

- - - - North DecaturBuilding. Thisintersectionoffers tivity atthepotentialnewaccessdrivewestof Ensure goodpedestrianconditionsandconnec neighborhood parksnorthofNorthDecatur. coordinated withaccesspathstotheinterior and signageshouldclearlyseparate itfromthe to minimizeimpactonfrontyards, butplantings should generallybelocatedclose tothesidewalk constraints andheavypeak-hour traffic. Thepath bike lanesalongNorthDecatur, givenwidth for bikingduetothedifficulty ofincorporating their parcels.Apathwouldbeespeciallyvaluable pressed theiropennesstosuchapath’s crossing and theEmoryPresbyterianChurchhaveex new multi-usepath. only forsidewalkimprovementsbuta Decatur Roadoffersspecialpotentialnot properties alongthenorthsideofNorth Emory’s ongoingacquisitionofresidential Multi-Use Trail lanes. improved byremovalofthededicatedturning Druid Hills High School Clifton Road terval between in thelong North Decatur an crossingon naled pedestri create asig portunity to a valuableop tur wouldbe North Deca ster Way with of Westmin intersections at thetwo Crosswalks Drive. and Haygood ------sidewalk to prevent conflicts between bikes and to Clairmont Road by creating additional right- pedestrians. Topography and trees in a few loca- of-way and bridge capacity.To the west, the path tions may require the path or sidewalk to diverge should extend at least to Haygood Drive and further from the road. The most challenging such to Clifton Road if possible. Again, a crosswalk location occurs at 1926, 1932 and 1938 North should be provided at the terminus to allow Decatur Road; consolidating residential driveways bicyclists to rejoin the main road. To enhance would allow removal of driveways from either safety and convenience, consider reducing the side of the rise at 1932, enabling proper grading number of residential driveways intersecting of the path or sidewalk in this area. the path by creating alley access to homes, as described in the “Vehicles” section below. Because the North Decatur Road bridge over the rail corridor near Clairmont is not wide Bicycles enough to accommodate the multi-use path, > Vision the path should have an eastern terminus at the New in-road bike lanes, marked shared traffic eastern leg of Westminster Way with a crosswalk lanes, or off-road multi-use path (described to allow cyclists to safely join traffic on North in the “Multi-Use Path”) link Clifton, Hay- Decatur or walk their bikes on the sidewalk. In good and Clairmont corridors. In-road bike the longer term, the path should be extended lanes or marked shared traffic lanes may be

A new multi-use path along North Decatur—utilizing some front- yard space from houses acquired by Emory but being maintained as houses—would dramatically improve access along Clifton Boule- vard and in adjacent campus areas, Druid Hills, and the Clairmont/North Decatur District, with its retail ser- vices and potential for mixed-use development. Sidewalks, cross- walks and bus shelters also need coordinated improvements serving pedestrians.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 165 Druid Hills|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 166 space. public green a significant accommodate reconfigured to could be and Haygood of North Decatur The intersection Consider extendingtheNorthDecaturRoad Vehicles the mainEmorycampus. ily usedstopsnearDruidHills High Schooland Improve busstopsignage.Add sheltersatheav Transit of residentialdrivewaysoccurring ateverylot the rearofresidentiallots.The existingpattern parking accessthroughalleys runningalong tial drivewaysalongNorthDecatur Roadwith sider thepotentialofreplacingexistingresiden North Decaturtoimprovecrosswalks.Alsocon at bothintersectionsofWestminster Way and trict 7).Considerremovingdedicatedturnlanes North Decaturintersection(seechapteronDis ton towardClairmont.ImprovetheHaygood/ “road diet” asfareastward aspossiblefromClif > Interim Share laneswithtraffic. and/or signals. Haygood andClairmontwithclearcrosswalks transitional accesstoanticipatedbikelanesat Any off-road pathshouldhaveappropriate an off-road paththemorepracticalsolution. and constraintsonroadwaywidthmaymake properties onthenorthsideofNorthDecatur lanes androutes,butEmory’s ownershipof preferable forcoordinationwithotherbike - - - - - this condition.Analleywouldbeespeciallyfea street. of houses,yards,andthelargerlandscape alongthe parked cars,enhancingthearchitectural presence This freesfrontyardsofdriveways, garagedoors,and efficient vehicleaccesstotherearofresidentiallots. Compact alleyscanprovideconvenient,space- turns thancurrentdriveways. of locationsthatcanmoresafelyaccommodate and/or NorthDecaturRoadatalimitednumber Road. ThealleycouldopentoWestminster Way acquire alongthenorthsideofNorthDecatur sible alongtherearofpropertiesEmoryplansto lots wouldreduceoreliminate ments. Alleyaccesstotherearof path andsidewalkimprove along theproposedmulti-use for pedestrianandbiketraffic potential nuisanceandhazard quency ofdrivewaysalsoposes backing intotheroad.Thefre making rightandleft turnsand face heavytraffic volumeswhen fic volumes,asresidentsoften dangerous withincreasedtraf has becomemoredifficult and - - - - Private/Built Space

Building Uses Setback/build-to line (measured to curb) Building use in the district should respect >New buildings should match prevailing setbacks of existing buildings: the predominance of single-family houses south side of North Decatur, approximately 50´; north side of North in the Druid Hills Historic District. Existing Decatur and west of Haygood, approximately 50´; north side of North Decatur and east of Haygood, approximately 70´. institutional uses—including the Emory Presbyte- >Orient primary building façades parallel to North Decatur Road. rian Church, Druid Hills High School, and medi- cal and academic buildings on the Emory cam- Height at façade (within 20´ of build-to line) pus—are appropriate as long as they are designed > East of Burlington Road: 1.5 to 2.5 stories, with potential for with sensitive transitions in scale and activity as additional stories set back at least 20´ from façade. they approach residential context. The tradition of > West of Burlington Road, North side: 2 to 3.5 stories, with potential for additional stories set back at least 20´ from façade. deep setbacks in this district means that ground- >West of Burlington Road, South side: 2 to 3.5 stories. level uses engaging the sidewalk are generally not feasible or necessary, but buildings should have a Inn parcels detracts from the parcels’ appearance clearly accessible entrance oriented to the public and erodes walkability in the district. Relocate sidewalk. That said, the Emory campus build- this parking or at least substantially screen it ings between Clifton Road and Ridgewood Drive with plantings. Over the long term, the Univer- should engage the pedestrian realm to a greater sity Inn parcels represent potential opportunities degree than they do today, though to a lesser for redevelopment with higher-value hospitality degree than is typical along Clifton. Key opportu- nities to improve engagement include potential renovations of the perimeter of MacMillan-Gam- brell Hall (law school), a potential new building east of the law school, and improvements at the existing North Decatur medical building.

Existing uses south of North Decatur Road from Clifton Road to Emory Drive include recent multifamily housing, Emory’s Catholic student center, and the motel and guesthouse portions of the University Inn. The multifamily housing represents a generally successful example of higher-density housing designed to fit a smaller- A recently built residential building on North Decatur scale residential context, assisted by community near Clifton possesses an architectural scale and input. Future buildings that take this housing as character that makes a successful overall transition a prototype should go further by including more between detached houses in the historic district behind it and academic campus buildings facing it gradual height reduction to context houses, across North Decatur—though lower heights facing aligning façades with North Decatur Road, and the historic district would make it better. It provides reducing paved areas in front yards. Surface a good model for future new buildings along North parking in the front setback of the University Decatur that must mediate between both contexts.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 167 Druid Hills|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 168 Decatur RoadandHaygood Drive. sion ofusesaroundtheintersectionNorth See theseparateDistrict7chapterforadiscus as residences. acquired byEmoryshouldcontinuetobeused Hills Historic DistrictGuidelines. Residences be maintainedinaccordancewiththeDruid should remainmodestinscaleandotherwise Single-family housesalongNorthDecatur with architecturaldesigngoals. potential streetscapeimprovementstogether require considerationofmarketconditionsand policy foruseanddesignofthesepropertieswill conversion torentalproperties.Creating aviable as single-familyproperties,stimulatingtheir many casesreducedthevalueoftheseparcels residential development.Heavy traffic hasin fic levelschallengethetraditionalpatternof corridors, suchasBriarcliff Road,wheretraf housing alongNorthDecaturRoadandother ate policiesthataddressownershipandscaleof should furtherexploreanddetermineappropri multifamily housing.TheClifton community or residentialusesonthemodelofnearby - - - Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 169 Druid Hills|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 170 Phasing

Medium term In process Long term (2–7 Years) (8–15 Years) (1–3 years)

phasing for key improvements PHASE TIMEFRAME ELEMENTS In process 1–3 years >Create recreational path and sidewalk ‹ improvements along north side of North Decatur from Clairmont to Haygood (and, if possible, Clifton), using easements across parcels owned by Emory and other cooperative owners, including Druid Hills High School and Emory Presbyterian Church >Crosswalk marking and signalization improvements Medium term 3–7 years >Haygood/North Decatur intersection area ‹ improvements >Emory medical facility access drive >Utility burial Long term 8–15 years >Utility burial ‹ >Possible new development on non- residential sites

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 171 Clairmont|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 172 9 design development more generalinscope,aretherefore mendations, whicharebroaderand fewer setconditions.Theserecom greater potentialforchangeand compasses alargerareawithmuch factors. District9,bycontrast,en design guidelinesthataddressthese makes itpossibletowritespecific be well-defined.Suchcleardefinition land uses,andstreetdesign—tendto tial redevelopmentsites,appropriate among themlandownership,poten factors thatinfluenceurbandesign— Road orClairmontRoad.Thekey levard, HaygoodDrive,NorthDecatur single primarycorridor—CliftonBou area aremoreclearlydefinedbya The othereightdistrictsofthestudy treatment thantheotherdistricts. challenges. Bothrequiredifferent distinct setofopportunitiesand District 9shareswith1a Overview guidelines. Clairmont|North Decatur guidelinesratherthan - - - - lots—along withagingindustrial centers withbroadsurfaceparking “grayfields”—that is,oldershopping District 9containsnumerous community. maximum benefitfortheentireClifton to shaperedevelopmentthatwillyield development guidelinesdefineaway most significantchallenges.These they couldresolvemanyofthearea’s impacts ontheCliftoncommunityas could justaseasilyproducenegative around them.Thesecharacteristics and relationshipstothecontext dramatically altercharacterofplace and othercharacteristicsthatwould buildings, multipleuses,newstreets, in scale—potentiallyincludinglarger owners wouldlikelybesignificant large parcelsoflandheldbysingle value. Redevelopmentofthese generate moreeconomicandcivic pressure growsforthemto in thenextfiveto10yearsas that willlikelyfaceredevelopment buildings, housingandotheruses Development Guidelines

Clairmont/North Decatur should be a place that invites Note: These guidelines walking. also apply 1 to District 1, • Animate it with pedestrian-friendly to block. Install light fixtures scaled to the Clifton/Sage Hill, where uses, particularly on more prominent pedestrian. they are public streets. Include a variety of stores, • Gather a critical mass of activity…and repeated. restaurants and other uses that engage opportunities. Locate these on a series pedestrians with generous windows, easy of blocks within a network of open public access, and visible activity. In particular, streets, not an internalized convenience include cafés, retail displays, and other uses center. 30,000–50,000SF of retail and that spill out onto the sidewalk. Make these similar active pedestrian-friendly uses as continuous as ground-floor possible throughout the street network: uses is a typi- avoid gaps exceeding 100´ of frontage. cal amount • Create comfortable sidewalks and public required to spaces with quality design that gets the animate one details right. Include street trees—em- full block. phasizing continuity of canopy as in the Employ the other Clifton Corridor districts—and lower mix of uses ornamental vegetation. Provide places to sit to create “the and rest, observe, eat, converse, and read. third place” Provide curbside parking to buffer pedestri- where people ans from cars and make retail uses viable. gather outside of home and work—with uses The “main street” Create sidewalks that are wide enough for and design that foster opportunities to meet of the Edgewood significant pedestrian traffic but not so wide people informally—for people of every age. development south as to be vacant—8´ to 12´ of clear passage Foster activity that is sustained 24/7, using a of Druid Hills offers a along active ground-floor uses works well. mix of commercial, civic, residential, and fun good model of mixed- Also use attractive paving, and continue this that provides multiple reasons to be there use development that locates housing or paving through crosswalks to emphasize at many different times of day and days offices above pedes- continuity of the pedestrian realm from block throughout the week. trian-oriented stores. The larger stores The district should contain uses that meet community behind Edgewood’s main street, howev- needs and aspirations. er—such as Ross and 2 Best Buy, representing • Incorporate a variety of retail services, community and its visitors. While retail an intermediate size, including both national franchises (that should constitute a significantly smaller and Target and Home draw people) and “mom and pop” fraction of development than housing, office, Depot representing “big boxes”—would businesses (that make a development or research uses, its presence and visibility not be appropriate at into a place). Include both larger-footprint on key streets and intersections are of great Clairmont/North Deca- “destination” retailers and small start-ups. importance. tur unless they are in Restaurants should range from places • Expand the community’s variety of mixed-use, multistory for grabbing a snack to those suitable for housing options. Accommodate life-cycle buildings, the mix of uses significantly a celebratory dinner. Appeal to students transitions to allow people to remain in the reduces traffic gen- and retired bankers—in other words, the community and to welcome new residents eration, and parking is full complement of diversity of the Clifton of all types. For instance, adding small apart- covered or screened.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 173 Clairmont|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 174 • • New developmentshouldbe andfeel uses thatcomplementtheeconomicen Accommodate office,research,andother impacts. work orstudy,significantlyreducingtraffic lets morepeopleliveclosetowherethey are attractedtoliveinthearea,whichturn increases thesheernumberofpeoplewho familiar setting.Expandinghousingoptions vices allowsresidentstoagegracefullyina adding variouslevelsofsupportiveser adults accommodategrowingfamilies;and private orpublicoutdoorspacehelpsthose larger, multibedroomunitswithconvenient and startindependenthouseholds;adding remain intheareaastheybecomeadults ments andhousesenablesyoungpeopleto blocks toframepublicstreets that connect apart fromit. fully withinitscommunity context,not A varietyofsupportiveinstitutionaland VA Hospital,andothermajorinstitutions. Emory, Children’sHospitalatEgleston,the gine representedcollectivelybytheCDC, 3 interaction ofdiversepeople. daily The districtshouldbuildcommunitybyfostering Usenewbuildingsand - - • retail, andgrandpublicopenspaces. varieties ofhousing,modestneighborhood and officespacewithsignificantamounts combine commercialandinstitutionalresearch Cambridge, Massachusetts,bothsuccessfully (upper leftphoto),andUniversityParkin The CarlyledevelopmentinAlexandria,Virginia mask activityfromthecommunity. Very malls, atriaorotherarrangements that streets—prevent creationof internal to neighborhoods.Orientall usestopublic and parkinginfrastructure. ing andminimizingtheneedfornewroad buttressing advocacyeffortsfortransitfund these districtsshouldfullyanticipatetransit, with DecaturandLindbergh.Developmentin transit serviceslinkingtheCliftoncommunity “Brain Train”commuterrailcorridorandlocal nodes, givenitsadjacencytotheproposed ta’s mostpromisingnewtransit-oriented North DecaturisoneofmetropolitanAtlan tive service.LikeClifton/SageHill,Clairmont/ activity neededtojustifyandsupporteffec without theconcentrationsofpeopleand services butmayhavetroublesecuringthem community needsabroaderrangeoftransit Create “transit-ready”nodes. traffic demands. connections tothecorridor—furthereasing Decatur withgoodtransitandpedestrian Corridor couldthriveinClairmont/North appropriate withincoreareasoftheClifton private-sector usesthatmightnotfitorbe The Clifton - - - This housing in Portland, Oregon, is an example of ap- propriate transitional use and scale between existing residential neighborhoods and the core of mixed-use areas like Clairmont/North Decatur and Clifton/Sage Hill. Individual building volumes, pitched roofs, and residential window bays relate to traditional single- family detached neighborhoods, while the small lots, proximity of building to sidewalk, and ground-floor live-work spaces relate to higher-density development that combines multifamily housing, neighborhood retail, and research or office space.

for a “Saturday night in the neighborhood”— importantly, make appropriate transitions cinemas, restaurants, lectures. Provide a in scale and use to nearby activities, variety neighborhood patterns, and natural of public open space areas. Finally, place visible spaces— emphasis on pedestrian over vehicular sidewalks, connections. squares, • Build a network of physical connections parks—to that make access convenient. Provide accommo- multiple pedestrian connections to every date many surrounding activity where possible, to a reasons variety of transit modes, and to adjacent and times parks, trails, bike paths and other recreation- to visit, al resources. Include convenient vehicular formally connections to nearby neighborhoods but or infor- prevent “cut-through” traffic. mally. Also • Create places for the social connections include that support community life. Include civic community uses—libraries, education facilities, post spaces for offices, etc.—that serve as destinations for a meetings, broad community. Include all the ingredients concerts, and other group activities. Creating a street grid Create a sense of place that is rooted in the larger with multiple neighborhood. circulation 4 choices is one of the • Make a workable traffic network possible. neighborhood centers with direct retail most effective Begin with a strong access plan built around competition and avoid overwhelming ways of a balance among multiple transportation streets with uses that generate significant reducing traffic modes: rail transit, buses, shuttles, bike traffic. Include retail geared to everyday congestion. lanes, as well as cars. Allow direct access neighborhood needs (at a variety of scales) to arterial streets to prevent traffic impacts as well as new neighborhood amenities—a on neighborhoods. Assemble uses whose unique bakery, bookstore, or similar amenity peak traffic generation offsets each other. desired by the community. Draw upon Develop traffic-management programs to local entrepreneurs to create distinctive keep traffic out of local neighborhoods. destinations. • Choose retail that fits the community. • Create a sense of community within the Avoid overwhelming other valued site. Develop around a pattern of internal

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 175 Clairmont|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core • • 176 • evokes, respectatalargerscale (appropriate Invest indesignthatconveys, andtherefore realm allcomplementdistrict character Ensure thatbuildings,uses,andthepublic within thedevelopment. Make well-designedmassingtransitions avoid badaestheticandshadowimpacts. transitions toadjacentneighborhoods being monolithic.Makewell-designedheight that conveysvarietyandavoidsasenseof At upperlevelsofbuildings,usemassing a senseofquality,interest,andpermanence. proportioned tothehumanbodyandevoke signs, materials,andotherelementsthatare at pedestrianlevelwitharchitecturaldetails, people andcontext. to makedevelopmentfeelrightnext Pay carefulattentiontoscaleandmassing education, thatappealtothecommunity. services andactivities,suchascontinuing informal meeting.Includeavarietyof and concerts,squaresthatpromote a socialexperience,parksthatinvitepicnics visit. Provide avarietyof“public”reasonsto architectural elementshighlightingthem. retail signs,frequentwindows,andother with individualdwellingentrances,attractive shopkeepers, employees,regularcustomers, the street—residents(ownersandrenters), them. Makeavarietyof“owners”apparenton streets andusesthatorienttoenliven streets andblocks,withbuildingsthatframe Design sidewalksthatmakeshopping Create “humanscale” . oriented storesandrestaurants. under acourtyardandincludesseveral neighborhood- without seemingtoobig.Italsohides itsparking the street,toeight-storytowersthatofferfineviews volumes similarinscaletotraditionalhousesacross 20 yearsago,stepsupfromtwo-andthree-story well-regarded byitsneighborhoodsinceconstruction neighborhood. ThishousinginAlexandria,Virginia, to helpgivecomfortable,beautifulformits Housing canandshouldvaryinshapescale streetscape. Embodyuniquelocalqualities quality designtostorefronts,signage,and and delightatapersonalscale.Extend height, massing,uses,streetrelationships), materials. through designtraditions,workofartistsand surrounding acourtyardabovethemarket. at groundlevelandseveralstoriesofhousing Foods supermarketinapedestrian-friendlylocation example inAlexandria,Virginia,includesaWhole supermarkets, intomixed-usebuildings.Thisgood Integrate anystoreswithlargefloorareas,suchas Seek to understand how the district can become a public 5 and welcoming place for this community. How can the Clifton community use mixed- defines the full spectrum of the community? use development as a tool to shape its What are the community’s design aspirations, future? What uses reflect its special culture? and how can growth symbolize these? How Which of these is missing, difficult to fit in, or can mixed-use development serve as a better hard to make feasible elsewhere? What new model for growth than conventional patterns, uses and places—and changes in existing improving the balance of costs and benefits? ones—would enhance quality of life? What

Given the size and diversity of area’s future: residents, individual the district, these development businesses and institutions, other guidelines will succeed only if property owners, DeKalb County, applied through a process that state and regional agencies, the draws on the perspectives of Clifton Community Partnership, everyone with a stake in the and more.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 177 Clairmont|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 178

1,200 newhomesofavarietytypes borhoods. Itcouldoffermorethan integrated intothesurroundingneigh mixed-use developmentsensitively with 10to15blocksofsignificant borhood activity,identity,andaccess potential tobecomeacenterofneigh Clairmont/North Decaturoffersthe Key Themes pressure offneighborhood restoration ties, whilehelpingtaking development retail andotherneighborhoodameni and animprovedsettingchoiceof search spaceservingareaemployers, also containsignificantofficeorre Park Villageneighborhoods.Itcould acter totheGlenwoodParkorInman to serveareademand,similarinchar - - - - - research spaceandhousing wouldbe and publicspaces.Newretail, offices, vibrant withanimprovedsetofuses become allthemoreapparentand engages acommunitythatcould other neighborhoods,andthusalready for DruidHills,ClairmontHeightsand serves asanimportantretailcenter Clairmont/North Decaturalready transit toreducetrafficimpacts. that itcouldmakeexcellentuseof much existingdevelopmentmeans bergh; andwithinwalkingdistanceof Clifton Boulevard,SageHillandLind circulator transitcorridortoDecatur, spur); ontheproposedenhanced commuter railcorridor(andona areas. Itslocationneartheproposed - Heavily traveled roads and auto- oriented retail make pedestrians feel very out of place at Clairmont and North Decatur roads today. Thoughtful redevelopment of dated retail sites could reap benefits similar to those suggested by the rendering, opposite, of planned redevelopment around the Harvard University campus: gradual transi- tion of building size from district core to adjacent neighborhoods; new walkable streets and civic spaces; ground-floor retail and other active uses helping bring those public spaces to life; and new housing, transit, and jobs in an area that needs all of them.

of particular value to workers, resi- Creating dedicated transit corridors dents and students in nearby parts of will likely be more difficult than in the Clifton Corridor that contain core Clifton/Sage Hill, owing to limited land portions of the Emory campus, Chil- availability and the distance (one mile) dren’s Hospital at Egleston, and the to the anticipated commuter rail line. Druid Hills High School campus.

Key Challenges Two major arterials—Clairmont and North Decatur roads—cross in the district, posing obstacles to establish- ing good public-realm and land-use relationships among the four corners. The presence of well-established neighborhoods and uses around and in the district will require careful and sensitive planning to make sure rede- velopment fits well within the context.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 179 Potential redevelopmentarea Clairmont|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 180 Clairmont/Lullwater districts. Druid Hills/North Decaturand associated improvementsinthe particular, coordinatedwith Decatur andClifton roadsin in thestreetscapesofNorth also addressimprovements areas. Thepublicrealmshould parks thatservesurrounding destination parkandsmaller be created,includingamajor public openspacesshould development. Ahierarchyof block-scaled frontagefornew routes, andcreatevaluable, choice andefficiency of walkability, introducegreater commercial parcelstoextend needed acrossthemajor use. Additional streetsare commercial andresidential better transitionsbetween enter thedistrict,theyneed neighborhood streetsalready network. Whilesome needs animprovedstreet Clairmont/North Decatur Like Clifton/Sage Hill, Public Realm

Redevelopment Concepts These two very conceptual plan studies property values, and give much more back depict potential layouts of streets and to the community in many ways, including blocks in a Clairmont/North Decatur District sense of place; housing, workplace and re- redeveloped as a mixed-use activity center. tail choices; and welcoming public streets Anticipated redevelopment areas include and open spaces. today’s aging retail and multifamily hous- ing properties clustered around the inter- section. In both studies, a series of new streets are added across today’s larger development parcels to improve circula- tion choices for drivers and pedestrians, establish a more pedestrian-friendly block scale, and enhance site value by creating more street frontage. Four- to six-story buildings would be located along Clair- mont and North Decatur and shape public outdoor spaces that form a civic heart to the district. Primarily residential buildings of two to four stories—similar in character to those in Glenwood Park or Inman Park Village—would occupy surrounding blocks that are adjacent to existing homes, allow- ing a gradual transition in scale and level of activity from traditional neighborhoods to the district center.

Based on these assumptions, the de- velopment shown could accommodate something in the range of 1,200 to 1,600 new homes (roughly half family-oriented townhomes and half apartments and condominiums); roughly the same amount of retail spaces exists today (though re- organized into mixed-use buildings along streets); and 500,000 sf or more of office, research, or other institutional or business uses. This development is less than one third of what existing zoning would allow, and about half of what a more realistic expectation of conventional single-use commercial development might attain. It would, however, generate significantly less traffic, produce similar or higher

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 181 Clairmont|NorthClifton|Emory Decatur Core 182 areas ofDruidHills. in characterandscalewiththeadjacent residential to Clairmont/NorthDecaturshould becompatible Longer-term redevelopmentatthe westgateway Druid Hills/NorthDecaturdistrict towardCliftonRoad. along NorthDecaturRoad(pictured)throughthe and transitaccessfromClairmont/NorthDecatur There isanurgentneedforbettersidewalk,bike, the amountofauto-orientedretailtoday. floor retailofanamountsimilartoormodestlyabove research space,andneighborhood-orientedground- mix ofmorethan50%housing,25%to40%officeor a landmarkcivicspace.Thestructurescomprise mostly fourtosixstories,framehandsomestreetsand serve asgoodmodelsforthedistrictcore:buildings, and plannedforKansasCity,Missouri(above),could hood centersliketheoneinArlington,Virginia(right), activity, opportunity,andidentityinstead.Neighbor lots couldbecomeanattractivecenterofcommunity structure, thedistrict’slandscapeofretailparking With improvedtransit,pedestrian,andbikeinfra - - public spaces. civic lifeinits support arich and housingcan retail, services neighborhood A centerof Private Realm

Again like Clifton/Sage Hill, the district must incorporate a broad mix of uses—including jobs and housing, mixed within each block and, whenever possible, within each building—that can conveniently take advantage of transit, enable significant internal capture of trips, and mitigate peak traffic and parking demands. Housing would be appropriate throughout the district, and could be particularly effective in making sensitive transitions to adjacent residential areas. Housing policies should favor residents who could travel to nearby work or study without dependence on automobiles. Retail should favor neighborhood- and pedestrian-oriented stores over regional, auto- oriented operators. Office, research and possibly light industrial uses could all be appropriate commercial and institutional uses if compatible with housing, and should complement existing sectors of the local economy.

Next Steps Create a comprehensive sub-area plan for the district as a coordinated effort between DeKalb County and the City of Decatur. This plan should also address the implications of revised comprehensive plans for portions of Clairmont Road north toward Toco Hills. The plan would provide a necessary framework for advancing planning of the district and engaging landowners and the broader community in a discussion of possibilities. Ongoing state- and federal-level advocacy for near- and long-term transit improvements will need to continue to fully develop the district’s potential for transit- oriented development.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 183 10 Clairmont|Lullwater

Key Themes mark Clifton Boulevard’s crossing of South Despite its relative distance from Clifton Fork Peachtree Creek, this district should Boulevard, the Clairmont/Lullwater District mark Clairmont Road’s passage across the plays an important role in the larger creek and its regional greenway. Limited, Clifton community. It serves as a hub for but valuable, redevelopment opportunities transportation connections to surrounding along Clairmont Road can provide needed neighborhoods, one of three gateways housing and amenities and help build to significant natural areas among the community among the residents of Emory’s districts, and an area of moderate mixed- Clairmont Campus, of high-density housing use development potential in its own right. along the east side of the road, and of The district should tame the heavily traveled traditional neighborhoods of single-family but needlessly broad Clairmont Road with houses like Clairmont Heights. Plans for the much easier and safer crossings that link district should also support county plans for pedestrians and cyclists to transit, housing, improving the Clairmont Road corridor as a jobs and recreational resources. Much as whole. the Wesley Woods District will distinctly

184 A needlessly broad ex- panse of asphalt presents a challenge to the numerous pedestrians and cyclists who cross from Emory’s Clairmont Campus to Clairmont Heights and other neighborhoods east of Clairmont. As illustrated opposite, narrower traffic lanes, a central median and better pedestrian signals would greatly assist crossing the road, and new, higher- value residential develop- ment, possibly with a small neighborhood store, would contribute to sense of place and community.

Key Challenges Clairmont Road’s high traffic volumes and status as a state highway could increase the difficulty of enhancing crossings and landscaping. The road’s curve, grade change, and railroad overpass add further engineering challenges to introducing new crossings and enhanced transit service. Private ownership of parcels along the east side of Clairmont will require coordinated planning among private, public, and institutional partners to bring about mutually beneficial redevelopment.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 185 Clairmont|LullwaterClifton|Emory Core

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R o a d Drive The bridge over South Fork Peachtree A Creek should include pedestrian- oriented signage explaining the ecological significance of the greenway that encompasses the creek, a recreational path with connections to open space on either side of Clairmont, and a more pronounced design that reveals the creek’s presence to drivers.

The intersection of Clairmont and B Starvine Way requires more prominent crosswalks and medians to make pedestrian crossing safer and easier. In the long term, this node can also include an important transit station and mixed-use development.

Installation of crosswalks C and traffic signals at the intersection of Clairmont Road and Desmond Drive would create safer, more convenient conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 187 Clairmont|LullwaterClifton|Emory Core 188 rate pedestriansandbuildings fromheavytraffic. contain substantialtreesandshrubs tohelpsepa 6´ andupto10´ormoreifpossible. Theyshould of ClairmontRoadshouldbewidened toatleast ing visiblydistinct.Plantingstripsoneitherside characteristics tomakethePeachtree Creek cross but deploydiffering species,patternsand/orother install newplantingsofsimilarboulevardstature T a newmedianandbroadenedplantingstrips. canopy treesandothernativeforestplantsin Lullwater Preservewithnaturalplantingsof Peachtree Creekgreenwayandpresenceof Reveal thecrossingofSouthFork Plantings and consideralternativetransportation. transit facilitiesthatinducedriverstoreducespeed crosswalks, moreactivebuildingfaçades,and mont withnarrowertraffic lanes,moreprominent attention tothepresenceofpeoplecrossingClair and amoredistinctiveattractivebridge.Call pretive signageforpedestriansandautomobiles, across theroad’s plantingstripsandmedian,inter forest vegetationtocontinuethegreenway’s sweep greenway evidentbyaddingcanopytreesandother ling theseconditions.Make thepresenceof a boulevardoffers apowerfulstrategyforsignal Woods District,transformationoftheroadinto neighborhoods andnaturalareas.AsintheWesley Clairmont Campus, theVA Hospital,andadjacent and biketraffic presence ofsignificantpedestrian,transit, Fork PeachtreeCreekgreenwayandthe special conditions:thecrossingofSouth ance inthisdistricttoalerttraffictwo Clairmont Roadrequiresadistinctappear Overview Public Realm

o thenorthandsouthalongClairmontRoad,

moving toandfromEmory’s ------

entrance. Starvine Way,andthesouthVAHospital trian crossingssaferatDesmondDrive, Direct priorityattentiontomakingpedes Pedestrian Realm would likely encourage drivers to travel faster; and reduction ingrade-levelpedestrian crossings ence oftherailroadembankment; theresulting problems imposedbytopography andthepres disadvantages: itwouldfacesignificantaccess considered, butsuchabridgewouldbringmany across ClairmontRoadatStarvineWay maybe of sight.Installationapedestrianbridge bridge constraindrivers’ lines change, andoverheadrailroad at pointswhereacurve,grade Starvine Way crosswalkand cross Clairmontfarfromthe tion inwhichmanypedestrians inconvenient existingcondi signal topreventthedangerous, new crosswalkbutapedestrian intersection needsnotonlya roadway. TheDesmondDrive ence ofpedestrianssharingthe that alertdriverstothepres have clearlymarkedcrosswalks Each oftheseintersectionsshould - - cut-through traffic. work alonewouldfurtheraddress promote alternativestodriving efforts involvingareaemployersto cut-through traffic.Comprehensive significant speedandquantityof similar measurestoreducethe and narrowings,speedhumps,or striped bikelanesorshoulders; mond Drive(above):asidewalk; needed improvementsforDes with DeKalbCountytosecure walk orbiketoEmory,isworking hood, fromwhichmanyresidents The ClairmontHeightsneighbor - - - - Public Realm Existing Broad paved area makes pedestrian crossing difficult, interrupts tree canopy, and encourages excessive traffic speeds.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Public Realm Proposed Wider planting strips with trees and shrubs protect pedestrians from traffic and extend woods character.

Regional recreational path

Narrowed lanes reduce traffic speed and create space for a median and bike lanes.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 189 Clairmont|LullwaterClifton|Emory Core 190 mont Road. it crossesClair presence where have adistinct way thatshould regional green stitute amajor Preserve, con the Lullwater areas, including adjacent natural Creek and Peachtree - - - for betterrecreationalaccessalongSouth The districtpossessesuntappedpotential Multi-Use Path wooded areas. of SouthFork Peachtree Creek anditsadjoining pedestrians explainingtheecologicalsignificance roadway forsecurity. Installinterpretivesignsfor Preserve, butmaintainclearvisibilityfromthe sense ofbeingamongthewoodsLullwater of ClairmontRoadtogivepedestriansagreater a meanderingsidewalklayoutonthewestside in thenextsection,“Multi-Use Path.” Consider and greenwayrecreationalpathsasdescribed potential improvedaccesstoLullwater Preserve in otherways.Coordinatesidewalklayoutwith project costscouldbemoreproductivelyinvested Road through Clairmont path eastfrom recreational a regional of extending The mont Campus wouldbenefitfrombettersignage. Clairmont RoadtoLullwater viaEmory’s Clair Fork PeachtreeCreek. PATH Foundation ispursuingthepossibility Starvine Way. bikes—between Desmondand difficult leftturnsforvehiclesand but dangerousjaywalking—and Drive wouldpreventthecommon Clairmont RoadandDesmond New signaledcrosswalksat Existing accessfrom -

Bicycles recreational paths. natural areasandshowingthearea’s networkof ing theecologicalsignificanceofsurrounding sidewalks, provideinterpretivesignagedescrib approaching fromdifferent directions.Asalong to multiplecrossingsofClairmontserveusers property onthewestside—andshouldconnect Road—perhaps mostconvenientlyalongEmory could belocatedoneithersideofClairmont cated recreationalpathseparatefromsidewalks neighborhoods alongClairmontRoad.Adedi ter Preserve,Emory’s ClairmontCampus, and > Vision district atleastasfarNorthDecaturRoad, New in-roadbikelanesthatextendbeyondthe with connectionstoLullwa Mill RoadandStarvineWay, the pathbetweenMason be designedtoaccommodate Road, theroadcorridorshould Mill RoadeastfromClairmont for thispathmayfollowMason the north.Since thebestroute parks andneighborhoodsto parks, aswellothercounty Mill, IraMilton,andMedlock potential connectionstoMason Fork Peachtree Creek, with public openspacealongSouth - - - and preferably south to downtown Decatur and north to North Druid Hills Road. Accommo- date transitions and turns to Desmond Drive, Starvine Way, and potential county recreational path to the east along Peachtree Creek. > Interim Striped shoulders, 4´ to 5´ wide.

Transit An important CLIFF® transit nexus exists at the Clairmont Campus parking structure on Starvine Way. Studies and advocacy for commut- er rail service along the adjoining rail corridor should explore the possibility of adding service to this nexus. Establish a bus or streetcar stop at Clairmont and Starvine Way (Clifton Corridor Transportation Study stop D8), featuring a land- mark station structure on one or both sides of Clairmont Road. The station should have signifi- cant orientation and access to the Clairmont cor- ridor, including the VA Hospital and Clairmont Heights, and would both help reduce pedestrian crossings of Clairmont Road and increase the profile of regional transit services. If necessary, use simpler facilities to create this stop in the near term. Consider extending CLIFF® transit service into Clairmont Heights, as requested by a number of neighborhood residents.

Vehicles Add signals at Clairmont/Desmond Drive to serve pedestrians and vehicles. Narrow lanes on Clairmont to reduce traffic speed and create room for a planted median and bike lanes. Ac- commodate turning for enhanced bus and po- tential future streetcar service between Starvine Way and Clairmont Road south.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 191 Clairmont|LullwaterClifton|Emory Core 192 environment. ing pedestrian more appeal of placeand stronger sense help createa to Clairmontand ditional housing retail andad neighborhood sites couldbring underdeveloped buildings on Mixed-use > > Height atfaçade Setback/uild-to line 20´ to30´. 20´. 3 to5stories,withpotentialforadditionalstoriessetbackatleast - - Additional midrise residentialbuildingsoriented improvements inClairmontRoad’s streetscape. redevelopment, especiallyinassociationwith uses havethepotentialforhigher-value occupied byresidentialandcommercial Parcels ontheeastsideofClairmontnow Building Uses Private/Built Space open spacepreventbuildinghere. Clairmont campus,astopography andprotected development isanticipatedalong theEmory mix ofcomplementaryuses.Nostreet-edge enhanced transit,andexpandingtheextent active node,takingadvantageofexistingand appropriate inhelpingdefinethedistrictasan Starvine Way intersection,wouldbeparticularly floor, neighborhood-servingretailnearthe to ClairmontRoad,withpossibleground- (within 20’ofbuild-toline) (measured tocurb) Private Realm Existing

Parking separates commercial buildings from road.

Note: The Opportunities map shows the location of this street section diagram.

Private Realm Proposed Mixed-use buildings define a boulevard edge, expand residential population, and enhance sidewalk with active ground-floor uses.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 193 Clairmont|LullwaterClifton|Emory Core 194 Phasing

In process (6 to12months) Urgent andfeasible Long term (2–7 Years) Medium term (1–3 years) (8–15 Years)

phasing for key improvements PHASE TIMEFRAME ELEMENTS ‹ Urgent and 6–12 months >New transit stop at the intersection of feasible Clairmont Road and Starvine Way ‹ In process 1–3 years >Crosswalk improvements (better markings, signals) at Desmond Drive, Starvine Way, and the VA Hospital >Improvements on west-side sidewalk, Lullwater Preserve access, and signage >Added transit stops/routes serving the east side of Clairmont Road ‹ Medium term 2–7 years >Interpretive signage addressing the Peachtree Creek greenway >Potential redevelopment of private parcels on the east side of Clairmont Road ‹ Long term 8–15 years >Construction of significant transit station

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ 195 196 Appendix A Appropriate Plant Species List t Not native to this area This is a C Plain species. In the Piedmont we have A. sylvatica and occasionally pavia. Lullwater had A. sylvatica This is uncommon in the Piedmont This occurs on limestone and is uncommon in Georgia. Don't know of any in the Piedmont Don't know this species Not generally found in the Piedmon Emory has M. umbellata as well Found in Newton and Gwinnett Co. but not Dekalb MEBC Comments DRAFT Emory Reforestation Palette Common Name Southern Sugar Maple Red Maple Shagbark Hickory American Holly Amur Maple Chalkbark or Whitebark Maple Sugar Maple Bottlebrush Buckeye Red Chokeberry River Birch Pignut Hickory White Hickory Eastern Redbud American Yellowwood Flowering Dogwood American Beech White Ash Warren Red Holly Mountain Laurel Southern Crabapple Downy Serviceberry American Hornbeam White Fringetree Washington Hawthorn Carolina Silverbell Spicebush American Sweetgum Tuliptree Cucumbertree Magonlia Bigleaf Magnolia Sweetleaf Magnolia Latin Name Acer barbatum Acer ginnala Acer leucoderme Acer rubrum Acer saccharum Aesculus parviflora Amelanchier arborea Aronia arbutifolia Betula nigra Carpinus caroliniana Carya glabra Carya ovata Carya tomentosa Cercis canadensis Chionanthus virginicus Cladrastis kentukea Cornus florida Crataegus phaenopyrum Fagus grandifolia Frazinus americana Halesia carolina Ilex decidua 'Warren Red' Ilex opaca Kalmia latifolia Lindera benzoin Liquidambar styraciflua Liriodendron tulipfera Magnolia acuminata Magnolia macropylla Magnolia virginiana Malus augustifolia

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ App.A.1 b y t t Found in the Alcovy River Basin not Dekal Not generally found in the Piedmon Invasive; Where's P. serotina? Not generally found in the Piedmon Coastal plain species OK but don't know of any at Emory - unusual Coastal plain species Try R. calandulaceum Found at Callaway and Pine Mtn. Not Emor We have R. glabra and copallina DRAFT Emory Reforestation Palette Southern Red Oak Overcup Oak Northern Red Oak Water Tupelo Black Tupelo American Hophornbeam or Ironwood Sourwood Shortleaf Pine Loblolly Pine Virginia Pine Sycamore White Oak Swamp White Oak Scarlet Oak Blackjack Oak Water Oak Nuttall Oak Chesnut Oak Shumard Oak Black Oak Staghorn Sumac Common Sassafras American Linden Winged Elm American Elm Cherry Laurel Florida Flame Azalea Piedmont Azalea Plumleaf Azalea Nyssa aquatica Nyssa sylvatica Ostrya virginiana Oxydendrum arboreum Pinus echinata Pinus taeda Pinus virginiana Platanus occidentalis Prunus caroliniana Quercus alba Quercus bicolor Quercus coccinea Quercus falcata Quercus lyrata Quercus marilandica Quercus nigra Quercus nuttallii Quercus prinus Quercus rubra Quercus shumardii Quercus velutina Rhododendron austrinum Rhododendron canescens Rhododendron prunifolium Rhus typhina Sassafras albidum Tilia americana Ulmus alata Ulmus americana

App.A.2 Appendix B Emory Forest Canopy Policy

No Net Loss of Forest Canopy Policy

Executive Summary In the past five years Emory University has experienced unprecedented growth. A consequence of this growth has been a significant loss in the quantity and quality of Emory’s forested areas. The Emory University Senate adopted a Position Statement On Forest Use that included support of the policy of no net loss of forest. However no mechanism was put in place to insure that trees removed during development were replaced in a way to achieve no net loss. The only means available is the DeKalb County Tree Preservation Ordinance. However, the county ordinance is not designed with no net loss in mind. The goal of the county ordinance is to provide for a minimum number of canopy trees in commercial and residential development. It does not provide for the replacement of the actual number of trees removed during development or for the replacement of equally valuable understory, shrub, and groundcover vegetation. The following No Net Loss of Forest Policy attempts to provide a simple and reasonable method for calculating forest replacement by providing for:

1. A formula to determine individual and total tree canopy. 2. A formula for replacement canopy. 3. A formula for replacement shrub and groundcovers. 4. Recommendations for implementing the policy in new construction projects.

Introduction The intent of the No Net Loss of Forest Policy is to achieve no overall loss of forest canopy due to construction or renovation of new buildings. Secondary goals are to improve the quality of existing forested areas and increase the overall quantity of forested areas on the Emory University campus. Following is an explanation of the method to be used to determine forest canopy and the resultant replacement requirement.

Determining Tree Canopy In arboricultural practice the tree canopy and root zone is assumed to be directly proportional to the caliper or diameter of the tree’s trunk. The canopy and root zone is assumed to equal 1’ (one foot) to 1.5’ (one and one-half feet) of radius per 1” (one inch) of trunk diameter (diameter measurement is taken at a point 4’-6” (four feet six inches) above the ground elevation. This measurement is commonly referred to as Diameter Breast Height or DBH. Existing trees to be removed shall be categorized as follows:

1. Mature Hardwoods, deciduous trees greater than 6” (six inches) but less than 24” (twenty-four inches) DBH. 2. Specimen Hardwoods, deciduous trees 24” (twenty-four inches) and greater DBH. 3. Mature Softwoods, evergreen trees greater than 6” (six inches) but less than 24” (twenty-four inches) DBH. 4. Specimen Softwoods, Evergreen trees 24” (twenty-four inches) and greater DBH. 5. Immature/Understory, all trees less than 6” (six inches) DBH. 6. Specimen Understory, understory trees greater than 10” (ten inches) DBH.

Calculations for determining existing canopy shall be as follows: 1. Mature Hardwoods; 1’ (one foot) canopy radius (CR) per 1” (one inch) of DBH. 2. Specimen Hardwoods; 1.5’ (one and one-half feet) CR per 1” (one inch) of DBH. 3. Mature Softwoods; 1’ (one foot) CR per 1” (one inch) of DBH. 4. Specimen Softwoods; 1.5’ (one and one-half feet) CR per 1” (one inch) of DBH. 5. Immature/Understory trees shall be replaced on a tree for tree basis with the replacement tree being a minimum 2” (two inch) caliper tree. 6. Specimen Understory; 1.5’ (one foot) CR per 1” (one inch) of DBH.

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ App.B.1 The canopy area for each individual tree is determined with the formula for the area of a circle: area = pi (3.142) * r2 (radius squared). All individual areas are added together to determine the total canopy area of removed trees (rounding to the nearest whole number).

Formula examples A 10” DBH Oak tree would have a canopy radius of 10’, or an area of 314 sq. ft. A 26” DBH Oak tree would have a canopy radius of 39’, or an area of 4779 sq. ft.

Calculating Replacement Canopy Replacement canopy will be achieved by replanting with species similar to those being removed or as approved by Emory Facilities Management. The intent is to reach a compromise between economy and environment. Replacing tree for tree will not adequately meet the environmental needs and does not reflect the true value of a mature tree. While on the other hand, replacing the total square footage of canopy to be removed with new canopy could place an undue hardship on the building construction budget. Therefore it is necessary to determine a standard value for each replacement tree. The replacement trees shall be 2 – 2.5” caliper or 3 – 4” caliper trees with a predetermined replacement canopy area value depending tree type. The replacement canopy area values were determined by averaging the expected mature canopy areas (as listed in Dirr, Michael. 1990. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants.) of those trees included in the Landscape Master Plan Palette of the Emory University Campus Design Guidelines. The replacement canopy area of a 2 – 2.5” tree will be 1/3 of the mature canopy area and a 3 – 4” tree will be 2/3 of the mature canopy area. The total replacement canopy shall meet or exceed the total canopy area of removed trees. The replacement trees shall have the following replacement canopy area values:

Hardwoods and Softwoods 1. 2 – 2.5” (two to two and one-half inches) equals 471 sq. ft. of replacement canopy 2. 3 – 4” (three to four inches) equals 942 sq. ft. of replacement canopy. Understory 1. 2 – 2.5” (two to two and one-half inches) equals 100 sq. ft. of replacement canopy 2. 3 – 4” (three to four inches) equals 200 sq. ft. of replacement canopy.

Formula examples If a building project were required to remove a number of trees, which had a total canopy area of 41,234 sq.ft. the replacement could be achieved several ways. For example:

1. 44 3 – 4” caliper Hardwood and/or Softwood trees (44 * 942 = 41,448 sq.ft.). 2. 88 2 – 2.5” caliper Hardwood and/or Softwood trees (88 * 471 = 41,448 sq.ft.). 3. 30 3 – 4” caliper Hardwood and/or Softwood trees and 65 3 – 4” caliper Understory trees (30 * 942 + 65 * 200 = 41,260sq.ft.).

Calculating Shrub and Groundcover Replacement The preceding formulas provide for the replacement of canopy and understory trees but do not provide for the replacement of the shrub and groundcover vegetation. Replacement of only the canopy and understory does not accurately reflect the forest ecosystem. For that reason it is necessary to replace the shrub and ground layer vegetation. The first step is to determine the complexity of the forest being removed. The complexity of a forested area is measured by the level of stratification in the plant materials that make up the forest. Those plant materials are the canopy trees, understory trees, shrubs and groundcover plants. Determining the complexity is a subjective exercise in judging the level of stratification present in a wooded area. This exercise will be completed by Campus Planning and the Committee on the Environment during the design phase using the following levels of forest complexity:

1. High stratification. Indicated by a complex distribution of canopy trees, understory trees, shrubs, and groundcovers. Examples of this type of forest complexity are Baker Woodlands, Harwood Forest, and Wesley Woods Forest,

App.B.2 2. Moderate stratification. Indicated by a small distribution of understory trees, shrubs, or groundcovers. Examples of this type are the Cox Hall Ravine and the wooded area adjacent to Boisfeullet Jones Center, Dowman Drive and Oxford Road. 3. Low stratification. Indicated by little or no understory, shrub, or groundcover vegetation. Examples of this type are the wooded areas adjacent to Clifton Road at the Law School and Performing Arts Center.

Once a determination of the complexity has been made a multiplier can be applied to the area of forest to be removed to calculate the quantity of shrubs and groundcover plants required to be installed. The levels of complexity will have the following multipliers:

1. High stratification - 0.75 2. Moderate stratification - 0.5 3. Low stratification – 0

Replacement shrubs and groundcovers will be native species included in the Plant Palette included in this document. Each replacement shrub will be a 3 gallon container (min.) with a replacement canopy value of 45 sq.ft. and each replacement groundcover will be a 1 gallon container with a replacement canopy value of 10 sq.ft. or 4” pots with a replacement canopy value of 7.5 sq.ft. Replacement shrubs and groundcovers can only be utilized to meet the required shrub and groundcover replacement.

Formula examples Using the previous assumption of a building project removing a total canopy area of 41,234 sq.ft. and assuming that the forested area has a High Stratification, the required shrub and groundcover replacement would be:

41,234 * 0.75 = 30,925.5 sq.ft.

An example of meeting the 30,925.5 sq.ft. requirement is:

501 1 gallon groundcover plants and 347 3 gallon shrubs (699 * 10 + 532 * 45 = 30,930 sq.ft.).

Replacement Plantings The replacement trees and plants should be planted as near as possible to the area that was disturbed and in such a way as to create a new forested area or enhance an existing forested area. Due to the nature of the forest, shrubs and groundcovers and their shade requirements it may not be possible to plant all of the replacement plant material in one location. The canopy and understory trees could be planted at or near the building site. But the shrubs and groundcovers may need to be planted in another area with suitable conditions (existing dense canopy for example) In addition, not all plant materials included in a building landscape plan can qualify towards meeting the replacement requirements. To qualify towards the replacement requirements the trees, shrubs, and groundcovers must be situated in such a way as to extend existing contiguous canopy, to enhance an existing wooded area, or to create large areas of potential contiguous canopy. Non-native plant species do not qualify as replacement canopy (refer to the plant palette).

No Net Loss / County Ordinance Comparison It is difficult to compare the proposed No Net Loss Policy and the DeKalb County Tree Protection and Preservation Ordinance since the two have differing objectives. The county ordinance is intended to insure that a minimum number of trees are left onsite post- development. Also the county ordinance is intended to deter wholesale clear cutting of forested areas in the construction of commercial and large-scale residential developments. In contrast, the proposed No Net Loss Policy is intended to be used as a development tool for evaluating proposed construction sites and building design. Often, Emory projects either have the benefit of two or

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ App.B.3 more possible sites or several building layouts. The proposed No Net Loss Policy encourages the study of sites and building designs to minimize site disturbance thereby affecting the fewest number of trees possible. It also provides a realistic method of calculating the required replacement quantity based on the actual impact of construction. The Proposed No Net Loss Policy has been used experimentally in several recent Emory University construction projects of varying scales and the impact to cost has been minimal. For the Schwartz Performing Arts Center the additional cost was $22,000. However, the removal of the trees allowed for a simplification of a wall design that saved the project approximately $70,000. Applying the No Net Loss calculation to the Emory Conference Center Pavilion increased the cost by approximately $6400. Applying the No Net Loss calculations to the Shuttle Road project added an additional $19,840 to the total budget. As a percentage of the construction budget we estimate that the implementation of the No Net Loss Policy would result in a .4 to .6% increase in total construction cost.

Plant Palette

The following list is the recommended species of plant materials for plantings required by the No Net Loss calculations. Additional species will be considered for individual projects.

Canopy Trees Acer rubrum Red Maple Acer saccharum Sugar Maple Betula nigra River Birch Carya glabra Pignut Hickory Carya tomentosa Mockernut Hickory Catalpa bignonioides Southern Catalpa Celtis lavaegata Hackberry Fraxinus americana White Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green Ash Fagus grandifolia American Beech Ilex opaca American Holly Juniperus virginiana Eastern Red Cedar Liquidambar styraciflua Sweet Gum Liriodendron tulipifera Tulip Tree Nyssa sylvatica Black Gum Platanus occidentalis Sycamore Quercus alba White Oak Quercus falcata Southern Red, Spanish Oak Quercus coccinea Scarlet Oak Quercus lyrata Overcup Oak Quercus michauxii Swamp Chestnut Oak Quercus nigra Water Oak Quercus phellos Willow Oak Quercus prinus Chestnut Oak Quercus stellata Post Oak Quercus velutina Black Oak Pinus taeda Loblolly Pine Prunus serotina Black Cherry Salix nigra Black Willow Tilia americana Basswood Ulmus alata Winged Elm Ulmus americana American Elm Ulmus rubra Slippery Elm

App.B.4 Understory Acer negundo Box Elder Alnus serrulata Tag Elder Amelanchier arborea Shadbush Aralia spinosa Devil’s Walking Stick Asimina triloba Common Pawpaw Carpinus caroliniana Ironwood Cercis canadensis Eastern Redbud Chionanthus virginicus White Fringetree Cladrastis lutea Yellowwood Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood Halesia Carolina Carolina Silverbell Magnolia acuminata Cucumber Tree Magnolia macrophylla Bigleaf Magnolia Magnolia virginiana Sweetbay Magnolia Ostrya virginiana Eastern Hop Hornbeam Oxydendrum arboreum Sourwood Robinia pseudoacacia Black Locust Sassafras albidum Sassafra

Shrub Aesculus sylvatica Painted Buckeye Calycanthus floridus Sweetshrub Cornus alternifolia Alternate Leaf Dogwood Cornus amomum Swamp Dogwood Euonymus americanus Hearts-a-burstin Hydrangea arborescens Native Hydrangea Ilex decidua Possum Haw Lindera benzoin Spicebrush Rhododendron canescens Piedmont Azalea Sambucus canadensis Elderberry Sassafras albidum Sassafras Vaccinium spp. Blueberry - Huckleberry Vaccinium arboreum Sparkleberry Viburnum dentatum Viburnum Viburnum prunifolium Black Haw

Groundcover/Vine Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-Pulpit Aster divaricatus White Wood Aster Athyrum asplenoides Southern Lady Fern Bignonia capreolata Crossvine Campsis radicans Trumpet Vine Dioscorea villosa Wild Yam Geranium maculatum Wild Geranium Hepatica americana Hepatica Hexastylis arifolia Wild Ginger Hydrangea anomala petiolaris Climbing Hydrangea Impatiens capensis Jewelweed Osmunda cinnamomea Cinnamon Fern Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia Creeper Polygonatum biflorum Solomon’s Seal Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ App.B.5 Smilacina racemosa False Solomon’s Seal Stellaria pubera Giant Chickweed Thalictrum thalictroides Rue Anemone Tiarella cordiformis Foam Flower Trillium cernum Nodding Trillium Trillium cuneatum Purple Taodshade Vitis rotundifolia Muscadine

Reforestation Plan The Reforestation Plan is currently being developed by Facilities Management and will be included in this document when completed.

App.B.6 Appendix C Zoning Analysis

ZoningAnalysis MuchoftheredevelopmentandinfilldevelopmentoutlinedintheCliftonCorridorUrbanDesign Guidelineswouldrequirechangesorvariancesfromexistingzoningrequirements.Examplesofthetypes ofzoningchangesthatwouldfacilitateappropriatenewdevelopmentaredescribedbelow.Clifton CorridorDistrictsandgroupsofdistrictsareaddressedseparatelyaccordingtotheircurrentand potentialzoningconditions.Thehighlightcoloraroundthedistrictnamescorrespondstothecolorson themap(lastpage)thatoverlaysproposedCorridorDistrictsuponexistingzoningdistricts.Inadditionto themodificationslistedbelow,rezoningthesedistrictsasPedestrianCommunityDistrictscouldfurther facilitateamixingofsingleͲfamilyattached,singleͲfamilydetached,multiͲfamilyresidential,live/work, retailandofficeusesinapedestrianfriendlyenvironment.  Clifton/SageHillDistrict–(1)–TheClifton/SageHillDistrictincludessingleͲfamilyresidential,multiͲ familyresidential,smallindustrial,largeindustrial,localcommercialandofficeͲinstitutionalzoning districts.ThefollowingchangestoexistingzoningrequirementscouldhelpfacilitatemixedͲuse developmentinthefuture:

x RͲ75andRͲ85:AllowusesotherthansingleͲfamilyresidential,namelymultiͲfamilyresidential, office,andretail;allowsmallerlotsizes;increasemaximumallowedheightto5Ͳormorestories withsteppedtransitionstoresidentialcontext;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage) requirements;reduceoreliminatesetbackrequirements;andincreasemaximumlotcoverage allowed. x MandMͲ2:Allowresidential,retail,andofficeuses;prohibitindustrialuses;allowsmallerlot sizes;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;reduceoreliminatesetback requirements. x RMͲ85andRMͲ100:AllowusesotherthansingleͲandmultiͲfamilyresidential,namelyoffice, andretail;allowsmallerlotsizes;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;reduceor eliminatesetbackrequirements;increasemaximumlotcoverageallowed x CͲ1:Allowusesotherthanofficeandretail,namelymultiͲfamilyresidential;allowsmallerlot sizes;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;reduceoreliminatesetback requirements x OI:Allowretailuseswithindividualentrancesfromstreets;allowsmallerlotsizes;reduce minimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;reduceoreliminatesetbackrequirements 

DruidHills/NorthDecaturDistrict–(8)—TheDruidHills/NorthDecaturDistrictincludessingleͲfamily residentialandofficeͲinstitutionalzoningdistricts.Thefollowingchangestoexistingzoning requirementscouldhelpfacilitatemixedͲusedevelopmentinthefuture:

x RͲ75andRͲ50: 1) WestofDruidDrive:AllowusesotherthansingleͲfamilyresidential,namelymultiͲfamily residential,office,andretail;allowaccessoryapartmentsonsingleͲfamilylots;allow smallerlotsizes;increasemaximumallowedheightto5Ͳstorieswithsteppedtransitions

Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ App.C.1 toresidentialcontext;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;reduceor eliminatesetbackrequirements;andincreasemaximumlotcoverageallowed. 2) EastofDurandDrive:Thefollowingchangesaredesirabletotheextentthatthey accommodatesensitivetransitionstoadjacentportionsoftheDruidHillsHistoric District:allowmultiͲfamilyresidentialandaccessoryapartmentsonsingleͲfamilylots; allowsmallerlotsizes;increasemaximumallowedheightto4Ͳstorieswithstepped transitions;andincreasemaximumlotcoverageallowed. x OI:Allowretailuseswithindividualentrancesfromstreets;allowsmallerlotsizes;reduce minimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;reduceoreliminatesetbackrequirements. 

Clairmont/NorthDecaturDistrict(9)–TheClairmont/NorthDecaturDistrictincludessingleͲfamily residential,multiͲfamilyresidential,localcommercialandofficeͲinstitutionalzoningdistricts.The followingchangestoexistingzoningrequirementscouldhelpfacilitatemixedͲusedevelopmentinthe future:

x RͲ85:AllowusesotherthansingleͲfamilyresidential,namelymultiͲfamilyresidential,office,and retail;allowsmallerlotsizes;increasemaximumallowedheightto5Ͳormorestorieswith steppedtransitionstoresidentialcontext;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements; reduceoreliminatesetbackrequirements;andincreasemaximumlotcoverageallowed. x RMͲ75:AllowusesotherthansingleͲfamilyresidential,namelymultiͲfamilyresidential,office, andretail;allowsmallerlotsizes;increasemaximumallowedheightto5Ͳormorestories; reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;reduceoreliminatesetbackrequirements; andincreasemaximumlotcoverageallowed. x CͲ1:Allowusesotherthanofficeandretail,namelymultiͲfamilyresidential;allowsmallerlot sizes;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;andreduceoreliminatesetback requirements. 

Clairmont/LullwaterDistrict–(10)–TheClairmont/LullwaterDistrictincludesmultiͲfamilyresidential, localcommercialandofficeͲinstitutionalzoningdistricts.Thefollowingchangestoexistingzoning requirementscouldhelpfacilitatemixedͲusedevelopmentinthefuture:

x RMͲHD:AllowusesotherthansingleͲandmultiͲfamilyresidential,namelyoffice,andretail; allowsmallerlotsizes;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;reduceoreliminate setbackrequirements;andincreasemaximumlotcoverageallowed. x CͲ1:Allowusesotherthanofficeandretail,namelymultiͲfamilyresidential;allowsmallerlot sizes;reduceminimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;andreduceoreliminatesetback requirements. x OI:Allowretailuseswithindividualentrancesfromstreets;allowsmallerlotsizes;reduce minimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;andreduceoreliminatesetbackrequirements.

 

App.C.2 

Clifton/Hilltop–(3);Clifton/EmoryHealthSciencesͲ(4);CliftonStation–(5);Clifton/EmoryCore–(6); Haygood/DruidHillsHighSchool–(7)—TheremainingdistrictsarecomprisedmostlyofofficeͲ institutionalzoningdistricts.Thefollowingchangestoexistingzoningrequirementscouldhelpfacilitate mixedͲusedevelopmentinthefuture:

x OI:Allowretailuseswithindividualentrancesfromstreets;allowsmallerlotsizes;reduce minimumlotwidth(frontage)requirements;andreduceoreliminatesetbackrequirements.





Clifton Corridor Urban Design Guidelines ■ App.C.3 App.C.4