Bartholomew (Harland) and Associates
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BARTHOLOMEW (HARLAND) AND ASSOCIATES. A REPORT UPON POPULATION GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION, CITY OF ATLANTA AMD FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA HB 3527 -A74 B37 1953 WILLIAM RUSSELL PULLEN LIBRARY Georgia State University University System of Georgia WILLIAM RUSSELL PULLEN LIBRARY GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY MUNICIPAL PLANNING BOARD JfcriiANTAv 3j, CeoRD|A^ July 6, 1953- ( M CUBA AIRMAN R. JOUNG v E-CHAIRMAN s Asbell Mayor and General Co vine il 3ERT G. Henduey of the City of Atlanta JL I Miller J. N icholson Commissioners of Roads and NRY J. Toombs Revenues of Fulton County Gentlemen: 'ONT B. Bean PI ANNINQ ENGINEER Proceeding on the authority of an Ordinance by the Mayor and General Council of the City of Atlanta and a Resolution by the Commissioners of Roads and Revenues of Fulton County, the Municipal Planning Board, on January 16, 1953> initiated a program to prepare new land use plans, modernize the zoning laws and regulations, and to prepare a major street plan for the City of Atlanta and Fulton County. Ihe Municipal Planning Board and its consultants have been studying population trends and factors influencing population distribution in order to anticipate future growth and the areas affected by this growth in Atlanta and Fulton County. We believe that the several conclusions which have led to the estimates of growth and the proposed uses of land to accom modate the anticipated growth are sound, and, together, they make a conservative, realistic basis upon which new zoning regulations and land use and major street plans may be made. We submit "Population, Growth and Distribution" as the first report toward the accomplishment of our objectives. Because the information contained herein will be the basis for addi tional and detailed studies, we invite your review, comments, and suggestions. Respectfully submitted, MUNICIPAL PLANNING BOARD //Ay- Max M. Cuba, Chairman. ATLANTA THE DOGWOOD CITY Honorable William B. Hartsfield, Mayor ATLANTA GENERAL COUNCIL - 1352 Aldermen R. C. Ailor D. B„ Donaldson E. A. Gilliam Raleigh E. Drennon L. 0. Moseley Cobb C. Torrance Milton G. Farris Colie 3. Whitaker Lester Hardy Councilmen Robert S. Dennis Jimmy Vickers James E. Jackson T. Wayne Blanchard R. E. Lee Field Ralph A. Huie Joe Allen R. M. Clark Arthur Johnson Ogden Doremus W. T. Knight Jesse Draper John T. Marler H. T. Sargent Douglas Wood Dean Callaway John A. Y/hite Charlie Leftwich COMMISSION OF ROADS AND REVENUES - FULTON COUNTY James H. Aldredge - Chairman Archie Lindsey - Vice Chairman I. Glore Hailey Thomas L. Camp R. L. Doyal A. E. Fuller - County Manager 206326 MUNICIPAL PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS Max M. Cuba - Chairman S. R. Young - Vice Chairman J. Lev/is Asbell Paul W. Miller J. J. Nicholson Henry J. Toombs Albert G. Eendley STAFF Wyont B. Bean - Planning Engineer A. H. Hutchinson - Asst. Planning Engineer E. Jay Wallace - Asst. Planning Engineer Karland Bartholomew and Associates, Consultants J. M. Stevens, Resident Engineer A Report Upon % I POPULATION GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION CITY OF ATLANTA AND FULTCN COUNTY, GEORGIA fV Vtav\W- THE MUNICIPAL PLANNING BOARD A June 1553 31 a.nsvi ft V\aaiW - H uni (Li \<L*tnin<t boa 1-4 UB 3527 ,/\1i 63"! HARLAND BARTHOLOMEW AND ASSOCIATES CITY PLANNERS - CIVIL ENGINEERS - LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 1363 317 NORTH ELEVENTH STREET SAINT LOUIS 1.MISSOURI HARLAND BARTHOLOMEW RUSSELL H RILEY HARRY W ALEXANDER ELDRIDGE LOVELACE DONALD W. HUTTON DONALD W. McGLASHON DONALD WOLBRINK June, 1953 The Municipal Planning Board City of Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia Gentlemen: We are pleased to submit herewith the second of a series of reports in the planning program for the City of Atlanta and Fulton County. This report is concerned with Population and General Land Uses. The amount and location of the future population as well as the general arrangement and extent of the necessary land uses provide the basis for the proposals that will be contained in the Land Use and Zoning and the Major Street Plans. Con sequently, this is a most important part of the current planning program. It is recommended that the findings and conclusions contained herein be carefully studied by local officials, organizations and citizens. We wish to acknowledge the excellent cooperation received from many local sources during the preparation of this report. Your staff} and that of other city and county offices have been helpful. We also wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the staff of the Metropolitan Planning Commission. Respectfully submitted HARLAND BARTHOLOMEW AND ASSOCIATES By •a-SL-SL-, 662093 a TA3LE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 FACTORS INFLUENCING GROWTH IN THE ATLANTA AREA ... 4 Summary of Past Growth and Major Influences Thereon 4 Factors That Should Influence Future Growth ... 7 Summary 12 AMOUNT OF GROWTH 14 Past Growth and Trends . 14 Summary ............ 17 FACTORS INFLUENCING THE LOCATION OF PAST GROWTH . 22 Growth 3y Militia Districts 22 Topography 25 Water and Sev/er Facilities 27 Existing General Land Use 30 PRESENT DISTRIBUTION AND DENSITY 34 Distribution of Population ..... 34 Existing Population Densities 36 FUTURE LAND USE, POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND DENSITY 40 Future Land Use. 40 Future Distribution of Population ........ 46 Future Densities ....... ... 40 ACHIEVEMENT OF PROPOSED POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND LAND USE PATTERN 50 Zoning Regulations 50 Subdivision Control 51 Extension of Public Utilities .......... 52 Public Improvements ........ 52 Public Understanding and Support ... 53 ( INDEX TO PLATES Plate No. Page 1 Population Growth - Atlanta-Fulton County, Georgia 1880-1930 17 2 Population Growth by Militia Districts 1930-1953 22 3 Area Served by Sanitary Sewer and Water Lines 27 4 Existing General Land Use 30 5 Distribution of Population-1953 ..... 34 0 Density of Population - 1953 ....... 37 7 Future Diagrammatic Land Use 40 8 Future Distribution of Population .... 43 9 Future Density of Population ....... 40 INDEX TO TABLES Table No. Page 1 Trends in Past Population Growth in the United States, Georgia and Atlanta Metropolitan Area 14 2 Past Trends in Population Growth in Major Portions of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area 16 3 Estimates of Possible Future Growth in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area 1350-1980. 19 4 Changes in Population and Population Densities in Atlanta-Fulton County Urban Areas 1953-1980 ......... 33 INTRODUCTION Urbanization in the Atlanta area has now spread to four counties - Fulton, DeXalb, Cobb and Clayton, The total population increase in these four counties averaged slightly more than 30 percent per decade since the turn of the century. However, there has been considerable difference in the rates of growth in the individual counties and the proportionate share of the total represented by each county in 1950 is some what changed from that of 1900. What changes in growth trends can be expected in the future and how much new growth can be expected in the City of Atlanta, in Fulton County and in the Metropolitan Area in the next two or three decades? A second and equally fundamental question concerns the pattern of future growth. In earlier years the population was distributed in a relatively compact pattern over the more level land near the heart of the city. In recent decades automotive transportation and Atlanta's topography have encouraged both decentralization and scattered development. The existing pattern of much open land bypassed by expanding urban uses poses many problems. What should be the distri bution and density patterns of the future and how can they be achieved? This report is concerned with the findings and recom mendations regarding the above two questions which are funda mental to any urban planning program. The major objective -2- of this and succeeding portions of the planning program is to improve the functioning and livability of the community for its citizens. Any physical improvements proposed by the planning program must be carefully related to the amount and location of the population. If not, the proposed improve ments may be entirely out of scale or in the wrong location to serve future needs. Thus, the population studies comprise an essential basis for the planning of all future improvements in the City of Atlanta and Fulton County. It is essential that the population studies be coordinated with general studies of existing and future land uses. Land use analysis is necessary in determining the areas best adapted for specific types of development in the future. This analysis v/ill indicate the general location and extent of the major areas that should be used for industrial, commercial and residential purposes. In preparing estimates of the amount and location of population and land uses, thorough consideration has been given existing conditions and to past and current trends. These conditions have been examined at the local level as well as in other cities of similar size. Factors such as possibilities for future employment, increased use of the automobile and other modern transportation facilities, the desire for spacious residential development and the decentrali zation of industry were all given consideration. -3- It is recognized that it is impossible to estimate with complete accuracy the amount of population that v/ill be found in urban areas at any specific future period. Far too many unpredictable factors can influence growth. However, total growth over a long period can be forecast within reasonable limits. Since the forecasts are for a long period, any necessary future adjustments and revisions should be made at ten year intervals or as special conditions may warrant. The important requirement is to determine a reasonable scale of urbanization in Fulton County necessary to accommodate the growth estimated for the next two or three decades and to anticipate how this new population will or should be dis tributed. -4- FACTORS INFLUENCING GROWTH IN THE ATLANTA AREA Summary of Past Growth and Major Influences Thereon The City of Atlanta was "not founded by man but located by an act of the Legislature"!, a bill passed by the Georgia Legislature in 1836 called for the survey of a suitable railroad route to the northwest.