DRAFT - September 8, 2008
Neighborhood Master Plan
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates
April 29, 2010 City of Atlanta
The Honorable Mayor Kasim Reed
Atlanta City Council
Ceasar Mitchell, President Carla Smith, District 1 Kwanza Hall, District 2 Ivory Lee Young Jr., District 3 Cleta Winslow, District 4 Natalyn Mosby Archibong, District 5 Alex Wan, District 6 Howard Shook, District 7 Yolanda Adrian, District 8 Felicia A. Moore, District 9 C.T. Martin, District 10 Keisha Bottoms, District 11 Joyce Sheperd, District 12 Michael Julian Bond, Post 1 At-Large Aaron Watson, Post 2 At-Large H. Lamar Willis, Post 3 At-Large
Department of Planning and Community Development
James Shelby, Commissioner Bureau of Planning Charletta Wilson Jacks, Acting Director Garnett Brown, Assistant Director
55 Trinity Avenue, Suite 3350 • Atlanta, Georgia 30303 • 404-330-6145 http://www.atlantaga.gov/government/planning/burofplanning.aspx ii Acknowledgements
Department of Public Works Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates
Michael J. Cheyne, Interim Commissioner Caleb Racicot, Senior Principal Adam Williamson, Principal Department of Parks Jia Li, Planner/Designer Paul Taylor, Interim Commissioner Woody Giles, Planner
Atlanta Police Department, Zone 5 Service Donations The following organizations provided donations of time and Major Khirus Williams, Commander services to the master planning process:
Atlanta Public Schools American Institute of Architects, Atlanta Chapter Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates Beverly Hall, Superintendent Facility Donations
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood The following organizations made their facilities available for Association community and advisory committee meetings:
Lenore Caroll, President The Carter Center Jim McMahel, Chair, Master Plan Steering Druid Hills Baptist Church Committee Chris Jenko, Chair, Land Use Committee Patricia Bauer Steve Black Richard Bunn Anna Foote Edward Holifield Kathy Hutcherson Ryan James Tim Nichols Steven Snow Gregory Steigerwalt Mimi Walker
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iv Table of Contents
Part 1: Executive Summary ...... 1 Part 2: Context and History ...... 11 Part 3: Existing Conditions...... 17 3.1 Demographics & Socioeconomics ...... 18 3.2 Land use ...... 20 3.3 Housing...... 24 3.4 Transportation ...... 25 3.5: Environment...... 32 3.6: Infrastructure & Facilities...... 33 3.7 Urban Design & Historic Resources...... 35 Part 4: Recommendations ...... 41 4.1 Demographics & Socioeconomics...... 44 4.2 Land Use...... 45 4.3 Housing...... 53 4.5 Environment...... 65 4.6 Infrastructure & Facilities...... 67 4.7 Urban Design & Historic Resources...... 68 Part 5: Public Involvement...... 71 Part 6: Implementation...... 75 6.1: Action Program...... 76 6.2: Land Use & Zoning Changes...... 82
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vi Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan
Part 1: Executive Summary
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Executive Summary
Introduction It is bounded on the north by Ponce de Leon Avenue, on the east by Moreland Avenue, on the In many ways Poncey-Highland is one of Atlanta’s south by Freedom Parkway, and on the west by model neighborhoods. With its fine grained mix the BeltLine. This area is approximately 241 acres of housing types and businesses, its walkable, or 0.37 square miles in area. human-scaled streets, and a desire to thoughtfully accommodate growth, Poncey-Highland offers Master Plan Goals both a glimpse of Atlanta’s historic urbanism and a way of neighborhood building that is increasingly The goals of this master plan are to: key to addressing today’s urban challenges. • Define what Poncey-Highland should be in 25, or even 50, years. This master plan is a community-based vision for • Encourage a diverse and sustainable mix of guiding growth and change in the neighborhood. housing, employment, shopping, and open It calls for doing so in a way that preserves and space. builds on neighborhood strengths, addresses challenges and weaknesses, and takes full • Accommodate and encourage smart growth advantage of Poncey-Highland’s potential. and redevelopment while protecting the neighborhood character, businesses, and The study area includes all of Poncey-Highland. residents.
Figure 1.1: Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Boundaries
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Executive Summary
• Improve the neighborhood’s aesthetics. • Leverage BeltLine-related growth to foster improvements throughout the neighborhood. • Create a stronger identity and character for Poncey-Highland. It is was with these community-based goals in mind that the master planning effort has been guided.
Existing Conditions The planning process included a detailed review of existing conditions. Transportation, land use, urban design, historic resources, demographics, parks, and other existing conditions were carefully reviewed during the planning process to identify A historically compatible mix of commercial and residential areas characterizes the neighborhood opportunities and issues.
Among the key findings are that: • Neighborhood residents are diverse in terms of age, race, income, and educational level. • The neighborhood has a wealth of historic resources. • Historically the neighborhood was character- ized by a human-scaled, architecturally rich, urban fabric. Major damage was done to this fabric in the twentieth century, particularly by the planned Stone Mountain Expressway and auto-oriented commercial growth. • The neighborhood’s mix of land uses is domi- nated by single-family houses, duplexes, mul- Many of Poncey-Highland’s historic houses have been tifamily blocks, and commercial uses. restored and contribute to the neighborhood’s character • Existing C1 and C2 zoning along major corridors threatens their historic, walkable urbanism. • Development pressure is changing the face of many parts of the neighborhood, particularly adjacent to the BeltLine. • The neighborhood is well served by schools, churches, and public facilities. • The neighborhood benefits from Freedom Park, but several park improvements are needed. • Bus and rail service exist in and near the neigh- borhood, and new facilities are proposed, but much remains to be done to maximize use. • Vehicular traffic is well-served by an existing grid of streets, but opportunities exist to create Freedom Park is a major neighborhood amenity new streets and improve roadway operations.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Executive Summary
• High speed cut-through traffic is a problem along North Avenue and several other streets. • Walking is supported by compact land use pat- terns, but poor sidewalk conditions and pedes- trian-unfriendly development, particularly along Ponce de Leon Avenue, discourages walking. • A range of bicycle facilities exist, including off- street trails and on-street bike routes, but oppor- tunities exist to improve biking conditions.
Land Use Recommendations The recommended land use plan permits growth, but directs it into appropriate locations, as shown in the Framework Plan on the following page. Revitalized and new park space will benefit Poncey-Highland and the entire city • Strive to achieve the land use vision of the Framework Plan. • Freedom Park neighborhood arts committee. • Encourage a mix of land uses. • Freedom Park public art. • Preserve the historic residential core of the • Community garden enclosure. neighborhood. • Community garden expansion. • Provide height transitions from new develop- • Dog park location study. ment to historic residential core areas. • Neighborhood dog park. • Utilize quality of life zoning districts. • Dog waste bag dispensers. • Limit buildings to three stories at the back of • Freedom Park trash cans. the sidewalk along North Highland Avenue. • Freedom Park lighting. • Encourage redevelopment of the following five catalytic development sites: • Freedom Park water fountain. ◦ BeltLine Area • Freedom Park walkway. ◦ Ponce de Leon Avenue • Freedom Parkway tree planting. ◦ North Avenue East Area • Neighborhood walking route markers. ◦ Druid Hills Baptist Church • Carter Center shared parking. ◦ Manuel’s parking lot • Improvements to Freedom Park’s Ralph McGill Boulevard entrance. Park & Open Space Recommendations • Annual park clean-up day.
Park and open space recommendation focus on Housing Recommendations improving the use of Freedom Park, rather than creating new park space. • Strive to preserve the diverse mix of housing • Encourage an appropriate relationship between types in the neighborhood. parks and adjacent development. • Promote a range of housing prices in new • Support efforts to provide public art in Freedom development. Park. • Promote home ownership. • Support efforts to establish a farmers markets • Encourage multifamily housing to provide a near Poncey-Highland. range of unit sizes. • Integrate Freedom Park into future events • Historic apartment renovation. Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Executive Summary
Figure 1.2: Framework Plan
About This Map Height Transition (Typical) North Highland AvenBuRIeARHCeLiIFgFhPtL This map is an illustrative, long-term aspiration for land uses and building heights. It should be a guideline for developers andGREENWOOD AV
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Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Framework Plan - DRAFT NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates November 18, 2009 Executive Summary
Transportation Recommendations
In Poncey-Highland, transportation means providing accessibility and mobility for people, not just cars. This means establishing a balanced system of transit, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities, as well as modest vehicular upgrades.
Vehicular • Encourage shared parking in commercial and mixed-use areas. • Prohibit street abandonment as part of new development.
• Use traffic calming and street design to mini- New and repaired neighborhood sidewalks will be key to mize the impacts of cut through traffic. promoting safe walking in the neighborhood • Discourage new acceleration and deceleration • Traffic law enforcement. lanes on Ponce de Leon Avenue and Moreland Avenues. • Stop sign on Blue Ridge Avenue. • Provide access management practices on • Parking deck at Baptist Church. major corridors. • Preserve on-street parking. • Encourage new developments on North • Sidewalk accessibility improvements. Highland Avenue to create on-street parking. • Neighborhood “complete streets.” • North Avenue “road diet.” ◦ Blue Ridge Avenue
Figure 1.4: North Avenue “Road Diet” Concept
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Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan North Avenue "Road Diet" Concept Legend NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN Proposed Landscaping ÍÎ Proposed Tree
Sponsored by: Proposed Sidewalk Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Proposed Striped Area Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates Note: December 16, 2009 This concept reflects the community-desired vision for North Avenue. It has been prepared using City of Atlanta GIS data, which is approximate, at best. As such, all elements are subject to further study and design refinement. Executive Summary
Figure 1.3: Major Transportation Recommendations
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Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Draft Transportation Plan NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates October 21, 2009 Executive Summary
Figure 1.5: Williams Mill Road Relocation Concept Plan
◦ Somerset Terrace • North Avenue pedestrian upgrades. ◦ Bonaventure Avenue • BeltLine area wayfinding. ◦ Linwood Avenue • Ralph McGill Boulevard pedestrian upgrades. ◦ Cleburne Terrace • Parking lot wheel stops. • New publicly funded streets • Freedom Parkway “HAWK” crossing. ◦ Somerset Terrace extension • Pedestrian countdown signals. ◦ Belgrade Avenue extension • Accessible curb ramps. • New private funded streets • Restripe key crosswalks. ◦ From North Highland Avenue to Julia Street • Carter Center pedestrian access. ◦ Ponce de Leon Place extension • Neighborhood sidewalk repair/construction. • Williams Road realignment. • Remove right turn lane from Ponce to North • Ponce/Moreland intersection. Highland. • North Avenue/Moreland intersection. • North Highland Avenue crossing. • Freedom Park directional signage. Bicycle Pedestrian • Promote bicycling in Poncey-Highland. • Upgrade sidewalks with redevelopment • Bicycle parking enforcement. • Ensure high quality, accessible sidewalks • North Avenue Bicycle Improvements. • Ponce de Leon Avenue upgrades. • Ralph McGill Boulevard bike lanes. • Moreland Avenue Upgrades. • Freedom Park Trail link.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Executive Summary
Transit • Promote the use of transit. • BeltLine transit stop. • Enhance bus service. • Southbound bus shelter on North Highland Avenue at Blue Ridge Avenue. • Other North Highland Avenue bus shelters and schedules. • Carter Center bus stop access.
Environment Recommendations
• Promote sustainable new buildings. The BeltLine will one day provide greatly enhanced transit in • Reduce the stormwater impacts of parking. Poncey-Highland • Encourage the use of permeable paving. • Encourage use of renewable energy among residents and businesses. • Minimize exterior light pollution. • Encourage local food production through com- munity garden. • Encourage tree planting on private property. • Encourage xeriscaping and native species in all landscape design projects. • Encourage green roofs. • Neighborhood LEED ND certification. • Sustainable Development Standards. • Neighborhood graywater plan. Community gardens will help encourage local food production and support sustainable lifestyles. • Neighborhood bio-swales. • Neighborhood tree palette. • Atlanta “dark skies” plan. • Neighborhood recycling program. • Multifamily recycling enforcement.
Infrastructure & Facility Recommendations
Fixing aging water and sewer pipes is a priority, as is public safety.
• Encourage developers to bury utilities when redevelopment occurs. • Bury utilities as part of streetscape projects Bio-swales along stormwater to slowly infiltrate into the ground, while also providing greenery along: Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Executive Summary
◦ Ponce de Leon Avenue ◦ Moreland Avenue ◦ North Highland Avenue ◦ North Avenue ◦ Ralph McGill Boulevard • Code violation enforcement. • Neighborhood police patrols. • Street sweeping.
Urban Design & Historic Preservation Recommendations
The character of Poncey-Highland must be Minimum locations for ground-floor storefronts should be preserved if it is retain its qualify of life. established along Ponce and North Highland Avenues • Require quality building materials for new construction. • Promote ground-floor retail on key streets. • Preserve existing historic resources • Support standards to discourage demolition of historic structures. • Designate historic buildings as official “Landmark Buildings.” • Establish consensus on the pursuit of neigh- borhood historic designation. • Install art on BeltLine bridges. • Install neighborhood gateway markers. Key historic buildings in the neighborhood should be preserved
10 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan
Part 2: Context and History
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 11 Context and History
Neighborhood History
Until the late nineteenth century, Poncey-Highland was a largely rural area at the edge of Atlanta’s urban expansion. Early growth was limited to a few farmhouses and small mills, the latter occupying the area east of the BeltLine at Ralph McGill Boulevard.
The neighborhood’s present form was shaped by growth between 1907 and 1928 along streetcar lines. The first of these was the Nine Mile Circle Trolley, which ran from Downtown to Virginia- Highland via Ponce de Leon Avenue and North Highland Avenue (north of Ponce de Leon Avenue). Wynne’s Apartment Hotel, now The Highland Inn (courtesy It was a catalyst for the area’s transformation from Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library) farm and woodland into a neighborhood. Later, lines on North Highland Avenue south of Ponce de Leon Avenue would have a similar impact.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps from 1911 show that the earliest developed areas along streetcar lines were at the southwest corner of Ponce de Leon and North Highland Avenues, and the southwest corner of North Highland Avenue and Williams Mill Road. Both areas have since been demolished, but the contemporary Highland School remains.
As the neighborhood grew in the 1920s, the mix of multifamily and commercial uses along North Highland and Ponce de Leon Avenues that Houses and apartments once lined Ponce de Leon Avenue at exists today was founded. These grew up around Linwood Avenue (courtesy Special Collections and Archives, streetcar stops, while single-family houses tended Georgia State University Library) to be located on the side streets.
By 1930, the neighborhood was largely built, with the exception of a few redevelopments such as the 1939 Briarcliff Plaza.
The neighborhood entered a period of stability until the 1960s. Then, middle-class suburban flight began to take its toll. Also around this time, and largely as a symptom of perceived decline, preliminary land clearance for the Stone Mountain Freeway led to the destruction of a large swath across the southern end of the neighborhood before the project was stopped in the 1970s by a coalition of community activists and U.S. President Jimmy A gas station once stood at Cleburne Terrace and North Carter. Although the Carter Presidential Center Highland Avenue, now part of Freedom Park (courtesy Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library) 12 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Context and History would eventually be built on some of this land, the area remained a scar in the neighborhood’s fabric for the next 20 years.
By the 1980s, Poncey-Highland had started to stabilize and even revitalize on an incremental scale. One of the first major rehabilitations was in 1982, when the Briarcliff Plaza was restored to its Art Deco glory. Simultaneously, the renovation and restoration of historic houses began a block- by-block transformation of the neighborhood. Revitalization continued into the 1990s, and received a boost when the land cleared for the Stone Mountain Highway was reenvisioned as the site of Freedom Parkway and Freedom Park. Briarcliff Plaza dates from 1939 and was renovated in 1982
Freedom Park’s opening on September 19, 2000, marked the end of one period in the neighborhood’s history and the beginning of another. The park’s green space and multi-use trail have been catalysts for further revitalization and have made Poncey-Highland one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods, especially for those who value both urban amenities and recreational opportunities.
Today, the neighborhood continues to change, with several large multifamily buildings near the BeltLine and smaller infill projects throughout.
Previous Studies
In recent years Poncey-Highland and surrounding Many of Poncey-Highland’s historic homes have been areas have been the subject of various planning restored initiatives. A major element of developing this master plan has been absorbing the visions of previous planning efforts to ensure that existing work is not duplicated. These existing studies and their main recommendations are outlined below.
BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (2009)
The BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan was a comprehensive transportation and land-use planning effort aimed at developing a framework for growth along the BeltLine. Within Poncey- Highland, the plan examined the neighborhood west of North Highland Avenue, with a focus on the vacant and industrial land in the BeltLine corridor. Freedom Park is now a major neighborhood amenity
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 13 Context and History
Recommendations included: Connect Atlanta Plan (2008) • Establish 5-9 story mixed-use development along the BeltLine, and transition to 1-4 stories This plan is Atlanta’s first citywide comprehensive to the east. transportation plan. It addresses all modes of transportation citywide and presents projects, • Preserve historic landmarks, including the ranked according to how effectively they meet the neighborhood core, Telephone Factory Lofts, goals of the plan. Ford Factory Lofts, and the Clermont Hotel. • Install public art at the BeltLine bridges over Within Poncey-Highland, the plan includes a North Avenue, Ralph McGill Boulevard, and series of transportation recommendations, which Ponce de Leon Avenue. are detailed in Section 3.4 of this document. The plan also includes various street extensions and transportation projects detailed in Section 3.4 of this document. More detailed land use recommendations can be found in Figure 2.1.
Figure 2.1: BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan Land Use Recommendations
14 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Context and History
Old Fourth Ward Master Plan (2008) • Provide mixed-income, mixed-age housing. • Provide sustainable building and neighborhood The Old Fourth Ward Master Plan is a neighborhood- design. based planning effort for the area just west of Poncey-Highland. Key recommendations from this The plan’s land use vision matched that of the plan in the adjacent area include: BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan. It also included several transportation recommendations, which • Build the Historic Fourth Ward Park, including are found in Section 3.4 of this document. a community garden. • Create a gateway feature at Ralph McGill Boulevard BeltLine bridge. • Redevelop City Hall East/Ponce Park. • Create a secondary retail node on the north side of Ralph McGill Boulevard, just west of the
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Proposed Land Use Framework o Old Fourth Ward Master Plan 2008 The City of Atlanta Department of Planning & Community Development Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates
September 2, 2008 Context and History
Figure 2.3: Ponce de Leon Avenue/Moreland Avenue Corridors Study Land Use Plan
Ponce de Leon Avenue/Moreland Avenue Corridors Study (2005)
The Ponce/Moreland Corridor Study was a land use and transportation effort that looked at the northern boundary of the neighborhood. Its goals included: • Improving traffic operations by focusing on the efficient use of existing pavement • Balancing the regional roles and needs of Ponce de Leon Avenue with its context in order to maintain or improve vehicular operations • Making transit more user-friendly and efficient • Balancing the citywide need to focus new development into corridors with potential impacts on neighborhoods • Establishing pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use nodes that built on historic land uses patterns The plan recommended mid-rise, mixed-use buildings along Ponce de Leon Avenue and North Avenue within the neighborhood rather than the current mix of largely auto-oriented uses. It proposed maximum building heights of four stories along Ponce de Leon, North Highland, and Moreland Avenues within Poncey-Highland.
16 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan
Part 3: Existing Conditions
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 17 Existing Conditions: Demographics & Socioeconomics
3.1 Demographics & Socioeconomics Table 3.1: Neighborhood Population Population Percentage Demographics White 1,364 75.9% Although Poncey-Highland is one of the smallest neighborhoods in Atlanta, at 241 acres, its resi- Black 310 17.2% dents are diverse compared to many other neigh- borhoods. This can be attributed to its history and Other 124 6.8% mix of housing types, which are further described in Section 3.3 Housing. Total 1,767 100%
To understand its existing demographics, a review Table 3.2: Length of Commute was performed using U.S. Census data, most of Length in Tract 14, Tract 15, Tract 16, which date from 2000. Because most data are Minutes Block Group 1 Block Group 5 Block Group 1 almost 10 years old, they do not reflect more recent neighborhood changes. They are, nevertheless, <30 75.4% 78.2% 78.8% a starting point when augmented with anecdotal data and field observations. 30-44 15.3% 15.7% 15.3%
According to 2000 Census block level data, the 45-59 5.6% 5.2% 4.1% neighborhood’s population was nearly 1,800. When recent development is taken into account, >60 3.6% 0.9% 1.8% population is estimated at 2,100. Accordingly, the current neighborhood population density is esti- Table 3.3: Commuting Mode mated at 8.7 gross persons per acre, or 16.4 net Tract 14, Tract 15, Tract 16, persons per acre. The gross figure includes parks Block Group 1 Block Group 5 Block Group 1 and rights-of-way, while the net does not. Transit 5.3% 5.6% 3.2% The 2000 Census also indicates that: Other 94.7% 94.4% 96.8% • The average household size was 1.49 • The neighborhood was 76 percent white, 17 Total 100% 100% 100% percent African American, and 6 percent other Source: 2000 U.S. Census
Tract 14 Block Group 1
The 29 neighborhood census blocks in 1999 The three neighborhood census block groups in 1999
18 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Demographics & Socioeconomics
Table 3.4: Education for Those 25+ Years Tract 14, Block Group 1 Tract 15, Block Group 5 Tract 16, Block Group 1 High school & below 10.0% 21.5% 11.1% Some higher education 20.1% 22.8% 19.4% Bachelor degree 42.5% 40.8% 44.6% Master degree 19.9% 6.3% 14.0% Professional degree 5.5% 6.6% 6.9% Doctorate degree 2.0% 2.0% 4.0% Source: 2000 U.S. Census
• The median age was 20 to 30 years • Median household incomes ranged from $38,000 to $46,000 The neighborhood’s population is highly educated, with most residents having some higher education. This fact, coupled with data showing that 32.9 percent are single men and 25.9 percent single women, suggests that the neighborhood houses many young professionals who were attracted to the area due to its location and lifestyle.
With time, it is likely that many young singles will marry or form permanent partnerships. Some may eventually have children, increasing the number of Map showing where people working in Poncey-Highland live; households with kids from the 6.6 percent found in the darker the color, the more workers (Source: US Census) 2000. In fact, there is already anecdotal evidence that this is happening, and a new playground was recently built to serve this growing population.
Employment
Poncey-Highland’s mix of uses means that it contains many jobs in a relatively small area. 2006 Census data show nearly 1,100 jobs, primarily along Ponce de Leon and Highland Avenues. Most workers at these jobs come from the nearby neighborhoods of Virginia-Highland, Inman Park, and Druid Hills.
2006 US Census data also provide an overview of the employment trends of neighborhood residents. Map showing where people living in Poncey-Highland work; Of the 2,100 residents, nearly 1,000 have jobs. the darker the color, the more jobs (Source: US Census) These jobs are clustered in Downtown, Midtown, Emory, or Buckhead, with smaller clusters in Cobb County, Perimeter Center, and the Northlake Mall area. The result is an average commute of under 30 minutes, usually made by car. Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 19 Existing Conditions: Land Use
3.2 Land use Table 3.5: Existing Land Uses Land Use Acres Percent Existing Land Use Mixed-Use 1-4 Stories 2.7 1.1% Poncey-Highland is a traditional urban neighbor- Low Density Commercial 20.6 8.5% hood with a mix of uses. Commercial uses are Residential 5-9 Stories 0.8 0.3% located along Ponce de Leon and North Highland Residential 1-4 Stories 22.8 9.5% Avenues, and represent 8.5 percent of land area Single-Family/Duplex 53.5 22.1% in the neighborhood. They include both historic neighborhood commercial rows, which are pedes- Office/institutional 40.2 16.7% trian friendly, and newer auto-oriented commercial Industrial 11.6 4.8% uses. There are only two mixed use properties in Existing Park 35.0 14.5% the neighborhood: the Ford Factory Lofts next to Parking Lot/Vacant 5.7 2.4% the BeltLine and the building housing Java Vino on BeltLine 4.7 2.0% North Highland Avenue. Rights-of-Way 43.4 18%
Figure 3.1: Existing Land Use Map
20 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Land Use
The neighborhood’s residential land uses are varied, as is typical for urban neighborhoods that grew up around trolleys.
Residential 1-4 Stories, including multifamily buildings and townhouses, makes up about 10 percent of the land area. This use is scattered around the neighborhood, with some built recently (e.g. Freedom Apartments), some converted from other uses (e.g. Telephone Factory Lofts, Highland School Lofts), and some built in the 1920s. Most uses in this category are multifamily, although small townhouse complexes can be found.
The other major residential category is Single The Publix supermarket on Ponce de Leon Avenue is one of Family, which includes detached houses and the largest commercial land uses in the neighborhood duplexes. This category forms the core of the neighborhood and tends to be located away from major streets, with the exception of houses on Moreland and North Avenues.
The Carter Center on the south end of the neighborhood is its major Office/Institutional use. Others include the Druid Hills Baptist Church and the Salvation Army along Ponce de Leon Avenue.
Industrial uses are located along the BeltLine. Most are warehouses or other marginal uses with long-term potential for development. The BeltLine Subarea 5 Plan calls for redeveloping all of the industrial land into mixed uses. The North Highland Apartments are a major residential land Other long-term redevelopment sites could be the use in the neighborhood neighborhood’s few vacant parcels and surface parking areas.
Parks & Open Space
Poncey-Highland has more park space (14.5 percent) than any other Atlanta neighborhood. The park includes passive recreation areas, multi-use trails, community gardens, and a new playground.
In the future, the BeltLine will increase park space by another 4.7 acres, not including the new Historic Fourth Ward Park, another part of the BeltLine vision that is currently under construction adjacent to the study area. This small court of single-family houses is found on Blue Ridge Avenue
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 21 Existing Conditions: Land Use
Existing Future Land Use Plan However, a notable exception to this is North Highland Avenue between Freedom Park and Blue The City of Atlanta’s 15-Year Land Use Plan Ridge Avenue. Here the plan shows Low Density serves as the basis for future zoning changes and Commercial and Single-Family. And while it is puts forward a general vision for land use patterns true that the commercial designation does reflect within the neighborhood. existing land uses, with the notable exception of the Morningside Condominiums, it also suggests The current plan appropriately designates Freedom that their future development into single-use, Park as Open Space, the Carter Center as auto-oriented commercial establishments would Institutional, historic residential areas as such, and be appropriate. Likewise, the Single-Family Mixed Use along Ponce de Leon Avenue and the designation of most of the Manuel’s Tavern parking BeltLine. Over time, this will allow for appropriate lot would prevent its redevelopment into a more zoning changes in most portions of Poncey- pedestrian-friendly mixed-use/parking facility. Highland where redevelopment is expected to occur, while protecting residential areas.
Figure 3.2: Existing 15 Year Land Use Plan Map
22 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Land Use
Existing Zoning • RG districts preclude context-sensitive, tradi- tional forms by mandating a 40 foot setback. Land in Poncey-Highland is zoned to preserve • In all districts, parking requirements discour- the character of historic residential streets, age shared parking and require more spaces accommodate a mix of uses along North Highland than often needed. Avenue, and encourage successful redevelopment oriented toward the BeltLine. • Design standards are lacking outside of SPI 6 and the BeltLine Overlay districts. Even so, current zoning has several challenges: The result is that the major streets east of Linwood • C-1 and C-2 districts are very permissive and Avenue are zoned for development that would allow commercial strip development. destroy historic mixed-use character in favor of • C-1 and C-2 districts prevent buildings from auto-oriented sprawl. This was recognized in the fronting the sidewalk, as historic buildings do. Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenues Corridor Study, • C-1, C-2, I, and RG districts have no height and recommendations were made to address this. limit other than the transitional height plane. However, no changes have been made to date.
Figure 3.3: Existing Zoning Map
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 23 Existing Conditions: Housing
3.3 Housing
Like many urban neighborhoods, Poncey-Highland contains a wide variety of housing types and price points. Current field estimates place the number of units at 1,400. Of these, it is estimated that: • 10 percent are in mixed-use settings, primarily at the Ford Factory Lofts • 15 percent are institutional, including Booth Towers and boarding houses • 32 percent are single-family • 43 percent are townhouses or multifamily Furthermore, 2000 Census data shows that: Poncey-Highland’s single-family houses form the core of the • 88 percent of units were occupied neighborhood (photo courtesy Jim McMahel) • 12 percent of units were vacant • 82.5 percent of units were renter-occupied • 17.5 percent were owner-occupied Estimated values of owner-occupied units in July 2009, according to Zillow.com, were: • $386,100 for single-family housing • $138,500 for condominiums • $249,100 average for all units These represent an average 5.8 percent drop from last year, and suggest that the neighborhood is more stable than many in the city and region, which saw drops of 11.1 and 8.6 percent, respectively, during the same period. Two vacant apartment buildings occupy the southeast corner of North Highland Avenue at Blue Ridge Avenue Field surveys suggest that, since 2000, the number of owner-occupied units has increased as formerly rented houses have reverted to owner-occupied houses.
Most of the vacant units can be found in the two small apartment buildings at the southeast corner of North Highland and Blue Ridge Avenues. Due to the death of their owner, these two historic buildings are in a state of disrepair that threatens not only passersby, but also the historic integrity of the North Highland Avenue corridor.
The Morningside is an historic multifamily building that has been maintained and contributes to neighborhood identity . Zillow.com. www.zillow.com. Accessed 9/23/09 24 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Transportation
3.4 Transportation
Poncey-Highland is currently well served by a variety of transportation facilities. Unlike many Atlanta neighborhoods, it has frequent bus service, bicycle trails, a well-connected street grid, and many sidewalks. There is still a great deal that needs to be done to bring these individual modes DREWRY ST Y A
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Historic Form NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates May 6, 2009 Existing Conditions: Transportation current system. As a result of this and pre-existing barriers to the west, the neighborhood relies on a few major streets to connect to adjacent areas. Key streets in the neighborhood include:
Ponce de Leon Avenue
Ponce de Leon Avenue is the northern boundary of the neighborhood and is one of the main east-west routes in this section of the city, connecting Midtown with Decatur. The right-of-way is 90 feet wide and contains up to six travel lanes with turn lanes at major intersections. Ponce de Leon Avenue is one of three state routes in the neighborhood. Speed humps have been installed on Blue Ridge Avenue to Moreland Avenue reduce speeding
Forming the eastern edge of the neighborhood, North Highland Avenue Moreland Avenue is a state route connecting north into DeKalb County and south to I-20. This segment The only major north-south route within the of the avenue is four lanes wide and has a 90-foot neighborhood, North Highland Avenue has two wide right-of-way. Its intersection with Ponce de travel lanes with limited on-street parking and turn Leon Avenue is a major congestion point. lanes at major intersections. The right-of-way is typically 50 feet wide. North Avenue Speeding and Cut Through Traffic North Avenue is also an east-west route, although less busy than Ponce de Leon Avenue. West of A key concern today, and one that is partially due Bonaventure Avenue, North Avenue is four lanes, to the design of the neighborhood’s streets, is but to the east it narrows to two travel lanes. Land speeding cut through traffic. The neighborhood’s uses along it are more residential than along wide, straight streets make it easy for impatient Ponce de Leon Avenue, and the corridor suffers drivers to drive quickly through the neighborhood from speeding and peak-hour congestion. to avoid congestion, most often on Ponce de Leon and Moreland Avenues. This impacts the quality- Freedom Parkway of-life of residents, the safety of non-speeders, and the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Freedom Parkway is a limited access divided highway with one travel lane in each direction. Due The Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenues Corridor to its limited access and grade separated design Study recommended signs to encourage the use west of North Highland Avenue, the road forms of Freedom Parkway instead of neighborhood a barrier that separates Poncey-Highland from streets, but none have been installed. Further Inman Park. Freedom Parkway is a state route. steps may be needed to make it difficult to speed through the neighborhood, and thereby encourage Ralph McGill Boulevard the use of perimeter routes.
Ralph McGill Boulevard is an east-west link that connects to the Old Fourth Ward and the growing north end of Downtown. The right-of-way is approximately 60 feet wide, with two travel lanes and on-street parking.
26 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Transportation
Route Frequency Avg. Daily Description No. (on/off peak) Ridership
Ponce de Leon Avenue (the northern boundary of the study 20 min./ 2 1,916 area) between North Avenue Station and Avondale Station. 40 min.
North Highland Avenue, connecting south to Five Points 15 min./ 16 1,979 Station and north to I-85 and Executive Business Park 30-40 min.
North Highland Avenue, connecting north to Virginia Avenue 30 min./ 45 710 and Midtown and south to Little Five Points and Candler Park 45 min.
Atlantic Station and Georgia Tech through downtown and the 113 60 min.* 1,755 Old Fourth Ward to Poncey-Highland Table 3.6: Neighborhood Bus Boardings (data courtesy MARTA, collected April - August 2009)
Public Transit
Poncey-Highland is well served by four bus routes and around 20 bus stops. These routes, described above, provide transfer-free connections to Five Points, Midtown, North Avenue, Decatur, and Edgewood-Candler Park rail stations, in addition to direct service to Downtown, Midtown, Virginia- Highland, Little Five Points, the Old Fourth Ward, Druid Hills, and Decatur. All MARTA buses are wheelchair accessible and equipped with bicycle racks. All bus stops, except one at the Carter Center, are little more than flag poles. They lack benches, shelters, and schedules. MARTA bus #16 services North Highland Avenue There are no rail stations in the neighborhood but the Inman Park-Reynoldstown and Edgewood- Candler Park stations are within walking distance of much of it, and all bus routes connect to a station. Current plans for expanded service include the BeltLine’s transit component, and long-term arterial bus rapid transit on Moreland Avenue. These will augment existing service to create one of the city’s most transit-served neighborhoods.
Most MARTA bus stops in Poncey-Highland are nothing more than a sign on a metal pole
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 27 Existing Conditions: Transportation BRIARCLIFF PL
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Existing Sidewalk Conditions NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates May 15, 2009 Existing Conditions: Transportation
Along Ponce de Leon Avenue and at the Manuel’s Tavern parking lot, the lack of wheel stops allows parked cars to extend over the sidewalk, blocking pedestrian access. In other areas, including on North Avenue just east of North Highland, long driveway curb cuts threaten pedestrian safety.
Bicycle Facilities
The Freedom Park multiuse trail is the only existing bicycle facility in the neighborhood. It connects to Downtown, Ponce de Leon Avenue, Inman Park, and Decatur. However, the recently-completed Connect Atlanta Plan, the city’s comprehensive transportation plan, identifies several routes: The multiuse trail in Freedom Park connects to Downtown Atlanta and the Old Fourth Ward • Core Bicycle Connections on Ralph McGill Boulevard, west of Freedom Parkway • Secondary Bicycle Connections on Ponce de Leon, North and North Highland Avenues • Secondary Bicycle Connections on North Avenue west of Freedom Parkway Connect Atlanta does not suggest specific facilities for these routes, but rather suggests their importance in the citywide network and potential options. In the case of Poncey-Highland, it also recommends sign upgrades where the North Avenue facility meets Freedom Parkway.
Although there are few on-street facilities, most neighborhood streets are suited for bicycling There are no bike lanes in the neighborhood, but they are because of their low traffic volumes and few turning recommended on Ralph McGill Boulevard by the Connect vehicles. Notable exceptions are Ponce de Leon Atlanta Plan (photo courtesy Dan Burden) and Moreland Avenues. At times of high traffic and speeding, bicycling on North Avenue east of Freedom Parkway can also be difficult because sections of pavement are broken.
Bicycle racks can be found at several locations in the neighborhood, including Publix and many North Highland Avenue shops. Racks are required by city code, but not all businesses comply, especially many of the chain stores and restaurants along Ponce de Leon Avenue. Increased enforcement would go a long way toward improving bike facilities and the perception of cycling as a viable option.
Bicycle racks are essential for bicycle use to be convenient
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 29 Existing Conditions: Transportation
Previous Transportation Studies • North Avenue “road diet” between the BeltLine and Bonaventure Avenue Various transportation studies have been conducted • Somerset Terrace extension as a mixed use that affect the future of Poncey-Highland. These avenue with parking and bike lanes are outlined Part 2, but their transportation-specific recommendations are detailed here. • Ponce de Leon Place extension through the Kroger site to North Avenue BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (2009) • Streetscape on Ralph McGill Boulevard from BeltLine to Freedom Parkway Transportation recommendations impacting the • North Avenue streetscape and bike lanes from neighborhood included: BeltLine to North Highland Avenue • Belgrade Avenue extension across the • North Highland Avenue bike lanes or “share BeltLine the road” markings • North Angier Springs Road extension under • BeltLine area wayfinding signs the BeltLine
Figure 3.6: Key BeltLine Subarea 5 Recommendations
30 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Transportation
Connect Atlanta Plan (2009)
Transportation recommendations impacting the neighborhood included: • Primary Bike Route on Ralph McGill Boulevard from BeltLine to Freedom Parkway • Secondary Bike Route on North Highland Avenue • Secondary Bike Route on Ponce de Leon Avenue • Secondary Bike Route on North Avenue from BeltLine to Freedom Parkway At the BeltLine, Ralph McGill Boulevard will become a major • Intersection improvements at Ponce de Leon neighborhood entry point Avenue and Moreland Avenue • New streets with private redevelopment on the • Provide public pedestrian and bicycle access Kroger site and Angier Springs Road to the BeltLine from adjacent areas • New public streets with redevelopment west of • Perform traffic signal upgrades, develop signal Belgrade Avenue timing coordination plans, and use pedestrian countdown signals at all signalized crossings Old Fourth Ward Master Plan (2008) • Widen sidewalks and improve streetscapes on This study did not include Poncey-Highland, but Ponce de Leon Avenue. its proximity impacts the neighborhood’s western • Install signs on Ponce de Leon and Moreland edge. Transportation recommendations included: Avenues to encourage use of Freedom • Streetscapes with street trees, lights, and Parkway sidewalks along North Avenue (also includ- • Enhance bus service on Ponce de Leon and ing a median and “road diet”), Ralph McGill Moreland Avenues (benches, shelters, etc.) Boulevard, and Ponce de Leon Avenue • Install southbound left hand signal on Briarcliff • Bike lanes along Ralph McGill Boulevard Road at Ponce de Leon Avenue • A stop sign on Ralph McGill Boulevard at new • Stop using deceleration lanes on Moreland or park edge street (just west of Ashley Avenue) Ponce de Leon Avenues • Bike lanes along North Avenue • Repave and remill Ponce de Leon and • Extension of North Angier Avenue to Ralph Moreland Avenues McGill Boulevard, along proposed park edge • BeltLine transit stop mid-way between North Avenue and Ralph McGill Boulevard
Ponce / Moreland Corridor Study (2005)
Transportation recommendations impacting the neighborhood included: • Prohibit street abandonment or closure as part of new development, unless new streets are created with equal or greater connectivity • Support new streets across the BeltLine
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 31 Existing Conditions: Environment
3.5: Environment
Within Poncey-Highland, the natural environment has been modified and impacted over the years by human activity. In the twentieth century, the neighborhood’s development impacted the natural landscape in a number of ways.
Most of these impacts, however, occurred during the initial construction of the neighborhood. Its largely residential and commercial nature means that the neighborhood was not subject to the contamination that affected other areas. Furthermore, there are currently no sites in the neighborhood for which permits have been issued Many parking lots along Ponce de Leon Avenue lack by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to landscaping handle hazardous materials.
However, Poncey-Highland includes a number of “greyfield” or under used commercial sites. Treeless parking lots and one-story commercial uses along Ponce de Leon Avenue and the BeltLine contribute to environmental concerns, including radiant heat, litter, noise (from people using their parking lots for gatherings), and non-point-source pollution from stormwater runoff.
Other environmental concerns in the neighborhood include littering along Ponce de Leon and North Highland Avenues, trash and accompanying odors, air pollution, and noise from traffic along major corridors. The neighborhood has good tree canopy, but some trees, such as these Bradford Pears, are near the end of their lives These problems notwithstanding, Poncey-High- land has far less impact on the environment than many places. Its compact, walkable nature reduces the need to drive, and its tree canopy cools and cleans the air. If existing challenges could be rem- edied, and sustainable principles were followed in site redevelopment, stormwater management, transportation, and waste, the neighborhood could truly be a model of sustainability.
Pervious paving may be one technique to improve environmental performance
32 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Infrastructure & Facilities
3.6: Infrastructure & Facilities
Poncey-Highland is supported by essential infrastructure, without which it would not be able to grow or survive. The following sections catalogue the infrastructure and facilities in the neighborhood.
Sewer
As an urban area, the neighborhood includes sewer throughout. Unfortunately, due to decades of neglect, many of these facilities are in need of upgrades. The City of Atlanta Department of
Watershed Management is conducting a series of city hallAging east park parcel sewer and water lines within the neighborhood are sewer evaluation and rehabilitation programs in scheduled for evaluation and replacement where necessary 7
8 6 the City to identify necessary sewer rehabilitation 9
NORTH AVENUE 5 projects. The area that covers the Poncey-Highland 10 4 1 3 neighborhood is listed as one of the programs ARTifact plaza 2 PROPOSED STREET included in the city’s Capital Improvements
SOMERSET TERRACE SOMERSET BeltLine Subarea 5: NORTH ANGIER AVENUE NORTHEAST/ Program. Work is expected to begin this year. North Avenue
bioswale Final Park Water Master Plan event lawn
N IO Water main surveys and replacements are also S N E T entry court X E included in the City’s current Capital Improvements MORGAN STREET ET RE ST AS LL Program for the entire neighborhood. Water mains DA SED PO PRO are scheduled to be replaced, where needed, by grand entry
overlook 2012. These improvements will occur concurrently bouldering area with the sewer line work outlined above. PROPOSED NORTH ANGIER EXTENSION sunken garden DALLAS STREET main pathway
Stormwater WILMER STREET open meadow
amphitheater All of Poncey-Highland is located in the Clear
rain garden Creek watershed. The most significant plans for picnic area stormwater management in the coming years PROPOSED STREET center on the proposed park south of City Hall RANKIN STREET East. The City has contributed $30 million toward flexible play lawn overlook the construction of a series of water features in this new park that will retain and filter stormwater runoff through a system of ponds, fountains, and playground splash pad artificial wetlands. open lawn ANGIER AVENUE sculpted hills The facility is designed to contain water from a PROPOSED STREET
100-year flood and will reduce flooding both in garden rooms the immediate area and in the larger watershed. multi-use field Construction began in late 2009. skatepark RALPH MCGILL BOULEVARD
The Historic Fourth Ward Park, only a fewAVENUE ASHLEY yards from Poncey- Highland, will include stormwater features playground Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 33
WILLOUGHBY WAY
FREEDOM PARKWAY
NOVEMBER 12, 2007
SCALE IN FEET 0 50 100 150 200 300 Existing Conditions: Infrastructure & Facilities
Schools
As the number of neighborhood children increases, schools are becoming increasingly important. Currently the neighborhood is served by: • Springdale Park Elementary, a new school in nearby Druid Hills • Inman Middle School to the north in Virginia-Highland • Grady High School to the northwest in Midtown Inman Middle and Grady High Schools are too far away to be walkable, but parts of Poncey-Highland could walk to Springdale Elementary if a safe route Springdale Park Elementary School in nearby Druid Hills is within walking distance of Poncey-Highland was provided.
Libraries
The Ponce de Leon branch library, located at 980 Ponce de Leon Avenue, across street from Poncey-Highland, is a part of the larger Atlanta- Fulton Public Library system. This library has a community meeting room with 50 seats.
Fire
There are no active fire stations within Poncey- Highland. The nearest is Fire Station 19, located at 1063 North Highland Avenue in the adjacent Virginia Highland Neighborhood. The Atlanta Medical Center is a significant health care facility for the entire Atlanta region Police Grady Health System’s Ponce de Leon Center, The entire Poncey-Highland neighborhood lies which houses the Infectious Disease Program, is within Atlanta Police Department Zone 6. The also located nearby. The facility provides medical headquarters for this zone are located outside of care, mental health services, substance abuse the study area on Hosea L. Williams Drive. A mini treatment, social services, and nutritional support precinct is located nearby in Little Five Points. for AIDS patients. Hospitals and Healthcare
The closest hospital to Poncey-Highland is Atlanta Medical Center. Its campus includes a 460-bed hospital, a trauma center, a cancer center, a diabetes center, an athletic club and weight loss center, and a community health center.
34 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Urban Design & Historic Resources
3.7 Urban Design & Historic Re- sources
Urban Design
Urban design is the design of the public realm and the relationships between the elements that define it, such as streets, sidewalks, plazas, parks, and buildings. It focuses on how these relationships define local identity and sense-of-place.
In considering urban design, attention is given to: • Relationships between buildings and the street, and among the buildings themselves In Charleston, South Carolina, buildings, landscaping, and • Streetscapes, including sidewalks, trees, lights, street design work together to define a rich local character and furnishings • Open spaces such as parks and plazas • Street patterns, including street widths, blocks sizes, and character A well-grounded understanding of good urban design principles is essential to creating livable neighborhoods at a variety of densities.
Streetscapes
Streetscapes in Poncey-Highland are diverse, yet inconsistent. While a variety of street characters are not necessarily a problem, the lack of consistency in Poncey-Highland does present challenges, which include: Street trees on neighborhood streets can help dignify the • Inconsistent streetscape materials public realm • Unattractive streetscape in some areas, espe- cially Ponce de Leon Avenue • Sidewalks in disrepair in some areas • Lack of street lights or street furniture • Lack of street trees along most sidewalks • Unattractive bus shelters and stops • Frontal parking lots • Wide driveways, particularly at the Buddy’s gas station • Overhead utility lines • Poorly striped crosswalks Opportunities exist to improve streetscapes through public and private improvements. Large The Manuel’s Tavern parking lot disrupts the urban fabric setbacks provide ample room for improvements along North Highland Avenue
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 35 Existing Conditions: Urban Design & Historic Resources
Figure 3.7: Urban Design Analysis
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36 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Urban Design Analysis NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates May 15, 2009 Existing Conditions: Urban Design & Historic Resources in front of existing buildings, while new buildings could be held to higher standards of architecture and urbanism.
Building Form and Orientation
Buildings form and orientation vary across the neighborhood. In historic commercial areas along North Highland Avenue buildings touch each other on the sides and directly front the sidewalk with pedestrian-friendly storefronts. However, newer businesses in other areas are often set back behind parking lots.
Along residential streets, houses are set back from Historic commercial buildings were built touching each other the street, but connected to it by walkways. Often on the sides to create a continuous street wall they include porches, which encourage social interaction, and rear or side garages that do not disrupt the street’s character. Most have fences, knee walls, or hedges at the back of the sidewalk to create a clear distinction between public and private space without forming a barrier.
Building heights vary across the study area. Except for single family houses, most residential buildings are less than four stories. Typical commercial buildings are between one and three stories in height, while a few along Ponce de Leon Avenue’s west end are six to seven stories.
Historic Designations Outdoor dining along North Highland Avenue makes use of a Types of Historic Designation large setback
The National Register of Historic Places is a federally maintained listing of historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts that are recognized for their significance and are worthy of preservation. Properties are nominated by each state’s historic preservation office, and a comprehensive national list is maintained by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Listing on the National Register helps preserve properties by providing recognition of a property’s architectural, historical, or archaeological significance. Identifying properties as historic and significant ensures that they will be taken into account in all state and federally assisted projects. Listing also lends Historic knee walls, fences, or hedges separate public and importance, without regulation, to consideration of private space their use in privately funded projects. Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 37 Existing Conditions: Urban Design & Historic Resources
In Georgia, properties are added to the National • Be old enough to be considered historic (gen- Register by the Department of Natural Resources erally at least 50 years old), Historic Preservation Division. Nominations are • Still look much the way it did in the past, reviewed by the Historic Preservation Division, • Be associated with events, activities, or devel- and if approved, by the Georgia National Register opments that were important in the past, and Review Board. Approved nominations are submitted to the U.S. Department of Interior for • Have associations with the lives of people who final review, approval, and listing in the National were important in the past, Register. The state Historic Preservation Division • Be significant in the areas of architectural his- and the Atlanta Urban Design Commission tory, landscape history, or engineering, or (UDC) can provide technical assistance on the • Have the potential to yield information through nomination process, but individuals, organizations, archaeological investigation that would answer or agencies requesting the listing carry out much questions about our past. of the necessary research themselves, according to state and federal guidelines. Benefits of Designation
City of Atlanta rezoning under the Historic Listing on the National Register of Historic Places Preservation Ordinance is the second type of has the following effects on a property: formal historic designation. This local designation • Identifies significant buildings, structures, sites, is managed by the UDC, whose volunteer members objects, and districts that meet the National are appointed to serve three-year terms by the Register criteria mayor and city council. • Encourages the preservation of historic prop- By law, UDC membership includes two architects, erties by documenting their significance a landscape architect, an attorney, a developer, • Provides information about historic properties a real estate professional, an preservationist, an for local planning purposes artist, a historian, a neighborhood representative, • Facilitates the review of federally funded, and an urban planner. It is the role of the UDC to licensed, or permitted projects to determine identify, protect, enhance, and perpetuate the use their effects on historic properties of buildings, sites, and districts of special character, historic interest, or aesthetic value. • Assists state government agencies in deter- mining whether their projects will affect historic The UDC nominates and regulates construction properties and design-related work on designated buildings • Makes owners of historic properties eligible to and districts which are identified under several apply for federal grants for historic preserva- categories: Historic Buildings or Sites, Landmark tion projects Buildings or Sites, Conservation Districts, Historic • Provides federal and state tax benefits to Districts, and Landmark Districts. Since the historic owners if they rehabilitate their properties preservation ordinance was passed in 1989, 59 according to preservation standards individual buildings or sites and 16 districts have been brought under its protection. • Allows consideration of fire and life safety code compliance alternatives during rehabilitation Criteria For Designation However, listing on the National Register of Historic Places is not all encompassing. For instance: Generally speaking, the eligibility criteria for either type of formal historic designation (listing on the • A marker or plaque will not be provided for National Register of Historic Places or City historic the properties (owners may obtain markers or zoning designation) are the same. To be eligible plaques at their own expense) for either designation, the property (or district, • Property owners will not be required to main- building, structure, object, or site) must: tain, repair, or restore their properties in a 38 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Existing Conditions: Urban Design & Historic Resources
certain way UDC’s bimonthly meetings. • A property has not necessarily been or will Nevertheless, rezoning under the city’s Historic be rezoned by the City of Atlanta to historic Preservation Ordinance does not regulate certain designation aspects. For instance, • Federally or state-assisted government proj- • The UDC does not initiate the nomination pro- ects may not be stopped cess for residential districts. The Commission • Grant funds may not be guaranteed for all waits to hear from an interested neighborhood properties or projects and seeks input from them on type of rezoning, boundaries, and regulations which would be • Property owners are not required to follow best suited to their particular situation. preservation standards, unless they wish to qualify for tax benefits • There are no restrictions on the sale of property. The designation of a district does not limit the • Special consideration is not necessarily given ability of owners to sell their property. In addi- to compliance with life safety and fire codes tion, for every parcel in the district, a certificate Rezoning under the city’s Historic Preservation is filed in the county’s real estate records indi- Ordinance means: cating that it is in a district; prospective buyers • Protection of designated neighborhoods is are notified in advance during title searches. provided in one of two ways. Either the des- • Paint color is not regulated. In some districts, ignation (with accompanying regulations) can the regulations (as prepared by the neighbor- be added as an overlay on the neighborhood’s hood), call for the Commission Staff to review existing zoning or it can completely replace proposed ordinary repair and maintenance, existing zoning. In either case, the regulations but that does not include paint color. In other are part of the city’s zoning ordinance. districts, ordinary repair and maintenance is • The historic character of a neighborhood is not reviewed at all. maintained through a design review process. • Architects are not required to draw plans. What constitutes this character is developed Larger, more complex projects will require an with the neighborhood during the nomination architect’s drawings to meet the citywide stan- process and the resulting regulations become dards used by the Bureau of Buildings for such the basis for the UDC’s design review deci- projects; otherwise, drawings that are com- sions. The review process occurs before the plete, to scale, and accurate are sufficient. start of the building permit process. • Interior work is not regulated. The one excep- • The neighborhood and general public are tion to this is the installation of dropped ceilings encouraged to participate through public hear- or the insertion of floors that can be seen from ings held on all items requiring certificates of the outside of the building. appropriateness from the Commission. • Once designated, property owners do not • Prior to receiving a building permit, most have to redo previous work on their homes to changes that effect the exteriors of a struc- bring them into compliance. The regulation of ture and site work must be approved by the work begins only after the nomination process Commission or its staff through a design review begins and is not retroactive. process. • Those seeking a building permit for alteration, Neighborhood Historic Sites new construction or demolition will be referred to the Commission office to complete a design Currently Poncey-Highland is not a designated review process. historic district, but it is an historic neighborhood with a strong sense-of-place. The following is • If substantial changes are contemplated, the an assessment of its historic character taken application will be scheduled for one of the from Atlanta’s Lasting Landmarks, a document
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 39 Existing Conditions: Urban Design & Historic Resources published by the Atlanta UDC in 1987 to assess potential historic resources citywide.
“Developed between 1907 and 1928, the proposed Poncey-Highland district is worth preserving for its intact collection of bungalows and period cottages. It was Atlanta’s middle class of the 1920s and 1930s which gave the area its original character. But commercial structures and multifamily housing, stretching along North Highland Avenue, have also significantly contributed to the neighborhood’s feeling of total community.
Located in northeast Atlanta, the district is bounded by the Moreland Avenue commercial strip on the This sign on Manuel’s Tavern is a neighborhood landmark east, Ponce de Leon Avenue to the north, and on its southwest side by the cleared right-of-way for the Presidential Parkway. It also includes the increasingly urbanized, but the historic Poncey- early Linwood Development, the North Highland Highland neighborhood remains largely unaltered. corridor and the land platted and re-platted by Within the framework of the overall neighborhood Thomas Clark. history, there are several key historic sites The North Highland Avenue corridor bisects the including: district and pre-dates the single-family residential • Highland Inn housing which lies to the east and west. The • Telephone Factory Lofts area west of Highland (Linwood) is significant for its association with William B. Candler, who • Ford Factory Lofts later developed both the Biltmore Hotel and the • Druid Hills Baptist Church Briarcliff Shopping Center. These homes are • Clermont Hotel primarily bungalows with uniform setbacks. Period • Briarcliff Plaza Bungalows also proliferate to the east, but are joined by a sparse concentration of apartment houses. • Manuel’s Tavern, both the building and the business Even the district’s landscaping reveals the area’s • Morningside Condominiums historic roots. Mature, deciduous trees are • Apartment buildings at 881, 963, 977, 1105, everywhere, basking the neighborhood in soothing and 1107 Ponce de Leon Avenue shade. The informal landscaped settings, which make use of native plants in a natural manner, • Highland School typify landscaping practices of the era. And the use of sidewalks and planting strips along the streets Only one of these buildings, the Highland School, are also characteristic of residential development is protected under the City’s Historic Preservation of the time. Ordinance. Many, including the Druid Hills Baptist Church and the two lofts are in a good state of repair Although a number of homes have yards sloping and likely to continue to grace the neighborhood. to the sidewalk, few fences or walls divide one Others, however, could be threatened by long- property line from another. The majority of homes term redevelopment, particularly those along North have driveways, and several alleys provide an Highland and Ponce de Leon Avenues additional link to a by-gone era.
In recent years the surrounding areas have become . Atlanta Urban Design Commission. Atlanta’s Lasting Landmarks. Atlanta: City of Atlanta, 1987, p. 126 40 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan
Part 4: Recommendations
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 41 Recommendations: Introduction
Introduction Policies & Projects This section includes recommendations for Poncey-Highland that define its future charac- ter and provide short and long-range actions to There are two types of recommendations address the challenges identified during the plan- provided in this study: ning process. Two types of recommendations are Policies are guidelines that provide direction provided: Policies and Projects. Projects are fol- for the implementation of the plan’s vision. lowed by a project number as identified in Part 6, They often support projects and should be which contains an implementation strategy, includ- the basis for actions by the City of Atlanta, ing cost, funding, and responsible parties. NPU N, and the Poncey-Highland Neighbor- Recommendations are a synthesis of the desires hood Association. and work of residents, businesses, property Projects are specific tasks, such as trans- owners, working groups, and others, coupled with portation improvements, studies, or signage, sound planning principles. They offer a visionary with a defined cost and time frame. They are yet achievable blueprint for change that reflects often undertaken by a local agency such Poncey-Highland’s history, development potential, as the City of Atlanta, MARTA, GDOT, or transportation needs, and regulatory framework. Atlanta Public Schools. Future Vision
Poncey-Highland’s vision for its future is the basis for the recommendations that follow. This vision is of a progressive, green, diverse, and close-knit urban neighborhood providing life’s daily needs within walking distance.
Preserving history and sense-of-place while allow- ing appropriate growth are central to this vision. The neighborhood’s core of single-family houses, duplexes, and small apartment buildings should be preserved, while mixed-use development with the latest in “green” design should be accommodated along major thoroughfares and near the BeltLine. All should incorporate contextual, pedestrian- friendly designs and lasting building materials.
Balanced transportation choices are equally criti- cal to the vision. This includes streets that are safe for walking and biking, and where the desires of drivers are in balance with walkers, bicyclists, transit users, and neighborhood quality of life.
Lastly, a quality public realm should be provided, one that makes being outside pleasant, safe, and inviting. Neighborhood streets and parks should serve the needs of residents and bring people to- gether in a common public realm, thereby strength- ening neighborhood bonds and sense-of-place.
42 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Introduction
Key Plan Sustainability Elements
All of the recommendations in this document will guide Poncey-Highland toward sustainabil- ity. A sustainable community is defined by the relationship of three elements: environmen- tal, social, and economic. A balance of these three is key to the neighborhood’s vision for its future.
The following is an overview of how the various recommendations of this study work together to promote sustainability.
• Demographic & Socioeconomic Recommendations support maintaining the community’s diverse mix of incomes, ages, and lifestyles.
• Land Use Recommendations encourage compact development along major corri- dors to promote walking, biking, and public transit. They also add measures for improving utilization of Freedom Park through increased neighborhood amenities.
• Housing Recommendations provide housing opportunities. They preserve the neighborhood’s mix of housing types and introduce new types as development occurs.
• Transportation Recommendations reduce and, in some cases, eliminate the need to drive. This improves air quality, promotes public health, and allows residents to have more dispos- able income. New trees along neighborhood streets also clean the air, capture carbon from the atmosphere, and reduce the urban heat island effect.
• Environment Recommendations provide techniques for minimizing the negative effects of human activity on the environment. They include measures to reduce stormwater runoff, waste, and energy consumption, and to encourage low impact buildings. Recommendations also pro- vide recognition for these efforts.
• Infrastructure & Facilities Recommendations improve community life by reducing crime and promoting life-long learning. Stormwater management features in streetscape projects decrease runoff and beautify the area.
• Urban Design & Historic Resource Recommendations protect and enhance an urban form that supports walking, community life, and aesthetics. They create beautiful places that will instill civic pride and order. They also support the preservation of the community’s social fabric, while the re-use of historic buildings retains the “embodied energy” in existing structures.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 43 Recommendations: Demographics & Socioeconomics
4.1 Demographics & Socioeconomics
Poncey-Highland is a diverse neighborhood. In fact, in the 2009 mayoral general election its voting patterns most closely reflected citywide totals of any neighborhood. This clearly expresses a cross- section of the Atlanta found in few parts of the city, and one that is vital to preserve into the future to protect and enhance the unique qualities of the neighborhood.
Demographic & Socioeconomic Policies
Preserve the neighborhood’s diversity. As the neighborhood continues to grow and Neighborhood children have benefited from the new playground evolve, its diversity of residents must not be lost to the hands of growth and development. Continued revitalization must not be allowed to create a ho- mogenous demographic.
Provide a neighborhood that serves the needs of all ages. Poncey-Highland should serve people of all ages. Those who wish to do so should be able to com- fortably live in and utilize the neighborhood at all life stages.
This is especially critical for children and the elderly, who are often not considered in planning decisions, yet are most often impacted by neigh- borhood design and transportation decisions. The elderly benefit from compact, walkable, and mixed-use neighborhoods
44 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Land Use
4.2 Land Use
To protect the neighborhood’s unique qualities and vitality, Poncey-Highland’s land use plan must be able to accommodate growth, while making sure it happens in appropriate locations and with good design and planning principles. Additionally, growth must occur in a way that increases the mix of uses and allows residents’ daily needs to be met in the neighborhood, while still preserving its character.
General Land Use Policies
Strive to achieve the land use vision of the Framework Plan. Mixed-use development along major thoroughfares will provide increased neighborhood services near homes The Framework Plan reflects general aspirations for the neighborhood. It is specific in terms of build- ing height, but actual projects may vary based on economics and neighborhood review during the rezoning process.
See the Framework Plan on the next page.
Encourage a mix of land uses. Poncey-Highland should remain a mixed-use neighborhood, as shown in the Framework Plan. This means providing opportunities ranging from detached houses to mid-rise mixed-use buildings.
Preserve the historic residential core of Pon- cey-Highland. Poncey-Highland’s historic core of single-family houses, duplexes, and small apartment buildings must be preserved Although often thought of as a single-family district, the neighborhood’s core also includes historic du- plexes and apartment buildings. This mix of small, closely spaced buildings should be preserved.
Provide height transitions from new develop- ment to historic residential core areas. When development occurs next to residential uses, conflicts must be avoided. The existing City of Atlanta transitional height plane requirement ad- equately addresses this.
Utilize quality-of-life zoning districts. All rezoning should be only to “quality-of-life” zoning districts such as MRC, MR, LW, or NC. The transitional height plane requires new buildings to step down in height adjacent to existing residential areas See Part 6 for details on zoning.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 45 Recommendations: Land Use
Figure 4.1: Framework Plan
About This Map Height Transition (Typical) North Highland AvenBuRIeARHCeLiIFgFhPtL This map is an illustrative, long-term aspiration for land uses and building heights. It should be a guideline for developers andGREENWOOD AV
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46 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Framework Plan - DRAFT NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates November 18, 2009 Recommendations: Land Use
Limit buildings to three stories at the back of the sidewalk along North Highland Avenue. Buildings should be limited to three stories (42 feet) to preserve the street’s pedestrian scale. Sites where taller buildings are shown in the Framework Plan should provide a three story base along the street, and then set back at least 10 feet on upper floors. The maximum mid-block height on sites deeper than 250 feet should be six stories (78 feet), and four stories (54 feet) on all other sites.
Encourage redevelopment of the following five catalytic development sites.
The following are major development opportunities Buildings on North Highland Avenue should be three stories at over the next 25 years. This identification is not in- the street, but may step up behind the front facade (courtesy tended to suggest that existing users must leave, Smith Dalia Architects) but, rather, to identify areas where redevelopment would support the plan’s vision when and if willing property owners and developers deem it feasible. • BeltLine Area: The BeltLine area represents the greatest growth potential in Poncey-Highland. Its marginal land uses should be converted to residential and mixed-use developments, with taller buildings along the BeltLine corridor, and height reductions moving east of the corridor. • Ponce de Leon Avenue: The corridor from Moreland Avenue to the BeltLine is ripe for rede- velopment and should be lined with new four story mixed-use buildings between preserved historic structures. Due to shallow lots, height This photo reflects the vision for Ponce de Leon Avenue of the 2005 Ponce de Leon Avenue Corridor Study transitions must be carefully considered. • North Avenue East Area: This is bounded by North Avenue, Moreland Avenue, Freedom Park, and North Highland Avenue. Please see the following pages for details. • Druid Hills Baptist Church: This includes the area south and east of the church. Please see the following pages for details. • Manuel’s parking lot: The parking lot south of Williams Mill Road is important to the res- taurant’s success, but is positioned for and will likely redevelop one day. When and if it does, it should include mixed-use buildings up to four stories tall with mid-block parking invisible from A parking garage featuring actives uses along the street would the street, residences, or the park. be appropriate for the Manuel’s parking lot
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 47 Recommendations: Land Use
North Avenue East Area Concept Plan
Note: Single-family home This concept plan is for illustrative purposes only. lot North Avenue Rear alley for vehi- Maximum cle access 3 Stories
Townhouses with private rear yards and detached ga- Julia Street rages. Stoops and Seminole Avenue Seminole porches face Free- dom Park to create
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Freedom Park North Highland Avenue North Highland Townhouses with 20 foot deep yard to Ground floor com- Primarily multifam- New street fronted with Parking deck for site (6- preserve residential mercial frontage ily building, 3-6 Sto- residential stoops and floors, 510 spaces) character on Semi- (31,000 sf) ries*, 250-300 Units porches nole Avenue *This site is more than 250 feet in depth from the right-of-way along North Highland Avenue, therefore six stories above North Highland Avenue is appropriate for mid-block locations
North Avenue East Concept Plan - DRAFT NEIGTheHBO R conceptHOOD MAS T planER PL A forN North Avenue East envisions the redevelopment of the area bounded by
Sponsored by: NorthKwanz a HighlandHall, Atlanta City Counc il Avenue,District 2 North Avenue, Moreland Avenue and Freedom Park into a collection of Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: residentialTunnell-Spangler-W alandsh & Asso ciamixed-usetes buildings FORthat generate DISCUSSION activity alongONLY Freedom Park and provided in- creasedSeptember 21, neighborhood 2009 housing options.
The plan concentrates the most intense uses along North Highland Avenue, where it envisions a primarily residential building with ground floor retail along North Highland Avenue and portions of North Avenue. Along its three adjacent streets, the building is three stories tall, but steps up to four stories as shown above. Along Freedom Park a new park-side street and six story building provide a well-defined, publicly accessible park edge; the park’s width allows such height to occur without overwhelming the context. To the east, along Seminole Avenue, the building steps back down to three stories and provides a 20 foot setback from the back of the sidewalk to reflect the setbacks of houses to the north.
East of Seminole Avenue, the concept plan envisions a mix of small apartment buildings, town- houses, and single-family houses. Parking to all is provided by new rear alleys or side drives ac- cessed from Julia Street. A new street connects from North Highland through to Seminole Avenue and Julia Street to further enhance the park edge.
In total, the concept plan shows 258-308 multifamily units, 31,000 square feet of retail, 22 town- houses, and 6 single-family houses.
48 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Land Use
Druid Hills Baptist Church Concept Plan
Note: Ponce de Leon Avenue Existing buildings to This concept plan is for il- remain lustrative purposes only.
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Multifamily, including a portion screening Blue Ridge Avenue
the parking deck to Avenue Seminole widened to two-way preserve the historic with on-street park- apartment building ing on the south character on Blue side, adjacent to Ridge Avenue (3- historic apartment floors, 50-80 units) Blue Ridge Avenue buildings.
DruidThe Druid Hills Hills Baptist Baptist Church Church is a neighborhood Site Concept landmark Planthat also includes a good deal of under- NEIutilizedGHBORHO land.OD MA STheTER P DruidLAN Hills Baptist Church Concept Plan shows how this could occur in a way that Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 benefitsPoncey-High labothnd Neighbo rthehood As soneighborhoodciation and the church. Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates FOR DISCUSSION ONLY September 3, 2009 Central to the concept plan is creating a three level, 195 space parking deck to provide more ef- ficient church parking, a small amount of public parking, and free up land for other uses, including a church playground. Vehicular access to it could be provided from Blue Ridge Avenue and internal to the block. West of the proposed Blue Ridge Avenue entry, the street’s curb could be moved into the property to allow two-way traffic without impacting important on-street parking to the south.
Land formerly used for parking could be converted to other uses. Along Blue Ridge Avenue, a three story, primarily residential building is envisioned to screen the parking deck and restore the urban fabric along the street. On North Highland Avenue, ground floor retail would provide increased neighborhood services. Parking for these would be provided in the new parking deck.
The concept plan would restore the residential character of Seminole Avenue by locating town- houses along it. These should be set back from the sidewalk by 20 feet to match the historic resi- dential setbacks to the south. An alley would provide for rear-accessed garages with additional access to the parking deck and Church drop-off and rear entry.
In total, the concept plan shows 50-80 multifamily units, 10,000 square feet of retail, and 10 town- houses.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 49 Recommendations: Land Use
Park & Open Space Policies
Encourage an appropriate relationship be- tween parks and adjacent development. New development adjacent to parks should front them with doors, windows, and walkways. Parking decks, loading zones, dumpsters, or similar uses should be minimized and hidden from view in these areas. New, publicly-accessible streets should be created to separate the park from the new develop- ments where feasible.
Support efforts to provide public art in Free- dom Park. Publicly accessible streets should separate development from Non-profit groups and governmental agencies parks to maximize their use have recently installed permanent or temporary art in Freedom Park. These efforts should continue and expand.
Support existing farmers markets near Pon- cey-Highland. There are several small markets near the neigh- borhood. Poncey-Highland should support these efforts rather than establishing its own market.
Integrate Freedom Park into future events Freedom Park is an asset that should be cel- ebrated during neighborhood events, such as a tour of homes or gatherings. However, the park should not be used for large festivals. A future farmers market in the Historic Fourth Ward Park would also serve Poncey-Highland Park & Open Space Projects
Freedom Park arts committee (O-1) The committee should review and comment on Freedom Park art installations within Poncey- Highland.
Freedom Park public art. (O-2) The neighborhood should work with the Freedom Park Conservancy to create and expand efforts to bring public art to Freedom Park.
Community garden enclosure (O-3) A hedge should be planted around the garden to better define it and discourage people from walking Community gardens are an important part of Poncey- through it. This should be in conjunction with poli- Highland’s vision for sustainable urbanism cies and regulations of Park Pride, The Freedom 50 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Land Use
Park Conservancy, and the Atlanta Parks Depart- ment while being sensitive to neighbors’ concerns.
Community garden expansion (O-4) Expand community garden space in Freedom Park, either through an expansion to the existing garden or creating new gardens in other areas in conjunction with surrounding neighborhoods.
Dog park location study (O-5) There are many considerations in locating a dog park that are beyond the scope of this study, as found in the “Guide for Creating Off Leash Dog Parks.” To identify an ideal location, the neighbor- There is a strong desire for a neighborhood dog park, but the hood should work with nearby neighborhoods and ideal location must be carefully studied the city to identify an appropriate location
Neighborhood dog park (O-6) Construct a dog park in or near Poncey-Highland per the outcome of the dog park location study.
Dog waste bag dispensers (O-7) Install dog waste bag dispensers at key locations in Freedom Park. They should be maintained by the Freedom Park Conservancy.
Freedom Park trash cans (O-8) Install trash cans in Freedom Park at the play- ground and near Williams Mill Road.
Freedom Park lighting (O-9) Solar powered pedestrian lights are suggested in Freedom Park as technology improves Increase lighting in Freedom Park, especially along trails, with energy efficient lights and in consider- ation of “dark-sky” principles.
Freedom Park water fountain (O-10) Install a drinking fountain near the playground.
Freedom Park walkway (T-11) Install a 6 foot wide walkway/sidewalk on the west side of Freedom Park between Ponce de Leon Avenue and Ralph McGill Boulevard to increase access and generate activity.
Freedom Parkway tree planting (T-12)
Plant trees along both sides of Freedom Parkway on The Freedom Park Master Plan recommended a walkway the segment running to Ponce de Leon Avenue. running from Ponce de Leon Avenue to Ralph McGill Boulevard (courtesy Freedom Park Conservancy) Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 51
Provided by EDAW, Inc. Recommendations: Land Use
Neighborhood walking route markers (O-13) Install distance markers on Freedom Trail within Poncey-Highland designating a walking/jogging route. These would be in addition to existing markers.
Carter Center shared parking (O-14) The Carter Presidential Center’s parking area should continue to be used during special events for parking.
Improvements to Freedom Park’s Ralph Mc- Gill Boulevard entrance (O-15) Increase the usability of the entrance into Freedom On-going removal of invasive species would improve Freedom Park at the northeast corner of Ralph McGill Bou- Park’s health and also make the park safer to use levard at Freedom Parkway by thinning vegetation and increasing lighting.
Annual park clean-up day (O-16) Hold annual removals of invasive vegetation and brush in Freedom Park. These could be aligned with National Service Holidays or groups such as Hands on Atlanta.
52 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Land Use
4.3 Housing
Poncey-Highland should continue to provide a broad range of housing types that serves people of different ages, incomes, and lifestyles.
Housing Policies
Strive to preserve the diverse mix of housing types in the neighborhood. The neighborhood should continue to provide a mix of affordable rental units, condominiums, du- plexes, townhouses, and owner-occupied single- family houses. North Highland Ridge apartments provide affordable apartments in a desirable intown area Promote a range of housing prices in new development. Housing should be provided at a variety of price points to attract a diverse range of new residents and allow existing residents access to new housing. This will preserve diversity in Poncey-Highland over the long-term.
Promote home ownership. The Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association supports home ownership to promote neighbor- hood stability and civic involvement. This does not, however, mean that there should be no rental housing, rather, that it should be limited to existing buildings or redevelopment areas. Above-shop housing is encouraged in new developments Encourage multifamily housing to provide a range of unit sizes.
New multifamily housing should provide units in a variety of sizes, not just one bedrooms and studios. This will allow a range of pepole to live in close proximity and have access to neighborhood services and amenities.
Housing Projects
Historic apartment renovation (O-17) Two historic apartments (current vacant) at the southwest corner of Blue Ridge and North High- land Avenues should be preserved as rental or condominium residential uses. This could include This vacant historic apartment building should be preserved current unit configurations or combining units. and renovated for residential use as a model for other older residential complexes in need of repair Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 53 Recommendations: Housing
4.4 Transportation
Poncey-Highland should provide a range of trans- portation options, with a focus on encouraging bicycling, walking, and transit use. Smooth and speedy traffic flow should be secondary to other modes of transportation and to protect the neigh- borhood’s quality-of-life.
Vehicular Policies
Encourage shared parking in commercial and mixed-use areas. Different land uses have parking needs at differ- ent times of the day and week. Allowing shared In Poncey-Highland the needs of cars must be balanced with those of other users parking can make more efficient use of land and keep parking lots from sitting empty.
Prohibit street abandonment as part of new development. The integrity of the existing street network should be preserved, unless new streets are created with equal or greater connectivity to the existing grid.
Use traffic calming and street design to mini- mize the impacts of cut through traffic. Street closures impair the street network and worsen traffic by forcing cars to use major corri- dors that are already heavily traveled. The negative consequences of cut through traffic can be more “Road diets” and other measures to reduce driver speed are effectively addressed with traffic calming devices preferred over street closings to slow traffic while allowing for connectivity.
Discourage new acceleration and deceleration lanes on Ponce de Leon Avenue and Moreland Avenues. Work with GDOT to ensure that acceleration and deceleration lanes are not required if new drive- ways are installed along these major corridors.
Provide access management practices on major corridors. Limit vehicular access along Moreland, North Highland, Ponce de Leon Avenues to alleys and side streets via zoning requirements to avoid inter- rupting the pedestrian environment through such Access management techniques should be utilized along things as excessive curb-cuts, drives etc. major corridors to minimize pedestrian and vehicle conflicts
54 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Transportation
Figure 4.2: Major Transportation Recommendations
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Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 55 Draft Transportation Plan NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates October 21, 2009 Recommendations: Transportation
Encourage new developments on North High- land Avenue to create on-street parking. New on street-parking can be created by moving the existing curb to create a 7.5 foot wide parking area. This reduces the need for parking lots and buffers pedestrians from traffic.
Vehicular Projects
North Avenue “road diet” (T-1) The highest priority project of this plan is a “road diet” for North Avenue that creates a street that balances transportation modes and supports resi- dential uses. In the Old Fourth Ward the curb was moved in on Ralph McGill Boulevard to create new on-street parking See North Avenue “Road Diet” Concept Plan.
Traffic law enforcement (T-2)
Atlanta Police Department enforcement of speed limits and truck routes can significantly improve the neighborhood’s quality-of-life in the near term.
Stop sign on Blue Ridge Avenue (T-3) Install a four-way stop on Blue Ridge Avenue at Seminole Avenue.
Parking deck at Baptist Church (T-4) Construct a privately-funded 195 space parking deck at the Druid Hills Baptist Church that has extra spaces for businesses and widens Blue Ridge North Avenue’s current design promotes high speeds through Avenue between the deck and North Highland Poncey-Highland Avenue to two-way with parking on the south.
See Druid Hills Baptist Church Concept Plan in Section 4.2 for details.
“Buddy’s” accessibility improvements (T-5) Sidewalks at the southeast corner of North High- land and North Avenues should be rebuilt to improve safety and accessibility for persons with disabilities, other pedestrians, and drivers.
Preserve on-street parking (T-6) On-street parking is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to reduce speeding. Existing on- street parking on many neighborhood streets must Reconstructing the sidewalk next to Buddy’s gas would be preserved and expanded to calm traffic and improve wheelchair accessibility and safety preclude future problems. Since some streets are 56 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Transportation
North Avenue “Road Diet” Concept Plan
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TheNo Northrth A Avenuevenue “Road"Ro aDiet”d D expressesiet" Co nPoncey-Highland’scept Legend aspirations for taking back this im- Proposed Landscaping ÍÎ Proposed Tree portantNEIGHBO RcorridorHOOD MAS TfromER PLA Nspeeding commuters and other pass-through traffic. It is the result of exten- Sponsored by: Proposed Sidewalk Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Proposed Striped Area sive neighborhoodPoncey-Highland Neighborhood As sdiscussionociation and goal setting, and strives to eliminate the avenue’s long, straight Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates Note: December 16, 2009 This concept reflects the community-desired vision for North Avenue. It has been prepared using City of Atlanta geometry in favor of one that forces drivers to pay attentionGIS data, whic htois ap prtheiroximate, at bsurroundingsest. As such, all elements are sub jecand,t to further sttherefore,udy and design refinemen t. drive slower.
The concept plan includes several elements that achieve this, some of which may be implemented incrementally as funding becomes available: • Medians, bulbouts, and pedestrian refuges on North Avenue to create horizontal shifts and recapture pavement for greenery and pedestrian space. • New on-street parking in areas to serve adjacent land uses and slow traffic. • Minimally sized left turn lanes at intersections to allow turning traffic to safely do so. • All-way stops at the intersections with Linwood Avenue, Seminole Avenue, and Ralph McGill Boulevard to eliminate the need for left turn lanes and create safer pedestrian crossings. • Bicycle lanes west of Bonaventure Avenue to tie into planned lanes to the west. • A mid-block pedestrian crossing by the new playground, crosswalk restriping, and corridor-wide sidewalks and trees to make walking safer and more comfortable. • Narrowed vehicular lanes and slower speeds to allow bicyclist to bike in the travel lane, where there is less risk of being hit from the side, a major cause of bicyclist injuries. • Directional signs to direct traffic to Freedom Parkway or Ponce de Leon Avenue. The cumulative impact of these improvements is a roadway that serves all modes of transportation and creates a significant statement about neighborhood values along a prominent roadway.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 57 Recommendations: Transportation narrow and some housing does not have off-street parking, on-street parking should be provided in sections that maintain two-way traffic or create one-way streets. Either way, neighbors should be involved to create a solution that works for the street and allows the safe access of vehicles, in- cluding emergency vehicles.
Neighborhood “complete streets” “Complete streets” are those that serve many transportation modes, not just drivers. These low- speed streets often feature bulbouts, chicanes, special paving, and profuse landscaping.
Such should be created, at a minimum, on: “Complete streets” often include bulbouts to provide greenery • Blue Ridge Avenue (T-7) and calm traffic • Somerset Terrace (T-8) • Bonaventure Avenue (T-9) • Linwood Avenue (T-10) • Cleburne Terrace (T-11)
New publicly funded streets These publicly-funded new streets are recom- mended in the Connect Atlanta Plan: • Somerset Terrace extension to Ralph McGill Boulevard and Angier Avenue west to the BeltLine; NS-028 (T-16) • Belgrade Avenue extension to the BeltLine; NS-068 (T-17) New streets, shown here in yellow, will create better New privately funded streets connectivity in Poncey-Highland As redevelopment occurs these new streets should be provided: • From North Highland Avenue to Julia Street (T-18) • Ponce de Leon Place extension to North Avenue (with a signal at North Avenue) and connecting to future BeltLine area streets (T-19)
Williams Road realignment (T-12) Realign Williams Mill Road near North Highland Avenue along the north edge of Freedom Park. See Williams Mill Road Concept Plan
Ponce/Moreland intersection (T-13) A “shared street” is an extremely low speed street where Improve per the Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenue pedestrians have the right-of-way in all areas Corridor Study and the Connect Atlanta Plan. 58 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Transportation
Williams Mill Road Relocation Concept Plan
The proposed relocation of Williams Mill Road to the south would provide a much-needed publicly accessible park edge along Freedom Park while also remove a challenging intersection at Williams Mill Road at North Highland Avenue.
The concept plan proposes a new two-lane roadway with on-street parking be created on land cur- rently occupied by the house at 1029 Williams Mill Road and the southern edge of the Manuel’s Tavern parking lot. The existing road right-of-way adjacent to Manuel’s Tavern would be closed to become part of said redevelopment property; a 10 foot wide pedestrian access easement is envi- sioned to provide maximum pedestrian connectivity. To the west, the existing right-of-way could be specially paved or planted to create a “shared street” where cars must drive very slow.
The concept plan assumes the following for the street itself: • Two 10 foot travel lanes • One 8 foot on-street parking lane to the south • A 5 foot tree zone planted with shade trees to the north, and • A 6 foot sidewalk clear zone for walking
While this is clearly a long-term prospect given the cost, impacts on existing houses, and available public and private funding, it would have a profound positive impact on the urbanism at the southern end of North Highland Avenue within Poncey-Highland.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 59 Recommendations: Transportation
North Avenue/Moreland intersection (T-14) Improve per the Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenue Corridor Study.
Freedom Park directional signage (T-15) Install directional signs encouraging the use of Freedom Parkway, and truck prohibition signs at: • Freedom Parkway at Moreland Avenue • Freedom Parkway at North Highland Avenue • Freedom Parkway at Ponce de Leon Avenue
Pedestrian Policies Upgrade sidewalks with redevelopment North Avenue would benefit from proposed truck prohibition signs on Freedom Parkway Require the following minimum standards when private redevelopment occurs: • BeltLine area: 5 ft tree zone and 10 ft clear zone, per BeltLine overlay • North Highland Avenue: 5 ft tree zone and 10 ft clear zone, with cafe dining permitted in 4 feet of the clear zone • Ponce de Leon Avenue: 7.5 ft tree zone and 10 ft clear zone • Moreland Avenue: 5 ft tree zone and 10 foot clear zone
Ensure high quality, accessible sidewalks Sidewalks should be durable and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act Guidelines A 7.5 foot tree planting zone and 10 foot clear zone are envisioned along Ponce de Leon Avenue (ADAG).
Pedestrian Projects Ponce de Leon Avenue upgrades (T-20) See Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenues Corridor Study for details.
Moreland Avenue Upgrades (T-21) See Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenues Corridor Study for details.
BeltLine area wayfinding (T-22) Install wayfinding signs to inform BeltLine users about what Poncey-Highland has to offer. BeltLine wayfinding signs will benefit Poncey-Highland and encourage users to visit the neighborhood
60 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Transportation
Recommended North Highland Avenue Section
Existing street section and land uses (typical)
Proposed Street Section and land uses (typical)
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 61 Recommendations: Transportation
North Avenue pedestrian upgrades (T-1) Upgrade pedestrian facilities with new sidewalks, street trees, crosswalks, and mid-street refuges. See North Avenue “Road Diet” Concept Plan.
Ralph McGill Blvd. pedestrian upgrades (T-23) Upgrade facilities from Freedom Park to the Belt- Line by rebuilding sidewalks and adding bulbouts.
North Highland pedestrian upgrades (T-24) Upgrade facilities by rebuilding sidewalks and ramps, and by adding lighting. May be combined with T-32, T-33, T-39 and T-40 Pedestrian upgrades on Ralph McGill Boulevard will for funding purposes. complement those of the Old Fourth Ward Master Plan
Parking lot wheel stops (T-25) Parking lots that do not prevent parked cars from extending into sidewalks are a problem in parts of Poncey-Highland. To prevent this, wheel stops or other devices (landscaping strips, etc.) should be installed immediately at: • Manuel’s Tavern’s lot • Green’s Discount Beverage Store
Freedom Parkway “HAWK” crossing (T-26) With the future extension of Belgrade Avenue to the BeltLine and the Historic Fourth Ward Park, the street becomes an important link between Belgrade will one-day connect to the BeltLine and will require Freedom Park and these areas. As such, a cross- improved pedestrian access from the east ing at Freedom Park and Belgrade Avenue is critical to pedestrian access and connectivity. A user-acti- vated High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) is recommended to stop traffic when needed.
Pedestrian countdown signals (T-27) Replace all existing neighborhood pedestrian crossing signals with count-down signals.
Accessible curb ramps (T-28) Install ADA accessible curb ramps where missing throughout the neighborhood.
Restripe key crosswalks (T-29) Stripe and/or restripe crosswalks at: “HAWK” signals only turn red when pedestrians need to cross • All along Ponce De Leon Avenue the street
62 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Transportation
• North Avenue at Somerset Terrace • North Avenue at Bonaventure Ave • North Avenue at Freedom Parkway • North Avenue at Linwood Avenue • North Avenue at Ralph McGill Place
Carter Center pedestrian access (T-30) Pedestrian access from the Freedom Park Trail to the Carter Center should be improved by constructing pedestrian bridge over westbound Freedom Parkway and a walkway running north- south through the existing parking lot.
Neighborhood sidewalks (T-31) A walkway is recommended to connect the Carter Presidential New or rebuilt sidewalks should be provided on: Center to its surroundings • Cleburne Terrace: Both sides from Blue Ridge to North Avenues • Linwood Avenue: East side north of Blue Ridge Avenue • Blue Ridge Avenue: Both sides from North Highland to Moreland Avenues • Where damaged along Somerset Terrace, Williams Mill Road, and Blue Ridge Avenue
Remove right turn lane from Ponce to North Highland Avenue (T-32) Remove the right turn lane on Ponce de Leon Avenue at North Highland Avenue to allow safer pedestrian movements. The pedestrian bridge could be designed as a piece of public art, such as this bridge in Chattanooga North Highland Avenue crossing (T-33) Install a “HAWK” signal on North Highland at Blue Ridge Avenue to allow safe pedestrian crossings.
Bicycle Policies Promote and enhance bicycling and bicycle use in Poncey-Highland. Bicycles are an inexpensive, energy efficient, and healthy means of travel. Their use should be pro- moted throughout the neighborhood.
Bicycle Projects
Bicycle parking enforcement (T-34) Existing requirements for bicycle parking must be enforced at Enforce existing requirements for bicycle parking. area businesses and multifamily complexes
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 63 Recommendations: Transportation
North Avenue Bicycle Improvements (T-1) See North Avenue “Road Diet” Concept Plan.
Ralph McGill Boulevard bike lanes (T-35) Stripe bike lanes on Ralph McGill Boulevard west of Freedom Parkway.
Freedom Park Trail link (T-36) Widen the trail link at the east end of the Carter Center, just west of where the parkway splits.
Transit Policies Promote the use of transit. Bicycle lanes on Ralph McGill Boulevard and parts of North Public transportation is an energy efficient, conve- Avenue will provide access to the BeltLine nient, sociable, and affordable means of travel. Its use is encouraged in Poncey-Highland.
Transit Projects
BeltLine transit stop (T-37) Establish a BeltLine transit stop serving the neigh- borhood.
Enhance bus service (T-38) See Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenues Corridor Study for details.
Southbound bus shelter on North Highland Avenue at Blue Ridge Avenue (T-39) The BeltLine will one day provide greatly enhanced transit in Install a bulbout and bus shelter with posted sched- Poncey-Highland ules on the west side of North Highland Avenue at Blue Ridge Avenue.
Other North Highland Avenue bus shelters and schedules (T-40) Four shelters with seating, trash cans/collection, and schedules improve transit on North Highland Avenue. Locations could include two at Freedom Park and two near Ponce de Leon Avenue.
Carter Center bus stop access (T-41) Improve pedestrian access to the Carter Center’s route #16 stops by adding a walkway between the PATH trail and the Carter Center, with improved lighting signage and crosswalk striping. Bus shelters that partially cover the sidewalk can be used where right-of-way is limited
64 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Environment
4.5 Environment Poncey-Highland should become a model for green urbanism by implementing measures which minimize humanity’s negative impacts on the envi- ronment and maximize the positive ones. The fol- lowing recommendations strive to do this.
Environment Policies Promote sustainable new buildings. Encourage new development to follow LEED Silver standards or higher by 2015.
Reduce the stormwater impacts of parking. Buildings in the neighborhood are encouraged to be certified Sustainable parking lot and hardscape design and LEED Silver or higher redesign mitigates stormwater runoff to and pre- serves the health of downstream ecosystems.
Encourage the use of permeable paving. Permeable paving is appropriate for parking and hardscape pedestrian surfaces, where it allows water to percolate into the soil rather than contrib- uting to runoff and flooding. It can take the form of pervious materials or open grid pavers.
Encourage use of renewable energy among residents and businesses. Renewal energy helps increase energy indepen- dence and reduces environmental impacts. Pervious paving allows water to pass through in infiltrate into Minimize exterior light pollution. the ground Reducing light pollution saves energy, preserves views of the night sky, and be benefits wildlife.
Encourage local food production through community garden. Even if they produce only a small portion of a household’s food, community gardens and related programs make a difference long-term by chang- ing our society’s thoughts about food production.
Encourage green roofs. Green roofs significantly reduce urban heating and reduce stormwater runoff. They are highly encour- aged in new development, except those located in R-4 or R-5 zoning districts. Community gardens can benefit health and bring neighbors together
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 65 Recommendations: Urban Design & Historic Resources
Encourage tree planting on private property. Existing property owners are encouraged to plant trees in their yards to retain the tree canopy.
Encourage xeriscaping and native species in all landscape design projects. Xeriscaping, where plant materials are native to the region and use available water, should be pro- moted for public and private projects.
Environment Projects
Neighborhood LEED ND certification (O-18) The neighborhood should be certified as a Bio-swales along stormwater to slowly infiltrate into the LEED‑ND (Neighborhood Development) commu- ground, while also providing greenery nity to reflect its environmental commitment.
Sustainable Development Standards (O-19) The proposed City of Atlanta Sustainable Devel- opment Design Standards should be adopted to ensure that construction activity is “green.”
Neighborhood graywater plan (O-20) Establish a neighborhood-wide gray water treat- ment and reuse plan for residents, businesses, and public uses.
Neighborhood bio-swales (O-21) Include bio-swales for rainwater infiltration in traffic calming and streetscape projects. A “dark skies” plan would start to minimize light pollution over Atlanta Neighborhood tree palette (O-22) Establish a palette for tree plantings.
Atlanta “dark skies” Plan (O-23) A “dark skies” plan should be explored to reduce light pollution, starting in Poncey-Highland.
Neighborhood recycling program (O-24) Establish a neighborhood recycling and compost- ing program, including residential and commercial areas.
Multifamily recycling enforcement (O-25)
Enforce current requirements for multifamily recy- The neighborhood recycling program could include public cling. areas, in addition to businesses
66 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Urban Design & Historic Resources
4.6 Infrastructure & Facilities
The recommendations of this section focus on providing basic neighborhood services that enhance the quality of life within the neighborhood.
Infrastructure & Facility Policies
Encourage developers to bury utilities when redevelopment occurs. Utility burial, while expensive, is a key long-term goal of this study.
Encourage a cleaner neighborhood. Although costly, burying utility wires with redevelopment can Property owners are encouraged to clean and significantly improve neighborhood aesthetics maintain sidewalks adjacent to their property and establish periodic “yard-sales” and junk, rubbish and trash removal from properties and public spaces.
Infrastructure & Facility Projects
Utility Burial Bury utilities as part of streetscape projects along: • Ponce de Leon Avenue (T-20) • Moreland Avenue (T-21) • North Highland Avenue (T-24) • North Avenue (T-1) • Ralph McGill Boulevard (T-23) Street sweeping reduces roadside waste and also creates safer conditions for bicyclists Code violation enforcement (O-26) Enforcement of all code violations is a strong priority of this study.
Neighborhood police patrols (O-27) Regular police patrols in Freedom Park reduce illegal activities and make the park more user- friendly.
Street sweeping (O-28) All neighborhood streets should be swept at least two times a year.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 67 Recommendations: Urban Design & Historic Resources
4.7 Urban Design & Historic Resources
Urban design improvements and historic preservation can create a more pleasant and beautiful neighborhood. They can also ensure that the neighborhood remains livable in the long term. A philosophy that preserves the best elements of the neighborhood’s past, while ensuring future excellence is central to this plan.
Urban Design & Resource Policies
Require quality building materials for new and renovation construction. Durable building materials on facades with a limited number The following elements of good urbanism should of materials are important for good urban design be required in all new buildings and renovations of existing structures: • Encourage the use of durable materials in resi- dential, commercial or mixed-use buildings. • Prohibit the use of Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS) on any facade.
Promote ground-floor retail on key streets. Establish minimum locations for ground-floor store- front character on Ponce de Leon Avenue and North Highland Avenue. In these areas minimum retail depths of 40 feet are recommended, although 60 is preferred. A maximum store size of 10,000 sf is encouraged on North Highland Avenue south of Blue Ridge Avenue. Minimum locations for ground-floor storefronts should be established along Ponce and North Highland Avenues Preserve existing historic resources The historic core of the neighborhood should be preserved, along with the following buildings: • Telephone Factory Lofts • Ford Factory Lofts • Druid Hills Baptist Church • Clermont Hotel • Briarcliff Plaza • Manuel’s (building and business) • Morningside Condominiums • Apartment buildings at 881, 963, 977, 1105, and 1107 Ponce de Leon Avenue • Highland School Key historic buildings in the neighborhood should be preserved
68 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Recommendations: Urban Design & Historic Resources
Figure 4.3: Recommended Retail Framework
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Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 69 Proposed Retail Framework NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates April 19, 2010 Recommendations: Urban Design & Historic Resources
Support standards to discourage demolition of historic structures. Often moderately dense urban buildings are demolished for less dense commercial prototypes. Establishing standards in commercial and mixed- use areas that require the following discourages the destruction of historic buildings for single-story chain businesses: • Minimum height of two stories • Minimum building lot coverage • Maximum parking lot coverage • Minimum floor area ratios • Minimum building frontages The greatest threat to historic buildings on major corridors is their demolition for less intensive commercial uses Urban Design & Historic Resource Projects
Designate historic buildings as official “Land- mark Buildings.” (O-29) Designation of the buildings listed above as “Landmark Buildings” under the City’s Code of Ordinances allows them to be protected from destruction or incompatible alteration.
Establish consensus on the pursuit of neigh- borhood historic designation. (O-30) Form a committee to determine if all or part of the neighborhood should pursue a local historic designation. Property owner support will be key to the long-term preservation Install art on BeltLine bridges. (O-31) of neighborhood historic sites Public art adds interest to BeltLine bridges and distinguishes the neighborhood from other BeltLine communities.
Install neighborhood gateway markers. (O-32) Gateway markers brand Poncey-Highland as a distinct neighborhood in the minds of Atlantans and create a sense of arrival. Install markers at: • North Avenue at the BeltLine and at Moreland Avenue • North Highland Avenue at Freedom Park and at Ponce de Leon Avenue • Ralph McGill Boulevard at the BeltLine • Ponce De Leon Avenue at the BeltLine and at Neighborhood gateway markers could incorporate art Freedom Park 70 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan
Part 5: Public Involvement
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 71 Public Involvement
For nearly a decade, the Poncey-Highland Neigh- borhood Assocation has desired a master plan to Workshop Contributors guide growth and development in the neighbor- hood. Unfortunately, due to limited resources and The community workshop was made pos- residents’ engagement in parallel planning efforts, sible by contributions of time or materials the task of preparing a master plan that reflects from: the aspirations of Poncey-Highland did not begin AIA Atlanta Paul Lorenc in earnest until early 2009, when financial support Caleb Racicot Ross Wallace and in-kind contributions made it possible. Lauren Davidson Tunnell-Spangler- As a neighobrhood-based effort, community input Jennifer Ball Walsh & Associates was central to the process. Comments were so- Jia Li Wendy Darling licited by a variety of means, including mailings, e-mails, a website, interviews, workshops, and public meetings. Announcements about the public involvement process were distributed to stakehold- ers by mail, hand-delivered postcards, local print media and radio, and announcements at neighbor- hood meetings. This process was conducted from May through December of 2009.
Public Meetings
Poncey-Highland residents and other stakehold- ers were given the opportunity to contribute at a variety of public meetings and workshops. These varied from large public gatherings at which in- formation was presented to more informal break- out sessions in which participants discussed and worked on maps to identify key issues within the study area. The neighborhood has good tree canopy, but some trees, such as these Bradford Pears, are near the end of their lives Six public meetings were held during the process: • Kick-off Meeting on June 17, 2009, at the Carter Presidential Center • Community Workshop on June 27, 2009, at the Druid Hills Baptist Church • Preliminary Ideas Work Session on October 5, 2009, at Manuel’s Tavern • Draft Plan Presentation on October 21, 2009, at Druid Hills Baptist Church • Final Plan Presentation on November 18, 2009, at the Carter Presidential Center These meetings provided neighborhood stake- holders with opportunities to share their thoughts on existing conditions, establish a desired for The workshop included activities that allowed neighborhood neighborhood vision, and review specific recom- children to participate in the planning process mendations to achieve that vision. 72 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Public Involvement
Steering Committee
A neighborhood steering committee was also es- tablished to guide the planning process. The goal of this group was to represent the neighborhood at large, help define the goals and vision, ensure that the plan addressed issues that are special or unique to the neighborhood, coordinate public out- reach, and comment on plan documents.
Working Groups
Special working groups were established as a follow-up to the Community Workshop to further explore and refine ideas emerging from the work- Neighborhood stakeholders explored ways to calm traffic and shop. These included: improve bicycle facilities at the North Avenue Working Group • North Avenue Working Group, which assisted in developing neighborhood goals and a detailed vision for transportation improvements along North Avenue. • North Highland Avenue Working Group, which focused on land-use and transportation recommendations for the corridor. The ideas developed by these working groups were incorporated into the master planning effort. Many of the recommendations in Part 4 are the direct result of these groups’ efforts.
Master Plan Website
The final public outreach tool used in the master A master plan page was created on the Poncey-Highland planning process was a master plan website, which Neighborhood Association’s website (www.ponceyhighland. com) was integrated into the existing Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association’s site. It provided infor- mation throughout the planning process, including meeting dates and locations, relevant documents, news briefs, and e-mail notifications of upcoming meetings.
The website was also equipped with surveys to allow stakeholders to provide input into the master plan. An initial survey asked participants to share their thoughts on Poncey-Highland’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Later surveys provided opportunities to comment on draft plans.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 73 Public Involvement
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74 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan
Part 6: Implementation
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 75 Implementation
6.1: Action Program Consistent with the City’s established practices, other short-term implementation steps are as The Action Program outlines the next steps after follow: adoption of this plan by the City of Atlanta. It in- • Capital projects will be identified in the CDP. cludes a list of projects, time lines and responsible CDP project tables receive yearly updates and parties, and is intended to serve as a blueprint for status reporting. achieving the neighborhood’s vision for its future. • Short term capital projects with fudning will be Stakeholders identified several efforts to assure identified in the Capital Improvements Plan of implementation. These included continued dili- Atlanta (CIP). gence on the part of area residents, businesses, • Projects within specific council districts are and the City of Atlanta to monitor development in reviewed regularly with council members Poncey-Highland and ensure compliance with the (at least once per year) for funding and vision of this plan. Part of this should involve revi- priority-setting. sions to the plan as needed or warranted. Stake- • Neighborhood Planning Unit N will be given holders must also work with the City to implement copies of the complete plan, containing capi- land use and zoning changes which support the tal and other projects. NPU N will provide an vision of this plan. ongoing review for projects and request proj- ect updates as needed from the Bureau of Recommendations are provided on an aggressive Planning and City Council. schedule that has been prioritized based on stake- holder input. Projects in the near future represent • The plan includes preliminary zoning recom- those addressing areas with the most critical need mendations. These are implemented in a follow- for public improvement or those where public in- up process, with additional input from the com- vestment can spur private investment. Longer- munity. The Poncey-Highland Neighborhood term projects are less urgent, but equally key to Association, through its Land-Use Committee, the long-term success of this plan. Board of Directors and Members, and NPU N always provide a natural impetus to implement Implementation Steps the rezoning recommendations as applications are filed for rezoning. This document is an aggressive, but achievable, plan for building on the history and strengths of Long-Term Poncey-Highland to create a sustainable neighbor- hood. However, for the vision contained in these The realization of the vision contained herein will pages to become a reality there must be both short also require a long-term commitment. The plan’s and long-term commitments to its principles. The aggressive vision cannot be achieved overnight, following paragraphs are intended to provide steps and must be regularly reviewed to remain relevant. that guide the short and long-term implementation Any plan that does not have continual oversight processes. risks obsolescence. As the City of Atlanta and the neighborhood move Short-Term forward with implementing the vision of this plan, it Short term implementation should remove regula- is critical that the following are kept in mind: tory barriers to the vision contained herein. Plan : Of all of the compo- approval should be accompanied by updates to the • The Plan’s Lasting Vision nents of this plan, its policies should represent 15 Year Future Land Use Plan, as recommended its most lasting legacy. The ideas contained in herein. Plan approval is constituted by an official Part 4: Recommendations are the results of adoption of the plan into the Comprehensive De- an extensive and inclusive public involvement velopment Plan (CDP), making the plan an official process. It is highly unlikely that the general part of the city-wide plan. 76 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Implementation
vision and goals resulting from such process project funds could include: will change significantly, although the steps to achieving them may. • BeltLine Tax Allocation District (TAD): The BeltLine TAD will generate bond funds to pay • The Need for Flexibility: While the vision is for transportation and open space improve- unlikely to change, it is critical that the neigh- ments near the BeltLine. The TAD includes borhood recognizes that the ways in which the much of the neighborhood within one-quarter vision is achieved can and will change. The mile of the BeltLine. Many of the projects in this future addition or subtraction of policies or plan have been coordinated with the BeltLine projects should not be viewed as a compro- Subarea 5 Master Plan to ensure funding mise of the plan, but rather its natural evolution eligibility. in response to new and evolving conditions. Many of the assumptions used to guide this • Development Impact Fees: As new develop- process, including the regional and national ment occurs citywide, impact fees are generated economy; land costs; transportation costs; to fund transportation, parks, and public safety transportation funding programs; and develop- improvements. These could be used to lever- ment trends are never fixed. The City of Atlanta age federal funds within the neighborhood. must be prepared to respond to changes of • Private Donations: Local matches could also these and other factors in order to ensure a be obtained by soliciting area property owners, fresh, relevant plan. businesses, and residents. Although highly • A Development Guide: One of the greatest unusual, as an example this method was used long-term values of this document is that it lays in Downtown to fund public improvements in out a detailed land use vision. To this end, as the Fairlie-Poplar district. development proposals are submitted to the Private funds may also be used to fund specif- City, said proposals should be reviewed for ic “special interest” projects. For example, the compatibility with the plan. The plan contains PATH Foundation funds multi-use greenway specific recommendations for specific sites, trails, while companies such as The Home and the City should use the development Depot and Fiskars Garden Tools have support- review process to work with the private sector ed community garden efforts. The Freedom to achieve this vision. Park Conservancy may also be a funding By being mindful of these ideas, the Poncey-High- vehicle through their corporate donors for land Neighborhood Master Plan can guide positive some of the project contained herein. change in the neighborhood for years to come. Without a detailed analysis that is beyond the scope of this plan, ideal local funding for each Public Project Funding project cannot be determined. However, the City and the neighborhood should explore all options. Since transportation improvements are among the highest priority projects in Poncey-Highland, it Cost Assumptions is also ideal that they may be funded through a variety of sources. The City of Atlanta should work As with any macro-level planning process, it is im- with Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and possible to perfectly assign costs to future projects. Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to However, it is possible to estimate costs based on ensure that projects that require Federal transpor- standard assumptions (These will vary or escalate tation funds are included in future Regional Trans- over time and are only relevant in today’s econom- portation Plans (RTPs). Revisions to such plans ic climate). The following assumptions are used in are made every five years. the Action Program Matrices; all costs include de- molition and installation: Typically, federal funds require a local 20 percent • Concrete sidewalks: $5.00/sf match. Key sources for these funds and other • Street trees (3.5” caliper): $600 each Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 77 Implementation
• Pedestrian light: $5,000 each • Bus shelter: $5,000 each • Concrete curbs: $7.50/linear foot • New streets: $500/linear foot • Planted bulbouts: $9,000 each • Traffic signal: $150,000/intersection • Landscape strip: $2.25/sf • HAWK Signals: $60,000 each • Thermoplastic ladder crosswalk: $400/leg • “Stop for Pedestrian” signs: $600 each • Bike lanes/striping: $4.00/linear foot • Stop sign: $500/each • Buried utilities: $350/linear foot per side Where project costs have already been estimated • Asphalt removal: $1.00/sf by another plan, the other plan’s costs are used. All costs are in 2009 dollars. • Asphalt Paving: $1.67/sf • Median construction (including asphalt removal The timeframe for projects is divided into Short- and landscaping): $15.00/sf Term (1 to 2 years); Mid-Term (3 to 7 years), and • Speed bumps: $1,200 each Long-Term (8 or more years)
Transportation Projects Engineering Construction Construction Total Project Responsible Funding ID Description City of Atlanta Source & Cost Costs Timeframe Costs Costs Party Source Road Diet IF,Bonds, T-1 North Avenue Road Diet $525,180 Mid-Term $3,501,200 $4,026,380 COA TE $3,149,581 LOST IF,Bonds, Bulbouts/Curb Moving $29,700 Mid-Term $198,000 $227,700 COA TE $75,240 LOST IF,Bonds, Medians/Pedestrian Refuges $18,000 Mid-Term $120,000 $138,000 COA TE $45,600 LOST IF,Bonds, Striping/Bike Lanes $4,440 Mid-Term $29,600 $34,040 COA TE $11,248 LOST IF,Bonds, Stop Signs $1,125 Mid-Term $7,500 $8,625 COA TE $2,850 LOST Other Signs (excludes sign already in T- IF,Bonds, $2,250 Mid-Term $15,000 $17,250 COA TE $5,700 18) LOST IF,Bonds, Traffic Signals $45,000 Mid-Term $300,000 $345,000 COA TE $114,000 LOST IF,Bonds, Street Trees $13,500 Mid-Term $90,000 $103,500 COA TE $34,200 LOST IF,Bonds, Crosswalks $2,040 Mid-Term $13,600 $15,640 COA TE $5,168 LOST IF,Bonds, New Sidewalks $54,750 Mid-Term $365,000 $419,750 COA TE $138,700 LOST IF,Bonds, Utility Burial $354,375 Mid-Term $2,362,500 $2,716,875 COA COA $2,716,875 LOST Programable Road Diet Total: $525,180 $3,501,200 $4,026,380 $3,149,581 (includes only new projects) Vehicular Administrative Administrative T-2 Traffic Law Enforcement $0 On-Going $0 APD COA APD Time Time Stop Sign at Blue Ridge Avenue and Operating T-3 $0 Short-Term $1,500 $1,500 Atlanta DPW COA $1,500 Seminole Avenue Budge Shared Parking Deck at North Druid Hills T-4 $360,000 Mid-Term $2,400,000 $2,760,000 Church Private n/a $0 Baptist Church North Avenue at North Highland ("Buddy's") IF,Bonds, T-5 $9,750 Short-Term $65,000 $74,750 COA COA $74,750 Accessibility Improvements LOST Administrative T-6 Preserve On-Street Parking $0 On-Going $0 COA n/a n/a $0 Time Complete Street Conversion: Blue Ridge IF,Bonds, T-7 $27,000 Mid-Term $180,000 $207,000 COA COA $207,000 Avenue LOST Complete Street Conversion: Somerset IF,Bonds, T-8 $9,750 Mid-Term $65,000 $74,750 COA COA $74,750 Terrace LOST
78 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Implementation
Transportation Projects Engineering Construction Construction Total Project Responsible Funding ID Description City of Atlanta Source & Cost Costs Timeframe Costs Costs Party Source Complete Street Conversion: Bonaventure IF,Bonds, T-9 $9,750 Mid-Term $65,000 $74,750 COA COA $74,750 Avenue LOST Complete Street Conversion: Linwood IF,Bonds, T-10 $9,750 Mid-Term $65,000 $74,750 COA COA $74,750 Avenue LOST Complete Street Conversion: Cleburne IF,Bonds, T-11 $6,750 Mid-Term $45,000 $51,750 COA COA $51,750 Terrace LOST IF,Bonds, T-12 Williams Road Realignment: Total $71,250 Long-Term $475,000 $1,296,250 COA/Private COA/Private $946,250 LOST IF,Bonds, Roadway $71,250 Long-Term $475,000 $546,250 COA COA $546,250 LOST Right-of-way (assume land swap for Bond, Impact IF,Bonds, $0 Long-Term $0 $750,000 COA/Private $400,000 former right-of-way on Manuel's lot) Fees LOST
T-13 Ponce/Moreland Intersection Improvements See Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenue Corridor Study (projects MT-8, MT-9) and Connect Atlanta Plan (project PS-IC-005)
North Avenue/Moreland Intersection T-14 See Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenue Corridor Study (project MT-10) Improvements COA, GDOT IF,Bonds, T-15 Freedom Park Directional Signage $2,250 Short-Term $15,000 $17,250 COA, GDOT $5,250 Safety Funds LOST Programable Vehicular Total: $496,500 $3,311,500 $4,558,000 $1,436,000 (includes only new projects) New Streets New Somerset Terrace to Ralph McGill and T-16 See BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (project NR-0) and Connect Atlanta Plan (project NS-028) Angier Avenue to BeltLine
T-17 New Street: Belgrade Avenue to BeltLine See BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (project NR-1) and Connect Atlanta Plan (project NS-068)
New Street: from North Highland Avenue to T-18 $63,750 TBD $425,000 $488,750 Private Private n/a $0 Julia Street New Street: Ponce Place Extension South T-19 $67,500 TBD $450,000 $517,500 Private Private n/a $0 to North Avenue Programable New Street Total: $131,250 $875,000 $1,006,250 $0 (includes only new projects) Pedestrian Ponce de Leon Avenue Pedestrian T-20 See Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenue Corridor Study (project PT-4) and BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (project R-1) Upgrades
T-21 Moreland Avenue Pedestrian Upgrades See Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenue Corridor Study (project MT-1)
T-22 BeltLine Area Wayfinding Signs See BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (project O-4)
Ralph McGill Boulevard Pedestrian T-23 See BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (project R-2) Upgrades North Highland Avenue Pedestrian T-24 $196,425 Long-Term $1,309,500 $1,505,925 Private Private n/a $1,177,925 Facilities* IF,Bonds, New sidewalks, ramps, and lighting $61,500 Long-Term $410,000 $471,500 COA TE $143,500 LOST IF,Bonds, Utility Burial $134,925 Long-Term $899,500 $1,034,425 COA COA $1,034,425 LOST
T-25 Parking Lot Wheel Stops (Per site) $360 Short-Term $2,400 $2,760 Private Private n/a $0
IF,Bonds, T-26 Freedom Parkway HAWK Signal $10,500 Long-Term $70,000 $80,500 COA COA $80,500 LOST IF,Bonds, T-27 Pedestrian Countdown Signals $10,500 Long-Term $70,000 $80,500 COA COA $80,500 LOST IF,Bonds, T-28 Accessible Curb Ramps $19,200 Mid-Term $128,000 $147,200 COA COA $147,200 LOST IF,Bonds, T-29 Restripe Key Crosswalks $3,000 Mid-Term $20,000 $23,000 COA COA $23,000 LOST COA, TE, IF,Bonds, T-30 Carter Center Pedestrian Access $97,500 Long-Term $650,000 $747,500 COA, Private $227,500 Private LOST Neighborhood Sidewalk IF,Bonds, T-31 $31,500 Mid-Term $210,000 $241,500 COA COA $241,500 Repair/Construction LOST Eastbound right-turn lane removal on TE, GDOT Safety IF,Bonds, T-32 $12,750 Mid-Term $85,000 $97,750 COA, GDOT $29,750 Ponce de Leon Ave at N. Highland Ave* Funds LOST
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 79 Implementation
Transportation Projects Engineering Construction Construction Total Project Responsible Funding ID Description City of Atlanta Source & Cost Costs Timeframe Costs Costs Party Source North Highland Avenue HAWK Crossing IF,Bonds, T-33 $10,500 Long-Term $70,000 $80,500 COA COA $80,500 Signal * LOST Programable Pedestrian Total : $195,810 $1,305,400 $1,501,210 $910,450 (Includes only new projects) Bicycle Administrative T-34 Enforce Bicycle Parking Requirements $0 On-Going $0 COA COA n/a $0 Time
T-35 McGill Boulevard Bicycle Lanes See BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (project R-2)
Freedom Park Trail Link east of Carter PATH T-36 $4,500 Mid-Term $30,000 $34,500 Private n/a $0 Center Foundation Programable Bicycle Total: $4,500 $30,000 $34,500 $0 (Includes only new projects) Transit
T-37 BeltLine Transit Stop See BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan
T-38 Enhance Bus Service See Ponce de Leon/Moreland Avenue Corridor Study (projects MT-28 and PT-17)
Bus Shelter on west side of N. Highland IF,Bonds, T-39 $2,100 Long-Term $14,000 $16,100 MARTA, COA MARTA, COA $10,350 Ave at Blue Ridge Ave* LOST Other North Highland Avenue Bus Shelters T-40 $3,000 Mid-Term $20,000 $23,000 MARTA MARTA n/a $0 and Schedules* Walkway to Carter Center from Inbound T-41 $1,350 Mid-Term $9,000 $10,350 Carter Center Private n/a $0 Bus Route 16 Stop Programable Transit Total: $6,450 $43,000 $49,450 $10,350 (Includes only new projects)
GRAND TOTAL: $863,190 $5,754,600 $6,617,790 $4,070,381
NOTES *These projects may be combined to a single TE project for North Highland Avenue All costs are in 2009 dollars TE: Federal Transportation Enhancement funds IF: Impact Fees LOST: Potential Local Option Sales Tax COA: City of Atlanta Bonds: Potential future bond
Other Projects
ID Description Costs Timeframe Responsible Party Funding Source
Parks & Open Space Establish Freedom Park Neighborhood Arts O-1 Volunteer Time Short-Term PHNA n/a Committee
O-2 Public Art in Freedom Park TBD On-going Freedom Park Conservancy, COA, Private Assorted
O-3 Community Garden Enclosure $4,000 Short-Term PHNA Private
O-4 Community Garden Expansion $2,000 Mid-Term PHNA Private
O-5 Dog Park Location Study Volunteer Time Short-Term PHNA, Other neighborhoods n/a
O-6 Neighborhood Dog Park $15,000 Mid-Term PHNA, Other neighborhoods, COA Private, COA
O-7 Dog Waste Bag Dispensers $2,000 Short-Term PHNA, Private Private
O-8 Freedom Park Trash Receptacles $1,000 Short-Term COA Parks Department General Funds
O-9 Freedom Park Lighting $100,000 Mid-Term COA Parks Department Private, COA
O-10 Freedom Park Drinking Fountain $1,200 Short-Term COA Parks Department COA
O-11 Freedom Park Walkway $55,000 Mid-Term COA Parks Department Private, COA
O-12 Freedom Park Tree Planting $5,000 Short-Term Trees Atlanta Private
O-13 Neighborhood Walking Route Markers $3,000 Short-Term COA Parks Department Private, COA
80 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Implementation
Other Projects
ID Description Costs Timeframe Responsible Party Funding Source
O-14 Carter Center Shared Parking $0 On-going PHNA, Carter Center n/a
Improvements to Freedom Park's Ralph O-15 $6,000 Short-Term COA Parks Department, Private Private, COA McGill Boulevard Entrance
O-16 Annual Park Clean-Up Day Volunteer Time Annual PHNA, City Council District 2 n/a
Subtotal $189,200
Housing
O-17 Historic Apartment Renovation TBD Short-Term Private Private
Subtotal
Environment
O-18 Neighborhood LEED-ND Certification $35,000 Mid-Term PHNA, US Green Building Council Private
O-19 Sustainable Development Standards $0 Short-Term COA n/a
O-20 Neighborhood Graywater Plan $20,000 Short-Term COA General Funds
O-21 Neighborhood Bioswales Included in T-1, T-7, T-8, T-9, T-10, T-11, and T-12
O-22 Neighborhood Tree Palette Volunteer Time Short-Term PHNA, Trees Atlanta n/a
O-23 Atlanta Dark Skies Plan Staff Time Mid-Term COA, Private Non-Profit n/a
O-24 Neighborhood Recycling Program TBD On-going COA, Private, PHNA General Funds, Private
O-25 Multifamily Recycling Enforcement $0 On-going COA n/a
Subtotal $55,000
Infrastructure & Facilities
O-26 Code Violation Enforcement Staff Time On-going COA n/a
O-27 Neighborhood Police Patrols Staff Time On-going APD APD Operations
O-28 Street Sweeping Staff Time On-going COA City
Subtotal Staff Time
Urban Design & Historic Resources Designate Historic Buildings as City $5,000-$10,000 O-29 Mid-Term COA Urban Design Commission City, private "Landmark Buildings" each Establish Consensus on the Pursuit of O-30 Volunteer Time Short-Term PHNA n/a Neighborhood Historic Designation
O-31 BeltLine Bridge Art See BeltLine Subarea 5 Master Plan (project O-5)
O-32 Install Neighborhood Gateway Markers $80,000 Mid-Term PHNA Private
$85,000 - Subtotal $90,000 $329,200 - GRAND TOTAL: $334,200 NOTES All costs are in 2009 dollars
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 81 Implementation
6.2: Land Use & Zoning Changes the plan often recommends both height limits and increased residential density. The current market A key recommendation of this plan is eliminating downturn notwithstanding, the long-term demand auto-oriented land uses in favor of more urban, for housing in the neighborhood is likely to be much pedestrian-oriented buildings, projects, and devel- higher than it will be for office or hotel uses. Thus, opments. Before this can occur, however, amend- land values are maintained by increasing the per- ments to the City of Atlanta’s 15 Year Future Land mission for neighborhood-scaled housing. Use Plan Map and subsequent zoning changes must occur. Current land use classifications and It is possible that the design standards recom- zoning designations have created the auto-ori- mended vis-à-vis proposed zoning changes could ented land uses that residents, businesses, and actually enhance values. By increasing design property owners want to change. This is particular- requirements and prohibiting suburban-style de- ly true in commercial areas along Ponce de Leon velopment, proposed zoning changes raise the Avenue. bar for new development, protect high quality de- velopment, and protect the entire neighborhood. Future Land Use Plan Map and subsequent zoning For example, without them, there is little incentive changes are priority actions for this plan. They are for a developer to invest in a street-oriented retail intended to codify recommended land uses, urban building if the adjacent parcel can compete for the design standards, and streetscape treatments. same tenants with a low-grade, lower rent box sur- Land use recommendations focus on increasing rounded by parking. the Mixed-Use classification in many areas, while zoning changes support use of the pedestrian-ori- 15-Year Future Land Use Plan Map ented Quality of Life Zoning Codes. Amendments
The zoning changes recommended in this plan Prior to rezoning, the 15 Year Future Land Use are intended to balance the community’s wishes, Plan Map must be amended to support proposed market realities, and the current rights of land zoning changes. The map on the following page owners. They are intended to maintain property illustrates the recommended future land use values while enacting controls to support greater changes. pedestrian orientation and contextualism. Many of the urban design characteristics envisioned will Zoning Changes increase development costs and challenge the expressed desire to increase the mix of housing Current zoning in much of Poncey-Highland is in- types. As a result, the plan recommends zoning compatible with the vision of the Framework Plan changes that achieve the community’s vision while in three principle ways: providing an economic incentive to redevelop ex- • Under-Zoned Sites: Those recommended for isting marginal, but expensive, land uses. land uses more intense than current zoning. For example, the plan suggests height controls, • Over-Zoned Sites: Those recommended for even though no such controls exist today. Under land uses less intense than current zoning. current C-1 or RG-3 zoning it would be possible to • Mis-Zoned Sites: Those recommended for an build mid-rise office buildings or hotels on many of intensity similar to current zoning, but with a the larger, deeper lots (subject to the transitional different land use mix. height plane) along Ponce de Leon and North High- From a zoning perspective each presents differ- land Avenues without any public input. This has, of ent challenges to achieving the plan’s vision. This course, not happened, due to limited demand, but likely means that under-zoned sites will require a the fact that a given property is zoned for this does developer-initiated rezoning to a more intense dis- affect its market value. To allay the concern that trict, over-zoned sites will require a property-owner imposing height controls could represent “takings,” supported rezoning to a less intense district, and
82 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Implementation
Figure 6.1: Proposed Future Land Use Plan Map Changes
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L U S Medium Density Residential I Z T
A IN B A
E V KENDALL ST T
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High Density RA esidential
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A T AV K TIN S US A A Low Density CL ommercial KENDALL ST A Office/Institution M H O U R R E o HIGHLAND AV T L Office/Institution/Residential S A T N D
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D
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I Open Space E Feet
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M P O Y R AL E N E TA AV W E
S T S L K V V A Y O S
P A I A G W J Z Mixed Use E Y A E
C A L H B I G K R P 0V 300 600 1,200 B A R E O L A A V R H E L L A P A L A L A I T W L K E A L V H S R S E N T O D S C A N T I M R A N IN V E
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 83 Future Land Use Plan Changes NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN
Sponsored by: Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council District 2 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association Prepared by: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates April 9, 2010 Implementation mis-zoned sites will require an approach agreeable The conditions’ streetscape element should es- to the City of Atlanta and the property owners. tablish minimum sidewalk standards for new de- velopment along North Highland Avenue, and the Regardless of the case, the future land use catego- portion of Ponce de Leon Avenue not included in ries recommended by this master plan are broad. the BeltLine Overlay. The overlay should mandate As such, a variety of zoning districts could result in the minimum widths recommended in Section 4.4. buildings with the scale and character suggested in Table 6.1. They should also include an urban design element to prevents the demolition of historic pedestrian- Privately-Initiated Zoning Changes friendly, higher density buildings for lower density, auto-oriented uses. Regulations should include: Because the land use vision shown in the Frame- • Minimum building heights of two occupied work Plan is generally more intense than current stories zoning allows, it is expected that, longer-term, pri- vately-initiated rezoning activity will occur. These • Minimum building lot coverage will give the community the opportunity to review • Maximum parking lot coverage development proposals and ensure their consis- • Minimum floor area ratios tency with the vision of this plan. It will be up to the rezoning applicant and the neighborhoods to de- • Minimum building frontages termine the specific conditions of each application, • Maximum building setbacks of 5 feet from the but the use of “quality-of-life” districts is critical. back of the sidewalk
Poncey-Highland Design Conditions Historic Building Designations
The likelihood of privately-initiated zoning changes Local Historic Designations for the buildings rec- notwithstanding, certain recommendations must ommended in Section 4.7 of this plan should also be codified in the short-term for this master plan to be undertaken, pursuant to Chapter 20 of the City be achieved. These will require the City of Atlanta of Atlanta Zoning Code. This will likely require the to enact zoning changes necessary to achieve the support of property owners. plan’s vision. Sustainable Parking Standards The proposed Poncey-Highland Design Conditions would codify key elements of the plan along Ponce Excess off-street parking is one of the greatest de Leon, Moreland, and North Highland Avenues challenges to urbanism. To reduce the supply of without changing the zoning on existing sites. parking it is recommended that the City of Atlanta
Table 6.1: Appropriate Rezoning Designations by Land Use
Framework Plan Category Description Appropriate for Rezoning to1 Exclusively commercial; or commercial and Mixed Use: 5-9 Stories MRC-3, MR-5A, MR-5B residential uses Exclusively commercial; or commercial and MRC-1, MRC-2, MRC-3, MR- Mixed Use: 1-4 Stories residential uses 4A, MR-4B, MR-5A, MR-5B Primarily residential; commercial limited to first MR-3, MR-4A, MR-4B, MR-5, Residential: 5-9 Stories floor MRC-22, MRC-32 Exclusively residential, including single-family, MR-1, MR-2, MR-3, MR4-A, MR- Residential: 1-4 Stories duplexes, townhouses, or low-rise multifamily 4B, LW Exclusively residential, including single-family and Primarily Single-Family/Duplex R-4, R-4A, R-4B, R5, PDH duplexes 1: These are only suggestions, but C and RG Districts should not be used. 2: MRC should only be used when commercial is limited to first floor and less than 20% of floor area.
84 Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan Implementation enact unbundled residential parking requirements. • Construction of new streets as shown in the Under such a program, the inhabitants of a build- plan. ing are required to contract separately for parking • Affordable housing above the recommended spaces, rather than having them included in rent 20 percent neighborhood-wide standard. by default. Those who do not want a space are not in a single project that required to contract for one. The result is an end • Mixed-age housing serves a range of age groups, including the to subsidies for car ownership, and lower housing elderly. costs for those who do not own a car. • Three-bedroom units for at least five percent Multi-Level Liner Requirements of housing in a project. • Preservation of historic buildings or facades Rezoning requests to quality-of-life districts should on a site. be conditioned so that parking decks are com- such as pletely screened both vertically and horizontally • Off-site transportation upgrades streetscapes, traffic calming, or other recom- with active uses. This would be in addition to ex- mendations of this plan. isting requirements for active uses for a minimum depth of 20 feet along the first floor facing a street, • Innovative parking strategies, such as public park, or private park, and in addition to the unbundled residential parking (in which resi- requirements of Section 16-28.028. dents of building are required to contract sepa- rately for parking spaces, and in which those Deviations from the Framework Plan who do not want a space are not required to contract for one), car-share vehicles, transit Although the land use recommendations herein passes, or parking ratios of one space or less have attempted to take economics into consider- per residential unit, among others. ation, there may be cases where rezoning request • LEED Gold or better certification in building is made for a density, height, or use that is different construction. from what is recommended. This is particularly true along North Highland Avenue, where some prop- • Green roofs or other sustainable practices to minimize stormwater or provide vegetable erty owners envision more intense development gardens. than shown in the Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association-supported Framework Plan. In these • Public parking decks or underground park- cases, the neighborhood will likely only suport ing that minimize the negative impacts of park- such applications when they demonstrate excep- ing on the surrounding community. tional commitment to the policies of this plan. • Mitigation of Stormwater run-off through permeable hardscape materials, or other sus- Items that may be considered by the neighbor- tainable practices such as bio-swales, to mini- hood when granting deviations could include, but mize stormwater and down-stream pollution. are not limited to: • Neighborhood goods and services such as • Architectural excellence, which is an ambig- pharmacies, restaurants, retail, and business uous and variable term, but should mean that services. the building design meets or exceeds the aes- The provision of any or all of these elements does thetic standards of the neighborhood. not necessarily guarantee neighborhood support • Creative building massing, which incor- for a rezoning request, nor support or approval porates façade articulation and upper story from other entities. It is, nevertheless, a stating massing aimed at reducing the visual height of point for discussion. a new building on the adjacent street(s). • Brick or stone or other high quality material on all portions of building facades.
Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Master Plan 85