DOUGLASVILLE CITY COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE WORK SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
CITY TO APPLY FOR GRANT FOR LAND USE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AROUND ARBOR PLACE MALL
Finance Committee - Chairman Chris Watts
A. Authorize the Mayor to sign Change Order No. 19 with Reeves Young, LLC in the amount of $748,427.31 for the rock blasting and removal for the upper football field parking lot at Jessie Davis Park. (Alesha Mann)
B. Hold a public hearing to consider opting out of the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemption for the City of Douglasville. (Karin Callan)
C. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to allocate Downtown and New Horizons Tax Allocation District Funds, in an amount not to exceed Seven Hundred Forty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-Eight Dollars ($748,428), to reimburse the City’s General Fund for a portion of certain redevelopment costs incurred or to be incurred by the City in connection with the redevelopment of Jessie Davis Park. (Karin Callan)
10. Planning & Development Committee - Chairwoman Nycole Miller
A. Hold a public hearing and consider a request for a Special Land Use Permit for a Self-Storage Facility for property zoned LI (Light Industrial, District) being +/- 3.558 acres at 2203 S. Flat Rock Road in Land Lot 190, District 2, Section 5, Parcel ID 01900250109. Application by Nasir Realty Group, LLC c/o Nasir Farah. (Dana Gray)
B. Authorize staff to make an application to the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) for the Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) for a Land Use Development Plan around Arbor Place Mall, and for the Mayor to sign a letter of support for the application. (Dana Gray)
Background:
The Community Development Department has applied to the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) for a grant called the Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP). This program provides planning and implementation assistance to non-profits and local governments to facilitate the development and implementation of regionally significant projects.
The project titled, “Douglas Boulevard-Moving Forward: An Economic Visioning Plan” aims at developing a vision and land use plan specifically for Arbor Place Mall and the surrounding area to encourage longevity and long-term economic prosperity.
The project location includes Arbor Place Mall and a portion of Douglas Boulevard between Chapel Hill Road and Bill Arp Road. An updated vision for the commerce district is needed to bring the corridor into the 21st century and cement Douglasville’s status as a regional shopping destination for decades to come. The plan will also benefit individual businesses and property owners by ensuring the corridor remains a regional destination with consistent commercial traffic.
Next Steps:
ARC had stated there would be a match of approximately $25,000 dollars to develop the plan. In order to move ahead, staff would need to make an application and have a signed letter of support from the Mayor. Notice of awards will be in May.
Editor’s Note: I took a look at the Community Development Assistance Program Guidebook. This serves as information for those applying for grants.
According to the guidebook, there are priority issue areas that ARC wants to address with each grant. Projects don’t have to address all of these. The areas are historic preservation, housing affordability, access to healty food, creative placemaking (creating public spaces), smart technology, and impacts of climate change. Creative Placemaking includes working with local goverments and artists to integrate “arts, culture, and community-engaged strategies into the process of equitable community planning and development.” Smart Technology includes addressing issues “related to mobility and other mobility challenges”.
A project example they highlighted was a development in Suwannee that included restaurants, retail, office/co-working, apartment buildings, and townhomes.
ARC will award projects in May at their ARC board meeting.
https://atlantaregional.org/what-we-do/community-development/community-development-assistance-program/
The entire meeting agenda can be found at
https://douglasville.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=5266
To speak during the meeting on a specific agenda item or during the Comments section, please complete the online Public Comment Form at least one (1) hour prior to the scheduled meeting time. The Public Comment Form is located at https://www.douglasvillega.gov/government/council-meeting-speaker-sign-in-form