Walmart at Lindbergh? (Atlanta, Smyrna, Monroe: real estate, lease, landscaping)

[arjay57]

Sounds like the whole city is getting riled up over this thing.

BuckheadView: NPUs citywide send City Council resolution urging denial of Lindbergh big box plan for south Buckhead

The Atlanta Planning Advisory Board (APAB), the parent organization for Neighborhood Planning Units throughout Atlanta, on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution urging all Atlanta City Council members to vote no Monday and deny the requested land use and zoning changes for the proposed “big box” retail center for the Lindbergh area of south Buckhead.

The votes on the fate of the retail center—officially listed on the City Council agenda for Monday as CDP-11-06 and Z-11-19—have met with massive opposition from throughout the city, even though it is a Buckhead issue, and just might affect fund-raising and the election of council members who support the issues when they come up for re-election, according to sources.

The resolution, signed by APAB President Cathy Richards and forward to City Council to be entered into record at Monday’s council meeting, states: “APAB, on behalf of NPUs citywide, urges all Atlanta City Council members from all districts and all at-large members to vote NO and to DENY approval of CDP-11-06 and Z-11-19 (SPI-15 Lindbergh Retail Center).”

The City Council meeting Monday is at 1 p.m. at City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue in downtown Atlanta.

[arjay57]

NPU-B explains why it denied the Lindbergh application.

BuckheadView: NPU-B outlines objections to land-use, zoning changes for Lindbergh plan in letter to City Council


1. The applicant has not provided any factual basis to support a land use change. “In fact, real world conditions strongly suggest that such action would not be justified. For example:

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2. The proposed use is incompatible with SPI-15’s mandates for transit- and pedestrian-oriented development.

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3. Throwing out the CDP and the requirements of SPI-15 profoundly undermines the planning process and community participation.

A new wave of Americans – young and old -- is flocking to cities because they want communities that offer more than the suburban experience. Yet nothing typifies that suburban experience more than the big box superstore sitting in a huge parking lot.

SPI-15 reflects a huge investment in planning and seeks to capitalize on the unique transit infrastructure at Lindbergh. The site in question is adjacent to MARTA’s Red Line, Gold Line, the coming Clifton Corridor line to Emory, and the Betline. It is also the nexus for 6 bus lines. It would be tragic to waste this opportunity to create a truly transit-oriented, pedestrian friendly district here by placing a multi-acre surface lot in the middle of things.

The harm has already been addressed by many prominent stakeholders:

The Atlanta Regional Commission says “this proposal does not appear to support the City of Atlanta's 2011 Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) or MARTA TOD Guidelines.”

“ARTA states, “The proposed project is heavily automobile oriented and suburban in style.”

The Chair of Congress for a New Urbanism puts it even more bluntly: “(We) are gravely concerned about the proposal and the precedent it could set. … It is with this in mind that we believe the Lindbergh proposal would represent a step backwards if approved. What concerns us more is the precedent that this disregard for the sound planning would represent…Following on the heels of a drawn out rezoning for Lindbergh City Center, the 2001 TSADS and ensuing SPI 15 were created to avoid future battles and proactively plan for Lindbergh as a model transit-oriented development. With this history in mind, we ask you to carefully consider the negative ramifications for both the Lindbergh area and Atlanta’s public planning process if the rezoning and CDP amendments are approved, which we believe represent an unsettling deviation from the vision of the TSADS, an assault on good urbanism, and a disregard for the public process and the public trust.”

In addition, over 500 citizens have individually set out their comments in opposition to this proposal.

And while the Beltline has not yet weighed in, this development would literally be in their backyard. An auto-oriented, suburban style big box is anathema to the Beltline’s goal of establishing new transit and pedestrian connectivity throughout the city.

[tonygeorgia]

Good!

[toll_booth]

Plans for Buckhead Walmart pushed back to City Council committee | www.ajc.com

[cqholt]

More information on the project
Save Lindbergh

[gtcorndog]

Plan for Buckhead Walmart moves forward, with conditions | www.ajc.com

Moving forward.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

Plan for Buckhead Walmart moves forward, with conditions | www.ajc.com

Moving forward.

It's moving forward to be considered by the city council again on Monday, not moving forward as in gaining approval.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

It's moving forward to be considered by the city council again on Monday, not moving forward as in gaining approval.

So my statement as posted is accurate.

[archlab]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Walmart seeks to build in Buckhead.

Mucho opposition from NPU-B.

NPU-B (or the 'good' residents of Buckhead) has always been full of it.

They ought to put that Wal-Mart right at the corner of Peachtree & Pharr Rd - the place that actually used to be Buckhead. I drove by today & saw the many de-activated tower cranes & the sign on the Construction wall that touted "A New Destination is Born" (or something like that). More like "A Vibrant Place is Gone".

The Rodeo Drive of the ATL - HA! Another over-extended developer that left one of the best parts of Atlanta as a lifeless hoarded-up collection of demolition sites.

[archlab]

Ya Know...I live somewhere between Smyrna / Vinings and have to say that if the NPU-B Wal-Mart gets rejected, I'd gladly take it in my area. We've got plenty of space & could use some development.

Kind of funny how the BeltLine folks are against this as well. One interesting point is that with the decent number of bike-trails that we have around here, a Wal-Mart (or any other large-scale developmt) like that would certainly gain a few LEED points in the transportation category.