Chairs of The BeltLine Partnership and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. Provide Project Update

It is with great pleasure we share with you some exciting news about the BeltLine. Here are a few highlights:
*Land acquisition for the first BeltLine park is complete, thanks to The Trust for Public Land and the City’s Opportunity Bonds. About $9 million has been spent to acquire 21 acres for the BeltLine’s Boulevard Crossing park in Southeast Atlanta.
*After an extensive Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process we have selected six design/engineering teams to support the master planning effort that begins next month. The contracts are for detailed plans for coordinated development of greenspace, parks and trails.
*A new study by Georgia Tech’s Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the Beltline “would positively affect the health of Atlantans, based on extensive research and community engagement.”
*The $28 million Downtown Development Authority short-term bonds providing interim BeltLine funding were approved by City Council and validated in court last week. The validation order was signed despite a last-minute intervention on unfounded grounds by John Woodham. Should he appeal the order, the City is poised to request an appeal bond.
*More than $15 million has been raised during only the first six months of BeltLine Partnership’s Capital Campaign.
*City residents surveyed recently voiced their continued strong support for the BeltLine and high levels of confidence that it will be completed as envisioned.__________________________
Just trying to get this line moved over a little bit that's all, just tryi.g ___..dWith more than $1.5 billion in new investment and more than 50 new projects underway within the BeltLine TAD Area, the BeltLine is already generating new jobs and stimulating economic activity throughout Atlanta.

While we’re making good progress on many fronts, many challenges remain. Given your continued strong support, however, the BeltLine still is headed on the right track.

So, let’s bring you up to date on exactly where things stand.

Land Acquisition Update. We are pleased to report land acquisition activities for parks and trails throughout the BeltLine are ahead of schedule with nearly 200 acres of greenspace in place thanks to the efforts of the City in conjunction with the Trust for Public Land. Meanwhile, the City’s investments to fund key BeltLine acquisitions such as the purchase of the Bellwood Quarry now total more than $55 million. The goal of the BeltLine’s Five-Year Plan was 585-625 acres of greenspace and we are well on our way to achieving that objective.

This week we announced the completion of land assemblage for the 21-acre Boulevard Crossing park, located south of Grant Park in Southeast Atlanta. The site is one of the nine park “jewels” envisioned in Alex Garvin’s “Emerald Necklace” study.

Master Plans. Land use, parks and transportation master planning is slated to begin in earnest in July 2007, with completion targeted for 12-15 months. After an extensive Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process we have selected six design/engineering teams to support the master planning effort that begins in earnest next month.

Good progress is being made on five of the BeltLine parks (Westside, North Avenue, Enota, Boulevard Crossing, and Stanton/Four Corners), with preliminary master plans expected to be submitted for approval by February 2008. In tandem with the park master planning, the City Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs, BeltLine Partnership and ABI are jointly devising a park maintenance strategy to continue the improvement in operations and ensure sufficient funding, equipment and personnel to maintain City parks at a higher standard.

City Council Approves DDA Bonds for BeltLine. Recently Fulton County Superior Court Judge Gail Tusan signed and issued a Validation Order for a $28 million bond sale for the Downtown Development Authority to provide interim financing for the BeltLine. City Council had given the measure the “green light” last month. The validation order was signed despite a last-minute intervention on unfounded grounds by John Woodham. Barring an appeal, the funding measure assures the important work of the BeltLine continues until the Georgia Supreme court can rule on the merits of a lawsuit brought over the constitutionality of the initial $200 million Tax Allocation District (TAD) bonds approved by Council in July 2006. Should Mr. Woodham appeal the DDA validation order, the City is poised to request an appeal bond, and to aggressively pursue all other remedies or recovery of damages associated with the funding delay.

We need the proceeds from the DDA bonds, once issued, to enable us to commence the environmental review and engineering studies necessary to the BeltLine transit implementation, accelerate right-of-way acquisition, and initially fund the affordable housing trust fund, among other activities. While we are confident we will prevail in court later this year on the TAD bonds case, this new revenue source is required now to help pay for detailed master planning engineering studies, design work and land for parks and trails in the short term.

Study Shows BeltLine’s Positive Health Impact. The Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD) at Georgia Tech released the findings of a new study in late May 2007 that concluded the BeltLine “would positively affect the health of Atlantans, based on extensive research and community engagement.” CQGRD Executive Director Catherine L. Ross, Ph.D., was the principal investigator of the BeltLine Health Impact Assessment. “A well-designed infrastructure can promote the health of residents of a community,” said Andrew L. Dannenberg, MD, MPH, medical officer at the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health, who worked with Dr. Ross on the study.

BeltLine Poll. A recent survey by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia shows an overwhelming majority (70%) of Atlantans believe the BeltLine will be completed. Some 80% say it will accomplish the most important goals of this truly visionary, one-of-a-kind rail/trail, parks and mixed development plan to link 45 neighborhoods. Most importantly, they believe it will ease traffic congestion and help the environment.

When 600 city residents were polled during April, an almost unanimous number (95%) said it was important the Beltline reduce traffic gridlock. Atlantans are confident that once it’s fully developed, the BeltLine will transform the Atlanta we know.

Capital Campaign Now Underway. Led by a stellar group of Atlanta civic and business leaders, the BeltLine Partnership’s Capital Campaign is off to a very strong start, with some $15.6 million in contributions and commitments now in hand. After only five months the campaign has achieved more than a quarter of its $60 million goal and momentum continues to build as the Campaign Committee accelerates its work.

This effort, which is tapping the generosity of foundations, corporations and individuals who embrace the BeltLine vision, will help achieve our goal of acquiring roughly 600 acres of parks and trails and developing a significant portion for use within the first five years.

Citizen Participation Framework and Upcoming Public Input Opportunities. As demonstrated in our recent polling, the BeltLine continues to enjoy strong interest and enthusiasm from stakeholders across the Atlanta community. We invite—and encourage—your participation in one or more of the upcoming public involvement opportunities:

BeltLine Public Information Forums – We held two well-attended Quarterly Briefings at City Hall. The first on February 28, 2007 drew about 100 participants. A slightly larger group attended the second meeting on April 17.

BeltLine TAD Advisory Committee – The next meeting of the TAD Advisory Committee is scheduled for June 19 from 4-6 p.m. and August 14 at the Hands On Atlanta building, located at 600 Means St., Atlanta GA 30318. The names of the members may be found at beltlinecommunity.org.

BeltLine Affordable Housing Advisory Board – The next meeting will be held July 10 from 4-6 p.m. at the Atlanta Development Authority building, located at 86 Pryor St., Atlanta, GA 30303. The names of the members may be found at beltlinecommunity.org.

Earth Day Volunteers Make the BeltLine Greener. The community service focus of this year's City of Atlanta Earth Day Celebration was a cleanup in neighborhoods in the south and southeast sections of the BeltLine. The 2007 Arms Around Atlanta ~ Earth Day citizen service projects were a resounding success. In all, 55 teams consisting of 1248 volunteers did their part by cleaning up streams, rounding up tires, picking up litter, and recycling their electronic waste. Neighborhoods were spruced up, and neighbors came together to make a difference in their communities and BeltLine neighborhoods.

BeltLine Partnership launches free public tour program. In April the BeltLine Partnership launched free public tours of the BeltLine, which are conducted Friday and Saturday mornings from 9:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The tours, which begin and end at the Inman Park/Reynoldstown MARTA Station, travel through the 45 neighborhoods that will be connected by the BeltLine, with scheduled stops in West End and at the Bellwood Quarry, the future site of one of Atlanta’s biggest parks. There’s no better way to learn about the Beltline’s vast potential to transform Atlanta’s inner core; the tours are an important component of our public education and outreach efforts. Public interest has been strong, with tours fully booked on most trips. If you would like to take a tour, email tours@beltlinepartnership.org to reserve a seat, and make your plans early!

The progress of the last six months would not have been possible without the active support and involvement of countless BeltLine supporters and citizen advocates. Thanks in advance for your continued support and participation.

Regards,

Ray Weeks, Chair – BeltLine Partnership
Cal Darden, Chair – Atlanta BeltLine, Inc