Atlanta West End LCI Plan Update

City of Atlanta, GA

The Collaborative is providing planning consulting services to the City of Atlanta on behalf of its Department of City Planning for a major update to the West End Livable Centers Initiative (LCI). The Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative Program seeks to prepare and implement plans for the enhancement of existing centers and corridors consistent with regional development policies. The goals outlined in the LCI are to provide access to a variety of travel modes including transit, roadways, walking and biking, encourage mixed-income residential neighborhoods, employment, shopping and recreation options and develop an outreach process that promotes the involvement of all stakeholders.

The Collaborative is leading a team of consultants in the development of the West End LCI Update. Key areas of focus include the creation of safe roads, improved connectivity, affordable workforce housing, economic development, job creation, parks, public art, and historic preservation.

Atlanta’s historic West End neighborhood is currently undergoing rapid growth and gentrification. A thorough public outreach process outlined the community’s desire for increased access to services and amenities, mixed-income housing and the preservation of existing residential and commercial areas. Improving streets and expanding existing multi-use trails in an already-dense urban environment required multi-disciplinary collaboration. The end product was the development of alternative options, which included section-elevations, GIS maps, and realistic renderings. The Collaborative organized four stakeholder meetings and four public meetings with the community. In addition, the firm organized bi-weekly conference call meetings with the client and Project Management Team.

Atlanta BeltLine Master Plan Updates

City of Atlanta, GA

In Spring 2020, the Collaborative completed master plan updates for Subareas 9 and 10. The BeltLine is the most comprehensive transportation and economic development effort ever undertaken in Atlanta, ultimately connecting 45 neighborhoods via a new transit network, multi-use trails, and parks.

Making use of an abandoned railroad corridor that encircles Atlanta’s urban core, the BeltLine will consist of 22 miles of rail transit, 33 miles of multi-use trails, 1,300 acres of parks, 5,600 units of affordable housing, and the remediation and redevelopment of 1,100 acres of brownfields. Already beginning to transform Atlanta, the project’s economic impact is estimated to be $20 billion.

The Collaborative led a team of consultants in the development of plans for two subareas on Atlanta’s west side. Key areas of focus include the creation of affordable workforce housing, economic development, job creation, public health, streetscapes, public art, environmental clean-up, and historic preservation.

Master Plan

Town of Lynnfield, MA

Building on an earlier public participation process defining the town’s goals and objectives, the Collaborative prepared a comprehensive master plan for the Town of Lynnfield, MA.
Lynnfield had some specific issues with regard to the future of its development. First, Lynnfield is a town with very little remaining vacant developable land. Second, it is a town that wants to achieve a better balance in its property tax base. Third, Lynnfield has relatively large areas devoted to open space, some of which are important wildlife “core habitat” resource areas. Taking these specific concerns to mind along with other planning issues, the Collaborative created a complete plan for the development of Lynnfield, detailing the means and tactics to achieving sustainable development in the years to come.

This is best summed up by Richard O’Neil, Chairman of the Lynnfield Planning Board when he remarked, “You have presented us with a fresh approach to problems that seem to be descending on Eastern Massachusetts towns at an alarming rate. Your anticipation of these problems helped us greatly to foresee how to turn what may initially be perceived as problems into opportunities. The possibilities and solutions present in your report forewarned and informed townspeople as even now the realities are coming before us.”

Vision 2020 and Strategic Plan

Town of Lexington, MA

The Collaborative designed and facilitated a public engagement process for the purpose of defining a 20-year Vision and Strategic Plan for the Town of Lexington. The final products of this project included an overall Vision for the Lexington of 2020 that outlined a set of specific Vision Statements: (1) topic areas, including physical appearance, governance, economy, sense of community, environment, political well-being, etc., (2) issue areas, defined by the development, analysis, and examination of prominent issues of concern, and (3) implementation areas corresponding to the management structure of the town.

According to Candy McLaughlin, Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Lexington, “I would like to congratulate and thank the Collaborative for carrying off the community workshops so well. You really hit the ground running.”

Comprehensive Plan

City of Tucker, GA

The Collaborative recently completed the development of a Comprehensive Plan for the City of Tucker, addressing all requirements of Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs. After conducting a comprehensive public engagement process to define community goals, values and aspirations, the Collaborative produced an integrated set of issues and opportunities designed to stimulate a community-wide conversation on how best to achieve those goals. The draft plan responded to the community’s priorities for future development in a variety of areas, such as downtown enhancement, community character areas, the strengthening of pedestrian and bicycle connections, ensuring adequate housing choices for Tucker residents and expansion of the tax base. The plan also includes a program of implementation actions, including zoning, regulatory and budgetary measures, designed to help the City achieve its goals for long-term development and quality-of-life.

Tucker, GA, a well-established community for nearly 125 years, was officially incorporated as DeKalb County’s newest city in early 2016. The City’s inaugural mayor and council are using an innovative public-private partnership to deliver the high quality of service Tucker’s 35,000 residents and business owners deserve. With its rich history, strong community support, desirable location and mix of residential, office, commercial and industrial properties, along with parks and green space, the City of Tucker is poised for success well into the future.

Comprehensive Plan

Town of Acton, MA

The Collaborative led a process that produced a new comprehensive master plan for the Town of Acton, an historic suburban community northwest of Boston. An intensive public outreach campaign was carried out that included visioning workshops, a website, video, PSAs, and mail and phone surveys to residents and businesses. The Plan was subsequently approved by an overwhelming vote of Town Meeting. The plan guides economic development to higher density mixed use village centers. At the same time, land use and zoning tools are designed to protect and preserve open spaces that serve the community as valuable environmental, recreational, and historic landscape assets.

Roland Bartl, Planning Director for Acton, stated it best with, “The team’s commitment and willingness to work with residents and community leaders with a diverse range of interests never floundered.”