Council approves redistricting legislation to adopt new map of Council districts
The Atlanta City Council approved legislation Monday to amend the City’s Charter for the purpose of adopting a new map of Council districts as part of redistricting (22-O-1700). The legislation includes a population summary report, plan components report, and the boundary descriptions of districts 1 through 12. This is the final of two required adoptions as a charter amendment.
Other items approved during the meeting include:
• An ordinance ratifying an executive order by the mayor imposing a temporary moratorium on new applications for rezonings, building permits, land disturbance permits, special use permits, special administrative permits, subdivisions, replattings, and lot consolidations for any projects located within the 25-acre site of the Atlanta Medical Center (22-O-1777). The moratorium imposed by this ordinance will expire 180 days from the date this legislation becomes effective.
• An ordinance to ratify the City of Atlanta’s grant application with the U.S. Department of Justice for a Bureau of Justice Assistance governmental unit grant to support the operating costs associated with the Center for Diversion and Services (22-O-1765). The ordinance authorizes the City’s chief financial officer to accept the grant award and amend the Fiscal Year 2023 budget to anticipate and appropriate the funding in the amount of approximately $2.9 million.
• An ordinance imposing a six-month moratorium during which the Office of Zoning and Development will accept no application for a special administrative permit, a land disturbance permit, or a building permit for new construction for any property located in a R-5 zoning district (two-family residential) within the boundaries of the Home Park neighborhood (22-O-1760).
• A resolution establishing a Justice40 Oversight Commission to identify environmentally disadvantaged communities in Atlanta to ensure that such communities benefit from opportunities and resources available through the Biden administration’s Justice40 initiative (22-R-4433).
• An ordinance to amend the City of Atlanta’s Human Relations Code to include persons directly impacted by the criminal legal system in the class of persons who may be aggrieved by alleged discrimination or unlawful practices under the Code (22-O-1748). This legislation is aimed at combating the long-term impacts of incarceration.
• A resolution authorizing the approval and adoption of the DeKalb County Service delivery strategy and authorizing the mayor to execute the DeKalb County service delivery strategy agreement on behalf of the City of Atlanta (22-R-4335).
• A resolution to authorize the mayor to issue a task order in the amount of $6.2 million for phase 1 and 2 of downtown City Hall Vicinity Street Resurfacing and Associated Street Maintenance Activities (22-R-4417).
• A resolution to urge the Georgia General Assembly to enact legislation to prohibit commercial harassment and make it a punishable offense under the state code (22-R-4421).
• A resolution requesting that the Department of City Planning conduct a review of the City’s impact fee program regarding transportation system improvements (22-R-4247).
• A resolution expressing support for the 117th Congress’ House Resolution 1382 and Senate Resolution 790 to commemorate the Atlanta Race Massacre by honoring the victims and reaffirming the commitment of Congress to combat hatred, injustice and white supremacy (22-R-4430).
• A resolution urging the Georgia General Assembly to pass a resolution acknowledging the atrocities of the Atlanta Race Massacre of 1906 and to honor the victims and reaffirm Georgia’s commitment to combat hatred, injustice and white supremacy (22-R-4431).
• A resolution urging the Georgia General Assembly to take action to regulate investor-owned housing and encourage owner-occupied housing to protect single-family neighborhoods and increase access to affordable homeownership and affordable rental options (22-R-4432). In 2022, the state legislature approved legislation to create the House Study Committee on Regulation, Affordability, and Access to Housing. This legislation urges the committee to reduce the proliferation of investor-owned housing in Atlanta.
• An ordinance authorizing the mayor to sign a grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation in an amount not to exceed $16.4 million for the construction of the Atlanta Beltline Southside Trail (22-O-1751).
• A resolution acknowledging October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and recognizing the survivors of domestic violence for their strength, courage, and resilience. This item was an immediate consideration.
Proclamations were presented in recognition of former Council member Cleta Winslow, former Council member Joyce Sheperd, Dorothy Bolden and the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Claudie Nash and Deaunte Grier of Atlanta Fire Rescue.
Items were also introduced to be considered in committee, including:
• An ordinance to amend the due date by which the Council must adopt the preliminary plan for Council discretionary accounts for the “Moving Atlanta Forward” infrastructure initiative from December 31, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
• A resolution requesting that the Atlanta Department of Transportation commissioner amend the administrative regulations for shareable dockless mobility device operators to allow device operation between midnight and 4 a.m.
• A resolution requesting that the City conduct or commission a study to analyze the cost of certain regulatory activities related to the construction, use, and maintenance of real or personal property as authorized by law for the protection of the public to ensure that the fees imposed are equitable, reasonable, and adequate to cover costs.
• A resolution authorizing the mayor or his designee to execute a special procurement agreement with a vendor to serve as operator for the Center for Diversion Services in accordance with the intergovernmental agreement between City of Atlanta and Fulton County. The agreement designates that the City will engage a third-party vendor to manage the administrative, financial, and building-related functions of the center for an initial term of one year with a renew option for two consecutive two-year terms upon approval.
