City Of Atlanta Legislative Updates
Livable Buckhead is supporting our local community by providing continued updates from the City of Atlanta on approved legislation that will have an impact in both Buckhead and surrounding neighborhoods. From transportation related initiatives to new transit projects that will provide benefits to residents and commuters, Livable Buckhead is committed to keeping you up to date and informed with the latest information.
Top City of Atlanta council updates for the month of June include:
Council Adopted Legislation:
- The City’s budget for fiscal year 2024 begins July 1, 2023 and will total $790 million.
- Amended ordinance to city charter related to increase the millage rate associated with the Park Improvement Fund from $500,000 to $1,000,000 to support park improvements.
- Resolution urging Atlanta parents and guardians to not allow unaccompanied minors 16 or younger in any place unsupervised by an adult between the hours of 9 p.m. on any day and 6 a.m. of the following day and 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Newly adopted ordinance to remove provisions imposing a fine not to exceed $1,000 or imprisonment in the city jail for not more than 60 days and to add requirements for attendance at certain education programs as a condition of any probation for minors.
Ordinance: Authorizing CFO to amend fiscal year 2024 general budget for $3.5 million by transferring funds in support of affordable housing.
- Mayor Andre Dickens celebrated fourth season of Midnight Basketball as part of his initiative to curb youth violence in the city.
- Atlanta is seeing a slight decrease in homicides for the first time in years and has logged progress with falling rates of other crimes as well.
- City council set on Tuesday to finalize the Fiscal Year 2024 budget that dictates how the city’s $790 million general fund will be spent.
Mayor Andre Dicken’s Record Investments in FY24: Mayor Andre Dickens budget for 2024 received approval by Atlanta City Council to build on the four pillars of the Administration’s Moving Atlanta Forward agenda – One Safe City, A City of Opportunity for All, A City Built for the Future and Effective & Ethical Government. The $790 million general fund budget combined with other funds under the City’s control, the City will have a $2.5 billion direct economic impact in the next fiscal year.
Atlanta Planning Advisory Board: The Atlanta Planning Advisory Board voted in favor to support a ballot referendum that would put the face of Atlanta’s public safety training center on voters in November.
Stop Cop City referendum petition: The Atlanta Municipal Clerk’s office approved the petition authorizing signature collection for the “Vote to Stop Cop City” referendum effort. Organizers have not yet received the form required to begin collecting signatures.
MARTA picks firm design Atlanta Streetcar extension: MARTA board committee approved a $11.5 million contract for the final design of the Atlanta Streetcar extension. The streetcar network will extend east to the Atlanta Beltline and Ponce City Market. The board’s planning committee awarded the design contract to HDR Inc. and if the full board approves the contract, final design work could begin this summer.
EV parts supplier: An automobile parts supplier plans to build a new factory in Henry County to supply Georgia’s electric vehicle industry. NVH Korea will also invest $72 million towards a new plant in Locust Grove to employ 160 workers. The new facility will focus on supplying battery parts to Hyundai.
Atlanta Homicides are down 30% from this time last year:
The Atlanta Police Department have investigated 50 homicides so far in 2023, 20 fewer than this time in 2022. Homicides are down about 12.5 percent year-to-date in more than 90 cities that have released data for 2023, compared with the same date in 2022.
MARTA approves 2024 budget amid scrutiny of Atlanta expansion:
- The MARTA board of directors approved a new budget that aims to restore service to pre-pandemic levels and spend hundred of millions of dollars on new rail cars, new track, and other capital improvements. Critics argue the budget would continue spending practices that jeopardize MARTA’s ability to expand transit in Atlanta in the future.
- The $631.4 million operating budget represents a 7.5% increase over the current year and reflects the agency’s plan to restore service to pre-pandemic levels allowing trains and buses to run more frequently.
MARTA plans “arterial rapid transit lines”:
- MARTA will host two community meetings to gather public input for its plans to build an arterial rapid transit line along Buford Highway.
- Arterial lanes will include some features of bus rapid transit including buses will stop less frequently than regular local service and equipped with technology that gives them priority at traffic signals.
Metro transit board approves contract to study rapid bus plan along I-285: 2 metro Atlanta transit agencies are taking another step forward toward establishing rapid bus lines on the top half of the Perimeter. The Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority Board awarded $6.7 million to engineering firm CDM Smith to study transit on the top half of I-285.
