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On March 21, more than 150 people will gather at the Georgia Planning Association’s (GPA) 2012 Spring Conference at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia in Dunwoody, Georgia. This will mark GPA’s debut in the City of Dunwoody, one of Georgia’s youngest cities and a perfect case study for the evolving urban form of metro Atlanta’s suburban communities.

GPA is a 1,000-plus member organization of professionals and officials who serve Georgia’s communities at all levels of government, the private sector and not-for-profit organizations. GPA’s mission is to promote and assist with the sustainable management of physical, economic, and human resources within Georgia, helping communities foster sensible land use practices and helping land developers produce more effective and contextually-sensitive designs.

“We are pleased to serve as host of this year’s GPA Conference because, as a City, we put great value on the expertise and skill involved in successful planning and development,” said Mayor of Dunwoody Mike Davis. “Since our inception three years ago, the City of Dunwoody has grounded itself in strategic planning that is centered on community goals, needs and future growth. Planning and communication will continue to play a critical role for all of our residents who are active participants in our City’s evolution. We are glad the GPA is here in our City to continue its important education and professional development efforts.”

The one-day conference is an annual training event for GPA members and other participants, providing education about the latest issues and advances in legal matters, development trends and professional practice. In addition to four classroom sessions, this year’s event will feature two mobile workshops exposing participants to different examples of development in and around Dunwoody. There will also be a keynote session featuring Doug Hooker, the new Executive Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission, and a presentation from Jason Jordan of the American Planning Association concerning national trends and issues facing community planning. Critical topics for this year’s event include discussions about the effectiveness of Community Improvement District tax policies and the impact of Georgia’s new plans for water resource management.

With roots back to just after the Civil War, Dunwoody was incorporated in 2008 after a citizen-led effort and today utilizes the third-party operated a public-private partnership form of government for many municipal services, including the Community Development Department (i.e. planning, zoning, inspections, permitting, GIS, code compliance, and city engineering) function. In hosting this year’s GPA Spring Conference, Dunwoody will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about how the young city is working to redevelop aging commercial centers and craft its identity as a new municipality with strong residential neighborhoods and some of the largest concentrations of office space in the United States. City leaders will participate in the conference both to introduce Dunwoody to the planning community and to learn what planners from other communities have to say about their hometown.

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GPA, is the Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association, provides resources and services to planners and communities for more than three decades. GPA has been an advocate for good planning and a respected source of training and information over the years. Through conferences, professional development forums, partnerships with other organizations, the Community Planning Institute (CPI) and other means, GPA has sought to promote the most efficient, effective and sustainable development of Georgia and its communities.

Press Release

Georgia Tech Selected as Location for National University Transportation Center

Research partnership will focus on safety, infrastructure and economic competitiveness

ATLANTA, Jan. 20, 2012 — Transportation infrastructure concerns rank as one of the top issues in Georgia and the Southeast. The designation of the Georgia Institute of Technology as the lead for one of 10 national Tier One University Transportation Centers (UTC) by the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) represents a positive step toward developing solutions to transportation challenges facing the state and region.

Funded by a $3.5 million federal grant and an additional $3.5 million in matching funds from various state transportation departments, the Woodruff Foundation and others for the first two years, the UTC will bring together a consortium of universities in Georgia, Florida and Alabama including the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, Southern Polytechnic State University, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida International University and University of Central Florida. Known as the National Center for Transportation System Productivity and Management, the Georgia Tech UTC will focus on transportation issues of importance to the nation, state and metropolitan areas.

In a related program, Georgia Tech has also been named as a collaborator in the US DOT’s Regional UTC led by the University of Florida. The University of Florida and Georgia Tech will be joined by Auburn University, Florida International University, University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Mississippi State University to form a regional consortium that will focus on transportation issues impacting the Southeast. Georgia DOT will also provide some matching funds for this effort 

“Georgia Tech is uniquely qualified to lead the University Transportation Center. It is home to one of the largest and most accomplished transportation and logistics research programs in the U.S. and is responsible for many of the strategic improvements that have been made to Georgia’s infrastructure,” said Gov. Nathan Deal. “I applaud the efforts of all of those who were involved in this important project.”

According to Georgia Tech President G.P. “Bud” Peterson, the UTC designation provides national recognition of Georgia Tech’s capabilities and expertise in contributing to transportation solutions for the nation, state and metropolitan area. “We are pleased to take a leading role in working with our industry, government and university partners to devise solutions for our state and regional transportation challenges,” he said. “I want to thank the US Department of Transportation, Governor Deal, Georgia Department of Transportation, Woodruff Foundation and the Georgia congressional delegation for their support of this important work.”

Funding from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation supported the initial proposal led by a team from Georgia Tech including Michael Meyer, director of the Georgia Transportation Institute and Civil Engineering professor; Catherine Ross, director of the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development; and Ken Stewart, senior advisor for industry. An advisory board including industry, government and university representatives from throughout Georgia, Florida and Alabama also provided direction for the grant submission and will continue to provide advice and counsel to the UTC.

Additional funding for the UTC will come from the Georgia DOT, the Woodruff Foundation and university partners. Future support will come through government, private and corporate resources. 

The purpose of the UTC is to advance U.S. technology and expertise in the many disciplines comprising transportation through research, education and technology transfer as well as provide a critical transportation knowledge base outside the US DOT and address vital workforce needs for the next generation of transportation leaders.

The Perimeter business district is the region’s largest employer district and one of the largest Class A corporate office markets in the southeast. Perimeter is home to Fortune 500 companies, 125 companies with 100 or more employees, the state’s largest concentration of medical facilities, and an estimated population that may be the region’s largest by 2025. There are currently more than 110,000 jobs in the corridor, with 35,000 more expected over the course of the next 10 years. Overall, it represents a $3.31 billion real estate investment in metro Atlanta.

The Central (DeKalb) and Fulton PCIDs have each maintained their competitive edge in leveraging these funds since their inception in 1999 and 2001, respectively. The PCIDs have contributed $25 million in additional property taxes for transportation and infrastructure projects completed or underway in Perimeter and leveraged $105 million more – a 5.2 to 1 return on investment

The Tour will focus on the Southeast’s largest office market and the phenomenal transition of this former suburban office center into one of the Southeast’s most dynamic business districts. Stops will include Perimeter Mall where significant renovations and additions have refocused the Mall toward Ashford-Dunwoody Road and sought to connect the mall to surrounding business areas; Sembler’s Perimeter Place – a contemporary development combining retail, restaurant and residential in a single, walkable center; and the Dunwoody MARTA Station area where new mixed-use developments are being contemplated as the next wave of transit oriented development.

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