News

SB 86, which was passed as a Committee Substitute yesterday by the Senate, we wanted to draw your attention to the attached Advisory Opinion recently approved by the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.

SB 86 is a proposed change to Georgia law that would allow any city or county to no longer abide by the provisions of the Georgia Planning Act which have been in place since 1989. ACCG and GMA are in support of this bill. The Georgia Planning Act provisions include requirements for review of Developments of Regional Impact (DRI) and local planning for housing needs and environmental issues.

The APA County Planning Division (CPD) and the National Association of County Planners (NACP) are pleased to announce the opening of their 2011 Project Awards Program application cycle. This program provides them the opportunity to recognize outstanding planning projects from counties around the country at the APA CPD/NACP annual business meeting in Boston at the APA National Conference. The program provides members with the chance to see and learn about development, conservation, government, or environmental projects, where planning has had a positive impact on the outcome. Judges will be looking for innovativeness and quality, and the potential for use in other areas.

This overview of legislation from the 2010 Georgia General Assembly provides planning related legislative excerpts from Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Legislative Updates as well as other sources. GPA members are encouraged to pursue knowledge of state law changes so that they can communicate effectively with elected officials, managers and other local stakeholders.

Friday, December 3, 2010 Join us as Chris Fassemagne from Westbridge Partners tells us about how a risky idea for a declining industrial area turned into Atlanta’s newest, award winning neighborhood featuring landmark restaurants, loft condos, pocket parks, specialty retail stores, and a train that runs right through the middle of it all! Recipient of   …Continue Reading

The Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, today announced nearly $400,000 in grants to four organizations to conduct health impact assessments (HIAs). The assessments will identify and address potential and often overlooked health implications of policy proposals including farm-to-school food legislation, energy development, smart-metering technology for electric utilities and urban transportation plans.