| Title | Example | More Information | Tools |
| Canton Livable Center Initiative | Through Livable Center Initiatives (LCI), the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) will invest $5 million over the next four years to fund "smart growth" studies around Atlanta. ARC will contribute $350 million to help implement the various study projects. The City of Canton will develop a study of the downtown area and in particular an area adjoining the Etowah River Greenway and an old textile mill. The plan will investigate more housing opportunities and other LCI goals to connect and further develop mixed-uses in the downtown area. | Melanie Whitt Economic Development City of Canton 770-704-1538 |
Design Charrette Transportation Enhancement Program |
| Canton Mill Lofts | The Canton Mill, built in 1924, is being redeveloped into lofts available only to residents who make a certain income. (A one-person household must make no more than $26,520 per year.) The Canton Mill Lofts are financed through programs designed to offer tax breaks to save historic buildings and tax credits and tax exempt bonds for affordable housing. The project is one of three affordable housing developments in Cherokee County. | C. Larry Wilson Director Canton Public Services 770-704-1538 |
Adaptive Use Heritage Preservation Programs |
| Cherokee County -- Upper Etowah River Alliance | The Upper Etowah River Alliance (Alliance) is an innovative partnership involving watershed stakeholders, regional planning and conservation agencies, university researchers, and county governments. It was initiated to protect 610 square miles of the Upper Etowah River watershed against threats to water quality, biodiversity, and the rural character of the mountainous region. The watershed is both beautiful and ecologically significant, however, it is located north of metropolitan Atlanta and is beginning to experience the impact of explosive growth. The Public Service and Outreach Program at the University of Georgia’s Institute of Ecology helped early on to develop growth management policies. The Institute of Ecology and the School of Law established an ongoing interdisciplinary course directing student research on topics identified by stakeholders. | Charlie Frear Executive Director Limestone Valley Resource Conservation & Development Council 706/625-7044 lvrcd@pointlink.net [more information] |
Design Charrette Environmental Resource Inventory |
| Cherokee Lighting Ordinance | In 2001 Cherokee County adopted an ordinance to regulate outdoor lighting and road glare. The purposes of the ordinance are to conserve energy, protect privacy, enhance security, prevent excessive light spillover and glare, and improve night sky visibility. The use of full cutoff luminaires is mandated in many cases, as they reduce spillover. Roadway glare, which can be a driving hazard, is also regulated. In most cases those who seek a building permit must submit a lighting plan, along with other data, to show that they will be in compliance with these regulations. | [more information] |
Performance Standards Regulating Off-Site Impacts |
| Orange Shoals Greenbelt Community | This developer took a unique approach. He bought 350 acres, and thought it was too beautiful to subdivide into little pieces and pack with houses. So he developed a new design concept that involves an integrated greenbelt: a contiguous 100-acre tract that less than 300 homes will back up to. This allows every homeowner to share a 100-acre backyard and walk anywhere in the neighborhood without crossing a road, and it also has clear advantages for wildlife. The development is the first in Georgia to be certified by the National Wildlife Federation. | [more information] |
Conservation Easements |
| Woodstock Livable Centers Initiative | The City of Woodstock received an LCI to revitalize its town center and plan for a commuter rail station. As a result, the city is allowing mixed-use near the proposed rail station, building on its history as a rail community. | Richard McLeod Director Office of Planning and Economic Development 770-592-6037 |
Infill Development Program Mixed-Use Zoning TOD Small Area Plans |