Fulton State of the County - A Great Success!
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On Thursday, Apriil 28th, over 300 Council members, elected officials and guests gathered for the Fulton State of the County with Chairman Eaves
at the Loudermilk Center.
(L-R) FCDA Executive Director Al Nash, President & CEO of Gas South Kevin Greiner, Council President & CEO Michael Paris, Fulton BOC Chairman John Eaves, Council Board Chairman Scott Condra, Fulton BOC Vice Chair Liz Hausmann, Comcast Director of External Affairs for Metro Atlanta Deyanna Jones)
Chairman Eaves delivered an energetic address discussing the County's future related to transportation, financial growth, public safety and health and his vision for leading Fulton County forward.
The Chairman stated that the number one priority for Fulton County is transportation, citing the need to address congestion on GA-400, the downtown connector and spaghetti junction.
The Fulton County TSPLOST is the first step towards addressing those challenges. The 3/4 penny tax outside of the City of Atlanta will be dedicated to local transportation improvement projects. Chairman Eaves applauded the 14 Mayors and his fellow County Commissioners for their commitment to this issue in the last year and now in developing project lists for the funding. Fulton County voters will be asked to approve the tax and project list this November. Transportation is not only a priority for the sake of relieving traffic congestion, it is about attracting and sustaining business growth and economic development.
To further boost the County's economic development efforts, Chairman Eaves announced the formation of a new advisory council, Atlanta-Fulton AdVenture, which will bring together public and private sector leaders to make Fulton attractive for venture capital.
Chairman Eaves also touched on the strides the County is making in improving quality of life of residents throughout the county. The Chairman acknowledged the great work Vice Chairman Liz Hasmann has been leading on one of the biggest threats to public health and safety in the County, the growing crisis of heroin related deaths.
Chairman Eaves called upon fellow County leaders and staff to work together to build a government the citizens can trust, create a safe place to live, work and play, and continue to create opportunities for business to relocate and expand to grow Fulton County.
The Council thanks Chairman Eaves for his inspiring State of the County Address and all of our sponsors, inlcuding our presenting Sponsors, Gas South and Comcast, for making this event a great success!
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April 29th, 2016
What are Council Members saying about their investment in the Council for Quality Growth?
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Launching in May, the new & improved website will your single source for news and commentary about planning, zoning, and other local, regional, and state regulatory policies.
Council Members- Lookout for e-mails on how to create your unique log in. Not a Council Member and want to retain access to our news and updates? E-mail Amanda to join today!
UPCOMING EVENTS!
Contact
770-813-3381, for sponsorship information
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Council Hosts U.S. Congressman Rob Woodall at Gwinnett Advisory
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On Tuesday, April 26th, the Council hosted U.S. Congressman Rob Woodall at the Gwinnett Advisory Committee Meeting.
Congressman Rob Woodall discussed his work on the Transportation Committee and the success of passing the first long tern transportation bill in over 10 years. After 36 short-term extensions, the FAST ACT guarantees funding for transportation improvements for 5 years. Woodall explained that when looking for ways to conintinue that funding after 5 years, his priority is to ensure that for every tax dollar constituents pay, they will receive a dollar's worth of real infrastructure improvements.
Woodall also discussed the importance of building consensus on big issues like transportation, trade agreements and taxes in order to be successful, citing the unwillingness of congress to compromise over $40 million in order to pass an improved budget. This unwillingness to work together to make progress on these major issues is creating the 'trust deficit' that is driving many of the national campaigns. Woodall reiterated that while these major issues remain an important focus of congress, he works daily to solve unique local issues for metro Atlanta constituents and encouraged Council members to continue to bring those issues and challenges to him so that positive change can immediately be realized in local businesses and lives.
The Council thanks Congressman Rob Woodall for his continued involvement with the Council for Quality Growth and his commitment to always addressing the issues and concerns of his constituents. Thank you to Council member Jackson EMC for their sponsorship of this meeting.
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City of Atlanta Proposes New Affordable Housing Ordinance
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Atlanta City Councilman Andre Dickens filed a proposed Affordable Housing Ordinance. The Council for Quality Growth has concerns with ordinance and will be working with Councilman Dickens to ensure the ordinance reflects the best methods for growth and development within the City. Any Council Member input would be appreciated and please email or call me with any concerns or feedback that I can use to shape the Council's concerns.
The proposed ordinance will redefine affordable housing as setting aside at least 15% of the total residential units for lease to households earning no more than 80% of the area median income with rent capped at no more than 30% of monthly gross income. The ordinance will also require any multi-family residential property that receives any public funding (grant, incentive or subsidy) from any development authority doing business in the City of Atlanta to include affordable housing in the development.
Click HERE to view the proposed ordinance.
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The Council for Quality Growth will be hosting Councilman Andre Dickens at next week's Atlanta Advisory Committee meeting
to discuss this ordinance. All Council members are encouraged to attend this meeting on Wednesday, May 4th to provide feedback on this ordinance to Councilman Dickens and his staff.
Click
HERE
to register for the Atlanta Advisory Meeting next week
. Note this meeting is open to Council for Quality Growth Members only.
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Council's Emerging Leaders Initiative Hosts Kimley Horn at First Industry Breakfast
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The Council's Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) hosted its first industry breakfast on Wednesday, April 20th. Council member Kimley Horn sponsored the breakfast and provided a great overview of Kimley Horn's work in the region and the role engineering firms play in real estate development. Some of the major projects discussed included the firm's work on the new NCR facility, the Atlanta Beltline and Ponce City Market. Click HERE to view the full presentation
About ELI:
The Council has launched the Emerging Leaders Initiative that will Educate, Engage and Empower the Emerging Leaders within the Metro Atlanta area's growth and development industry. ELI members will participate in events lead by senior executives from engineering companies, developers, law firms, CIDs, utilities and other industry sectors. ELI will allow emerging leaders to expand their networks, plus knowledge of the development industry and regional policy issues. The Council wants ELI to equip our members with the depth and breadth of connections and information so that they are prepared to serve as the leaders of tomorrow. If you are a Council member and are interested in joining or learning more about ELI, click HERE.
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Council Hosts Cobb County Chairman, Tim Lee at Cobb Advisory
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On Wednesday, April 20th, the Council hosted Cobb County Commission Chairman Tim Lee at the Cobb Advisory.
Chairman Lee highlighted major accomplishments the County and Board of Commissioners lead last year including the Sun Trust Park project and the halo effect of economic growth, investment and opportunity spurred from that project. Since Chairman Lee has been in office, there has been more than $2 billion of new private investment in the County. Cobb County also earned a Triple AAA bond rating from each of the 3 major rating agencies for the 19th consecutive year. Chairman Lee noted that Cobb is one of fewer than 50 counties in United States to hold this prestigious rating. Chairman The County's SPLOST program has been extremely successful, allowing Cobb County to invest nealry $500 million in infrastructure improvements and additional county amenities. Lee also discussed the commitment the Board of Commissioners has maintained to improving public safety in the County, investing almost $200 million in public safety programs including resources for 80 additional officers in the County.
The Council thanks Chairman Tim Lee for his continued involvement with the Council and his commitment to supporting balanced growth and economic development and improving quality of life in Cobb County. Thank you to Council member PSI for their sponsorship of this meeting.
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AdvanceAtlanta Board Member, Joey Kline, featured in Saporta Report
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"To be a transit-enthusiast in metro Atlanta is a position often fraught with disappointment and frustration. It is certainly not for the faint of heart, nor those who are not prepared for a constant, uphill battle. However, from the point of view of this eternal optimist, the tide seems to be turning (as I continue to hold my breath, and furiously knock on wood)." Click HERE to read the full Op-Ed in the Saporta Report.
About AdvanceAtlanta:
The Coalition to Advance Atlanta is a citizen-driven grassroots coalition dedicated to building support for expanded regional transit and championing existing transit resources. Advance Atlanta brings together businesses, residents and other community partners to advocate for transit solutions that will improve Atlanta's ability to remain economically competitive. Click HERE to learn more.
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Kennesaw City Council Adopts New Form Based Code for Cherokee Street
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The City of Kennesaw has been working on a Form Based Code overlay district for Cherokee Street for over a year. After many revisions, the code was finally adopted by Mayor and City Council last month. The Council for Quality Growth provided input on earlier drafts that was incorporated into the final version. The Form Based Code will apply to properties along Cherokee Street in downtown Kennesaw from Cobb Parkway to Jules Road.
The Council commends Kennesaw Mayor and City Council and Community Development staff for adopting a balanced ordinance that will allow continued balanced growth and high quality development along this booming corridor.
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