ARC Board Approves Regional Development Plan to Help Shape Growth Through 2050

Atlanta — Aug 12, 2026

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) Board today approved Growing Together for 2050, an updated Regional Development Plan (RDP) that provides a shared framework for managing growth and improving quality of life across the 11-county Atlanta region over the next 25 years.

The plan establishes regional priorities to help local governments address some of metro Atlanta’s most pressing challenges, including housing affordability, transportation, economic competitiveness, infrastructure, natural resource management, and coordinated growth.

The Regional Development Plan serves as the region’s land-use policy guide, providing data, analysis, and strategies that local governments can use to make informed decisions about growth and development. ARC will work closely with cities and counties to help put the plan into action.

The update comes at a pivotal time for metro Atlanta. The region’s population is projected to grow from 5.2 million today to nearly 7.9 million by 2050. At the same time, communities face rising housing costs, increasing demands on the transportation system, and more frequent climate-related challenges, including extreme heat, drought, and flooding.

An extensive public engagement process helped shape the plan and highlighted a common concern across the region: access to opportunity remains uneven. The Regional Development Plan outlines strategies to help ensure future growth expands opportunity and strengthens communities throughout metro Atlanta.

The plan also includes ARC’s five-year work program, which advances the agency’s strategic goals through initiatives such as:

Healthy, Safe, Livable Communities

• Implement a Regional Housing Strategy to expand housing opportunities.
• Launch a Livable Centers Initiative pilot to better support communities with limited planning capacity.
• Implement the Age-Friendly Atlanta Region Action Plan.

Strategic Investments

• Develop regional and South Metro bicycle trail plans, along with the Flint Riverway Plan.
• Adopt Mobility 2055, the region’s long-range Metropolitan Transportation Plan.
• Develop a regional transportation resilience plan.

Competitive Economy

• Update the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
• Expand regional apprenticeship opportunities.
• Support Aerotropolis Atlanta’s economic development efforts

Stakeholder Engagement

• Convene the ConnectATL Transportation Summit.
• Support outreach for the 2030 U.S. Census.
• Conduct the Metro Atlanta Speaks public opinion survey.

“Metro Atlanta’s continued success depends on how well we prepare for the future,” said Sam Shenbaga, ARC’s Manager of Community Development. “The Regional Development Plan builds on the region’s many strengths while helping communities address shared challenges. By planning together, we can accommodate growth, expand opportunity, and ensure the Atlanta region remains competitive, resilient, and a great place to live for generations to come.”

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The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 75 other cities. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s mission is to foster thriving communities for all within the Atlanta region through collaborative, data-informed planning and investments.

Contact Name: Paul Donsky
Contact Phone: 470-626-3869
Contact Email: [email protected]