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‘Pop-Up Open Houses’ Offer Engaging Way to Provide Input on Major Update to Region’s Long-Range Plan

Atlanta — Sep 24, 2019

The Atlanta Regional Commission will be holding a series of pop-up open houses Oct. 4 – Nov. 2 that offer an engaging, interactive way for residents to provide input on a major update to the Atlanta Region’s Plan, the region’s long-range blueprint that details the investments needed to ensure metro Atlanta’s future success.

Six open houses are planned, in Clayton, Cobb, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties and the City of Atlanta. At the open houses, attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Explore the Atlanta region’s future through hands-on activities, including an online scenario planning game and a “living infographic” station where residents can give feedback on their biggest desires and concerns for the region.
• Learn about key regional issues, such as advances in transportation technology and innovative efforts to address the region’s housing affordability challenges
• Search an online database to learn about transportation projects that are planned throughout the region over the next 30 years

“These pop-up open houses are a terrific way for residents to learn about the region’s long-range plan and tell us about the kind of community they want – one, two and even three decades down the line,” said Mike Alexander, director of ARC’s Center for Livable Communities. “It’s critically important that we receive meaningful feedback on the Atlanta Region’s Plan from a diverse cross-section of residents.”

The Atlanta Region’s Plan incorporates a range of planning and programmatic elements, including transportation, community development, natural resources, workforce development and aging & independence services. The plan aims to improve mobility, create vibrant, walkable communities, ensure a clean, abundant water supply, and meet the needs of the region’s population of older adults and disabled individuals.

The Atlanta Region’s Plan is regularly updated, with major updates like the one currently underway taking place every four years. The plan update is set to be approved by the ARC Board in February.

The Atlanta Region’s Plan Pop-Up Open House schedule:

• Friday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m. -2 p.m.
  Atlanta Regional Commission
  Peachtree Center
  229 Peachtree Street #100
  Atlanta, GA 30303
• Wednesday, Oct. 9, 5-8 p.m.
  Arts Clayton
  136 Main St.
  Jonesboro GA 30236
• Tuesday, Oct. 15, 5-8 p.m.
  Conyers Rockdale Arts Council
  910 Center St. NE
  Conyers GA 30012
• Thursday, Oct. 17, 5-8 p.m.
  West Whitehall
  691 West Whitehall SW
  Atlanta GA 30310
• Thursday, Oct. 24, 5-8 p.m.
  Strand Theater
  117 N. Park Square
  Marietta GA 30060
• Saturday, November 2, 1– 4 p.m.
  Sugar Hill E Center
  5009 W Broad St. NE
  Sugar Hill, GA 30518

Other ways to get involved in the Atlanta Region’s Plan include:

• Future Focus, an interactive online game where players explore nine major issues that a panel of experts convened by ARC says will affect metro Atlanta’s future and then make a series of choices about the what kind of a future they believe lies ahead.
• An ARC Civic Dinner, where 5-10 people share their thoughts about the region’s future, over a meal.
• A performance by the Dad’s Garage teen improv group, where teens will envision what life will be like in metro Atlanta in 2050. Date and other details to come.

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 10-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 73 other cities.  The Atlanta Regional Commission serves as a catalyst for regional progress by focusing leadership, attention and planning resources on key regional issues.

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Contact Name: Paul Donsky
Contact Phone: O: 470.478.1510 M: 404.202.4662
Contact Email: pdonsky@atlantaregional.org