Current Policies

Since the early 1970’s, it has been the policy of the City to delegate to the Urban Design Commission the responsibility for the protection of the City's historic resources and most other historic resource and historic preservation-related issues.  The City’s current policies regarding historic resources are embodied in several documents.  In addition, many of the policies are reflected in the sections entitled: “Current Programs and Projects” and “additional programs and projects”.

The Atlanta Comprehensive Historic Preservation Program

The current preservation policies for the protection of historic resources in the City are based on The Atlanta Comprehensive Historic Preservation Program, adopted in 1988.  This program incorporates eight technical papers as appendices.  The program document and the following eight supporting technical papers are hereby incorporated by reference into this Comprehensive Development Plan:

  • Freilich, Robert H. and Terri A. Muren, Growth Management and Historic Preservation.
  • Howard, J. Myrick, Using a Revolving Fund for Downtown Preservation: Recommendations for Atlanta.
  • Howell, Joseph T., Creative Financing Techniques to Facilitate the Renovation of Historic Properties in Atlanta.
  • Petersen, John E. and Susan G. Robinson, The Effectiveness and Fiscal Impact on Tax Incentives for Historic Preservation: A Reconnaissance for the City of Atlanta.
  • Roddewig, Richard J., Economic Incentives for Historic Preservation in Atlanta.
  • Williamson, Frederick C., Atlanta and Historic Preservation.
  • Winter, Nore' V., The Atlanta System of Definitions and Criteria for Designating Historic Preservation Resources.
  • Winter, Nore' V., Design Guidelines for Historic Districts in the City of Atlanta.

The City Of Atlanta Historic Preservation Ordinance

This ordinance, adopted by City Council and signed by the Mayor in 1989, establishes and outlines the City’s historic preservation program.  The ordinance delineates the responsibilities of the Urban Design Commission and its staff, as well as outlines its procedures.  The policies of the City of Atlanta Historic Preservation Ordinance are:

  1. Effect and accomplish the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of such buildings, sites and districts, which represent or reflect special elements of the City's cultural, social, economic and architectural history.

  2. Safeguard the City's historic aesthetic and cultural heritage, as embodied and reflected in such buildings, sites and districts.

  3. Stabilize and improve property values of such buildings, sites and districts.

  4. Foster civic pride in the beauty and noble accomplishments of the past.

  5. Protect and enhance the City's attractions to tourists and visitors and thereby support and stimulate business and industry.

  6. Strengthen the economy of the City.

  7. Promote the use of such buildings, sites and districts for the education, pleasure and general welfare of the people of the City.

  8. Promote attention to sound design principles in areas of new development and redevelopment.

  9. Raise the level of community understanding and expectation for quality in the built environment.

  10. Implement the City's comprehensive development plan.

The Atlanta Parks, Open Space And Greenways Plan

The Atlanta Parks, Open Space and Greenways Plan, adopted by City Council in December of 1993, includes the following policies regarding historic resources:

  1. Protect archeological sites, such as Civil War trenches, from artifact hunters.

  2. Promote the recognition of the Civil War battlefield on Copenhill, in Freedom Park, as a national battlefield site.

  3. Promote the portion of Freedom Park that lays west of Moreland Avenue as a national park that links the Carter Presidential Center with the Copenhill Civil War battlefield and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site.

  4. Support the expansion and improvement of the M. L. King Jr. National Historic Site.

  5. Promote the redevelopment of the linear parks in the Druid Hills Neighborhood consistent with the Olmsted Park Master Plan.

  6. Develop historic rail corridors, such as the CSX line from Washington Park to I-75/85, as historic greenway trails.  Remnants of abandoned rail corridors should be preserved and their former transportation function memorialized by developing them into multi-use trails.

  7. Encourage festivals that use significant sites to highlight the history of the neighborhood. 

Additional Historic Preservation Policies

In addition, the following preservation policies, enunciated in previous CDP’s are still applicable to the historic resources in the City and how City agencies deal with these historic resources:

  1. Utilize economic incentives to encourage historic preservation.

  2. Utilize the Zoning Code to support preservation policies.

  3. Incorporate historic resource opportunities into the open space framework plan.

  4. Develop mechanisms for supporting the development of a heritage corridor along the railroad corridor that encircles the CBD.

  5. Promote historic sites and corridors in order to enhance their economic benefits.

  6. Seek additional support for historic resources through educational programs.

  7. Promote the development of Master Plans for all historic parks that will protect the resources and guide the enhancement of their appearance and recreational potential.

  8. Adopt suitable legislation to prevent the further plundering of any parks containing Civil War trenches or archaeological sites.

  9. Develop historic transportation corridors, such as abandoned railroad and trolley lines, for use as heritage corridor greenways and promote use of these corridors during cultural festivals.

  10. Change current policy to remove non-contributing buildings in Landmark Districts from the purview of the Economic Review Panel.

  11. Update the survey regularly to include resources which have reached 50 years or older.

  12. Improve the nomination and regulation processes provided for by the Historic Preservation Ordinance.

  13. Expand working relations with other groups and agencies responsible for Atlanta's historic resources, including the Atlanta Preservation Center, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the Atlanta History Center, the State of Georgia Division of Historic Preservation, and the National Park Service.

Assessment Of Current Policies

Policies regarding the City's historic resources are broad-based and provide an adequate foundation for all current conditions, and current programs and projects.  Since the Historic Preservation Ordinance was passed in 1989, several issues have arisen which indicate that some revisions to the ordinance may be required.  The fine tuning of the existing policies may be required to: 1) meet the City's future needs; 2) ensure that the Historic Preservation Ordinance operates efficiently and in an equitable manner; and 3) fully maximize the contribution that historic resources can make in educating the public, stabilizing residential neighborhoods, revitalizing community and commercial areas, and stimulating tourism.