AVONDALE ESTATES, Ga. — Avondale Estates residents will have an opportunity Sept. 23 to weigh in on the city’s updated Comprehensive Plan before it is sent for state and regional review.
The Board of Mayor and Commissioners will hold the second public hearing in the city’s comprehensive planning process during its regular meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at Avondale Estates City Hall, 21 N. Avondale Plaza. A work session will follow the regular meeting. To watch a live stream of the meeting, click here.
Following the hearing, commissioners will consider authorizing the city to transmit the draft to the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Department of Community Affairs for review. The agencies will review the plan for compliance with state planning requirements, and the city can make revisions before it returns for final adoption.
The city began the update earlier this year with an initial public hearing in April, followed by a community survey, public events and a June workshop. The draft has since been reviewed by the city’s project advisory group, the Planning, Zoning and Architecture Board, and the Board of Mayor and Commissioners.
Georgia requires cities to update their comprehensive plans every five years. Avondale Estates’ plan is intended to guide decisions on issues including land use, transportation, housing, economic development and future city investments.
The draft is organized around five broad goals: preserving the city’s historic character and connected community, environmental sustainability and resilience, multimodal connectivity, economic vitality, and what the city calls “world-class government.”
It also includes a Community Work Program laying out projects and initiatives through 2031, along with estimated timelines, responsible parties and costs. City staff has said some of those initiatives are aspirational and will depend on available staffing and funding.
The plan also includes land-use policies, demographic information, public input gathered during the planning process and a review of accomplishments under the city’s previous comprehensive plan.
After the state and regional review, the plan is expected to return to commissioners for consideration and final adoption later this fall.
In other news, the board will:
Consider an ordinance allowing motorized carts, personal transportation vehicles and low-speed vehicles to cross U.S. 278 between South Avondale Road and Pine Street. The crossing would still require approval from the Georgia Department of Transportation and installation of required markings and signage before taking effect.
Consider spending $157,222.60 on two 2027 Ford Explorer Hybrid Police Interceptor Utility vehicles and equipment. The vehicles would cost $101,000, with an additional $56,222.60 to outfit them.
Consider purchasing 16 active-shooter equipment kits for the police department for $47,772.99. Police Chief Harry Hess proposed the equipment following gunfire near the city’s July 4 fireworks display.
Consider renewing and updating the city’s Speed Detection Device Permit and approved list of roadways. An engineering review found South Avondale Road is posted at 25 mph but remains listed at 30 mph for radar enforcement.
During the work session, the commission will discuss a proposal for architectural and engineering services related to renovations at City Hall. The proposed project would primarily renovate about 4,500 square feet on the second floor for police department and city administration offices. The proposal assumes total project costs of about $500,000, including about $450,000 for construction.
Discuss vacancies on the Ethics Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Planning, Zoning and Architecture Board and Greenspace Advisory Committee.