The Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) is a program offered by the ARC that encourages local jurisdictions to plan and implement strategies that link transportation improvements with land use development strategies to create sustainable, livable communities consistent with regional development policies. More information on Livable Centers can be found at www.atlantaregional.com. A successful LCI study can lead to funds for implementation of the study recommendations. The City of Atlanta is the administrative agent for this LCI study and recently completed the lengthy process of requesting proposals from consulting firms to perform the study, reviewing the proposals and selecting a consulting firm to lead the project. In all, five proposals were submitted to the City by local consulting firms. The firm of Glatting Jackson Kercher and Aglin, Inc., was selected at the lead consultant, through the City's procurement process. SouthStar CDC Board members participated in the review and ranking of the proposals that were received by the City and are pleased with the outcome.

The south Moreland LCI study will need high levels of community participation to be successful. The study process is anticipated to take five months and will be completed by the end of March 2008. There will be at least four public meetings where the consulting team will present information, gather public responses and engage in public discussions about traffic and transportation issues, land use issues and public safety issues along the south Moreland Avenue corridor.

A series of recommendations touching on transportation issues, land use and zoning issues, pedestrian and bicycling issues etc., will be presented in the final report. The report will be submitted to the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Bureau of Planning at the City of Atlanta. The recommendations will be considered for adoption in the City's Atlanta Strategic Action Plan (ASAP, previously called the CDP - Comprehensive Development Plan). The ASAP is the primary planning document for the City's long-term development.

An earlier study of the Moreland Avenue corridor in 2001 was initiated and managed by SouthStar CDC. The City of Atlanta's Bureau of Planning also collaborated with the community as a partner in that study, but the recommendations from the 2001 were not added to the CDP at the time. A copy of the 2001 report and recommendations can be found here. Not content to rest on the success of being awarded the south Moreland LCI study, SouthStar CDC is in the initial stage of creating the South Moreland Avenue Community Coalition (SMACC). The mission and vision of SMACC will be tied to making the recommendations of the LCI study come alive in the corridor. The success of SMACC will depend on community participation over the long term, to help implement the changes that are envisioned by the community. For information on how you can become involved with SMACC, please write to atl_smaccgooglegroups.com.