Engaging the Community in the BeltLine Vision
In March 2021, Mayor Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council approved legislation creating the Atlanta BeltLine Special Service District (SSD) that will provide approximately $100 million towards completing the Atlanta BeltLine’s 22-mile multi-use trail loop.
Part of the legislation requires the formation of a Stakeholder Advisory Board to provide an additional layer of guidance from community stakeholders from each BeltLine Subarea, including commercial property owners, small business operators, multifamily property owners, and multifamily rental property residents.
The new advisory board will meet quarterly and is responsible for providing non-binding advice, robust analysis, and critical thinking for the utilization of the $100M Special Service District funds to complete the Atlanta BeltLine trail loop.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Provide strategic insight, current knowledge, and advice;
- Explore opportunities and problem solve;
- Ensure transparency of how the dollars are used; and,
- Help with trade-off analysis and other matters that require critical thinking.
The problem:
Why is there a shortage in funding for the Atlanta BeltLine?
The funding premise of the Atlanta BeltLine assumed trail would be built soon after the creation of our primary funding mechanism, the Atlanta BeltLine Tax Allocation District, or TAD, in 2005. Completed trail stimulates economic development, which leads to more funding for the project.
Several events hindered BeltLine build out in the early years:
- Lawsuits challenging the participation of schools in a TAD,
- Renegotiation of payments Atlanta Public Schools receives over the life of the TAD,
- Fewer bonds issued to fund corridor construction,
- Tax abatements, and
- The Great Recession.
These factors created uncertainty, slowed down economic development, and reduced TAD revenue in the first decade of the BeltLine, which impacted the compound growth in funding that would have come from stimulating more TAD growth.
New sources of revenue are critical to fill the more than $1 billion funding gap BeltLine and keep our promises to deliver the BeltLine vision.
The solution:
How does SSD fill the gap?
To complete the Atlanta BeltLine trail corridor by 2030, three hundred and fifty million dollars is needed. Although the Atlanta BeltLine Tax Allocation District, or TAD, is now performing well, it will not provide the full funding required.
A Special Service District, or SSD, will help fill that funding gap. An SSD is a targeted tax district where commercial and multi-family property owners pay slightly more in property taxes to fund the completion of the Atlanta BeltLine Trail.
The TAD is on track to provide one hundred million dollars for trail construction.
The increase of two mills on some five thousand parcels in the SSD would fund an additional one hundred million dollars of improvements.
An SSD would also help unlock another one hundred million dollars in matching funds from the philanthropic community.
With three hundred million dollars of confirmed funding, it will be easier to go after federal and state funding to get the remaining fifty million dollars needed.
The SSD will not only fund the completion of the Atlanta BeltLine trails, but it will also free up TAD dollars that will be earmarked for other BeltLine initiatives that will greatly benefit the community.
Meeting Schedule and Summaries
Check the schedule below for specific meeting details. Once the meeting notes are approved by the committee they will be posted here.
| Meeting date | Location | Type | Documentation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1718121600June 11, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1725984000September 10, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1731427200November 12, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Past Meetings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1710259200March 12, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1699977600November 14, 2023 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1691510400August 8, 2023 4:00pm - 5:30pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1686672000June 13, 2023 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1678809600March 14, 2023 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1668528000November 15, 2022 4:00pm - 5:30pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1661184000August 22, 2022 4:00pm - 5:30pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1650988800April 26, 2022 4:00pm - 5:30pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1644926400February 15, 2022 12:00pm - 1:30pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1637065800November 16, 2021 12:30pm - 2:00pm | Virtual Meeting | SSD Advisory Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Get SSD Details
Visit the SSD overview page to learn more about the benefits and impact of SSD. View resources below to stay up to date on the SSD details.
| Title | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Special Service District Estimated Budget and Expenditures | This series of pie charts provide estimated allocations of the SSD funding for each sector of the trail along with a breakdown of funding by expenditure type. | |
| Special Service District Fact Sheet | Finishing the Loop: Key Facts About the Special Service District Proposal | |
| Special Service District Benefits | The Special Service District will provide many benefits, such as $50 million in additional Affordable Housing funding, 50,000 new jobs near the Atlanta BeltLine, and more. | |
| Trail Completion: Special Service District Plan | The proposed timeline, by segment, of trail completion with the Special Service District proposal. |
Meet Our Members
The Atlanta BeltLine Special Service District Advisory Board is made up of a range of stakeholders representing various communities, governing bodies, and neighborhood groups. We are very appreciative of the time and energy they generously give to help make the Atlanta BeltLine vision a reality.
| Subarea | Name | Business/Apartment Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenneth Ross | The Lottie Watkins Building | Commercial Property Owner |
| 1 | Akissi Stokes | WUNDERgrubs, LLC | Small Business Operator |
| 1 | Dionne Fraser-Carter | Zinah Artistic Retail LLC | Small Business Operator |
| 2 | Chantell Glenn | Pittsburgh Yards/UA Associates LLC | Commercial Property Owner |
| 2 | Moses Carroll | FitSquad Studios | Small Business Operator |
| 2 | Jeff Delp | Carver Market, Community Grounds and Magnolia | Commercial Property Owner & Small Business Operator |
| 3 | Johnson Bazzel | BeltLine & Boulevard | 1015 Boulevard | Middle Street Partners | Multifamily Property Owner |
| 3 | Kendi Beyah | Trestletree Village Apartments | Multifamily Rental Property Resident |
| 3 | Andrew Kern | Denizen Real Estate | Commercial Property Owner |
| 4 | Charles Young | Parkside | Gateway Capitol View | 55 Milton | 982 Memorial Drive | Prestwick Development | Multifamily Property Owner |
| 4 | Jetha Wagner | The Wesley Townsend | 915 Glenwood Apartments | The Argos (under construction) | Avila Real Estate | Multifamily Property Owner |
| 5 | Johnny Martinez | Georgia Beer Garden | Commercial Property Owner & Small Business Operator |
| 5 | Julie Sprinkle | Ponce Park | AMLI Residential | Multifamily Property Owner |
| 5 | Theresa Pringle | Block Loft Apartments | Multifamily Rental Property Resident |
| 6 | Brittany Judson | Virginia-Highland | Multifamily Rental Property Resident |
| 7 | John Barton | 120 Ottley | 165 Ottley | 225 Ottley | 251 Armour | 255 Ottley | Northwood Investors | Commercial Property Owner |
| 8 | John Dwyer | KEMRON | Small Business Operator |
| 8 | Krista Pittard-McMichen | The Sentimentalist Bridal Shop | Small Business Operator |
| 8 | William Morgan | Westside Provisions District | Commercial Property Owner |
| 9 | Bridget Ellgass | Brink Design | Small Business Operator |
| 10 | Nosha Harwell | Pureneed LLC | Small Business Operator |
| 10 | Michael Williams | EXIT Reality West Midtown | Commercial Property Owner & Small Business Operator |
| 10 | Regina Bailey | Ashley Collegetown Apartments | Multifamily Rental Property Resident |
