The Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium on the construction of new self-storage facilities during the Monday, July 6, full Council meeting.
By enacting the temporary moratorium, City of Atlanta officials can thoughtfully implement new, essential land-use regulations leading to vibrant communities in every neighborhood. Ordinance 26-O-1396, was one of several critical pieces of legislation passed during the July 6 full Council Meeting.
“Atlanta wants more vibrant commercial corridors, more walkable neighborhoods, and more affordable housing” said District 9 Councilmember Dustin Hillis and the ordinance’s lead sponsor. “This ordinance gives us the time to ensure that future development responds to the City’s long-term planning goals and to the needs of the people living around the proposed site by asking would this specific area benefit from a self-storage facility, or would things like affordable housing, a restaurant, or a bank better serve the community.”
The ordinance reads in part:
“WHEREAS, the City of Atlanta (“City”) acknowledges a need for facilities where residents and business owners alike can keep their personal affects and inventory while also acknowledging that assessing the appropriateness of locations for self-storage facilities is critical to maintaining and encouraging vibrant and walkable communities with a diverse range of nearby goods, services, and amenities; and
WHEREAS, self-storage facilities often span a considerable portion of neighborhood blocks with ample driveways and parking spaces, are frequented by vehicular and truck traffic, generate very few jobs for nearby residents, and can curtail commercial vitality along key neighborhood corridors; and
WHEREAS, a temporary moratorium on the construction of new self-storage facilities, secure-storage facilities, and mixed-use storage facilities will ensure that the City enacts new land-use regulations to encourage smart growth and development throughout the City.”
