Last Thursday, I had another LTE published in the AJC. This time, it appeared in the Cobb section:

Not all homeowners poised to cry NIMBY

I grew up in Vinings. My favorite memories of childhood included walking or biking to the Jubilee shops, or to the library. My favorite place to eat was, of course, the New York Pizza Exchange. As I grew up and became aware of other places in the county and region, I came to the realization that some places (like most of east Cobb) were unwalkable, and others (like Midtown and downtown Atlanta) had more to explore. Naturally, I eventually moved to Midtown.

As I’ve grown older, I find my hometown at a crossroads, so to speak. Should the region embrace dense, mixed-use developments around town squares? Or, should the region resist change and heed the call of cul-de-sac subdivision activists who scream, “Not in my back yard!”

The entire Atlanta region is growing and every credible forecast shows that Atlanta’s population boom will continue for the next 25 years. Atlanta’s density destiny is a future that neither regional leaders nor residents can afford to fear. And activists cannot expect that zoning ordinances alone can shape where that density goes.

Some activists have proposed that the US-41/I-75 corridor be redeveloped as a high-density “mega corridor,” but are not willing to see a public infrastructure investment to help make that happen. The purpose of redeveloping this corridor is to keep east and west Cobb low density. To make this vision a reality, Cobb County’s best option is the adoption of fixed-rail transit to support development along the corridor.

Cobb County is heading in the wrong direction by adopting, instead,a widening of I-75. The result of this move will be more development in east and west Cobb, where the NIMBYs are. Big highways like I-75 act as a centrifugal force on land development. Vinings is a good example of this principle, as it sits close, but not too close, to two big highways. By widening I-75, wider areas of east and west Cobb will sit “not-too-close” to the highway.

A dense, pedestrian-friendly corridor, supported by quality public transportation, will help preserve east and west Cobb County. I, for one, am writing to say, “Yes in my back yard!”

JOE WINTER, Atlanta

The letter was in response to a call for letters in the Cobb section, where the question was asked whether the county is heading in the right direction. It was also, in part, a response to Ron Sifen’s letter, which was published the previous week. For those who don’t know, Ron is president of the Vinings Homeowner’s Association. His letter is pasted below:

Don’t let growth negatively affect our neighborhoods

Cobb has been financially well-managed for many years. Because Cobb’s population and job growth has dramatically grown, the county’s tax base has grown as well and it has been relatively easy for the county to maintain fiscal health. But how well will Cobb manage its future?

Recently, Cobb’s growth rate has slowed. Much of the county is developed. In order to maintain a growing tax base, Cobb has begun to show a greater willingness to allow intense development to encroach on existing neighborhoods.

A single-family detached home is the only housing type for which there is proven, sustainable demand. But Cobb and other parts of the Atlanta region have approved massive numbers of high-density, attached housing units. Developers may have the marketing ability to sell these new homes, but within a few years today’s new construction may be tomorrow’s addition to the glut of resale attached homes.

Cobb needs to sustain the character and values of our existing communities. Cobb may need to plan for restraint in the growth of services to match a restrained growth in revenues. Cobb should plan for corridors in appropriate locations, where the infrastructure can support intense new development, without impairing existing neighborhoods.

Cobb can continue to grow. But now that most of Cobb has been developed, planning for future growth that will not negatively affect existing neighborhoods will be a far greater challenge in the future.

RON SIFEN, Vinings