[{"_1":2,"_119":-5,"_120":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,73,83,95,107],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},"mediaId",6198312,"mediaKeyId","3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944","parentId",3847685,"title","Council approves grant of air-rights for state Capitol skybridge despite public concern","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",14183000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944&start=14183&end=14183","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944/thumbnail_14183000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6198312/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Council-approves-grant-of-air-rights-for-state-Capitol-skybridge-despite-public-concern","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6198312-053dd53151959802dadb9e8dfe685664/orig.mp4?Expires=1771108346&Signature=fOFBPQqvvWgzwj5oqx4GxQV5QBttXoPIbVf1YB9ILdFTTihtjUAluSKMIcPGrDqvWGSy7splqtywnRX6zzk6aL~JqkqVglTVmcgFtdWb7UCQjwq9cuHRI94Upw91jA9UljFxS6km4ii51f0QcpjwX85PQkltQ8JKALSDZfP5VLhRFwHWoZdrC3Ig8kKESM0fTSL9nsJF~0mD7fz2gVXDQFusf9SpaFEgLi0-ao8dpSD64qrtGXGEcERiNFvv~yCZ-idWsdMfS9FX98ufH5KDsFRNKfn~38oEnb0x4Y~QldqNVXruDEjIxAbZwc7Zu-t8Z~G4Gdz-If0OrIFp~n8Epw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-16T21:59:38Z","article","The Atlanta City Council voted to grant air-rights and easements that permit the Georgia Building Authority to construct an aerial pedestrian bridge over Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, connecting the Georgia State Capitol complex to a new legislative office building. The measure passed following debate in a committee of the whole and subsequent votes in regular session.

Transportation committee chair Byron Amos presented the item as an air-rights grant; witnesses for the state said the bridge would link state buildings and did not require city funding. “This project is about air rights,” a committee speaker said; the state representative noted the bridge is intended to connect two state-controlled properties.

Some council members and public commenters raised concerns about downtown street‑level activation and access. Opponents said skybridges historically reduce pedestrian activity at street level and can create safety and economic impacts for nearby businesses. The Atlanta Preservation Center and neighborhood advocates urged the council to reconsider, calling the bridge “a shopping-mall style” intrusion into the Capitol Hill historic area.

Committee votes included a 10-2 approval in committee of the whole at one stage and, after returning to regular session, an 11-2 vote to send the item to the mayor’s office. The council also adopted committee actions in a full-council motion.

Supporters emphasized that the state sought permission only for air rights and that the bridge would be used by state workers and officials accessing state facilities; there was no request for city money. The council recorded no unanimous public consensus, but by recorded votes it approved the easement and directed staff to implement the agreement required for the Georgia Building Authority to proceed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","#Atlanta City Council regular session June 16, 2025 #atlpol","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved an air-rights grant and related permissions that will allow the Georgia Building Authority to construct a pedestrian bridge connecting two state buildings over Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The vote followed questions about public access and impact on street-level activation downtown.","taxTitle","Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",2959,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":74,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":75,"_41":42,"_43":76,"_45":76,"_46":77,"_48":78,"_50":79,"_52":80,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":81,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":82,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6198317,"Atlanta council adopts Trails ATL master plan to expand citywide trails network",16585000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944&start=16585&end=16585","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944/thumbnail_16585000.jpg","/articles/6198317/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Atlanta-council-adopts-Trails-ATL-master-plan-to-expand-citywide-trails-network","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6198317-6a1e2ecae372b04fbbc1eaf653c811f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771108346&Signature=JmUpLy0-2yu7arX6KOjY5FNwAIwS-ELb1lMbwbpi6-yWWpGCQWfxRV8HuQXlQPfpyvOpny8TPkranDz8ISeWs-vGZAW3gXPACEUPvpcmHc~mKxCgEDaYDy2h4008kePAp6CmopNufqO~ZMk46pJqm0UlCtFJdLJfJmZP0mm1u1CdW3LPlpf1OXxpr6lz4DTjLVRfKxyEXvZy9XljqIcH4Rko15VmXy8XZy9vtTT07DkIf8v4gEKTRMAVRu9MMhYoHr-pchobv5Nrr5BGCI~EOJAvpfDT7amPdboULsA1gs80pBtcEhEoQXyJPLV7j8zjY8ZuADeg4qVuMiyeS2WvRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Atlanta City Council adopted the Trails ATL master plan and added it to the city’s comprehensive development plan by a unanimous vote, approving a citywide blueprint intended to expand trail access and pedestrian connections across Atlanta.

Council member Jason Winston, sponsor of the measure, said the plan will connect neighborhoods and increase equitable access to safe trails. “This plan will put 94% of residents within a 10 minute walk of a trail by 2052,” a public commenter said; the council noted the Trails ATL study’s long-term timetable and funding expectations.

Council members and public speakers emphasized that trails can spur displacement if anticrisis measures are not included. Nataki Osborne-Joseph of the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance told the council that anti-displacement measures should be in place before major trail construction to protect legacy residents from rising costs.

The council amended the item on the floor to add a councilmember’s name and then approved the motion to adopt the plan unanimously. Several council members also requested or supported targeted naming of segments for district-specific recognition.

The adoption formally recognizes Trails ATL as a planning document and allows the city to proceed with implementation steps, including project-level design, community engagement and coordination across departments. Council members signaled the need to pair trail construction with community benefits and anti-displacement strategies as the city moves to fund and build individual segments.","The City Council adopted the Trails ATL master plan and incorporated it into the city comprehensive plan; councilmembers said the move advances walkable connections and requested community-benefit strategies to prevent displacement.",{"_33":84,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":85,"_41":86,"_43":87,"_45":88,"_46":89,"_48":90,"_50":91,"_52":92,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6198322,"Mother of man killed in officer-involved shooting asks council for updates; councilmember offers to help",611,7467000,8078000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944&start=7467&end=8078","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944/thumbnail_7467000.jpg","/articles/6198322/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Mother-of-man-killed-in-officer-involved-shooting-asks-council-for-updates-councilmember-offers-to-help","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6198322-81b0a2153c635da3ed136ea0de34fc77/orig.mp4?Expires=1771108346&Signature=N~vq-H6Z5MvvKqx8vOHqZE44CX-4-SnakDPLE5WBYrEbNGsyzguFVAAWmvvGkLNsJjxzSx70JcjkJ7NofkpvQCubRUCJfu7ua-OvG4WflSjY4-BtJwGrm0reG5jhDPvjaoqqbfIroT0RgJ7jC07zYObEvmhGlnuoxQIm8Xau5Swo0H7yEfmR0bByyO~mIt6mgHEZsjrXsSX3HREOtLGib7S7O0am2fX~EeOVU6wo~AO1Omfsl-57wVZxRJUPWu3RMKHiJHvfCUTjwD3Y8IAxLuMIYDdr4yKW-mHT1lDYA2-UUW2J9HZFqDk2EA0WAkwzrRWrS7uowo2vYlxUrFcU~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Valerie Anderson used the council’s public-comment period to demand answers about the death of her son, Devon Anderson, which she said was caused by an Atlanta Police officer, identified in other sources as a person named Melvin Potter.

“Ten months in. I still don't know why,” Anderson told the council. She said Fulton County arrested the officer and that he “chose not to take a blood draw,” adding she felt the criminal-justice system had not treated the family fairly. Anderson urged the council, the Atlanta Police Department (APD) and the relevant prosecuting offices to provide information to the family.

Council member Antonio Lewis responded publicly. Lewis said he has been “the advocate making sure to ask all of the questions that she needs me to ask” and that he has been coordinating with the public-safety committee and the family. He urged patience for a thorough investigation but said he would seek status updates and pass on whatever public information is available.

No criminal-case outcomes were announced at the meeting and the council did not take formal action; council members said they would relay Anderson’s request to the appropriate law-enforcement and prosecutorial entities and would assist the family in obtaining information.

Anderson’s public remarks were emotional and drew multiple references from other council members and attendees offering support. The council’s responses emphasized the sensitivity of pending investigations and the need to avoid actions that could compromise eventual prosecutions while also acknowledging the family’s need for information.","Valerie Anderson urged the council for information about the investigation into her son, Devon Anderson, whom she said was killed by an Atlanta police officer. Councilmember Antonio Lewis said he has been advocating for the family and will help seek updates from law-enforcement entities.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_46":101,"_48":102,"_50":103,"_52":104,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":105,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":106,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6198326,"Vine City residents protest proposed Georgia Power substation; ask council for help",367,6243000,6610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944&start=6243&end=6610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944/thumbnail_6243000.jpg","/articles/6198326/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Vine-City-residents-protest-proposed-Georgia-Power-substation-ask-council-for-help","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6198326-c69c728dfbaeffd08c9e8019a6dd21d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771108346&Signature=LUqhr6OsUkMl9Sp~B1WMldKnmZEk8KnKyBTzmq3b4TDte6tIaSfMzh6~U0h-XELM4X35SzBluDCYErgUJ18L4AF6AQ0A6JSyc2qB31oX2RkdHK3XTh2Dsczaa5tB9rLaclUDWqmSAaDCulOims0ZxBG6smE4pePprkkREGUiBt3vFztv7g3Aol~g1ike1njKBP1cSJxRY3wqlmWjSaVxbQJfwsPncmMBs32nZ9FpW~a14zo83RZNpGOCATZUzHQIXXh8-OvWQGIcbo-TerFdy44QaBj1WqeqbKXykE9Vf0aGteJm7bYrKr8-SWUnaw74tiTTaNbbpfWpLM964wvuDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents from Vine City and surrounding neighborhoods told the City Council during public comment that Georgia Power plans to place a second electromagnetic substation near Northside Drive, two blocks from school sites and near residential blocks, and that community members object to the siting.

Former councilmember and community leader Abel Mabel Thomas said Georgia Power had “been working on this situation” for two years and did not consult the neighborhood, and that the company told community members it would hold a groundbreaking on June 5. Thomas said the area is adjacent to the Gulch and Centennial Yards and asked why the company would not locate the facility in a commercial/industrial area. “Pick another neighborhood,” Thomas said. “We don't want it.”

Speakers raised health and safety concerns, soil-contamination risks and the proximity of the proposed site to school properties. One public commenter said Bethune Elementary and a gifted school used to be in the area and emphasized impacts to children.

Organizers described an upcoming protest and an ongoing Georgia Power Accountability Campaign (GPAC). Thomas asked the council to withhold any public funds or support that would facilitate the siting and asked elected officials to hold the utility accountable. He noted rate increases and expressed concern that Vine City residents would not benefit from economic gains tied to the project.

City council members who heard the comments acknowledged the remarks and said they would relay community concerns to staff and to the larger process. No formal action on the Georgia Power siting was recorded at the meeting; speakers said they planned recurring community demonstrations until the company changes course.","Residents and local leaders told the City Council that Georgia Power notified them of plans to build a second substation near Vine City with a planned groundbreaking date; speakers urged the company and the city to relocate the project to a nonresidential site such as Centennial Yards or the Gulch.",{"_33":108,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":109,"_41":110,"_43":111,"_45":112,"_46":113,"_48":114,"_50":115,"_52":116,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":117,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":118,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6198330,"Atlanta Council adopts major update to tree protection ordinance after months of debate",917,12738000,13655000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944&start=12738&end=13655","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847685-7bee39548f97da2231af209d7fe22944/thumbnail_12738000.jpg","/articles/6198330/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Atlanta-Council-adopts-major-update-to-tree-protection-ordinance-after-months-of-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6198330-b5d6c4cbf6c00857defb6f5c642e8d20/orig.mp4?Expires=1771108346&Signature=o0BAadNnEuzo7Rkiv6em72J-OjHPzygxeyB9Yo8X8rxfLh8LIqAcpFWnPjwSd80wCH1-cq0LBTnueXEshe7m6m9XqoV9uIG4CfSZsiBacKAQeZJs1nA-62gTFMOmsflSZVQx-BnlxMuXGbqH0RPn~D1r6C3~e80d2NKnPMtbp2NZHq-ycazeZAd3e7GJ0sPTL90lBW72DhA54th6YdOX7UTdEOugZviH-dI3SsWhuHd0KXZ6iRGtlUwIuxh6QZZYa5tEYX-~9F8jxsdVaPYNUv7HOi87jZG8sYgSk6KJ74kTZpn2UTZbCdMuItI5z6Yn04AzNZIytJp5F3ovOIIPkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Atlanta City Council voted to approve a substituted update to the city’s tree protection ordinance on a 15-0 vote and then voted to forward the legislation to the mayor’s office for signature. The ordinance, which went through committee and substitute drafting this month, raises penalties and recompense rates and creates new implementation staff and programs.

Council member Michael Julian Bond introduced and shepherded the measure through the council as part of a package of changes. Bond said the ordinance “modernized our tree protection ordinance for the city of Atlanta,” and he thanked planning staff and members of the committee for their work.

The ordinance increases the tree recompense rate to $140 per inch (adjusted annually for inflation), doubles funding for low-income senior pruning and planting assistance to $400,000 a year, and raises the maximum penalty for illegal tree removal from $100,000 to $200,000 per acre. It also establishes additional arborist and ecology positions paid from the Tree Trust Fund, creates a registration program for tree professionals and includes minimum tree-density requirements by zoning.

Council member Liliana Bakhtiari, who had pressed for stronger preservation standards earlier in the process, urged continued work after the vote. “The movement to improve tree protections in Atlanta is not over because this passes,” Bakhtiari said. “We still wanna have a city that’s in the trees.”

Several community speakers and environmental advocates urged stronger numerical preservation standards and criticized prior drafts that they said allowed clear-cutting. Chet Tisdale, an environmental advocate, told the council the city faces “a tree loss crisis” and linked canopy loss to rising ozone and particle pollution. “We have an air pollution problem in addition to a tree loss crisis,” he said during public comment.

Council supporters said the substitute was the result of long negotiations and that additional oversight would be built into the implementation phase. Council member Isha Collins and others requested quarterly reporting to the Community Development Human Services Committee on how the ordinance interacts with the upcoming Zoning 2 rewrite; a separate resolution asking planning to report quarterly was circulated and referred to committee.

The council approved the substituted ordinance in full council and then voted 14-0 to send the measure to the mayor’s office “posthaste.” Several council members stressed the vote was a step in a multi-stage process and that additional rules and monitoring will be needed as zoning reforms are enacted.

Implementation details in the substitute include an inch-for-inch replacement option, credits for new plantings and guidance for homeowners on insurance-related removals. Critics outside the chamber said the substitute removed previously proposed preservation standards and pledged to continue advocacy for stricter rules.

The council’s action brings the city’s tree policy into effect pending the mayor’s signature and marks the most substantial rewrite of the city’s tree rules in decades; council members and staff said monitoring and follow-up will be required as projects move through the permitting and zoning systems.","After months of negotiations with community groups, developers and city staff, the Atlanta City Council adopted a substituted tree protection ordinance and sent it to the mayor’s office for signature. Supporters called it progress; critics said it does not go far enough and pledged continued work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves grant of air-rights for state Capitol skybridge despite public concern

Atlanta council adopts Trails ATL master plan to expand citywide trails network

Mother of man killed in officer-involved shooting asks council for updates; councilmember offers to help

Vine City residents protest proposed Georgia Power substation; ask council for help

Atlanta Council adopts major update to tree protection ordinance after months of debate