Committee Approves Conditional Abandonment of Part of Westminster Drive; Neighborhood Questions Remain
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Summary
The Transportation Committee voted 6–0 to favorably recommend abandoning parts of Westminster Drive so Atlanta Botanical Garden can expand, while requiring ATLDOT to provide written responses to community questions before full council review.
The Transportation Committee voted to advance an ordinance to abandon portions of Westminster Drive Northeast that would allow the Atlanta Botanical Garden to absorb the right-of-way into future park development, but the committee attached a condition requiring the department to provide written responses to neighborhood questions before the item reaches full council.
Deputy Commissioner Leonore of the Atlanta Department of Transportation (Office of Engineering) described the request as two segments — off Monroe and off Piedmont — serving the city'owned northern boundary of the Botanical Garden, Watershed Management property and adjacent parcels. Leonore said access to Watershed Management would be recreated so no parcel becomes landlocked.
Derek Brown, president of the Anson Park Civic Association, said the neighborhood was not included in prior discussions and listed specific information the community needs: how ATLDOT determined the street was "no longer useful," whether vehicle and pedestrian counts or ADA accessibility analyses were performed, whether nearby residents were notified, and what public benefit taxpayers would gain from surrendering the access point to a private entity.
Chair Alex Wan said those questions mirror ones submitted by the Midtown Public Use and Engagement group (MPUE) and asked ATLDOT Commissioner Solomon Cabiness to respond in writing. Cabiness said the department requested time to do due diligence but agreed to provide written responses and the department asked the committee to act on the ordinance today. Wan moved to approve the ordinance "favorable and conditioned"; the motion, seconded by Council Member Amos, passed 6'0to'00.
The condition requires ATLDOT to provide written answers to the MPUE and the neighborhood before the full council meeting on Monday so the item will not be placed on consent. Chair Wan asked Derek Brown and neighbors to copy him on follow-up communications and noted additional questions could be raised before full council.
What happens next: ATLDOT will submit written answers to MPUE and the Anson Park neighborhood before the full council meeting; the abandonment will be considered by full council with the committee's condition noted.