Forest Park adopts Urban Redevelopment Area expansion and redevelopment plan to target blight along Forest Parkway and Jonesboro Road

The Forest Park City Council voted to designate expanded boundaries for the city’s Urban Redevelopment Area and adopted an associated redevelopment plan aimed at addressing blighted and underutilized properties along Forest Parkway and Jonesboro Road.

Economic development director Rochelle Dennis told council that the URA expansion grew out of a year-and-a-half strategic study with an external consultant that identified specific catalytic sites and corridor priorities. "Approval of the expanded URRA boundaries will provide the city and the URRA with a framework to address blighted and underutilized properties, pursue catalytic redevelopment opportunities, and support corridor revitalization," Dennis said during the public hearing presentation.

During the hearing some residents and property owners expressed support after meeting with staff; others said they want more transparency about the URA board’s dealings and expressed particular concern about earlier negotiations in which non-disclosure agreements were used during discussions of a data-center proposal. Council members and staff said the URA designation does not itself approve specific private projects and that future redevelopment actions would return with site-level public notices and any required approvals.

Council approved a resolution designating the expanded area as a pocket of blight and adopted the URA strategic redevelopment plan, enabling the URA to pursue catalytic projects and corridor improvements using available redevelopment tools. Staff said next steps include targeted site outreach, coordination with property owners, and bringing any proposed incentive or development agreements back to council for review.