The city of Monroe recently completed a planning and coding charrette that brought together local residents, city and county official as well as area-wide environmental organizations to collaborate and share their vision about the future of the city.

In 2007, Monroe was awarded a Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) grant by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) to study how to spur redevelopment along the Broad Street Corridor through downtown Monroe. The goal of the Monroe Town Center LCI study and resulting plan was to create and maintain a central downtown area that offers a mix of commercial and residential uses and creates a destination for local residents and visitors. Of particular interest was how to balance growth and development issues with transportation considerations while creating a pedestrian-friendly environment. 

Courthouse Square - now	Courthouse Square - as planned

 

Matthew Chancey, city engineer and planning associate, has served as the city’s liaison for the project. He said, “We have a goal of preserving and restoring our historic character, but we don’t want to focus just on the immediate downtown area because future growth will affect how all of components work together and ultimately the success of downtown.”

Spring Street roundabout - now	Spring Street roundabout - as planned

 

According to Chancey, a unique redevelopment opportunity along the targeted corridor recently became available with the closure of Avondale Mills. Avondale Mills, located along the southern portion of the study area, occupied approximately 165 acres of land, 125 of which are currently undeveloped. City officials would like to develop this property as a mixed-use project to anchor the southern portion of the town center.

 
One of the recommendations of the final LCI report was that the city revise its conventional zoning ordinance because existing development regulations do not support the proposed development pattern. Moving to a form-based code, which focuses on the physical built form rather than just uses in each zoning category, would better assist the city in achieving its vision. Town Planning and Urban Design Collaborative LLC, the company which conducted the charrette, is assisting the city in revising its codes and creating a new master plan for the City.

A supplemental LCI implementation grant awarded in 2009 has assisted the city in creating a code that uses transportation improvements, land use policies and sound urban design to improve the quality of life in the town center and nearby neighborhoods, while preserving the historic small-town character and facilitating appropriate development and redevelopment.