Get Involved — Sign the Petition!
The mission of the BNC is to protect and connect all neighborhoods along the BeltLine. It is best summarized in the BNC petition site.We hope you'll take a moment to visit the BNC petition site, and add your signature in support.
Petition for Responsible BeltLine Planning
To support the development of plans that are true to the BeltLine vision of an open transit greenway that stimulates transit-oriented development on adjacent, underutilized property, we, the undersigned, urge Atlanta officials, consultants and developers of the BeltLine and related projects to adhere to the following principles:
- Uphold land use designations in the 2004-2019 Comprehensive Development Plan, including maintaining open space along the BeltLine as it runs through Piedmont Park;
- Concurrent with economic development, create an effective, cost-efficient, fully integrated transit system along the entire BeltLine corridor that provides an open space inclusive of Right-of-Way for public transit, pedestrian and bicycle trails and green space;
- Encourage commercial and residential development that is compatible with adjacent, existing neighborhoods, following City of Atlanta planning department guidelines for transition from higher to lower densities;
- Identify and protect historic properties and preserve the historic character of neighborhoods along BeltLine, and
- Involve citizens throughout the BeltLine corridor in a meaningful, ongoing planning process to ensure appropriate, responsible development citywide.
Get Involved — Subscribe!
Receive email news and announcements from the BNC. Send a message to the internal communications chair to get on the BNC mailing list.
Get Involved — Write Letters!
Write letters to elected officials. Mailed letters to elected officials are much more powerful than emails, especially if you hope someone will read it rather than merely count it. Here is some advice for effective letter-writing before sending letters. If you must write emails, here are more tips. Not sure what to write? Read our sample to get an idea If you are ready to write those letters, send them to city officials who can affect a change in your favor.
Effective Letter-Writing (adapted from “The One-Hour Activist”)
- Never send a robot letter copied verbatim from an action alert. Always personalize a letter to elected officials with examples from your personal life, your professional life or your community.
- Address elected officials as “The Honorable.” In the first sentence, state that you are a constituent (or city resident, if writing to a council member from another district), and provide a street address for your home at the beginning.
- State your concern at the top of the letter. You can use information from the BNC Web site for ideas.
- Be brief. Take a position, and support it in a few sentences. Two pages is the unofficial maximum and that is too much most of the time.
- Repeat your request at the end of the letter.
- Remember to stay on message, even as you personalize the letter. Everyone writing in support of BNC should be making the same request.
- Don’t argue every point that comes to mind. You will end up with far too long a letter. Pick the few that are most important to you.
- Be clear about your request. You do not want your elected official to simply care about this issue — you want them to take a specific action
- Don’t procrastinate. Grassroots support is important at each stage of the process, not just before the final vote.
Tips for emails (if you must)
- Put your name and address at the top of every message so staff can identify you as a constituent, or city resident.
- Don't "cc" the email to anyone. If you are asking your elected official to do something important on your behalf, make sure you are asking him and only him for his valuable assistance.
- Don't spam. It is rare that attachments will be read, so don't send them. Your job is to quickly tell why you, as a voting constituent, are concerned about the BeltLine.
- Do be brief. There is not a lot of patience among elected officials or their staff for scrolling through lengthy emails.
Sample Letter or Email
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To: mycouncilmember@atlanta.gov
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Subject: Re: BeltLine transit planning
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My name is Jane Jones. I am a constituent (or city resident) who lives at 15 Elm Street in Atlanta, 30309.
I am writing as a constituent (or city resident) to ask you to ensure the proposed BeltLine project is as much a transit project as it is an economic development catalyst. I agree with the BeltLine Neighbors Coalition that Atlanta should settle for nothing less than a BeltLine that is an effective, cost-efficient, fully integrated transit system along the entire 22-mile corridor. It is important to me that transit, as well as the green space and bike/pedestrian trails, are built concurrently with appropriate development along the BeltLine.
I am a third generation Atlantan and have been excited to watch as Ryan Gravel’s vision for new transit and parks in our city takes shape. But the pending development proposals in advance of any solid transit plan leave me more worried than excited.
I sent this email with the hope you will understand that approving economic development along the BeltLine without corresponding transportation development is putting the cart before the horse. Please oppose any legislation that permits dense development along the BeltLine before all the details of the transit system are worked out.
Sincerely,
Jane Jones
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