Atlanta’s ‘green’ building ordinance to get City Council hearing (Update)
July 23, 2009 at 1:01 pm by Thomas Wheatley in NewsOn Tuesday, July 28, an Atlanta City Council committee will discuss the long-planned “sustainable building ordinance,” a beast of a bill that dictates green-building standards for new construction. Supporters say it could make Atlanta one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the country.
The legislation — which has been in the works since last summer — is a key part of the Sustainable Atlanta Initiative, a multi-pronged approach to meet Mayor Shirley Franklin’s goal to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. (PDF of Sustainable Building Ordinance) Included in the ordinance are water-conservation measures, energy-efficiency guidelines, material requirements and various other green-building standards.
At more than 65 pages, the bill covers everything from sink fixtures in your home to spray wands at the car wash. Buildings must meet one or four green-building certifications, including EarthCraft or LEED certification. Under the current language, only new commercial, residential, institutional and industrial buildings taller than three stories would be required to comply with the ordinance. Single-family homes, structures that don’t require running water or electricity and historic buildings would be exempt. The ordinance would take effect one year after passage. It’s an ambitious initiative and worth a look.
Green building codes have the tendency to become hot-button issues. Some traditional builders and developers have argued that the standards are unfair, expensive and that government has no right to set mandates to reduce the effects of global warming. Architects and urban planners usually applaud them because they enforce methods that are lend to better-built homes that lessen our impact on the environment while also saving homeowners money.
We’ve called the usual suspects to see if there’s any concern in their camps. We haven’t heard back just yet.
After the jump, I’ve pasted one paragraph that caught my eye for its potential impact on people who might enjoy the occasional Pall Mall in their chic, hi-rise apartment.
From pg. 46 in the document:
Does this mean every new condo building is going to have those cute little glassed-in smoking huts more commonly seen in airports? You can’t even smoke in your apartment?
(Update) Townsend Bailey of Sustainable Atlanta clarifies the smoking provision via email:
Thanks for your inquiry, Thomas. The intent of the proposed Sustainable Building Ordinance is to protect the health and welfare of Atlantans as well as to preserve the economic, social and environmental competitiveness of the city of—attracting more businesses to Atlanta, stimulating our economy, and providing the foundation for the creation of numerous green-collar jobs.
The section about smoking aims to ensure that non-smokers are not exposed to second hand smoke in their own dwellings. If a condo association or apartment building owner decides to allow smoking in the individual rooms of the building, the ordinance provides a means to ensure that the rooms are well sealed so that the smoke from one room doesn’t seep into the neighboring rooms. This standard is also a prerequisite for LEED Certification.
The title of this post has been altered to reflect Bailey’s clarification.
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
It never ceases to amaze me how smokers will pursue a habit that is actively, demonstrably killing them – and then complain about the inconvenience it causes them where restrictions are imposed to keep the rest of us safe from their exhaust.
Atlanta should have the courage to prohibit smoking entirely: in the home, in the street, everywhere.
July 24th, 2009 at 10:46 am
I agree with the comment above. This would certainly make Atlanta one of the most green cities in the nation…and I think it is an appropriate step.
July 24th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
So you want to give people the ability to call the cops on a neighbor who’s on a porch smoking? An overly burdened Atlanta police force doesn’t need additional ‘domestic disturbance’-type calls to distract them from real crimes.
I would rather see Atlanta police focus on violent crime and theft rather than answering calls from a watchdog who’s peeping on smokers in the neighborhood.
Someday when Atlanta has an overly-abundant police force, a dearth of violent crime and a pile of spare cash, sure…let’s look into tough smoking laws. Not now.
July 25th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Honestly, I think this is the about the LAST thing this city should be concerned with at the moment. I’m fine with buildings being built to comply with all of the green propaganda… I mean features but this city so many more pressing issues to work on.
I’m particularly irritated that it will require a stimulus check to get some MUCH NEEDED infrastructure improvements downtown in the middle of all the convention and tourist facilities. Why has the city allowed this place to resemble a third world country for so long?
It just highlights in my mind the complete backwardness of the priorities of our city government and this green crap is just more of the same.
We should be trying find ways to attract more development not make it more difficult and cumbersome which is about the only thing this legislation will accomplish.
July 25th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Joe,
Aren’t you lefties always talking about conservatives wanting to control your lives?
July 27th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
This will be an economic, business, and environmental disaster for the city of Atlanta. The reasons are too many to list. But the most absurd is the ordinance will require the retrofitting of existing buildings to comply with code. This is both a waste of money, and a waste of materials and resources (ie lots of junk will now end up in landfills from the retrofitting of non-obsolete property and materials). I hate to say this, but it may be time to move to Cobb, or at least a place like Decatur. It appears Atlanta is headed down the toilet from lots of wrong-headed policies.
July 27th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
The proposed ordinance does not require retro-fitting existing buildings except when they apply for a building permit. And, then only the part of the building undergoing the permitted work will have to comply with the ordinance.
Sustainbility is proven to be good for business owners, communities in general, and the environment. Green buildings have higher value, higher rents, less vacancies, lower operating and repair costs, and healthier environments in which people work and live. Do the research.
Oh, and when Fortune 100 companies visit Atlanta looking for facilities they’re looking for green buildings in the city center not crap generated by the build and run developers. Look at what Cousins is building these days: green buildings.
July 28th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I don’t care if developers have trees growing out of their asses, this is going to be an abandoned city (again) if this city government doesn’t shape up. If there was ever a case of putting lipstick on a pig this would have to be it. People are FED UP with this city.
How about fixing a frickin street or actually having a plan to deal with the police staffing issue? Atlanta has all the potential in the world to be a great city but lets not kid ourselves city hall is one big clusterbump and none of this green crap changes that fact.
July 28th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
JM and FRANKly
Seriously… do your homework or at least read the ordinance (the latest draft was recently posted on the sustainable atlanta site).
Mike thanks for pointing out the absurdity of JM’s comment… I’ll consider that a moot (irrelevant) point.
I fail to see how someone can view an ordinance that will improve the quality of life in this city, reduce pollutants, create new (less-harmful) industries / processes, promote growth in multiple sectors, and attract corporations to our region as the LAST thing we need?!?
With our water issues mounting, asthma cases rising in our youth and elderly, and ever-present drought concerns… this is the FIRST thing we need and we needed it years ago!
The government already regulates what is built in this country… it’s called the Building Code. To say that an update to building processes is a burden on police to stop smoking is just a preposterous jump in logic.
It’s about time Atlanta became proactive and a leader in the S.E. region. This is a positive step towards getting this country to remove its collective head from the sand (or other locations).
Read the ordinance folks (I just finished reading it)… and let’s get started making this place better (instead of making uninformed and inflamatory comments).
July 28th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Frankly…
I actually agree with you that the city will need to get more efficient and more “present” in the upkeep of this city (and it’s ordinances) if any of this is going to work.
Good point.
Green “crap”… I’m not in agreement with.