When people talk about Atlanta, a phrase gets thrown around a lot: “We full.” It’s shorthand for the rapid growth, the surging traffic, the sprawling development, and the overwhelming sense that our infrastructure isn’t keeping up with the city's needs. But are we really “full”? Or have we simply not planned for a future where everyone—residents, businesses, and visitors—can thrive? Sound familiar? We also tackled “We full” earlier this year when we advocated for a boost to Atlanta’s transportation budget.
This is where the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) comes in. Think of it as the blueprint for how a city like Atlanta evolves. It’s a tool to ensure we don’t just react to change but proactively shape our community in a way that works for everyone, today and tomorrow. Yet, like many plans, the CDP often gets shelved or outdated. As Atlanta’s growth struggles to meet the need of it’s growing population and continues to stretch our infrastructure thin, we must breathe new life into this essential planning process.
What Is a Comprehensive Development Plan?
A comprehensive plan offers a big-picture view of a community’s future. It serves as a framework for a city's physical development and long-range goals. These plans cover every aspect of urban life, from housing to transportation, land use to environmental protection. Typically spanning twenty years, they’re designed to guide decisions about where we live, how we move, and how we use our land and resources. Importantly, they are not static documents—they must evolve to meet the community's changing needs.
Comprehensive plans are periodically reviewed—usually every five to ten years. These updates are critical to keeping the plan relevant and responsive to current conditions. Planners use this time to analyze emerging challenges and integrate new priorities into the CDP, ensuring it remains a living document.
The transportation section of the comprehensive plan should focus not only on maintenance but also on visionary, equity-focused investments in how people move through the city. Without this, we’ll continue to see challenges like missing sidewalks, unreliable transit, pothole-ridden streets, and a lack of safe infrastructure for biking and scooting. These issues hinder mobility and are symptoms of a broader need to integrate public feedback, accountability measures, and problem-oriented planning.
This is our chance to rethink what type of city design can reflect Atlanta’s rapid growth and evolving needs.
A Call to Action: Reclaiming the Blueprint for Atlanta's Transportation Future
To make Atlanta a city where everyone can thrive, we need to make the comprehensive plan more than just a document. It must be a living, breathing tool for addressing today’s challenges and preparing for tomorrow’s possibilities. Whether you’re advocating for better streets, affordable housing, or accessible transit, the CDP is your ally—it’s the framework that can turn advocacy into action.
So, let’s move beyond “We full.” Let’s redefine what it means to live in a city that’s growing—not just in population but in opportunity, equity, and sustainability. Don’t miss the panel on December 16 from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at Plywood Place. After the panel, join us and Abundant Housing Atlanta next door at Monday Night Garage for a Happy Hour. Let’s make the comprehensive development plan the guiding light for a future Atlanta with room for everyone.
