Car free living along the trails

 There's the idea that trails attract higher price developments, pushing out lower income residents.  There's also a belief in trails as transportation--transportation being particularly important to low income communities where families do not own cars.  Mindful of these issues, some city officials have focused on policies that will ensure equity of access.  

Ideally trails would be built all over the city and offer various access points, but, with current trail locations in Athens, access is limited to downtown, the eastside, and Winterville.  A notable project with regard to access to trails is Habitat for Humanity's Micah's Creek neighborhood, which is being built along the Firefly Trail.  The trail is immediately adjacent to the neighborhood and future residents can walk right on.  Spanning the length of the eastside, the Firefly trail offers a true transportation route to locations along its path.  

One strategy for multiplying this access is to lower the cost of building near trails and not requiring parking minimums is one way to lower the cost of development.  No minimum parking emphasizes the trail as alternative transportation to driving.  Transit along the trails also emphasize alternative transportation.

Please see: Atlanta City Council votes to axe parking minimums near BeltLine | Urbanize Atlanta for further insight into these issues in our state.