The removal of 250 trees from Grant Park has been put on hold while residents and the City of Atlanta look for a compromise to save some of the greenery.
According to a report in the AJC, the removal of the trees to make way for the Grant Park Gateway project was paused at the request of Atlanta City Councilwoman Carla Smith. The Gateway is a $48 million partially buried parking garage for 1,000 cars topped by a greenspace and restaurant.
Mayor Kasim Reed’s office sent a letter to Save the Trees of Grant Park, a grassroots organization of residents, stating: “The Mayor is committed to meaningful dialogue between an arborist of your choosing and a city arborist to identify feasible options for saving trees.” The city has also offered to pay for an arborist to consult on the issue.
As part of the ongoing discussion surrounding Grant Park, the Atlanta City Council voted to reduce the speed limit along Boulevard from 35 to 25 mph between Mead Street and I-20 at the request of Councilwoman Smith.