The Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a resolution calling upon the city, Atlanta Beltline Inc., and MARTA to present an implementation plan and timeline for light rail on the Beltline corridor by January 2027.
Atlanta City Council member Kelsea Bond introduced the resolution in support of light rail transit along the 22-mile loop, with nine fellow members joining as sponsors.
However, the unanimous vote came after several amendments by Council member Byron Amos, including removing language in support of using funds from the Beltline Tax Allocation District (TAD) for the rail project.
The TAD will sunset at the end of 2030, and Amos argued that the money should be spent on development opportunities for the Westside and Southwest sides of the Beltline corridor.
“Equitably speaking, we shouldn’t spend the last of the funds to build rail when we still have other projects that need to be completed on the Westside,” Amos said. “What pot of money will be left to develop opportunities along the Westside trail like the other parts of the Beltline have enjoyed for years?”
Council member Antonio Lewis agreed with Amos, stating his southwest district “has not seen the same funds as the rest of the Beltline.”
The amendments, which were ultimately approved, set off a back-and-forth that Council member Eshé Collins warned could derail the resolution. “I think we need to get centered on the resolution that is before us.”
Council member Michael Julian Bond reminded his colleagues that what they were voting on was not an ordinance, but simply a resolution of support urging the city, Beltline, and MARTA to act.
I don’t think we should get too much heartburn over this resolution,” Julian Bond said. It’s a general policy statement that we support rail and want to see it happen.”
Following the passage of the resolution, Julian Bond also made a motion to send the document to Mayor Andre Dickens’ office posthaste. That motion was also unanimously approved by the council.
Before the vote, dozens of residents spoke in favor of Beltline rail during the public comment section of the meeting.
RELATED STORIES
• Beltline gives recommendations for $3.5 billion light rail plan
• Atlanta Beltline breaks ground on new Northwest Trail segment
