WADE GREEN ROAD SMART CODE

Client:
Cherokee County
Project Status:
Completed in 2006
Project Overview:
• Review County’s draft Smart Code calibration and test it against the Wade Green Road development concept
• Review County’s draft Smart Code calibration and test it against the Wade Green Road development concept
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WADE GREEN ROAD SMART CODE

Cherokee County, Georgia

In early 2006 TSW was retained by the Quintus Group to design a 38 acre neighborhood on Wade Green Road in Cherokee County, Georgia. The site was located in an area recently studied during the 2005 Bells Ferry LCI, and was in a portion of the county for which the Smart Code was being calibrated. As such, the development would become its first application of the Smart Code to a traditional neighborhood development in metropolitan Atlanta.

When Cherokee County officials learned of TSW’s involvement in the Wade Green Road project, they asked TSW to review the draft Smart Code calibration and test it against the proposed development concepts. Through this effort, TSW identified several additional local calibrations necessary to reflect traditional town building in the Atlanta region, including a reduction in alley widths, density revisions, metric adjustments, and a clarification of park and open space provisions. TSW also worked with the County to establish application standards that would ensure that the spirit of the Smart Code was not compromised.

After assisting in locally calibrating the code, TSW prepared a Concept Plan for a neighborhood meeting the code’s requirements. The neighborhood includes 250 housing units distributed between two transect zones (T4 and T5). Keeping with the intent of the Smart Code, both transect zones include a diverse mix of housing and commercial uses, including live-work units, townhomes, and single-family dwellings. All are connected through an efficient network of streets, alleys and lanes that provides internal circulation while providing the opportunity for future street connections as the adjacent lots are redevelopment.

The transect-based development also respects environmental conditions by preserving the areas around the two existent creeks in the site and providing numerous open space opportunities. Open space provided in the form of stream buffers, pedestrian ways and pocket parks connects residents to the neighborhood while creating a pedestrian friendly and pleasant environment.

Following completion of the plan, TSW translated the vision of the plan into a Regulating Plan meeting all of the requirements of the Smart Code.

WADE GREEN ROAD SMART CODE