Presented by Rally Built Homes

Hey, Southwest Beltline - welcome to our first edition! This week: Atlanta and MARTA finally settled their decade-long tax dispute, unlocking $52 million for transit upgrades, while design work advances on a new trail connector linking the Beltline straight to Oakland City MARTA. Also on deck: a Beltline staircase near Grant Street is closed for a rebuild, council is weighing a crackdown on tax-delinquent developers, and Dragon Con descends on downtown to kick off a jam-packed events week.

- News — The MARTA tax settlement frees up major transit dollars, plans firm up for a new Oakland City trail connector, and a key Beltline staircase closes for repairs.
- Events — Dragon Con takes over the Marriott Marquis, Gary Clark Jr. plays The Eastern, and the Beltline's Thursday Run Club returns alongside a citywide transit study conversation.
- Government — Council committees debated a tax-delinquent developer crackdown, $7 million in Beltline Southside Trail grants, and $2 million for Chastain Park stream restoration, while a Selig Enterprises mega-redevelopment cleared zoning.
- Construction — A school renovation and an eight-structure demolition land on Metropolitan Pkwy and Murphy Ave, while SR 14's Beltline bridge gets a full concrete refurbishment.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Parks, plazas plan taking shape for Beltline-to-MARTA trail connector
Design plans are moving forward for the Oakland City MARTA station and Murphy Avenue Connector Trail, which will branch off the Atlanta Beltline to create dedicated pedestrian and bicycle paths, improved street crossings, and new neighborhood green spaces. The project aims to create direct, multimodal connections between Southwest Atlanta neighborhoods and rapid transit.

Along newest Beltline pathway, key connection has to be rebuilt
A major staircase connecting the newest Southside Trail segment down to Grant Street and surrounding commercial districts is closed and slated for reconstruction after construction defects were identified. Trail users navigating the corridor should anticipate detours while crews work to resolve the structural issues and reopen the access point.

Atlanta and MARTA settle decade-long tax dispute, paving the way for transit upgrades
The City of Atlanta and MARTA have resolved a long-standing dispute over sales tax revenue, freeing up $52 million in funding for transit improvements. The agreement clears a path forward for key regional transit projects.

Fulton County's Tax Digest Delay Hits Homeowners
Delays tied to mapping software backlogs have stalled the Fulton County tax digest, triggering court intervention and shifting timelines for local property owners.

Invest Atlanta greenlights $600k to middle-wage jobs, more for affordable housing
Invest Atlanta has approved $600,000 in funding for job training and placement programs through Goodwill of North Georgia and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. The initiative focuses on expanding middle-wage career opportunities and supporting affordable housing efforts across the city.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, August 31
- Walk with Ease | Lee + White - Great Lawn
- New Orleans is Coming! The Sunny Side Jazz Band | Ambient+Studio
- Networking on the Atlanta Beltline with the YEC | Pittsburgh Yards

Tuesday, September 1
- Gary Clark Jr. | The Eastern
- Socially Awkward Comedy | Boggs Social & Supply

Wednesday, September 2
- Dragon Con 2026 | Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Thursday, September 3
- Botanical Beats: Plant Music Bingo TICKET LINK COMING SOON | Monday Night Garage
- Atlanta Beltline Thursday Run Club | Wild Heaven Brewery, The Garden Club
- Citywide Conversation: Beltline Transit Study (In-Person) | Wild Heaven Brewery, The Garden Club
- DragonCon Pregame Panel with Catalyst Game Labs | Offbeat Books

Friday, September 4
- Georgia Bulldogs vs Florida Gators Football | Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Fourth Friday Social Media Power Session | Pittsburgh Yards
- Gardens of…, No Kingdom, Twin Trances, Black Fractal | Boggs Social & Supply

Saturday, September 5
- 2026 Aflac Kickoff – Auburn vs. Baylor | Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium | Georgia Aquarium
- Sevendust & Theory of a Deadman | The Tabernacle
- Atlanta Hip Hop Day Festival | Historic 4th Ward Park
- Taste of Soul Atlanta | 498 N. MLK Jr. Dr.
- Viogression, Cemetery Filth, Malefic, Dead Speak | Boggs Social & Supply

Sunday, September 6
- WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event | State Farm Arena
- HBCU Celebrity Basketball Game | Forbes Arena
- Alley Rainy, Tardía, Kid Fears, Hannahbolector | Boggs Social & Supply

GOVERNMENT

Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

Atlanta City Council

Council committees covered a packed docket this week, and minutes are posted for most sessions except Transportation, so outcomes there reflect what was on the agenda rather than confirmed votes. At Finance/Executive, members took up a crackdown on tax-delinquent developers receiving city subsidies, over $332,000 in water and sewer bill refunds, and next year's property tax rates, while the Transportation Committee considered $7 million in grants for the Beltline Southside Trail, a $4.5 million Buckhead repaving deal, and new stop signs and crosswalks near an elementary school. The Community Development/Human Services Committee moved forward several rezonings that would allow taller, denser buildings along major corridors and voted to start condemnation proceedings against five blighted Westside properties. The City Utilities Committee approved $2 million for stream restoration at Chastain Park, a $2.7 million extension of the city's trash contract with Republic Services, and a new $1.82 million solid waste billing system, but held a proposal to ban data centers from using drinking water for cooling until September. The Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee approved $815,000 in legal settlements tied to two federal lawsuits against police and forwarded a $40 million contract to expand APD's body camera and fleet camera program. And the Zoning Committee cleared nearly 37 acres of industrial land in the Upper Westside for a major Selig Enterprises mixed-use redevelopment while voting to shelve a proposed historic district designation for Peachtree Circle.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education

The Student Advisory Council met this week for a mostly informational session rather than a policy-making one. Leaders walked through a draft district Artificial Intelligence policy that would set rules for how students and staff use AI tools, though no final decisions came out of the meeting. District staff also gave students a briefing on APS's strategic goals heading into the 2026-2027 school year. The council spent the rest of its time on internal business, including its meeting calendar and committee assignments for the year. Since this group advises rather than votes on binding policy, none of this translates into immediate changes for families, but it's worth watching where the AI policy lands once it comes back for formal adoption.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- 1200 White St SW — The committee considered a Comprehensive Development Plan amendment to redesignate the property from Industrial to Industrial Flex to facilitate light industrial and adaptive reuse.
- 633 Dill Ave — The committee recommended approval of an exemption from city distance requirements to private residences and public libraries for on-premises alcohol consumption.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education | Sep-01 | key topics: affordable housing redevelopment agreements with AUDC, facility repurposing standards, joint use agreement with City Parks and Recreation
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Sep-02, 10:00 AM | key topics: Westside affordable housing grants, Fulton County Jail elevator modernization, 2026 property tax digest update

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits
- 1442 Metropolitan Pkwy SW — Full renovation and partial addition filed for a 3-story masonry school building. This is a major project still routed for review, so expect construction noise and crews in the area once it moves forward.
- 1050 Murphy Ave SW — Demolition permit accepted for eight existing structures on the site. Clearing a project this size means heavy equipment and truck traffic once work starts.
- 933 Lee St SW — Tenant improvement permit routed for review covering a first and second floor renovation, including selective demo of non-load-bearing walls. Another sign of activity along the Lee + White corridor.
- 840 Woodrow St SW — Gas piping permit issued for Building 1000, Part A. Routine commercial work tied to an ongoing build-out.
- 983 Ralph D Abernathy Blvd SW — Electrical permit issued for a 4000W gas generator install. Small job, but it points to a business shoring up its power backup.
- 1240 Oakland Dr SW — Five separate electrical permits issued, all for service updates and safety fixes. Expect an electrician on site making the building's power supply safer and more current.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 14 @ Beltline Westside Trail — Crews are refurbishing the entire SR 14 bridge over the Beltline, including the stretch under MARTA, the CSX railroad, and Murphy Avenue, with new concrete work throughout.
- SR 14 from Norman Berry Drive to CSX #718047H — GDOT's District Maintenance Office is resurfacing this stretch of SR 14 to fix its low pavement quality score.
- I-20 at 2 locations in Fulton County, bridge preventative maintenance — This bridge rehab covers spall repair on headers and the superstructure, joint replacement, steel beam painting, and bearing and substructure work.
- I-20 from Linkwood Road to I-85, lighting upgrade — GDOT is swapping out old HPS lighting for energy-efficient LED fixtures along this corridor, with possible pole, conduit, and wiring replacement too.

Service Requests
- Visibility/Overgrowth Issues — Six reports came in on Oakland Dr SW, Murphy Ave SW & Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW, Queen St SW, Gaston St SW, Evans St SW & Oglethorpe St SW, and one other spot. Crews already solved all six.
- Sign Repairs — You'll find three requests in progress at Altoona Pl & Greenwich St, Rogers Ave & Cascade Ave, and Beecher St SW.
- Potholes — Two reports on Lawton St SW and Welch St SW. The Welch St SW pothole is fixed, and the Lawton St SW one is still in progress.
- Downed Trees — Reports came in on Elbert St SW and Lynnhaven Dr SW. The Elbert St SW case is closed, while the Lynnhaven Dr SW report got marked as a duplicate.
- Litter Removal — Ira St SW and Arlington Ave SW both got flagged for right of way litter. The Ira St SW site is cleared, and Arlington Ave SW is still in progress.
- Traffic Signal Repairs — Crews are working a non-emergency signal issue at W Whitehall St SW & Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, and an emergency Level 1 signal repair went out at Whitehall St & Murphy Ave.

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Until next week,
Southwest Beltline Busybody

Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.