Below is the email that ThreadATL sent to all voting members of Atlanta City Council regarding the Gulch proposal, which is being voted on tomorrow. Remember: a ‘no’ vote this week doesn’t mean we leave the Gulch as it is. It means we have a chance to get this proposal into better shape. CIM Group has made no public statement about walking away if this vote doesn’t pass.

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ThreadATL is asking City Council to vote 'no’ on the Gulch proposal and give the City of Atlanta a chance to make this a better deal, one that ensures public streets, room for future passenger rail, and the removal of the $29 million buy-out provision that reduces the developer’s commitment to affordable housing.

Those are the kinds of public needs that should be expected in return for our public incentives.

Atlanta doesn’t have to look far to see the worst of what private streets can mean in the Gulch. Walk down what appear to be public streets in Atlantic Station with the wrong clothing, or while talking a bit too loud, or heaven forbid while taking a picture with your phone, and you might find yourself escorted off the premises.

Such a future for streets in Downtown must be avoided. We need to respect and treasure Downtown’s rich history as being a place where the Black Lives Matter protests started and civil rights marchers passed through. Let’s make sure that any development deal for the Gulch includes a guarantee that new streets will be fully open to all people and to public demonstrations.

Reserving room for new passenger rail and a platform is also essential here. We need for Downtown to grow in development without growing in car trips over the decades and increasing our contribution to climate change.

With cities across the U.S. looking into new inter-city rail service, and with MARTA planning a commuter rail line into Clayton County, it’s clear that leaving room for passenger rail and a platform in the center of the city is a forward-thinking element that we should expect from the Gulch plan. Even if there’s no political will for the rail today, better safe than sorry when it comes to sustainable futures for regional and inter-city transportation.

And finally, there’s just no excuse for allowing the developer the option to make a $29 million payment to the City in lieu of building the affordable housing units listed in the proposal. Affordable housing in Downtown is something that shouldn’t be bought out, it’s something that we need a guarantee for investing in.