“Accessory Apartments" – Use and regulation of accessory dwelling units, also known as accessory apartments, as a way to promote affordable housing and multi-generational housing options in single-family neighborhoods.  2007. pdf

"Controlling Big Box Retail Development in Georgia" - Strategies to help communities avoid "big box blight" caused by retailers abandoning existing sites for new stores, leaving empty eyesores in their wake.  2004, updated 2007.  pdf

"Protecting the Future Forever: Why Perpetual Conservation Easements Outperform Term Easements."  2006.   pdf

"The Durability of Conservation Easements in Georgia."  2008 pdf

"The Constitutionality of Open Space Requirements and Minimum Lot Sizes" - Analyzes the constitutionality of requirements in conservation subdivision ordinances to cluster houses together and preserve the remaining open space. 2007  pdf

• “Sign Control on Rural Corridors: Model Provisions and Guidance” – Help for local governments to regulate billboards on scenic corridors. Funded by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. 2003. pdf
• Scenic Byways - Advised south Georgia counties on tools for agricultural land preservation and other important resources along scenic byways, in cooperation with The Georgia Conservancy.  2004.
• “Strip Corridor Redevelopment: A Guidance Document” – Guidance document and model ordinance for Georgia local governments, created for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.  This project began with a strip corridor revitalization overlay and implementation document for the city of Dalton to help improve community character and reduce traffic congestion along Dalton's Walnut Avenue commercial strip. 2004.  pdf

"Lighting and Dark Sky Regulation" - Analyzes approaches for local governments to regulate the environmental effects of lighting. 2008   pdf

"An Analysis of Development Impact Fees in Georgia" – Analysis of the Georgia Development Impact Fee Law.  Tracks use of impact fees in Georgia and makes recommendations for jurisdictions considering adopting impact fees.  2004, updated 2007.  pdf

Etowah Habitat Conservation Plan - Helped create many regulatory tools for the 11 counties and 22 cities in the Etowah River basin in North Georgia.  (The Etowah River is one of the most biologically diverse river basins in the world, comparable to the Amazon.)  The Etowah HCP is a first-of-its-kind multi-species, multi-jurisdictional effort to help protect certain fish species under the federal Endangered Species Act through better growth management. 2002-2007.

• The LUC is part of a group of citizens activists, lawyers, and experts working to solve problems related to industrial pollution in the Newtown neighborhood of Gainesville. 
  
• Health, Environment & Quality of Life Impacts - Newtown Community, Gainesville GA  November 2008.  pdf    zipped version
  

Etowah Habitat Conservation Plan - Helped create many regulatory tools for the 11 counties and 22 cities in the Etowah River basin in North Georgia.  (The Etowah River is one of the most biologically diverse river basins in the world, comparable to the Amazon.)  The Etowah HCP is a first-of-its-kind multi-species, multi-jurisdictional effort to help protect certain fish species under the federal Endangered Species Act through better growth management.  2002-2007.

• "LEED Building Ordinances for Local Governments" - How localities can create policies for US Green Building Council LEED certification of local government buildings.  2007  pdf
• "Survey of Local Government Green Building Incentive Programs for Private Development."  - a nationwide review of local government incentive programs for green building.  Spring 2009.  pdf
  

"Phase II Compliance & Illicit Discharge Ordinances" - How municipalities can implement  illicit discharge ordinances in compliance with Phase II of the NPDES program of the Clean Water Act.  2005.  pdf

• Initiative for Watershed Excellence: Upper Altamaha Pilot Project.  The LUC is part of a consortium of multidisciplinary faculty and students from UGA and other colleges and universities helping implement land use tools and other regulatory solutions to issues identified by communities within the watershed.  2005-present.
• "Phase II Compliance & Illicit Discharge Ordinances" - How municipalities can implement  illicit discharge ordinances in compliance with Phase II of the NPDES program of the Clean Water Act.  2005.  pdf
• "Keeping Livestock Out of Streams in Georgia" - Regulatory and incentive methods for requiring or encouraging the fencing of streams to exclude livestock.  Animal waste is a major cause of water pollution in Georgia.  2006.   pdf
• "Stormwater Utilities in Georgia" -  How a local government can establish a stormwater utility to help fund infrastructure improvements to protect water quality. 2006.  pdf

"Model Junkyard Ordinance"   2007.   pdf

"Keeping Livestock Out of Streams in Georgia" - Regulatory and incentive methods for requiring or encouraging the fencing of streams to exclude livestock.  Animal waste is a major cause of water pollution in Georgia.  2006.   pdf

"New Ruralism" - Discusses how New Urbanist forms can work in rural settings  2009.  pdf

"New Urbanism and Euclidian Zoning: Can They Co-Exist?" - Analysis of conflicts between traditional Euclidian zoning and the principles of New Urbanism. 2007.  pdf

"Phase II Compliance & Illicit Discharge Ordinances" - How municipalities can implement  illicit discharge ordinances in compliance with Phase II of the NPDES program of the Clean Water Act.  2005.  pdf

"Drafting Local Ordinances for Natural Resource Protection."  2008.   pdf

"The Scientific Justification for Stream Buffers"  Fact sheet on the importance of stream buffers in protecting water quality. 2006.  pdf

“Sign Control on Rural Corridors: Model Provisions and Guidance” – Funded by Georgia Department of Community Affairs.  Further work on this topic is being pursued by Scenic Georgia. 2003. pdf

Advised south Georgia counties on tools for agricultural land preservation and other important resources along scenic byways, in cooperation with The Georgia Conservancy. 2004.

“Sign Control on Rural Corridors: Model Provisions and Guidance” – Funded by Georgia Department of Community Affairs.  Further work on this topic is being pursued by Scenic Georgia. 2003. pdf

• “City of Jefferson Curry Creek Water Supply Watershed: Estimate of Existing and Projected Impervious Cover and Assessment of Watershed Protection Provisions” – The LUC, in conjunction with the River Basin Center, helped the City of Jefferson to protect its drinking water supply.  The LUC wrote municipal legislation to reduce impervious cover (roads, parking lots, buildings and sidewalks) and minimize runoff, which diminishes water quality by filling streams with pollutants and increasing sedimentation, increases the need for expensive water treatment and impacts aquatic habitat.  2003 – 2007. pdf
• "Stormwater Utilities in Georgia"  How a local government can establish a stormwater utility to help fund infrastructure improvements to protect water quality.  2006.  pdf

• “Strip Corridor Redevelopment: A Guidance Document” – Guidance document and model ordinance for Georgia local governments, created for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.  This project began with a strip corridor revitalization overlay and implementation document for the city of Dalton to help improve community character and reduce traffic congestion along Dalton's Walnut Avenue commercial strip. 2004.  pdf
• “Richard B. Russell Parkway, Warner Robins, GA” - Sustainable development scenarios for Russell Parkway, created with faculty and students from the UGA College of Environment & Design.  2004.  pdf

• “Chattahoochee Hill Country Transferable Development Rights Ordinance” – Georgia's first TDR ordinance, drafted by the LUC for the Chattahoochee Hill Country in South Fulton County.  This ordinance is part of a master plan to save 40,000 acres from sprawl development.  The program provides critical protection for the Chattahoochee River.  It will preserve natural, historic and scenic resources in the Hill Country while accommodating growth and ensuring landowners receive value in exchange for protecting their land.
  
• TDR Feasibility Studies – the LUC has worked on several TDR feasibility studies in cooperation with other UGA faculty and staff as part of the Alliance for Quality Growth.  These studies help local governments develop programs for preserving land through private transactions between landowners in sensitive areas and developers, creating desirable higher density projects in appropriate areas.
• Newton County TDR Feasibility Study – In progress, 2007.
• DeKalb County TDR Feasibility Study – Funded by DeKalb County. 2006.
• Thomas County TDR Feasibility Study – Funded by The Georgia Conservancy. 2005.
• Athens-Clarke County TDR Feasibility Study – Funded by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Athens-Clarke County.  2005.
• TDR Citizens Guidebook - A manual for citizens groups who want to be involved in the process of planning a new TDR program in their community.

• “City of Jefferson Curry Creek Water Supply Watershed: Estimate of Existing and Projected Impervious Cover and Assessment of Watershed Protection Provisions” – The LUC, in conjunction with the River Basin Center, helped the City of Jefferson to protect its drinking water supply.  The LUC wrote municipal legislation to reduce impervious cover (roads, parking lots, buildings and sidewalks) and minimize runoff, which diminishes water quality by filling streams with pollutants and increasing sedimentation, increases the need for expensive water treatment and impacts aquatic habitat.  2003 – 2007. pdf
• Etowah Habitat Conservation Plan - Helped create many regulatory tools for the 11 counties and 22 cities in the Etowah River basin in North Georgia.  (The Etowah River is one of the most biologically diverse river basins in the world, comparable to the Amazon.)  The Etowah HCP is a first-of-its-kind multi-species, multi-jurisdictional effort to help protect certain fish species under the federal Endangered Species Act through better growth management.  2002-2007.
• Initiative for Watershed Excellence:  Upper Altamaha Pilot Project.  The LUC is part of a consortium of multidisciplinary faculty and students from UGA and other colleges and universities helping implement land use tools and other regulatory solutions to issues identified by communities within the watershed.  2005-present.

"New Urbanism and Euclidian Zoning: Can They Co-Exist?" - Analysis of conflicts between traditional Euclidian zoning and the principles of New Urbanism. 2007.  pdf

In May 2003, the Land Use Clinic was awarded a proclamation for developing Georgia's first transferable development rights ordinance.  The ordinance was created for the Chattahoochee Hill Country in South Fulton County.

Home |  About the Clinic |  Projects & Papers  | Useful Links | Contact Us

---

Land Use Clinic University of Georgia  School of Law Athens, Georgia 30606  (706) 542-8043