A year-long fight over the design of a

A year-long fight over the design of a big box development in downtown Decatur, Georgia, has provided the impetus for the new, mandatory design guidelines for the historic business district. All new commercial developments must meet the guidelines or go before the planning council to get approval for variances, says the city’s Community and Economic Development Director, Lyn Menne. The guidelines call for structures to be built to the sidewalk, mandate a minimum height of 16 feet for one-story buildings facing the sidewalk, and prohibit surface parking lots along any streets in the area. Parking lots must be located at the rear of buildings. In addition, developers have to pay for improvements in the streetscape.