Dobbins JLUS IMP Public Draft Light Pollution Study | Page 29
Chapter 3. Lighting Conditions and Land Use
In the future land use, the greatest area in the 20‐40 range is Low Density
Residential, comprising almost a third of the total acreage within this range.
The Low Density Residential land use is prominent directly west of the
installation in Cobb County. Within the greatest range of radiance, >40, the
most prominent land use is Regional Activity Center, which is located
southeast of the installation, generally along I‐75. According to the
Cobb County Comprehensive Plan, Regional Activity Centers are to support
high intensity development to serve the region and include high‐rise office
buildings, malls, and various densities of residential development. Although
not specified in this land use description, high intensity development will
lead to additional lighting.
A portion of the area within the >40 range comprises the Powers Ferry
Master Plan. The Powers Ferry Master Plan was adopted in 2010 by the
Cobb County Board of Commissioners as an initiative to plan the Powers
Ferry Corridor with consideration for Dobbins ARB. The Master Plan study
area is Delk Road to the north and Windy Ridge Parkway to the south. The
eastern boundary aligns with uses that are not unique to the Powers Ferry
Road corridor and the western boundary is I‐75. The Powers Ferry Master
Plan provides recommendations and actions to guide growth along the
corridor including the continued attraction of residential, commercial, and
office uses.
The impact of high density residential from the Master Plan can be seen in
Table 2, which shows the acreage for future land use. The greatest amount
of high density residential future land use is located within the >40 radiance
range.
An action for the most recent Five‐Year Update of the Powers Ferry Master
Plan is to begin a process for a new Street Light District along Powers Ferry
Road and Windy Hill Road. Street Light Districts are used to finance the
maintenance of lights once they are installed by developers that build new
roads.
March 2018
Another way in which Cobb County is seeking improvements is through a
Community Improvement District (CID). A CID is a self‐taxing district that is
established by property owners for improving local infrastructure and public
safety. One such CID in unincorporated Cobb County is the Cumberland CID,
which was Georgia’s first CID. The CID comprises 6.5 square miles
surrounding the intersection of I‐75 and I‐285. The CID focuses on road and
transit infrastructure improvements, streetscape and beautification projects,
bicycle and pedestrian trails, alternative transportation programs, and
community planning. By 2024, it is projected that $2 billion will be added in
real estate value. The CID has had successes in attracting development in
the area. In 2013, the Atlanta Braves decided to build their Major League
Baseball stadium in Cumberland, which has spurred mixed‐use development
in the area.
There are currently 22 projects for the Cumberland CID that are valued at
$228 million. These projects comprise four trail and park improvements,
eight pedestrian and beautification improvements, and 10 roads, bridges,
and interstate access projects. Due to the amount of redevelopment
projects within the CID, there are many potential impacts to lighting.
The CID includes plans and studies to examine options for future
improvements. An overview of each of the studies and how they contribute
to lighting follows.
A Framework for Green Transit-Oriented Development
A Framework for Green Transit‐Oriented Development (TOD), created in
2010, envisions a regional transit connection that supports the CID’s
commercial code. The framework includes a green infrastructure and
buildings component, in which LED lighting for streets, traffic, and
site/exteriors as well as avoiding light pollution and trespass are listed as
strategies to incorporate.
DRAFT Dobbins Air Reserve Base Light Pollution Study
Page 3‐11