Tucker LCI Study

Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) projects are sponsored by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and focus on expanding and leveraging a community's resources to create more livable environments. Projects incorporate public involvement, land use planning, market analysis, transportation analysis and urban design to create a viable master plan for the community.

Tucker is a small-town community in unincorporated DeKalb County in metropolitan Atlanta. This historic Georgia railroad town is complete with a historic Main Street spine that serves as the heart of the community. In 2005, DeKalb County hired a multi-disciplinary team that included Market + Main to conduct the Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) plan awarded to Main Street Tucker Alliance.

Market + Main's work included market analysis, land use planning, and urban design services. The project involved developing the assessment of potential and preferred growth through a detailed economic and market report. The primary catalyst projects identified included: development of housing, infill mixed-use developments in Central Business District, developing CBD business recruitment strategy, and diversifying mix of businesses, residents, and uses. Additionally, the community was engaged through workshops and public meetings to build consensus towards a preferred community land use plan which implemented the economic and market recommendations. A detailed set of urban design recommendations were also provided to ensure that the community would grow in the future according to smart growth principles.

Market + Main produced a "zoning-ready" recommendations document that translated the LCI recommendations into detailed mapping and zoning text that could easily be finalized into officially adopted zoning legislation by the county. In 2007, DeKalb County utilized the Market + Main zoning recommendations to implement a new zoning overlay district to implement the LCI plan for the Tucker community.