City Launches Yearlong Zoning Ordinance Rewrite

An estimated two dozen people, including Mayor Branden Whitfield and members of the Loganville City Council, attended the Feb. 3 kickoff of the city’s comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite — a process expected to take a year or more.

 

The effort will include multiple opportunities for public input and is being led by Franklin, Tennessee-based Town Planning & Urban Design Collaborative. The Loganville City Council approved a $272,511.75 contract with the firm late in 2025, a figure that includes a 5% contingency.

 

TPUDC was selected from three firms that responded to the city’s solicitation for proposals. The initiative was spearheaded by Councilwoman Lisa Newberry, who chairs the council’s Planning & Development Committee.

 

Newberry had expressed frustration with a zoning process that frequently involved developers modifying proposals during meetings of the city council and planning commission to address concerns raised by officials and residents.

 

At the Feb. 3 kickoff, Brian Wright, founding principal of TPUDC, outlined the broader purpose behind the rewrite.

 

“How do we make a place that’s going to work for all the people who live here?” Wright asked attendees.

 

He noted that many communities in the region share similar development patterns shaped largely by their zoning ordinances.

 

“A lot of the towns and cities around here are kind of the same, and it’s because of their zoning,” Wright said. “So what do we do if we want to have something different than that?”

 

Prior to the public kickoff, Wright and other TPUDC staff met with elected and appointed officials, toured Loganville, and spoke with department heads to gain a better understanding of current policies and development challenges.

 

Wright also addressed concerns that residents might feel unqualified to participate in the zoning rewrite process.

 

The next opportunity for public involvement will come during the three-day “Codeapalooza,” beginning at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in the city council chambers at City Hall, 4303 Lawrenceville Road. The event will continue in a drop-in format from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 24 and Feb. 25.

 

According to buildbetterloganville.com, the official website for the zoning update, Codeapalooza will provide a dedicated space for community members to share input, voice priorities, and receive answers to questions.

 

The Feb. 23 session will include a hands-on mapping workshop. The following two days will feature topical meetings from noon to 1 p.m., with an additional 6–7 p.m. session scheduled for Feb. 24. Specific topics have not yet been announced.

 

Wright said the rewrite should address technical issues within the current ordinance, including contradictory language, while also protecting areas residents value and improving those that need attention.

 

One anticipated benefit of an updated zoning ordinance is greater predictability in zoning decisions for developers, residents, and city staff.

“We see planning and zoning as an economic development tool,” Wright said, emphasizing the importance of public participation throughout the process.

 

“Our process is to really try and understand the essence of this place,” he said. “What’s the DNA of the community? And the only way that we can do that is by talking to you all.”

 

As part of its analysis, TPUDC is expected to visit areas identified as community favorites and examine technical elements such as building setbacks, heights, and lot widths to determine what contributes to their character.

 

Wright encouraged residents to think intentionally about the city’s direction moving forward.

 

“You have to decide where you want to go, and you have to say, ‘We are going to go there, no matter what’,” Wright said. “And you try it, and you see what happens.”

 

Addressing TPUDC’s role in shaping the ordinance, Wright stressed that community input will be essential.

 

“Whatever we do has to represent the essence of Loganville,” he said. “We will never know this place the way that you all do. We deputize you all to be part of the team … y’all are like the ‘vibe’ check… We need you all to do that.”

 

Closing the Feb. 3 meeting, Wright described the zoning rewrite as a long-term undertaking requiring patience and collaboration.

 

The process, he said, “will be a journey,” and maintaining an open mind and positive approach will be key to its success.