2025 Advancing Diversity and Social Change in Honor of Paul Davidoff Award
The Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study
Clarkston, Georgia
The Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study explored different path locations to better connect residents to different parts of town and create a more walkable and livable community. The study centers the voices of at-risk and historically overlooked residents in one of the nation's most diverse cities to prioritize access to nature, health, and mobility.
Advancing Diversity and Social Change in Honor of Paul Davidoff
The Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study
Clarkston, Georgia
Additional Partners: Perkins+Will (Sarah McColley, AICP, project manager); Sycamore Consulting, Inc. (Ed Caddell, AICP, public engagement manager); major funding source Atlanta Regional Commission (Kristin Allin, principal planner), Perez Planning & Design; Trail Connection; and Purpose Possible.
Community Engagement
More than 60 languages are spoken in the city. The study recruited compensated Community Engagement Ambassadors who translated materials into 10 languages and acted as trusted liaisons to local residents, ensuring everyone could meaningfully participate in shaping the greenway's goals, routes, and amenities.
Public input was gathered at familiar hubs such as the Clarkston Community Center, and along with familiar community events. Videos, including the "Walk With Us" storytelling series, made planning content accessible across languages, literacy levels, and ages.
This inclusive approach upheld high standards of integrity by integrating community voices, using data from the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index, and avoiding conflicts of interest. The engagement strategy built long-term trust in local government, elevated planning as a tool for social change, and created a replicable model of inclusive planning.
Planning Outcomes
The study empowered residents to help inform the final trail route. It made a meaningful impact on the lives of the community the greenway was designed to serve — particularly low-income, immigrant, and refugee residents. The thoughtful placement of the greenway enhances access and connectivity to schools, transit stops, retail, and health clinics.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Improves access and mobility opportunities for residents.
- Community Engagement Ambassadors translated materials into 10 languages, improving opportunities to participate in planning decisions.
- The study proposed anti-displacement measures like land trusts and housing policy tools, demonstrating a long-term commitment to community sustainability and protection.
- The study's process created a new precedent for future planning efforts in the city.
Jury said: "The plan set a new benchmark for equitable planning by using Community Engagement Ambassadors and multilingual outreach to ensure every resident's voice shapes the city's future."
Top image: Walk With Us storytelling activity photo courtesy of The Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study team.
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