North Woods Project Receives Accolades

Avondale Estates captured regional accolades for its innovative approach to the North Woods Project. Touted as an example for other communities to replicate, the green infrastructure project garnered recognition for its unique approach to amplifying resilience and equity. Mayor Jonathan Elmore and City Manager Patrick Bryant accepted the award in front of 1,500 metro Atlanta leaders attending the Atlanta Regional Commission's (ARC) 2024 State of the Region event on November 1.

The project received an Honorable Mention award, one of only five ARC Regional Excellence Awards. These prestigious awards recognize metro Atlanta projects that exemplify cutting-edge, livable design that enhances the surrounding community and supports the goals and policies of the Atlanta Region's Plan.
The North Woods Project, a stormwater mitigation project, is designed to prevent erosion in the North Woods and to reduce sediment and pollutants in Lake Avondale. The project created three rain gardens to improve the water quality in Cobbs Creek and Lake Avondale, as well as an ADA-accessible slate nature trail.

A video created by the ARC for the awards ceremony identified the North Woods Project as "a shining example of how to improve water quality using green infrastructure while concurrently providing access to nature for local residents." Watch the video about the award-winning projects and learn more about the North Woods project's impact.

This is the second time in three years the city has been recognized in the regional awards ceremony. In 2022, the city received the ARC's Great Place Award for the Avondale Estates Town Green. Other winners of this year's awards include Gwinnett County, the City of Atlanta, the Midtown Alliance, and the City of Clarkston.

The Atlanta Regional Commission is the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 74 other cities. The Atlanta Regional Commission's mission is to foster thriving communities for all within the Atlanta region through collaborative, data-informed planning and investments.