Historic Preservation Policy and Regime Politics in Atlanta

Stone and others described historic preservation policy in Atlanta as a failure because of the inability of preservation advocates to participate effectively in the governing regime. Yet in 1989, Mayor Andrew Young approved a comprehensive new preservation ordinance that reflected a shift in priorities by the city’s business and political leaders to recognize the importance of preserving and reusing older buildings. The enactment of this new preservation-based redevelopment policy was the result of a process of social learning by Atlanta’s regime participants. This research examines the development of the new historic preservation policy, its effects on neighborhoods and commercial areas, and its connections to regime theory. Rather than being a failure, historic preservation policy in Atlanta succeeded in balancing the interests of developers, property owners, and preservation advocates.