This post will provide more information on those Character Areas that mix residential and non-residential uses in proximity to each other. Character Areas are geographical areas that have a similar look and feel. They may have similar land uses, or they may have land uses that are definitive of a specific time period, purpose or aspiration.
This map shows the mix of county Character Areas.
Two of our mixed use Character Areas are historic community centers – Lithia Springs and Winston. The three other mixed use Character Areas are all along major Corridors. They include the Fairburn-Lee Corridor; the VMH Professional Corridor; and the Highway 5 Corridor.
Winston and Lithia Springs both got their start as community centers. Winston did not achieve the same scale of historic footprint as Lithia Springs. It was a crossroad community with a post office and a small town center between the highway and the railroad. But it has retained its sense of community identity through the years, and has the making of a small community center with a mix of residential, commercial, civic and employment uses.
Winston is the area in light purple on this map.
Historic Lithia Springs was the focus of a small area study in 2020 that informed the development of this Character Area. It is a people-scaled historic center in need of revitalization. Lithia Springs developed in proximity to the Bankhead Highway, one of early US Auto Trails, a forerunner of the modern interstate highway system. As a result, many first-generation auto-oriented uses have left an imprint in this area. The historic town center, along with the Veterans Memorial Highway Corridor, is a prime target for redevelopment opportunities.
Historic Lithia Springs is the area highlighted in green on this map.
The VMH Professional Corridor extends from Historic Lithia Springs to the eastern boundary of Douglasville’s historic city center along US 78. It has been a key corridor to connect these two communities and has supported a mix of commercial, industrial and office uses. Some of the industrial uses have aged out of the changing vision for the corridor, an a new focus on job generating uses within office, industrial and commercial sectors is needed. These uses should redevelop to primarily serve the adjacent neighborhoods along the corridor.
The VMH Professional Corridor is highlighted in dark orange; the Fairburn-Lee Corridor is highlighted in peach; the Highway 5 Transitional Corridor is highlighted in yellow.
The Fairburn-Lee Corridor is centered on Highway 92 south of Douglasville to the intersection with Lee Road. It has been envisioned for three principle nodes of development, with the largest being at Hwy 92 and Lee Road. This corridor is appropriate for a mix of commercial and residential uses that serve the surrounding neighborhoods. Higher residential densities will support further business growth along the Corridor. It is the focus of a Livable Centers Initiative Study. A small area plan for the intersection of Lee Road and Highway 92 was completed in 2019.
The Highway 5 Transitional Corridor extends from the more urban parts of Douglasville, through suburban neighborhoods and into rural areas of the county. It is envisioned for transitional uses appropriate to the context, and offers opportunities to absorb more density so as to accommodate density in the Dog River Basin.