FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Council Communications
Atlanta City Hall
55 Trinity Ave. SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

July 7, 2026

Atlanta City Council Promotes Vibrant Communities with Temporary Moratorium on New Self-Storage Facilities 

ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium on the construction of new self-storage facilities during the Monday, July 6, full Council meeting.  

By enacting the temporary moratorium, City of Atlanta officials can thoughtfully implement new, essential land-use regulations leading to vibrant communities in every neighborhood. Ordinance 26-O-1396, was one of several critical pieces of legislation passed during the July 6 full Council Meeting.  

“Atlanta wants more vibrant commercial corridors, more walkable neighborhoods, and more affordable housing” said District 9 Councilmember Dustin Hillis and the ordinance’s lead sponsor. “This ordinance gives us the time to ensure that future development responds to the City’s long-term planning goals and to the needs of the people living around the proposed site by asking would this specific area benefit from a self-storage facility, or would things like affordable housing, a restaurant, or a bank better serve the community.”  

The ordinance reads in part:  

 
“WHEREAS, the City of Atlanta (“City”) acknowledges a need for facilities where residents and business owners alike can keep their personal affects and inventory while also acknowledging that assessing the appropriateness of locations for self-storage facilities is critical to maintaining and encouraging vibrant and walkable communities with a diverse range of nearby goods, services, and amenities; and 

WHEREAS, self-storage facilities often span a considerable portion of neighborhood blocks with ample driveways and parking spaces, are frequented by vehicular and truck traffic, generate very few jobs for nearby residents, and can curtail commercial vitality along key neighborhood corridors; and 

WHEREAS, a temporary moratorium on the construction of new self-storage facilities, secure-storage facilities, and mixed-use storage facilities will ensure that the City enacts new land-use regulations to encourage smart growth and development throughout the City.” 

On June 24, Mayor Andre Dikens signed an Executive Order that mirrors Councilmember Hillis’ legislation.  

About Atlanta City Council

The Atlanta City Council is the chief policy-making body for the City of Atlanta. It acts by considering and enacting all laws that govern the city. The Council also approves the operating and capital budgets for the City as recommended by the mayor, and it continually monitors revenues and expenditures for local government operations. The Atlanta City Council reviews and decides on many land-use and zoning matters. Major economic development projects for the City also fall under the Council’s jurisdiction.

The City Council is composed of 12 districts and three at-large posts. Council representatives are Council President: Marci Collier Overstreet; District 1: Jason Winston; District 2: Kelsea Bond; District 3: Byron Amos; District 4: Jason S. Dozier; District 5: Liliana Bakhtiari; District 6: Alex Wan; District 7: Thomas Worthy; District 8: Mary Norwood; District 9: Dustin Hillis; District 10: Andrea L. Boone; District 11: Wayne Martin; District 12: Antonio Lewis; Post 1 At-Large: Michael Julian Bond; Post 2 At-Large: Matt Westmoreland; and Post 3 At-Large: Eshé Collins.

To learn more about the Atlanta City Council, please visit http://citycouncil.atlantaga.gov/. For the latest updates, follow the Atlanta City Council on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Office of Council Communications Contacts:

Ed Hula
ehula@atlantaga.gov
678-260-1680 

William Doughty
wdoughty@atlantaga.gov
404-330-6056 

Tiffanie Kelly
trkelly@atlantaga.gov
404-330-6014