Atlanta neighborhoods appear 'United' on a name to replace Confederate Avenue
ATLANTA _ Confederate Avenue is one step closer to a new name.
"United" was officially selected this week by residents and property owners in Atlanta's Grant Park and Ormewood Park neighborhoods to replace the contentious street names, said members of at least one neighborhood group that has led the charge to rename Confederate Avenue and East Confederate Avenue.
Ballots with recommendations including "Considerate," "Soldiers" and "Phoenix" were distributed to households along both streets in late July by residents calling themselves Neighbors for a New Name.
Many of those residents live on Confederate Avenue. Votes were tallied last weekend and results were announced this week. Of 89 ballots returned, "United" received 48, and the others received fewer than nine each.
"In the absence of a prescribed process, Neighbors for a New Name developed one that we thought would be transparent, democratic and the best shot at engaging the greatest number of Confederate and East Confederate residents in the decision," said Jeremy Gray, one of the leaders of the group.
While an Atlanta city ordinance requires 75 percent of households on a thoroughfare to agree to a name change, the law does not regulate how a new name should be chosen. The signature threshold to start the renaming process was reached this month. It allowed City Council member Carla Smith to introduce legislation to change the name.
Smith said Wednesday that she will amend her legislation to reflect the new pick "at the appropriate time."
_The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
