Atlanta Urbanist Book Group
A Better Atlanta, One Book at a Time
Our mission at the Atlanta Urbanist Book Group is to introduce new ideas to Urban Atlanta by reading recent books about cities, identifying the ideas we think would work in Atlanta, and offering citizens and civic leaders a guide to these ideas.
We define “urbanism” broadly. We are reading books about transportation, land use, housing, public safety, government reform, neighborhoods, social infrastructure, education, economic development, regionalism, diversity, politics, arts and culture, volunteerism, and more.
Our aim isn’t to review books but to show how their ideas apply to Atlanta today and suggest ways of moving from good ideas to good actions.
Interested? Like to join us for a discussion? Click here to sign up for our email notices about books and meeting dates.
You can also subscribe to our calendar of events on Google. Click this link to have our meetings connected to your phone’s calendar and updated two or three months in advance. You’ll never have to wonder when the Atlanta Urbanist Book Group meets next.
Next Book: Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World
Aug 5, 2026
We will discuss a book about how zoning can be reformed so it facilitates the things urbanists value in cities, from density and mixed uses to cycling and walkability. It was written by someone who rewrote a city’s zoning code to do these things.
Sara C. Bronin is an architect, land-use attorney and college professor who was the chair of the Hartford, Conn. planning and zoning commission for seven years.
In our discussion, we will look for lessons for Urban Atlanta in this book about how to make zoning a positive force in cities.