Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens appointed Jahnee Prince as the next commissioner for the Department of City Planning, the city announced Thursday.
Prince’s hiring comes at a critical time as Atlanta grows and the new administration faces difficult decisions about the city’s future on issues of zoning, land use, development and transportation. Since former Commissioner Tim Keane left City Hall in February and the planning department was left without a permanent leader, the city had canceled meetings for its upcoming zoning rewrite.
Dickens said in a statement that Prince is “a trusted planning executive” known for her community engagement and consensus building within metropolitan Atlanta. Her first day is Sept. 26.
Prince has more than 25 years of city planning experience after working in the public and private sectors, according to the city. She recently served as entitlements director at Parker Poe Adams and Bernstein LLP. She is also a former deputy director of DeKalb County’s Department of Planning and Sustainability.
“With major corporate expansions and Atlanta’s expanded influence in the arts, technology, finance and post-secondary education driving an increase in our population, Jahnee will be a valued partner working with neighborhood leaders and stakeholders to chart our course for inclusive, innovative and equitable city planning,” Dickens said in a statement.
Credit: City of Atlanta
Credit: City of Atlanta
The city announced that interim Commissioner Janide Sidifall will remain in the department as deputy commissioner.
Price, who currently lives in Atlanta’s East Lake neighborhood, has lived and worked in metro Atlanta since 1994.
“It is an honor to serve the city I chose as my home,” Prince said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the Administration, neighborhood organizations, the business community and everyone who will help ensure Atlanta is a city designed and planned for the future.”
The city is still conducting nationwide searches for permanent executives to lead the police and transportation departments.
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