Panel splits on street renaming

The Atlanta City Council's City Utilities Committee Tuesday split its vote on a renewed effort to rename a downtown street for noted Atlanta architect John Portman.

The committee voted 2-2 on the proposal to rename Harris Street, with Buckhead Councilwoman Yolanda Adrean voting against the measure along with Carla Smith, according to Buckhead Heritage Society President Wright Mitchell. Adrean supported the street renaming when the council May 16 voted to approve it. The council later repealed the renaming action.

Voting for the measure were C.T. Martin and Aaron Watson, meaning that the proposal will go to the full council on Aug. 15 with "no recommendation" from the committee. Councilwoman Natalie Archibong abstained.

The resubmission of the application follows the council's repeal of the ordinance it passed to rename the street for Portman. The repeal action was taken because of a lawsuit filed by Mitchell that showed that the council had violated its rules in approving the ordinance.

The renaming proposal is being fought by the Atlanta Preservation Center and the descendants of Judge John Lewis Harris. See the attached PDF for a letter from one of Harris' descendants.