Johns Creek Comprehensive Plan Protects Neighborhoods, Promotes Connectivity

JOHNS CREEK, GA -- The city of Johns Creek has released a draft version of its Comprehensive Plan update, which seeks to preserve residential neighborhoods and manage future development growth.

The draft Comprehensive Plan update, which is designed to review and update the Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2008, was developed by a 25-person Citizen Advisory Committee comprised of residents, city council members and staff, who worked with outside consultants for the last year.

The city also held several public participation meetings, and surveys were made available online for additional input by Johns Creek residents. The updated plan outlines five new goals that focus on:

• Creating a city-wide multi-modal sustainable transportation network that reduces traffic congestion, increases intra-city mobility, and includes complete streets, cart, bike and pedestrian pathways that connect neighborhoods to schools, parks, shopping centers, and institutional destinations;
• Creating an identity for the city that guides future development while preserving its residential neighborhoods and exceptional quality of life;
• Expanding the city’s economic base to retain and attract high tech industries while protecting residential home values;
• Providing superior recreational and cultural activities throughout the city; and
• Developing tools to implement the goals, including developing a Unified Development Code with architectural and site design standards.

In an effort to preserve the residential character of the community and reduce future residential development and density, the plan focuses on lowering densities in residential areas and creating neighborhood villages in key locations within the city.

The updated plan creates a parcel specific Land Use Map and provides specific density, height and use restrictions for all parcels in Johns Creek. The Land Use Map identifies sections of the Technology Park Area, Newtown Area, Ocee Area and Jones Bridge Road at State Bridge area as potential neighborhood villages in established commercial areas in the city that should be further studied to permit redevelopment and a possible mix of retail, office and contextually appropriate residential development.

With respect to transportation, the plan identifies and prioritizes future road projects and new sidewalks and trails that will connect residential neighborhoods to schools, shopping, libraries and parks.

Johns Creek residents will have plenty of opportunity to review the draft plan and provide comments throughout June and July. The city will also hold a public hearing before the draft is sent to the Atlanta Regional Commission for review this summer.

The ARC’s review typically takes 90 days. A final draft will then be issued this fall for another review by the public before going before the Mayor and City Council for review and approval.

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