Sandy Springs Residents Weigh In On Development Code Changes

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- Nearly two years after launching the process to overhaul its development code, the city of Sandy Springs will soon adopt the changes needed to not only protect its neighborhoods, but to also encourage quality, responsible development.

The public had a chance to weigh in at the Aug. 1 City Council meeting on the proposed changes to the city's Comprehensive Land Use Plan. City leaders are scheduled to consider approving the massive overhaul at its Aug. 15 meeting.

The update to the plan, dubbed by the city as its Next 10 project, was designed to re-write the city's zoning ordinances, which were remnants of when Fulton County ran the show before the city incorporated in 2005 (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

City residents and stakeholders who spoke at the meeting offered a variety of opinions on the document. Joe Hines, who represents the Cherokee Parks Civic Association, said his neighborhood spent a tremendous amount of time on the process, which he added was a collaborative one. However, he did say he'd like to see the city re-establish a 25 to 30-foot buffer between residential and commercial properties to ensure proper transitions between these two vastly different uses.

Rhonda Smith, speaking as vice president of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods, commended city planning staff for doing an "exemplary job" in working with communities and residents in coming up with a draft code that nearly everyone can support.

While the code has been referred to a re-write, Smith said the changes do not set aside the "basic precept of good development and protection of neighborhoods.

Robert Stein, speaking on behalf of the Autumn Chase subdivision, addressed one of the major problems his neighbors have expressed concerns about. The proposal, he believed, would remove negotiated conditions of zoning neighborhoods such as his have previously agreed to. To strip away these conditions, he added, would amount to telling neighborhoods that working with developers is futile, as those stipulations could be removed.

Jane Kelley, president of the Windsor Park Community Association, also said she wasn't pleased with this possibility.

"It would be an incredible slap in the face if you removed those," she told the Council.

Property owner Robert Forrest, who owns land at 1117 Perimeter Center West, he'd like to see the city consider including recommendations for traffic calming/protection and on-street parking to be implemented in that area. Overall, he notes, he is "very happy" with the city's code and the changes that have been made.

While a good chunk of speakers commended the city for its innovative Next 10 process and staff working closely with citizens, there were some who criticized elements of the plan.

Brad Carver, who spoke on behalf of RaceTrac Petroleum and the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores, said he and other industry representatives understand the city's position on convenience stores and its desire to see positive redevelopment along Roswell Road.

However, they remain opposed to the requirements that gas stations incorporate some public amenities requirements if they want to open up shop in the city. He also expressed concerns over a rule that wouldn't allow gas stations to relocate within a half-mile of a neighborhood.

"It just doesn't make sense for a gas station," he said.

Penelope Moceri, a member of the Atlanta Apartment Association, took issue with the city's mandate to incorporate workforce housing in the city. Her organization has been active in working throughout the region in talking about the issue of affordable housing, and one of the things that is consistently overlooked is what causes housing not to be affordable. While she states she's not opposed to incentivizing workforce housing, she said she could not support anything that would mandate that type of development.

John Gonzalez, who notes his background is in underwriting low-income housing tax credits, said many like him in the industry toss around words like workforce housing, but never characterize what they mean. These type of residences, he added, are for those who can "barely make ends meet."

“As an objective person who has pushed affordable housing, workforce housing is not a good idea for Sandy Springs," he said, adding he's even put affordable housing developments in his "mother's backyard."

Maureen Smith, who described herself as a "national expert" on writing construction standards, said good requirements go through multiple administrations without the fear of being jammed through during any particular election cycle. In the city's case, the proposed document is a "rushed" re-write, adding there has not been enough public comment opportunities provided for residents.

When she first saw the document, she said she had high hopes, but now feels the city's planned adoption date of Aug. 15 is too soon to get a complete revision.

“There are all sorts of things that aren’t right," she said.

Mayor Rusty Paul thanked city residents for their involvement over the last two years and for their comments made at the Aug. 1 meeting. Sandy Springs has been very deliberate in making sure it obtained the input from residents of all walks of life, he added.

Sandy Springs has had one of the most difficult to understand zoning codes, as it was forced to apply 1970's codes to 21st century challenges.

He noted that when the city does, in fact, pass the update, there will be things they have overlooked and will have to come back and address. Out of 38,000 parcels in the city, less than 15 are currently in contention. Given the fact that were so few residents at the Aug. 1 meeting expressing more negative opinions "tells me that everyone has done a good job," the mayor added.

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