![]() The study will also look at how to connect to the city’s Master Trail Plan, which is underway. In September 2019, the city awarded a contract to Heath and Lineback Engineers to conduct a feasibility study for trails and access along the Chattahoochee River, including the identification of possible locations and methods to create access. The city has long wanted Chattahoochee River Access and it has been deemed as one of the priorities of the forthcoming North End redevelopment. The Commission also said it could set up precedence for future issues regarding one property and special legislation to change one property in the Development Code. The Commission felt the change would benefit one property owner which conflicts with one of the review criteria in the Development Code. The Commission voted to recommend denial of the change because of the “encroachment on a protected neighborhood” and that commercial-type usage should not be allowed. “While one would like to imagine a public-serving facility, the support at the Planning Commission for this amendment on private property rings a for-profit business approach,” Smith said. Smith referenced the Planning Commission meeting where Odrey spoke in favor and talked about his plan to create a riverfront event space. The council unanimously denied the text amendment change. ![]() “Any other property in Sandy Springs would have to go through if they wanted to change their zoning,” Paulson added. “One of the ironies of this text amendment is it bypasses that and that concerns me.” “That was done for a reason so that we had diligence and time that goes into making decisions about changing character of different properties,” Paulson said. “This is actually kind of a difficult decision because on one hand, when the Comprehensive Plan was passed there was verbiage in there addressed this for residential properties right on the river,” Paulson said.īut, Paulson said, he chose to move against the change because in the Development Code, it says if a parcel is going to be rezoned, it must go through a process of the character area map being amended and approved. “If your intent is to activate the river and increase North End redevelopment, there are other ways to go about this without adopting this text amendment that goes against one of the principles Next Ten plan.”Ĭity Councilmember John Paulson, whose district represents the Roswell Road property, recommended denial. “This is going to open up that barn door and allow encroachment into the neighborhoods with commercial,” Blad said. Resident Tochie Blad also spoke in opposition to the change. ![]() “The allure as a recreational amenity is powerful, but the engagement of the river cannot come at the imposition of or the impact to protected neighborhood quality of life.” “River activation, as desired in the and within the revitalization plan, will not be an easy undertaking and must be achieved with sensitivity to both community and environment,” Smith said. Ronda Smith, the president of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods, spoke in opposition to the change. But protecting neighborhoods was another priority of the Next Ten, some residents argued. Increasing access to the Chattahoochee River and activating the city’s gateways was a priority of The Next Ten plan, a 10-year vision for the city that informed a new Comprehensive Plan and zoning code, as well as part of the plan for the city’s North End redevelopment. City spokesperson Sharon Kraun said city officials had not been in talks with Odrey because he did not file with the city an official plan for the project.
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