Sandy Springs residents can join the discussion about updates to the city’s Next Ten Comprehensive Plan in a meeting at 6:30 p.m. on March 28.
The city will host the meeting in City Hall’s Third Floor Terrace Room at 1 Galambos Way. Parking is available in the City Springs Parking Deck.
The city appointed a 13-member Next Ten Comprehensive Plan Five-year Update Advisory Committee to look at the 2017 plan and to suggest updates or revisions. Public discussion and input including this meeting will be used by City Council before making any changes.
Members of the advisory committee began evaluation of the top 10 community goals in the plan at a kick-off meeting on March 3.
The committee will meet four more times between March 17 and May 12 to propose any changes or updates to the original plan.
The Next 10 Plan is Sandy Springs’ official state of its vision for the future, Michelle McIntosh-Ross, planning and zoning manager for the city, told the committee members, who include a city councilmember, members of appointed boards and commissions in the city, local residents and local business people.
The comprehensive planning document expresses aspirations and goals for the community. It includes policies and recommendations to guide future land use decisions, she said.
“As we’re evolving and growing and changing and things are happening. Sometimes it’s painful to watch,” said Ronda Smith, committee member and the president of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods. “I think development can be incredibly painful to watch for folks, but they have to figure out ways to make sure that we are maintaining quality of life.
Committee members also discussed accomplishments that have taken place under the Next 10 plan.
“One of the things that is attractive about Sandy Springs is from a policy and economic policy perspective on the tax basis, whether it’s resident based or corporation based, very attractive to be a part of Sandy Springs as a resident and a business,” said Jim Squire.
Maintaining that economic competitive advantage for that tax basis in tax policy is really important, he said.
The city plans to schedule additional public engagement opportunities in the 2022 Next Ten Comprehensive Plan 5-year update process.
The presentation made at the March 28 meeting, displays and an online public input survey will be posted on the City’s website following the meeting. Public input will be accepted until April 8. For more information visit http://spr.gs/thenextten.