here - Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods

SSCN President’s Letter to Members - April, 2015
Looking Back on 2014 and Looking Forward in 2015
Dear Sandy Springs Neighbors,
The City of Sandy Springs reports that in 2014, 1600 building permits were issued; 1600 multi-family units were
under construction or recently completed; there was a 50% increase in rezoning cases over 2013 and in the last
three years 54 non-residential buildings were permitted. We've been busy!
After years of the Autumn Chase HOA and Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods’ (SSCN) outcry for its zoning
violations and crime, the student housing complex - the hub - was finally closed.
Following last year's Annual Meeting, SSCN received plenty of positive feedback regarding our “ReNEWing Roswell
Road” panel discussion. We are pleased that this encouraged some of the changes to the Comprehensive Plan
which is now underway.
Several neighborhoods were brought together to voice their concerns regarding the JWH (John Wieland Homes) 14+
acre plan at Allen Road and Sandy Springs Circle. The 43 townhome and 46 single family home development is
now underway and the surrounding neighborhoods were pleased with the final negotiations.
Halpern is relocating its corporate headquarters to Sandy Springs because of its successful re-zoning negotiated
with the nearby neighborhoods.
We’ve seen a significant increase in building development this past year. Many of these projects were zoned in
previous years. Pulte Homes is now building its 63 townhomes adjacent to the Glenridge-Hammond neighborhood
on what were formerly 8 large-lot ranch homes. JLB zoned its large Mixed-Use project; the Gateway of Sandy
Springs, on Roswell Road and Windsor Parkway. Spaulding Woods fought off 18 homes on a 6 acre site and
settled for 13. Arris Realty successfully worked through negotiations with neighboring HOA’s to bring in an
unopposed zoning for apartments on Allen Road.
A re-zoning by QuikTrip at Hanover Place was resoundingly defeated by a large group of HOA’s pulled together by
Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods.
Hines Development brought forward a 26 story office tower which negatively affected the nearby community Mt.
Vernon Place Townhomes. Also in 2014 Hines brought forward - and later withdrew – a project with 2 fifty story
towers, accompanying retail, a hotel and apartments on the triangle of land at 400/Abernathy/Mt. Vernon.
The two huge City Center Mixed Use Projects for the Brickery site and the Bank of America site are being
negotiated by a team of four large HOA’s (Mt.Vernon Woods, Mountaire Springs, Glenridge/Hammond, and
Whispering Pines) assembled by SSCN.
This week, the massive Ashton Woods/Glenridge/Mercedes re-zoning was filed. The proposed project will have
enormous impact on all of Sandy Springs because of its economic value, appearance and traffic.
In each of these projects our organization works with the neighborhoods to navigate the re-zoning process.
Whenever SSCN becomes aware of a new development project we notify those neighborhoods that will have
significant concerns. With larger projects more than one neighborhood may be affected. SSCN helps achieve a
cohesive voice by focusing their priorities on the most significant areas of debate. At each re-zoning we act to carry
out our overall mission: to identify issues, achieve common goals, to stabilize, preserve, protect and
enhance the quality of Sandy Springs’ neighborhoods and our community.
SSCN works hard for healthy, responsible development that is compatible with neighborhood best interests. We
hope that you will join us as we continue working to better our community. Your financial support is greatly
appreciated and essential to fund these all-voluntary efforts.
Mark Sampl
Mark Sampl, SSCN President
www.SandySpringsCouncil.org