By John Schaffner
editor@reporternewspapers.net

The approval of six alcoholic beverage licenses and changing of the name of West Nancy Creek Drive to Curry Drive were about the only uncontested, non controversial agenda items taken up by the Sandy Springs City Council during its four hour meeting July 17.

For the record, those establishments now legally serving alcoholic beverages are: Tony’s Sports Bar and Grill, 8610 Roswell Road; La Rumba, 6317 Roswell Road; Mellow Mushroom, 6100 Roswell Road; Sultan Restaurant, 5920 Roswell Road; The Bookhaus & Company, 227 Sandy Springs Circle, and Nothing But Noodles, 6080 Roswell Road.

Applicants for street abandonments and rezonings didn’t have as easy a time with the council and residents who spoke their minds during the public comment periods.

An attempt to get the city to abandon an undeveloped portion of Green Pine Drive failed when it was pointed out by several speakers that this is a much-used back entrance to Ridgeview Park by residents along the property and their children. Green Pine Drive runs off Trimble Road into the park.

A resolution seeking abandonment of a section of Forestwood Lane from Lake Forrest Drive to a cul-de-sac and Woodgreen Drive from its intersection with Forestwood Lane caused Councilman Dave Greenspan to move to have the issue deferred until the Fulton County School Board comes to agreement with the city on negotiations for a park that began in February. The item was deferred, but only until the Aug. 14 meeting.

Deferrals and denials were the primary actions of the night regarding applications for rezoning and zoning modifications.

The one that drew the most opposition from residents was an application by Sandy Springs Toyota to rezone land behind the dealership and abutting the neighborhood in order to develop an employee parking lot.

Mike Jackson appeared on crutches asking to withdraw the application or have it deferred, but the speakers in opposition wanted it denied so that the same proposal could not be brought back again for a year. On a motion by Councilwoman Ashley Jenkins, council denied the application.

Also denied was an application for a special use permit to allow for development of a 12,077-square-foot private school at 4934 Peachtree-Dunwoody Road.

Among the other deferrals were:

An application to rezone from R-3 to R-5 three lots at 6058, 6068 and 6078 Harleston Road for the development of five single family lots (deferred to Aug. 21);

An application for a zoning modification to substitute the existing site plan and allow for the installation of decked parking at 5416 and 5424 Glenridge Drive. This was deferred until Nov. 20 when another rezoning application for this property, owned by ALPHA 7, LLC, will be ready for consideration by council.

One application that received universal approval by council was by Sewell Appliances, one of the oldest commercial companies in Sandy Springs, for a rezoning of property on Birkenhead Drive, off Trowbridge Road, for development of an 18,450-square-foot retail store.