The Sandy Springs City Council is moving forward with plans to improve facilities at the Abernathy Greenway Linear Park, but is altering its design and holding off on building additional parking to satisfy angry neighbors.
Council members said they are excited about the project, particularly a proposed “playable art” playground that they believe will be a major attraction.
At its Feb. 21 work session, the council decided to move bathrooms to the center of the park and to evaluate usage before building additional parking on Wright Road. The city still plans to construct a 36-space “eyebrow parking” lot on the north side of the property along Abernathy Road.
Council members will consider approving the revised plans at its next regular meeting on March 6.
The playable art park will feature playground equipment designed by artists from around the United States. The pieces are being donated to the city. Northside Hospital is giving the Sandy Springs Conservancy money to pay for the artwork.
Councilman Tibby DeJulio joked that he might play on the new playground himself.
“It looks like the type of a park that we should have in Sandy Springs,” he said.
DeJulio said he doesn’t mind waiting to construct additional parking.
The neighbors along Brandon Ridge Drive and its adjacent streets told the council during public comments that the current plan isn’t the park the city told them about. The park has been on the drawing board since 2007. In addition to the increased traffic, neighbors are also concerned about the park’s impact on nearby property values.
Linda Herman, who lives on Ridge Mill Lane, told the council to keep the bathrooms and parking lots away from their neighborhoods.
“I want to ask everyone on the council to keep in mind the neighborhood agreed to a park,” Herman said. “We agreed to a linear park and we agreed to a walking park. Our neighborhood has suffered greatly with road construction.”
Charles Wilson, who lives on Brandon Ridge, said the neighborhood is excited to see the park but said the traffic and increased parking will intrude on the neighborhood’s privacy.
DeJulio warned the residents the city won’t tow the cars if they opt to park on the side of the road because there aren’t any spaces.
Mayor Eva Galambos agreed.
“Don’t call us to tow cars,” she told the neighbors.
Galambos said the city is also going to keep track of whether or not the park negatively affects nearby property values.
“The experience in most cities when you build a park is the adjacent property values go up, up, up,” she said.
Councilman Chip Collins said the city will need to prioritize for the park as well as its neighbors.
“The concern is if you don’t put a parking lot there they are going to park on the street,” Collins said. “I understand the neighbors’ concerns, but we’ve got to balance it with reality and the needs for the park as well.”
Councilman Gabriel Sterling said the city has in the past had a problem with lack of parking at its green spaces.
“We don’t have any particular park facility right now that has too much parking,” Sterling said. “I will reserve my judgment and see the usage levels on this.”
