On June 25, the city of Sandy Springs began a series of public input meetings to help city consultant Goody Clancy develop the city’s downtown master plan. Cheri Morris and Leigh Thompson studied some possibilities that could be incorporated into the plan.

Residents have buckled in for three days of intense discussions about the future of the city’s downtown, a project that’s been often discussed but hasn’t materialized.

The city of Sandy Springs consultant Goody Clancy will put together a new plan for the city council to consider this fall. Members of the public have turned out in droves for the meetings where the topics include transportation, infrastructure and public-private partnerships.

Goody Clancy is holding all three meetings at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, 510 Mount Vernon Highway. The consultant held the first meeting on June 25. Residents said they were frustrated by the pace of the city’s downtown plans and concerned about what types of businesses might inhabit a future downtown along the city’s busiest corridor, Roswell Road.

Representatives from the company answered questions and listened.

Two sessions of the two-hour workshop are scheduled for June 26. Each is to include small-group discussions intended to develop a “community vision” for the city center and participants may choose which session to attend. The first begins at 7:30 a.m. June 26 and the second at 5 p.m.

The third workshop will be a day-long open house on June 27 at which residents may review and discuss the plans.

Dan Whisenhunt wrote for Reporter Newspapers from 2011-2014. He is the founder and editor of Decaturish.com