A Sandy Springs neighborhood association is reaching out to Buckhead’s largest coalition of neighborhoods as the association tries to convince city officials to scale back plans for a mixed-use development near the intersection of Wieuca and Roswell roads.
The project will be close to Chastain Park and would have an impact on Buckhead residents.
Ron Comacho, co-chair of the Development Review Committee for the Cherokee Park Civic Association, spoke to the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods on Oct. 11.
The project is being co-developed by JLB Partners and Core Property Capital. The plans include a grocery store and five-story apartment buildings. The company is asking the city of Sandy Springs for a variance to allow for higher ceilings in the apartment units, meaning the development will be taller than the standard height of five stories. The plans call for 700 apartment units and a seven-story parking deck.
The plans call for the demolition of apartments now on the property.
So far, the plan is working its way through Sandy Springs’ review process, Comacho told the BCN.
He said the residents believe the density of the project is unacceptable and have several recommended changes.
“We’re recommending underground parking, which is not unprecedented for grocery stores these days, …. and loading docks on the side,” Comacho said. “We feel loading throughout the night behind our homes would not be acceptable.”
BCN Chairman Jim King and Secretary Gordon Certain said the developer’s plans don’t properly address the increased traffic the development will create along Roswell Road.
“They are going to open up the side roads and not do anything to Roswell Road and I think the congestion could get worse,” Certain said. “They’re not proposing any kind of intelligent signaling.”
The company says it is being held to the same standard as other developers and that the apartments will attract well-heeled professionals interested in the amenities Chastain Park offers.